Thursday, May 14, 2015

Summer DIYs for Your Room

Summer is almost here!





 3 DIY ideas to Spice Up Your Room for the Summer

hey guys, Crafty here. I don't know about you, but I'm always finding new ways make to make my room more colorful, especially during the summer! here are 3 easy DIYs that you can do to spice up your room for summer:

1. Mason Jar Vases
you will need: 
•a mason jar (you can get them at craft stores)
•bright colored paint (I wouldn't go with glass paint. trust me.)
•flowers (I went with fake ones but you can get real ones)

what to do:
paint the inside of the jar with a large sponge or brush, making sure to cover all of the sides. let it sit out and dry for a few hours or overnight. once it dries, put the flowers in it and you're done!

2. "Today I Want To:" Board

what you will need:
• a picture frame
• patterned picture/scrapbook paper of your choice
• a dry erase marker 

what to do:
take off the back of the frame. measure the glass to the picture/scrapbook paper and cut it to fit. put the paper behind the glass and secure the back of the frame. write "today I want to:" on the top of the board with a dry erase marker. every night write things like:
" inspire somebody"
" meet BeyoncĂ©" 
or whatever you want to do the next day. and remember you can always look on our summer bucket list for inspiration

3. Quote Pictures

what you will need:
• a picture frame
• a computer ( and printer)
• scissors

what you do:
find a quote you like; you can make it with a word processing program on your computer or just search for one online. if you choose to look for one online, some good things to search for are:
• tumblr quotes
• Inspirational (insert favorite celebrity here) quotes 
 you can also look for quotes on Pinterest

what to do:
print out the picture. take the back of the picture frame off. measure the picture to the size of the glass on your picture frame and cut it to fit if needed. put the back on the frame.

I've made so many of these it's not even funny. they're so easy and fun to make and personalize.

all of these are entertaining to do with friends, I'm pretty sure the other girls and I will be making all of these when we're bored during the summer. be sure to follow our Pinterest for more summer craft ideas. 



          #thesummertimegirlsblog




Friday, August 15, 2014

How To Get Back-To-School Ready







so as you're well aware, school is about to start up and so are tests, exams, and all the stress that goes with it. to help you, here are some of our best back-to-school tips. 

(for this post, I'm using the opinions of all 4 of the summertime girls. but. I'm not using our names, but our personalities.)

girly 

girly love anything and everything pink and hunter hayes. but don't get me wrong, when the girls wanna go on a hike, she's there. her look is a little like this:

 

 girly is going into her senior year and is crazy smart, making straight A's constantly. here are some of her best tips.

study during your free time in class- even where there isn't a test coming up.

find a way to make learning about you- relate it to something you're interested in. 

sign up classes that are fun- have at least one that you can enjoy. 

have a game plan- prepare yourself for the year. 



crafty

crafty is most definately a diy and Pinterest girl. here's her back-to-school look:


 she loves art and crafting especially for organizing for school. here are my favorite back to school inventions of hers:

pencil box planner: she took a pencil box and some black notebook paper, a white crayon, sticky notes and some scissors and put the the sticky notes on the inside of the box. pretty genius if you ask me

notebook folder-  she hot glued black paper to a old folder after cutting it down to size, wrote subjects and notes on it

protective phone area- her backpack gets slung around a lot and thrown onto the ground and when you have an iPhone in there, it's not the best for it. so she got an extra pencil box, coated the inside with duct tape, and made her back pack a little bit safer. 


wander

wander writes most of the articles on this blog. she is in love with nature and animals, and between all of us, she's the biggest risk taker. her style is like this:


I like to believe all of us are smart (all though girlys got the brains of the bunch with her honors classes and such) but wanders one of the smart ones too. here are her tips for school:

try to wake up happy- as hard as it is, it's possible. wake up to your favorite song, or go for a run, text a boyfriend or girlfriend before bed and read it in the morning. 

go for a run- morning is the best time. 

chill out- calm down and go with the vibes 


fancy 

yours truly. my nickname, given to me by the girls, is because I'm a firm believer in you can never overdress. here's my back to school favorite: 



im basically a combination between beauty and the beast. it really depends on my mood. so school for me is just plain torture. but it has it's advantages. here are my tips for you

don't even care- the people who make fun of you cannot have an effect on you. only if you overthink it will that happen. 

