Feminine hobbies

I have compiled a list of hobbies for those of you who are looking for something fun to fill up your spare time.

• soap making

• flower arranging

• cooking/baking

• gardening

• painting

• language learning

• reading and writing

• playing an instrument

• dancing

• sewing/crocheting

• singing

• interior designing

Hobbies are important because they give you something to look forward to and feel good. Feminine hobbies are important for harnessing your femininity and creativity. You can take any of the hobbies above and make it an outlet for stress, sadness, happiness, hope, joy. etc.

My favorite hobbies are sewing and gardening because I feel that they are both vintage and it makes me feel extra lady like :) I put on some soft music and I can sew/garden for hours! Plus when you find something you are passionate about, you yearn for improvement and seek knowledge about the subject. For instance after I grew my first tomato vine, I wanted to grow more types of tomatoes and now I have 13!

What are your favorite hobbies?

Celebrating the holidays

When December 1st rolls around, it's almost like my own little world inside my head goes a little bit coo-coo and into a hazy cloud of glitter, fairy lights, and all things festive. My personal favourite time of year :)

I've always had a vague notion that traditions and rituals were good for you. My family thought it was corny that I made cards and dressed up for each holiday even if we didn't celebrate it ( like St. Patrick's day) but I enjoyed it! And as it turns out, decades of research back up my hunch on this topic.

Since the 1950s researchers have studied the role of traditions in family life. Not just holidays but any routine or set of behaviors that has a symbolic meaning and says "this is who we are" as a group. Psychologists link these kinds of practices with higher academic success, happiness and emotional well being for the family. When parents ascribe a high level of meaning to rituals, the children are found to have better emotional skills. Not only that, but it aids in marital satisfaction as well :) Practicing meaningful traditions also relieves stress and lowers anxiety levels.

Why are rituals so powerful? They offer regularity and a sense of order. When you know what to expect and have a feeling of "this is the way my family does things" it helps you make sense of the world. Do you remember how excited you got when you made your favorite Christmas recipe with your mother? Or when you made gingerbread houses at school? You have every right to still get excited about those things as you get older. In "Family Routines and Rituals by Barbara Fiese" it states that the more meaningful older teenagers felt their family rituals were, the more likely they are to have a strong sense of themselves and be able to handle the stress of going to college freshman year.


What I like to do is what most people do every Thanksgiving. They say what they are grateful for, etc. Every holiday I reflect on what I am grateful for, what I am working towards, what goals I have achieved since the last holiday, etc. It sounds like a lot but I have found that talking to myself and keeping track of my personal development helps me get to know myself more. As I've said in a previous post, I have suffered from anxiety and depression in the past and have learned how to cope through times of grief like the loss of my younger brother and financial problems in the past. I am a big stickler for emotional health and I value the holidays because each one gives me the chance to celebrate something beautiful about life.

If this sounds like a good idea to you and you'd like to try it, I suggest getting a notebook and using it as a journal. Or you can even start a blog :) Here are some prompts:
1.Dear past me...
2. Dear future me...
3.The people you most admire
4.What book did you read over and over again as a child?
5. What would your perfect day be like?
6.How would your best friend describe you?
7.Name your top 5 short term goals

Now onto Christmas-y things!

Food

30 comfort winter soups

Ginger Bread Cupcakes Recipe

Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate

Decor

Christmas chalkboard decor

White Christmas

So pretty

Green & White

Drinks

Cranberry Mimosa

Sparkling Sugar Plum Punch

Beauty

Themed nails

More nails

Alex nails


Enjoy the holidays and treat yourself well.

Winter Time

1. Try a humidifier. It works wonders for the skin, hair and sinuses.

2. Wear dresses! Yes, you can still wear pretty and feminine dressed during the winter as long as you layer to keep warm. Wear leggings underneath, a coat over it and add a scarf or jewelry.

