What I Wore: Halloween Costume!

Hey cupcakes! Happy Halloween :D I hope everyone's day is full of treats and no tricks! In honor of the holiday, I thought I would share my Halloween costume with you all today!

This year I was a..........................................................................FROSTED ANIMAL CRACKER!

My costume was inspired from this picture from Pinterest! 

I know that might sound strange, but I wanted to do something creative and a little different. ;) I actually made my whole look for a total of $5, and it was so much fun to DIY versus buy my costume this year. Plus, I got so many compliments on it! <3

Costume:
-Pink XL tank tap from Walmart clearance section ($3)
-Rainbow pom-poms ($2)
-Needle and thread (to sew the pom-poms onto the shirt) = FREE from my craft supplies
-Leggings = FREE from my closet
-Pigtails with pink hair ties = FREE from my hair stuff

Frosted Animal Cracker:
-Cardboard painted white = FREE from the recycle bin and my craft supplies
-Rainbow pom-poms (from same $2 bag as the costume)

What are you going to be for Halloween? Comment below and don't forget to follow The Chic Cupcake to never miss a post! 

Love,

Jenna <3

Sustainable Alternatives to Candy on Halloween

Hey cupcakes! Halloween is approaching, which means it is almost time for trick-or-treating (and one of my exams that is on Halloween night RIP)!

While Halloween is a great time for kids and candy, my journey towards lower waste has made me rethink this classic tradition... All of that candy is wrapped in (you guessed it) plastic, which ends up in our landfills and kills our planet even more. This summer I participated in Plastic Free July, and it was quite the eye opening experience. There are so many ways you can reduce your own plastic consumption, so I thought it would be fun to share my suggestions for alternatives you can give out on Halloween instead of candy. :D While you might not be most popular with the children, you can feel better about yourself and your impact on the environment!

1. Fresh fruit - Fruits have natural sugar in them, so it is a great alternative to candy. I suggest apples and clementines (which you could even use frosting/edible markers to make them look like jack-o-lanterns!).

2. Cookies/Halloween treats - I know that my parents wouldn't let me eat anything that was unwrapped, but if you know the kids that are coming to your door I suggest making some homemade goodies :)

3. Candy in Cardboard Boxes - These wrappers can be recycled, which makes them much better than those wrapped in plastic! :)

4. Dollar coins - I actually had a neighbor growing up who would give out dollar coins for an hour and then turn off their lights for the night. Instead of using the money to buy candy, they just took out the same amount of money in coins! They were definitely a memorable "treat", so I would highly recommend. :)

5. Bulk Candy in mini paper bags - Again, you run the risk of parents not letting their kids eat the candy... But if you are going to a Halloween event or something, this would be a great alternative to a bag of candy (and the paper bags can be recycled!).

What will you be giving out for Halloween? Comment below and don't forget to follow The Chic Cupcake to never miss a post! 

Love,

Jenna <3

3 Simple Costumes from 1 Black T-Shirt

Hey cupcakes! Halloween is just around the corner, so if you haven't picked out a costume yet today is your lucky day ;) I wanted to write a post about easy Halloween costumes and what is easier than a black t-shirt? You can use any black shirt that you already have in your closet, one that you purchase at a thrift store, or a shirt from a craft store. Let's get creative!

1. Identity thief - Puns are fun to be for Halloween, as it is definitely a unique take on a costume. This one requires you to stick lots of name tags on your shirt to play on "identity thief". If you don't have any name tags, you can also print out paper ones and tape/glue them onto your shirt. You can also go the extra step and wear a black mask to be a true robber :P

2. Domino - This was a classic costume from The Office, and I think it is super easy to do! Cut out some dots from some white paper and tape/glue them on your shirt. If you want, get a group of friends to do it with you so that you can play an actual game of dominos ;)

3. Skeleton - This one requires a bit of DIY, but I love how it turns out (especially because you can totally wear this not on Halloween). Using a white pencil/fabric pen, sketch out a skeleton design on your shirt. Use a paintbrush to paint bleach onto the design (be careful - bleach is powerful!). Let the bleach sit on your shirt for a bit and then wash it; the bleach will leave a nice skeleton look to your shirt! :) If you want more detailed instructions for this, I suggest checking out this website!

