Disney Halloween Tag

Hello friends! I wanted to do some kind of fun tag for Halloween, but most of what I found revolved around scary things and "would you rather..." questions, which I'm not a fan of, but then I found the Disney Halloween Tag, which was created by Brianna Hertzberg on YouTube. A lot of the questions relate to the Disney theme parks and a Halloween event called Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party that I have actually been to, but it was 12 years ago, so my memories of it aren't that vivid and I'm sure things have changed, but I'll answer to the best of my ability. I'll link her original video at the end, but for now, on with the tag!

• Favorite Disney villain and why?
• Hades from Hercules; I love him because he's sassy and sarcastic, which is me if I were a Disney villain.

• Favorite Disney villain song and why?
• Ursula's "Poor Unfortunate Souls" from The Little Mermaid; Ursula is probably the villain that scares me the most because she's deceptive as opposed to being just outwardly evil, and this song is just perfect for her.

• Favorite Disney Halloween song?
• Of course, "This is Halloween" from The Nightmare Before Christmas

• Favorite villain sidekick?
• Pleakley (Jumba's sidekick) from Lilo & Stitch

• Favorite Disney monster?
• Stitch from Lilo & Stitch

• Favorite Dark Ride at Disney?
• Honestly I had to Google what a dark ride is, and it's any indoor ride. My favorites are the ones geared for little ones in Fantasy Land, such as The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and Peter Pan's Flight.

• Haunted Mansion Ride or Nightmare Before Christmas Mansion Ride?
• I've only experienced the classic version, but I can guarantee I would like the Nightmare Before Christmas version better. 

• Pumpkin or regular beignets?
• Regular, I don't like pumpkin anything.

• Ghost Galaxy Space Mountain or Classic Space Mountain?
• I've experienced classic Space Mountain and I hated it (anxiety paired with motion sickness, it was my worst nightmare), so neither.

• Favorite Halloween treat at the parks?
• I don't remember any specific Halloween treats from 12 years ago, so I'll give you my favorite treat in general: Belgian waffles from Sleepy Hollow (Liberty Square, Magic Kingdom, Disney World Orlando). It's the absolute best spot to camp out before the fireworks because it has a perfect view of the castle, and the waffles are amazing.

• Who is a Halloween character/villain you wish you could meet at the parks?
• I don't know if I would like to meet any Halloween characters in particular, but I would love to meet Hades.

• If you could go to Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party, who would you dress up as?
• I went as a hula girl as a nod to Lilo & Stitch when I went, but now I would probably go as a more classic Lilo and bring a Stitch stuffed toy to complete the outfit.

• Favorite thing about Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party?
• I don't remember much of it, I just remember it being fun because they closed down the park for the party, so it felt really special.

Brianna's Original Video: https://youtu.be/rhCr_aLVXUU

Happy Halloween!
Erin

Spook-tacular Names

Hello friends! With Halloween quickly approaching, I thought I'd put together a bonus post all about some Halloween-inspired names, ranging from pop culture names associated with Halloween to names with meanings tied to elements of Halloween. Here we go!

Girls

• Asteria - Greek, "star" - Asteria sounds magical and haunting, and is a great yet subtle nod to Halloween.
• Suggested pairing: Asteria Esme
• Branwen - Welsh, "beautiful raven" - Branwen is a beautiful name, and ravens are strongly associated with Halloween, so this name is the best of both worlds.
• Suggested pairing: Branwen Flora
• Coraline (Coraline) - French, "coral" - Coraline is right on trend with many things (-line endings, French names, Cora as a nickname, etc.), andis one of my  is a lovely tribute to the Tim Burton movie.
• Suggested pairing: Coraline Genevieve
• Hala - Arabic, "halo around the moon" - Hala is another name that's on trend with names like Nala, Maya, and Hailey, and the association to the moon is a Halloween no-brainer.
• Suggested pairing: Hala Leilani
• Hazel - English, "hazelnut tree" - Hazel is rising in popularity and may be the most discreet Halloween name on this list, but I chose this adorable name for its nod to witch hazel.
• Suggested pairing: Hazel Winter
• Layla - Arabic, "night" - Layla is gorgeous, so it's no wonder it's rising rapidly, but it's meaning goes perfectly with a Halloween theme.
• Suggested pairing: Layla Tess
• Nell (The Corpse Bride) - English, meaning debated - Nell is one of my favorite names on this list, and is another great tribute to another haunting Tim Burton movie.
• Suggested pairing: Nell Olivia
• Nerissa - Shakespearean, "nymph, sea sprite" - Nerissa feeds into my soft spot for whimsical names, and its meaning fits right in with the creatures and magic of Halloween.
• Suggested pairing: Nerissa Mairi
• Wednesday (The Addams Family) - roots debated, "Wednesday" - Wednesday is probably the most iconic character from The Addams Family, so of course this name made my list.
• Suggested pairing: Wednesday Pearl
• Winnie (Hocus Pocus) - English, "fair" - Winnie is such a cute name, but if you're a Hocus Pocus fan, it's the perfect choice for you.
• Suggested pairing: Winnie Harper

