Still Wondering What to Get Loved Ones For XMas? Read On!

So it is really close to the holiday and for those of you that have yet begin to start your Christmas shopping and need some ideas, well here is one that I have done/made and it is a great neutral gift for basically anyone.

They are picture tile coasters. I've made some for my mother, best friend and boyfriends family and for those of you that are not artsy or crafty, this project is easy and quick to do (not to mention very affordable if you're trying to stick to a budget).

First  you will need to gather all of the materials

1) Tile:(you can get this from Lowe's for .16-.33 cents a piece, I got mine for .10 cents
Mod Podge (they have this at Michael's or Walmart for about $5-$6, and I used the Matte finish but you can use either the Matte finish or the Gloss)  

2) A brush to paint with: (You can get these at the dollar tree or dollar store for $1 and usually the pack will come with 5 or 6 brushes)

3) Picture Paper: (I got my picture paper from the dollar tree and it came with 8 long sheets of paper for $1 and depending on how many coasters you are going to make, is the amount of paper you need to get)

4) Felt Pads: ($2 and use these for the back of the tiles so the coasters don't damage where every they are and they slide more easily)

5) Finally, You will need Krylon Acrylic Clear Spray: (this can be found at home depot for $3 and I used the Glossy finish)

Step By Step Instructions:

1. First pick out the pictures that you want, resize them on your computer to a 4x4 size because that is the size of the tiles, then cut them out
2. Also make sure that you have lots of newspaper covering whichever table you choose to work on because the Mod Podge can get a little bit messy!
3. Second, take a layer of Mod Podge put it on the tile, then put the picture on top and do another layer of Mod Podge on top and this will seal the photo in, and when you are applying the Mod Podge make sure you are doing in a left to right motion.
4. Then you let the first layer dry for about 15 minutes and you apply another layer, you want to make sure you get 4-5 solid layers and then you just let it dry overnight.
5. The next day you want to use the Krylon Acrylic Spray and spray the tiles, let them dry 15 minutes and reapply the spray again, make sure that you spray the tile 3-4 times for best results, this makes sure that the tile will be waterproof! 
6. Finally when the tiles are all done and dry you want to take the felt pads and put them at the back of the tiles!!

Here is a sample tile that I made for my mom one of the four

And that is it! It is a great project that you can do with your friends, family or children! And they go a long way because they are personally made! 

Another additional thing that I did was make a gift basket, with some mugs and other little things including the tiles wrapped with some ribbon on them and they look fantastic! So I hope that you've enjoyed this little craft and that you get the chance of doing it! Have a Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year!!

XOXO Fon

Friends vs. Relationships

Hey Guys!

So first of all let me say to those that are done, congrats! You have made it through another semester in college, whether it was passing all your classes and looking forward to the next ones, or finishing up your last classes as an undergraduate student! All the hard work pays off in the end! So something that has been on my mind today are relationships. The big question being: what’s the right balance to finding time for your friends, family and loved ones? Well there is no simple answer to this question, but what I can tell you is that there should be some sort of balance, because blowing your friends off just because your boyfriend of husband is around is not the smoothest move, because eventually your friends will get fed up with it and when things go for the worse, they might not be there. If a guy is being possessive over you and does not want you to hang out with your friends because they’re a “bad influence” then you need to start seeing the clearer picture. Either they really are a bad influence or this is just the beginning of a stereotypical possessive relationship. When the person being controlled in the relationship drops everyone and everything, they are not the only people getting hurt. Friendships are like relationships and if you have true friends there is nothing wrong with hanging out with them, even when your boyfriend is around. And by hanging out I mean going to the mall together, or the gym, or even sometimes having a girl’s night downtown. Going downtown isn’t an excuse for flirting and meeting other guys. Girls need that time out with their friends just like guys love watching football with their friends every Sunday. It’s a form of socializing and getting some space so you don’t always feel surrounded by your significant other. So guys or girls please don’t be insecure that just because you’re boyfriend or girlfriend isn’t spending 24/7 with you they are going to cheat on you. It’s healthy to hang out with your friends and family, and if you don’t feel that way then you are not in a healthy relationship. You don’t want to hurt your friends feelings by showing them that the only time you are available is when their partner is unavailable, because then your friends will just feel “used.” So I hope that if you have read this and you feel that in some sort of way this applies to you then by all means I hope that you can change, not for your friends but for yourself, because not only will you have a wonderful relationship with your partner but also you will not loose those around you that you have made memories and have been there for you since day one! Have a wonderful day and I will blog to you guys soon!

XOXO Fon

A Start From The Beginning

So today is my first actual day on the blog, and if you haven't read my about me yet I want to let you guys know that I will be talking about everything from love, relationships, politics, friendships, fashion, advice and much much much more! Basically it will be an inside scoop on my world and my views. So today I am going to discuss final exams, yes we have all heard about them and dread them. Last night as I stayed up with some friends, we a conversation about what it really meant to take these "final exams." Whether we are actually learning something or we are just staying up late hours to memorize something that we will soon forget 48 hours after taking the test. We came to a conclusion that yes, teachers do want us to learn something but at the same time they just want us to memorize whatever it is they want us to "know." I feel like it would be much more effective if teachers used different methods for their exams. For example, writing an essay on what we have learned in the course and how we will apply the learned material throughout our lives. But this will not happen because this way of testing is too easy and teachers have the need to ask ridiculous questions about things we will never recite again. As if the stress about it wasn't enough. I hope that all of you guys survive the last week of finals and I'm sure all those hours of not getting any sleep to study will pay off in the end. So good luck, make sure you breathe, and hold your head high! Oh and if you haven't gotten any motivation left for studying anymore here is a little video of encouragement that will definitely motivate you once again:)! Exam Motivation Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRfoFGGyRvU

XOXO Fon