Dissent into the Maelstrom

Flatlay Photography: 3 Tips to Up Your Game

I am always really drawn to flatlay pictures when I see them on my own Pinterest feed. They have a great way of aesthetically displaying enough products/items to fill up about 4 pins, but they do it all in one! I have made the process easier for myself over the past year. At first I was just adding too much to my flatlays, making them confusing and overcrowded. It *is* a delicate…

Keep warm with this wintery workout! 🙂 Enjoy!

How to Starch Bags Quickly and Easily : Papier Mache Method

I have been selling bath bundles in my little shop on Etsy, and I for those, I’ve been starching the bags that the bundles arrive in. This makes the brown paper bags way more durable–they keep their shape that I’ve folded them into, and they don’t rip easily. This way my customer is able to use them over and over again as a little trinket basket.

If you would like to make the starch mix to…

DIY Natural Cranberry Dye

I love grocery shopping around the holidays (even virtually, for COVID safety) because there are so many fun seasonal things out. One of my favorite seasonal things is cranberries! They taste great and they are also so versatile for DIYs.

This time, I have been using them to make all-natural homemade dyes. This recipe is best for something you plan on handwashing, and washing infrequently. I…

Gratitude Journal Week: Tradition

Traditions…

are certainly worth taking a second look at. Some of them are outdated, inappropriate, and need to be retired. But some are wonderful. Wholesome. Memory-makers. Family-gatherers.

This year I want to celebrate those moments. Even though we are social distancing, it does good to think back and to remember what I am looking forward to for next year, when we can hopefully have…

Gratitude Journal Week: Mantras

Create a special page to highlight the mantras you love. Since they are short sayings you can repeat to yourself throughout the day, set them apart with a full page dedication.

Add something cozy and comfortable as a design or eye-catcher. This is something your mind can also come back to, without even looking at your book, when you say your mantras. 🙂

Write a mantra that you love, write…

Gratitude Journal Week: “10 Things I Love About Myself” Prompt

This is an example of one of the popular self-reflection type prompts that often go into gratitude journaling.

The wonderful thing about this is you get to both: 1. Write your list, and 2. Look back at your list if you need a reminder about yourself. This type of self relfection and gratitude-for-self are both linked with raising self-esteem and positivity.

For this prompt, I like to…

Gratitude Journal Week: “Top 5” Prompt

All of this week, I will be detailing a different Gratitude Journal Prompt. These prompts are available in the pre-made Gratitude Journals that I have on Etsy, or you can add them to your own journal! 😀

Especially when I am starting a journal, I like these kinds of open-ended versatile prompts.

“Top 5” is such a cool one, because you can tailor it to the vibe of the day. This morning was…

4 Ideas to Keep the Holidays Low-Stress

Obviously, you will want to start with doing what you need to do to keep your family safe this year. Stay home and socially-distant when possible. Plan future in-person celebrations, and for right now gather through video chat.

I have already hosted a dinner party this way, so I can tell you that it can still be very fun! ❤

It’s up to your preference whether you would all like to eat the…

DIY Orange Garland (Using Orange Garland Kit)

This fall, it seems like so many of us are feeling the ill effects of staying cooped up for 9 months–but we still have work to do. We still have to make it through this winter, while social distancing.

In light of that, I will be doing a small subsection for crafts, etc. that you can do over Zoom. These are things that might be nice to do with your grandmother, but through the computer,…

International Men’s Day (Mental Health Spotlight)

This is dedicated to Lai and Eugene

Men’s mental health: such an unreasonably complex topic.

We benefit from people of all genders being able to share their feelings and experiences, it’s surprising that we don’t actively engage more proactively with men’s mental health. It’s a topic that has long been overlooked, but that must not be allowed to continue.

Men are people and deserve the…

This has been a stressy week for me. Mostly self-made.

When I get to feeling this way, I just have to slow down my nervous system and reset. One way to do that is with meditation–but I often feel too agitated for that. Instead, I like to do moves centered around breath and my big muscles. Let the big muscles work out just a little, and calm the panicked breathing, and you will feel more able…

When they said “hope…”

Part of the problem is: I feel frantic today. Very difficult to sit down and write a post.

I used to be the Leslie Knope of presents, I gave my friend an “ehh” birthday present today. “Ehh” at best. Plenty of serious external stressors as well, plus global pandemic.

I am frustrated by my circular thoughts courtesy of my OCD and I am stressed out by the way they make me question my…