What other costume(s) would you create from a black t-shirt? Comment below and don't forget to follow The Chic Cupcake to never miss a post! 

Love,

Jenna <3

Recipe: Easy Homemade Flour Tortillas!

Hey cupcakes! This summer, I decided that I wanted to try making my own tortillas...and it was honestly way easier than expected. Plus, they tasted SO much better than the tortillas you purchase at the grocery store. I recently made these for my family when I went home for the weekend, and it inspired me to share the recipe with you all :) Let's jump right into it!

What You Need:
-3 cups flour
-1 tsp salt
-1 tsp baking powder
-1/3 cup canola oil
-1 cup warm water

What To Do:
1. Sift together flour, salt, and baking powder into a large mixing bowl.
2. Stir in oil until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
3. Add water water; stir until combined.
4. Scoop out balls of dough onto a floured surface (make sure the surface is covered, as this dough can be sticky). Make the balls small for tacos or large for tortillas. :)
5. Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and let sit for 30 minutes.
6. Roll out each dough ball with a rolling pin (using plenty of flour so nothing sticks!).
7. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat until it is super hot. Lower the temperature to medium.
8. Cook each tortilla one at a time: place the flattened dough into the skillet and cook until it bubbles (or the other side looks like a tortilla haha).
9. Flip and cook for about 30-45 seconds on the other side. It is pretty easy to tell when they are done :) Use your best judgment!
10. Repeat with remaining dough and enjoy! These can be used for tacos, burritos, wraps, etc. and are super tasty!

What do you like to eat with tortillas? Comment below and don't forget to follow The Chic Cupcake to never miss a post! 

Love,

Jenna <3

Lower-Waste Living: Makeup Essentials

Hey cupcakes! Living a lower waste lifestyle means making sacrifices in the beauty department. As someone who has not really been into buying the latest and greatest products anyway, this hasn't really been much of a big deal. I personally still like to wear a little bit of makeup each day. While I have worked my way up to being confident without makeup (if you are looking for some tips on how you can do the same, check out my post here!), I enjoy wearing some on the typical day. However, I wear a lot less than I used to (and that already wasn't a lot)! Today, I wanted to share my top 5 makeup essentials that I use in my low/zero waste lifestyle :) Let's get started!

1. Coconut Oil - As I mentioned in my Top 5 Summer Beauty Essentials post, this is a great natural alternative to moisturizer! Especially now that the cold is coming (which makes your skin dry out), using this as a base before makeup is a must. It is also great as a lotion for every part of your body and is usually found in a glass container (which is recyclable!).

2. Zero waste mascara (Clean Faced Cosmetics on Etsy, $12) - After learning that the chemicals in makeup are not regulated at all, I was more than happy to trade my mascara for this one (it only has like 5 natural ingredients in it!). I think it gives my lashes extra length, and it lasts all day without smudging.

3. Bamboo eyeliner brush- This little rod came with the zero waste mascara I purchased above, which allows you to use the mascara as an eyeliner... And it works so well! This tip gives you the perfect line, and it is so easy to work with. Definitely the best eyeliner brush I have ever used! 

4. Eco Lips Lip Balm - I was looking for a lip balm replacement when I saw this brand at Walmart (for only $2)! I thought it was a no brainer as the product is excellent, and it helps out women in need in other countries (check out their website here: Eco Lips website).

5. Natural powders? - As of now, I don't currently use one that is natural... But I really want to switch when my powder runs out! I have a few brands in mind (such as Elate Cosmetics) but would love some suggestions! :)

What makeup essentials do you use (even if you aren't low/zero waste)? Comment below and don't forget to follow The Chic Cupcake to never miss a post! 

