The 90's Are Back in Fashion

Today my post about fashion is a bit different than usual. First of all, I'm sharing a very personal picture with you *gasp.* I know, I know... but I think I was a pretty cute kid, plus, my post for today is about how our style grows and develops, but still tends to be influenced by our childhoods. Yeah, I know... there is no way in hell you'd put your hair in a side pony (see photo reference to your left) and butterfly clips or pull the bottom of your shirt through the neck so that you had a crop top like Selena and the Spice Girls; but subconsciously, maybe you wouldn't hate it that much.

As a matter of fact, 2014-2015 has seen an uprising in the 90's resurgence and I'm not talking the grunge fad that never seemed to leave, I'm talking the 90's we made fun of for 15 years. First thing's first... remember the beloved stirrup pants we had? We had them in some awesome colors and patterns that resembled a combination of Nickelodeon and the Fresh Prince. We would match them to our scrunchies and our light up Sketchers... Yeah, well, we cut the "stirrup" off and now we call them leggings. You heard me right. Leggings are just glorified stirrup pants without the convenience of looping around your foot so they stayed nicely in your boot (well, folded sock back then, but whatever). Now we're stuck with the same pant that doesn't even serve the purpose it did before... blasphemy! I say this only joking, I love me some leggings.

Next up, overalls! Hell yeah, I totally knew they'd be back! NOT! They look much cuter now then they did back then. We've learned how to cut them so that they are chic-er and more feminine but they are still the same ones that we all had to have after watching It Takes Two and Mary Kate and Ashley had them... don't kid yourself.

Cropped halter tops that look straight out of Joey's closet. Seriously... we're not only wearing them but we're pairing them with higher waisted jeans?? and we're cuffing them with sneakers??? Alright, so I love a great crop top... I also love a nice high-waisted jean...but when I see them combined the theme song of Friends starts playing in my head and I feel the need to watch Titanic. I'm still not sure if I like this particular uprising. I can't even tell you if I liked it when it was popular the first time.

This brings me to my next trend... high-waisted pants and shorts. Now, these have been around for ages but we saw a significant decline in the 2000's when we saw the rise of the visible thong (lets hope that doesn't resurface; keep them in your pants, ladies). However, they are popping up more and more now. Like I said before, I can dig a great high waist. I think if done properly they can be slimming, reserved and sexy. But now more than ever I'm seeing them paired with the crop tops I discussed above, chunky sweaters, 90's-esque printed t's and many other throwback ways. I feel that if done wrong it's a bit too much. If the only way I can tell your picture is current is by the filter... you might need to tone it down a smidge.

Alright, so there's my bit of fashion for the day. Oh, I have to share... as I was typing that last sentence... No Doubt's Don't Speak just started playing! Ha! Long Live the 90's...

Sunday Funday Link Up Party

A Healthier Version of a Childhood Classic

As a child, certain things stick with you and end up tagging along throughout your life. It can be a song you learned when you were 8 and at 28 you can still sing every word; or a movie you watched when you were 6 still brings up the same feels it did back then (The Little Princess *sniff*). The same works for food. Your parents had no idea that by feeding you macaroni and cheese almost every day one summer, you would always associate it with Unsolved Mysteries... or that by cutting your hot dogs into bite size pieces, they'd forever ruin you for a street cart wiener. As a child my mom tried to feed us healthy. We would have have our well rounded meals every day but it was the 90's... there was no spotlight on "gluten-free," vegetarians mostly lived in Boulder and we begged for Squeeze-Its to be the primary drink of the home. Times were different... thoughts on health were different. So today I wanted to put a quick spotlight on my favorite food as a kid. My mom would have it waiting for me when I got home from school or would make it when I was feeling down. To this day it puts a smile on my face... the ever simple, peanut butter and jelly! But today I'm going to put a twist on it. I'm going to give you my current favorite version... a much healthier option (and more adult of course *cough*).

All you need is...

• 2 slices of whole wheat bread... use your favorite!
• 2 tablespoons of organic peanut butter (for a nice change, exchange peanut butter for cashew butter!)
• 2 tablespoons of honey!

I'm sure you know the drill by now. Mix the honey in with the peanut butter and make sure to lick the spoon as you go! If you like yours a bit sweeter, add a bit more. If it's too sweet... well, we can't be friends, ha! Just kidding... just lessen the amount or add more peanut butter until you get the desired sweetness, Sweetheart! Now just slather it on the bread, slap em together and you've got yourself a healthier version! 

