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bookmark_borderChloe Ting Ab Workout Schedule ~ My Inspired Routine to Stay Fit!

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Hey earth muffins! Back in July I did something totally out of the ordinary and tried a 2 week Chloe Ting Ab Challenge. While I didn’t do this to lose quarantine weight or anything like that, I wanted to see if my body would feel better and stronger…. And it did! I loved my experience with the challenge; so much so, I created a whole “Chloe Ting” ab workout schedule for myself inspired by this challenge. 😁

A picture of a girl doing a plank ab exercise

At the end of my post about my experience with the 2 week ab challenge, I mentioned how I might try out another challenge for my legs or arms… And I am currently 13 days into a 21 day Lean Arms Challenge! 😬 As this has been impacting my ab inspired workout, I thought I would talk about this program first.

What Chloe Ting Challenge I Am Doing Now

I used to have super great upper body strength when I participated in athletics growing up. Sadly, this strength has slowly disappeared. After seeing amazing results with Chloe Ting’s ab challenge, I figured it would be fun to see if some of this strength would return. To focus on my arms, I picked out the Lean Arms Challenge. While I thought it would focus mainly on my arms, it also emphasizes abs and toning…. Gives the workouts a lot of variety!

A picture of the Chloe Ting Lean Arms Challenge schedule

If you follow the link to the challenge schedule, you will see that each day there are 2-4 videos to complete. This is a lot more challenging than the ab workouts, as that was only a single video. I am 100% sweating by the time I complete my videos for the day… But I feel SO incredible after! My arms and back muscles are feeling so much stronger than usual; I hope to continue to see results! Once this challenge is over, I will be adding another arms inspired schedule for myself similar to the Chloe Ting ab workout schedule I will be sharing with you all next. πŸŽ‰

My Chloe Ting Inspired Ab Workout Schedule

After doing the 2 week ab challenge, I knew what exercises I liked and what worked best for me. I used this knowledge to make my own ab plan, aimed at keeping the abs Chloe Ting so graciously gave me. πŸ˜‚ If you also create your own workouts, make sure you don’t just pick the “easy” exercises! You obviously will hate certain exercises because they are challenging – so keep them in your workout routine!

So, without further to do, here is my “quick and easy” ab workout routine:

  • 25 crunches
  • 20 Spiderman planks
  • 25 Russian twists
  • 10 In and Outs
  • 40 seconds of plank with hip dips
  • 40 second plank
  • 25 Bicycle crunches
  • 30 Mountain climbers
  • 25 Heel taps
  • 5 Straight leg crunches
  • 50 squats

If you aren’t sure what a certain exercise looks like, I suggest checking out the original video to see:

What About Cardio??

Now after looking at the routine you might be questioning if I do any cardio as well. Fun fact about me: I hate cardio because I HATE sweating. But, I know it is honestly one of the best things you can do in terms of working out. πŸ™„ I try to take long walks as often as possible – my usual walking pace is faster than the average Joe’s, but I try to force myself to walk even faster to keep my heart rate up. I also live on the 7th floor of my apartment building and have decided to take the stairs 90% of the time. This is obviously good for my legs and heart, so I would highly recommend doing this easy thing if you also live on a high floor of your building!

Overall, I am pretty proud of myself for actively working out this year. I never exercised in college, so this is a great change of pace for me. πŸ˜€ Plus, I feel amazing!! What have you been doing to stay fit?

Chloe Ting ab workout schedule
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Jenna β™₯

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bookmark_borderRecent Reads & Movie Reviews (The Last One!)

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Hey earth muffins, I hope everyone is having a great week so far! I found out a couple of days ago that I passed my last CPA exam, so my week has been FANTASTIC! πŸ₯³ To celebrate, I thought I would share some of the recent books and movies I have been indulging in. After many years of writing these “recent read” posts, I have decided to transfer them in the future to my Instagram. This will allow me to write reviews as soon as I finish the book/movie, so definitely give me a follow if you haven’t already! πŸ˜€

Recent Books I Have Read

Plastic Purge: How to Use Less Plastic, Eat Better, Keep Toxins Out of Your Body, and Help Save the Sea Turtles! by Michael SanClements

