→ 25 Before 26

I took this during Sasebo's Cherry Blossom festival in March!

This year I really want to focus on getting out there, exploring Japan, and experiencing more, as well as self-care and practicing more self-love. It's been a very difficult several months and I'd like to push myself and try to enjoy things whether or not I'm anxious or depressed.

1. Make at least one video for my YouTube channel.
I totally failed on this one last year. I think I'm just afraid (and a bit unmotivated) and I've been putting this off, but it's something that I really want to do!
2. Get rid of unwanted clothing and accessories.
I partially accomplished this, but not enough to make me happy. I'm still hoarding clothing from before gaining 60lbs (thanks to birth control when I moved out here) and I shouldn't be, but it's so difficult to do so because I feel like I'm throwing away hundreds of dollars! Ugh.
3. Wear orange lipstick.
4. Go shopping in Fukuoka.
There's a ton of shopping in Fukuoka: MAC, Ikea, Forever 21, etc... This one is only hard because Fukuoka is over an hour away and traveling makes me nervous.
5. Visit the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum.
6. Try Japanese cosmetics.
7. Visit a shrine.
There are a handful of shrines near base housing and I'd be really bummed when I leave Japan if I never got to visit a shrine.
8. Start the How to Be a Fat Bitch E-Course.
9. Try a cream blusher.
10. Perfect the art of glitter brows.
11. Perfect the art of colored brows.
12. Play a drinking game.
13. Finish a puzzle.
14. Watch at least 40 movies I've never seen before.
I'm really good at watching television. I love being able to multitask, but 99% of the time, I'm watching a TV show vs a movie. I normally only watch movies at a friend's house or I have a friend over to my house. I don't know why, but it is what it is. I have hundreds of movies in my netflix queue as well as in our movie collection.
Current progress: 6 - Groundhog Day, Spaceballs, The Emperor's New Groove, Captain America: The First Avenger, Thor: The Dark World, & Captain America: The Winter Soldier
15. Start up my in-house bakery.
I finally decided on a name, all I need to do now is bake!
16. Enroll in college.
I'm twenty-five and I am so bad at making decisions! Plus I just feel so flustered when I'm looking at college websites. On top of all of that, I have to go through another party to enroll. It's just all so overwhelming.
17. Visit Hirado.
18. Read at least 20 books.
I'm halfway through Find Me by Carol O'Connell, the ninth book in the Mallory's Oracle series.
19. Read at least 10 comics/graphic novels.
I just purchased a few trade paperbacks: Catwoman Volume 1, Saga Volume 1, Chew Volume 1, and Ghost World. Hooray!
20. Try out cosmetics from 5 new indie brands.
21. Buy a Givenchy lipstick.
22. Go to Milky Way Farms.
23. Go bowling.
24. Do some crafting.
25. Do a spending ban.

What are some of your goals right now? Also, what are your favorite books/comics/movies (so I can add them to my list if I haven't read or seen them before)?


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To Do List: 2014

Here's a lovely picture of Magenta totally enjoying her Halloween costume. You're welcome.

December 2013 Goal Updates

→ Keep up with a normal sleep schedule
Ugh, I don't know. I was doing alright, but then I wasn't. So, for all intents and purposes, we'll say I didn't achieve that goal.

→ Bake
Yes ma'am! I made Toll House Chocolate Chip cookies (soooo many!) and a Turtle Brownie thing.

→ Organize hallway closet
Nope. BUT, I was pretty sure that I wouldn't get around to doing this until early 2014 since I wanted to make sure that we had the Christmas stuff all packed up. I don't think this one was a fail, but just not really a good goal for December. Haha.

→ Decorate the apartment
Yep! Check out my awesome Christmas decorations here!

→ Plan a giveaway
I definitely have some things up my sleeve for this year. I'm excited for ya'll! Js.

→ Blog more often
I didn't blog more of my usual blog nonsense, but I think I did nicely with my Countdown to Kitschmas series.

→ Read a full book
Wow. I am disappoint. I have so many books that I'm dying to read, but nope, I did not read even one book in December. Wompwomp.

→ Decide on my next hair transformation
I'm pretty dead-set on keeping my half/half, but doing white and black instead of continuing with blue and pink. Unfortunately I haven't heard back from my friend who does my hair out here and the other lady who has an in-house salon doesn't have the necessary things, so... I'm probably going to ruin my hair by doing it myself.

→ Marathon the Die Hard movies again
You betcha! We watched the first two movies on Christmas (cos they're the Christmas ones) and finished up with movies three, four, and five the next day.

→ Curl my hair
I haven't even opened up my curling iron. Oops.

---

→ Explore Kyushu
I have two more years in Japan and I want to be able to say that I saw things and went places while I was living here.

→ Cook more
So far, so good. My goal is to do at least one home cooked meal a week and I've been cooking more than not since the beginning of the year!

→ Start in-home business
My AMAZING husband got me a Kitchenaid Stand Mixer so I can start selling baked goods while we're out here. I hate having to only rely on Ryan's paycheck, plus I love to bake, so it's a win/win!

→ Keep the apartment more organized
I feel like my space is a mess and I never feel calm when things are messy.

