10 things we need to remind ourselves of

How long does it take you to realize that you need a change? And no, this is not the opening line for a self-help seminar or a cheesy infomercial. I really mean it.
Picture this: you've been doing something for a while that doesn't exactly make you happy; maybe it makes you feel numb, or angry, or even depressed. You think life is testing you and greater things will come after. You think it's just something necessary that you can't escape, or perhaps you see it as a transition period. Has this happened to you? Well, how long did it take you to realize that you needed an urgent change?

I've come to realize that the problem with this immensely recurring situation is that we toss and turn, we complain and cry, we make plans and dream... but most of us fail at the most crucial moment: acting. Imagine a movie studio where they're shooting a film. The script is made, the protagonists are chosen, the props and scenery are done and the staff is ready. It's the moment of the truth. The director says "lights", "camera", "action"! But, the main actor doesn't move. He just stands there numb with a blank expression during the entire filming process, while the world keeps spinning and people carry on with their lives around him. A year goes by, the film is premiered and the actor was cut from it because he didn't make a move.


So, there you go. A whole year wasted. I won't be condescending using a softer word, because I do think that a year gone by without anything to feel proud about is clearly a wasted year. I've felt this way before, but I've also come to understand that we must learn to value our efforts, dreams and achievements in a somewhat equal measure. Showing a fantastic performance at something is a win. Having a wonderful idea is also a win. Succeeding in a particular aspect is yet another win. See? Win! Win! Win! Wins everywhere. It's not so hard to feel proud about what you do, but the only way to do this is to understand that you must act. Actions are required for you to feel competent.

I would like to share with you some advice I occasionally give to myself. These are my very own "10 things we need to remind ourselves of":

1. Stop pitying yourself for not achieving your dreams. Start by setting some realistic goals and loosely mapping out possible strategies to get them. Even the smallest goals count!

2. Get yourself on track to reach milestones. Most times it's better to advance little by little whenever you're on your way to reach a goal. This allows you to analyze, strategize, get feedback and make adjustments on the way.

3. Don't rush it, but don't overdue it. Trying to get things done fast and at an inappropriate time usually brings chaos, and leaving things for later without being careful can lead to delaying them forever. If you feel it's the right time, go for it. Sometimes you'll need a little push; that's all.

4. Set priorities and learn to prioritize. It's no secret that time goes by really fast, sometimes even faster than expected. So, be prepared to turn the tides when time is not on your side.

5. Be flexible and expect the unexpected. Hoping for the worst has its benefits because it keeps you aware of possible fiascos along the way, especially because bad things do happen. However, an absolutely negative approach sounds too dark. Get ready to dance between the possibilities.

6. State the facts, even the most obvious, and say things clearly. If you're not honest to yourself, will anyone ever be? It's not about criticizing you as a person, it's about coming clean about what you know, what you must improve and what you must learn.

7. Direct your actions to generate positive changes. Some changes happen out of our reach, but remember that you have control of your actions and decisions. When you have hopes and dreams but don't act accordingly, don't expect the situation to magically change in your favor. If you don't even try...

8. Give yourself room to express your feelings. Life is not always sugar, spice and everything nice. There's a whole spectrum of emotions inside you that will come out on given occasions. Repressing them can only lead to frustration!

9. Compare and scrutinize in a healthy measure. It's all right to compare and contrast things honestly, as long as it doesn't follow a destructive purpose. Otherwise, steer away from it and only take the good things from which you can learn.

10. Change what you must with respect, patience and solid actions. Be mindful when making decisions, weighing benefits and consequences for your personal fulfillment, and acknowledging those involved whom you care about. Please, don't sabotage yourself by trampling everything in your way.

I know "New Year Resolutions" are quite a cliché, hell, I'm one of the first ones to say that every New Year's Eve! But, given that 2019 just started, January is almost gone and I'm still here pondering about life, I decided to be more proactive and work my way through changes. Here I am, writing in my blog, which had remained untouched since June 2018. I've also resumed painting a special picture for our living room, which I paused back in November. I've made my own yearly planner (more on that later, in another post), identified important goals for me (and my family) and tried to have a more normal schedule to help me organize myself better. I'm still having issues with splitting time between tasks adequately, but I've got patience, honesty, motivation and a whole bunch of actions slowly executing one after the other.

Thank you for reading my whole article! I feel great about writing again, so be on the lookout for new posts every now and then. 