A picture of the book Plastic Purge by Michael SanClements

Now that my boyfriend and I moved to a new city, I have a new library to explore! While the building is closed due to Mister Corona, they have a great book pick up system. Their online catalog is also incredibly impressive; I did some browsing and picked up this book from the sustainability section. I think it does an excellent job of briefly sharing the dangers of plastic for every part of your daily routine. From plastic water bottles to unnecessary plastics, SanClements covers it all! He gives easy solutions to replace these “ugly”/”bad” plastics. But, he doesn’t bash all plastics and talks about the “good” plastics of the world (such as medical, etc.). This was a breath of free air as most books hate on all plastics. I think this was a great recent read after not reading for a long time; I would recommend it!
Rating: 8.5/10

Content Inc.: How Entrepreneurs Use Content to Build Massive Audiences and Create Radically Successful Businesses by Joe Pulizzi

A picture of Content Inc by Joe Pulizzi

Along with checking out the sustainability section, I also searched through books about blogging. Now that I have extra free time (no more studying!), I want to work hard to improve Life of an Earth Muffin. This book seemed like a good read… And it was! Getting an undergrad degree in Business and masters in accounting, I have read a lot of business books. But, I think this one lays out content creation and building a business extremely well! The book is in 6 different sections following the steps of Pulizzi’s content model. While the last few sections didn’t apply to me (as I am not trying to sell any physical products in the marketplace), the rest of the book was SO helpful to thinking about my audience and content. If you have any sort of side hustle (blog, online shop, etc.), you must read this book!
Rating: 10/10

The Rural Diaries: Love, Livestock, and Big Life Lessons Down on Mischief Farm by Hilarie Burton Morgan

A picture of The Rural Diaries by Hilarie Burton Morgan

This book was in the “New” section of the online catalog; it sounded like something I would enjoy! I didn’t realize that the author was actually the actress Hilarie, who is famously known for playing Peyton on One Tree Hill. The book chronicles her adult life from finding her husband to buying a farm in the middle of nowhere. It was cool to see how a couple in Hollywood can live (and work!) on a farm, all while supporting their family in the entertainment industry. I always thought every celeb lived in a mansion in California! Whenever my family visited my grandparents on their farm, I always felt like I was returning home. It seems that Hilarie felt this way too, so maybe I will also end up on a farm in the middle of nowhere too. πŸ˜… This was a great read overall!
Rating: 8/10

Recent Movies I Have Watched

Little Italy (2018)

A picture of the two main characters of Little Italy

After seeing the trailer for this movie a long time ago, I stumbled upon it on Amazon Prime the other day. IT IS AMAZING!! I am a huge fan of rom coms and everything cheesy, and this movie had that AND tons of humor and sexy Italians. The story is basically a modernized version of Romeo and Juliet, with pizza playing a huge role in the plot. I am quite Italian, and if I wasn’t raised on the East Coast I bet this is how my love story would have been. πŸ˜‚ If you are looking for a fun movie to watch, please watch this one!
Rating: 11/10

Twilight (2008)

A picture of the cover of the movie Twilight

I have a confession to make: I never read or watched the Twilight series growing up. 😬 I learned recently that my boyfriend also never watched the films, so we decided to watch Twilight on a recent date night. What a ride – this movie was so bizarre! From Edward shining in the sun to the quote “You’re like my own personal brand of heroin” my boyfriend and I couldn’t keep it together. But, as soon as it ended he wanted to watch the next one… So maybe it was so bad it was good.
Rating: 6/10

Work It (2020)

A picture of the Work It movie cover

I saw this film being advertised on YouTube, so watched it during a study break a week ago. I thought it was surprisingly good! Some Netflix movies aren’t that great (I’m pointing my finger at you The Kissing Booth)… But this one I enjoyed! The characters were relatable, the dancing was fun, and the bits of humor here and there made me laugh. The cast is also full of rockstars: Liza Koshy, Sabrina Carpenter, Jordan Fisher, etc. While it’s not the best movie of all time, it was good enough for me! πŸ˜„
Rating: 7/10

Thank you all for loving these recent read posts for the past few years! While I won’t be getting rid of the recent reads page, I hope you do follow me on Instagram to never miss any other thoughts on books and films! What have you been reading/watching lately?