Love,

Jenna <3

Fashion: My Fave Fall Booties

Hey cupcakes! When the weather gets cool in the fall, I love to bust out my favorite pairs of boots. As there are so many adorable booties on the market right now, I thought I would share some of my faves with you all today to ensure that your fall fashion gets amplified with this autumn trend. :)

~Faux Duck Boots (Forever 21, $42): I have always loved the look of those famous L.L. Bean boots, and these are great dupes for them! They come in three different colors which makes them quite versatile.

~Brown Cold Weather Boots (The North Face, $120): I love boots that can be worn in both fall and winter, and these will do just that! The brown fits perfect with trendy fall colors, and I think they are super cute!

~Black Ankle Booties (Charlotte Russe, $25): You can't go wrong with your basic ankle bootie! I think this one is a staple in a fall closet :)

~Combat-ish Boots (H&M, $40): I still love the combat boot look, so I'm a big fan of these boots. I think they make any outfit look bad-ass!

~Perfect Ankle Boots (Amazon, $30): In my How to Style: Cuffed Jean post, I mentioned that ankle boots look super cute with cuffed pants! These shoes are perfect for this trend, and they come in 9 different colors on Amazon :D

What are your favorite booties this season? Comment below and don't forget to follow The Chic Cupcake to never miss a post! 

Love,

Jenna <3

The Autumn Tag 2018

Hey cupcakes! I went home last weekend to spend some quality time with family, and we did lots of fall activities including: visiting an apple orchard, watching The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, carving pumpkins, and jumping in the leaves. :)

It was super relaxing to enjoy the amazing weather with my family, so I wanted to celebrate the fall-time with the autumn tag (to get you all in the spirit as well)! I found these questions over on Twinkle Thoughts, and I would love to see you all answer these questions too :) Let's jump right into it!

The smell of pumpkin guts or rotting leaves?
Rotting leaves all the way! I get so happy whenever I walk outside and smell leaves; it puts me in such the fall mood.

Sweet or salty pumpkin seeds?
Lol - I tried to make sweet pumpkin seeds this year, and they did not turn out at all... So definitely salty! I think lightly salted pumpkin seeds make a great snack :)

Store bought or pumpkin patch pumpkins?
Pumpkin patch all the way! I don't think I have ever bought pumpkins at a store - they have so much more character when you go to a patch!

Wool or knit sweaters?
I love me some knit sweaters (I am actually wearing one right now).

Halloween party or explore haunted places?
I hate scary things/haunted places so definitely a Halloween party. I think a Halloween Bash with the "Monster Mash" playing would be the best party of them all ;)

Apple pie or pumpkin pie?
Pumpkin pie! It reminds me of Thanksgiving and family, which makes it taste even better!

Still, silent nights or rainy, windblown nights?
I am not a fan of windy nights (never have been), so probably still, silent nights.

Witches or ghosts?
WITCHES (lol cuz I am one duh)

Raking leaves or climbing trees?
I'm not entirely sure how climbing trees is a fall activity, so definitely raking leaves. But, you have to jump into the leaves after you rake them :)

Ouija board or ghost stories around a campfire?
Both of these sound terrible haha because I am a wimp and don't like scary things... But I guess a campfire would make ghost stories less terrifying.

October or November?
I have always loved October! Even though Thanksgiving (my favorite holiday) is in November, October holds a special place in my heart <3

Black cats or owls?
Owls are cute but pretty deadly, so I would go with black cats.

Fireplace or candle light?
Fireplaces are so cozy! I think they are even better in the winter, but sipping hot cocoa by the fire with the colored leaves puts me in such a good mood :)

Monster movies or their classic novels?
Classic novels for sure! One of my favorite books is Dracula (I wrote a whole post about my favorite books a few years ago!), so I would recommend reading the books before you watch the movies.

Carve or paint pumpkins?
Carve pumpkins! Here is the one I carved this year:

I tag all of you to do the Autumn Tag 2018! :D Do you agree with my selections? Comment below and don't forget to follow The Chic Cupcake to never miss a post!

Love,
Jenna <3

Birth Control: My 1 Month Update!