My fluffy Disney family makes a splash

It's no secret that I am above being a Disney fan. I grew up surrounded by Disney's dazzling stories, admiring its adventurous characters, reading piles upon piles of their books, watching every single one of their endearing movies, cartoons and short films, dressing up in their sumptuously chic clothes, and of course, playing with mountains of their unique toys and decorations. So, no. I'm no Disney fan. I breathe, feel and live Disney. That said, let's go on with the story.

Throughout the years, and since I have memory, my parents indulged my brother and I with all sorts of incredible toys. We were quite careful with our things, so we actually still have most of them and in wonderful conditions. One of my favorites has always been our marvelous plush collection. Consisting of over a hundred stuffed animals in all shapes and sizes (the biggest being a gigantic stuffed teal teddy bear which I won back at a fair in Canada... but that's another story), our collection includes quite a few recognizable Disney characters, as well as other secondary characters who still hold a special place in my heart.

I believe that I've mentioned before that my husband and I moved into an apartment to start a new life. We had the opportunity to furnish and decorate it from scratch, and among some things that we have here, there is a chiffonier with a glass cabinet as the top part. My husband found and brought home this discarded piece of furniture one day, and we put it against a wall right in front of our dining room. It was the perfect piece to display something delicate and cool, so I thought for a while until I remembered that I'd brought a few of my favorite Disney plushies with me, but they'd been sitting inside a bin since we arrived.

I took them out and quickly assembled them inside the cabinet to see how they looked in it. Plus, I threw in a beautiful Pluto plush toy that we had found at a flea market almost for free. It was perfect. We both liked it so much that we decided to have a plush-cleaning session to get them primped and polished to shine inside our up-cycled display window.

We were both absolutely skeptical about throwing the plush toys inside the washing machine and dryer just to see them come out in chunks, especially after carefully reading the labels on all the plushies stating to "Only spot clean". Also, we had already tried the "baking soda method", which I must assess as completely ridiculous because it does not clean your plush; it merely disinfects it. So, after some really unsuccessful Google research and YouTube exploring, we found a video of an Argentinian dad and his daughter who cleaned a teddy bear with a somewhat different spot cleaning method. They would wet a toothbrush with a bit of water and dab it in powdered detergent, brushing the stuffed animal's skin to remove any spots and, in general, to remove all the dirt and dust. They would then repeat the process a couple of times and leave the toy to air dry.

We decided to give that method a shot, so we gathered our supplies and began our task. We definitely broke a sweat doing it: it's fine if you're going to clean one or two plush toys, but if you're up for a whole bunch, you're going to need a lot of elbow grease. I think we grew muscles that day from all the cleaning that we did, especially because we had a few other new plushies from the same flea market as before. In the end, we left them to air dry, and we were overall satisfied with our work and with how the stuffed toys turned out.

A few more months went by, and I realized that I was feeling the need of Disney-fying out our home a bit more. I thought it would be a nice idea to display my other Disney plush toys, as we feel it gives a cute and warm feeling to our home. My mother was kind enough to sort out the toys from our plush box and send them over to me. I was ecstatic to open the boxes and find my old and precious plushies, but at the same time I thought most of them looked really dirty and had old stains. I mean, some of them are almost my age, and I don't think any had been washed in... well... forever.

This was when it hit us: were we supposed to spot clean each and every one of these plush toys? Clearly, that was a feat beyond question, so instead we chose to analyze other options. That's when I remembered that I had talked about our plush-cleaning session to a few people back then, and both my grandmother and my dear friend Dulce had mentioned that they cleaned plushies running a cycle in their washing machines and hanging them to air dry. Hmmmmm... What to do? Decisions, decisions. My husband and I took a vote and decided to dunk a first batch of Disney critters into our washing machine. As we closed the door, I had nothing in my head more than the lyrics of "Not while I'm around" from the musical Sweeney Todd, which says:

Nothing's gonna harm you

Not while I'm around

We ran a regular cycle with the same amount of detergent and fabric softener that we use to wash our clothes. Even after reading the labels and warnings, I felt pretty confident about washing them with this new technique. After all, I had two reliable testimonies that swore by this method. Once the first lot was done and the toys were out of the water ride, I realized it had been a phenomenal decision. Not only were the plushies complete and tear-free; they were also clean as new and soft as they probably had been many, many years ago. I scattered them over an old towel outside, in our small terrace, as I was terrified to hang them from the clothing line and lose them to a relentless breeze (it had been quite a windy week). My husband approved the process and we merrily proceeded to conduct two more groups of stuffed animals into the splash zone.

