Thrifted Treasures

Have I mentioned I love thrift shopping?!

It's exhilarating to find old or used things and bring a new life into them. I love the feeling of saving money on items that probably has a higher value than I paid (isn't that the best?!). And I love looking through and stumbling across the perfect "insert awesome thing here", just by chance. Yep, love thrifting!

After the 24 Things Challenge (when I hardly bought anything for nearly a month), I finally was able to take myself on a thrift shop outing. And I found the best stuff! It was fun playing model and trying my hand at this fashion-esque post. Enjoy!

Thrifted Treasures

Bolero chal, $5.99  //  Leather boots, $10.99  //  Shades, $3.99  //  Breezy top, $4.99  //  Leather purse, $5.99

What's one your greatest thrift shop finds? What's your latest style?

Linking up today with Treasure Tromp!

Tuesday Tunes { Link-Up #4}

Hello lovelies and happy day! The end of January already?! This month I've been running Tuesday Tunes and opening it up to you with a link-up. Thanks to wonderful participants thus far for joining! If you'd still like to join, it's open through next Tuesday.

Essentially, I created this to share new artists I discover and spread musical inspiration through this blog. You can post a little bit about the song/artist you chose or anything you'd like to share. Choose to follow the fun prompts above or do otherwise, as you're inspired. The idea is to share some musical inspiration and create a positive vibe in the community. Here's mine and the link-up is below. Feel free to grab the button I made :) 


My Pick of the Week:
You know when you hear a song and love it but don't know who it's by? I'd heard this song a few times and had that experience. It came up on my Pandora station (yay - it doesn't work in Peru), so I checked out the group and really like all of their stuff. Especially the singer's voice. 

The feeling it gives me is kind of nostalgic and sweet. It takes about giving time and space, even when it's really hard. It's kind of what Rafa and I are going through now, to a small extent. While it's a challenge to be away, I really am glad for the opportunity to be apart to miss each other. It's a good practice in growing appreciation....oh, and PATIENCE!

It's called "Let Her Go" by Passenger.

Link-up Guidelines

1. Share your musical post. Use whatever platform works for you - YouTube, SoundCloud, Vimeo, etc. 

2. Link back to this site so others can join in the fun! You're welcome to use the button I created below :)

3. Link-up on Tuesday(s). Tuesdays are ideal (because alliteration is awesome), but the link-up is open all month long.
4. Browse some other musical posts from the link-up and leave some love for the wonderful ladies.

<div align="center">
<a href="http://www.aventurasdemariposas.blogspot.com" title="Meanderings, Adventures, & Crafty Inspirations" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1305.photobucket.com/albums/s542/Thneedles/tuestunespinklogo_zps9a2f35b2.png" alt="Meanderings, Adventures, & Crafty Inspirations" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Enjoy music and life always!

Do you MeetUp?

Hello lovely beings! I hope you're having a really awesome/relaxing/insert whatever-adjective-you-need- weekend! 

This isn't sponsored post, I just want to express my honest opinion and experience. I love finding amazing resources, so this one has me really excited to share. So, I'm wondering...do you use meetup.com? Have you heard of this thing? 

I'd heard of this online social network awhile ago, probably through friends. Actually, I wouldn't even call it an 'online social network'. It's an online way to get people off-line through events, sharing hobbies and meeting people locally. It's creating communities in our communities! Similar to what Couchsurfing.com used to offer for local communities, MeetUp goes the extra steps.

From their website:

Meetup's mission is to revitalize local community and help people around the world self-organize. Meetup believes that people can change their personal world, or the whole world, by organizing themselves into groups that are powerful enough to make a difference.

Why MeetUp?

Connect based on interest. Have you ever wished you had others to share your favorite hobby with or go on adventures? 

It's zero to low-cost. Sometimes groups charge for participation (some more than others) or an annual fee. This is because it actually costs money to a running a MeetUp group. Generally,  the focus isn't on money, but rather on creating community. 

Variety of groups. You could probably find any type of group you could want. The groups range from photography to tennis, to long backpacking trips, to gaming....Heck if you can't find one you like, create your own!

Transparent. It's pretty much self-run. Organizers post events and dates. Participants RSVP, discuss, organize carpools, etc. So you choose whatever events you'd like to attend from whichever groups you've entered. 

Sync it. I guess this wouldn't be a reason to try it, but it's definitely a perk that MeetUps can export straight into GCalendars or iCal.


To my knowledge it only runs in the US so I wasn't able to try it in Peru. Being in California, I was curious to try it out and see how it worked.

