SOCIAL MEDIA

29 December 2017

Essential Oils | The Who, What & Why

Essential oils have always appealed to me. When I first heard about those magical little oils, I knew I had discovered something that I would end up loving. The funny thing is, the first time I bought some essential oils, I was so far off base in terms of quality. Apparently, I hadn't done enough research. You can read about my first journey into essential oils here. Spoiler alert: I started off with some of the worst oils, EVER. After some much-needed knowledge, and with the direction of my sister, I looked into Young Living. And now I feel as though I'm doing essential oils right this time.


My sister has used Young Living oils for a very, very long time. In fact, she used to work at a place that sold them. She's also the main reason why I decided to go ahead and get started with Young Living - I'm happy to say that I'm blown away by their quality. But why did I look into essential oils in the first place? Here's why: I wanted to cut out all of the unnatural chemicals that lurked around our household like cleaners, personal products, etc. And since I was raised to make a conscious effort of what I actually put in my body, I was also interested in finding natural remedies to ailments like headaches, muscle pain, and digestion issues. Just ask Alex, whenever I get a headache he has to pretty much force me to take an Advil. So the idea of using something natural instead really spoke to me. And if you aren't new to essential oils, you know that they can do all that and so much more.

I decided to go ahead and get the premium starter kit from Young Living. Which was really the best bang for my buck. The kit comes with 11 different oils, PLUS a very pretty diffuser and some other goodies too - which is always fun. It was definitely the best route for me because I really wanted to dive into the world of essential oils without going completely overboard moneywise. With the premium starter kit, I actually saved money - which I consider to be a win-win.


Now I do want to take a moment to explain why those first essential oils I got were so bad. Yeah, they were cheap and I thought I was getting a good deal - but I should have known better. The quality of the oils was poor and they actually already had soybean oil in them - omg, why?! Here's the issue: if an oil isn't pure it's essentially worthless. Therefore you have to be very careful about the oils you get. The problem with lesser quality essential oils is that some of them can be altered. So, whenever you buy essential oils you need to look for ones that are unadulterated. Which means that there aren't any additives, extenders, or price reducing ingredients. Nothing except what's left after the distillation process (with ingredients usually listed in its Latin form). When it comes down to it, it's better to spend a little more and get quality oils.

Look at it this way, if an essential oil isn't pure, you aren't going to get any of the therapeutic benefits from it. In fact, if the oils aren't pure you might even get some adverse effects instead. With all that being said, I highly recommend doing your own research. If you're anything like me, you air on the side of skepticism until you can find the information yourself. Honestly, what matters most is finding what's right for you, so please don't let my journey influence yours (or criticize if you chose differently). I'm not here to say that Young Living is the only way to go - but it definitely was for me. There are other good companies out there, like DoTerra, Aura Cacia, or Rocky Mountain Oils.

If you're interested in more information about Young Living, please don't hesitate to email me at: danielle@unspokenspells.com and I can bore you with a lot more information about their products and what you can actually use them for. Trust me, there's A LOT! And if you're ready to make an account with Young Living and order the premium starter kit, make sure you sign up for a Membership. That way you can get 24% off any future orders too. The membership is free - so there's no commitment if you change your mind.


Even though I just started, I feel like I could write A LOT more about essential oils. Honestly, this post is already a little long. I still have a lot to learn and I look forward to sharing the journey with you all. Which is why I plan on posting a lot more about what I learn here. In the meantime, you can follow along via my essential oils Instagram page: unspokenspells.essentials

20 December 2017

'Tis the season!

It's almost Christmas!!