If you miss the fruity flavor of the jelly, a great homemade preserve would be a wonderful addition or substitute (hint: harvest time is just around the corner, stay tuned to get some great info on making your own jams and jellies!)

Let me know if you try it. I would love to hear what you guys think of this twist. 

Office Supply Tips

With the new school year right around the corner, I wanted to take some time this month and focus on it! For the next four weeks I'll be doing a series of school related posts. There will be a ton of very special memories for me, some amazing tips and even better recipes!

To begin I thought I'd discuss one of my favorite things... school supplies! It was always my favorite thing to shop for when I was a child and that has not changed. Just this past weekend I was a part of a family raffle, instead of putting my tickets in the bag for the amazing wine or the fluffy towel set... I put mine in the bag for a collection of school supplies! I happen to win those school supplies and walked away with some gems... magic markers, crayons and the real trophy... glitter gel pens! It tugged right at those 90's heart strings! So yes, I'm obsessed. As a kid, I would choose a collection of Lisa Frank supplies in lieu of some rockin Tommy Hilfiger jeans any day.

As an adult, I still find myself very drawn to supplies. I search out fun, unique supplies that fit my space and elevate it. This is important for your office/office area as a whole. What is the point of having a chic room and then a corner filled with stacks of paper, the pen collection you picked up free from various conferences, booths and hotels, and those binders that have Sharpie labels sloppily written down the spine? It stunts your creativity, it promotes disorganization and lets not even get started talking about the Feng Shui. Here are my favorite tips for finding the perfect supplies for your space!

1. Shop online.

Now, I can spend hours and a grip of money in an office supply store, don't get me wrong. However, they all tend to have the same supplies... the black mesh containers, the primary color folders or the neon post-its and yes, sometimes those are perfect. But if you're looking for truly unique, more personalized and better priced supplies, check out some online shops... like http://www.poppin.com/ where you can shop by color! and not just any color, they have coral, gold, silver, mint and so many more. I absolutely adore their options. There is also https://www.ohhellofriend.com/ that has the most adorable stuff! They have great stamps, beautiful  magnets and very unique themes.

2. Think outside the box.

Not all of the best office supplies are sold as supplies. Some of my personal choices are: a yellow mixing bowl for my pens, old silver cans from canned veggies as pen, marker or paintbrush holders, an incense tray for paper clips and tacks. The opportunities are endless.

3. DIY. 

I LOVE designer folders, binders and notebooks but I don't have the kind of money that I can keep my supply stocked with Kate Spade items (even if I wish I could!). What I do instead is take white or manila folders, an ink pad in my favorite color and a cute dot stamp and make my own! It's super simple and doesn't take mad skills. The washi tapes they have started to make works wonders too. It's quick, cheap and easy and adds the special touch! For binders I buy the white binders with the clear covers and I insert decorated pages or photographs. It personalizes them, brightens them and adds the sophisticated touch that I love in my space.

4. Unique storage.

This is key for me. I love my space to be simple and clean. I want everything off my desk... a place for everything and everything in its place. This was difficult for me because I only have one room (my bedroom and office combined) and I need my closet for my clothes! So I went thrift shopping. I would make my rounds around San Antonio, going from Goodwill to Goodwill searching for pieces. I ended up with 1 tall file cabinet (plain gray and blahhhh), a 50's metal storage container (gunmetal gray and a bit worn) and a rolling file cabinet that had a lid. I paid $25 total for the three pieces, spray painted them and boom... TONS of storage for my office area that ADD to my rooms decor instead of taking away from it. Now all of my supplies, other than my pen bowl and incense burner, have their own hidden space. My desk stays clean, I actually know where things are located and I have some super chic furniture!

5. Buy for you!

Office supplies should make you as excited now as they did when you were a pre-teen shopping for your first day of school! I personally have a collection of what I refer to as my Ghostwriter pens because they look like the ones that were used on that show in the 90's! I was always jealous of those kids so I fulfill my childhood dream as an adult, ha! I also still collect gel pens. Why? Because they're pretty, sparkly, colorful and everything else I love about life. Who cares if its not the most professional writing tool? Picking it up makes me happy and that is all that matters. My point is that you should buy your office supplies like you buy shoes. Pick the ones that you love and will want to use all of the time! If you want your tape to come out of a gold glitter holder, damn it, buy it! If you want all of your supplies to be white because you have always wanted your office to feel like it belongs in a Manhattan skyscraper, then buy all white! If you feel happy, inspired, creative, motivated... then you've picked the right stuff. If you're office makes you feel like you're in a non-specific box that could belong to anyone... maybe you have some work to do!

