{Pin of the Day}: POTD

Last Pin of 2012 - I wish I had started doing these sooner! Then I can look back at the end of next year and compare. Oh well. Without any further blather from me:

Source: m.jamieoliver.com via Natasha on Pinterest

Have a SAFE and wonderful New Year! See you in 2013!

How to Get Your Amazon Kindle Fire Battery to last...

...more than 8.5 hours (their listed battery time with continuous use). Simple. Leave it on the lowest Brightness setting and only turn it up when you need it. I use it at night and just when I don't want to be blinded by my screen, so it's not a big deal for me. I will brighten it for Youtube or the various games I have installed.

Using this tip, I managed to get my Fire to last two weeks - by accident, I couldn't find it!! It helps to be able to just grab it and go without having to remember to charge except every couple of days.

{Pin of the Day}: POTD

I have included two pins to make up for yesterday. My apologies!!

Source: skiptomylou.org via Natasha on Pinterest

Source: designdazzle.blogspot.com via Natasha on Pinterest

PS: I FINALLY noticed the obviously placed "Embed" option and I have updated the previous posts.

{Pin of the Day}: POTD

Today's POTD is something I found and used yesterday and i love it!! I made one for my phone yesterday, and I am putting the finishing touches on my mom's right now. I have copied my comment I made on the blog post below the link.

Source: whitspeaks.blogspot.com via Natasha on Pinterest

"I had this issue as well. I ended up having to make a fake signature by hitting the space bar a couple of times and "signing" with that. But then I couldn't find a program similar to Preview as I am using Windows 7...So I ended up doing a "print screen" and pasting it into my paint program and saving it. I then emailed it to myself and set the attachment as my wallpaper. Hope that helps!!"

TIP: ALSO, if you use  a paint program (Paint. Net  is my favorite free paint program!!), you can actually change the background color inside the monogram. I haven't tried to change the main color, but I needed a green and purple one since my mom is a Scentsy consultant and she loves to have those colors!

{Pin of the Day}: POTD

Hello, readers! I am going to start something else on my blog called Pin of the Day! Hopefully (as with every other failed attempt) this will help me remember to make a post everyday or so. For the first pin, I have chosen one of my favorites:

Source: designsbyloftcreations.com via Natasha on Pinterest

This is super cute! If you want to see ALL of my pins, feel free to follow me on Pinterest. I pin alot of recipes, fashion/beauty stuff, and just neat crafty things. Anything that can't be pinned, I save to my computer so I won't forget!

OlgaKay on Youtube...

I am obsessed with her now. I love her beauty videos, and she has me wanting to run to a beauty store soon. I went through all of my products while watching her Pajama Party videos, just to see, and there are a few things I need to buy or that I just haven't used/forgot I had! I posted a link to a Pajama Party video below - check it out and hope you like it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbAydHYDjsE&list=SP1D56B60FDE143B58&index=2

Room Update on Youtube!!

Enjoy!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biY8cc1DxqQ

Trashed my To Do List...

And made another one. Yeah...

• Nightstand Charging Station - I watched a Youtube video done by OlgaKay (Love her!!) and I already found and priced the same ribbon dispenser at the Container Store. There is one maybe 10 minutes from my house :) I also priced a power strip online (Lowes- $4). I will probably do the same decorating she did with the scrapbook paper and stickers, but I may need to buy some more paper for that. (JoAnn run! yay!)


• Windowseat Cushion & Pillows - I measured the entire thing and figured out the pillow sizes. I rounded up, so I am working with about an 88 inch length. Therefore, the foam is ridiculously expensive. I might just get a bunch of cheapo pillows and take the stuffing from those. Not sure yet. But I really want a box cover now. I will do a regular pillow cover, and then sew and cut the points.


• ICS Bench - Yes, this is still happening. I am so ready to be rid of my broken butterfly chair, but this is my most costly project so far. I want it to look nice and it requires patience and careful selection of the materials. I still haven't had time to go thrift store hunting for a table, but I know I need to! It finally dawned on on me that I was in a Home Decor Fabric store a few months back, and I can get the brown canvas I need for HALF the price I would have paid locally. But it's the DRIVE to get there, man. 30-45 minutes out there versus 10-15 minutes here on a good day.


• Table - I totally scrapped the rubik's cube table idea. I took two large cardboard boxes and made a funky shaped table. Hopefully pictures will be up either before the end of the month or early next year (: I want to use the big huge ruffle I got from my old canopy bed around the top, but I also want to add something to the top to make it  sturdier, since my little nephew got mad at me and punched in the top (it's CARDBOARD!!! - I was not happy). It held a glass of water very well and a couple of other things before he punched it. So now I want to add maybe some foam or a piece of thin wood. Not sure yet.


