Artsy Goth // Outfit of the Day

I'm a huge fan of color. Seriously, it's one of my favorite things in life. But black is always a go-to for me. It makes me feel like a badass, which is honestly how I wish I felt all the time. My wannabe-goth teen-self would for sure be proud of this outfit, dark green lipstick and all. 

I have been getting so much use out of my thrifted long-sleeve L.L. Bean shirt. It is a great basic, and the material is super soft with just enough stretch. Out of everything in my wardrobe, I've been pulling this one out the most. Over top of that I layered this gorgeous tank, which I acquired from my mom's wardrobe. I love it as a layering piece, but I also think it is going to make a great little sexy outfit one day. With some black leggings and my new favorite boots, I loved the vibe this look gave off. I felt like I looked like I listen to jazz and write poetry in my free time, which isn't entirely false.

What is your favorite color to wear?

2018 Goals

2018! The new year! I’m mostly excited for it because it means I get to start a new planner. Other than that, years are nothing more than a form of measurement to me. I’ve had a bad relationship with them in the past, but here I am, ready to face yet another year on planet Earth. In order to motivate and push myself, I’ve created a short list of goals that I hope to accomplish in 2018. If you’re wondering why these aren’t resolutions, you can check out this post to learn more about why I ditched making resolutions.

number one

Grow they/them/wear into a successful and well-known blog, reaching all types of people around the world and developing a community of LGBTQ+ folk. I hope to be able to start making money from it this year, but of course, that will come in time, with lots of hard work.

number two

Re-teach myself to draw! This year I stopped drawing altogether. Despite wanting to pick it back up, the most I've drawn in the past month are a couple doodles. I realized that the best way to go about it would be to start over, teaching myself to draw from the very basics.

number three

Read at least 12 books. My hope is always to read as much as possible, but mental illness tends to get in the way of that, so I'm trying for the minimum of a book a month.

number four

Discover and explore new music! For some reason it's so difficult for me to keep up with even the couple of artists I absolutely love. However, I do want to expand my horizons and listen to a bunch of new stuff this year!

number five

Expand my social circle. Like, actually make some friends. That would be good, I think. Now that my confidence is rising, I feel like being social is something that I can actually start doing more.

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That's it- just a short, basic list. I don't want to overwhelm myself, as I have done in the past.  I feel good about my ability to be able to accomplish everything on my list, and I look forward to progressing as a creator and a person in the year to come.

What is your biggest goal for 2018? I'd love to know!

Feeling Grateful

 

 

I’m writing this early on a quiet Christmas Eve morning. My room is illuminated in fairy lights. My dog is snoozing in his bed. Like a kid, I’m too excited to go back to sleep, and I’ve been awake since 5am.

This year brings a lot of firsts, for me, and for my family. It’s the first year I’m celebrating Christmas with my girlfriend, Ruth. In fact, our 6 month anniversary was on the winter solstice. Luckily, I’ll be able to visit her and her family tonight so I can share in their Christmas Eve traditions a little bit. I look forward to giving Ruth her gifts, eating her mom’s homemade cannolis, and most importantly, just being with her and feeling accepted, like a part of her family.

It’s the first year of my brother and his girlfriend living together, so their apartment is decked out in cool lumberjack plaid Christmas decor. They have the cutest fat tree, and loads of presents beneath it. Although they have many places to visit this Christmas, I hope they find some time just for themselves.

It’s the first year of my dad living with his girlfriend, as well. He moved into her house back in the summer and together they’ve only been flourishing. With his abundant handyman skills, he’s been able to work on the house, and together they have made it theirs. Believe it or not, I’m excited to see their new front door when I go visit today.

It’s the first year of my mom’s sobriety, and I couldn’t be more proud. Though she’s struggled in the past with it, I know for a fact that she is serious about taking back control of her life. She’s been spending her nights cross-stitching instead of drinking. We’ve been crafting together, Christmas shopping together, and we’ve even talked about opening a small business together. She is my best friend, and I admire and look up to her strength, beauty, and creativity.

It’s the first year, in a long time, that I feel so happy and so grateful for all that I have in my life. No, I’m not entirely content with every aspect of my life. I have many flaws and mental illness that tries its hardest to hold me back. But this year has been a year of growth for me. It’s my first Christmas being out as non-binary to (nearly all of) my family, and it’s the first year with my new name. I’m genuinely happy, even when depression and anxiety push their way in. I’m discovering the tools I need to deal with different situations, and because of that I’m able to start making a life that I can be proud of.

I am so grateful for all the wonderful people that I have in my life. I’m grateful for the growth I continue to go through. I’m grateful for everything that’s led me to this moment, typing this out as I consider catching a few more hours of sleep before two days full of Christmas celebrations.

