A GIANT BOOK HAUL (VIDEO)

 Hello lovely humans!

Today I'm back with another video.  This week's is a run-through of the (many) books that I've purchased since Christmas.

Hopefully, you'll be able to find some good recommendations in the video!

Love,

Tori

FAILING A BOB ROSS TUTORIAL (VIDEO)

 Hello lovely humans!

Today I'm back with another YouTube video.  In this one, I attempt to follow a Bob Ross painting tutorial using colored pencils--and the results are...interesting, to say the least.

Let me know what you think!

Love,
Tori

MAKING RESILIENT RESOLUTIONS (VIDEO)

Hello beautiful humans!

Today I'm trying out something that I've been curious about for a long time:  YouTube!

After months of debating with myself, I finally took the plunge and started a YouTube channel.  I can't promise that I'll be incredibly active because of my college workload, but I'm excited to start exploring this platform!  I've also decided to start using Instagram again so I can engage more with people.

Today's video is about creating New Year's resolutions that can allow you to become more resilient during 2021.

SEPTEMBER BULLET JOURNAL SPREAD

Hello lovely reader!  I'm floored by how quickly August has passed by.

I start my junior year of college on the last day of the month, and as that day approaches, I've been utilizing my bullet journal more regularly.  Click here to learn more about my first spread and the Bullet Journal method.

For September's spread, I was inspired by one of my favorite paintings, The Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh.  An interesting fact about this painting is that van Gogh created it in his imagination rather than recreating real scenery as he typically did.  Also, one of my favorite YouTube channels created a video about the artist's life and the conspiracy theories surrounding his death;  please check it out if you're interested in learning more about him.

Supplies Used

Hard Cover Bullet Journal in "Sky Blue"
Hard-Tip Tombow Fudenosuke Brush Pen (used for all black lettering)
Teal and Golden Yellow Tombow Dual Brush Pens
Painting Stickers
Yellow Washi Tape

I printed out pictures of The Starry Night and related color palettes to incorporate on most of the pages.

WHAT WE SHOULD TEACH IN AMERICAN SCHOOLS

I'm grateful to be an American, and I have a deep appreciation for this country--but I know that it must change.  For this country to make its own ideals come to fruition, it must undergo drastic, groundbreaking change.

Change often starts with young people.  We have our lives ahead of us and dreams in our heads.  Many of us set out to "make the world a better place."  For better or for worse, we can be quite open to change.

However, we can't make changes if we never learn why they need to be made in the first place.  How can a teenager address the stigmatization of mental health if she never learns about that stigma and how harmful it can be?  How can a student protest against harmful racial stereotypes present in media if he doesn't ever learn that they exist?

I believe that these are the types of issues that American students should learn about in school.  Rather than forcing our educators to "teach to the test,"  we should allow them to focus on topics that will enable American students to become more empathetic, open-minded, and informed.  We should give them the tools to become individuals who are willing to enact great change.

MY SKINCARE ROUTINE

An interest I've developed during quarantine is learning about skincare routines and regiments.  I definitely attribute this to my obsession with Skincare by Hyram's YouTube channel, but that's another story.

Partially because I've rarely worn makeup over the past five months, and even more so because I've created a stricter skincare routine, my skin has vastly improved.  I wanted to share my routine with you so that you can try out anything that might be beneficial to you.  Keep in mind that you aren't required to have an extensive skincare routine and/or expensive products in order to have healthy skin.

The above photo is completely unedited.  I'd say that this is the best that my skin has looked in years!

A quick note before we dive in:  my skin is quite sensitive, so I have to be careful about the skincare products that I use.  It also dries out very easily, so I try my best to utilize gentler products, especially in regards to acne treatment.

AUGUST BULLET JOURNAL SPREAD

Hello, hello!  I hope you're staying safe and healthy, both mentally and physically.

Today's post is about one of my newfound loves, bullet journaling.  After years of struggling to find planners with layouts that I liked, I decided that the best alternative would be making my own planner.  I will say that I was a little intimidated by the bullet journal inspiration that I found online--some people turn their journals into literal works of art, but I can barely draw a tree on a good day.

However, the creator of the original Bullet Journal, Ryder Carroll, intended bullet journaling to be a way for people to practice mindfulness through intentional organization.  In other words, if my journal promotes productivity and intentional living, it's perfect--even without the flawless calligraphy and art pieces.

Without further ado, I'll take you through my August spread.  The theme is inspirational quotes, as I start my third year of college at the end of the month, and I want to encourage myself to have an optimistic mindset.

Supplies Used
Hard Cover Bullet Journal in "Sky Blue"
Hard-Tip Tombow Fudenosuke Brush Pen (used for all black lettering)
Pastel Purple Tombow Dual Brush Pen
Gold Foil Washi Tape
Black and White Grid Washi Tape

The quote above is actually a Pinterest image that I printed and pasted on the page.