8 weeks to a better me: Week Seven (Personal Style)

{a funny thing happened on the way to the blog....}

I was downloading and looking through random photos that I have in order to show what kinds of things I usually wear.  I was thinking that the target of my Personal Style goals could be to pare down some of the weirdo things that I own.  Who, after all, needs 5 gowns from the 70s one in lime green with metal details?  Who needs 15 pairs of lamé pants and every color of lamé top and high waisted booty shorts possible?  And why do I actually have an entire portion of my closet devoted to "costumes"?

Then I realized...because it is FUN, and I like it, and it's ME! 

Sure the closet article in Shape magazine gave me a little bit of inspiration, having a sparse closet with a few choice pieces sounds great...but what kind of terrible predicament would I be in when invited to a hillbilly dance party, a zombie festival or an 80s prom dance party...I would have nothing to wear! Let's face it, that is just unacceptable.

Sure I have a lot of clothes, and yes, I have a lot of impractical clothes too, but for right now...I am not over playing dress up!

So here are my 3 personal style goals for this week:

Goal 1:  Cut up and redesign any clothing that I just never wear.  Donate things that are nice enough to donate, or put vintage wear for sale.

Goal 2:  Put aside any shoes that need repair, donate or get rid of shoes that are beyond repair or that I haven't worn all season.

Goal 3:  Switch seasonal clothing out and reorganize school clothing versus play clothing (Mister Rogers style).

Thanks Danielle and Elsie for the inspiration!

xoh!

d

OOPS! I guess I took a video!...so, hi!

{whatever, I am a total nerd}

ps: thanks youtube for that totally flattering still...hahaha!

xoh!

d

8 weeks to a better me: Week Six (Home Sweet Home)

This week's goals brought to you by Danielle from Sometimes Sweet and Mandi from Here's Looking at Me, Kid are all about making your home a wonderful place to be in!

My apartment is less than charming, I will be the first one to admit it. I have been lucky to usually live in large loft spaces, or amazingly beautiful Queen Victorians renovated into apartments, complete with claw foot tubs and even a terrace. I have lived in apartments with high ceilings and hardwoods, funky slanted walls and original woodworking. At the very least I have had a large kitchen, or a killer backyard, or ample space with which to add fun vintage furniture, build a huge bed frame with wall pockets, or house a sectional and a large farmers table.

This apartment has none of that.

1. It has carpets. I almost puked when I realized I would have carpets, especially with a dog and two cats...but the view to the park and the proximity to it kind of cancelled out that fact that I vacuum every other day (sometimes every day).

2. It's small. Actually...it is pretty big for NYC...maybe average or small for Brooklyn...but darn it I have more than one room! I thought on my teachers salary and living alone that I would probably have to settle for a studio...but alas, I have a one bedroom! WEEEE!!!

3. It's in an apartment building, so it is pretty much a cookie cutter apartment...a little bit awkward and just...sort of...normal.

But, there are MAJOR pluses!

-I have two very large windows...one in each room. You can see the park from the windows and my neighborhood isn't all that loud, so the windows can be opened to get a nice breeze.

-I have enough room for my loom and my drafting table and my easel. Basically I have enough room that I have a full studio room. I use the main room when you enter as a dining area/bedroom and the other room is for my creative self.

-I have plenty of closet space. Like, a ton. This is great for me and I'm not sure what I would do without it!

Here are Mandi's tips for keeping your home awesome: You can read the full post here.

1. Don't buy or keep anything you don't love.
2. Start small.
3. Don't neglect function.

{so here are my goals for this week, regarding my home}

Goal 1: Finish putting together new chairs and set complete new dining set. Dad, if you are reading this: please don't hate on me! It is so hard to get the new chairs together and I don't have the right tools...plus I already have chairs so I only have put 1 of the 3 together. I promise I will borrow some tools and get this done this week!

Goal 2: Switch out my seasonal clothing, purge anything I don't wear or need. I do own too much clothing, I have a large closet and also a full dresser worth of clothing, and if all of my clothes are clean at the same time: I have to admit, I don't have enough space to house all of it. I have been slowly trying to get rid of pieces I don't use and focus on a smaller amount of staple pieces...but thrifting is so fun, dressing like a maniac is so fun, and clothing is just...so fun! I did make a commitment that anything I buy will be 90% handmade or vintage so that helps cut down on the crazy. This week I will make sure to switch my clothing over for the season and get rid of anything I didn't wear during fall/winter.

