Throwback my fav Thanaz 0073J, Bastonata Weather Wash

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With fast fashion currently on the rise, the quality of clothes has undeniably declined. Shirts rip easily, shoes do not last, and nice jeans are hard come by. I have some decent denim in my closet, but nothing could ever compare to my pair of Diesel Thanaz. They are my most prized pair and I got them when I worked for Diesel years ago.

During my time as a Diesel employee, Thanaz jeans were the most popular skinny-fit style and sold out everywhere! This pair has a ‘Bastonata’ wash, which means they were beaten with a stick to achieve a weathered look. I have kept these Thanaz jeans in my “archive” for years and have remained in great condition. They just do not make clothes like this anymore!

I built a rocket this weekend

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lego apollo 11 rocket moon rover and splashdown

Being cooped up has left me a bit drained of my creative juices. My husband noticed this and bought me a birthday gift that not only sparked creativity, but a lot of joy too. This year, he got me Legos that allowed me to build a rocket ship! His gift was a great side project for me which helped scratch my “creative itch” and reignite my love of outer space.

I dedicated the weekend to building my [Apollo ?] Lego rocket ship. It was a replica of a rocket that landed on the moon! What makes outer space so fascinating is its vastness. Although it may be cliche, the stars aligned when my husband and I met. I love him (and my new rocket ship) to the moon and back.

To Growth, Good health, Great prosperity

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Every Christmas, I receive a lot of corporate swag from companies that partner with my business, Zamartz. I have collected many limited edition logo-stamped items over the years — hats, bags, tees, you name it. This year was a bit different, though. Since COVID hit, most of my partners had to cut costs, which meant no merch.

I was pleasantly surprised when I received a lovely plant from my partners at LiveArea! They worked with a company called Lula’s Garden, which sources beautiful Succulents. I got a Ruby Ball Cactus along with a Succulent plant, both kept in a sleek black pot. The pop of color from the Ruby Ball Cactus was the perfect complement to my Christmas decor. My vintage candy dishes and hand-blown tree ornaments never looked so vibrant! This plant symbolizes everything that I want to see in 2021 – growth, good health, and great prosperity.

A perfect day for a Perfect Manhattan

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Although the holidays are right around the corner, I got the celebration started early by channeling my inner mixologist. Some of my favorite cocktails are Dirty Martinis, Vespers, and Piña Coladas, but I love Perfect Manhattans most of all!

Here’s the recipe for a Martz-style Perfect Manhattan:

I sipped my Perfect Manhattan out of a Vintage Remix Lab Nick and Nora glass. From the drink to my glass to the holiday decor in my home…everything was just perfect!

Recepie

How i make my “Perfect” Manhattan. The difference between a “Manhattan” and it’s perfect counter part has to do with the ingredients and the garnish. Instead of cocktail cherries as garnish you replace with a lemon twist, and I like to use Rye when making my cocktail.

Ingredients

3 Oz. of Rye Whiskey
1.5 Oz. Sweet Vermouth
3 splashes Aromatic Bitters
1 lemon
ice

Mixing

Add 2/3 ice to a cocktail mixing cup.
Add Rye Whiskey, Sweet Vermouth and Aromatic Bitters.
Stir to mix for 1 minute being careful not to chip the ice.
Strain mixture into your favorite cocktail glass.
Cut a thick twist off of a lemon with a vegetable peeler, lightly warm lemon with match, and squeeze peel over glass.
Run lemon over rim of glass and slip into drink to garnish.

Gucci Donald Duck Bday gift to myself

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I have been collecting Donald Duck memorabilia for a long time. My approach to collecting shifted about 5-6 years ago when I decided to start decreasing my consumerism and environmental impact. A big change happened within my wardrobe. I started to simplify the items in my closet and vowed to only wear blue.

I began to only hunt for Donald Duck themed apparel so my collecting could align within my new buying habits. This shoe was the perfect birthday present to myself. The sneakers fit well and the design is adorable. It feels great to have Donald Duck back into my life!

A Happy Puppy Paw Ornaments Holiday

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For the past several months, COVID has made staying connected with loved ones incredibly hard. Now that holiday time is here, it is even more difficult. Both of my grandmas are in senior homes and my mom is a frontline worker, so we have to be extra careful. This Christmas, I used my creativity to make gifts that would bring a lot of cheer.

Since my family and I have been so far away from each other, I wanted to give them something that was very close to my heart. Making hand-crafted gifts was the way to go. I made prints of Dyson’s paws using salt cookie batter and turned them into Christmas tree ornaments. Then, I hand-painted one for my mom, my two grandmas, and myself. I knew my doggie DIY gifts would bring them a lot of comfort and joy.

Salt cookie ornaments are a very easy DIY holiday craft. They can be super fun and styled with cookie cutters or they can be super personal with a child’s hand or fur baby prints.