People are people and they're interesting. Throw in some fun activities and it can't go wrong. I've been participating in a few groups: a photography one, radical homemakers, and nature hikes, all close to where I love. It feels really good to be able to meet people through these passions. And it seems like people usually just 'click' from the start.

And after this post and browsing their website more, I'm just smitten with the positivity that beams from them. Yay for this movement in building community and sharing passions! Here's what some MeetUpers have to say:

What are your thoughts? How do you connect with new people?

Boy Behind the Blog {numero 4}

Good morning! I'm starting out the day with this fun boy link-up with Stephanie and Mal, where my hubby gets to make a special appearance. Some great answers come out, as usual...Hope you like :)

1. If you were an animal, what animal would you be?

I would be a cat so I could get love while I sleep.

2. What is your favorite meal? 

Mashed potatoes and pork chops.

3. Do you use any forms of Social Media? What is your favorite? 

My mouth to speak with people.

4. Beer, wine, liquor, other, or none of the above? 

Every and all, except mint-flavored ones.

5. Complete the sentence: "Never have I ever..."

Traveled by helicopter, but I've always wanted to.

This photo is from his days in his band, a few handfuls of years ago.

I love this guy :) Thanks for coming by and have a beautiful day!

Some Blog Changes

Hi there and happy day lovelies! Maybe you've noticed a bit of changes around this blog here. This explanation is a bit overdue, but the time has come to share what's going on behind the blog these days. 

It's time for a major revamp! 

*  Transfer web hosts. I've decided to take a daring step into the world of WordPress! *takes deep breathe* It was a bit quite intimidating at first, but step by step I'm getting there. There are a lot of things to explore and learn! And it just seems too awesome to miss out on the fun and possibilities. Plus, I like that it will give me more ownership over my blog and more options for customization. 

*  Name change. I've loved creating this blog and I have fun sharing through it. But I have to admit, that I wasn't planning on it becoming such a big hobby of mine. It kind of happened once I started blogging more regularly. And it's been really neat meeting other ladies from around the globe, so I kept working on it. Back when I started on Blogger, I had no idea about html code, branding, blog etiquette, etc. So it's been a huge learning experience for me. 

New goals:
    --> Transfer everything over to WordPress in the next week or so. 
    --> Streamline and connect everything - i.e. URL, blog title, etc.
    --> Become MORE connected tech-wise! I've been behind on technology for awhile (I'll blame living in Peru, where Facebook is still a rising fad)...but I'm going to give Twitter a go. And Pintrest, which shouldn't be hard because it's awesome! 
    --> Get out there, meet people, and explore the blogging community. I want to try sponsoring and promoting awesome ladies and their businesses, as well as giveaways, and guest posts. 

On that note...if you are interested in connecting or creating something together, please get in touch in the comments below or at [ jarfullofstarsblog@gmail.com ]. I can't wait to join our inspirations!

Tuesday Tunes Link-up #3: Inspiration

Good morning all! It's another strangely spring-esque beautiful day here in California...like where's the rain!? I'm hoping it comes to visit us soon 'cuz we sure need it!

Welcome to Tuesday Tunes, a musical link-up about sharing a song or artist of your choice. If you choose to participate (you know you wanna!) you can follow the themes above or just go with your own. Also, there is just 1 more week for this link-up, so hop on :) Read more below!

My Inspirational Pick:
His name is Jackie Wilson, known by many as 'Mr. Excitement'. This artist made his doo woop/soul/blues music popular in the same time period of the severe racism in America. I imagine the significance he held for the black community at that time to make it to where he was. He went viral in the 1950's and 60's and after watching the video I understand why. His music is just so catchy and happy. Jackie and Elvis very much respected and were inspired by each other. I was just surprised I'd never heard of or recognized his name before. But it seems very fitting in honor of MLK and black rights.

There are some interesting stories and history on this blog if you want to read more, Jackie Wilson Lover.

<div align="center">
<a href="http://www.aventurasdemariposas.blogspot.com" title="Meanderings, Adventures, & Crafty Inspirations" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1305.photobucket.com/albums/s542/Thneedles/tuestunespinklogo_zps9a2f35b2.png" alt="Meanderings, Adventures, & Crafty Inspirations" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Link-up Guidelines

1. Share your musical post. Use whatever platform works for you - YouTube, SoundCloud, Vimeo, etc. 

2. Link back to this site so others can join in the fun! You're welcome to use the button I created below :)

3. Link-up on Tuesday(s). Tuesdays are ideal (because alliteration is awesome), but the link-up is open all month long.

4. Browse some other musical posts from the link-up and leave some love for the wonderful ladies.

Have a beautiful and groovin' day!

