My Favorite Books ATM

It's summer time and I've been reading like crazy (I don't usually read for pleasure). But I decided that because I've been at the beach every other week, I needed a book to read while I basked in the sun. I've picked up a few over the last few weeks and I wanted to share my favorites at the moment.

Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

I know what you're thinking. "This is the author who wrote Eat, Pray, Love... Why would anyone want to read another book by her?" I know. However, Eat, Pray, Love and Big Magic are not in any way similar. This book is about surpassing those silly yet understandable fears that we all have about doing our own thing and being creative. We want to make art in a way that we can express ourselves, but that can be somewhat scary. Gilbert explains her entire career as an author including her ups and downs. She gives great advice when it comes to doing what you do best regardless of what everyone else thinks about it.

#GIRLBOSS by Sophia Amoruso

Ignore how beat up this book is, I read it on the beach and, ya know, the ocean... Anyway, this book is badass. It actually inspired me to want to create my own company, which I know I don't really want to do. Sophia Amoruso was your average punk teen in the 90's when she decided to buy vintage clothes and sell them on eBay. She would buy a vintage Chanel jacket for $11, list it on eBay for $12, and it would sell for $1,500. Talk about a large margin. Sophia is the CEO and creative director for Nasty Gal, which is a retail clothing shop that sells both old and new vintage, something no other company does. She created this business on her own without any loans or help from her parents. The company is now worth over $250 million. Read that again. $250 million.

American Babe by Babe Walker

Babe Walker is a pseudo-author. She's not real. She was created by the Betches, who have also come out with a few books of their own. Babe is a girl in her 20's who lives a lavish lifestyle in L.A. but also has to deal with really bizarre situations such as being stalked around the world, hang-gliding into a building, and finding out her cousin is really her brother. But, she is exactly what the authors want her to be, a betch. She's mean, but hilarious and you can't stop reading. I read this book in two days. I had intentions of holding onto it for the beach but I read it before I even got there because I love this author so much.

The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Maria Kondo

This book is completely different from the others I've talked about. While those were motivating, this is educational. And sometimes, it's good to read and learn, sometimes. Each chapter is a step-by-step instruction on how to get your life back in an organized fashion. This starts with your clothes and continues to your house, work, etc. Their really is an art to organizing and Marie Kondo shows you how to master it. She has also come out with the book Spark Joy, which I'm hoping to read next.

You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero

I'm just starting to get into this book. And yes, it's a self-help book. I like them, get over it. I often times find myself doubting myself and for no good reason at all. I know what I can do and I know I can do it well. But sometimes, you just need a push to remember that. This book is great because it's no bullshit. Sincero tells it straight and it really helps me to forgot everything that doesn't matter and focus on the things that are going to make me happy in this life because ultimately, that's all that matters.

How I Made Over $1,000 Online

Nothing is easier than going through your closet, choosing clothes that you haven't worn in over a year, and selling them. I actually find it incredibly refreshing to downsize when it comes to my wardrobe. I hate it when my clothes are busting out of my closet and drawers because I have too many. So, when I found Poshmark, I decided to take it upon myself to find all of the items I no longer wore and sell them.

It's pretty simple. But there are a few suggestions I have for you guys in order to gain more followers, sell your clothes quickly, and make friends along the way.

Step 1: Take clean photos. I try my best to make sure that every item I photograph is portrayed on a white background, whether it be a rug or my door, I want white. White signifies cleanliness and you want your Poshers to think you're clean too! You can also find stock photos of your item to add along to your own photos. Clothes are usually more attractive when they're modeled.

Step 2: Make sure the Poshers know exactly where the item is from before they even click on your post. In each of my item titles, I include the company I bought it from. High-end brands sell faster, so if you're selling a high-end brand, make it known.

Step 3: Describe the item with the most detail you can think of. You want your Poshers to know exactly what they're buying, just as if they're shopping from a retail company online. If your shirt has a snag, make note of it. If your shoe has a scuff, let them know. It's necessary to tell your Poshers if there's anything wrong with the item and they will appreciate it that much more when they receive it.

Step 4: An item of yours has sold! Congratulations. As soon as something sells, I grab it from my closet and make sure it's free of any fuzzies. I wrap it in some colorful tissue paper and slide it into a priority mail envelope, which is free from USPS. Along with the item, I write a little note to say thank you for shopping in my closet. I appreciate when people buy from me and I want them to know that. Poshmark will email you a shipping label. All you have to do is print it out, tape it to your envelope, and put it in the mailbox. How easy is that?

You have a week to ship your items, but I recommend shipping within 1-2 days of the purchase. This will make your Poshers even happier that they're receiving their items quicker. With Poshmark's shipping label, it only takes 2 days for the item to get to your posher. When they've reviewed your item and everything is just as you said it was, they will release their payment. Then you can deposit that money into your bank account or keep it in your Poshmark account as a credit to spend on items in other people's closets.

When it comes to gaining followers and making the sales, I have a few tips for that as well.

Tip 1: Join parties when Poshmark invites you. I usually get six party invites a day. Sometimes it'll be for jackets only, sometimes it'll be for makeup products, and sometimes it'll be specifically for Free People, Urban Outfitters, and Brandy Melville apparel. If you have anything in your closet that will apply, join the party and share your items to it. Once is shared, other people in the party will share it for their followers to see.

Tip 2: Follow as many people as you can. Usually, they will follow you back and share your items. This will, in turn, get you more followers. Share their items as well to make nice with the people you're poshing with. It's a friendly community of people who are trying to make money and find nice clothes in the process.