Hey cupcakes! As birth control, I recently started using the Femometer (see my unboxing post here!). This thermometer has been super easy to use, so I wanted to update you all with my experience after using the product for a month. :) Let's jump right into it!

What I'm Still Loving
-This product is just so easy to use! I love how simple the beeping system is (when it tells you when it is finished taking your temp) and how the data is just automatically uploaded into the app through Bluetooth.

-It adds less than a minute to my morning routine, which is awesome! I have not missed a day yet, which I am pretty proud about. :)

-The way women's temperatures and cycles go together is SO interesting! The app allows you to see a chart of your temps and compare it to a "normal" one, and it is just fascinating. I can actually know exactly what day my period is going to start just by looking at my temperature (as it goes down almost a whole degree). So cool!

-The battery is still completely full, so I think it is going to last for a long time.


What I'm Not Liking
-There was an app update this month, and it caused the app to crash. However, it was fixed easily by just deleting and re-installing the app. Plus, none of your data disappears as you create an account when you set up the Femometer. :) The app developers fixed the crashing with another update the very next day, so it just shows that the people behind this product are on top of their game.


What do you think of this method of birth control? What posts do you want to see about it in the future? Comment below and don't forget to follow The Chic Cupcake to never miss a post! :D

Love,
Jenna <3

Check out the other posts in my Natural Birth Control series here! 

My Tips & Tricks for Dealing with a Less-than-Ideal Roommate

Hey cupcakes! As many of you know, I am currently a senior in college. I have had my fair share of "interesting" roommates, so I thought I would share my tips on how to deal with these people without losing your mind (which is tempting, I know). I hope this post can help any of my college readers! <3

Figure out what is causing the problem - Before you get into a huge angry fight with your roommate, sit down by yourself and pinpoint exactly what is bothering you about living with said person. Go the extra step to figure out what some possible solutions are.

Talk it over (don't argue!) - Set up a time to chat with your roommate over coffee or dinner. Talk through what you thought about and bring up the possible solutions. If you address it in a diplomatic way, you can usually avoid an argument.

Don't be petty - If your roommate does something that annoys you, don't be petty or do anything stupid. This will only cause more problems.

Spend more time outside your room - Sometimes I get really annoyed with my roommate, and all I have to do is spend less time in my room. Find a nice place on campus to study instead of studying in your room, hang with friends in their rooms, etc.

Just because you are living in the same space doesn't mean you have to be friends - I feel like a lot of freshmen think they have to be friends with their roommate, but all you have to do is be civil with them. As long as you can live in the same shared space without screaming at each other, that is totally fine!

Remind yourself what they are good at - If you only think about the negative things your roommate does, you will always have a bad image of them in your mind. Try to find some positives about living with them!

Keep your head held high - You are going to have to deal with many difficult people in your life, so stay strong! You can get through this :)

What do you do to deal with a subpar roommate? Comment below and don't forget to follow The Chic Cupcake to never miss a post!

Love,
Jenna <3

DIY: Melted Crayon Pumpkin

Hey cupcakes! What would fall be without some autumn crafts? ;) I am a sucker for any pumpkin-themed arts and crafts, so I wanted to share a super cute decoration with you all today! Let's get started!

What You Need
-Pumpkin of any size (you can even use gourds!)
-Crayons of various colors
-Glue (NOT hot glue)
-Hair dryer
-Newspaper

What To Do
1. Lay out newspaper and make sure your pumpkin is nice and clean. :)

2. Pick out what colors you would like on your pumpkin. I think using oranges, yellows, reds, and browns looks visually pleasing, as this is a fall craft haha.

3. Use the glue to stick the crayons on the top of the pumpkin (near the stem). In my melted crayon canvas painting post, I mentioned how using hot glue will not work as the crayon will melt with the glue as you are trying to stick it on! This is the same situation.

4. Use the hair dryer to heat the crayons from above. This will allow the drips to fall naturally over the pumpkins without disturbing them.