Recent read
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Love,
Jenna β™₯

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bookmark_borderHow to Pass the CPA Exam!

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Hey earth muffins! If you have been following this blog for awhile (or are subscribed to my newsletter), you will know that I am currently trying to pass the CPA exams. I am proud to say that I have passed 3 sections and took the last section yesterday; please pray that I passed that one as well! 😊 I started studying for these exams back in DECEMBER… My test schedule was shifted around due to Mister Corona, but it feels amazing to finally have taken all 4. Because these tests are extremely daunting and difficult to pass, I thought I would share my test prep tips on how to pass the CPA exam; let’s jump right into it!

A picture of a tax return and calculator

Prepping to Study

First off, it is important to sit down and lay out your study schedule/test dates. I started studying halfway through my graduate program, so I gave myself more time for the first two tests because I knew I would have other school committments.

Next, it is time to gather your study supplies! As I will be working for one of the Big Four accounting firms, I was given a free Becker subscription to help with my studying. I suggest looking into some sort of study guide as well! While the test is “accounting”, it is pretty challenging to pass without utilizing a filtered study guide. The rest of my study materials included: my laptop, ear buds, the Becker textbooks, blank paper for notes, a binder to store the notes, highlighters, and nice pens.

A picture of study materials, including post it notes and pencils

How to Study for the CPA Exam – Chapters

After studying for four sections of this test, I can definitely say I have my study routine down. For context, the Becker study material is divided up into 6-10 modules that are further broken down into chapters. When I started a module, here is what I did for each chapter:

  1. Go through the Becker lectures on my laptop and highlight/take notes in the physical textbook with the instructor. (Note: I never want to hear Peter Olinto’s voice again!!)
  2. Go back through the chapter and take detailed notes on blank paper. These are what I used to study after I finished the textbook, so I made them really detailed and organized… Plus, you can draw diagrams and charts when there are no lines, so I would definitely suggest using (recycled) blank paper!
  3. Go through the Skills Check and practice multiple choice questions. If there is a question you had trouble with, write it down for reference in your chapter notes.
  4. Continue on to the next chapter! πŸŽ‰
A picture of the Becker CPA platform

How to Study – Modules & More!

While this might sound like a simple routine, there are some extra things I did after each module:

  1. Go back through my notes and create a Quizlet for any formulas/terms I need to memorize. While you do get flashcards with a Becker subscription, Quizlets are basically how I passed undergrad. I can memorize anything with that platform – even the 280+ card decks I created for the CPA exam!

And then there were more steps after I completed all the modules:

  1. Practice your mastery by going back through every chapter and completing the practice simulations. While the multiple choice is difficult during the actual test, the simulations are a million times worse. So, practice is good! While the Becker program separates simulations into chapters, I found it difficult to complete them as I was studying because a lot of the information crosses over. This can be frustrating and make you feel like you haven’t learned what you are supposed to, so I suggest waiting to the end to do the simulations. πŸ‘Œ
  2. Take the practice tests!! These are a great way to help pass the CPA exam. They are set up exactly like the real deal, so it is an excellent tool for time management/prepping your brain for test day.

My Overall Tips to Pass the CPA Exam!

For starters, it should be noted that there is SO much information to study for these exams – you will be EXTREMELY overwhelmed at first. It is important to not give up! This study routine worked for me, but adjust it to fit your personal strengths. Every person studies in a different way, so utilize the best practices you found in school. 😊

If you are comfortable, take the exams “hardest” to “easiest”. While some people find different tests more challenging than others, many will agree that this order is: FAR, REG, BEC, and AUD. Taking them in this order will help get the tests with the most material done first.

After you take the test, try not to worry about it too much. They are hard – you will feel really bad after coming out of the test center. But, that doesn’t mean you didn’t pass! The test I felt the worst about I did the best in, and the one I felt the best about I did the worst in… This goes to show that you really don’t know what your score will be until it comes out. While you need a 75 to pass, this is NOT a 75%… Don’t beat yourself up on test day – treat yourself (and your brain) for surviving a difficult exam!