put your alarm clock on the other side of the room- yes that's a lot of work but you have to get up to turn it off and boom you're up. 

eat something filling for breakfast- learned after experience. 

pick out your clothes for the week on Sunday- saves time in the morning. 


what are some of your best back to school tips? Let us know at:

 

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Peanut Butter Chocolate Pudding Milkshake



Peanut Butter Chocolate Pudding Milkshake Recipe


 with summer (and rain) starting this week, we decided to try to start accomplishing things on our summer bucket list.  one of those things included making a new recipe, which lead us to a milkshake. this milkshake includes our favorite things - peanut butter, chocolate, and LOTS of whipped cream. 


this shake is perfect for hot days when you're craving that chocolate treat. 








Friday, April 18, 2014

20 MORE Things to Add to Your Summer Bucket List





due to the buzz with our original bucket list, we realized that we have a small 50 ideas. truthfully, busy summers might just get in the way of a lot. but we still had tons of ideas stirring. that's why we now are bringing you 20 more ideas! YESSS



Spend All Day in Your Swimsuit - there's absolutely nothing wrong with it

Water Balloons in the Pool - get the biggest balloons you can find

Make Soap - there's tons of online tutorials

Fill Water Guns with Paint - water colors supposedly work best

Make a Huge Backyard Game - probably not Monopoly

Run 5 Different Places - one of the best ways to see your city

Throw a Dart on a Map and Travel - use a local map

Phone Stacking Game - every time you eat out

Pretend it's Not Raining - carry on with your outdoor shenanigans

Buy a Homeless Person a Meal 

Fill Rubber Gloves with Water - proceed to have a water glove fight

Turn to a Random Page in a Recipe Book & Make It  

Make a Summer Memory Jar - open on the last day of summer

Capture a Sparkler Shot 

Make Up a New Pool Game

Drive Somewhere & Stop Wherever You Want - it's the journey, not the destination 

Try Something New - something that you've always wanted to have the guts for

Spend Time on Your Own - you don't have to always have your friends for an awesome summer. go on your own adventures, make memories for only you.

Set Some Personal Goals 

Live Summer to it's Fullest - it sounds so cliche, but really. remember how bad you craved summer. try not to live a dull moment. learn to relax. think about what actaully matters and pay attention to just that.


             - the summertime girls


Thursday, April 3, 2014

Summer Songs for Everyone


     
     ever get that feeling while you're laying on the beach tanning or looking at the waves (or both) and you just need that perfect song to fit the mood? Well, here are some of the songs that make us want to cry over summer. 

 just remember, we may have different music tastes then you so, this is simply our opinions. 

Reggae: sometimes you need some reggae to get you in beach-party mode. Bob Marley and Jack Johnson is where it's at. our favorites:

  •  Good People by Jack Johnson
  •  Banana Pancakes by Jack Johnson
  •  Three Little Birds by Bob Marley
  •  Angel by Shaggy
  •  Jamming by Bob Marley


Pop: Ever hear those songs on the radio that were released during summer and then you think about what you were doing when those songs came out? Here are some of ours:

 • Drive By by Train
 • Whataya Want From Me by Adam Lambert
 • Good Feeling by Flo-Rida 
 • Need Your Love by Calvin Harris feat. Ellie Goulding
 • Good 4 It by Wallpaper.
 • Sleeping With A Friend by Neon Trees
 • Harlem by New Politics
 • Alone Together - Fall Out Boy
 • Keep Me Crazy - Chris Wallace

Here are some songs that are just plain good. 

 • Made In The USA by Demi Lovato
 • White Teeth Teens by Lorde
 • Hey Brother by Avicii
 • #SELFIE by The Chainsmokers
 • Some Nights by Fun
 • Can't Remember to Forget You by          Shakira feat. Rihanna 

Alternative: This is my favorite of the genres, but some of these you might not consider alternative music. So here is my favorite list:

 • Runaway by Matt Kearney
 • The Sound of Sunshine by Michael Franti & Spearhead
 • The Unknown by Althelte 
 • Factory by Band of Horses 
 • Best Day of My Life by American Author



Also a band that just writes awesome summer songs in general is Two Door Cinema Club. My favorite summer song of theirs is This Is the Life. 


So now you know what songs bring the summer to us. Did we leave any out? Let us know:


okay guys,

we've joined the mainstream. 

