Sunkissed DIY: Distressed Jeans

Fall is here! Time to pull out the jeans, sweaters, leggings, & boots!

I love jeans, but I hate buying them! It takes me forever to find a pair that is comfortable AND fits me right. So, instead of going and buying a new pair of jeans, the other day I decided to take an older pair I had and give them a fun, new look! I've always had mixed feelings about jeans with holes in them, but recently I've been digging the style, so I decided to just make myself a pair! Didn't take that long at all, and turned out just how I had hoped!

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

1. A pair of jeans that you don't mind cutting up but still like the way they look on you
2. A box cutter or other really sharp blade
3. Sand paper (I didn't have any and didn't feel like going to the store, so I just used a pumice stone and it worked great!)
4. A thick piece of cardboard or card stock

WHAT YOU DO:

1. If you're not sure where your knee goes, just fold the pant leg in half, up to the crotch, and where the crease is in the leg is the section you're going to cut for the knee holes. Make a little box with a pencil, so you have some guidelines.
   
2. Grab that piece of cardboard and push it down into the leg until its laying right behind where you made your lines. This way the blade doesn't go through to the back of the leg!
   
3. Now, take your box cutter or blade and starting at the top line make a firm cut straight across the leg (leaving about an inch to the seam on either side). Keep making these cuts, leaving about 1/4 inch between each one, until you get to the bottom line that your drew. I made some cuts shorter than others, just to give the hole a more jagged edge.

It should look something like this!

4.  I also made some smaller cuts (as you can see in the photo above) above/to the side of the big ones, to add a little more natural wear and tear look to the pants. 

5.  Go ahead and do the same process on the other leg.

6.  I also wanted to make the bottoms of the pants and the pockets look worn as well, which you can do very easily:

• Cut the bottoms of the back of your pants just above the seam and use your sand paper or stone to wear down the seams, sides and very bottoms of the pants. Take the blade cutter and cut some horizontal slits right above where you cut the material off as well.
  
  
  
  

• Now, put the cardboard into the front pockets, one at a time, and make a few cuts, horizontal or vertical, on/around the pockets. Then take your sandpaper or pumice stone and wear down the edges of the pockets, around the fly and button, and anywhere else you want to take out some pent-up aggression!
  
  
  
  
  
• We can't forget about the back pockets! Remember the cell phone or lip gloss holes you got in your back pockets back in high school?! Ya, we wanna relive those days with these jeans. Make a few slits in the bottom corner (don't forget to put the cardboard as a shield first!), top corner, rub the sandpaper at the corner seams and across the top and boom, you're done-zo!
  
  
  
• You can also "sand-down" the belt loops, anywhere on the seams, on the pant leg seams, just basically wherever you want to add a little more wear and tear look!
• Now throw them in the wash and then dry completely - TWO TIMES for the best results!
• Put them on with a flowy tank or tee, some sandals or sturdy lace-up boots and you're ready to hit the town! Or just look at them and reminisce about your high school crush. :)
  

Until next time, keep dreaming. xoxo

Sunkissed Escapades: California Dreamin'

I know, I know...I haven't posted anything in a very long time.

I guess I've just been enjoying my summer too much to want to sit down and write something.

But, I finally got inspired today and I thought I'd share some of the 

fun adventures I've had the privilege of going on so far this summer. 

Although, I do basically live in the dead center of California's

hot and dry Central Valley, I've been able to get out a lot and go see my favorite places-

the sea and the mountains.

I am so very thankful that I am only a few short hours from both of these places.

The ocean makes me happy and content; the mountains, trees and fresh pine smell soothes my soul and makes me feel grateful to be living on this beautiful planet. 

This photo is actually from a little ranch nearby my home, I just thought it was so pretty.

It also perfectly portrays my hometown, that I'll always love. 

I went to visit a friend staying in Santa Cruz and spent all day at this beach, off of 26th avenue. 

The sky went from cloudy to sunny all day, 

but I wasn't complaining as long as there was soft sand under my toes.

These two photos are from Manresa State Beach, near Santa Cruz. I went there recently and went paddleboarding for the first time! I totally get what all the hype is about now! When you're so far out in the water and it's just quiet and peaceful, you can't help but just be happy about life. It's a great workout as well, all that balancing definitely works your core and leg muscles. We saw dolphins while we were out in the water too! 

It was such a beautiful day.

We rented the paddle boards from Capitola Surf and Paddle. The staff was super friendly and the boards were great! Check out their website right here and if you're in the area needing any board rentals I would highly recommend them!

Now, this is one of my favorite spots in the Sierra Nevada Mountains: Pinecrest Lake! I grew up coming here on family and church camping trips. My whole family spent all day swimming and playing in the water, 

kayaking, hiking, and picnicking by the lake. You can rent kayaks, paddleboats, speed boats, and party boats all right there at the dock for fairly reasonable prices.

This is a beautiful place and the water is clean and gets pretty warm during the summer! 

We stopped midway through our hike and did a little cliff jumping. 