Boys

• Aydan - Turkish, "from the moon" - Aydan is yet another variant of the ever-popular Aiden, but this spelling has a stellar meaning perfect for Halloween.
• Suggested pairing: Aydan Leo
• Casper (Casper the Friendly Ghost) - Dutch, "treasurer" - Casper is like the Wednesday of my boys' list; it's iconic, so putting it on was not a question.
• Suggested pairing: Casper David
• Dexter (Dexter) - English, "one who dyes" - Dexter has a mysterious feel to it, and it's a great alternative to names like Daxton and Paxton.
• Suggested pairing: Dexter Flynn
• Drake - English, "dragon" - Drake, like Nerissa, has a meaning that fits perfectly with the creatures and magic of Halloween.
• Suggested pairing: Drake Alexander
• Edgar - English, "wealth, spear" - Edgar is on this list because of Edgar Allan Poe, who was definitely know for his creepy, haunting poetry.
• Suggested pairing: Edgar Nolan
• Jack (The Nightmare Before Christmas) - English, "God is gracious" - Jack can be used if you love Jack Skellington, or if you just love the classic jack-o'-lantern.
• Suggested pairing: Jack Oliver
• Logan - Scottish, "little hollow" - Logan is just as discreet as Hazel, but its meaning has half of the word Halloween in it, so I had to use it for this list.
• Suggested pairing: Logan Michael
• Osiris - Egyptian, "god of the dead" - Osiris is definitely the most cryptic name I have, but if you love Halloween, I think it's perfect.
• Suggested pairing: Osiris Kai
• Sullivan - Irish, "little dark eye" - Sullivan's meaning just screams Halloween to me; it's a little weird and dark, but the name is still adorable.
• Suggested pairing: Sullivan James
• Wolf - German/English, "wolf" - Wolf is definitely for a brave namer, but with werewolves to strongly associated with Halloween, I couldn't resist.
• Suggested: Wolf Evander

Happy Halloween!
Erin

Easy DIY Halloween Costumes

Hello friends! With Halloween coming up, I thought I'd try to give some answers to the age-old question: What should I dress up as? Here are 10 easy DIY costumes. If some require a bit more DIY work, I'll also include instructions.

1. Raining Cats and Dogs
     You will need:
          An umbrella
          Plush cats & dogs
          Clear string like fishing line
          Optional: crystal raindrops, rain boots/coat
    How to do it:
          Tie the toys to the inner rods of the umbrella using the fishing line (and the crystal
          raindrops if you have them). If desired, wear rain boots/coat.

2. Morton Salt Girl
    You will need:
          A white/clear umbrella
          A yellow dress/tunic/coat
          White leggings/tights/jeans
          Yellow shoes
          Morton Salt

 3. Vintage Wind-Up Toy (picture tutorial below)
    You will need:
          A vintage outfit (babydoll dress, lace dress, Mary Janes, etc.)
          Doll makeup    
          Cardboard
          Paper towel tube
          Scissors
          Pencil
          Paint
          Paint brush
          Ribbon (preferably to match your outfit)
          Glue

4. Belle (Beauty and the Beast) (hair tutorial below)
    You will need:
          A blue dress
          A white blouse
          A white apron
          Black shoes
          Blue ribbon (to tie around ponytail)
          Books

 

5. Ty Beanie Baby
    You will need:
          An animal-themed onesie
          Red cardstock
          White paint
          Paint brushes
            Scissors
          String
    How to do it:
          Cut a heart out of the cardstock and paint on the Ty logo. Attach the tag either
          around the neck as a necklace or to the zipper of the onesie.