If you have too, then follow us on 

Instagram:  thesummertimegirlsblog 

http://instagram.com/thesummertimegirlsblog


Pinterest: summergirlsblog

www.pinterest.com/summergirlsblog



where we'll post our bucket list completions, and our summer story.

    Happy Summer! - the summertime girls

Friday, March 28, 2014

How to Get Bikini Ready




for a lot of girls, it's that time of the year once again.

 you know what I'm talking about.

 it's the end of March, and swimsuit season is sneaking up on us. 

 after this eternal winter, you feel like you're coming out of hibernation, and you don't like your body in that bikini.

 unfortunately, this isn't going to be a post about how I got a six-pack in two weeks, by only following this program, or drinking this detox.

 nope.

 so here's what this is actually going to be - today I'm going to tell you how I learned to try to feel confident in my body. 

 with literally millions of posts, and programs, and exercise routines, you can get overwhelmed fast, and you feel like giving up. 

 DON'T

 that's what happened to me. I gathered tons of magical exercises and quick-fixes, and, like an idiot, expected them to work flawlessly. 

 it doesn't work like that. but, enough rambling. I'm going to tell you what worked for me


 Exercise - like I've said, there really are no quick-fixes. I know, it saddens me, too. but first thing's first, you got to exercise. no, you don't have to be a gym junkie, but you know what I'm about to tell you.

 get. up.

 I usually try to go by this schedule.





  but routine isn't really my thing, so it's more of a guideline. 


 Cardio: due to practice, I can accomplish about 3 miles in my 30 minutes of cardio. keep at your own pace, train more, and you'll get it.

 I don't always run, because sometimes it simply gets boring. but to fill my 30 minutes, I'll do HIIT (high intensity interval training) workouts. they burn quite of bit of calories and they're different. 

 on 15-minute cardio days, I'll either go for a short run, do a short HIIT, or I'll go run intervals; they burn fat really quick.

 other things you can do are biking, walking your dog, jump ropes, swimming, hiking - all of which I love.


 Abs: there are many existing ab workouts and I've tried a lot of them.

 one of my definite favorites, is the plank. I'm sure you've probably seen this move before, and if you've never tried it, it's harder than it looks! start out holding the position for 20 seconds and add seconds every time you do one.

 more of my favorites that I can actually feel are bicycle crunches, abdominal holds, and side planks. 


 Legs & Butt: cardio exercises help tone your legs like no other. 

 one of my main problems is my thighs. I've found it harder to tone my inner thighs than anything. but what's working best for me, is squats, wall sits, leg lifts, and lunges. running helps you get thinner thighs, too.

 I haven't tried many butt exercises, mainly because squats work so well. lunges work, too, but squats are my favorite, and you see results fast.



 Arms:  I actually love weight training. feeling strong is an amazing feeling. it's not just for guys, either. my favorites with weights are: curls, flies, and reverse flies. push-ups and tricep-dips are awesome if you don't have weights. wall push-ups are a bit easier, and if you do them everyday, you'll easily be able to do regular push-ups.


 Diet - I like food. a lot. I'm guessing most of us are fans of it, too. luckily, I like healthy food as well. so why am I still eating junk? 

 because it's convenient. that's why. it's easier for me to eat a Pop Tart in the morning than prepare a meal to keep me full. it's easier to buy fries at lunch. it's much easier for me to get a McFlurry after school, than go home and make a perfect smoothie.

 but we gotta get that out of our heads! 

 you always hear stuff about diets, but I don't like thinking that I am young and should diet. then I would hear, "it's not a diet, it's a lifestyle". what I am hearing is that basically, it's a diet that's going to last a lifetime. no way.

 you've probably heard of it it, but there's this thing called the 80/20 rule. you eat 80% clean and indulge 20% of the time. 

 it sounds worse than it seems, but I've done the math. 

 I'm going to go out on a limb here, and say we eat 4 times a day. that's 28 meals in a week. so you eat 23 healthy meals. ew. but that leaves you 5 meals {McFlurries} a week.       
 try to plan around that. when I'm with the girls, we usually have our traditional pizza/fried chicken/ice cream night. so, if I know that we're hanging out Friday night, I'll eat a healthy breakfast and lunch.

 you need to eat when you're hungry.

 well, duh.

