My Peace Love Life

Coffee Break Retro Style Vlog Series- Basic Retro Makeup

6/12/2020

So I have finally started a vlog series!!!
If you follow my Instagram you've probably heard me talking about it a lot lately.
I have done some videos here and there over the years, but now I have started my very own vlog series, called Coffee Break Retro Style!

I love retro and pinup style, but unless I'm doing a photoshoot or it's a special occasion, I just can not be bothered to spend more than 10 minutes getting ready. I want my retro style to be showcased on the daily, but I am not putting my hair in a full curl set, or wearing false eyelashes to go to work.
So this series is all about retro hair, makeup, and style that you can do in 10 minutes or less-so quick and easy you can do it on your coffee break!

Here I have for you my first Coffee Break Retro Style video!
In this video I show you how to do my basic retro style makeup look that I use on a daily basis. Winged eyeliner and red lips-it is so quick and simple, but it is such an iconic retro look that you can do on a daily basis-it goes with anything!

Find some of the products I used here.

I will be posting vlogs from this series every Monday, so be sure to go to my YouTube channel and subscribe so you don't miss a video!

Or sign up for my mailing list to be notified of new Coffee Break Retro Style vlogs, blog posts, and fun merchandise.

Here are just some examples of me wearing this basic retro makeup look.
How perfect is it?!

Coffee Break Retro Style-Basic Retro Makeup

I hope you have enjoyed this first video and are ready for the rest of the series!
I am so excited to be sharing with you how you can look your best retro self, and then use all the free time you will have, to go out and do great things!

Get my Beginner's Wanderlust Lightroom Preset Pack for free with Kindle Unlimited!

Peace Love and Coffee Break Retro Style
Jess <3

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10 Lessons We Should Learn from COVID-19

5/24/2020

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10 Lessons We Should Learn from COVID-19

With now being a historic time in this world's history, I have been doing some contemplation and evaluation. I think that this pandemic should be learned from. I think that having gone through something like this, we should all come through the other side with a few lessons learned, and a new way of looking at things.
Let's see what can be learned from COVID-19...

1. Plan all you want, but sometimes things are just beyond your control.
I am looking directly at myself in the mirror with this one! I am a known control freak. I at all times have not only my 10 year plan and my 5 year plan, but my 1 year plan, and my 3 month plan, and a to do list for everything I need to do and want to accomplish every single day of the week! But with a virus impacting the entire earth, and a quarantine suddenly mandated, I had to put all my plans on hold (along with the rest of the world). This was a great reminder for me that yes, I can plan a lot of things in my life, but there are always going to be curve balls that will be thrown...and I need to be ok with this! And I really think I am...

2. We really need to focus on what is important; family and health.
It usually takes something big to make you really stop and think about what is important to you. Don't miss this opportunity to look at the big picture, and remember what really matters.

3. Take time to slow down.
We are all just sooooooo busy anymore, myself included, that this was a great time to just sloooooow doooown...
This was a great reminder that we need to take it easy every once in a while! We can not just keep going going going at the crazy pace we are, nonstop, constantly stressed, worried, and over-worked! Didn't you enjoy even just a little bit of quarantine? Suddenly spending lots of time with people that you hardly saw before (before quarantine, my husband and I didn't have a single day off together! The only time we saw each other was the once a week trip to the grocery store together after work, and maybe I would be awake when he got home some nights!), getting to sleep in, wear pajamas all day, eat cereal for supper, drink before noon, you know, actually relax and enjoy life! Once this is all over, we need to try and fit some of this relaxing and enjoying back into our busy schedules.

4. Have an emergency fund.
I personally think the single biggest lesson we can learn from COVID-19 is the importance of having an emergency fund! I know that people did receive stimulus checks, unemployment, and all that sort of thing, but can you imagine how less stressful these past 3 months would have been if you would have had 3 months worth of living expenses sitting in the bank?!
Ask any financially savvy person, and they will tell you that an emergency fund is essential. They usually say 3-6 months of living expenses is what you should have squirreled away. And it's not hard to do! I had saved up 3 month's personal living expenses about half a year before it all hit the fan, and I am completely beyond grateful that I did! Because of COVID-19 I lost one of my jobs, but it was not a big deal! I paid all of April through June's rent (yes I paid June's rent early!), and bought groceries for March-May using my emergency fund! I truly don't know what I would have done without my emergency fund.
So once this is all over, sit down and figure out what 3-6 months expenses are, and then start stashing away! You never know when the next rainy day will hit, but you will be prepared.

5. Mother Nature is really in charge. Respect her and her awesome-ness.
Us humans may think that we are top dog and we rule all, but COVID taught us otherwise. Mother Nature is awesome. She has the power to bring the entire planet to its knees.
So show a little respect eh?