• CD Case - I already priced one. I will do serial number labels on all of my Sims games, and mini track listing printouts for any music CDs that i'm not sure what's on them. Everything else just goes in with nothing special.


• Shelf Over Desk under board and frame - I need a shelf. Not  junk-catcher. ha.


• Restoring the Storage Cube - http://www.howjoyful.com/2011/07/restoring-cube-tutorial/ - Only I got rid of most of mine except for enough to make one half the size of hers. I found two boxes that will fit perfectly - no cutting needed!!

Foodie Friday - A Day Early!!

I know, I know, it's not yet Friday. But I'm writing it late enough! lol

I am including a couple of my favorite recipes I love to eat to help me with my diet changes.

Apple salad

1 Granny Smith apple, sliced thinly

1 c. baby spinach

Dressing - 1 tbsp honey, approx. 1/2 c. olive oil (more as needed), 2 tbsp white wine vinegar, 1.5 tsp dijon mustard, pinch black pepper

Combine dressing ingredients in a jar or other container and shake until combined. Add more olive oil as needed. Combine spinach and apple slices on plate or in a bowl and drizzle dressing lightly on top. Toss and enjoy!

Breakfast Hashbrowns

1 potato, shredded (use your food processor or a cheese grater)

Olive or vegetable oil cooking spray

salt and pepper, dried parsley

Heat a waffle iron. Spray with cooking spray and scoop potatoes into hot iron. Close and cook until golden brown (I like mine a little dark). When done, season with salt and pepper; garnish with a small sprinkle of dried parsley. I might just have these for breakfast tomorrow!

An interesting title would normally go here..

Sorry for not posting! I've been super busy and on top of that ridiculously tired. But hopefully next week after final exams, I'll be able to get some posts up! Lots to update about if I don't forget about it.

See Room Progress Pictures!!

Follow me on Instagram to see picture updates of my room! I have decided not to do as many tutorials and will post the final list as I write them.

my username is kyarab94!

Room Progress

Before, I just had a regular old happy bunny pillowcase. i made new pillowcases and covered a small throw pillow and finally put my bunny back where he belongs!



I got down my room paint and covered up my name and the gold/silver vine and leaves. I cant wait to get the black trim paint!!

LAST CHANCE for Black Friday/Cyber Monday

This is your last chance to find my prices this low! Some of these products will not be renewed once the listings expire, so get your gifts purchased and enjoy 50% off until midnight tonight!!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/natashasgiftshoppe

Room Makeover = Tutorials?!

I am doing a major overhaul of my room. Mostly what's IN my room. I have tons to sort, trash, recycle, and donate. The walls will stay the same but I will do some touchups to cover up some things (sharpie marks and pin holes). The trim and doors will be painted  satin black.

Planning:

-respray paint my bookcases so they are totally black - there are some tiny scratches and some spots I missed when I sprayed them before.

-My sewing table and nightstand drawers need to be recovered in new fabric to match the new color scheme - I will use fat quarters and there will be a posted tutorial on that. I have the pictures from when I first did it, but I want to do it with the new fabrics. My sewing table also needs a new drawer pull because the original one got lost and I stole one from the ugly dresser in my closet.

-speaking of ugly closet dressers, I will be repainting that ugly yellow into a satin black color. It will be primed and painted and sealed and the drawers will have an accent color (Thnks, Pinterest!) using the original wall paint.

-I have an extra nightstand under my desk that I may get rid of because it is super old and I don't need it - it matches nothing. Maybe I can donate it. Not sure yet.

-My windowseat is covered in JUNK. I need to sort it all so I can finally get a cushion on that thing! I have decided that I am not dealing with the price/hassle of using foam and making a box cover. I will just buy a some cheapo pillows and cover it like a "present", as it's worded in the tutorial I am using for it. I will be using a Pottery Barn pillow tutorial to make some felt pillows, and I will either sew or buy curtains.

Here is a before photo of my room after moving the furniture where I want it: 

Tutorials to come:

-inspired by iCarly (when she gets a new room!) - Ice Cream Sandwich Bench. The original supplier has it for $950 which I obviously do not have as a college student. HA! My version should cost right around $100. I have not factored in coupons or sales.

-from the same website they have a Rubik's Cube table. I will be making one that will be sturdy, cute, and will not cost $600, but a modest $30-40.

-My bulletin board and memory board will be redone to match the color scheme, so a tutoril will be done for both.