DON’T WORRY IF YOU DON’T PASS THE FIRST TIME. There is a 50% pass rate, so don’t feel bad!! I’ve always been a great student and test taker, but these exams are difficult. They challenge you for a reason, so go out there and do your best! I believe in you. What are you tips for taking standardized tests?

How to pass the cpa exam

Love,
Jenna β™₯

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bookmark_borderSimple Ways to Make a (New) Space Feel Like Home!

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Hey muffins! As I mentioned in my last post, my boyfriend and I are officially moved into our new place. πŸ˜ƒ While it was difficult to stay sustainable throughout this process, there were a few things we were able to do during Plastic Free July to reduce our waste. Now that we are a few days into the unpacking process, I wanted to share some of my favorite tips for making a new apartment/space feel like “home”. Moving can be a chaotic process, so I find it absolutely essential to do these things to keep my mind at ease. Let’s jump right into it!

Ways to Make You Feel at Home

*Burn a candle while you unpack. Scents have always helped me cope with stress and anxiety, so keeping a candle burning is a must. Plus, it can get your new apartment smelling delightful! When choosing candles, make sure you buy soy wax from local sellers. Many candles from brands like Bath & Body Works are quite bad for the air/environment… So keep yourself healthy by choosing soy! πŸ•―οΈ

Also make sure you buy an eco-friendly lighter, like The USB Lighter Company’s! I wrote a whole review of this product, and I still LOVE their lighter. It is rechargable, has a sleek design, and is one of the first things I unpacked – definitely a must have for making your apartment feel like a home! 😊

A picture of a USB candle lighter and an almond candle
I highly recommend trying out one of these lighters!

*Keep the window shades open and get some natural light! Nothing is more depressing than unpacking boxes in dim lighting; make sure you get plenty of sunlight for your Vitamin D! Plus, this will keep you in a nice and happy mood in your new home.

*Add some nature to the space. My plants were some of the first things carried into the new apartment; my boyfriend’s family also gave us some flowers to celebrate us moving in together. πŸ’ While a simple touch, having a bit of nature and bright colors/greens truly help make your new space feel homey.

A picture of a blue wall with a window, with succulents on the windowsill

Ways to Make You Feel at Home When Unpacking

*Get rid of the boxes as you go! I have been unpacking one room at a time; as soon as I am done with a box (or a couple of boxes), I take them outside to the recycling bin. This helps both to declutter the space and to declutter my mind… And it gives a more accurate depiction of what else needs to be unpacked! While it might sound like a small thing, it definitely helps a new space feel more like your own. πŸ₯°

*Get rid of any clutter than somehow made the move. While one of the things in my eco-friendly moving post is how I declutter as I pack up, there were still a few things that slipped through the cracks. It is important for everything to have a meaning in your space, so donate items that you don’t want! This will ultimately make you feel at home and at peace with the material goods in your new space.

A picture of a cartoon rack of clothes

*Save the decorating for the final step of unpacking! Decorating the walls is my absolute favorite step whenever I move, so I often set aside a corner of the apartment and pile up all my wall decor there. After everything is cleaned and unpacked, reward youself with the decorations. πŸŽ‰ I think this step is the cherry on top for making a new space feel like a home! What are some of the first things you do when unpacking?

How to make a new space a home
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Jenna β™₯

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bookmark_borderI Followed a Bob Ross Painting Tutorial 🎨

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Hey muffins, I hope everyone had a marvelous weekend! My boyfriend and I officially moved into our new place, so it was a bit stressful/chaotic for us… But, everything is all settled now! I don’t start my job until September, so I have a lot of time to make the apartment look exactly how we want. πŸ™ƒ In the spirit of decorating and creativity, for today’s post I wanted to write about my experience following a Bob Ross tutorial.

When I was finishing up packing the stuff remaining in my parent’s house during quarantine, I came across a few containers of acrylic paint and a couple paintbrushes:

A picture of eight bottles of different colored acrylic paint

Now I’ve dabbled in arts and crafts throughout my life, but painting has never been something I have gotten into. I have tried it out in art classes, but never liked the end result. However, quarantine had me super bored so I decided that I was going to give it a try! 😝

What Bob Ross Tutorial to Follow

Because I was limited in colors I decided that I wanted to try to paint a winter scene first. The Bob Ross YouTube channel has a TON of videos to follow, which are all about 25-30 minutes long. There are many different types of paintings to follow along to: seascapes, sunsets, mountains, trees, etc. I chose a simple mountain scene with some trees and hit the play button….