6. Mary Poppins
    You will need:
          A long-sleeved white blouse
          A knee-length black skirt
          Black tights
          Black shoes
          A black fedora hat
          Red ribbon (for around the waist and to make a bowtie)
          Fake daisies
          Hot glue
          A black umbrella
          A black purse
    How to do it:
          For the bowtie, tie a bow and double knot it, clipping the ends off. Glue it to a
          ribbon longer than your neck, and tie it under the collar in the back. For the hat,
          glue the daisies to the base of the hat so they are in the crease between the hat
          and the brim.

7. "Sleeping Beauty" OR Princess Mia (Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement)
    You will need:
          A tiara
          Pajamas (preferably a matching set/nightgown)
          Slippers
          Optional: a teddy bear, a sleep mask, a pillow/blanket

8. The Man with the Yellow Hat (Curious George)
    You will need:
          A yellow button-down shirt
          Yellow pants
          A yellow tie
          A yellow hat
          Brown combat boots
           A black belt
          Black felt
          Hot glue
          A stuffed monkey (or a child dressed as a monkey)
    How to do it:
          Cut out black felt circles and glue them to the tie, then cut strips of black felt to
          glue a stripe around the base of the hat.

9. Medusa
    You will need:
          A white flowy dress (think ancient Greek/Roman style)
          Small plastic snakes
          Bobby pins
          Optional: gold jewelry

10. "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs"
      You will need:
             An umbrella
             Cotton stuffing
             Hot glue
             Clear string like fishing line
             Floral styrofoam balls (in the floral section of craft stores)
               Brown paint
            Sponge-tip brushes
       How to do it:
             Glue the stuffing all over the umbrella. Paint the Styrofoam balls brown, gluing
             some to the cotton and attaching others to the inner rods of the umbrella with
             fishing line.

Note: All pictures saved from Pinterest.

Happy Halloween!
Erin
         

Seasons of Names Tag

Hello friends! I created this tag a while back and I thought I'd share it with you. It's based on the four seasons, and each has specific name challenges associated with the season. Let's get started!

Winter

• Name a sibset with the initials DE, CE, MB, and ER. You choose the sexes, but first names must be literary names.
• DE: Dallas Emerson (The Outsiders)
• CE: Celie Eleanor (The Color Purple)
• MB: Margo Brooklyn (Paper Towns)
• ER: Ezra Rowan (The Beginning of Everything)
• Use a winter or holiday-based first name for a girl and give her a middle name, then give her a twin (you choose the sex).
• Noelle Audrey & Jude Matthew
• Winter nights are perfect for watching your favorite movies. Name triplets (you choose the sexes) with names of your favorite movie characters as first names and middle names of your choice.
• Cosette Roaslie (Les Mis), Larkin Thomas (Hairspray) & Daniel James (Grease)

Spring

• Name triplets with the initials SP, RI, and NG. You choose the sexes and first names, but middle names must be associated with flowers, trees, or fruit.
• SP: Scarlett Poppy
• RI: Rowan Ivy
• NG: Nathaniel Gideon
• There's something whimsical about both spring and alliterations, so name twins with alliterative names (you choose the sexes).
• Lila Lucy & Luna Livia
• Spring is all about "out with the old, in with the new." Combine both and name three boys and a girl with "geezer names" as first names and "hipster names" as middle names.
• Calvin August, Samuel Oliver, Edward Griffin & Eleanor Beatrix

Summer

• Name two girls and a boy with the initials SU, MM, and ER.
• SU: Sawyer Upton
• MM: Mira Melody
• ER: Ellarie River
• Road trip! Name quadruplets with place names as first names and any middle names (you choose the sexes).
• Aspen Maisie, Brighton Isla, Hudson Parker & Phoenix Isaac
• Let's go stargazing! Use a celestial or mythological name for a boy and give him a middle name, then give him a sister whose initials are the reverse of his.
• Evander Wyatt & Waverly Emilia

Fall

• Name two boys and two girls with the initials NO, VE, MB, and ER. You choose the sexes, but middle names must be stone/gemstone names.
• NO: Noah Onyx
• VE: Victoria Emerald
• MB: Michael Baryte
• ER: Esme Ruby
• Fall reminds me of family, so name three siblings with family names as first names and any middle names (you choose the sexes).
• Ryan Andrew, Nathan Scott & James Benjamin
• It's hibernation season! Name twins with animal-based first names and any middle names (you choose the sexes).
• Ari Valencia & Leo Alexander

I tag you to do this tag in the comments!