-A picture post will be done with all CDs in my room - video games, music, movies, whatever. It all will be put into a CD case (the one I am looking at holds 48). All of my Sims games will have labels made with the serial numbers so I can recycle the books and cases (If I don't know how to install, uninstall, or play it by now, then we have a problem).

-I will be recovering my giant clipboard. May not seem like a room thing, but it hangs on my wall when I'm not using it so it needs to look cute, too!

-My outlet covers will be covered with scrapbook paper and mod podged. Will do a picture post.

Thanks for reading!!!

Natasha.

Happy Thanksgiving and Enjoy my Black Friday Sale!!

Use code BLKFRIDAY12 for 50% off in my Etsy shop thru Midnight TUESDAY.

http://natashasgiftshoppe.etsy.com 

Enjoy!

Finally the Bride - A Book Review

I love this book. Words cannot describe how much it moved me and made me feel  wasn't alone with these feelings. I haven't experienced as much as her, but I felt her pain as I kept going through it and really felt her speaking to me when she shared those stories and experiences. I love it and Cheryl McKay is an amazing author based on this book alone. Hopefully I will come back in with a more in-depth review after I can reread it again. Happy Monday!! - Natasha.

My Novel

I started working on a novel in the middle of 2011. I never got it to anywhere, so I put it aside, saying I would "finish it later". Earlier this year, I came up with a murder mystery novel idea and wrote a synopsis along with a short introduction. And again, put it aside. Now, a few months ago, I got the idea to combine the two stories into one. I have made some progress with it, though it is still a working draft with less than 30 pages....less than 15, actually. I really want to get it finished to release next year, and hopefully it will be well-recieved. It's alot of work for me to come up with this story and I hope readers will love it as I do. It's my baby right now, and it's been so top secret, only one of my close friends has been allowed to read the earliest draft of it.

So, as far as I know the release will be as follows:

eBook format: Early-Late Summer 2013

Paperback: Late 2013

Twilight Breaking Dawn Part Two

Yes, I am going to see it. Yes, I am very excited. I need them to stop releasing clips like YESTERDAY. It's spoiling some parts of the movie for me. We didn't get nearly this much with the the other movies; it's insane. The movie comes out next FRIDAY. And hopefully, the DVD comes out in a timely manner so I can watch all of the movies back to back without paying for a movie ticket to do so. LOL. What a waste.

Anyway, I love the clips they've released and some of the music better stay because I like  it. I am linking them all here since it's the only way I'll be able to find them all at once quickly to watch them in whati believe could be the right order, but I could be wrong. I don't know.

First, some Behind the Scenes footage

Bella Crushes Edward - "Now it's your turn to not break me" 

Jacob Stinks

Edward and Bella's Cottage

Bella Learns How to Act Human for Charlie

Arm Wrestling with Emmett

The Volturi is Coming (New Clip!!)

The Talk aka the clip that was played at Target when they released the Part 1 DVD

Preparing for Battle

You're welcome and thanks for reading! lol

A No-Frills Review

I hope this blog post finds you well. After seeing the controversy about the new iPad mini, I am writing my little piece on it.

When companies write their critical reviews of these products, they don't take into consideration college students. They just think about entertainment and watching TV on an itty bitty screen. If I want to do that, I'll use my Galaxy s II super-mouthful-of-a-name phone. I freely admit that I love my Android phone. Sure, it had one issue but it was easily fixed. You can't take the battery out of your iPhone, now, can you?

Anyway. Back to the iPad mini. I'm getting one. I've been waiting for it to finally be announced so I can get it for next semester. I was looking on Amazon to see what cases they had for my phone and see what preorder pages were up for iPad mini cases, and saw the lovely new Kindle Fire HD...umm. Sorry, Amazon, but I have a Kindle Fire. I know the limitations and shortcomings. I got it from my mom when she got an iPad 2 because she couldn't use her Square reader or even get a compatible keyboard for the Kindle. And on top of all of that, you expect people to pay to get "free" two day shipping. Sorry, but when you get some type of security features in place in the Market so my preschooler nephew isn't charging my credit card (Apple App Store is Password Protected, so we feel better letting him use the iPad for his stuff), then we can consider doing business.

I rotate taking my laptop and my mom's iPad to classes. I use the laptop to view Powerpoints in my History lecture class, and the iPad for Algebra (PaperDesk is an amazing app! I can draw and type and all that neat stuff I wanted to do with the iPad!) where I write/draw my notes and then transfer them to a notebook later when I go to the Math (computer) Lab.