Tip 3: Share your own items every once in a while. When your items have been sitting in your closet without any action, no one sees them. When you share them, they are refreshed to the top of your closet and on your followers feeds. I share my own items a few times everyday so that my followers can be reminded that they're there.

Tip 4: If something isn't selling, lower the price, even if it's just by $2. When you lower the price, any Poshers that have liked that item will get notified. Often times, the price is too high for people to buy but they will like it just incase the price goes down. It's a win-win for everyone. You've sold an item and the posher got it for an affordable price.

I'd love to see your closets once they've been created. My username on Poshmark is l1994m. You can use my code "PGTYZ" to get $5 in Poshmark credits when you sign up. Follow me and I'll follow you back! Good luck Poshing!

DIY Light Bulb Terrarium

I decided to take a trip to Michael's Craft Store today seeing as I had a 50% off coupon and nothing to do. As I was browsing the aisles, I came across this adorable gold ornament stand. At first, I left it on the shelves because I couldn't think of anything to use it for. But then I saw this decorative light bulb and VOILA, I came up with this hanging light bulb terrarium. Please excuse the lack of dusting on my window sill, I've been away on vacation for quite some time!

This project was super easy and only took me about 15 minutes and 13 dollars.



You'll need:

• Craft glue or hot glue
• A craft light bulb of any size
• Tweezers
• Transparent beading string
• Fake plants (or real, totally up to you)
• An ornament stand
• Moss

I started out by hooking a piece of the string around the neck of the ornament stand, and then threading it into the light bulb top. I squeezed some glue inside of the lid and began tying the string. I tied it three times so that the knot was big enough that it wouldn't slid through the hole. I let it sit for about fifteen minutes. I then cut off the remaining string that was hanging out of the lid.

 

While I waited for the glue to set, I began stuffing my light bulb. I found that I wasn't able to fit all of the plants in mine, so you can put as many in as you think will fit! I used real moss and fake plants. All of these supplies were found at Michael's Craft Store. I had to play around for a few minutes to get it set up the way I wanted to. I used the back of a pencil to push the moss down against the bottom of the light bulb and I used the tweezers to maneuver the plants into certain positions.

This was what I came up with and I absolutely love the final product. It was simple, affordable, and will look so cute on my desk. I love using plants creatively because it brings life into a room that is otherwise lifeless. Give it a try and let me know how it goes!

When to Wear the Perfect Perfume

I have an excessive amount of perfume. Most people have a signature scent that they wear everyday, for every occasion, not matter what. Not this gal. I like wearing specific perfumes for specific reasons, depending on my mood. I've chosen just a few that I think are staples in my collection to show you that you don't need to wear the same "eau de parfum" everyday.

Kenzo by KenzoAmour- This perfume was given to me about two years ago and I can't get enough of it. It's the perfect blend of sultry and sweet. The notes consist of Rice Steam, Vanilla, Tanakha Wood, Musk, Cherry Blossom, and Frangipani Blossom. It's an incredibly feminine scent that I typically wear to a dinner date or during the day in the winter time. 

CANDY by Prada- As you can see from the practically empty bottle, I've had this perfume for quite some time now. It's the kind of scent that smells so incredible that you want to drink it. I mean, it's named Candy for a reason. The notes are Caramel, Musk, Vanilla, and Benzoin. This is another perfect perfume for a dinner date, but I like to wear this one in the summer/spring time. It's so light and carefree that I want everyone who passes by me to catch the scent and think "dang that girl smells good!" 

True Vanilla Eau de Parfum by Library of Flowers- When I was at the beach this past summer, I smelt this scent in a local surf shop and immediately fell in love. It's the most true vanilla (thus the name) I've ever smelt in my life. I have the body wash too because I love it that much. I actually want to bathe in this stuff. The notes in this guy are Bergamot, Dark Vanilla, and Amber. This is the kind of parfum that I would wear all day, everyday, because it's that good. But it's definitely most appropriate during the day in the summer/spring months. 

Verbena Mist by Body by Victoria- Unfortunately, this perfume was discontinued from Victoria's Secret a few years ago. I'm not even kidding you when I tell you that the first time I smelt this perfume was in middle school. MIDDLE SCHOOL. I'm 21 years old and I still love this scent, it's such a bummer that once this bottle is gone, I won't be able to get it again. What's even worse is that I can't tell you what the notes are in this green bottle because there's no information about it online anymore. BUT, if you can find a perfume that has verbena in it, please buy it because this stuff smells so good. It's citrusy yet woodsy and, like the bottle says, gives you a burst of energy.

Light Blue by DOLCE&GABBANA- Ohh do I love this one. I know I've been talking about all of those sweet, summery scents. But this is the perfume that is PERFECT for cold winter days. It's a deep and irresistible perfume that consists of Sicilian Citron, Bluebell, Granny Smith Apple, Jasmine Sambac, Bamboo, White Rose, Cedarwood, Amber, and Musk. I practically douse myself in this "Eau de Toliette" and it stays on pretty much all day. 

Viva La Juicy Noir by Juicy Couture- Everyone, and I mean everyone, owns the original Viva La Juicy and I totally understand why, it smells delicious. But when I found this "noir" version of the yummy scent, I had to grab it. it's much more bold and sensual than the original scent and it's perfect, again, for those cold winter days. The notes are Succulent Ripe Berry, Honeysuckle, and Sandalwood. It sounds sweet, I know, but that sandalwood has the ability to pull away from the sweet and turn it into a smoky, sexual scent.