The Other Eyebrow Routine

Oftentimes when I search for eyebrow routines the first thing that comes up is what makeup to use and how to apply the product. When I search for eyebrow routines my concern is about how to manage all that hair. I come from a family that has rapid hair growth. When it comes to the hair on my head it’s great to know that a bad haircut can be naturally look better in a few weeks, but when it comes to the hair on my body it becomes a totally different story.

This past December I travelled to four different states. Between all the packing, laundry, and moving around I barely had time to think about maintaining my eyebrows. When I got home right before Christmas I finally had a moment to breath and look at the mirror only to realize the disaster that laid on my face: my eyebrows.

Pathetically, after what felt like an hour of trying to clean up my eyebrows on my own I admitted defeat and decided to just go get them threaded. I prepared myself for the traffic on the streets and crowds of last minute shoppers at the mall.

Now spending 15-20 dollars on getting your eyebrows done isn’t a big deal when you desperately need to get them done; however, if you need to go at least twice a month because you are as hairy as I am then the cost starts to add up. So here are the following tools and tips I believe are essential for maintaining your eyebrows:

• Tweezers: the holy grail of eyebrow products. Owning a pair of tweezers is essential to cleaning up the main giveaways of poorly maintained eyebrows. Use this under your eyebrows to clean up any stray hairs that come along. I try to do this two to three times a week.
• Scissors will take your eyebrows from natural to structured. Owning a pair of scissors is a personal preference, but I like to cut the eyebrow hairs to keep a straight lines on the bottom portion of my eyebrow.
• An eyebrow razor is what’s going to make all the difference in your eyebrow routine. The area above the eyebrows is often forgotten when doing your eyebrows at home. Tweezers and scissors often can’t get the fine hairs in that area, so using a razor is going to help clean that area up and give it a clean line. I also use the razor for the area between my eyebrows to keep the unibrow away. Be very careful when using this at home though because you don’t want to raze off too much hair as it can be very easy to do.

Spark in Bloom

Currently, I am listening to Lucky Chops – Problem Cover

Las Vegas – Valley of Fire

Vegas isn’t just a place of bright lights and endless amounts of alcohol. Located just an hour away from the Vegas Strip lies a beautiful rock filled state park. It’s a very underrated place than can easily be explored in one day; however, there are campsites available. If you do visit you should still keep in mind that Southern Nevada is still a desert that gets very hot in the summer, so I recommend visiting in the spring or autumn seasons. If you decide to visit during the warmer months then cool off after by taking a dip at Lake Mead, which is located southeast from Valley of Fire.

If you can’t make a long trip to visit the park then make sure that these two stops are at the top of your list:

• Elephant Rock: Located right by the east entrance, this spot is easily accessible for all people. With less than a five minute walk from the parking lot you can look up at elephant shaped rock from the side of the road. If you are feeling a little adventurous climb up the surrounding rocks to get spectacular views of the desert and the best photo of the rock. If there aren’t many visitors then take a moment to climb on top of elephant rock to get a very cool photo opportunity.
• Fire Wave: After enjoying the views from the scenic route that heads north, park at lot #3 and cross the street towards the fire wave. The first bit will require you to walk through sand, which may be difficult for certain persons. It’s only a 1.25 mile round-trip to see a beautiful view.

Entrance to the park costs $10 for out-of state visitors and $8 for residents holding a Nevada ID. Expect to pay more if you are camping. The visitors center has snacks you can buy, but if you are looking for something more substantial then you are going to have to drive outside of the park for it.

I hope Valley of Fire is included in your itinerary the next time you are in Southern Nevada.

Spark In Bloom

Comic Book Review: Paper Girls

Paper Girls Vol. 1 by Brian K. Vaughan, Cliff Chiang, and Matt Wilson

Paper girls follows four 12-year-old paper girls and the mysterious events that happen during their paper route the morning after Halloween. The first issue up with Erin, who leads as the main protagonist of this story, as she is saved by three other paper girls (KJ, Mac, and Tiffany) from teenage boys that are up to no good. The girls decide to stick together for the rest of their paper route; however, an unexplained event causes mysterious events to occur that somehow leads to certain people vanishing. As the girls try to get to safety they come across stragglers, having to decide who is trust worthy and who is not. The story is absolutely addicting and is often left with cliff-hangers between issues.

The majority of the colors in this comic are blues, purples, and grays as the events take place before sunrise. Despite a darker color scheme many of the images are offset with bright accent colors. My favorite art pieces come from some of the one and two-page spreads because it allows the reader to really digest the artwork. Below are non-spoiler images that you are throughout issues 1-5.

The main characters are 12-year old girls, so the language in this comic is very easy to follow. As a warning, there are profanities throughout the issues, especially from bad gal Mac, so if that is something that you are trying to avoid then proceed with caution as this is not suitable for younger audiences.

This comic is absolutely unexpected. I don’t remember what I originally though this comic was going to be like, but what I do know is that the actual story is absolutely not what I could have ever imagined.Luckily the story does not end at issue #5. I am absolutely looking forward to the continuation of this series and the release of issue #6 in June 2016.

overall rating of issues 1-5: 4.5/5.0 

 

June’s comic will be Ms. Marvel Vol. 1 (Issues 1 – 11). Read along with me and stay tuned for my review next month.