I wish you all the best,
Erin

Fall Basics Lookbook

Hello friends! My last lookbook went over really well, so I thought I'd do another one, this time with a twist: I wanted to use my fall wardrobe staples, minimal accessories, and I wanted to get as many looks as possible. The results? 6 basic pieces + 4 accessories + 4 pairs of shoes + 3 purses = 9 fall outfits that fit a variety of occasions and are super easy to put together.

Let's break this all down before we get started: I put together a basic formula for what I wanted in every outfit, which was 1 top, 1 bottom, 1 accessory, 1 pair of shoes, and 1 purse. Of course, this can be changed, but that's where I started.

Next, I chose my pieces. For tops, I chose a really soft chambray button down from Forever 21, a dark green sweatshirt from Forever 21, and a gray sweater with a crochet back detail from Kohl's. For bottoms, I chose my favorite pair of American Eagle jeans and pair of rusty red skinny cargo(ish) pants from Kohl's. I also added a hunter green dress from Target.

After that, I had to pick all my extras. This was the hardest part for me because I could've taken it in so many directions, but I tried to pick as few items as possible while still having a variety. I ended up with a Forever 21 statement necklace, a simple cream infinity scarf from Old Navy, a trendier plaid blanket scarf from Romwe, and a brown dragonfly-printed scarf from Charming Charlie for the accessories. For shoes, I chose some cute maroon Oxford-style shoes from Forever 21, my favorite tan combat boots from Target, gray booties from Kohl's, and camel-colored booties from Old Navy. Lastly for the purses, I have a slouchy, almost metallic tan bag from Target, a black purse from Charming Charlie, and a little berry wristlet from the Coach Outlet Store.

With all that said, here are my 9 outfits:

chambray shirt, green dress, statement necklace, maroon shoes, black purse


 

 

chambray shirt, red pants, statement necklace, camel booties, black purse


 

 

chambray shirt, jeans, plaid scarf, maroon shoes, tan bag


 

 

chambray shirt, gray sweater, red pants, statement necklace, gray booties, black purse


 

 

gray sweater, jeans, cream scarf, combat boots, berry wristlet


 

 

gray sweater, red pants, statement necklace, gray booties, black purse


 

 

gray sweater, green dress, cream scarf, gray booties, berry wristlet


 

 

green sweatshirt, jeans, plaid scarf, combat boots, tan bag


 

 

 

green dress, dragonfly scarf, camel booties, berry wristlet

 

 

 

*Please excuse the photo quality; I use natural lighting that shifted in the middle of this shoot. Oops!

I wish you all the best,
Erin

My Anxiety Story & Appropriating Mental Illness

Hello friends. This will probably be my most personal post, so I'd like to ask in advance of you reading this to please be kind and respectful, and please share my message if you agree with me. This post is all about my relationship with anxiety.

I've had anxiety since I was nine years old (in third grade). It started as separation anxiety, where I would panic about going to school and being away from my mom for just those six hours every day. In fourth grade, I was starting to get bullied for being different, especially because every other kid in my grade played sports and I loved music, and at that school, if you don't play sports, you're worthless and they let you know it. This was also the time that the anxiety shifted to being more hypochondria-based. I was terrified that anything, anything, that could be wrong with my health was going to happen. I remember watching a show with my family and during a commercial news break, they mentioned a bird flu outbreak in China. I immediately panicked and was convinced I was going to get bird flu. This is when I started a year of therapy to cope with the anxiety.

I don't remember a lot of the therapy. I only know that by fifth grade, I wasn't going anymore. That doesn't mean I was cured, I was just able to handle it better. I was still being bullied, and I spent the last four years of grade school alone. High school was so much better for me; I had friends, I was involved in a ton of activities, I was finally coming into my own. Anxiety was on the back burner, and it was great.

