How Choosing a Boyfriend is Like Adopting a Dog

Like finding a boyfriend, adopting a dog can be stressful. The biggest decision: where should you get it? Should you buy a pure bred from a breeder? Should you adopt a grown-up dog? Or should you get an adorable little puppy? Each option has pros and cons, and they are surprisingly similar to the pros and cons of different boyfriends.

Option 1: Buy a pure bred.

This is like dating a guy for his money/family name, or a guy who is good-looking and knows it.

Pros: You know their family pedigree. They look good walking beside you, and you can show them off.

Cons: They can be high-strung and high-maintenance. Often, the money and effort it takes to get them is not worth the attitude problems.

Option 2: Adopt a fully-grown dog who has had previous owners.

This is like dating a guy who has had lots of relationship experience.

Pros: Already trained. You don’t have to put in the effort to train him to stay off the couch (or buy you flowers on your birthday).

Cons: You don’t know what kind of emotional damage he brings to the relationship. Will he run away every time you squeak a squeaky toy? Will he hide under your bed when you have company over? Will he get insanely jealous if another guy texts you? It’s a risk.

Option 3: Get a puppy.

This is like dating a guy who hasn’t had many (or any) serious relationships.

Pros: A puppy will be crazy about you. It will go nuts and lick your face every time you walk in the door. It will grow into the most loyal dog ever, and you can train it to behave exactly the way you want.

Cons: You have to put in the time and effort to train it. He may pee on the carpet a few times or chew up a few shoes before he gets it right. You may have to break out the rolled-up newspaper a few times to get your point across. 

On the flip side, women are like cats. It doesn't matter where you get them or how hard you try to train them, they will just do what they want to do anyway. 

DIY Budget Throw Pillows

I don't know if you've noticed, but accent pillows are EXPENSIVE.


Here's an easy and cheap alternative: stuff cloth napkins.

It's easy: just unstitch a hand-sized section at the edge of the napkin, stuff it, then sew it back up. Voila, custom throw pillows!

These napkins are from the Privet House collection at Target

Two bags of stuffing fills about three pillows. It's always good to buy an extra bag just in case. 

Make sure your napkin has two layers of fabric

Voila! Beautiful pillows!

Glitter & Twine Photo Display

I just moved into a new apartment, and you know what that means.... DIY projects!
This is a simple (It took me like 30 minutes) and cute way to display your favorite photos, and it's way cheaper than buying frames for all of them!

What you need:
- Clothes pins
- Glitter
- ModPodge (or Elmers glue) & paint brush
- Twine (or some other rustic-looking string)
- Two nails & hammer
- Photos and/or old postcards

What you do:
1. Lay your clothes pins out flat, and paint the tops with Mod Podge.
2. Sprinkle glitter on the tops.
3. While those dry, put your nails in the wall. Mine were about 2.5 feet apart.
4. Cut two pieces of twine: one a few inches longer than the distance between the nails, one a few inches longer than the first.
5. Tie the ends of the twine to the nails, with the shorter one on top.
6. Once your clothes pins are dry, use them to clip your photos to the twine. I also put up a few vintage postcards I found at an antique shop for 25 cents apiece (score!)

Enjoy! :)

Make your own super adorable skirt for under $5

As a college kid on a budget, I don't have much extra moolah to spend on new clothes. This becomes a problem when spring weather arrives and I see all the cute skirts and dresses in the store windows.

I was perusing Pinterest (as I often do) and I came across a tutorial on how to make a skirt out of an old men's shirt. I modified it a bit to fit my limited sewing abilities, headed to the thrift store, and got my supplies. I ended up making two, and they turned out super cute, so I thought I would share my method with everybody!

From an old women's eyelet shirt, size S

From an old boy's shirt, size XL

What you need:
1. Old button-down shirt (I ended up trying one men's and one women's... they both turned out fine)
2. Scissors
3. Needle & thread (or sewing machine)
4. Elastic (I used 1/2 inch knit elastic)

What you do:
1. Lay the shirt out flat.

2. Cut straight across from armpit to armpit. I freehanded it, but looking back I would recommend that you use a ruler or something to make sure you are cutting a straight line. You will be using the part under the arms. You can throw away the top part, or use it to make belt loops if you are feeling super ambitious.

3. Cut a piece of elastic. Use your waist as a measurement. Your piece of elastic should be about 10 inches shy of making it all the way around. This is one of those things you can guesstimate on, it doesn't have to be exact.

4. Take the fabric you cut from the shirt. On the top part (the side where you cut), fold over the edge so that you have a little pocket wide enough for the elastic to fit through. Sew all the way around the top at the edge of your fold, leaving a gap for the elastic.

5. Thread the elastic into the little pocket you made in your top hem. I found it easiest to put a safety pin on the end of the elastic and use that to push it through. As you go, bunch up the fabric so that you can find the end of the elastic.

6. When one end of the elastic meets the other, sew the edges in place so that they form a circle.




You are done! You now have a super cute skirt for less than $5. I think I will be making a lot more of these, so hopefully I will have pictures for the steps on here soon!

Breakup Therapy

It's been a while since my last post. Things have been busy, to say the least! In the past few months I have been accepted into law school, taken a community development trip to Appalachia, and gotten a new boyfriend.

Unfortunately, I was also dumped by said boyfriend.

This led the psychology major in me to come up with a fantastic breakup therapy plan. All you need is a notebook and pencil, and a bag of white chocolate chips.

Here's what you do: 

1.Get yourself some tissues and stop crying.

2.Make a list of all the positives in the situation. Maybe his aftershave made your face break out. Maybe he always insisted on getting a really gross and weird type of pizza. Maybe now you can focus on a job, school, getting closer to family, etc. Write it all down.

3. For every positive you think of, eat 10 chocolate chips. 

4. When you reach 10 positives, finish the bag.

5. Tear out the list, fold it up, and put it somewhere that you can easily access it if you start feeling sad again.

6. Go out with your friends and dance off all those chocolate chip calories!

Hopefully this will help you, I know I sure feel better :)