I am overjoyed to say that there were no casualties in our operation, and that our fluffy Disney family is glowing. I've also decided to rotate the plushie display on the glass cabinet by themes or films, so that all the toys get their share of the dining room's spotlight. We absolutely recommend washing your plush toys in a regular to gentle cycle in your washing machine. However, you should follow these three very important precautions:

1. If your plush toy is battery-operated, you might want to skip this method, since you are at a high risk of getting its mechanical system damaged.

2. Some plushies are made with more delicate fabrics than others. If it has any frail materials, or if it's quite old and has begun losing chunks of hair or fiber, do not launder.

3. Red-colored fabrics tend to run and stain other fabrics in the washing machine. If your stuffed animal has a suspicious piece of red fabric, or any other suspicious color for that matter, feel free to conduct a test for color running before dunking it in your machine.

The washing machine method was truly a panacea. I hope this enlightens plushie collectors and parents out there who have faced the same dilemma as us, and that they find peace with this solution.

I've completely lost my blog-posting rhythm nowadays, but if you liked this story stay tuned for more coming up! 

March DisneyBound Challenge 2018 outfit summary

It's obvious that this year has been slow for me in terms of blog writing. Only one post in three whole months! However, I must highlight that I've been a little busy planning a new project that you'll likely discover soon enough. But, I really didn't want March to go by unnoticed because of the wonderful experience in which I took part during the last 31 days.

For those of you who follow me on Instagram, you've probably already noticed that every single day of March I have posted a Disney-inspired outfit portraying a Disney character, item or park. What you may not know is that every year the fabulous Leslie Kay promotes the March DisneyBound Challenge from her well-known @TheDisneybound Instagram account and her DisneyBound Tumblr. Following the hashtag #DisneyBoundChallenge you will find quite a fashionable flood of Disney-inspired ensembles from hundreds of Disney fans from all around the world.

The trick about the DisneyBound Challenge -it is a challenge, after all- is that you must follow a pre-determined theme for each day of the month. This year some of the topics included movies like The Little Mermaid, A Wrinkle in Time, and Cinderella; characters like princes, sidekicks and villains; and even some other themes like rule breakers, 90s styles and park attractions.

According to @TheDisneybound, this year's challenge doubled the amount of Instagram posts using #DisneyboundChallenge, going from less than 14,000 images before the challenge started to an overwhelming post count of almost 29,000. This implies there's a flowing river of Disney-inspired outfits to admire and take inspiration from. What I liked the most about this challenge was seeing all the different styles, combinations and creative views within the Disney community. Everyone comes together, free to use their imagination and express their personality, thanks to a conjoined love and admiration for the happiest place on Earth and everything around it.

In the photos above you can see my 31 bounds for the month. It was so fun to participate in this year's #DisneyboundChallenge, but it was also a daring task to keep up with the challenge every day. I'm also really glad about taking the decision of changing my backdrops after the first four DisneyBounds that I posted. The extra effort of finding locations was really worth it! Feel free to visit my Instagram account @edu_and_joy to check out all my March bounds and some older Disney outfits from past months.

Remember to follow me on social media to get all my new posts! 

Mermaid Monday: Ariel visits the aquarium

Welcome, March! And welcome to my first post of the year! I seriously can't believe how fast time flies. It feels like it was yesterday that I made my last blog post, when in reality it's been three months. Ooops! Lots of things have been going on these months, but today I wanted to share our experience at the Barcelona Aquarium, a place I'd been wanting to visit since we arrived to the city, for a really cool Mermaid Monday (though I know it's actually Thursday).

First of all, no good visit to any aquarium could be complete without a proper Disneybound of an ocean-related character. Honestly, I feel it's very hard to find a comfortable and beautiful outfit with these cold temperatures. I wish I could Disneybound every day of my life, which is already quite a daunting task, but it's even more difficult when you have to wear three or four layers of clothes to protect yourself from the cold. I'm so not feeling like Elsa in winter! But with a bit of planning I was able to choose a nice ensemble to portray Ariel during my trip to the aquarium honoring a lovely Mermaid Monday.