#sparkinbloom

Black Bean Burger

I love finding vegetarian versions of food I love. When I first encountered alternative burger patties it was in the frozen section of the grocery store. Although I do enjoy brands like Dr. Praeger, I knew there had to be a way to make burgers at home. Today I’m sharing the easiest vegan and gluten free burger recipe around.

Ingredients

• 1 lb Can of Black beans
• 1.75 cups Oat Flour
• 1/2 cup + 2 tbs of ground flax seed
• 1 15 oz. can of corn
• 3/4 cup chopped bell pepper (100 grams or 1 small bell pepper)
• 1/4 cup chopped onion (25 grams or 1/4 of an onion)
• seasonings: paprika, pepper, garlic powder, cayenne, chilli powder

Instructions

1. Mis together 2 tbs of ground flax seed with 5 tbs lukewarm water. Set this aside to thicken.
2. Dice or mince green bell pepper and onion. The size depends on how noticeable you want the vegetables to be. I don’t mind mine being a little bigger.
3. Rinse your black beans and set aside a 3/4 cup of beans. Using a potato masher, mash the rest of the black beans. Ideally, the mixture will still be slightly chunky.
4. Add and combine the remaining 3/4 cup of black beans, oat flour, flax seed water mixture, 1/2 cup of dry ground flax seed, corn, bell pepper, onion, and seasoning.
5. Form the mixture into patties. This mixture will make between 8-10 medium sized burgers. If you find that the mixture is too sticky from combining the ingredients then place it in the fridge for about 10 minutes to let it cool. If it is still too sticky then add some oat flour or ground flax seed.
6. Heat up to your liking. Personally I just put in a non-stick pan with no oil on medium heat and let it cook for about 6-8 minutes each side. If you like it to be a little fried then put some oil in your pan. If you are cooking up more than one burger then you may want to put them in a 375 degree oven for about 20 minutes (10 minutes each side)

I absolutely love these burgers. Since this mixture makes about 8-10 burgers I will take the left over, individually wrap them in plastic wrap, then put them into an air tight container.  When I’m ready to eat one then I’ll put it in a medium heat pan for about 10 minutes each side.

I love eating these protein style (no bun) with romaine lettuce, fresh tomato, and a mustard and sriracha sauce to give it a kick. Served with a side of sweet potato fries, there’s no reason to go back to meat patties.

I hope you enjoy this recipe this summer season!

#sparkinbloom

Room Decor – How to Easily Transform Your Space

I always wanted a stylish room growing up. In middle school I thought that meant purple walls with my mattress right in the middle of the room. In middle school it was all about bright red walls with zebra and cheetah print scattered everywhere (yikes!). High school led me to blue walls, brown furniture, and a failed attempt at a beach-themed room. In college I moved so often that I never even bothered to fully decorate my room to my liking. Now I’m settled down and finally able to make my place feel like home. Here are some tips on how to spruce up your space:

• Furniture: When choosing furniture I like to choose one color. This gives the room uniformity and lets the actual decorations be the focal point. A full length mirror is also a great decorative piece that serves a very functional purpose. Trust me, having a large mirror is like having your own dressing room at home.
• Vases: I never really cared to buy vases because I lack the green thumb to keep flowers alive and fake flowers aren’t really my style. If you have the same mentality then I urge you to think twice. Next time you go to a store take a look at the selection of vases available, because I promise that there are some beautiful pieces out there.
• Candles/Incense: One of my drawers holds purely candles and incense. Just like vases, there are so many beautiful candles out there. Also, once you finish your candle don’t throw it away! There are many DIY projects that you can do. If you like to switch it up once in a while try buying incense. They give your room a more smoky and natural earthy scent. There are some great holders available as well, especially if you like wooden pieces.
• Picture Frames: There is never a reason to buy a standard black frame again. If you have a frame in a color that you do not like then an easy fix is to get a bottle of metallic spray paint and go at it. I love choosing metallics because they really make a picture frame shine and look a lot nicer than they actually are.
• Vinyl Records: Pop by your closest thrift store and check out the vinyl section if they have it. Chances are that the vinyls at thrift stores aren’t very functional, but that doesn’t mean you should let those beautiful covers collect dust. Find some of your favorite bands and hang them on your wall. As a side note, if you do go and buy a new vinyl then I recommend using it for its intended use.
• Crafts: Be proud of what you make! There are so many crafts that can be easily done at home. Check out my tutorials on making a dream catcher and watercolor calendar. Also, look forward to some upcoming tutorials that can really transform your room. If you aren’t a crafter then check out Etsy. There are some amazingly talented people  out there.
• Art: You don’t have to be Picasso to display art at home. Etsy also has an amazing art and print collection. You can buy items and have them shipped or you can do one of my favorite things to do lately. Many shops have digital downloads for their prints for a very cheap price (I bought a beautiful floral piece for $1.50). The only caveat is that you have to print the the items yourself, but it still comes out cheaper than having to pay for shipping and handling.

Now that you have some ideas where do you shop? Etsy is a great online seller, but my go-to store to shop for decorations is Ross. I don’t want to break the bank when designing my room. Ross has some beautiful pieces at a great price. TJ Maxx, Marshalls, and other similar stores are always worth a visit because you never know what you will find.

Spark In Bloom