14 December 2017

THIRTY THREE

I turned thirty-three a few days ago. Ever since 2015, I've made it a point to take a self-portrait every year on my birthday. Here's 2017's...
27 November 2017

Our Birthday Celebration

These past four days have been amazing because Alex & I had them off together. On Saturday Alex & I had an early joint birthday celebration. Since our birthdays are only twelve days apart we decided to celebrate them together this year. Mainly because Alex will be working like crazy during December. Who knew the catering business was so busy during then? So, we headed over to St. Pete for the day. We went to Sunken Gardens, had a delicious lunch at Three Birds Tavern and haunted three different record stores.
We were blown away by Sunken Gardens, it was a first time for both of us too. I loved the succulent garden the most. The cacti made me feel like I was back in California. There was a chill in the air so the weather was perfect. It felt like a little maze and Alex was marking all the locations off the map like he was in a video game. It was pretty funny. We even saw some birds as well, parrots and flamingos to name a few.
09 November 2017

30 Days of Slow Living Challenge

The older I get the more I realize that a minimalist lifestyle is one that I enjoy the most. In fact, one that I truly crave. I know that might sound silly, but the idea of slow living really speaks to me. I also enjoy the theory of lagom and hygge. However, unlike hygge and lagom, slow living is something I need to work on. Therefore I've decided to challenge myself with thirty days of slow living... I meant to start this at the beginning of November but it's never too late to start right?

30 DAYS OF SLOW LIVING CHALLENGE
  1. Start and stick to a morning ritual.
  2. Meditate for ten minutes, or more.
  3. De-clutter your digital life.
  4. Don't complain for a day, say something positive instead.
  5. Identify your top priorities.
  6. Maximize time spent alone.
  7. Clean out your closets - donate what you can.
  8. Examine your daily habits - find what brings you happiness.
  9. Learn a new skill.
  10. Stay offline for a whole day.
  11. No social media until after lunch.
  12. Don't buy anything for three days.
  13. Practice single-tasking.
  14. Define your goals for the following year.
  15. Go for a walk and practice mindfulness.
  16. Don't watch TV all day, read or write instead.
  17. Journal for ten minutes about what you're grateful for.
  18. Create a relaxing bedtime routine.
  19. Make some homemade bread or seasonal recipe.
  20. Practice gratitude - write a hand-written note and give it to someone you're grateful for.
  21. Identify stress triggers and avoid them.
  22. Let go of an unattainable goal and journal about it.
  23. Leave a whole day unplanned.
  24. Have a picnic with someone you love.
  25. Enjoy a cup of tea or coffee with no distractions.
  26. Evaluate the last five purchases made.
  27. Tell someone how you feel about them.
  28. One night, don't use any lights, use candles instead.
  29. Enjoy today's moments and don't take any photos to document it.
  30. Make a new recipe from scratch.
If you think you might join along in this challenge, let me know in the comments below. I think it will be fun!
07 November 2017

Alex lost AND found a new job within 24 hours...

The past few days have been an absolute whirlwind. Last Thursday, Alex came home from work earlier than anticipated. The reason... he got laid off. The restaurant he had been working for isn't doing so well financially and they expressed to him that they just couldn't afford him anymore. To say that I was freaking out would have been a mild understatement. I was FREAKING OUT. Notice the all caps situation there? That whole Thursday evening was spent at his parents with us in an utter state of disbelief and a little fear.

But the next morning I woke up with the strangest sense of calm, but I rolled with it without questioning it. As awful as it seemed, this was really for the best. No one likes a sinking ship, especially when it is a job. I knew Alex would find a job, even if it meant taking a crappy one just to make ends meet until the right one came along. For that, I am thankful - he's such a hard worker and dedicated to always making sure that we are taken care of, no matter what.

And I didn't need to really worry at all. By the end of Friday (seriously not even 24 hours after he was laid off ) Alex was hired by an awesome catering company in town - the owner even called Alex a "godsend". It's nice knowing I'm not the only person who views him that way. ;) Thankfully the catering company has been around for a very long time, is doing well financially, and are willing to give Alex the pay he deserves. It may not be as glamours as Alex had hoped for, but with management in the near future, it will mean a lot for whenever we do start a family.

He started his new job today and I'm happy to announce that he likes it! In fact, he was worried he wouldn't like it as much as he does. Go figure!
31 October 2017

Halloween Costumes: Lydia Deetz & Old Man Logan

This year Alex & I couldn't decide on an epic couples costume. So I dressed up as my spirit animal Lydia Deetz and he went as Old Man Logan. This is actually my second time going as here but I totally don't care. This year I took it up a notch by making my own "Handbook for the Recently Deceased" book.