My outfit was simple, but highly recognizable. The beautiful green mermaid dress by Retrolicious, which I got from The Oblong Box Shop, served as a wonderful base to channel Ariel. You can read a detailed review of this dress if you go back a few posts in the blog, or simply click here. Its green scaley pattern perfectly resembles the little mermaid's tail, while the dark purple cardigan tied over it evokes her sea shell top. Everything came together nicely with a pair of tropical-themed flats in a similar color scheme. Those weren't my first shoe option, but given that we had a long walk ahead of us, they started to seem like a pretty good choice. We left our coats and scarves inside a locker at the aquarium's entrance, since the building is completely enclosed and has no outdoor tanks or shows. Here's a little side-by-side:

We had a *splash* at the aquarium, where we got to see dozens of large fish tanks with around 450 different species of marine animals. Fish, eels, sharks, starfish, mantas, jellyfish, and even penguins made their appearances throughout the place. There are special daily "feeding show" schedules, where you can see crew members feeding some of the animals. My absolute favorite part was a long underwater tunnel filled with fish and sharks, which reminded me of the similar tunnels at the Boston Aquarium and Sea World Orlando. However, I must say that larger animals like orcas, walruses, dolphins and others were nowhere to be found. We really expected to see some big mammals, but the only sizable beast we saw was a really hunchbacked bull shark. He is the pride of the Barcelona Aquarium, and you can actually opt to swim with the sharks in that tank... for quite a high price!

Tickets are also a bit overpriced in relation to what you get to see, at least according to us, so it's nice to wait for discounts and offers. We actually got a great coupon with 4€ off each ticket. Savings, savings, come to me! Although it was a fun adventure, I think the Barcelona Aquarium definitely doesn't rank in my top three favorite aquariums. Regardless, it was a wonderful experience and this little Ariel is always glad to visit fishy friends. I truly felt like a mermaid in the ocean for a whole day. Aquariums are one of my go-to places all around the world... I think I'll be going back soon to get a new shark plushie from the aquarium store to add to my collection.

By the way, I was able to identify all the fish species from Finding Nemo swimming in different tanks. I'm guessing that after the movie became so popular, hundreds of aquariums around the world began to place these fish together for Disney fans to discover. You can use my guide "A study on Finding Nemo's aquarium fish" to look for them next time you go to any aquarium! Just follow this link. And speaking of Nemo, have you checked out @TheDisneybound 's new March Disneybound challenge? I will be partaking in this, so stick around my Instagram account to check all the Disney-inspired outfits I post this month. Let's get our Disney on!

Come back later for new posts and cool findings! 

Casablanca: 75th anniversary and timeless fashion inspiration

Today, the three-quarter century anniversary of the film Casablanca is a cinematic celebration around the world, commemorating its world premiere that took place back in November 26, 1942. Becoming one of the most beloved Hollywood classics, this romantic melodrama has transcended generations with its incredible settings, complex characters and fascinating storyline. Personally, this film ranks in my all-time top 5 favorites in no other than place number one.

Casablanca wasn't actually released until January 23rd of the following year. The film was nominated for eight awards at the 1943 Academy Awards, out of which it won three: "Best picture", "Best director" (Michael Curtiz), and "Best adapted screenplay" (Howard Koch & the Epstein brothers). Moreover, in 1998 the American Film Institute selected Casablanca as one of the movies in their "100 years, 100 films" list, featuring 100 of the greatest films of all time, and setting Casablanca in the second spot.

This film's plot perfectly combines action, drama, history and romance, taking us on an exotic voyage to the bewildering city of Casablanca. The characters have amazing personalities that entwine throughout the story, and you have pretty much everything you could expect from a movie: Beautiful scenery and costume design, good guys and bad guys, thrills and excitement, love scenes, scapegoats, a great soundtrack... You name it! The melody of "As time goes by" has been playing in my head all month long just thinking about those 75 years of the world being blessed with this movie.

While Rick Blaine is mysterious and captivating, it's easy to develop a love-hate relationship with his counterpart Ilsa Lund, essentially because of a frustrating feeling for what she did to Rick, and for how she approaches him throughout the film. However, she's still quite a charming woman, with an impeccable taste for fashion. Ingrid Bergman, the Swedish actress who portrays this character, did a wonderful job bringing Ilsa to life, but she was also able to deliver her a sense of elegance and poise. Not only are her outfits delicately chosen; (I'm surprised the film wasn't nominated for "Best costume design"); they are exquisitely flaunted by Bergman's enchanting figure. Below you can find a selection of Ilsa's beautiful wardrobe from several scenes pictured in Casablanca.

