Melbow Room

Hello.

It’s been awhile (1 year, 1 months, 4 days). Oops?

I was told once that all artists go through both periods of intake and periods of output. To be able to write, to paint, to create, or even to blog requires experiencing all that you possibly can until your inspiration can be manifested. Or maybe this is just an excuse to make me feel better about this prolonged artist block.

So what have I been up to? Let’s do a reintroduction. I’ve been finding beauty in the mundane, taking time for mental health, taking time for physical health, thinking about blogging and not blogging, thinking about god and being okay with their absence. I was hired as a part-time princess for kids birthday parties and I failed my first class. I accidentally broke my camera, and haven’t quite learned how to use my temporary one. I stopped doing yoga regularly. I gained a lot of weight (and ate a lot of amazing food). I struggled with anxiety and depression, and was told that it wasn’t real by professors. But I also adopted two beautiful floofy cats. I’m learning to love my body. I’m learning to love more and harder.

I’m growing modest and I’m growing confident. I’m a senior in college, and I am so, so, so scared. I am so, so ready.

I'm learning how to be a creator again. I'm learning how to let myself. I got paid by Coca-Cola to make a cosplay. I’ve re-made friends in the cosplay community (since the FB deleted my page #throwback). I have so many goals. I am so proud of how far I’ve come. I hit several personal goals in my craft, 12K + followers and friends, no matter how small, and you can follow said cosplay on my IG: @melbowroomcosplay. #Shameless

I've started listening to podcasts and playing more video games. I miss PC gaming, and I still haven't lost at chess. I adopted a marimo and a fridge succulent. I'm living in my first apartment. I'm learning how to be okay with calling myself an artist.

I’m learning to be okay with writing even if nobody reads this.

I still aspire to inspire.

This is still my space. My little place to introvert and write to my future self and whomever else wants to read it. This is still my ‘elbow room’. I can take up space, and I will.

I am growing. I am spreading out. And I will write more this year.

So until next time; Much much love,

Because I post mostly on Instagram, and a lot of people have been asking for a review... I thought I would share my experience with everyone! Before Otakon 2015, I ordered some new lashes and circle lens from the ever popular Uniqso! It was my first time every ordering from them, so I wanted to let you guys know how they turned out!

If you are planning to order from them... Please use this LINK! 

Firstly, there were a TON of promos and discounts going on when I was ordering, so overall... the prices were EXCELLENT. While they are normally very reasonable, their promos were incredibly impressive. From what I understand, they happen pretty often, so be sure to keep an eye out for new offers!

My total order includes:

I.Fairy Star Blue 

ICK Garnet Brown 

Barbie Choco

Stella Eyelashes Pointed 5119

Stella Eyelashes Double Flex 8940 

Wig Cap

Wig Brush

I wanted to use them for my upcoming cosplays: Harley Quinn, Kiki, and Shiro!

Let me just say my favorite order from them were probably the Stella Eyelashes Double Flex 8940!!! They were absolutely PERFECT for everything. I wish I had stocked up on them, because I need more! The last time I checked, they were out of stock, but I'll be sure to keep checking back to see if there were more!! 

As for the contacts, they were all comfortable and big with my eyes. I have naturally dark eyes, so sometimes the Blue wasn't as apparent, but in natural light or sunlight, they really showed up! Out of all three contacts, the Barbie Choco set were probably my favorite! They were big and comfortable, and give me the perfect dolly/doe eyed look.

Shipping was quick and simple. I believe my order had free shipping, but they normally offer some form of free shipping for certain orders!

Soon I will do a MAKEUP TUTORIAL on my YouTube Channel, so keep an eye on this site or my Instagram for more information.

Overall I had an amazing and positive experience with them, and I can not wait to order from them again soon! They are so responsive and sweet, and are now my go-to lashes and lenses shop online!!

So I got a 3DS finally from my dudeski Ian! I'm so happy to have it, and have since been completely obsessed with Animal Crossing New Leaf.

Friend Code: 4613-9766-3798

Current Villagers:

Sunday April 13 marked the Thai New Year 2015! Sawadee bi mai!

Songkran festival (สงกรานต์), literally meaning astrological passage (Thanks, Wikipedia), is celebrated in Thailand around this time in the Buddhist calendar.

Visiting back to Pennsylvania, my mom and I went to Wat Mongkoltepmunee (a Thai Buddist temple) for some culture, celebration, food, food, and good food!! The origin of the water festival is from the sense of cleansing and rebirth. Depending on where you are in Thailand, there can also be herbs mixed in or chalk thrown in a sense of blessing.  For the most part, though, the water fights only happen between children at American Wats.

How to Make: Thai Laab (ลาบหมู)

Are you inspired by all the culture and food pictures, and are ready to take on a new Thai recipe?! Good! I'm going to give you a quick recipe on making "Laab". This is something that my mom makes all the time for my family growing up. Laab is basically a spicy and sour ground meat kind of "salad". Typically it's eaten with rice and Som Dum (A Spicy Papaya Salad), but recently I've been eating it just in lettuce wraps! No matter how you eat it, it's a really delicious spicy dish. All of the ingredients are approximations. In a lot of Thai cooking, I've found that it's a lot of "a little bit of this" and "a little bit more of that" and experimentation! So take these as suggestions, and make it to your liking!!

Ingredients

Ground Beef (or any ground meat, tofu, or meat substitute, really)

1-2 Limes

1-2 tbls Toasted Rice*

1-2 springs of Mint

3 tbls Fish Sauce

Chili Peppers (to taste)

Ground Dried Chili Pepper

Salt and Pepper (to taste)

Leaves of Lettuce

(optional) 1 Green Onion

(optional) 1 spring of Cilantro

*To toast rice, just heat up a pan or wok and add 1-2 tablespoons of uncooked rice. Lower the heat and keep stirring to prevent any burning. It should be golden brown when completed. It can then be crushed with a mortar and pestle or just a food processor.

Directions

Squeeze about 1/3 of a lime onto the ground pork to marinate for a bit. 

Heat a pan (or wok) on high, and add two tablespoons of water into it.

Immediately add in beef and stir.

Continue stirring until it is well done, and then remove from heat.

Get a bowl large enough for mixing and add in your beef.

Add fish sauce, green onion, cilantro, the rest of the lime juice, chopped chili peppers and ground dried chili pepper (to taste), and most of the toasted rice.

Mix well.

You can taste and add more flavors to taste.

Sprinkle the rest of the toasted rice on top with some mint as a garnish.

Add your Laab into lettuce wraps and...

ENJOY!