6. With humans out of the way, the earth can, and will heal itself.
I know I'm not the only one who has watched in awe as Mother Nature has begun to heal herself- people in India seeing the Himalayas for the first time in decades as lockdown eases air pollution, and the crazy decrease of air pollution in China, amongst other places.
So when this is all over, why don't we stay out of her way a little more; work from home a couple days a week (we now know that lots of us can!), stay in one weekend a month, offset your emissions, and give Mother Nature the love and respect she deserves.

7. Getting back to simpler times is not a bad thing.
You don't have to be a character in a Laura Ingalls Wilder novel, but staying at home for a couple months has shown us that getting back to simpler times is not only awesome, but essential! Whether simpler times to you means when you were a kid in the 80's and 90's and played all day (with no cell phones!), learning basic 50's housewife skills, or living in Little House on the Prairie, in order to move forward, we must look back.

8. We need to find some hobbies that do not involve going out.
From the number of memes I saw about it, during quarantine I think people were starting to realize that they needed to acquire a hobby that does not involve going out and spending money! Whether it was a serious thought or just a joke, it is true!
We all need to find hobbies that not only make us happy, but enrich our lives, and make us a more fun and interesting person! Anyone can go out 3 times a week to drink margaritas, but can everyone play an accordion? Point proven!
Pick up a hobby that brings you happiness; Sew, craft, crochet, learn to play an instrument, start a blog, garden, cook, learn a new language, become a puzzle fiend, read, extravagantly decorate your house, write the next great American novel!
The possibilities are truly endless, and eternally rewarding.

9. Quarantine can help bring out the truth-are you really happy?
During quarantine we all saw everyone complaining about being stuck at home. Most were just jokes and memes to distract us from the scary things happening all around us, but there were people who were absolutely miserable being at home. Some of them are the same people that you used to see constantly complaining about work, and working only for the weekend. And now here they are, a (possibly paid) vacation from work, complaining about how bored and miserable they are being at home. If that was you, take time to re-evaluate your life. What will it take to make you happy? If you are truly miserable at your job, what would you like to do instead? If being at home was a real bummer, why is that-is it dirty and uncomfortable? Do you dislike your neighbors or roommate? Are you lonely? Are you bored? Get off your butt and clean your house top to bottom, hire a professional decorator who can turn it into your dream home, get a new roommate, move, get a dog, pick up a hobby, whatever it takes for you to finally be happy!
This is your wake up call!
And it only took a pandemic to get your attention :)

10. Time is not what is holding us back from doing what we want.
We humans always seem to blame time for all our problems. And while time can be a real son of a gun, we can't pretend, and blame it for this, any longer.
"If I only had the time, I would"... write that book, clean the house, start eating healthier, learn to play the piano, get back into shape, write that letter, and a thousand other things. I know this is something we all say, but now that we have found time (and lots of it), have you actually done any of the things you have spent years been blaming Father time for not doing? If not, dig until you get to the bottom of it.

Until next time my friends, stay safe out there, take these lessons to heart, and live your best life <3

Peace Love and COVID-19
Jess <3

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100 Things to Do in Quarantine

4/6/2020

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Ok I get it, everyone is going absolutely crazy during quarantine.
But what I don't get is why?
(Except for you people with kids, I get that).
I do get that this is a scary, uncertain, confusing, and stressful time. So why add on to all of that boredom.
Plus how can you be bored when there are just so many wonderful and exciting things that you could be doing!
I can not believe the amount of people who do nothing but complain about work, and as soon as work is canceled and they are allowed to remain home, they do nothing but complain about that.
If you can't relax/ have fun/ do some thinking/ get things done while at your home, then you are doing it wrong!
So take a look at my list of 100 things to do in quarantine, and try and make the best of this time- use it for self improvement, have fun, and relax.

1. Do a no spend month. If this is not the perfect time for a no spend month, then there isn't one. Make a game of it and involve everyone in your house. Once this is all over, you can continue doing a no spend month a couple times a year.
2. Play board games.
3. Write letters.
4. Make phone calls.
5. Volunteer at a local animal shelter (check with local laws and the shelter first).
6. Learn a language.
7. Do a deep clean of your entire house; scrub the walls, dust the vents, scrub the toilet, the works.
8. Exercise!
9. Garden.

10. Adopt an animal. Check with local shelters, but I know that some have waived adoption fees. Plus, this is the most perfect time to welcome a new critter into your home since you will be around a lot to help potty train, and get the little guy used to the family.
11. Find out your geneology.
12. Do all those projects around your house that you say you will do "someday". Well guess what, someday is here! Let's get to it!
13. Journal.
14. Write a song.
15. Have an at home spa day. There are plenty of inexpensive ways you can pamper yourself at home.
16. Give your pet an at home spa day.
17. Play hide and go seek.
18. Paint.
19. Print out all those pictures on your phone and make a photo album.