→ Enact makeup spending ban
I need to "shop my stash" and review all of the makeup I haven't gotten to yet!

→ Yoga
I actually went to my first physical therapy appointment this morning and I'll be doing daily stretches. I'd like to upgrade to actual yoga at some point. I loved yoga when I was a teenager and I need more zen in my life.

→ Budget better & save more
Ryan and I just redid our budget at the beginning of the new year; saving more and spending less!

→ Start therapy again?
Hm. I'm still not 100% on this one yet, but I figured that I would put it on the list.

→ Start using a blog calendar/organizer instead of just making lists
I bought a binder and filled it full of organize-y printables and I'm super excited. Js.

→ Reorganize blog
I'm thinking of launching a personal blog and turning Kitsch Vixen into just a beauty/fashion blog. I'll post more about that later!

What are your plans for 2014?



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24 before 25

I feel like this is fitting since it's only almost a month since my 24th birthday and I've always wanted to do one of these!

Picture is unrelated. :3

24 Things I Want to Do Before I Turn 25:
1. Start my YouTube channel.
2. Be happy with my hair.
3. Get rid of unwanted clothing and accessories.
4. Wear orange lipstick.
5. Curl my hair.
6. Visit the aquarium.
7. Go shopping in Fukuoka.
8. Visit the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum.
9. Try Japanese cosmetics.
10. Bake something from scratch.
11. Get my couponing all sorted.
12. Get another tattoo/start Sailor Moon half-sleeve.
13. Go to a shrine.
14. Make something.
15. Set up a space for my shoes.
16. Do my nails more. At least once, come on, you're a beauty blogger - get it together!
17. Buy a YSL lipstick.
18. Marathon all of the Die Hard movies (again).
19. Start the How to Be a Fat Bitch E-Course.
20. Do the Japanese Rosetta Stone.
21. Try a cream blusher.
22. Perfect the art of glitter brows.
23. Play a drinking game.
24. Make funfetti brownies.

Do you have a list of things you want to do before your next birthday?
xox

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I Heart Summer Tag

I feel like it's been ages since my last blog post because I've been under the weather recently (vertigo! what?!). I'm still not better, but I figured that I could do a tag blog post just to give you guys something! Feel free to answer these on your blog and link it below or tell me your answers in the comment section! Let's get to know each other. :)

1. Favorite bronzer for summer?

Honestly, the only reason I use bronzer is to contour. I'm pretty light skinned and personally I don't like being tan, but I do use Milani's Bronzer XL for my contouring.

2. Favorite summer drink?

I want to say Piña Colada, but let's be honest, I haven't had one in two years. I really like Snapple's Noni Berry juice!  I noticed it at the commissary because of its color (pink) and my husband said that he liked it, so we bought a few and I've been drinking it ever since.

3. Favorite summer lip product?

As much as I love me some lipsticks, recently I've been really loving Revlon's Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Honey. I find the formula to be really lightweight and moisturizing, which is perfect for summer!

4. Pool or Beach?

I've never been one for the beach because I don't really enjoy hot sand or laying out in the sun. I feel like it's a messier, less fun version of a pool. So I'll have to say pool for this one. The chlorine smell reminds me of being a kid cos of the swimming lessons I took and when I hung out at the pool with my friends in high school.

5. What's your must-have styling product for summer?

A brush. No, seriously! I don't use anything in my hair other than shampoo and conditioner (and hair dye,) and a brush comes in handy when it's ridiculously windy out, which it is pretty regularly here in Sasebo.

6. Sun bathing or fake tan?

As mentioned in answer number one, I don't like being tan. Working at the kennel out here has made me the tannest I've ever been in my life! Being out in the sun makes me feel sick and there's been times where I break out into hives (gross, right?) if I'm in the sun for too long. If I had to choose, it would definitely be fake tan. The lotion/spray tan though, not the tanning booth.

7. Favorite summer nail polish?

I haven't painted my nails all summer! Man, this should be the I'm Bad At Summer tag. However, I am really excited to try out the Zoya nail polish from my May Ipsy Glam Bag.

8. Any summer traditions?

Does my birthday count? I feel like it does. Bonfires, maybe, depending on which friends I live near during the summer. (And The BBQ Club's BBQ!!)

9. Favorite summer scent?

Vanilla! I got a sample of LAVANILA's Healthy Fragrance in Pure Vanilla from my Little Black Bag order in June. I'm surprised how much my husband likes it as well! He said I smelled like cinnamon buns. Yum!

10. Favorite BBQ food?

Cheeseburgers. Give me all the cheeseburgers. Oh man, every year my extended family throws this awesomely amazing BBQ at one of their local parks. It always has a super creative theme and delicious food. I'm a big fan of the chocolate covered strawberries as well as the cheeseburgers. Just sayin'.

11. What's your favorite summer-proof product?

Paula's Choice's Shine Stopper, hands down. I have super oily skin and I use this product every time I wear makeup.

12. Any summer vacation plans this year?

Nah. Ryan is thinking about taking some time off for a staycation though! Maybe we'll explore the surrounding areas. I'd love to go back to Nagasaki.

So, that's my I Heart Summer Tag! I hope you all enjoyed it!

xox