DIY American Pride

I found an adorable pair of American flag high-waisted shorts at Ralph Lauren but were out of my budget for possibly wearing them only once. I decided to be creative and design my own pair. I purchased Goodwill “mom jeans”, an American flag at Michaels and 1 yard of No-Sew adhesive.

             

(Left: Ralph Lauren $125, Right: DIY $14.50)

Directions: Before cutting the jeans, try them on and mark exactly where you want to begin cutting. Then, cut the No-Sew adhesive in half. Use the iron to attach the adhesive to the American flag fabric. After the fabric is attached to the adhesive lay the adhesive over the shorts and trace the outline of the shorts. After you cut around your tracing, peel off the paper backing of the adhesive and iron on the fabric to the shorts. I decided to not distress the shorts but if you’d like to rough them up I’d suggest using a razor blade and a cheese grater. 

New Year, New Resolutions

This year I decided to ring in the New Year in Chicago with friends from college. We spent the evening at the Palmer House Hotel at their New Years Eve Soiree where they had a top-shelf open bar and hor d'oeuvres in several ball rooms with different DJs. After midnight we went to an after party at the Hard Rock with another open bar and live entertainment. The evening totally exceeds my NYE expectations!

Now that I have fully recovered from all the excessive partying, I've decided to set a few resolutions for myself for the new year and I hope I will reach my goals. 

1. Move to Chicago - Since visiting friends in 2011 I have fallen in love with the city and after graduation this past April I was determined to move. Long story short, I got caught up in a job close to home and lost track of my dream. Now that I have cut ties with my former employer I can refocus my motivation. 
2. Stay Healthy - In November a friend and I began working out regularly visiting the gym and going on bike rides. I also started coaching soccer for girls under the age of 8 and they constantly keep me running. This year I want to focus more on maintaing a healthy weight and avoid late night munchies. 
3. Love my Job - I find it really important to love your job. I'm new to real world and believe I'm lucky enough to have a fresh start to find a career I'll enjoy. 
4. Travel - Although my parents may disagree, I don't think I traveled enough last year. I love discovering new places and learn about different cultures. I hope 2013 brings new experiences and I learn from my adventures. 

Wish me luck!