20. Read a book (or 10). See my list of must-read books.
21. Purge your inbox.
22. Facetime wine time with friends.
23. Read an 'Idiot's Guide' book about something you've always wanted to learn.
24. Invest in the stock market. Use my link
http://join.robinhood.com/jessicl208
to sign up for Robinhood [which is the app I use for investing] and we both get a free stock!).
25. Clean out the garage.
26. Teach an old dog new tricks.
27. Check your smoke detector batteries.
28. Delete all those out of focus and blurry photos, and text threads on your phone.
29. Make a pile of stuff to donate (though be warned, I know that some [I'm not sure about all] thrift stores aren't taking donations right now, so the pile may have to sit in a corner for a while).

30. Meditate.
31. Build a fort in your living room. Our neighbors did this, and it was too cute of them!
32. Scrapbook.
33. Give your pet your full attention, and lots of love.
34. Drink lots of water. I know that time is a big factor why I don't usually drink enough water. When I'm at work I don't have time to be nonstop chugging water, not to mention jogging off to the bathroom every 20 minutes! So while you're in quarantine this is a great time to be drinking all the water. It's so good for you!
35. Read blogs (hint hint, I have 8 years worth of posts on here!). I also have a list of my favorite blogs on the bottom of my right-hand sidebar.
36. Do daily affirmations.
37. Have a dance party.
38. Write poetry.
39. Hacky sack.

40. Make a Bucket List.
41. Read my Bucket List.
42. Cross things off your Bucket List.
43. Start a blog.
44. Deep clean your car.
45. Bake.
46. Get crafty; sew, knit, crochet.
47. Practice doing your makeup.
48. De-clutter the house.
49. Ponder the meaning of life.

50. Move your t.v onto the front porch for a day.
51. Watch that series or trilogy you've been wanting to. We're making our way through Harry Potter.
52. Create a financial plan for when this is all over.
53. Clean out your fridge.
54. Deep clean your freezer.

55. Start a side hustle on Fiverr.
56. Write and self-publish a book on Amazon.
57. Find new music to listen to.
58. Organize your house. Ensure that everything has a place.
59. Take pictures. Flowers, your dog, yourself, food, anything!

60. Start planning your next vacation. This gets you thinking about better times ahead, it gives you hope, and it is just plain fun!
61. Start doing research for your dream job. If you're not in the career or job you want, take this very unique time to figure it out!
62. Decorate a room. Get creative. Make your home a place you like being in.
63. Make a budget
64. Spend all day in bed. Cuddle, eat, be lazy, enjoy.

65. Finally begin your zero waste journey.
66. Stream your video games on Mixer.
67. Play an instrument and sing along.
68. Take a relaxing bath. I take one every single week and it is pure magic.
69. Learn to juggle.

70. Learn to play an instrument. Learning a new instrument takes a lot of time, so you will be plenty busy for a while. I taught myself guitar by looking up chords online. So until you can get to a lesson, that will have to do (plus I'm sure there are plenty of online lessons).
71. Practice doing your hair. Try fun new styles.
72. Cook.
73. Sit on your porch with a drink in hand and act like you're on the vacation that you are.
74. Take turns giving each other massages.

75. Make a jewelry stand from toilet paper tubes.
76. Make a decoupage notebook.
77. Create your own fashion statement.
78. Do a big beautiful puzzle.
79. Turn old pants into shorts.

80. Step up your Instagram game.
81. Grow out your hair. Been putting off growing out those bangs/your bob/that bad haircut because of the dreaded awkward stage? Do it now! Who's going to judge you? Your dog?
82. Make your own world changing plan.
83. Have a picnic in your living room.
84. Build a massive something with Legos/blocks. I'm talking about an entire village taking up an entire room in your house!

85. Grow green onions on your windowsill. These little guys are so easy to grow and fun to watch!
86. Do a deep clean of your closet. Anything that you are unsure of, put aside, and do a fashion show in your living room to see if it really looks and feels good!
87. Figure out your next tattoo.
88. Start planning your Halloween costume.
89. Make some comforting and delicious ice cream hot chocolate. It is perfect for curling up with on the couch!

90. Make bubble tea! Yummmmm!
91. Watch all the animals at the Georgia Aquarium! They have live videos streaming from every part of the aquarium and it is way too cute!!! Penguins, whale sharks, puffins, otters, sea lions, belugas, they have it all! I used to volunteer at the Georgia Aquarium and it is a wonderful organization, go check them out!
92. Start making some homemade Christmas gifts.
93. Read all about my life. Hey, if you're bored, why not!
94. Make indoor s'mores.