5. Let the pumpkin and wax dry completely. Use as adorable room decor! :D

What is your favorite pumpkin room decor item? Comment below and don't forget to follow The Chic Cupcake to never miss a post!

Love,
Jenna <3

How to Feel Confident Without Wearing Makeup!

Hey cupcakes! I know I don't post enough beauty posts here on The Chic Cupcake, but it is frankly due to the fact that I am not that interested in new makeup/beauty trends. Even before starting my journey to lower waste living, I was never really interested in spending a bunch of money to try the next "big thing"... Now, I wear a total of four makeup products every day: zero waste mascara (which can be found in my latest Morning Routine post!), concealer, powder, and lip balm. Some days I even opt for wearing no makeup at all, so I wanted to share a post today to try and inspire you all to feel confident in your own skins :)

1. Gradually move to less/no makeup - Confidence does take time, but if you are interested in switching to less makeup I suggest taking it slowly <3

2. Smile - Smiling shows that you are confident in yourself, which is always good (even if you do choose to wear makeup)! I try to smile wherever I go because it spreads positivity :D

3. Accept your flaws - I know a lot of people wear makeup to cover up flaws (I know I do as my skin is very sensitive and tends to break out)... But flaws are just flaws - they don't really matter in the grand scheme of things! Every single person has these "imperfections", so I suggest learning to accept the things that you see as "flaws" because they make you YOU.

4. Look at other people's features and notice the beauty in them too - As you journey to being more comfortable without makeup, I suggest looking to others to find the beauty in them too. See how gorgeous your lab partner's eyes are? Look at that girl's cheekbones! The sooner you recognize beauty in others, the sooner you will be able to recognize it in yourself. <3

5. Make other people feel confident with compliments - When you recognize someone's beauty, let them know! Spreading compliments and confidence to others will only strengthen you own confidence too.

6. Tell yourself you are beautiful each morning in the mirror - And mean it! This form of positive thinking will start your day on a great note, and it will make you feel extra gorgeous (because you are!)

7. Take note of the things people say about you and embrace the compliments - Other people tend to notice the things we never notice about ourselves. :)

8. Don't fall for the ads - You are gorgeous without that $100 Kylie lip color (or whatever the product may be)! If you don't want to wear makeup, don't wear it! You don't need those chemicals to be beautiful, and you should rock your natural beauty.

9. Only care about what you think; don't mind the haters - If someone judges you about not wearing makeup, then they are just a judgmental person... Why should they have any say in what you look like? Or what you should put on your face? Just worry about how you view yourself - that is the only thing that matters!

10. Embrace your own standards of beauty - If this means no makeup that's great, but it can also mean makeup too! :) Rock your confidence no matter what!

How do you feel confident with no makeup on? Comment below and don't forget to follow The Chic Cupcake to never miss a post!

Love,
Jenna

P.S. YOU ARE GORGEOUS! <3

Fashion: The Cutest Fall Sweaters

Hey cupcakes! Other than plaids, I absolutely love wearing sweaters in the fall :D These keep me nice and toasty warm, as well as looking trendy. I wanted to share some of my favorite fall sweaters that are currently on the market, so let's get started with this fall inspiration!

~Letterman Cardigan (Wet Seal, $26) - Nothing screams fall like a letterman jacket-inspired sweater, am I right? It reminds me of back-to-school and the cooler weather, and I think this would look cute with so many looks :)

~Burnt Orange Oversized Sweater (Forever21, $18) - This sweater reminds me of the leaves in fall, and I absolutely love it! It would look so great with some mom jeans and cute booties...

~Gold Cropped Sweater (Ragstock, $19) - While I have never really liked cropped sweaters, I think the pattern on this is super cute! The color is such a statement in itself, so I would definitely wear this with some high waisted jeans and combat boots <3

~Brown Color Block Sweater (Romwe, $13) - When I first saw this sweater I thought it was pretty ugly, but it is growing on me for some reason! It gives off a Tommy Hilfiger vibe, and I think it would look nice with some knee-high boots.