Taking her outfits as inspiration, and honoring one of my all-time favorite films, I put together a couple of ensembles to recreate Ilsa's divine and adorable looks. I am wearing a vintage white button-up blouse paired with a dark gray skirt and a black belt. I also added a head scarf, a gray-ish hat and a black trench coat (by Exotik) to complete the look and encompass a broader glance at her style. Also, following the black and white pure aesthetic of Casablanca, the photos were taken with B&W selective color. I've wanted to do a Casablanca homage since a long time ago, so what better moment to do it than today?

If you want to join the celebration of Casablanca's 75th anniversary, remember to tune TCM during November for TV screenings of this timeless film. If you haven't watched Casablanca yet, today's the day! I promise you won't regret it.

Come back later for more posts about fashion, crafts, and other curiosities! 

Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice costume

This Halloween was not my typical Halloween. I couldn't decorate my house from top to bottom. I didn't throw or attend a party with my friends. I didn't even really prepare anything special for the occasion. It was quite depressing and discouraging not being able to celebrate my favorite season in a grand fashion, so I decided to at least dress up as a character I'd always wanted to portray: Beetlejuice!

I'm not gonna lie. I'd already started to put together the outfit since August, knowing that most of my clothes and stuff would be out of reach due to us moving away. I'd packed a black and white striped dress for the costume, but when I took it out and put it on last Tuesday (October 31st), I realized it didn't look quite right. The stripes were horizontal which, despite having that B&W striped look, didn't feel so Beetlejuice-y. I remembered packing my self-made B&W striped strapless dress (with vertical stripes), so I quickly searched for it on the package list and took it out of the correct box.

Doing my makeup was so much fun! This was the first time I ever did a full-face makeup, cheers on me! I used white base makeup paint to look paler, different tones of green and brown eyeshadows to depict Beetlejuice's decaying appearance, purple eyeshadows for his notable eye bags, and dark shadows every here and there. Recreating Beetlejuice's looks in a glam style turned out to be a killer idea, paired with a girly dress, a black leather jacket (from Stradivarius) and knee-high boots (from Splash Shoes). Of course, I couldn't leave out wearing a cool green wig to complement the look. I believe this costume was the best idea for a Halloween-saver. What do you guys think?

As a side note, I went for a walk on Halloween evening sporting my eccentric outfit. I think Beetlejuice is a very identifiable character because of his distinctive color scheme and rotting appearance. After all, didn't we all point at Robin Thicke in the VMA's for his "Beetlejuice suit"? But I don't think anyone recognized the character I was channeling! We need to turn on the juice and see what shakes loose and give Beetlejuice some more love!

Rumors have been going on since last year about an upcoming sequel for Beetlejuice, though nothing has been confirmed. Apparently, this past October Mike Vukadinovich was hired to rewrite the script for the film. Both Michael Keaton and Tim Burton have stated a couple of times that they would love to take part on a new Beetlejuice movie. Apart from the animated Beetlejuice series and the now defunct Beetlejuice's Graveyard Revue at Universal Studios Orlando, both of which I love, this cult character has remained untouched. I would personally love to see this happen, especially if that means living new adventures with the old, endearing characters. 

Keep yourself updated by following me on social media! 

Haul-oween: Hauls from the past

There's absolutely no doubt that Halloween is my favorite celebration -and I dare call it season- on the planet. I love everything about it: the color palettes mixing orange, green, purple and the classic black & white, the spooky and eerie ambiance, all the ghost and monster stories that come alive, dressing up in creepy costumes, and of course, decorating my home from top to bottom with Halloween ornaments. If it were up to me, I'd have my home Halloween-themed 24/7 and throughout the 365 days of the year.

Given that my love for this October celebration is too broad to measure, it's really hard for me not to melt away at the sight of Halloween decor. I admit it's always been one of my weak points, and I'm  even prone to purchase spooky knick knacks at any time of the year. So, I've decided to make a series of Halloween Haul videos on YouTube to share all the decor that we've gathered and continue to add to our collection. I really hope these videos inspire you and give you some ideas for decorating your home, or simply entertain you if you're not that into decorating.

You can find the first video on the series below, or by following this direct link to YouTube. Enjoy!