Goal 3: Work on one area of studio. I need to make sure that my studio is in good working condition for the extra time I will have coming up in 10 days when school is out! I will focus on one aspect of the studio: the space behind my drafting table. Here I will make sure to create something to house ideas, sketches, and keep me organized and accountable. So this week I will create a inspiration/to do area in my studio.

I am excited to spruce up the place a bit...and in order to keep me accountable, I will share some before and after pictures with you later this week!

xoh!
d

8 weeks to a better me: Week Five (Loving Life & Having Fun!)

Before I dive right into week 5, I would like to take a look back at what goals I have set so far and how I have done with those goals.

Week 1:
Goal 1: Create a weekly post regarding Brooklyn. I have not been doing so hot with this one, good reminder to look at this goal again and document the great places I have been and share!
Goal 2: Share a recipe that I use often.
Goal 3: Connect more with other bloggers.

Week 2:
Goal 1: Commit to drinking at least 6, preferably 8 glasses of water throughout the day.
Goal 2: This week I pledge to do core exercises Monday, Wednesday and Friday and to run or skate Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
Goal 3: Get 7 hours of sleep a night.

Week 3:
Goal 1: Eat one salad everyday.
Goal 2: Snack on raw nuts and veggies.
Goal 3: Have one raw smoothie every morning.

Week 4:
Goal 1: Me time.
Goal 2: Sign up for a yoga class.
Goal 3: Set the alarm clock a few minutes earlier every day this week.

I am actually surprised that I only have one goal so far that I have let slip by the wayside! I haven't kept up all of the core exercises M,W,F but I also only committed to focusing on that for week 2.

{Other things I have changed}
-Taking the stairs instead of the elevator in my building.
-Riding my bike or walking for any errand within 6 miles.
-Took a 3 day internet break during Memorial Day weekend.


So this week's goals are all about loving life and having fun! Danielle featured guest blogger Lauren from Busy Bee Lauren to speak to having fun and loving life. You can read the post here!

Goal 1: Cut negative things and situations out of my life. I took the first step in this process this weekend, where I sat down and thought about how certain people make me feel and how communication with particular people at this point is a very bad idea and bad for all parties involved. Then I did something about it! Instead of continuing to think that things would change, I stepped up for myself and set boundaries that I feel comfortable with. I already feel an enormous weight lifted off of my shoulders.

Goal 2: Strike up conversations with strangers, or at the very least, say hello! Now that the weather is nicer I have been spending a lot more time outside and wandering around my area. Why not take that a step further and take some time out to ask the little old lady down the block about her garden, or ask a stranger for restaurant suggestions. One thing I find really ridiculous is the ability people have to walk passed one another on an empty street without even a smile. That has to stop people!

Goal 3: Exercise caution in what I chose to read. This is a hard one with the internet and goes along the lines of Goal 1. There is no reason to waste one precious second of my life looking at or reading anything that does not serve the purpose of uplifting, informing, or bettering myself.

{and a bonus goal for this week}
Never drink more than 2 alcoholic beverages a night. I paid the price Sunday morning for this when I was up all night dancing (yes, and indulging) the night before. For this week I will make sure to never have a hangover. The good news is, I am a lightweight now and so 2 drinks is absolutely sufficient! All of the refined sugars in alcohol doesn't work so well with eating all of this raw food...nor does it work well with the amazing, but HOT, weather we have been having lately!

{here's to a positive week!}

xoh!

d

8 weeks to a better me: Week Four (Loving Yourself)

It's funny, I feel that I have slowly been integrating this self-love concept into my life! I just posted recently about accepting your quirks and "flaws" as a wonderful part of who you are. Lately I have been writing out things that make me happy on one of my dresser drawers so that when I wake up, I see those joyful things in my life right away. Mostly, I have been focused on what good things there are about me...sans anyone else making me feel good about myself!

Thank you Danielle and Kaelah for the self-love posts, and the prompt to set some goals for this week.

Goal 1: Me time. Take one evening this week to soak in the tub with lots of bubbles and tea (or wine!) and a good book and shut the whole world out, just be alone with my thoughts and some candles nearby.

Goal 2: Sign up for a yoga class. I have been doing yoga on my own now for a while, but I would like to also be in a class setting and push myself even more. The more time I spend working on my body and loving what it can do the better I feel about me!

Goal 3: Set the alarm clock a few minutes earlier every day this week. With the extra time I will soak up some extra rays of sun in the park with Malomar, ride my bike around the loop quickly before heading off to work, or just get to work a few minutes early. As much as I love sleep, when I am not rushing to work, putting on my makeup at a stop light, or throwing an outfit together last minute I am truly loving myself by putting my best foot forward and starting off the day relaxed and prepared.

You can join in on the goal setting here!

xoh!
d