My Thoughts on the Tutorial

Bob Ross does such an excellent job of teaching you how to paint something that looks complicated! 😍 He takes a snow covered mountain and helps you paint it in layers, thus creating shadows/shading that makes for an extremely realistic art piece. He also reinforces that nothing is a mistake, just a “happy accident” as you paint. This was such a good reminder for me, as I often want things to look absolutely perfect… But some mistakes can turn out even better!

This tutorial was a bit harder for me overall as I didn’t have the same brushes and colors as Bob Ross. But, that just allowed for more creativity to make the work my own! I would say it took me about one hour to follow this 25 minute tutorial, as I would often pause it to finish up certain steps. It is also important to note that I excluded the cabin at the end of the tutorial. All in all, I think it turned it out amazing; everyone should try out a Bob Ross tutorial at some point!! Regardless of skill (because seriously I was a beginner beginner painter), you WILL be able to create an awesome painting by following one of these tutorials.

If you don’t believe me just look at all the other paintings I have created since then! For some I followed along to other Bob Ross tutorials, but for others I just followed me heart. 😁 What art will you create in the near future?

A picture of a Bob Ross painting
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Jenna β™₯

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bookmark_borderI Tried a 2 Week Chloe Ting Ab Challenge πŸ˜€

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Hey earth muffins! Mister Corona has, no doubt, impacted everyone’s lives in so many ways. While I have been spending most of quarantine studying for my upcoming CPA exams, I also jumped on board a trend I never would have seen coming: Chloe Ting. When the stay at home orders were first issued, my Instagram and YouTube feeds blew up with people talking about β€œChloe Ting”. I had no idea who she was, but after doing some research I was lowkey inspired. I have always wanted abs, so why not try out a Chloe Ting ab challenge when I was stuck at home?

As someone who never exercises other than taking long walks, I thought a structured workout routine would be beneficial. Even if I wasn’t going to get actual abs, I thought it would be smart to be a bit healthier to ward off any pandemic germs. 😬 So, in my planner I added Chloe Ting to my to-dos for 14 days straight; here are my thoughts on my ab challenge experience!

The Chloe Ting Ab Challenge I Picked

Because I never usually do workouts to build my muscles, I wanted to select a Chloe Ting challenge that wasn’t going to be impossible to complete. The video I used was her ten minute ab challenge. If you are trying to get fully shredded (like Matt the Radar Technician), there are three other videos you can do alongside this one for a two-week shred challenge. But, I just decided to see how an ab workout would work for me. πŸ˜„

Ab Challenge Week 1

For only a 10 minute video, Chloe works you HARD 😰 After doing two different exercises for 30 seconds you only get 10 seconds of rest before moving on to the next – it can be brutal at times! Day 1 wasn’t too challenging; I spent some time making sure I was doing each exercise correctly which made the workout feel shorter. If you decide to try out one of her workouts, I suggest watching it a couple of times before you physically try it out. This will allow you to work out harder on the first day because you will actually know how to complete the different exercises.

I was SO sore on days 2 and 3 because (obviously) I had been working out muscles I didn’t use often. After these days though I never felt sore, only that tight crampy feeling you get during the actual workout. No joke, I had the outline of abs by day 4!! I’m not talking about an outline of each set of abs, but that β€œ11” on your stomach that makes you look hella good. This was definitely motivation to keep going with the challenge!

A picture of a woman in a sports bra with her abs showing

I also loved that Chloe incorporates a lot of different types of exercises into one workout. Because there is a variety, it makes the workout go by much faster as you are doing something new constantly. It also allows people of many different abilities to try out her workouts – which I love! πŸ˜… While there were some exercises that I hated (like up and down planks or plank jacks) I found some new exercises that I actually enjoyed.