Remember to acknowledge the things you are grateful for. Tell the people you love that you love them. Stay humble and present in each moment. If you celebrate Christmas, have a wonderful one. If you celebrate another holiday, I hope it’s filled with love and happiness for you. If you don’t celebrate any holidays, quietly celebrate all the great things in your life, even if they are few. Be kind to yourself and to others.

Merry Christmas

~Emerson

Layered Up // OOTD

This weekend was an interesting and busy one. Two full days of shopping ending in a drive through the park to look at Christmas lights. I wish I could say it didn't end with anxiety and exhaustion, but eventually those things managed to creep in. Regardless, it was a fun weekend that I'm grateful to have spent with my family and lovely girlfriend.

Saturday's outfit was inspired by this iconic look from my childhood. I layered necklaces with an infinity scarf to make the accessories slightly more appropriate for an adult. To continue the layered look, I threw on a black and white shirt over a t-shirt dress and added some black leggings. It was a successfully warm outfit, perfect for walking in the cold to and from stores. 

I hope your weekend was wonderful and festive. Christmas is literally a week away and I am far from prepared. I've got presents to finish making, a few to pick up in the store and tons to wrap. Not to mention it is the final week of Blogmas! 

Happy Monday!

DIY Christmas Wrapping Paper

Along with my DIY ornaments, I’m going all out this year and making my own wrapping paper, too! My mom and I picked up a roll of kraft paper at Michael's, which we’ve been decorating to wrap our presents in. Even my sister joined in the fun, getting really creative with puffy paint and wax seals. If you’re interested in doing the same, check out how we made ours with these three basic materials.

Paint

 

Paint is an easy one. Most people have it, and if not you can pick it up at Michael’s or the dollar store for cheap. I highly suggest white, but red, green, silver and gold are good choices, too. I did several different designs using paint. First I created this red and green plaid pattern, which looks really nice and rustic once wrapped.

With white paint, I painted little sprinkle shapes to create a confetti design. Doing simple designs doesn't take up too much time, and you won't be heartbroken when the presents are opened and the paper discarded. After all, it only took a little bit of paint and about five minutes to put together.

 Stamps

 

I’m lucky to have such a crafty mom who has hoarded collected many craft supplies over the years. It’s really nice to find something old that we can use in a new way, such as these big letter stamps. After wrapping the present, I stamped it with the letters to show who it is for. I really like this design as it is both cute and practical. Christmas or winter stamps, like snowflakes are also a great idea.

 

Embellishments

 

In broad terms, embellishments can be anyhing- washi tape, bows, glitter, string, and even other wrapping paper. I used a little bit of everything to create my paper. For the design above, I cut various sized circles and glued them across the top of the gift.

Things to Keep in Mind

 

 

• Some designs are better done before you wrap and some are better after you wrap.

• Always cut the paper and do a mock wrap first, this way you're wasting as little of your paper art as possible. 

• There are endless ways you can decorate your paper, it all depends on how much work you want to put into it. Just remember that likely it'll be ripped to shreds and thrown away come Christmas.

• Have fun with it! If it's a chore, then just buy regular wrapping paper. Gather up your family to wrap presents together. Make it kid friendly with things like pom-poms and stickers.

I hope you enjoyed my DIY wrapping paper and maybe got some inspiration for making your own. I would love to know what your favorite supplies to use are. Let me know!

Favorite Festive Nail Polishes

I’m very particular about nail polish colors, so when I find a good one, it usually joins my favorites list. Although I don’t own many polishes, there are definitely a few colors I find myself reaching for each time winter comes around. Dark, muted and neutral colors are my favorites for this time of year.

These polishes in particular have been making their rounds on my nails. Somehow I’ve found the motivation to change it up about once every week or so, and it’s these colors that I continue to use.

Being that it’s the holiday season, I usually go for darker versions of colors I’d wear throughout the year. While I like wearing a cherry red in the summer,  maroon is more fitting in the winter. It’s dark, and it’s a Christmas color. Although I prefer a slightly more purple-red, L’Oreal’s Gel-Laque in 708, Beauty Never Fades, is such a great Christmassy polish.

Another thing I reach for in winter is glitter nail polish. Though I’m not the biggest fan of glitter, it can definitely add a finishing touch to a festive nail design. I paired a dark silver Ulta brand polish, named Silver Bell, with the red, for a lovely, festive look.

To continue with the glitter theme, an unexpected combo that I tried out recently is black with Sally Hansen’s HD polish in the shade 15, DVD. The mesmerizing iridescent color shifts from purple to blue in the sunlight. Here, it makes my nails look navy blue, but in different light it looks more like a dark purple. Although this polish is great on its own, it makes a nice wintery shade added on top of black.