As for right now, besides my phone and my laptop (Samsung and HP, respectively), my mp3 player is an iPod (I actually have two, but the first one is an old shuffle that i replaced with the 5th Gen Nano; I use the shuffle for exercising) and I am getting an iPad mini. The Kindle is good for it's original purpose: reading. I have several books and I wish I could've gotten a regular old Kindle since it's all I use the kindle fire for. Then again...I'm a bookworm. Speaking of books...I need to finish my book. It only has 2 finished chapters :(

Have a GREAT week!!

Natasha B.

Yay New Stuff to try!!!

I found this yesterday on a blog I follow, and it's AWESOME!! It's called Go Chic or Go Home, and if you've never heard of it, you can check out the post here:

http://www.puttingmetogether.com/2012/10/making-most-of-what-you-have-using-go.html

I requested my invitation (like Pinterest) and got signed up last night! My pictures uploaded super fast through Google Chrome and today I am adding some more things as I type this. (Killing time so I'm not staring at the screen as it uploads) But basically, you can upload pictures of your entire wardrobe and mix and match outfits that you never thought of wearing! You can get inspired by other people's outfits and add their items to your collection as well. I just added my Forever 21 order that came today and some other pairs of shoes. This still isn't everything, but it's most of my closet!

http://gochicorgohome.com/explore/members/6762/profile

No recipe written yet for Foodie Friday, but my pictures are downloaded and ready to go!

Variety is really the spice of life...

I need to start doing the other posts I was talking about. I have tutorials to repost, for crying out loud! So far, this is a weight loss and Etsy blog. It's the most immediate topic for me right now. And on that note, I found a new blog with an inspiring weight loss story, called Peanut Butter and Peppers. You can read her story here:

http://www.peanutbutterandpeppers.com/my-weight-loss-story/ 

Additions to my Etsy Boot Camp To Do List

 

I need to figure out my shipping system in the off chance I have a huge load of orders to ship XD (I need to list more items)

I also need to write my holiday return/exchange policies - though I don't usually take returns.

 

Happy Crafting and sorry for the super short post!

Foodie Friday

I know this is not a new concept or idea, but it is new for this blog. Something food-related will be posted every Friday, just to keep me on a decent posting schedule. I want something for Monday and Wednesday, too. (Back to the drawing board...or pile of scrap paper that needs to be sorted!) Today, i am going to repost (sort of) from my old blog (also named Inside Natasha's Head, but I deleted it before I looked through all of the posts, so some stuff is just lost now).

I tried Paleo, and will someday attempt vegetarian (my system can't handle coconut milk, so no vegan for me right now). There are some things I don't want to give up eating and some things I can't go without eating, and that's my personal decision. But so far I have:

• Cut my sugar intake way down - I don't eat alot of sweets anymore; occasionally, but other than the occasional bowl of cereal, I don't eat it much.


• No more processed meats - hotdogs and bologna. I'll sometimes snag a piece of my nieces fried hotdog but I don't eat this stuff anymore. once you watch certain TV shows, they can change the way you see certain foods. On that note, no more canned sausages, either, actually. (Vienna sausages)


• Carbs reduced - I don't eat much bread unless I have a burger or the occasional Subway. I do still eat pasta, just not often. Maybe once a week, if that!


• Reduced fried foods - Maybe once a week since we eat junk on Friday nights.


• More fruits/vegetables - I eat grapes. Alot of grapes. They are also naturally sugary. I can't win. But I will nibble on veggies (baby carrots, grape tomatoes) while I cook so I don't snack on something loaded with salt or sugar.


• Sodas and sugary drinks - I don't drink much soda anymore. Again, occasionally. We don't even make Kool-Aid much anymore because it doesn't go as fast anymore, so that wasn't hard to cut out.

However, as with everything, I still have things I need to work on, such as:

• Eating breakfast EVERYDAY. Some days I'm not hungry and I don't force myself to eat but then I'm starving later and my stomach doesn't understand quiet.


• Snacking unnecessarily - I have a huge problem with this.


• Figuring out my goal and weighing myself regularly - I don't know what number I want to get down to, but I'll never know if I don't step on a scale except randomly one day and I happen to have just eaten...


• Exercise - I have a perfect routine planned, I just need time to go the gym on campus. They have an indoor track that's 1/9th of a mile and I did 4 or 5 laps with a friend the day they gave us a tour -- so I know I can handle that! And the treadmills have TELEVISIONS on them! But  I would be totally happy with just my ipod the whole time.

Thanks for reading!

N

Etsy Holiday Season!

Hey all! 