Follow me on social media to keep yourself updated on my video tutorials, blog posts, photos, and more! 

Instagram: @edu_and_joy

YouTube: Joy Casas

Pinterest: Joycasas

Twitter: @joycasas

Facebook: Joy's Paradise Cove

Disneybound summary: August & September

New month, new Disneybound summary! I've combined August & September's Disney-inspired outfits into one cool post, showcasing bounds from four different animated films plus one iconic treat. Every single bound has been a new and exciting challenge, where I dare myself to put together the most fashionable and creative combinations. Now, let's talk about each ensemble.

Wendy

Have you noticed how most Disney princesses and some other characters tend to wear pastel colors? I'm completely in love with these color hues, but I scarcely have any pastel garments in my closet. Wendy is a great example of an iconic baby blue base, and I was lucky enough to have this old Zara dress in my closet. To make it a little bit more romantic I added my favorite cream cardigan from Doll Me Up. Finally, I accessorized the outfit with blue ribbons for the waistband and hair, silver star earrings and a thimble necklace... all winks to icons present in the film.

Note to self: sew more clothes in pastel fabrics.

Pongo & Perdita

Seeing as this doggy couple has a similar look between Pongo & Perdita, I decided to create the same aesthetic for both and switch the secondary color from red (Pongo) to blue (Perdita). It was a total win because I had the skirts, ribbons and headbands in both colors, so it felt like the outfits were meant to be. The base is a black & white spotted button-up by Jonathan Z, paired with inherited tennis skirts from Ellesse. I also styled my hair in two high ponytails to simulate dog ears.

Gaston

My, what a guy, that Gaston! This bound came to my mind as soon as I was given the scarlet polo shirt. I've never liked polo shirts, but I knew this one would serve a beautiful purpose for the outfit. Paired with a cropped mustard cardigan tied around the shoulders, and a vintage black skirt with a big silver belt buckle, the appearance it casts is phenomenal. To complete the look, I styled my hair in a high ponytail and a pompadour.

Joy

Joy as Joy. Nothing more to say. Since many years ago I've been dreaming about dying my hair, but I've never decided on finally doing it. That's why I recently purchased some bright-colored wigs to satisfy my whim of having colored locks. Portraying Joy through Disneybound was a perfect opportunity to wear this royal blue wig for the first time. I paired it with a yellow speckled cocktail dress (digitally altered to make it look slightly greener), royal blue eyeshadow and a ball pool ball I just randomly happened to have around my house. Doesn't the glow make the outfit pop?

Strawberry Minnie lollipop

Who says Disneybounding is only about characters? Trying out a new kind of bound was both challenging and thrilling. Truth be told, I'd had that lollipop inside my freezer for about three years, so I decided it was the right moment to experiment with it. This time I wore an old pink striped Zara shirt to recreate the lollipop's swirls, and a pink pencil skirt from French Connection. To top off the ensemble, of course I had to hold the strawberry lollipop itself!

Check out my Instagram account for more Disneybounds and other outfits! 

Wake me up when September ends

September has been a month of big changes and transformations for me, although I haven't yet felt a dramatic whirlwind of difference. The transitions have been slow but steady, with most events being planned ahead of time. I've always thought that planning and getting prepared can go a long way, even when things don't actually go as planned. Anyway, the blog has rarely seen an entry in this period of time, due to the fact that I've been busy as a bee. But now it feels good to be back. Let's hope I can get back to my semi-regular posting schedule!

Hopping onto the "second-quarter" wagon

I would really appreciate skipping this topic, since I've decided I won't be aging anymore, but I do feel the need to talk about something related to growing old. Some people say that age is not a number, and that's absolutely true. I couldn't agree more with Walt Disney's famous quote that reads:

"Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional"

Keeping a young spirit can go on forever, no matter how old you get. It all depends on how you live your life and stick to your authenticity. But now that I've surpassed the "first quarter of a lifetime" I've come to understand how adults feel when they see their kids, nephews, grandchildren, and other younglings growing up. You can't really put a finger on how it is that time goes by so fast. After all, once you develop as an adult you'll probably remain pretty much the same during two or three decades... but the truth is that kids can make you feel old. In fact, kids WILL make you feel old, and there's no escaping this. My advice is to let it sink in for a while and accept the circle of life.