Finally, a nice neutral Steel Grey by Rimmel is an easy choice when I’m undecided. It’s a classy color that goes perfectly with winter clothes. It is one of my overall favorites. Plus, the bottle design itself is so good.

Those are my go-to nail polishes this holiday season. What are yours?

The First Snow of the Season // OOTD

Yesterday brought with it the first snow of the season for us up here in the northeast! It was very exciting, even though it kind of messed up the plans I had with my girlfriend. In the morning my mom and I went out to get a little Christmas shopping in before things got too bad. As soon as I stepped outside I could hear the quiet, familiar sound of snow blanketing the earth. It's such a calm, peaceful moment, standing there listening to the tiny patter of snowflakes. It's safe to say my Christmas spirit is ridiculously high at this point. I have outbursts of singing Christmas songs while I'm in stores, and I don't even care if people hear me.

After voluntarily waking up at 7:45 AM (a rarity for me), I took my time putting on makeup and picking out my outfit. The shirt-over-dress-plus-leggings look has been one I've been leaning towards quite often lately. It's so cozy and I love wearing this dress as a skirt. 

Coat: Vintage from my Gram

Shirt: Lauren Conrad @ Kohl's 

Dress: Forever 21

Leggings: Walmart lol

Shoes: Blowfish

If it snowed where you are, I hope you stay safe. Don't forget to take some time to just listen and look at the beauty of the earth in wintertime. ❄️❄️

3 Ways To Style a Handmade Scarf

I’m the type of person who will crochet you a scarf for Christmas if I notice that you wear them. Contrary to the stereotype, not only old ladies make scarves! I’ve been crocheting since I was a kid and I still love doing it. Scarves are an easy go-to project, and with winter right around the corner, wearing scarves is not only practical, but stylish.

In today’s post, I’m going to show you three ways to style that homemade scarf you got for Christmas last year. Trust me, even the ugly ones can end up looking good.

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Keep it Cozy with Light Colors and Layers

This layered look features an infinity scarf that I made myself last year. Its neutral color makes it easy to add to so many different outfits. Plus, because it wraps around twice, that means extra warmth from the cold. Not to pick favorites, but this is my favorite scarf to date.

 

Give a Tacky Scarf New Life

I received this scarf as a Christmas present from my dad’s girlfriend’s mom several years ago, and to be honest it’s been sitting in my collection since then. Not wanting to get rid of it, the only thing I could think to do is make it tackier by pairing it with this fun Nickelodeon tie-dye shirt. The blues match perfectly. While I would prefer some higher waisted jeans, these do the trick for now. But in all honesty, the socks with sandals look ties this outfit together.

Add a Pop of Color

The scarf in this final look is made of one of my favorite yarns ever. The color adds just the right amount of pop to a black and grey outfit, and the texture dresses it up ever so slightly. Because of its cute design and fluffy material, you can’t see that I did a crappy job crocheting it. :)

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I hope you enjoyed my styling of this holiday classic. Handmade scarves have been a staple in my house for as long as I can remember. This year, I have already started work on two, which you will probably see on this blog at some point. This week’s temperatures seem to just keep dropping up here in the northeast, so don’t forget to bundle up, in style of course.

DIY Farmhouse Christmas Ornaments

This year I am all about farmhouse style Christmas decor. When I proposed the idea to my mom of decorating our tree in handmade country ornaments she was surprised, as I previously detested the style. My idea of Christmas decor has always been the classic getup- tacky and in your face with lights and glitter and loads of ornaments. This year, however, my taste has shifted to something much more minimal and natural. Between its usage of natural materials like wood and burlap, and its color palette of dark shades and light neutrals, I am here for the farmhouse trend that I keep seeing pop up on Pinterest.

As of late, my mom and I have been on the hunt for neat bits and bobs we can use to make our ornaments. We stumbled across this wooden ornament garland at Jo-Ann’s, and just this past weekend we found the black chalkboard tags at Michael's. Although they both had alternative purposes, we thought they would be perfect to decorate as ornaments for our tree. 

These ornaments are super simple to make, as they call mostly for innovative thinking and some Christmas spirit. We pulled out our bin labeled “Christmas Crafts”, and used what we had to decorate them. Some favorite supplies of mine include Christmas wash tape, red and green buttons and rick-rack ribbon. White paint is also great for stamping on the black tags. 

my mom made this cutie!

It’s so comforting and inspiring to see our tree come to life with ornaments that we created. It feels like being a kid again, which is ultimately what Christmastime is all about.

How are you decorating your tree this year? Do you DIY your ornaments?