I have an Etsy shop that I occasionally add items to (gradually, and now I have almost 60 items), and will hopefully sell some of it this holiday season. I signed up to get the Holiday Boot Camp emails, and naturally, of course, I am already behind because I haven't started reading anything and keep missing the Online Labs so I need to go back and watch those too! I will try to track my progress on here so you can see some of the strategies at work if you are considering opening and Etsy shop or if you just haven't put anything in it yet, really. 

To Do List for Week Two:

• Rewrite my listings to appeal to holiday shoppers
• Group my items in gifting categories (decor, favors, gadgets, personalized items, keepsakes, stocking stuffers, etc.)
• Check my inventory (need to print a new copy from Etsy) and see if I have a balanced amount in each price category
• Do I have gifts for each type of recipient 
• Plan out Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales
• Make adjustments to my new ipad case pattern so I can make more cases and get them listed
• Scan in doll patterns/write instructions to offer for sale

As you can see, I have a LOT to do! I need to rewrite my goal list (and upload the tutorial I did for that) to reflect these  tasks. Happy Blogging and Crafting!

 

Natasha.

I HAD to share!!

I was perusing a couple if my favorite blogs when I got home today and found a post where a group of bloggers all submitted their handwriting to be turned into fonts! (I wonder if I can pay someone to do that with mine....hmm) I already downloaded and installed them and they are AWESOME!! I found the link on this blog:

http://www.makeit-loveit.com/2011/05/do-you-want-to-see-what-my-handwriting.html

 

And no, I am not being biased when I say Make It and Love It's is my favorite (;

 

Natasha.

Happy Purse Week!

I entered my purse into a purse week contest and there is a good variety on there! I LOVE making purses and it's something I've been doing pretty much since I learned how to sew about 8 or 10 years ago.

There are some great prizes being offered and you should enter as well for a chance at some great stuff!

See the Flickr group here:

http://www.flickr.com/groups/2078922@N21/pool/with/7870740432/

 

On another note, I'm writing a book! Well....I have about 10 or 12 partial manuscripts saved on my laptop that haven't been touched for months. There is one that I look at once a month or so but I haven't taken the time to just sit and finish it out. It has a great plot and story line (in my head lol) but I haven't decided on the pace and chapter lengths of the novel. IT will be available in ebook format whenever it is published. An announcement will be made here when that happens, though!

Mid-Terms Coming Up

I am so nervous for my first mid-terms. I need to go through the essay questions for my history mid-term and outline them so I have a basic guide to help me write the essays come test day. I've got two weeks! And I will make it count.

I'm still working on the job hunt process -- I have a list of 70 and have managed to get through maybe 10? They all have those long questionnaires to complete and they really do take awhile. I've gotten a couple more emails back saying they couldn't review my application, but I did two more applications last night. Hopefully something comes up soon.

Job Hunting....

After  my discouraging email I received from Target today, I have to just express my irritation. I hate having to apply for a job now that I'm in college. They business around here are hiring high school kids. How do i know? The places I've applied to (which total about 30 now), I see people who I knew last year when I was high school senior, and they're working the very jobs I applied for. It's not fair.

The phrase "broke college kid" makes so much more sense now that I'm in that position. College students have to have cars, we need gas, and we need other things that we can't get without a job. How are we supposed to learn how to be adults if we can't get hired except at the crappy places that NO ONE wants to work at? I applied at places I didn't want to and still haven't gotten hired.

Payless screwed me over by hiring me and then never calling. Even after I called and found out the guy who hired me got fired, I still tried contacting them to no avail. So I did get hired. I just never got to go to work. I've only been called for one other interview by a fast food place since then. I didn't even apply at that location, but they are the ones who called. I applied at the new Container Store before it opened, but those jobs filled super fast!

Every company claims they have flexible schedules and opportunities for people still in school. Even if it says college, they are usually targeted towards high school kids. These places shouldn't say they are hiring if they really aren't.

But, I'm still looking. And I will continue to look until something comes along that fits me and my schedule. Because honestly the job market competition stinks right now.

 

 

Hugs,

Natasha B.

I'm on Facebook!

I created a Facebook page last night! Hope you like it! (:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Inside-Natashas-Head

I am trying to get my pictures together and get some type of logo image deal-y, but my usual logo program isn't working!! :(

Hello world!

Welcome to my new Wordpress blog! I decided to shut down my Blogger blog and start a new Wordpress blog. But don't despair! This blog will include the same type of content as the other blog - crafts, food, and more! I hope to repost alot of the old stuff on this blog so that others who may not have seen can see it, and so it can still be referenced!

Thanks so much for reading if you managed to find my humble blog. I hope it brings much more to the table someday!

Hugs,

Natasha B.