#haul: when you walk into a store planning to buy one thing...

& end up buying a bunch of things because you could not resist.

That phenomenon (unfortunately) happens to me quite a lot! I will enter a store with my mind set on a few items to purchase or just "to browse," but will leave with more things than I originally intended to get and more money spent. It hurts my wallet and my conscience... but it feels much more satisfactory to buy things...

This especially happens to me at Target. There's this danger area right at the front of the store where all the items range from $1 - $3. These items can range from coloring books to tea lights to home organizers. I can never avoid looking in this area... and I almost never leave empty-handed.

I came to Target to get some eye primer. Target is the only store that sells e.l.f. cosmetics (that I know of). I tried this eye primer because I have oily eyelids and needed it to keep my makeup from creasing and in place. Some say it is comparable to Urban Decay's Eyeshadow Primer Potion--I cannot vouch for this because I have never tried it, and never had to because e.l.f.'s eyelid primer works for me. And for $1.02 (which has increased by $0.02 since the last time I bought it... what blasphemy!), you cannot beat the price for the quality of the product.

I have only ever used the e.l.f. Eyelid Primer in Sheer, but I bought one of the "Pearl" kind to see the difference between the two. I bought three tubes overall because it was cheap, and I do not know when will be the next time I will be going to Target.

e.l.f. Cosmetics Eyelid Primer in Sheer & Pearl

Buuuuut... I wandered into that danger area and came out of the store and back into my roommate's car with some more things. Initially, I grabbed several more items, but I narrowed it down to the final things you see (which was tougher than it seems). Everything else I bought was $1 each, so I didn't go toooo crazy on the impulsive spending.

... oops.

The first thing that caught my eye was the roll of striped paper tape aka washi tape. If you could not tell from my previous posts, I am in love with washi tape and anything crafty (even though I do not craft often). I do not have any gold washi tape yet (I have a lot of blue & pink), so for $1--rolls of washi tape can be an average of ~$4-5 depending on where you get it--it was a steal.

Then I saw these "notecards," or blank cards. Whenever I give a gift to someone, I like to make a card completely from scratch (a blog post will be up later about this!); however, the process is time-consuming (and a bit messy!), and I always find myself rushing to finish the card because of the other things I have on my agenda. These simple cards (again, for only $1) are cute and can be customized with some ribbons, washi tape, or other materials so each card is different, despite having the same base card. I was torn between the one below and one with pink stripes and a pink envelope with white polka dots, but I ultimately chose the polka dots because it was more gender-neutral.

Next, I saw socks. I typically do not wear socks because I do not really wear shoes that require them. However, after getting my lab job, I need to cover up my body from chemicals and other hazards in the lab so I wear close-toed shoes a lot... and you can't wear sneakers without socks (well, you can, but that's kind of gross. I'm not judging though). Even if I didn't have this job, printed socks are a trend right now. They are cute with casual wear (or to wear around the house--I'm imagining oversized t-shirt, no pants, and patterned socks) and can add color & flavor to any outfit! I debated between the gray socks with the mint polka dots and the pink socks with gray polka dots, but my roommate's friend said the mint polka dots were "chill." Sound reasoning indeed.

After some rummaging, I found these gift tags. I typically do not attach gift tags to my gifts (that's what the card is for... plus, the person receiving it should obviously know it's for him/her?), so I grabbed these for creative and crafting purposes. You never know when you'll need a gift tag!

I grabbed these mini gel pens at the last second just because I liked the colors and I used to be obsessed with gel pens. Back when I was in middle school, my parents bought me a tub of 100+ gel pens, and I would use them for everything. I'm not sure if it was because of nostalgia or the price tag ($1!) that made me grab it, but I did. My roommate convinced me to get it because she said it would be useful for studying (which is true).

Although it is kind of a sin to buy things you do not necessarily need like I do, I am glad that this time around my impulse buy only cost me $9.78. I'd say it's worth it (plus, retail therapy is so cathartic; the feeling alone of buying things makes me feel so much better).