Reaching our first year of civil marriage

Again with the thing about time, but seriously though: Does anyone have any secret to make time slow down? It has already been a year since my husband and I exchanged our vows at the local civil registry, and a little over half a year since our memorable wedding day. To this point, we've been together for more than five years, which is basically a fifth of my life. I'm really looking forward to spending the rest of our lives together but, c'mon life, take it easy!

Both the tiny matters and the big things a couple does together will bring forth chances for them to become stronger or drift apart. Being kind, flexible, respectful and loving are some of the most important stepping stones in a relationship. I've only been married for a year, but I've realized that knowing when to yield and when to stay put can make a great difference in any given situation with your couple. It's all about finding balance and complementing each other almost rhythmically... like ice skating. And whenever you lose your stability, working as a team to get back on track and finish your course with grace.

Moving into a different and wonderful city

Last, but not least, moving away from home for any reason can feel frustrating and depressing, but it also opens up a whole new range of possibilities for you. Finding an apartment to rent has been especially annoying, but we've got our hopes up that once we get past this we'll have our own little love nest to start sprouting together properly. I'm thrilled about living in a different continent now, reaching out to fresh perspectives and a new lifestyle. Since I was a little girl I've always felt like I don't really belong in my home country, so switching it out for European ways feels like the fresh start we were desperately in need of.

"Venture outside your comfort zone. The rewards are worth it".

-Rapunzel (from Tangled)

So here we are with only but our feet on this land, a mix of courage and excitement, and the best of us to give to the world! We've definitely pushed ourselves outside our comfort zone, and it feels good.

I know this post falls out of the ordinary, but after the short moving hiatus it was necessary to publish something more personal.

Stay tuned for new fashion, crafts and sewing articles, videos, tutorials and much more through my blog and social media. Follow me if you don't already! 

Twin floral sun dresses

Some women usually change their wardrobes following fashion seasons and trends, disposing or donating what they don't see fit to use anymore and rotating their clothes completely by the end of the year, or at least every once in a while. On the other hand, some other women tend to simply keep all their clothes even when they don't use them, because you never know when they might come in handy and, after all, trends tend to come back. The latter is the case of my mother's closet.

Throughout the years I've received a few vintage clothing inheritances from my mom, some of which have become quite useful and precious to me. One of my favorite pieces is a rayon sun dress printed with a tropical pattern of flowers and leaves in blue, green, purple and black. The garment is made by Kosi Bali, an old clothing brand which specialized in rayon clothing. The sole fact that it's made of rayon makes me love it immensely, since it is one of my all-time favorite fabrics to wear and work with.

I had to make a couple of alterations to the dress in order to fit me properly. One of the spaghetti straps was loose and had been shortened, so I let go the other strap and used them tied up halter-style. I also added two side pleats to the midriff area to make it tighter-fitting, since it was a size L. Other than that, the dress was (and still is) in incredible shape. Thank God for rayon being quite a durable fabric! I'd dare say this dress is among the ones I use the most, since I find it very versatile. It works well-paired with a fancy jacket, a button-up shirt or a basic cardigan. Throw in a pair of heels, sandals or flats and they'll look amazing together. Wear them with leggings or pantyhose and it's a hit. Accessorize and comb your hair accordingly... anyway it fits!

For these particular reasons, and because I found a beautiful and similar rayon fabric stuffed in our old fabric stash, I decided to clone the dress and give it a twin brother. Perhaps the cloning technique that I used was a bit crazy, but then again I hadn't sewn too many things yet. Thankfully, everything turned out OK. I cut out two pieces: one for the front and one for the back. I split the back piece in two in order to insert the zipper. Also, it seemed like the fabric wouldn't be big enough, but I managed to work well with it and make the dress fit within its limits. This twin dress also features side pleats and halter-tied spaghetti straps.

When you look at both dresses side-by-side, they truly look like they come from the same fashion brand, but little do people know that one of them is a clone. Not only are these dresses versatile, they're also really girly, comfortable and flowy. Rayon is quite a soft fabric, not too sheer, but not too heavy. It's also both warm and fresh. That's why I love rayon fabric so much! In addition to these features, rayon usually comes in beautiful prints, like the ones seen in these dresses. I really think this fabric was meant to turn into a twin dress to the first one, because they're so, so similar. For a relaxed beach style, I paired both of them with black flats, a stingray barb necklace, dry petal earrings and a high side hair braid.

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