 I mean, don't eat it just because it's available. I have a really bad habit of that. if you're not sure if you're hungry, try drinking a glass of water and wait a little while. eat something if you're still hungry. sometimes, I'll have a craving for a food, when I'm just dehydrated and I don't realize it. 

 when you're craving something, it doesn't mean that it's what you need. try to find a healthy alternative. 

 replace the bad food in your house, with healthier foods. 

 trust me, once you start eating healthy, you won't crave unhealthy things much more. I wanted grapes and blueberries when the family had pizza. it's true. 

 I don't really pay attention to labels of processed foods that say they're only ____ calories. 

 to me, clean and healthy is not processed. it's straight up fruits, vegetables, and meat. 

 I'll have a green smoothie for breakfast. green smoothies consist of fruits and greens such as spinach and kale.

 do I hate spinach? yeah, pretty much. 

 do I drink it? you betcha.

 spinach and kale don't have overpowering tastes, that's why you can blend them with fruit and you won't taste it. spinach is really healthy. it gives you loads of energy, too.

 for lunch I'll usually have fruit, nuts, and sometimes a wrap. 

 I'll snack in the morning and after school. my favorites are: apples, bananas and peanut butter, blueberries, grapes (usually frozen), dark chocolate, and almonds. 

 don't get fooled. know your stuff. yeah, that fast-food smoothie might be healthier than that milkshake, but are you really saving that many calories? and no,I'm not recommending you take the shake. just because you're eating healthy, doesn't mean you should eat a lot. eat what you need to. you'll notice the difference.

 eat like you love your body more than your taste buds. you won't be showing them off in a few months.


 Motivation - I get unmotivated so easily. quote after quote, but nothing that actually makes me want to get up. It's worst when I haven't exercised in a week and eaten junk - like after a vacation. Maybe it's just me, but when I feel fat, it doesn't motivate me. even looking at super-fit girls doesn't get me going. and I have no idea why.

 but here's what does work:


  • pressure - seeing countdowns until summer makes me realize that I don't have time for set-backs.
  • imagining success - imaging the "dang!" when they see my abs 
  • new workout clothes - it actually makes me can't wait to try them out
  • music - I really can't even imagine lifting weights without my training tunes
  • stress - exercise heals my crazy mind
  • getting mad at myself - you're too soft. what is wrong with you? get up.
  • knowing that other people can do it - after watching the Olympics and The Hunger Games, I want to be a beast.
  • seeing how far I've came - seeing improvement. going longer, faster, harder than yesterday. it makes me realize that I'm so far, I can't loose it all.

 don't try to tell yourself that you don't have time. get up earlier, make it happen. you know that it's worth it. you will fall back and have trouble. but keep going. you're already in pain, so get some reward from it. you got this.



 remember that this is what worked for me. I'm not guaranteeing results, but I'm not being fake, either. if you have any questions about exercises, eating, motivation, or anything else, please don't hesitate to ask


 

















Saturday, March 15, 2014

Our Best Beach Tips


Our Best Beach Tips



   with beach days approaching quickly, we start stocking up on all things beach-y. some       tips are are self explanatory, and others are derived from our "I really wish I had-"             moments at the beach. what are your summer essentials? we'd love to hear them.


  • bring a change of clothes - I always like to bring a light, sleeved top and shorts
  • bring leave-in conditioner - salt water + wind. your hair will thank you.
  • bring baby powder - the sand is inescapable. after you're back at the car, sprinkle some baby powder on your feet/legs and the sticky sand wipes off.
  • bring WATER - lots of it. you dehydrate quickly between the sun and salt. I also like to fill a gallon jug with it to get sand off of me.
  • bring lotion - your skin gets dehydrated as well, you'll want it desperately 
  • bring a hair brush, hair ties, & bobby pins - hair never remains the same. we always try to make new braids to style.
  • bring fruit - it's much more refreshing than those potato chips
  • bring an extra/old towel - put it on the seats to prevent them getting very wet
  • be cautious about what you bring - if it's valuable, you may want to leave it home. I suggest bringing plastic bags to put your phone/camera in, as well.
  • only bring what you need - you don't want to carry 3x your weight (it's a longer, harder walk than you might think) all you really need to carry out is your towel, sunblock, snacks, and phone/camera.
  • don't forget sunglasses and/or a hat!


  our new beach survival guide:
 



            hopefully, this will make your upcoming beach trips, a little easier. 
                                                                                         
                                                      - the summertime girls














Our 2014 Ultimate Summer Bucket List

Our 2014 Summer Bucket List 



 Due to those annual, abnormal warm days in February, we decided we were all aching      for summer a bit. Trying to contain our excitement, we constructed our 2014 Summer  Bucketlist. We still haven't figured a way to survive the next few months. Feel free to 
 share our list, and make your own with these ideas in mind. We'll post every      accomplishment that is done, and show you just how to do it.