That's all I got this time around, but you can almost guarantee that the next time I am at Target, I will be buying more than what I came for.

#haul: i could drop so much money at this place...

Easter Sunday, my friend and I were trying to go shopping for gifts for our Kiwanis Advisor for banquet. Everything was CLOSED. I don't know if things are different here or I just don't remember clearly, but stores were never closed back home. I remember spending Easter morning at mass, then going shopping or out to eat with my mom and sister afterwards. So I was pretty surprised (and slightly frustrated) that everything was closed.

The only stores that weren't closed were Barnes & Noble, Wal-Mart, and Daiso Japan.

We walked around Barnes & Noble for a bit, spending most of the time looking at children's books. We were reminiscing about books we read as a child, how many of the picture books on the shelves we didn't recognize, and how much things have changed. It doesn't seem like the last time we picked up picture books and small chapter books for enjoyment was 10+ years ago.

After driving around endlessly and finally finding the gift at Wal-Mart (that would later be returned for a better one found when stores were open), we stumbled upon Daiso Japan. The Daiso here was closed for a while, but they reopened in another location, and I was so happy to hear that.

I was first introduced to Daiso Japan over the summer. I was visiting my best friend in OC, and she brought me there to kill time. Everything is $1.50 unless otherwise priced. They have everything from home supplies to school supplies to beauty accessories and makeup ! Plus everything is 349028430x cuter than your average Dollar Tree. You can see why I could drop so much money at this place...

Floral Hair Scrunchy, Mint Polka Dot & Pink Flower Washi Tape, and a Fish Pouch - all for $1.50 each !

I only managed to get these three items before my friend pulled me out of the store, even though I only got to look through half of it. I'm kind of thankful he did; I don't know how much more money I would have spent (although it would've been sooooo worth it).

The first item I got is a floral hair scrunchy. They had two or three different designs, but this one matches most of my outfits more than the others. Because of work & the weather is getting a bit warmer, I've been putting my hair up more than ever (plus it hides my second-day hair !). The scrunchy will make my ponytails and buns look cuter than with a normal black hair tie.

Next item I got is a roll of washi tape. I love washi tape. I never turn down the opportunity to buy more. I liked this pattern the best out of the ones that were available.

It looks like a fish when you pull the drawstrings !

The last item I got is this fish pouch. It was one of the first items I saw when I walked into the store... and I couldn't resist buying it. It's just SO CUTE. Currently, I am using it to hold my computer charger, mouse, and earphones for when I'm on the go, but it's a teeny bit too small. I have to find a different use for it, but it's a spontaneous purchase I definitely do not regret.

I want to use (some of) my first paycheck on a shopping spree at this place, and buy some more fun Asian things to cute-ify my life. I just love this store so much.

We'll meet again soon, Daiso Japan.

#ootd: i was in a rush this morning...

Hello again ! I'm here with another #ootd post.

I was rushing this morning. I had an hour and a half gap between my first class and my next class, and I didn't get the chance to shower before my first class, but I wanted to make a meeting I had half an hour after my first class ended (I hope that wasn't too confusing).

TL;DR or DU;DR (didn't understand; didn't read) - I had thirty minutes to shower, get food, and get to the meeting.

Was I successful ? Kinda... I was 15 minutes late to the meeting. But it wasn't too formal of a meeting so it wasn't a big deal.

Actually, I was kind of late to a lot of things today. After the meeting I had class, but I was 5 minutes late to class. Later, I went to my boyfriend's place to take a nap and eat some soup he cooked... and I was 5 minutes late to my next class.

I digress.

Because I wanted to look put-together despite being short on time, I came up with a simple outfit in the time it took to walk from class back to my apartment.