7 Eye-Opening Documentaries { + 24 Things Update}

I've been watching so many movies lately! I usually do, but they're recommended by my hubby. He always shares great ones. I found these documentaries mostly on NetFlix (although I hate to admit I use it) and they have some good picks! Here are a few that stood out to me, if you're looking to gain some insight into some issues. I especially love the bee ones - what amazing little community-creating creatures!! Enjoy :)

Food for Thought

    * The Raw and the Cooked. A vivid and colorful exploration of the foods and cultures around Taiwan. I recommend this one if you're a travel-lover, like me!
    * Sushi: The Global Catch. This potent documentary examines the history, art, and current reality of sushi-making, which is becoming a threat to several species' survival. Definitely eye opening.

                   

Bees: Goddess Creatures

    * Queen of the Sun: What the Bees Are Telling Us An eye-opening introduction to the importance of bees on earth and the problem we're facing: Colony Collapse Disorder. And I definitely want to keep bees after this film! 
    *  Vanishing of the Bees. A vital documentary about bees to understanding their importance and scary situation that's occurring. Very thought- and action-provoking. 
    * More Than Honey. This documentary looks into how bees and honey have become a huge commercial industry. It's pretty biased and in-your-face, but insightful nonetheless. 
    * The Magic of Urban Beekeeping: A Backyard San Francisco Hive: This is just a really great 12 minute clip with a great look into what beekeeping is like. Another bee-keeping inspiration for sure!!

Others

    * Seoul Train. A documentary exploring the harsh and horrible reality of the human rights violations in North Korea and the people who are trying to help refugees. If you don't know much on the situation, this film is a must-see.
    * Man On Wire. A adventurous documentary about a wild dream of someone who loved walking on wire and made a huge impression in the 1970s. I loved the passion and exhilaration! 

I'm continuing this challenge of cleaning out and making room for positive things. More about thechallenge here. There’s only one week left to go and I’m aiming to have a strong finish! My goal is to completely clean out my room. My methods are donating, sharing things with friends/family, getting rid of things, and just organizing and rearranging.   

These past two weeks have been somewhat intense so a few big things are part of this challenge. One biggy was my car. Jade was my first and we’d had many adventures together. I gave her to my brother and he ended up getting another car, which I hope is good for him. It wasn’t actually too hard, since I haven’t used her much in the past few years. I suppose there’s still a bit of sentimental value, as much as you can have towards a big piece of metal. She was a good one :)

Jade on a roadtrip up the West Coast.

The other big thing that I’m cutting out of my life is drama. It can only go so far, but why even let it get that far. I don’t want it anymore. Goodbye drama and those who perpetually cause it!

A few other things I’ve purged:   
  ~ inaction (hence my word of the year!)
  ~ a jacket (that I wasn’t planning to wear but just holding onto because it was cute)
  ~ a lot of Mardi Gras beads (ok, saving a few for the craft box)
  ~  metal water bottle (which was so well-loved the stickers were half rubbed off)
  ~ toilet paper rolls (intended for kids projects)

It’s just incredible how things accumulate so quickly. And how I convince myself I will use things later. It’s great to recycle but not always realistic to save things…

                      So, how’s your purging? What are you most glad to get rid of?

My Word of the Year

Hey friends! Gee, today was a whole mix of feelings and things. I'll maybe try to express the negative side later, but for now I'm going to keep this positive. So the good things are that I watched some great movies and got a little crafty. AND I'm all about this Creative Collective that Melyssa started! 

Essentially, it's about bringing more creativity into life and she's created some really fun prompts to link-up about twice a month. And you know how art is therapeutic? Well, this is kind of like free crafty therapy and I love it! Today is the first link-up and the prompt is: choose a word for 2014 that you want to focus on, then create something to remind you of it.

I chose the word..........DO! This is meaningful to me because sometimes laziness wins me over. When I get in a funk and can't seem to get out or when guilting myself about not getting back to someone for awhile. I know I can do better so I'm focusing on taking action, being pro-active in making my life wonderful!

This is also important to me because this past year I haven't been creating as much art and jewelry as I'd like. I would love to get back into these passions this year! I just want to be able to whip out a project to do if I'm feeling inspired and especially if I'm needing some creativity. Just like today - it was fun using some of my jewelry supplies and wire again.

Heck, I'd like to do a few things on my bucket list too! All around, I want to embrace action and growth in my life. Ups and downs but always forward! Let's do this, 2014!

What word would you choose for this year? What is your creative expression?