95. Appoint yourself Queen for the day, and throw yourself a ridiculous medieval themed party.
96. Do yoga. Clear your mind and free your body.
97. Do a detox.
98. Finally break free from the fear that is holding you back.
99. Find some inner peace. Once you do that, you won't always have to be running around distracting yourself from your thoughts.

100. Figure out what your Dream Life looks like.
We have been given an amazing opportunity to slow down and have some alone time with our thoughts. Definitely do some fun things during this time, but please do not miss out on this opportunity to sit in the stillness and ask yourself some real questions. I definitely recommend my book, "Creating Your Dream Life; a Road Map" to assist you in this oh so important task. In my book I ask you all the questions that you need to answer in order to figure out and live your Dream Life. Your future self thanks you for taking this step.

Thank you so much for reading!
I really hope you got something out of this post and can stop worrying, and start living.
Please share around so we can all begin to live our best lives during this difficult time.

Peace Love and Quarantine
Jess <3

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Beginner's Wanderlust Lightroom Preset Pack

4/2/2020

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Beginner's Wanderlust Lightroom Preset Pack

Wanna know my secret to a great Instagram?
Presets!
Obviously you need good pictures and it doesn't hurt to have well thought out captions, but in order to have a beautiful IG feed, you must use presets! Even the most gorgeous picture can use a little boost! Presets have been a game changer for me, particularly with my travel pictures, so I wanted to create a beautiful preset pack that has all the basics you need for your photo collection while traveling the world (or just living your best everyday life)!
This preset pack is super easy to set up, with no complicated downloads necessary (I hate those!). The only download you will need to do is to download the Lightroom app so you can start editing!

Original

Selfie Queen

"Now why do I need 6 different presets?" You might be asking. Well, there are a couple different reasons for that, and here they are;
1. A preset that looks absolutely amazing on one picture may look not so amazing on another.
2. Pictures tell a story, and it's nice to have options for the mood you want your story to convey.
3. The subject of your photo. I have a beautiful "Sunrise Dream" preset, that looks absolutely stunning when used on a picture of a sunrise or sunset, but doesn't usually work too well on other pictures.
4. I have all 6 presets saved, and whenever I want to edit a photo I try on all 6 and see which one I like best! Some pictures, all 6 presets will look bomb on, and I will have the hardest time trying to decide, and others only one will look good.

Do I have your interest? Well let me introduce you to the 6 amazing presets that make up my "Wanderlust Beginner's Lightroom Preset Pack"!!!
They are;

Selfie Queen

Beach Therapy

Luck of the Draw

Little Boost

Retro Love

Sunrise Dream

Original

Selfie Queen

Beach Therapy

Luck of the Draw

Little Boost

Retro Love

and

Sunrise Dream

Selfie Queen

This one, obviously, is great for selfies and any other picture that has a person in it. It is great to soften and lighten up any picture.

Beach Therapy

If you love the beach, this will be your favorite preset! Don't you hate when you take a picture of the ocean and the picture just can't do justice to all those majestic blues you see in real life? Well this preset captures all those vivid ocean colors and makes you feel like you're back at the beach!

Luck of the Draw

Luck of the Draw preset adds just a little bit extra to your photos...and you never know what you're gonna get!

Little Boost

This is a fun little preset for when you want to add just a little boost to any picture.

Retro Love

I love this filter so much that I have to hold myself back from using it on every picture, because it just looks so good on every single picture! Maybe it's because I just love retro things!

Sunrise Dream

As the name suggests, this preset is best used for pictures of the sunrise, and also the sunset. It also can work on pictures that are kind of flat and need brightening up.

Selfie Queen

Beach Therapy

Luck of the Draw

Little Boost

Retro Love

Sunrise Dream

Original

See what I mean? These presets are complete game-changers! They take pictures that are nice, and turn them into amazing, professional looking Instagram pictures!
As you can see, all six of these presets can be used for a number of different pictures with different subjects and backgrounds.
And not to mention, with a number of different devices!
The pictures in this post have been taken with an Iphone, Go Pro, Android, and our digital camera!

This Preset Pack is available only on Amazon, for only $9.99! Or, get it for FREE if you have Kindle Unlimited! Yes FREE!!! Go check it out now!
This is the perfect time to go through all your old travel pictures and breathe new life into them with these super fun and unique presets!

Follow me on Instagram to keep up with my travels and daily life, and see all of my presets in action!
Use the hashtag #mypeacelovelifepresets to show off your very own pictures that were made using this preset pack (I would love to see them, and feature them on my stories!), and see all the beautiful pictures made with these presets, from all over the world!

