making lists + a free printable design

As someone who is constantly making lists for anything and everything, I couldn't help but laugh over this Buzzfeed article entitled "27 Signs You're An Obsessive List Maker," because I'm pretty sure nearly everything on that list applies to me. One of my favorites is #10: "You add things to your lists that you've already done just so you can cross it off." Definitely guilty of that one!

Although I've dabbled with apps and online calendars, my personal preference is still hand-writing my lists in a pretty notebook. However, the sheer number of notebooks I've collected is definitely getting out of hand and I never manage to actually fill a notebook before I get bored and move on to a new one... So I decided to add one more thing to my project list -- make my own to-do list notepads!

I found this fantastically easy DIY tutorial by Agus Yornet and created a striped design for my to-dos (featuring my new brand colors!). So if you also want to make this simple DIY notepad, all you need to do is print out several copies of the design, trim them down to size, and follow the tutorial to glue one edge together. It's such an easy project and you can customize it to fit your needs -- win-win!

Click here to download the printable to-do list!

diy avocado face mask

As much as I love going on vacations and visiting new places, the actual act of traveling definitely takes a toll on me every single time. With the airport food, stuffy airplanes, and the weird hours, I almost always seem to end up dehydrated, sleep-deprived, and in serious need of a spa day. Most notably, my skin was seriously unhappy with the climate (and altitude) changes I put it through over the past week -- it was dry and dull (but also breaking out, hooray!). Yesterday, I finally decided to take matters into my own hands and try out a simple, natural face mask.

First of all, the basic formula could not be easier or more natural. As you can see, the only two ingredients you need are honey and avocado, both of which are wonderful for your skin. According to my Googling, honey can help retain moisture and fight infection (i.e. breakouts), while avocado can soothe dry and irritated skin and even reduce the appearance of age spots, scars, and sun damage. 

To make the basic mask, simply mash up the avocado, then stir in the honey until you've formed a paste. Apply to your face and leave on for 10-15 minutes, then wash off with warm water. This is what I did yesterday, and my skin immediately felt better -- softer, less irritated, and more moisturized. I will definitely be making this face mask a regular part of my skincare (maybe once a week or once every two weeks?), but I think I'll be experimenting with different add-ins as well.

I've only just started looking into all the different possibilities, but there are a couple of other natural ingredients that seem to be particularly useful. First, citrus has natural astringent properties, which makes it great for acne-prone skin -- adding in a squeeze of lemon juice would probably be great if you're suffering from breakouts. And second, greek yogurt is full of lactic acid, enzymes and healthy bacteria, which means it can soothe, exfoliate, fight blemishes, etc. -- mix a dollop into your face mask for even more refreshed skin.

If only it was as easy to break out of my vacation eating habits... but that's another post for another day, I guess!

currently no.5

Considering  /  exactly what kind of margarita I want for Cinco de Mayo. Traditional? Strawberry? Grapefruit? How about honeydew cucumber in popsicle form??

DIY-ing  /  a body scrub now that I'm no longer hiding under several layers of clothing. Lucky for me, Self Magazine has 5 options you can make with 5 ingredients or less!

Craving  /  these blackened tilapia tacos, which look simultaneously delicious and simple -- a winning combination, in my book. Plus, they'll go beautifully with the aforementioned margaritas.

Dreaming of  /  the perfect(ly styled) outdoor setting to enjoy a fun evening with family and friends. I am beyond in love with this gorgeous space, featured in House Beautiful.

5 things | DIYs to try

Sequin Camera Strap | Sugar & Cloth

Gold Leaf Paper Mache Bowls | Kelli Murray

Ceramic Coasters | Style Me Pretty

Gilded Geode Rings | Swell Mayde

Foiled Pillow | Sugar & Cloth

Here's the thing. I love the idea of DIY (and I definitely love pinning DIY projects), but I rarely get around to the actual doing. Maybe it's because a lot of my work is already creatively driven, which makes my free-time activity choices somewhat less involved (i.e. zoning out to Netflix, Hulu, and YouTube). Given the number of fun ideas that I've accumulated on Pinterest, though, I've decided it's time to actually get going on some projects. I'd be pretty excited to try out any of the above...

just pinned | 3

drawer system | pretty kitchen | neutral office

bubble bath | petula logo | hemingway quote

gold nails | alexander mcqueen | diy bracelet

Most of the time when I go through phases or become fixated on a specific color or aesthetic, I really have no idea what the driving force behind that fixation is. This week, though, I know exactly why my pin palette has been on the soft, feminine side -- I'm trying to counteract the stress of daily life! Two weeks into the term, and I'm already swamped (a piece of advice: try to avoid taking two studio art classes at the same time!).

Of course, spending time on Pinterest probably isn't the most efficient way to deal with my increasingly long to-do list, but at least the calm interiors and pretty details cheer me up a little! Follow me on Pinterest to see more of my pins!