Shirt: Polo Ralph Lauren - Hand-me-down from my mom !
Tank Top: ??? - My cousin gave it to me since she didn't want it anymore.
Shorts: Papaya
Belt: Forever 21
Socks: Marshall's
Boots: Steve Madden

Two of my favorite pieces, the blue button-up shirt and the boots, are featured in this outfit. The blue shirt adds flavor to an otherwise very casual outfit, and the boots add grunge/heaviness to the airy feel of the graphic tank and shirt (plus, I had a class that ends pretty late and my feet get chilly easily so +1 for functionality).

These items (blue button-up/chambray shirt, graphic tank, black shorts, combat boots, and accessories) are very essential closet items so anyone can put this outfit together. It looks super cute and casual, but minimal effort and time is required to style it.

Remember to hype my outfit on Lookbook.nu :) Keep checking for more posts and more #ootds soon~

#ootd: for those weird cool, but sunny days...

Hi everyone !

It's the end of week one of Spring Quarter, so I still have relatively enough free time to lounge around on the Internet and do nothing (although I should probably do some physics or ochem homework...).

My boyfriend and I celebrated the end of week 1 by watching a movie ! This morning, we went to the local movie theater and watched Hayao Miyazaki's last film, The Wind Rises. I definitely recommend it, especially if you are a fan of his other works (Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, Ponyo, etc.). It was very bittersweet, movie plot-wise and reality-wise. I hope that future Studio Ghibli films will be as great as the legacy Miyazaki has established.

Anyways, the movie showing was at 9:30am, so it was pretty early to be up. The weather said it was to be cool, but knowing San Diego, cool is... actually nice. It is also the first week of April and Springtime, so I thought it would be fun to wear shorts instead of pants, but I wanted to stay warm just in case it did actually get a bit cold.

Solution: sweater, shorts, boots.

Sweater: Fashion Q
Shorts: from thrifting. They were ugly jeans but I cut them into shorts. I liked the high-waistish feel of the shorts and the wash.

Socks: Marshall
Boots: Steve Madden

Because I didn't want bring a purse to the movie theater, I wore this jacket to hold my wallet and glasses. I love how this jacket makes everything look better put-together. I also love its functionality.

Jacket: Forever 21

This outfit is one of my better outfits I have put together since coming to college; although I've been more fashion-forward, I do have those lazy bummin'-it-in-a-shirt-and-jeans-or-leggings kind of days. This just happened to not be one of those days.

Like this look on my Lookbook.nu (: I look forward to posting more #ootds on here in the near future~

#life: *gasp* could it be ?

Could it be that I'm actually posting on my blogspot ?

Why, indeed it is.

Hello, blogspot universe. It's been almost seven months since I've last posted. Let's just say, reality has gotten a tight hold on me and wouldn't let me return to leisurely blog and update about my life/SMASHbook/everything else.

I wish I could've been better at posting some content on here, but you can only do so much when life throws everything else at you.

Anyways, a lot has happened in seven months. A lot changes. I've grown into an entirely different person than who I was seven months ago. Time really goes by fast. Here's a summary:

• I'm no longer eighteen, as it says on the sidebar. I'm definitely nineteen now. I'll fix that eventually.
• I've been reunited with friends here in college since I've last posted (summer is a dummy and living a state away is even moreso).
• My boyfriend and I have also been reunited, since we go to the same college and summer/distance kept us apart. I'm pretty happy with him and where we are.
• I've gotten two littles and an ading. I don't know how well I've been doing keeping relations with all three, and I apologize for that.
• I've gotten a lot of new clothes + spiffy things since I've updated... but have made no progress on my SMASHbook with A LOT more things to still put in. Oops...
• Winter Break was pretty cool. Spring Break was awesome (#reallycoolparty).
• I finished my term as Public Relations Chair for my college's Circle K. Ended the year with 3rd Place Outstanding Newsletter Award and a Distinguished Appointed Board Award. The past year's hard work was worth it.
• There has definitely been some ups and downs. However, at the point in time that this is written, I'm looking forward to all the ups that are to come and are ready to overcome the downs.

I can't really promise any consistent updates, seeing how well I've been doing the past seven months... but whenever I do get the chance, I promise it will be something worth reading.