Alex did so well with his "old man" makeup that he looked completely different! He had a blast too... except he's really missing his mustache. Poor thing.

Be sure to checkout our Halloween costumes from 2015... we went as Mulder & Scully! Also, go checkout when I dressed up as Wednesday Addams back in 2014.
28 October 2017

Through the Lens: Oh My Gourd!

I swear, I could take photos of pumpkins for a thousand years and never get sick of looking at them.
26 October 2017

An Extra Spooky Halloween Playlist

Once October rolls around I have a tendency to listen to a lot of Type O Negative. But as much as I'd love to listen to their albums on repeat the whole month, I think I'd drive Alex crazy. Lucky for him I like a wide variety of music. Both of us love creating playlists for pretty much anything. Oh, it's our anniversary? There's a playlist for that! We're going on a road trip? You bet there's a playlist (even if we just made it during the first 20 minutes of driving). It's a holiday? You got yourself a playlist! It only makes sense that we'd make one for Halloween.

P.S. I'm giving you a heads up here.... there's like 74 songs on this playlist - we don't mess around. Giddy up! ;)

HALLOWEEN TWENTY-SEVENTEEN


Let me know what you think... did we forget something? Let me know in the comments below.
Also, be sure to check out my must-watch Halloween movies.
19 October 2017

It's the Great Pumpkin, Olive Gooseberry

Olive truly is the perfect model. And what better way to celebrate Fall and Halloween than taking photos of a cute, fluffy bunny with a pumpkin? Granted these are from last year, but I'll surely be taking more once Alex & I get some pumpkins this weekend.
14 October 2017

Memories ripe with the feeling of unwavering love...

Sometimes when life happens it can be incredibly difficult to see how special certain moments truly are. At times we might take our life for granted. Instead of seeing how fortunate we are. We wish for one thing or another, and somehow we miss the reality of it all. I remember a few months after Alex & I started dating we lived with my parents in order to save money for our first place. Somehow the two of us managed to share a twin size bed. The bed was so small that most nights Alex would wake up on the floor, but somehow we managed. Our room was tiny and the furniture I inherited from my grandparents filled up the majority of it. Along with Olive's cage, which was nestled on the floor under the window at the foot of our bed, the room was slightly cramped. I remember anxiously dreaming about the time when we could finally have a place of our own and yes, a bigger bed.

Whenever I think about it now that twin bed we shared seems so magical, so perfect. Because honestly, it was. Our love was fresh and life had just begun for us. Our bed is much bigger now, but sometimes, oddly enough, I despise the extra space. Most of the time we'll find our way back to each other, eyes heavy with sleep, bodies curving around the others. And sometimes, if we're lucky Olive will wedge her fluffy little self between the two of us. This new normal that fills up our days and nights in a place we call our own is heavenly. When a quiet moment presents itself I can't help but recall our beginnings: a girl and a boy reconnecting after seventeen years apart - finding a love so deep that neither one of them knew existed. It's in those moments that I remember the beauty of our past and take note of how it's transformed into memories that I will cherish forever. Memories ripe with a feeling of unwavering love that I will hold steady in my heart until the moon begins its slow decay.



Also, if you'd like to read an interesting article on the moon's inevitable disintegration head over here.
12 October 2017

Our St. Augustine Travel Guide

Honestly, I've had this post in my draft section for awhile now and figured it was about time that I  shared Our St. Augustine Travel Guide. Alex & I have been to St. Augustine twice together. Back in July, we headed down to the historic district of St. Augustine to celebrate our two year dating anniversary. This was our first visit in over a year, so it really felt like a new adventure. Especially since we made it a point to visit different and new places. The drive from where we live is almost 3 hours, so after we packed up the car, dropped Olive off at my moms and loaded up on coffee - we made our way to St. Augustine.


COFFEE + DRINKS
Ancient City Brewing - If you're looking for good, locally crafted beer - this is the place to be. Their Castillo Coconut Porter and Mantanzas River Red Ale is to die for. We didn't notice this place first time we went and we were very pleased when we stumbled upon it last time.
The KookaburraA small, but perfect coffee shop located right across from the Plaza de la Constitucion. The have unique lattes like the Honey Badger and Mocha Nut. They also serve aussie pies.