Peace Love and Presets
Jess <3

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Fashion on a Budget Outfit of the Week; Inuhele Edition

3/9/2020

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This weekend I was lucky enough to attend Inuhele, Atlanta's Tiki and Polynesian Pop Culture Weekend!
It was a complete blast, getting to soak in the tiki culture-and meet some really cool people along the way, plus it's always a good time seeing my pinup sisters!

Here is a breakdown of my $6.00 outfit;

-Hair flower $0
I made this hair flower as a part of my hair collection.

-Earrings $1.00
These earrings were a part of my Summer 2019 Thrift Store Haul.

-Bangle $0
I got this vintage bangle from my mother in law for Christmas.

-Purse $0
This insanely adorable purse that resembles a Chinese take out box, was given me for Christmas by my step mother in law. So cute!

-Shoes $5.00
These flats that I get from Wal Mart remind me of my "peasant shoes" as I call them that I buy in China. Since I currently don't have any from China, I use these instead.

-The dress $0
I was given the above dress by my Aunt, which I then turned into the dress I wore to Inuhele.

And that is how you get an entire outfit for only six dollars!!!
I just love proving that you do not have to spend a lot of money to look fun and fashionable-save your money for something important!

Peace Love and Fashion on a Budget
Jess <3

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Rocco's 7th Birthday Bash!

2/27/2020

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My baby puppy angel turned 7 on the 18th!
This little guy came to us two years ago. We found him at the Atlanta Humane Society, we fell in love, and he has absolutely changed our lives ever since.
Rocco's diet already consists of raw foods, so we bought him a nice big juicy lamb steak for his birthday meal (don't worry, I didn't let him eat the whole thing that night!)! He also got some new toys, which he is obsessed with, and of course his insanely adorable party hat!
Ok enough with the talking, I know why you're really here, and it is to see some adorable pictures of a puppy in a party hat, so here you are...

Happy Birthday Rocco!

My Peace Love and Rocco
Jess <3

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Nick's Surprise 30th Birthday Mexico Trip!

1/30/2020

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Nick's Surprise 30th Birthday Mexico Trip!

Last year I took Nick on a surprise trip to Mexico for his 30th birthday. And when I say surprise, I mean he didn't know where we were going or what we were doing until we got to our gate at the airport and I let him look at his plane ticket! It was pretty amazing, and I was super proud of myself for pulling it off!

We stayed at an all inclusive resort in Riviera Maya, and had a complete blast!

Barcelo Maya Palace is absolute perfection. See for yourself this paradise on earth!

The bathroom in our room!

There is little I love more than free food, and hardly anything Nick loves more than free booze, so we were in absolute Heaven our entire stay!

Me getting to cross off number 75 on my Bucket List; Eat tacos and drink tequila in Mexico!

Ahhhhh the beach...I feel wonderfully at peace by the ocean, and the little slice of beach that our resort sat on was no exception!

We had the incredible opportunity to visit and spend part of a day at Emotions Native Park.

Zip lining was an adventure!

We also got to ride ATVs throught the jungle which Nick was crazy excited for.

We also swam in a cenote, which is a body of water in an underground cave, and I was absolutely obsessed with the experience!

Thanks for coming over and enjoying our pictures!
Be sure to follow me on Instagram for more!

Pssst! Don't forget to check out my book I wrote, "Creating Your Dream Life; A Road Map" on Amazon to learn how you can take fabulous vacations like this, and also rock your everyday life!

Peace Love and Mexico
Jess <3

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Jumping into the New Year Like...!

12/30/2019

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We are wrapping up yet another year, and so of course I am here yet again to talk about goals and the coming year!
I absolutely love this time of year; Christmas has just ended so everything is a lot more chill, you have fun new Christmas toys to play with (I'm talking about you Hoover cordless vacuum [thanks Mom!]), and we all find ourselves straddling the ending of an entire year, and the crazy exciting beginning of another! A year that has never happened before, where anything is possible, and where we can become and do whoever we want. How exciting is that?! This is why I absolutely love the New Year!
Are you ready for it? If not, don't worry, help is on the way dearie (said in a Mrs. Doubtfire voice)!

I don't know about you, but 2019 was a rough year for my family and a lot of family friends.
I am not one to complain about years all willy nilly, but 2019 kicked my butt too! I am completely and totally exhausted.
So if you are one of the people who can't wait to say goodbye to 2019, let's first read my article from a couple years ago, "How to Move Past a Bad Year and Look Forward to a New One."
Feeling better? Awesome, me too!

Next up is setting some goals for this new year.
Lucky for you I have some super easy goal setting templates for you in a blog post from 2013 that you can check out.
Also, in my book I go way in depth about goal setting (one of my passions!), so if you want to dig deeper, be sure to check that out!