#gettingcrafty: smashed potatoes !

(I may or may not be starting to run out of ways to use the word "smash" cleverly...)

It's been almost two weeks since I last touched my SMASH Book, but since I go back to SD for school in less than two weeks, I want to finish smashing in the rest of my stuff so I don't have to bring any of it back with me.

I finally did the front and back covers. I'm less than satisfied with how the front looks, but it'll do for now. I'll hopefully add more stuff and make it look more colorful (even though I love the color pink) and less bland.

Front. "There comes a day when you realise turning the page is the best feeling in the world, because your realise there's so much more to the book than the page you were stuck on." - Zayn Malik

Back.

 On to the pages ! This time... DCON Edition ! When I was in Key Club, District Convention (DCON) was always one of the events I looked forward to because you got to interact with Key Clubbers from all over the District. It was rare in high school to even meet Key Clubbers from other divisions (it makes it even tougher that I lived in Nevada and not California where most of the Key Clubbers are). In Circle K, there are many more opportunities to meet other Circle K'ers because there are more District events, so I looked forward to Circle K DCON because of meeting other Circle K'ers AND it's just a familiar event due to KC DCON. DCON is a lot of fun and I had a blast ^__^ Looking at this page brought back some good memories~

I added this pocket to hold the DCON Program.

I used the black and white paper ad for DCON that we got back at FTC as a background for the page.

All my cool swag I got from DCON. Thanks UNR, UCB, CSUF, OCC, Sac State, UNLV, and Capitol Division for stuff! :)

Under the HIMYM Tie (courtesy of UNR) is my room key ! I roomed with Charlotte, Lynn, and Jen Keli :D

I really like this spread because it's a perfect collage. It feels like it didn't take me too long to put this together since everything seemed to fall into place, but it probably did take me as long because of distractions... and I'm a perfectionist :P

Anyways, look forward to more of my SMASH Book pages in the near future ! Need to get this done before I go back to SD !

#hair: peek-a-blue/green !

I'm almost a week late posting this, but better late than never, right ?

On Labor Day, I got my hair trimmed AND decided to do something spontaneous. I got a peek-a-boo/under layer dye... in the color blue-green (which is now more green than blue and will end up being green because curse having dark hair ! But it's okay !).

Before

After

The "after" picture is directly after I got it dyed. I've washed my hair twice since I've gotten it dyed so it's starting to become more green than a blue/green/teal color. The process wasn kind of slow, but she was working on my mom's hair while I was waiting for my hair to do be done. She pinned all my hair except for the bottom layer to the top of my head, then had to bleach my hair first before she could dye it.

Bleach/hair lightener. My hair was this blonde/light brown shade that was really, really nice, even though it was unhealthy because it wasn't dye and just the hair lightener/bleach.

Blue dye ! Kind of wish it turned out this blue, but I do like the color I have. It's more subtle :P

The reason it's called peek-a-boo dye is because I can hide it under my top layers of hair when it's down over my shoulders, have it peek out when it's down over my shoulders (either slightly or completely like the "after" picture I posted above, or if my hair is up, it shows on the underside of my hair.

This was after the first time I washed my hair. The yellow light makes the color a bit distorted, but see how it shows through even though most of my hair is black ? :D

This was before I washed it for the first time, but look at the way the color shows when my hair is up !

In hindsight, I wish I could do this with a hot pink color because pink is my favorite color, but I do wear more neutral stuff and this green/blue color looks more natural with my clothes/my hair, so this was a good choice. If I do decide to dye my hair like this once it does grow out, I'm going to get a red or hot pink color. But I'm 18, still young enough to do "reckless" things, so I thought, "Why not ?" I've gotten a lot of compliments on my hair from my friends who have seen it, so I know I took a good risk.

I've only had my hair up or just straight down over my shoulders, so I haven't fully embraced the potential this color has; can't wait to experiment more with my hair and see how the color turns out !