*What you can also do it wear patterned tights to add some oomph

3. Get your vitamin D. Our melanin blocks some the Vitamin D from the sun that we need and it gets worse in the winter time. Vitamin D deficiency can worsen the symptoms of depression, anxiety and a variety of physical ills like joint paints and muscle spasms. Consult with your doctor before starting a vitamin regimen. You can also drink a cup of orange juice :)

4. Wear a bold lip.

5. Get some glitter and sparkle!

Soft, Feminine Makeup: Product Recommendations

Here are recommendations for makeup products for someone who wants to wear makeup but isn't into bright, in-your-face colors. These are soft, neutral and complimentary to most skin tones.

Base
I chose BB Cream, Tinted Moisturizer because most women don't need foundation. I don't have perfect skin. I have scars that are taking months to fade but what I have found is I look waaaaaay better if I apply concealer on the spots then put some powder on. It looks like I naturally have flawless skin and my face doesn't get oily and look like my makeup is melting off. If you wear full coverage foundation, give it a try and let me know how it works.

Budget: ELF BB Cream ($6)

Mid: I haven't tried any mid priced TM or BB creams. Only ELF and pricey ones =/

HE:  Nars Tinted Moisturizer ($42 at Sephora)

Eyeshadow Palettes

Budget: Covergirl Eye Enhancer 4 Shadow Kit in "Daring Nudes", "Fairy Tale" and "Prima Donna" ($4-$6 at your local drugstore)

Mid: Clinique A Black Honey Affair ($36 at Sephora)

HE: Guerlain  Écrin 6 Couleurs Eyeshadow Palette - Rue des Francs-Bourgeois ($90 at Sephora)

Mascara

Budget: Wet N Wild Mega Volume Mascara ($2 at local drugstore). This is the first brand of makeup that I've tried and I will always love. They produce great quality at amazing prices.

Mid: L'oreal Voluminous Mascara ($9 at CVS)

HE: Benefit They're Real Mascara ($23 at Sephora). Most would consider this mid range and not high end but $23 for a small tube of mascara is expensive to me LOL This is the one I currently use. The formula is pretty wet though so I suggest not blinking rapidly for a minute until it dries

Lips

Budget: NYX Megashine Lipglosses ($2-$5 depending on where you buy; CVS, Ulta or online)

^^ Since our lips tend to be pigmented, the brighter pinks still don't look very bright so you can get away with Tea Rose in an everyday look

Maybelline Baby Lips ($4). These are more like chapstick but certain flavors have a tint to them

Mid: Revlon Lip Butters ($6-$8)

^^They look scary lol but they are sheer versions of lipsticks. Like with the nyx lipglosses, since our lips are more pigmented, they don't show up as bright. My favorite is Brown Sugar :)

HE: Stila Lip Glaze ($22). They are pretty thick and goopy so use sparingly. A little goes a long way

Cheeks
I usually don't wear blush in the daytime but if you aren't wearing a bold eye or lip, color on your cheeks won't clash.

Budget: NYX blush in "Terracotta" or "Raisin" ($3 at cherryculture.com)

Mid: L'Oreal True Match Blush in "Sweet Ginger" ($7 at CVS)

HE: MAC blushes in "Sweet As Cocoa", "Raisin", or "Format" ($22 at MAC)

Sweet As Cocoa

Raizin

Format

You can also wear a little bronzer instead of blush. Covergirl queen collection has a few that are beautiful! They contain shimmer, which bring attention to the area so if you have large pores and/or acne on your cheeks I would stay away from shimmer and use a color that's matte or satin finish.

Did you notice the color palette for these products? Using soft colors on your face will give a natural and soft feminine look. Brown, pink, purple all look good on brown skin, no matter the hue. I left out eyeliner on purpose as I think it looks pretty harsh in the daytime. If you'd like to wear eyeliner, try a dark brown instead of black.If you have any questions or comments, please don't hesitate to leave a comment below. Thanks!