FOOD+SNACKS 
Ice Plant Bar - Their food was pretty amazing here. We ended up sharing the best burger we've had in awhile. We meant to get a handcrafted cocktail, but didn't. Maybe next time!
Costa Brava - Located in the Casa Monica hotel, their charcuterie board was to die for. Their margaritas are pretty epic too.
Cousteau's Waffle & Milkshake Bar - Hot, delicious waffles and decadent ice cream. Need I say more?
Thai House & Sushi Bar - Alex was in sushi heaven. Fresh fish and unique rolls. We actually went to this restaurant the night Alex proposed, but it back then it was called Spy Sushi.
The Hyppo - They offer incredible popsicles in crazy flavour combinations. Definitely a must.



SEE + DO
Fort Mantanzas - An awesome fort that was built in 1924.
Flagler College - This building was a luxury hotel that was built in 1888.
Lightner Museum - Another luxury hotel built in 1887.
St. Augustine Lighthouse - This lighthouse was erected in 1874.
Tolomato Cemetery - This 18th century cemetery is located right near the Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse.
Plaza de la Constitucion - Located in the square of St. Augustine, it features old cannons. It's also the oldest public park in continental United States. If you stop by on the right day, they have vendors selling their goods.
Tone Vendor - We aren't really shoppers, so you won't find a list of shop recommendations from us. However, we love adding more vinyl to our record collection. And Tone Vendor had an insane amount of vinyl that we haven't seen in a lot of record stores.



I hope this helps you in any future trips you might take to St. Augustine. Have you ever been before? Any places that you think we should check out next time we go? Let me know in the comments below, so we can discuss!
09 October 2017

The Church









The Church | September 23, 2017 | The Social, Orlando
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I've wanted to see the Church for a while now and I'm so glad that I finally got the chance. They put on an incredible show - every ethereal sound you hear on any one of their albums was perfectly replicated on stage. I was very happy to hear them play a lot of my favourite songs: "Reptile", "Unguarded Moment",  and "Metropolis" - just to name a few. And of course, they played their famous one, "Under the Milkyway". As an added bonus, I met Steve Kilbey (the lead singer) and spoke with him for not even a minute, but still!
05 October 2017

Around Our Home - Halloween Edition

Hey, everyone! I figured it would be fun to start a new series called "Around Our Home". A series where I show you guys a little bit of what our home looks like at any given time. Now that October is here, what better way to kick off this series with showing you our Halloween decor! Now I love decorating - I adore the idea of finding or making unique pieces for our home. Special touches that really make it ours. And I really love decorating for the holidays. For example, when the first day of Fall rolls around I start decorating. And once October hits, I add even more fun Halloween pieces into the mix. Skulls, pumpkins, bats, you name it. And of course my favourite; a Kilner jar full of mellowcreme pumpkins (that will take me close to six months to finish). I hope you enjoy a look around our home!



Do you like decorating? What's your favourite holiday to decorate for? Let me know in the comments below! And if you'd like to see other areas of our home, let me know!
03 October 2017

Date Night: Ella's Folk Art Cafe

On Friday we had a little out of town date night. We hit up Ikea (yes, Ikea) and then went to Ella's Folk Art Cafe in Tampa. This was the third time Alex has taken me to Ella's. The first time we went was when we went to Comic Con and then we went again for my birthday last year. If you haven't been there before, and live in Central Florida, I highly suggest heading over there. Ella's has tons of artwork from local artists and even has live music. As for their food, we've never disappointed. This time we shared an order of the homemade black bean hummus. For dinner, I got the "The Wino" burger and Alex got the "Tuna Tartare Tacos" and "Rasta-Far-Fries". Luckily we got to sit outside - even though it was raining. It was pretty cool!


All in all, we had an extremely lovely time. There's also been talk about heading back there this coming Saturday with family. Fingers crossed that we get to eat their killer food again!