Top 10 Motivation Songs to Help Kick Life's Ass

Starting out the week can be the most difficult feeling in the world. You're headed  back to work with the image of a pile of tedious tasks waiting for you at your desk, five full days of potential issues and deadlines... its daunting and the awesome motivation you had the day before to be on  top of it and ready for anything is practically non-existent. On top of that you may be like me, tired of the gray, cubed prison and ready to hit the road to see what life has in store for you. But that promise of freedom, of choosing where you are and what you're doing seems like a pipe dream. Your motivation dwindles. That light at the end of the proverbial tunnel seems eons away and the hard work you're putting in now seems pointless. It's not. It's totally worth it. We have to fight for it, work for it, bleed for it. If we want the entrepreneurial life, we have to actually become entrepreneurs. This doesn't happen overnight. This can take months, years... so don't get down on yourself now. Pick up your big girl panties (or big boy undies!) and work, work, work. Now, here a few songs that I personally use when this feeling becomes overwhelming. They help me stay focused and motivated. Let's kick self doubt and Monday's in the ass! #motivationmonday

1. Fight Song by Rachel Platten

This one is my absolute favorite. It's catchy chorus and emotional lyrics speak right to my un-motivated, defeated heart; lift it from its shallow grave and push me further than I thought possible. It speaks to all of us at our lowest and in some ways, all of us at our highest. Its the perfect self-starter anthem!

2. Here's to Us by Halestorm

The song is the perfect song to help us forgive ourselves for the countless mistakes we've made over the years. Sure, we've messed up, but we're strong and we're going to keep moving forward. We are worth celebration! Let the rock push you forward, get you through the recovery and put a smile on your face as you turn it up loud and sing your heart out!

3. Girl on Fire by Alicia Keys

We may not be able to hit these keys in a pleasant way, but damn... this song and its singer bowl us over. It reminds us that we're all superheroes and we won't back down. We're on fire in the best possible way and we're ready to kick some major ass.

4. It's My Life by Bon Jovi

It's time for a little more rock in this list. You know by the opening chord that the song is going to be a jump up and down, fist in the air, singing as loud as humanly possible kind of song. It shows us that life is short and to take it by the balls and own it.

5. Stronger by Britney Spears

First of all, every nineties kid needs to admit to knowing every word of this song. Next, take a moment to look past the slight electronic edge of the opening and listen to the awesome story! We're all stronger today then we were yesterday. Let this pop anthem push you to be even better tomorrow!

6. Roar by Katy Perry

"I've got the eye of the tiger..." 'nough said. We have a voice and we're strong, we deserve to be heard and now you're gong to hear it! It's great. The great, catchy lyrics are the perfect way to get us motivated; whether its to take control of our lives, speak up and be heard, or maybe just to get off our bums and work on our bodies.

7. Brave by Sara Bareilles

It doesn't matter who you are or who you were, within you is a person worth speaking up! Be brave, make the hard choices, the uncomfortable choices. Is well worth it!

8. Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield

We have full control over most of what becomes our future. We write our story. This is the type of song that you want to be your theme song while you drive down the California coast in a convertible... oh wait, I think I've seen that somewhere before. Anyway... its a great anthem to help you take ownership of your future and keep standing up when it feels life knocks you down.

9. Raise Your Glass by P!nk



Finally, a badass song that speaks to your inner nerd, freak, insecure persona. It's fantastic, You want to raise your glass for who you really are and not shy away. It reminds you that you are something to be proud of and that alone is enough motivation to keep going, make big plans and do what you love to do.

10. Don't Stop Believing by Journey

Of course this made it on the list! How could it not?? This is the perfect anthem for motivation. When times are hard, don't stop. When life seems against you, don't stop. When you don't want to fight it anymore, don't stop. Hold on to that feeling, that feeling you got when you realized that you want more out of life. Don't let that feeling go.

Beginner's Guide to Oil Painting

I decided to keep up my theme of favorites to introduce myself a bit to you all. This post is no different. Today I wanted to discuss art. I tried to figure out which “favorite” I would talk about… my favorite artist? My favorite art piece? But finally settled on my favorite medium to use… oils. I absolutely adore oil paints. They are forgiving, bright, creamy and relatively easy! I’ve completed a few pieces now but I have a million more ideas brewing. I tend to keep everything (including my fashion & interior design ideas) in a very happy color palette. I lean towards pink [a lot of pink], mint green, lavender, turquoise, light yellow and peach/coral. I love to take old, donated paintings and paint over them to give them new life. I add things; remove things in a way… whatever it takes to reignite the creativity in the piece. It’s very similar to redecorating a room. You see the setup, the original concept, and then you update it, decorate it. It’s a lovely process and I will be sure to include a step by step here the next time I start one!