Jumping into the New Year like...!

Once you are in the right mindset, and have some big beautiful goals set, there is nothing stopping you from achieving some truly amazing things in the new year!
And it also doesn't hurt to read motivational blog posts...oh what luck, I happen to have some for you right here!
-Be a boss with money this year by binging my entire Money Management Mondays series.
-Read all of my goal inspired blog posts.
-Check out my bucket list, and get inspired to start your own for the new year.

And last but not least, if you are really serious about taking back control of your life in 2020, I highly recommend reading my book, "Creating Your Dream Life; A Road Map". It is an adorable little book that is a fun and quick read!
You will learn how to kick butt at goal setting, how to attain those goals, how to conquer fear and then conquer anything else you want, I give you my world travel secrets, and more! It is only $9.99 for the Kindle version, and $19.99 for a paperback (links below).

Have a safe and a wonderful New Year's Eve and New Years Day, and a wonderful and productive start to your 2020! I am so excited for all of us!

Peace Love and 2020
Jess <3

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A Very Merry Waste-Free Christmas

11/30/2019

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It's no secret that we as a human race have royally messed up our duty as keepers of this planet. Thankfully, we have become more aware as of late the mistakes we have made, and there are strides being taken in rectifying these mistakes! Saying no to a straw? Easy! Bringing my own bags to the supermarket? Done! Being eco-friendly and waste-free during Christmas time? Ummmm....?
With Christmas being the most wasteful time of the year, it is super important to have a game plan in place, so you can be eco-friendly year round! It really is possible to be waste-free during the Holidays.
Keep reading for my tips on being waste-free all Christmas long!

Gift Wrapping;
Did you know that we generate an additional 7 million pounds of waste between Thanksgiving and New Years Day? My Mom and I both have in our homes containers overflowing with gift bags, boxes, and tins. Every Christmas we put gifts in these, and then after all the presents have been opened, we pick our way through the debris reclaiming our individual bags and boxes, take them back home, and repeating next year! It seems crazy to throw away perfectly good bags and buy more every year.

I will be the first to admit that there is something deeply satisfying about tearing open wrapping paper like a little kid hopped up on pixie sticks and Mountain Dew! So whatever presents aren't placed into a reusable bag or box, we wrap with newspaper and junk mail. It's actually pretty cute! And bonus, we don't need to write who the present is from-everyone will already know!

Food and drink;
Did you know that agriculture is one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions? Not to mention the cruel treatment most animals endure, even if it's just a chicken laying eggs.
"Rearing livestock for animal-based products requires far more land, water and energy than producing grain; 27kg CO2 is generated per kilo beef in comparison to 0.9kg per kilo of lentils. According to a 2016 Oxford study, the adoption of a vegan diet globally would cut food-related emissions by 70 percent."
I do not personally eat 100% vegan, although I do recognize how important it is, and about 95% of my cooking is vegan. I do love eggs, but only the Certified Humane eggs! Make sure your eggs are certified humane, and free range or pastured. Cage free eggs, although better than nothing, are not ideal-chickens although not kept in cages, are usually not let outside and are kept in a very cramped spaces. Remember it's about a good life for us, and for our animal friends.
So why not try a couple vegan recipes out this Christmas?

Starting with my Vegan Christmas Eve Ice Cream Hot Cocoa (pictured above), it's sure to be a hit!

There is nothing better than my Vegan Caramel Apple Oatmeal on a cold winter morning!

My Organic, Vegan, and Fair Trade Peanut Butter Cups make great gifts and holiday treats!

Check out my Pinterest board for some of my favorite vegan recipes.

Gifts;
When giving environmentally-conscious gifts, there are many avenues we can take.
Do we give gifts that will help the recipient reduce their carbon footprint? Do we give gifts that just with their being made make the world a better place? Do we give gifts that have been recycled/upcycled? Yes, yes, and yes! So check out these 14+ gifts hand picked by me, that will make everyone on your list, as well as Mother nature, smile.

1. Soda stream.
We absolutely love our Soda Stream. My parents got it for us for Christmas last year and we have used the crap out of it! Nick is a pretty big pop drinker and I have tried to get him to cut back on it-for his health, and for environmental purposes. The Soda Stream takes regular tap water, and turns it into delicious fizzy water, making it the perfect gift for any Le Croix lovers on your list. Just do what I do and add a squeeze of lemon juice, or any other fruit to it. You can also buy concentrated syrups that taste just like your favorite pop flavor. They contain no high fructose, and one bottle of the syrup will make 9 liters of pop! And is your CO2 tank empty? No need to throw it out and buy a new one, just take it to Bed Bath and Beyond where they will fill it back up for a cheaper price than buying a new one!