It always takes me a little while to build up the courage to jump; 

but felt amazing once I landed in the deep, cool water.

(not quite sure what I was doing with my hands when I was jumping...)

PS: I'm wearing the Beach Riot Tarzan Top here...love it so much! Totally stays put and the back is to die for!

I never tire of the majestic redwood trees surrounding every 

road, pathway, cabin and house in that area.

There's a fun place on the lake where they have a bunch of huge logs floating and tied together; the challenge is to try and walk all the way out to the end of them without falling! 

Pretty difficult...we got almost the whole family to try it out!

This gorgeous piece of nor cal beach is a little less well known. It's just off the 1 North heading out of Santa Cruz, and is a little hike through some pretty terrain to get there, but well worth it! There was only like 10 other people there when  I went traipsing about it on this gorgeous day. 

I just love how the rock formation looks like a natural made lighthouse; 

I could have sat in this spot all day.

I took a trip to Yosemite last month and the drive there was literally just as awe-inspiring as the national park itself. We stopped the car atleast 5 times while driving there, just to get out and take in the gorgeous views.

These three photos are from Mono Lake, a place I had never heard of, but am so glad we came across! There's tons and tons of seagulls and other birds there, that claim all the little islands in the lake as their home. The reflection of the clouds on the lake was one of the prettiest things I'd ever seen and the tall, glorious mountains around it, just add to the overwhelming beauty of it all. 

We hiked to the top of Nevada Falls in Yosemite, its not too difficult and the trail up is right next to the waterfall, so you get a nice little cool-off from all the mist blowing in your face. 

The view from the top is obviously gorgeous and there's tons of little spots to take a load off and enjoy a snack and some drinks before heading back down, or (if you have the energy) continuing up to the next spot!

I went down to LA back in June to see a concert and the last night we were there, we headed over to Venice Beach for a little stroll and then drinks at this amazing bar/restaurant. Its called the High Rooftop Lounge; its on the roof of Hotel Erwin, right in the midst of all the Venice Beach action. 

The drinks are amazing, they have delicious appetizers to munch on, comfortable little booths with blankets for when the breeze picks up, and ofcourse the view is unbeatable! 

Best time to go is right around sunset, so you can catch the million dollar view like in the picture below. You can make a reservation here at their website, so you don't have to wait for a booth when you show up!

This little piece of heaven in the next few photos is just outside of Watsonville, out in the boondocks. We went driving through there on the way home, pulled over and walked down an empty road with a canopy of trees and vines. I felt like I was in a scene of Twilight or something! If you just stopped and stood there, you could literally hear nothing, except for the sound of birds chirping and wind whistling quietly through the trees. 

We climbed down into this little creek, crossed a moss covered log and did a little exploring. 

Its such a cool feeling to explore a place that you know very few people have wandered through. I couldn't help myself from just standing there and smiling. 

I'm a firm believer in the need to emerse yourself in nature's beauty, if not as much as possible, then at least every once in a while. It has a way of putting things into perspective, giving you a fresh outlook, 

and reminding you how beautiful life can be. 

Free mental therapy, you could say. 

So, if you haven't had the chance to do some "wanderlusting" lately, 

you need to before the seasons change again! 

Until next time, keep dreaming. xoxo

Sunkissed Playlist: Warm Summer Nights

Some chill tunes I've been listening to non-stop lately...

perfect for those warm summer nights, sitting outside, & enjoying the sunset.

1. CITY & COLOUR: "TWO COINS"
2. DAUGHTER: "SMOTHER"
3. THE ABASSI BROTHERS: "MR. BOE"
4. BON IVER: "HINNOM, TX - ED TULLET REMIX"
5. S. CAREY: "MARFA"
6. MS MR: "HURRICANE"
7. CHROMATICS: "I'M ON FIRE"
8. PACIFIC AIR: "FLOAT"
9. CITY & COLOUR: "THE GOLDEN STATE"
10. THE KILLERS: "HERE WITH ME"
11. DAUGHTER: "TOUCH"
12. OLIVER TANK: "LAST NIGHT I HEARD EVERYTHING IN SLOW MOTION"
13. BEN HOWARD: "BURGH ISLAND"
14. S. CAREY: "AVALANCHE"

I hope your ears enjoy these as much as mine do!

Until next time, keep dreaming. xoxo

Sunkissed Refresher: Get Away for a Day

Wouldn't we all love to be able to just get up

and go to some awesome place we've always wanted to see?

Hawaii, Vegas, New York, Italy, Fiji...wherever it is, sometimes it 

can get really expensive and you just get bummed out because maybe you can't afford it.

Well, why not just jump in your car and drive out in the country,

find a beach, some mountains, a little hole in the wall restaurant you've

heard good things about, go find a river or a lake, 

or a quiet town off the beaten track you've never been to.

Just going somewhere for the day, that doesn't cost you your life savings

or entire credit card balance, is so refreshing!

It gets you out of your funk, puts things back into perspective,

helps you to appreciate the life you have back at home. 