Ab Challenge Week 2

Was it hard to keep up the challenge for 14 days straight? Yes and no. The challenge is only 10 minutes, so there isn’t an excuse for being too busy to do it each day. But, there is always that initial time of feeling unmotivated to exercise. To counter this, the fact that I could see the results so early was motivation to keep it up. πŸ’ͺ

By the second week, I had the order of the exercises basically memorized. This was awesome because it enabled me to focus on the best form and push my body to complete more reps of each. I will tell you – the back track of this workout gets pretty repetitive and annoying at times after you have been listening to it for two weeks straight!

A woman doing a crunch on a yoga mat

Overall Thoughts on a Chloe Ting Ab Challenge

Did I see results? Yupp. I don’t think it is necessary to show you all the β€œafter” as I never took before pictures; plus, I wasn’t doing this to share my results with the world. I was doing it to feel better about my body and to make it stronger. 🀩

Will I continue with Chloe Ting? Yes and no! Based on this challenge, I actually made my own workout routine with some of my favorite exercises. I love how strong my body has been feeling, so I have been doing this routine almost every single day after my challenge has ended!! I might try out another one of her challenges to strengthen my legs and arms, but I will most likely just incorporate them into this new routine. Look out for a workout routine post in the near future!

Would I recommend a Chloe Ting ab challenge? YES. It is amazing that she puts her workouts online for free, as many people don’t have access to gyms/trainers. In addition, they actually get results! As these challenges range from low to high commitment, there is no reason to not give one a try. Now I know why so many people have been talking about her workouts, and I totally recommend you try them too! πŸ₯³ What have you been doing to stay fit at home?

A picture of a woman doing crunches with the words I tried the 2 week Chloe Ting Ab Challenge on top
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Love,
Jenna β™₯

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bookmark_borderA (Not So Recent) Collective Thrift Haul!

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Hi muffins, I hope everyone is having a great day! One of the things I missed most during quarantine was thrifting… Even though the stay-at-home order in Michigan has ended, I haven’t yet ventured back out to my favorite thrift stores. Man, I totally miss getting up early to go look for some treasures! During quarantine, I spent some time sorting to declutter before I move in July. While doing this, I found some of my most recent thrift store purchases pre-Quarantine that I never shared with you all. I can’t even remember the last time I posted a haul on this blog, so here is a collective thrift haul for my post today!! πŸ™‚

Thrift Haul – Clothes

~GAP “Technicolor Dreamcoat” (Medium, $4)

A picture of a rainbow GAP sweater

This sweater is both hideous and beautiful at the same time. πŸ˜† I randomly saw this when roaming through the aisles and just KNEW I needed to have it. Just by looking at it the colors are awesome: emerald, dark blue, mustard yellow, and pops of other shades. The pattern of the sweater is a mix of many; it reminds me of The Princess Diaries moment when Lana asks if a knitting machine blew up when making that dude’s sweater… πŸ˜‚ Regardless of what the pattern is, the material is super thick and comfortable. Because of this, I am pretty sure it is from many years ago (pre-fast fashion era!). The buttons are metal and have a gorgeous design on them – the cherry on top for this sweater!

~Gnocchi “Gucci” T-Shirt (Small, $3)

A white tshirt with the Gucci logo in the middle, with the words Gnocchi above it

I saw this on a rack of new clothes that had just been brought out and literally laughed SO HARD before grabbing it. The thought of someone deciding to dupe the Gucci logo with the word “Gnocchi” is iconic; I am very much Italian, so I cannot wait to wear this shirt to some family gatherings. πŸ˜‡ While I usually go for oversized t-shirts when thrifting (usually from the men’s section!), this shirt is fitted nicely. I also don’t wear a lot of white, but I just couldn’t pass this top up!

Other Thrift Goodies

~Collection of cards ($3)

A picture of a stack of greeting cards

I was browsing the home section of a local thrift store when I saw a bag full of cards. The bag was stapled shut, but I decided to take the risk and see if there were any cute cards inside! I absolutely love sending my family and friends cards for their birthdays and holidays, so I knew these would come in handy. In this age of technology there is just something special about getting a little love in the mail. About 99% of the cards were usable, and there were about 90 total in the bag. Such a great deal!