2. My book!
Ok maybe a paperback book isn't necessarily eco-friendly, but the Kindle version is! This book is great for a new graduate, someone you know who wants to start living better and bolder or traveling the world, or anyone who wants to create their Dream Life!

3. Environmentally friendly toothbrush.
A bamboo toothbrush makes a great stocking stuffer, and is a great way to educate your loved ones about how in the United States alone it is estimated that 1 billion toothbrushes are thown away every single year, creating 50 million pounds of waste annually! And considering the fact that plastic (including those 1 billion toothbrushes) never breaks down, a biodegradable bamboo toothbrush is a great thing to use!

I love Francesco Palmieri because they have a wide range of eco-friendly products, including these colorful bamboo toothbrushes. And use my code RECYCLE to get 20% off!

4. Re-usable feminine hygiene products.
Another great stocking stuffer for the ladies on your list is re-usable pads (from Ursa Major Mama on Etsy)! Ok I know it's not the most fun subject, but look at how cute they are!

5. Re-usable glass straws.
How about some Strawesome re-usable glass straws for everyone you know!

6. Re-usable water bottles.
7. To go coffee mug.
8. Beeswax wraps.

9. T-shirt pillows.
My handmade t-shirt pillows are up-cycled- made from old t-shirts that I find at thrift stores and garage sales. Plus 10% of everything I make goes to multiple charities that are changing lives. Check out all my pillows and then send me an email (volkejessica@aol.com) telling me which one you want so I can ship it out to you before Christmas!

10. A french press.
11. Fair-trade coffee.
12. Live plants.
13. Re-usable coffee sleeves.

14. A bracelet that helps save the turtles.
How about a beautiful bracelet made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic bottles, 100% post-consumer recycled glass bottles, including less than 5% reclaimed ocean plastic and glass? And what if that very same bracelet funds the removal of one pound of trash from the ocean and coastlines?! Yeah, 4ocean is an amazing company that sells not only recycled bracelets, but also single-use alternatives, such as straws, shopping bags, water bottles, and tumblers. Every item you purchase from them helps pull one pound of trash from the ocean.

Some more ways to ensure waste-free and world changing Christmas gifts this year and every;

- Shop thrifts stores and garage sales.
Not only will you find super unique and cool things that are crazy inexpensive, but you are keeping things from going into landfills, and stopping new products from being made.

-Give sentimental gifts.
Sentimental gifts will be remembered much longer than some gadget you picked up at Wal Mart last minute.

-Shop small businesses.
When you purchase from small businesses, you change the world.

-Shop local.
Less shipping equals more eco-friendly.

-Purchase my handmade gifts.
10% of my profits go to world-changing charities, and a lot of my products are up-cycled. Check out all my products and then send me an email (volkejessica@aol.com) telling me what you want so I can ship it out to you before Christmas!

-Give experiences.
Experiences are some of the greatest gifts you can give.
Seeing a movie together, concerts, a picnic, a lunch date, use your imagination!

-Buy from Etsy.
Etsy is one of my favoritest places ever to shop for gifts! You are purchasing items from small businesses, you can find lots of vintage things on there, everything is so cute fun and unique, and last but not least, Etsy offsets 100% of carbon emissions from every delivery!

This year make the holidays more about the experience and feeling than about gifts. It will feel good, trust me. <3
P.S. These dreamy Christmas pictures are from the amazing Rockin' Red Photography.

***As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, and this post may contain some of these, and other affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking one of the amazon links, or some of the others, this blog receives a small commission. Amazon has no input on what I link, and I only link to products that I like, or trust. The price when clicking through my link is the exact same as any other path you use to find your way to Amazon or the other sites. Thanks for your support!***

Peace Love and Waste-Free Christmas
Jess <3

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Nick and Jess in Saigon, Vietnam

10/24/2019

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Nick and Jess in Saigon Vietnam-things to do and see, and where to stay while in Saigon

Also known as Ho Chi Minh, the exhilarating city of Saigon in Southern Vietnam is a true senses overload in every aspect! My poor husband didn't know what he was getting himself into when he agreed to go to Vietnam with me-but he ended up loving it! Having been to several Asian countries before and having lived in a small city in China, I knew somewhat what to expect. Asia in general is not for the faint of heart-it's for the true traveler, the person who wants to get pushed with great force out of their comfort zone, but in return, experience a place unlike anything you've ever imagined, a place so different from home, that you can't help but fall in love!

Enjoy the short cute video I made about our time in Saigon, and then check out all our fun pictures, and some tips on what to do and where to stay while you're in Saigon.

We stayed at Yellow House Saigon when we first landed in Vietnam, and loved it so much that we stayed there again once we returned from our time in Mui Ne!