As I stated before, oils are very forgiving. I find people are quite intimidated by them but some basic beginner’s information makes all the difference in the world. Here are some beginner’s tips for those of you that feel like experimenting:

1.       Oil kits tend to have lower quality paint. This means that you lose the thickness of the paint and it tends to go on the canvas less smoothly and much thinner. Invest in some individual tubes of paint. They are pretty small (except for the white) so they will not take up too much room and you really just need the following colors to start… white (large tube), alizarin crimson, cadmium red, cadmium yellow, ultramarine, yellow ochre, burnt sienna and raw umber. These colors will allow you to do almost anything you want!

2.       It does not take much paint on your palette so be reserved. I recommend using no more than about a dime size of the paint. Now, the reason for this is that you rarely use straight paint. You either mix it with other colors or you mix it with white. I am always quite liberal with my white paint, starting with a nice ping pong ball sized dollop because you will use it for various color combos. 

3.       Mix your paints from dark to light. For example, take a third of your dime size amount of ultramarine. Add a good nickel size helping of your white and mix it with your palette knife. Then take a third of this amount and add more white… do you see what I mean? Give yourself gradation. You will only need a smidge of your darkest color and just a bit more of your very lightest… the hues in between will need more because you’ll use these to do most of your coverage.

4.       Start painting with your darkest colors and work your way towards the highlights. You don’t need to cover your full canvas in the darkest of your colors. Just hit the areas that are going to remain the darkest. Then you can begin the coverage of your canvas by the medium value. Play with it though; if you feel that spots need some darkness, don’t be afraid to add it. Keep in mind though that it’s a harder to darken big areas then it is to lighten them.

5.       Turpentine is your friend. Its first job is to act as paint thinner. If your paint is not going on smoothly, dip your brush in the turp, dry it out a bit on your paper towel and then try again. Feel free to play with it, the more turp you have on your brush, the thinner your paint. The most important thing to know though is that turpentine is your eraser. As long as your paint is wet, you can dunk your brush in the turp, smear it over the areas you don’t want [be careful, it runs!] and then wipe with paper towel.

There ya go, the basics of using oils! If you decide to try them, please leave me a comment to let me know how it went or let me know if you have any questions!

A Tid Bit on Fashion

In the sixth grade I started a “design company” called J-wear. I would draw fashion designs and my friends would color them for me with their large collection of gel pens, ha! Can you tell my generation or what? Suffice to say, I have been a fan of fashion design about as long as I have been a fan of interior design. To me they go hand in hand. One expresses your passion and creativity through your living space, the other on your person. I feel that clothes should be comfortable, flaunt who you are and make you feel beautiful. The picture I posted is of my favorite shirt. I purchased it a few months back at Torrid for less than $40! It’s soft, it flows beautifully, it is more comfortable than most of my other shirts and you can never go wrong with a lace back. 

How to Eat Green Chile

I posted a recipe for green chile earlier and here is the list of the best ways to eat it [or at least my faves]!

In a bowl.

Simple as that… it’s the best way to eat it! Throw some cheese on top and you’ve got my favorite meal! Add some fresh made pinto beans and it’s a hearty, delicious rainy day dinner.

Smothered on a burrito.

Any kind of burrito! Just spoon it over it, as much or as little as you’d like. Add cheese and boom… amazing!

   On a cheeseburger.

This is a classic. You can get green chile cheeseburgers almost anywhere in New Mexico. Hell, even McDonald’s serves them! [Chew on that Denver!] Also, check out Bobby Flay’s Throwdown at the Buckhorn in New Mexico. The chef makes the best green chile cheeseburger in the state!

Mixed with red chile… in New Mexico it’s called Christmas.

[red and green, get it?]

With a fried egg.

Not the healthiest meal option but damn… its sooooo good.

Don’t let these limit you! Green chile is great on anything… meatloaf, chicken, pork chops… you name it, it can probably work. 

Green Chile Recipe!

In my huge Hispanic family, food has always been the center of our activity. We gathered for every holiday and made sure to have the best food! We would grill during the summer, have pig roasts during the fall and early spring, and usually made even the smallest holidays chalk full of delicious meats, salads and desserts. A staple of our family meals is green chile. There has been some hype about it recently because of Denver trying to claim it as theirs, but the truth is, green chile belongs to New Mexico and always will! Alright, with that said, I’ve decided to provide you with my favorite recipe… Green Chile!