And then college came. I spent my first semester living at a school an hour away from home, and it was awful. I sobbed for the entirety of move in day, and I came home every weekend. I spent all my time there either in class or in my room, and I made no new friends. I had known my roommate from high school, and we were friends, but she ultimately brought some anxiety back to me. She was just so inconsiderate that I didn't feel comfortable in my own room, which made living there very difficult. I decided to transfer out, and then spent my second semester commuting to a school in the city.

I always knew that my city can be a dangerous place, but so can anyplace else. I was always scared walking from the train to my classes, and then there were always reports of horrible things happening nearby, and I was even more scared to go to school. I finished the semester, and I was so relieved for summer. I had an amazing vacation to look forward to, and I was confident that I was going to finish my degree at that school. But I didn't love what I was doing, and that, as well as the fear for my own safety, ultimately made me decide to not go back.

That was a month ago, and I am now waiting for pastry school to start in January. The only problem is that now my anxiety is so bad that I'm afraid to leave my house. I work at a bakery a few blocks from my home, and I'm scared to walk there. If people walk in front of my house that I don't recognize, I panic. All these reports of crazy things happening all over the country scare the crap out of me. On top of that, I'm also terrified of driving, something I now need to do to feel safe enough to go places, but I'm scared to learn because I had a full-blown panic attack when I was learning to drive four years ago, and that memory has stuck with me to this day.

Now, the easy answer to all these problems is to go back to therapy. But the problem is that now mental illness is "trendy," and people who don't actually have these horrible, crippling diseases throw them around like glitter in the air, fantasizing these things that so many people fight to cope with every day. So my fear is that anyone who knows that I want to go to therapy again or even the therapist won't take me seriously because now, everyone has anxiety. Everyone has OCD. Everyone has ADD, depression, PTSD, and the list of "trendy" illnesses goes on and on. And that is an enormous problem for people like me, who are struggling in the shadow of the trend.

The truth of mental illness is that it's debilitating and crippling. I wouldn't wish it on anyone, because it stops you from living your life. And you can't just "stop," "relax," "don't worry about it," or "stop thinking about it" because "you'll be fine." I can only speak for anxiety, but it's like having a skeptic living in your head. You can give them the most reliable, accurate information possible, and they still won't believe it. They can't stop worrying about it, even if you can actually guarantee they'll be fine.

So all I ask is that the next time you're nervous about something, don't call it anxiety if it's not. If you're sad, don't call it depression if it's not. If you have a stressful experience, don't call it PTSD if it's not. If you like to be organized, don't call it OCD if it's not. These are all diseases, not fun adjectives to validate yourself. It's like saying you have cancer when it's just a cold. It's not okay, and it needs to stop.

I wish you all the best,
Erin

Sweet Spot: Chocolate Toffee Nut Cookies

Hello friends! Today I'm sharing my favorite cookie dough recipe with a twist. Instead of traditional chocolate chip cookies (which are just as delicious), I'm using this basic brown sugar dough to make chocolate toffee nut cookies, and oh my goodness, they are good. As a bonus, this particular recipe stays very fluffy and doesn't spread all that much, and also holds lots of mix-ins very well. Bake on!

The Lineup:
     2 1/2 cups AP flour
     1 tsp baking soda
     1/2 tsp salt
     1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
     1 cup packed brown sugar
     1/2 cup granulated sugar
     2 eggs
     1 tbsp vanilla
     1/2 cup chopped chocolate (I used dark, but you could use anything you like)
     1/2 cup chopped pecans
     1/2 cup toffee pieces (mine did not have chocolate on them, but those would work,
          too)

The Play-by-Play:
     1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix flour, baking soda, and salt in a
         medium-sized bowl, set aside.
     2. Beat butter and sugars with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and
         vanilla.
     3. Add flour mixture to butter mixture in thirds, mixing until combined. Add in
         chocolate, pecans, and toffee pieces, mix until combined.

     4. Drop rounded tablespoons of dough (I used an ice cream scoop to ensure
         consistent sizes) on cookie sheets lined with parchment or silicone mats. Bake 8-10
         minutes until golden.
     5. Let cool on cookie sheets 2 minutes, then transfer to cooling racks. *PLEASE resist
         the urge to eat them straight out of the oven, as the toffee pieces will be melted
         and still very hot.
      6. Place cooled cookies into a zipper bag to keep fresh up to 1 week. Enjoy!

 

 

I wish you all the best,

Erin