Yellow House Saigon is an adorable little hotel that is located down a tiny back alley in the heart of Saigon. We loved that it wasn't a touristy hotel that caters to foreigners, but a more authentic place (complete with a rooster outside crowing every morning, and a shirtless old man with missing toes, sleeping on a cot in the alley entrance!), employing local people (only a few of whom spoke English-when we arrived at Yellow House it was late, the night clerk didn't understand English, and so he had to call and wake up, another employee on the phone, who translated for us! Hahaha love it!).

Speaking of authentic, we were also obsessed with their breakfast! None of that cheap hotel food here! Every morning one of the ladies cooked an insanely amazing breakfast-stir fried noodles or rice and eggs with hot sauce, bread, fresh fruit, fresh juice, and, as I put it on my Snapchat (above), the blackest, most delicious coffee I have ever met!

Our absolute favorite activity in Saigon was walking! Since our hotel was already in the midst of the labyrinth that is the back streets of Saigon, we spent a great deal of time wandering the streets, seeing what the city had to offer. You never know what you're going to see when you're walking down the street in Vietnam...

Our lovely shirtless pastries man! Go to Vietnam just to eat the pastries-you will not regret it!

We also really liked the Ben Thanh Market! It is more of a touristy place, but it is a great place to let yourself be overwhelmed with colors, sounds, culture, and the perfect place to practice your haggling skills (tips at the bottom)!
We also bought lots of fun and inexpensive gifts for our families from the Ben Thanh Market, as well as really cute clothes for ourselves.

Saigon Square is also a cool place to do some shopping-I got some great shirts here!

Bonus! On your way to Saigon Square you will stumble upon this most adorable umbrella sky!

The Hidden Elephant is an adorable hidden gem, that is located in the surrounding area of Ben Thanh Market. You enter through a literal tiny hole in the wall...

...make your way through this cramped passage, go up a couple flights of stairs, and then you arrive! We walked into the Hidden Elephant, and instantly felt awkward-it was the quietest place I have ever been! We practically tip toed through the coffee shop, and made our way out onto the balcony, which was amazing.

The Hidden Elephant <3 <3 <3

*Tip: When walking around Vietnam, wear a backpack, or a purse that goes over your body, instead of a normal purse. We were told that guys on motorcycles will sometimes grab your purse and drive away!*

While in Vietnam you must pick up a coffee flavored Coke! It will change your life!

Tips for haggling while shopping in Vietnam

Haggling.
In most of Asia, haggling is a part of every day life. I learned to haggle while living in China, and I loved it!

Here are a few haggling tips:
-First of all, you need to know that one U.S. Dollar is equal to over 23,000 Vietnamese Dong. So when you are told the price of something, convert it to American Dollars, and if the price seems fair to you, and it is something you are ok with paying, then no need to haggle!
-With that said, haggling can be fun (and addicting), so definitely try it out!
-Since you are a foreigner they automatically assume you have money (with 1 million [yes million] Dong equal to about 45 American Dollars, they're not wrong!]), so they will start the price out higher, sometimes much higher than they would normally sell it for.
-Look around. We walked the outer corners of the market, where most items had price tags, so we could get a general idea of the prices of things. These were still more than a local would pay, but at least you get an idea.
-Haggling is all about the win win. Both parties need to come out feeling happy.
-And last but not least; Haggling is fun, I do like to haggle here and there, and is sometimes vital to me not feeling ripped off, but at the end of the day, 10,000 Dong is only 43 cents!!! I am not going to haggle over 43 cents, because I know that that 43 cents will go a whole lot further, and mean a whole lot more, to the person selling their wares on the side of the street, than it will to me!

And that was Nick and Jess, and our adventures in Saigon, Vietnam!

Pssst...want to travel the world but don't know how to start? Check out my new book, "Creating Your Dream Life; A Road Map" to get started on your travels today!

Peace Love and Saigon
Jess <3

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Nick and Jess in Saigon, Vietnam

I'm Jessica!

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Blogs I Love!-Well Being Secrets-Like a Local Travel-Salt Sand and Smoothies​-The Wanderer's Chronicles-The Wanderlust Bug-Pamela Kurt-Stevie on the Move-Travlinmad-Green Issues​-Travel Alphas​-The Haunted Housewife-The Sacred Middle​

---Popular Posts---

Blogs I Love!
-Well Being Secrets
-Like a Local Travel
-Salt Sand and Smoothies
-The Wanderer's Chronicles
-The Wanderlust Bug
-Pamela Kurt
-Stevie on the Move
-Travlinmad
-Green Issues
-Travel Alphas
-The Haunted Housewife
-The Sacred Middle