~Burgundy Cross Back Sweater (Windsor, $35) - Your girl loves a cute lattice back, and I am loving burgundy right now! Such a great fall color :)

What are your favorite fall sweaters? Comment below and don't forget to follow The Chic Cupcake to never miss a post! :)

Love,
Jenna <3

Book Review: The Heretic Queen by Michelle Moran

Hey cupcakes! A couple of weeks ago I realized that I stare at screens wayyyy too much during the day. College requires me to use my laptop almost all the time for coursework and then when I finally have some free time I get sucked into YouTube or Food Network. I have been trying to avoid using screens when I have extra time now, so I went to one of the libraries on campus and checked out The Heretic Queen to read instead. I decided I would review this book for you all today! :)

This book was written by Michelle Moran and published in 2008. If you don't know this about me, I am obsessed with Ancient Egypt. I wanted to be an Egyptologist when I was younger, and I honestly still kind of do haha. If you read my August 2017 book review post, you will notice that I tend to read a lot of Egypt books. :P However, these books are usually non-fiction, but I decided to adventure over to the historical fiction genre with this novel.

Honestly, I thought this book was amazing!!!! Michelle used Ancient Egyptian characters, cultural aspects, and history but then added her own plot points to write a very creative book. The story focuses on two main characters: Ramesses II and Nefertari (the niece of Nefertiti). These characters were actual people in Ancient Egypt, and it was so interesting to read about their adventures in the palace. I think both of them were nicely fleshed out characters, which kept me enthralled with their lives throughout the story. I also am a huge fan of these two in general, because they have a historic record of being so in love with each other! Awwww!

While the plot does add on to the actual historic account of this pharaoh and his wife, it definitely keeps you on your toes! Ancient Egyptian palace life was always full of drama just because there were so many people who had different suggestions for who should be the next pharaoh. There was a ton of romance, action, and even comedy in this novel, and I literally could not put it down. I sat on my bed and put off all of my homework just so I could finish it in one night (which probs wasn't the best for my homework haha)!

Lastly, I think this book was a great historical fiction because even if you weren't an Egyptian expert the book would still be easy to understand. Anything that needed explaining was explained in the novel, which made it more informational than your average fiction book. I also loved how there was a whole epilogue that explained what we actually know about Ramesses II and Nefertari and what plot points, characters, etc. Michelle added! If you are looking for a fun read, I definitely suggest checking out this book!

What book have you read recently? Comment below your thoughts and don't forget to follow The Chic Cupcake to never miss another post! :)

Love,
Jenna the Egyptologist <3

Seasonal Dates to Celebrate Fall :)

Hey cupcakes; happy October! :D I cannot believe it is already the month of Halloween, but it is one of my faves because I ove the fall weather. Today, I wanted to share some of my favorite fall date ideas, so that you and your significant other can celebrate both your love for each other and your love for the fall-time <3 Let's get started!

1. Head to an apple orchard - Not only do you get to pick some delicious apples, but you can also enjoy the fall colors, eat apple cider donuts, and embrace the cool weather.

2. Make the biggest leaf pile you can - Raking leaves won't be such a chore if you are having fun with your partner! Plus, laying in a leaf pile is honestly a pretty relaxing thing to do (and it smells sooooo good).

3. Go on a pumpkin spice latte date - Instead of the traditional coffee date, change it up for fall! :)

4. Find the biggest pumpkin and then carve it - Find the cutest farm stand in your area and pick out the largest pumpkin you can! Then, work together to create a masterpiece that you can display on Halloween.

5. Bake pumpkin chocolate chip cookies together - aka MY FAVORITE COOKIES

Find my fav cookie recipe HERE!

6. Take photos in a pumpkin patch - Or even the apple orchard. Make sure to wear your plaids/fall patterns!

7. Watch some classic Halloween movies - Freeform shows movies for the 31 days of Halloween (find the list here!).... Watch some of your faves together!

What are your favorite fall date ideas? Comment below and don't forget to follow The Chic Cupcake to never miss a post! :D

Love,
Fallin' for Fall Jenna <3