Maybe you'll meet a new person that inspires you,

see something that gives you hope if you're feeling down, 

or just be able to have some peaceful, alone time.

Stop waiting for something fun to happen, and go out 

and make it happen! Let the wind whip your hair and the the music

take you somewhere else, think about whatever you want or don't

think at all, forget about "real life" for a few hours and indulge in the moment.

Grab some friends or just jump in your car or on your bike and GO! 

Until next time, keep dreaming. xoxo

Sunkissed DIY: Bikini Tie*Dye

I had the intention of getting rid of some of my old bikinis 

the other day and came across this criss-cross top

that I wore all the time when I used to live in 

Costa Rica...its really faded in some parts

but I forgot how much I loved it!

So, instead of throwing it out, or giving it away,

I decided to try and revamp it a little.

A little tie dye can spice any article of clothing up,

so why not try it on a bikini, right?!

Then, I figured, while I was in my crafty mode,

I would try it with another just plain white bikini 

that I've had forever, but never really wear because

let's be honest, its pretty boring.

The whole process didn't take long at all,

and bam! 3 new bikini separates!

Here's what I did...

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

1. Bikini that's just a plain color, top or bottoms or both!

2. A bunch of little rubberbands

3. s-e-i tumble dye spray fabric dye. (Find it at Kmart, Michaels or any big craft store) I like this because you can just spray it on, and add colored texture to other parts of the fabric that you didn't tie up. They have different color packs, so pick one that will go with your bikini! You can also mix the colors together to create even more color options!

4. Newspaper or old towel that you don't mind getting stained.

WHAT YOU DO:

1. Twist and tie up sections of the bikini with rubber bands. I also tied all the bikini strings in knots, so I didn't have to put so many rubberbands everywhere.

2. Lay the bikini on that newspaper or towel cuz it's gonna get messy. 

3. Spray as much or as little on the spots that you've tied up; then go around to the other spots and just spritz them with color to add some more fun designs to the rest of the bikini fabric. 

4. Let it sit for about 10-15 minutes so the dye dries up. Then wash your hands so you don't get that paint all over everything you touch! (This stuff comes off your hands pretty easy, that's also why I like it so much.)

5. Take all the rubberbands off the bikini and let it hang dry for another 20 minutes.

6. Place the bikini(s) in the dryer on medium heat for 20 minutes to set the dye.

7. Ba-da-bing, ba-da-boom! Brand new, super fresh, super cool lookin 'kini! 

Until next time, keep dreaming. xoxo

Sunkissed Solution: Run Away

Run run run away!

No, I'm not talking about running away from your problems,

your life, your fears or challenges...

just running. =)

Feeling your feet fly across the ground beneath you,

feeling the cool or warm breeze in your face,

the power and strength of your own body moving you forward,

blasting some good tunes in your ears or sometimes turning it down so you can 

hear the sounds of the world around you (or the car that's about to run

into you because they're not paying attention).

For me, a good run ALWAYS makes me feel better.

Life can get out of control and uncertain, but 

when you put your mind and will-power into running a certain distance,

you're in complete control of yourself and you feel powerful

and self-assured and confident!

And, who wouldn't want to feel that way?!

I understand that sometimes "just" jogging isn't enough.

Ya, if you're trying to beef up, lose a 

reasonable amount of weight, or work on certain "problem" areas,

you obviously would need to incorporate weight lifting,

diet changes, etc...but if you are consistent and goal-oriented about

your runs and keep pushing yourself, I believe it can do the trick for ya!

So, I made a little list of how

running can benefit you, alot of them are common 

sense for most of us, 

but some may surprise you:

• Makes you healthier in general: increases your lung function, raise levels of good cholesterol, boosts your immune system, reduces your chances of getting blood clots.
• Strengthens your ticker: all that blood pumping when you're gettin' your jog on helps your arteries keep their elasticity and keeps your heart in good working order!
• Burns calories (duh!): the heavier you are, the more calories you'll burn when you run; but that just means that as you lose weight, you push yourself to go farther, faster, harder...you get it.
• Ego-booster: when you're setting goals about how far or often you run, and you accomplish those, you feel soooo darn good that you can't keep from giving yourself a little pat on the back....or 2 or 3.
• Relieve stress, depression, all those bad vibes: if I'm having a bad or stressful day, just going on even a short jaunt will make the world of a difference in my mind set. Running forces your body to exert that energy on pushing yourself forward, making your body go go go; so those hormones that are causing you to feel down, angry, sad, annoyed, etc. are being put to use for your good, and they kinda forget why they were making you feel bad to start with!
• Running will help you sleep better, be less likely to get headaches, strengthen your body, give you more energy, help you focus, and just seems to make you a more positive, upbeat person in general! 

So, grab your kicks and hit the road!

Check out this site and this one too for more info.

Until next time, keep dreaming. xoxo

Sunkissed Thoughts: To Live

My thoughts on what it means "to live"...

Until next time, keep dreaming. xoxo