What you will need:

1.       Roasted Green Chile [6-10 pods]

2.       Pork Roast

3.       Vegetable oil

4.       Minced garlic [1/2 tablespoon]

5.       Flour [3 Tablespoons]

6.       Water [4 cups]

7.       Oregano [1 teaspoon]

8.       Salt [2 teaspoons + to taste]

Cube the pork roast and brown it in some vegetable oil. Throw in the minced garlic and let it flavor your meat. You will want oil remaining in the pan so that once the meat is almost done, you can add the flour.  You will want to brown the flour, much like you would do if you were making a roux or gravy. Once it is a nice golden color, add the chopped green chile. Mix it around a bit coating the chile and then pour in the water. Add the oregano and the salt, cover and let it simmer. I’d recommend leaving it to simmer for a while, the longer you leave it, the better the flavors meld. You will want to taste it and add salt until the outstanding, almost sweet flavor of the chile is predominant.

Stay tuned for a top five list of my favorite ways to eat this recipe! 

Quality Over Quantity

Interior design has always been a major aspect of my life. I remember as a kid, sitting with my mom watching Christopher Lowell and his tchotchkes. We’d paint accent walls, create galleries, paint and repaint furniture; whatever we could to create a styled space on a low budget. As I got older we’d watch Room By Room, The Carol Duvall Show, Changing Rooms and then later, Trading Spaces. These days I can’t walk into a room without redecorating it in my head. It’s both a blessing and a curse!

I’ve developed my style continuously for a very long time. I’ve had moments where I wanted nothing but coastal influences in my space; this led to jars of seashells, turquoise walls and a lot of white furniture. I was obsessed with Shabby Chic [which was handy because of the white furniture] and filled my home with lace, ruffles and beautiful glass. I’ve been into French country, modern and everywhere in between.  But lately I’ve settled into a modern, eclectic, retro vibe. I’m hooked on pastels and think that a minimalistic approach is the best approach!

My favorite design tip: Surround yourself with things you love and do not let meaningless items cloud your vision. Quality [emotionally] not quantity! #QualityOverQuantity

Let's Get This Started

It was suggested that I begin my blog, The Retro Rambler, by telling you about myself but I’ve found that I cannot. I can’t tell you who I am because I don’t quite know yet and that’s okay. I am 26 years old and still trying to find myself; I know 60 year olds that are too. I come from two very different types of people; I am half Hispanic on my mom’s side with a huge, loving, LOUD family. On the other hand, I am also half Middle America, not so loud, not so huge, white, but just as loving family on my dad’s side. They met in Denver while my mom was finishing up her degree. What brought them together was creativity and it’s a gift I feel they shared with me. As you can imagine, they come from two different worlds. My dad grew up on casseroles and Tolkein novels while my mom lived off beans, chile and dancing to Waylon Jennings. My dad’s side of the family is pretty reserved and my mom’s family is chaotic. Both sides of my family are polar opposites and I love them equally for that. I was luckily enough to come from two lines of creative souls, from painters to carpenters, graphic designers to quilters. They all taught me how to appreciate the beauty in aged architecture, retro fashion, modern lines and really good food! 

I have also been blessed with an opportunity to experience a variety of places and cultures. I lived in Ruidoso, New Mexico for most of my life which was immediate exposure to a large Hispanic culture, as well as a beautiful narrative of Native American traditions. Post-graduation I found myself living in 7 different states over a 5 year span, from the Southwest to the Northeast; not to mention the amazing places I got to explore in between. 

In addition to the family differences and cultural experiences, I have found that being a Millennial causes its own chasm. I remember the world before everyone owned a cell phone, when you had to watch the TV guide channel to know what was showing and your computer (if you were lucky enough to have one) came in a cow print box. However, I’m also part of the generation that catapulted technology. We are the front runners now. This leads to a lovely divide in most of us, myself included. We find ourselves homesteading to get back to our roots but we better be able to post pics of our hard work to Instagram! We battle between rustic design and chic Manhattan apartments. We want to MAKE things but damn, IKEA has some great stuff. We want a simple life but we’re not sure how to handle a life without a really yummy non-fat latte at every turn. 

I guess what I’m trying to say is that I don’t know who I am, you may not know who you are and that is fine! We’ll be on the adventure together. I want to show you what I know and teach you the things that I have learned. I want to show you where I’ve been and where I want to be. I may still be learning but I can tell you that art, writing, interior design, fashion and food will always be the places I find myself.