  

    Stargaze in the Truck - we've seen pictures floating around of a truck bed filled with      pillows and blankets whilst stargazing. definitely on the list.

    Kayak - we're all about new ways to venture. you can kayak wherever water is.

   Watch the Sunrise in the Woods - we love visiting the forest. watching the sunrise    while eating fresh pastries? i think yes.

   Tie Dye - shirts, pillowcases, shorts, swim suits, the list goes on.

   Photograph the Day - we're avid photographers, whether it's our Nikons or our iPhones

   Croquet - scrounging around, we found an old kit. seems like a good time.

   Fill the Pool with Glowsticks - sounds explanatory enough

   Go to the Zoo - what can we say? animals over people.

   Tennis - the town has new courts, and we're all equally unexperienced. 

  Glow in the Dark Hide & Seek {Glow Party - wait till dark, bejewel yourself in glow,    and hide.

  Chalk the Driveway - covered. completely. no exceptions.

  Go Karts - again, equally unexperienced.

  Fly Kites - somehow, we've never done this. you can get kites at the dollar store, too.

 Make a "Honk if you LOVE Summer" sign - to hang on the car on one of our outings 

 Horseback Riding - more venturing. more animals. 

 Mini Golf - one of our favorites

 Carve a Tree - find a good one

 Make Pull-Tab Flyers - put compliments, joke, etc. get creative.

 Project a Movie - recently found a DIY iPhone Projector. couldn't resist.

 Make a Tumblr/Blog/Instagram for Summer - Exhibit A

 Create a Secret {Milkshake} Recipe - summer shakes are our specialty

 Take a Walk - we love walking the trails with ice cream

 Dollar Store Shopping Spree - $10 = 10 items

 Bowling - nighttime bowling, of course

 No-Cell Phones-Day - or Hippie Day

 Cook a Dinner - to get us out of the chips-with-salsa-and-popsicles-for-dinner habit

 Song Collab - she sings. you play an instrument. video it.

 Find a New Spot - yours, wherever. ours, preferably in the forest.

 Crayon Art - you know, where you glue crayons to a canvas and melt them with a      hairdryer/sun

 Make a Music Video - summer themed, of course.

 Tan Tattoos - with a silly band, sunscreen, paint, etc.

 Have a Bonfire - preferably fueled by last years' homework

 Tie Something to Balloon & Let Go - regrets. mistakes. dreams. no judging. 

 Eyebombing - take googly eyes and stick them in public to make faces

 Go Thrifting -  make tank tops and crop shirts

 Remake Old Photos - do your best impersonation of your old self, then thank the Lord you don't look that way anymore.

 Laser Tag - it's basically war

 Write a Letter to a Disney Princess - thanking Pinterest. original pin came from               Couponing to Disney

 Museum - a lot of local museums are free.

 Try Skateboarding - more opportunities to hurt ourselves

Messy Twister - play with paint/colored shaving cream on the dots

Different Person for a Day - go out with a new accent and/or appearance

Furniture Store Hide & Seek - nonchalantly in Rooms-to-Go 

Picnic - it's a classic

Say "Yes" to Everything for a Day - using your own boundaries 

Midnight Movie Premiere -  or first showing

Don't Spend All Day Inside - do SOMETHING

Stay Up for 24 Hours - stock up the RedBull

Learn New Survival Skills - never know when it'll come in handy


  if you like these and want more, you can also check out  20 MORE Summer Bucket List Ideasknowing us, this will be more of a guideline of things to do when we're bored and in the mood, but it's nice to have! we would love to hear your ideas, too! stay tuned to see more summer-themed ideas and check out our bikini-ready guide too! and summer accomplishment posts are to come, as well. Happy Summer! 
                        - the summertime girls


  *UPDATE* - April 6th

  very much to our surprise, we've had some legit views and awesome activity within the last few weeks. 

 THANK YOU 

 with that said, we're super happy to tell you guys that we're bringing you more bucket list ideas! 

the updated list is up!

thanks for being awesome!


          #thesummertimegirlsblog