Christmas, Stress, and Etsy...

Christmas and stress go hand-in-hand...and this Christmas is no different for me. Last year, I was on top of things; I had all my shopping done way in advance so I was laughing at everyone doing theirs last-minute. Well, my mirth came back to bite me this year, as three-quarters of my shopping still isn't done and this weekend (or more accurately, Friday and Saturday) you will find me dashing madly from store to store with my game face on. ( =_=)

Anyway...for the last few years or so I haven't found myself excited for the holidays as I once did. I guess that's to be expected, since I'm getting older (don't remind me...) but for some reason I think it's abnormal for me to be so apathetic. The day of I get more enthusiastic, but then afterwards I fall into what I call my "Winter Funk." Quite simply, I dislike the cold weather and only like to see snow on Christmas (and maybe New Year's) but what usually ends up happening is that here in Pennsylvania we'll have a green Christmas and New Year's, but then we'll get massive amounts of snow from January till April sometimes (anyone else in PA will agree with me)! Once Spring comes, then I start losing that apathy and perk up, till Thanksgiving rolls around and the Winter Funk comes back.

I digress. What I really wanted to talk about is that I get excited buying or making gifts for other people. I haven't really wanted anything special or very specific for the past 5 years, but I do take great pleasure in hunting down gifts for the people I care about. For instance, this year I made my first ever Etsy purchase, and it's a gift for my boyfriend's mother. She's an elementary school teacher, and her favorite book ever is "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott. So, I found a 1915 copy of "Little Women" for sale on Etsy and purchased it. I like to try to put a little bit of thought into my gifts, and I thought that a 96 year-old copy of her favorite book ever would be a nice and thoughtful gift ( I really, really hope she likes it!). The copy I bought also has a nice little inscription in it from 1935:



source: Etsy.com



Being a history lover also, I found this little inscription quite touching. Betty, whoever she was, gifted her copy of "Little Women" to Lois (a niece, friend, neighbor, sister?) during the Great Depression, where (in 1935) people were making less than $6,000.00/year per person (> $16/day). {Note: this is the equivalent to the value of the US Dollar in 2000: source: GDP Depression}

  The fact that people would give away quite possibly their most treasured possessions for the sake of another's happiness is a truly beautiful thing.

Now, I'm sure most of you already know about Etsy, but even though I've been drooling over hundreds of items there for months now, the aforementioned copy of "Little Women" was indeed my first purchase from Etsy. I had such a good experience and that means a great deal to me, who is naturally suspicious at first of new things. However, I will definitely be ordering plenty in the coming years from Etsy and it's wonderful community of sellers, artists, and the like.

 I've been thinking now for a few months that it would be a good idea if I myself opened up a shop to sell my handmade jewelry, but for right now I'm still on the fence, as funds have been limited and it's been awhile since I last went and bought supplies. I still have quite a bit, but the hours I work (11pm to 8am) make it very difficult to not pass out when I get home from work.

With that being said, I hope that you all have a very Merry Holiday and stay safe, warm, and happy this Holiday season! ^_^

A Minimalist's Daily Beauty Guide

I've been neglecting my blog mostly due to work, but that's no excuse. However, I've decided to share my "Daily Routine" with you all...and let me tell you, I have a very basic routine.

 My look is very low-maintenence in keeping with my slightly Mori-Girl aesthetics. I rarely wear makeup beyond some tinted lip balm, and if I do wear makeup it's very low-key and natural looking (except for my fetish for silver eyeshadow--it's a staple!).

I've found that these products work the best for me, and I have that combination/oily skin that is so difficult to keep blemish-free...and these do a very good job keeping my skin nice and fresh looking.



Top to Bottom: Equate Refreshing Apricot Scrub; Olay Foaming Face Wash: Oily/Comination; Olay Complete Moisturizer: Oily/Combination; C.O. Bigelow Lemon Strawberry Tinted Lip Balm; C.O. Bigelow Rose Salve 

 I use Equate's Refreshing Apricot Scrub because I usually go pick up my beauty staples at Wal-Mart. Olay products have been used for over 50 years, so they must be doing something right, and they work wonders on my skin, especially their Combination/Oily formulas. The foaming face was has a nice scent and a glorious lather and washes away cleanly.

I love how the C.O. Bigelow tinted lipbalm smells and tastes (I don't eat it, I swear!). Especially in the Winter, it's nice to have a little bit of Summer on my lips (it's just like Strawberry Lemonade). The color is very faint, but gives you that "I just kissed someone" look...a faint blush. Their Rose Salve is also a beauty staple of mine, it really is good for just about all of your skin, it smells great, and if you use it on your cheeks it gives you a dewy look that doesn't look or feel oily. Also, on minor scrapes/burns/papercuts, it works wonders. You can find C.O. Bigelow products here.

Welcome. ^_^

As this is my first post, I guess I should start by giving you all a little bit of info about myself. My name is Amber, and I'm a 26 year-old Pennsylvania native! I'm a plus-sized girl who is very inquisitive and most of my inspiration comes from other plus-sized and other bloggers out there, all of whom have had a very positive impact on me and my self-image. So, I thought that I'd do the same for someone else out there (hopefully)!

I live in a small city in Northeastern PA, (an e-cookie for anyone who can guess where, when enough hints have been dropped) and work in an office on the overnight shift. Aside from that, I try to keep as much sanity as possible exploring the Internet and its vastness. I have a boyfriend, of (almost) six years, named Christopher, who is quite possibly the most wonderful person ever.

In my spare time, I watch (too much) anime, listen to music, &ct...I also make jewelry (sporadically). I'm an honest and open-minded person, and have some varied and (odd?) beliefs. However, I will try to remain as "status-quo" as possible, as I am not looking to upset or insult people.

In terms of shopping as such, I do try to spend as little as possible on things, which leads me into thrift stores and flea markets, where usually I can find some great things for cheap prices (quality first, though!). I have a soft spot for old things, or eccentric things (like Zombies).

I hope that I've intrigued some of you enough to keep looking back at this little ole' page of mine, which I will try to keep as interesting and updated as possible. Thank you for everything so far and I will see you again, friends!