~Cheese Markers ($6 for two packs of 6)

A picture of four white porcelain cheese markers with a paint marker under them

I saw these cheese markers and automatically thought about using them as plant markers for my lovely collection of succulents. I have a habit of naming all of my plants, so I thought it would be adorable to label each one. Now anyone who visits my apartment will know how to address my plants! πŸ˜‚ I bought two packs of 6 markers, which is more than enough for my “garden” right now. Each set also came with a gold washable marker; it will be super useful for labeling all of my bulk foods in mason jars as well!

Overall, I think I found some neat finds before this whole pandemic started. πŸŽ‰ I look forward to heading back out to the thrift stores once I am settled in my new apartment; a new city means new shops to explore! What are you looking forward to most now that stay-at-home orders have been lifted?

Love,
Jenna β™₯

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bookmark_borderRecipe: Quick, Simple, & Delicious Granola

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Hey earth muffins! With social distancing comes lots of FaceTime sessions with family and friends, staring at my computer screen for hours on end, and getting a little creative in the kitchen. In order to protect myself and those around me, I have been avoiding going to the grocery store as much as possible, which means I have explored every forgotten nook and cranny in my pantry, fridge, and freezer! After finding a mason jar full of natural mixed nuts I had purchased from the bulk bins a couple of months ago, I did a little Pinterest research and realized that I had all of the ingredients necessary to make a totally delicious treat: granola! It seems like making granola is a pretty creative process, so I found a base recipe but modified it as I went. I thought it turned out great, so I wanted to share my recipe with you!

A picture of a Ball mason jar filled with homemade mixed nut and oat granola

Ingredients:
-1 cup of nuts. This could be your favorite nut (such as almonds, pecans, etc.) or a mixed. I used natural nuts, but I am sure any type of unsalted/lightly salted nut will do. Make sure to stay sustainable and shop in the bulk bins.

-2 cups of old-fashioned oats

-1 tsp cinnamon

-1/4 tsp salt

-3 tbsp canola oil. If you are trying to make this healthier, I suggest using coconut oil or your other favorite oils in a (sustainable) glass jar!

-2 tbsp maple syrup or honey. I personally used one of each and thought it tasted great, so use whatever you think tastes the best.

-3 tbsp of brown sugar

What to Do:
1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Line a baking tray (preferably one with edges) with a silicone baking mat (if you have one; if not, don’t worry about it your granola will still turn out!).

2. Chop up your nuts using a sharp chef knife. If you aren’t into various sized pieces you could do this in a food processor, but I personally like the mixed sizes in my granola (plus you get to practice some of your knife skills!).

3. Add chopped nuts and oats into a large bowl. Sprinkle in the cinnamon and salt; mix to get the nuts/oats evenly coated.

4. In a small saucepan, stir together the oil, maple syrup and/or honey, and brown sugar until the sugar has dissolved. This only took about threeish minutes over medium-low heat, so make sure you keep stirring so none of the sugar burns!

5. Add the liquid to the nuts/oats and mix until everything is nice and coated.

6. Evenly spread the granola onto the prepared tray. The key word is β€œevenly”, as you don’t want some bits to be less cooked than others.

7. Pop into the oven for 12 minutes. Take the tray out and toss the granola to ensure both sides get cooked!

8. Bake for another 12-15 minutes, until the mixture is golden brown. Don’t worry – the mixture will still be soft when you take it out, as the granola will harden as it cools!

9. Let cool to room temperature before eating, enjoying, and/or storing in an airtight container in the pantry.

A picture of a white bowl filled with homemade mixed nut granola with the words The Greatest Granola around it
Pin now to read later!Β 

And there you have it, a simple recipe for tasty granola that can be served on top of plain Greek yogurt, in a bowl with some almond milk, or even by itself! I love eating it in place of cereal for breakfast, as I can’t find any bulk cereal around where I live and don’t enjoy having to throw away the plastic bag and recycle the cardboard box… Especially now that I will not have to go to campus in a rush every morning to get to class (the one perk of online courses!) there is no reason for me to eat a lot of cereal; I will definitely be playing around with some other granola/breakfast-y recipes in the near future!Β 

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What do you think about granola for breakfast?Β 

Love,
Jenna β™₯

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