Ingredients

4 cups Flour
1 cup Salt
1.5 cups Water
Shaped Cookie Cutter
Acrylic paint
Straw

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit or about 95 degrees Celsius.
Mix together flour, salt and water. Knead for 8 to 10 minutes. If your dough starts to crack it is too dry and needs more water. If the dough sticks too much to your hands it is too wet and needs more flour.
Roll out the dough to about 1/2 cm or 1/4 in of thickness. Thinner ornaments will bake faster and be lest prone to “puffing up” but may be a bit harder to handle. If you stick in this range you should be in the sweet spot to have a quick baking ornament that is easy to decorate.
Use a cookie cutter or kitchen tool to get the shape you want in the ornaments. Fit as many as you can on your rolled dough.
Using a straw, make a hole in the top of your ornaments. One hole for small ornaments and two holes about 1.5cm or 1/2 in apart for larger ornaments.
Put the cut ornaments onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 1-2 hours. If your ornaments still feel moist when you take them out of the oven put them back in for another hours. Once they look/feel baked, take them off the cookie sheet, flip them over top-side down to cool.
Once cooled it is now time to decorate your ornaments. Ensure you cover all surfaces with acrylic paint so that you can seal the cookie. It is dough after all, but this will help it last for many years to come.
Pro Tip: On the back of the ornament leave space to write your initials and year with a fine tipped sharpie.

A Happy Puppy Holiday Dyson salt dough paw ornament Back

A Happy Puppy Holiday Dyson salt dough paw ornament Color versions

The Evening Lights Set in space

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I have noticed that I have an affinity with light. I am drawn to the way it brightens a room or adds shadows which create depth within a space.

Today, I fell in love with the way this afternoon’s sunset drew an outline of my bookcase on the wall. The beige and gray lighting reminded me of Caravaggio’s dark and dramatic work. It is hard to believe that I captured such a Chiaroscuro-esque image with just my iPhone.

Thankful from healthy family & friends

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This was my first year making turkey for Thanksgiving dinner. We purchased a huge one from Butcher Box so I wanted to make sure that it was cooked properly. Luckily, it turned out great! Since this turkey was pretty special to me, I decorated the dinner table accordingly. I created a beautiful tablescape with handmade Polish pottery and flowers from Urban Stem. My husband, parents, and I enjoyed our meal and each other’s company.

Many tragic events have occurred this year, but I still have a lot to be thankful for in my life. Despite the rapid spread of COVID-19, I am thankful that I have remained healthy. I miss being around my family and friends all the time, but I am thankful that we have stayed connected. Although it was a huge adjustment, I am thankful that I have been able to work from home. Lastly, I am thankful that my family trusted me to make the Thanksgiving turkey this year.

The world felt just a bit more friendly

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There are a set of birds that constantly visit the Hudson River Palisades across from my apartment. Their favorite spot is the railing right outside my window. Over time, I have gotten to know their little quirks and habits.

I know that these birds are not wasteful. They did not hesitate to eat the seeds from my mums once they started to die. I have also learned that they are resilient. One of the birds dove into my patio furniture, got right back up, and flew away.

As fascinated as I am with these birds, they appear to feel the same way about me. One bird stared at me through my window for about an hour while I worked. Now that we have gotten to know one another, it is safe to say that we are friends.

Doodily Doodily Doo – Desk Doodles

Everyone has those looooooooong standing meetings at work. When I need to focus on them and not have my brain melt, i do some doodles. They don’t always turn out to be outstanding nor do the often turn out to be actual objects, but they keep my brain from over heating.

I have been using my Strathmore sketch pad and blue sharpies at my desk-side right now. I really like the combination of the sharpie color richness and the way the Strathmore paper absorbs the ink. Regardless, I’ve been starting at some fall flowers that have been rotating out on my kitchen counter and that has driven several pages of the doodles.

I hope you liked some of the examples i showcased above. This offers a window into my multi-tasking brain and what turns out. If you have any other ideas on what you do when you are in long meetings let me know! I might give them a try.

Good morning Fall on the Hudson River

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Right after a rainstorm, the Hudson River and surrounding nature look as vibrant as ever. There was a great contrast between the slightly gloomy sky and refreshed rust-colored trees. Even the barge passing through added beauty to this scene.

Just as the storm settled, the sun began to set. The barge’s bold, red paint reflected the remaining brightness from the sun. Its coat also complemented the various hues of autumn. Each barge has numbers on the side that indicate its origin. It is always interesting to discover how far one has traveled before it reaches the Hudson River.

Boo Bitches (the dog kind), Dyson is a Dragon

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I never really put dog clothing on Dyson. However, his grandparents got him a Halloween costume this year, and I could not pass up the opportunity. He was going to be a dragon.

Dyson looked great in the costume. Although he was dressed as a ferocious, fire-breathing creature, he looked cute as ever. I am glad that his grandparents got him such an adorable outfit.

He loved posing in his little dragoon costume although he had trouble negotiating two tails.

Recepie

Ingredients

Mixing

How to make salt cookie ornaments

Ingredients

Instructions