Books I Really Wanna Read

1. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

2. Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Nigffenegger

3. Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

4. I Heart New York by Lindsey Kelk

5. I Heart Hollywood by Lindsey Kelk

6. I Heart Paris by Lindsey Kelk

7. Swimming Pool Sunday by Madeleine Wickham

8. The Tennis Party by Madeleine Wickham

9. Last Night at Chateau by Lauren Weisberger

10. Everyone Worth Knowing by Lauren Weisberger

11. Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding

12. Bridget Jones: Edge of Reason by Helen Fielding

These are the books on my Kindle wish list, and I am having samples sent to me all the time. Do you guys have any suggestions to add to my list? Have you read any of the books already on it? What do you think?

Happy Sunday!

S

Fantastic Friday

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Happy Friday, everyone! Aren't these donuts pretty? It's almost girly time for me, and all I have been thinking about is deliciously awful for me chocolatey donuts, cakes, cookies, and brownies. Of course, I have restrained myself. Eating spoonfuls of natural crunchy peanut butter helps a little ;)

Nick and I have a dream of opening a cafe somewhere (and calling it something ridiculous like Cafe Ristorante or Bistro Cafe... repetitive and redundant..) and selling coffee and tea and hot cocoa and delicious vegetarian and vegan dishes and deserts. I hope it comes true, someday, although with perhaps a fancier name! 

I was having a pretty poopy week up until today, but it's finally Friday and I am really excited for this weekend. I have work all day long tomorrow, and then an outing with some really awesome people tomorrow night at Hofbrauhaus, our local German beer house! They have delicious fried pickles and sauerkraut and potato pancakes.... I can't wait!! 

I have been feeling pretty crafty lately, and ever since Nick bought a glass bead making kit, it's been inspiring me to do a little more. He's doing really great at it, and I can't wait to show some photos of the beads he's making! SO fun. 

I hope all of you have a great weekend! 

Stephanie

Wednesday Wonders v.11

This Wednesday I wanted to try something a little different! Here are a few awesome photos I found via weheartit, as well as some google searches. At the bottom are some links that I want to share that are fun spots around the internet! 

[something we should all live by]

[valentine's day is coming... soon!!]

[I wanted a peacock tattoo for the longest time. This one is gorgeous]

[Hogwarts, FTW. Can't wait until HP7 part 2!!]

1. Postsecret - I am sure many of you are already familiar with Postsecret, but I have been reading this blog since high school, and it never gets old. New secrets are uploaded every Sunday, and they never fail to make you think. 

2. Facebook Profile Picture map - what does your profile picture say about you? ;)

3. When I get sad - I think about Neil Patrick Harris. 

4. Tea Bag Coasters - Do you drink tea? If you have been following Femmena Mala for a while, you know that I love tea. I would love to have a tea bag that does this! 

Happy Wednesday, friends! 

xo

searching for inspiration...

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I have been abnormally absent from the blog lately, and am not really sure why. School this quarter has been... exhausting and stressful. To say the least. With eight weeks left of the quarter and simultaneously the last eight weeks of my college career and it's starting to hit me how on my own I'll be on March 19th!

I have also been getting many more hours at work lately, and it's been totally kicking my butt. Needless to say, the blog has fallen a little to the wayside, but I promise I am trying my hardest to stay present! Sometimes a girl gets just a little overwhelmed. 

Guillermo has been using his leg SO much since the twist tie incident when the vet stretched his leg and taught us some useful exercises. We are thinking that he won't need physical therapy as we originally thought. So, yay! 

I'll be back a little later today with some Wednesday Wonders for you! 

Bloggin' Ladies: Susannah Bean

This week's bloggin' lady is my new friend and pen pal, Susannah! She is the sweetest and most helpful girl around. Take a moment to get to know her! <3

Name+Age+Site/Blog Susannah/24/susannahbean.com

What is something interesting about you? I have no "name" names. My first name is a song, my middle name is a vegetable, and my last name is a bird.

Why did you begin blogging? I started with Livejournal in high school because my friends were using it. Over the years my relationship with blogging has changed, from a place to lurk to a place to document my knitting projects, and eventually on to a place where I can talk about what I do and what I like, and where I can meet people who are into the same kind of things as I am. I love that I've made some amazing friends through blogging, and it's honestly made me more confident in myself!

How long have you been blogging? Technically six years or so, but I've only been serious about it and pleased with my blogging life in the last year.

Who is your inspiration for writing? My blog is very much a place for me. I vent, I daydream, and I share things I like. I definitely talk to my boyfriend Chris about my blog a lot, and I love getting his opinion, but usually I just do what I want anyway! I guess I blog for my future self (and maybe one day my kids!). I love the idea of having this little virtual time capsule where I'll be able to look back and see how I was feeling or what I wore on a particular day.

Where do you get your ideas? Everywhere! A color, a song, my cat, my shoes... Anything and everything! Other bloggers are definitely an inspiration. I love how much I am exposed to just by reading other people's blogs. 

Do you have any advice that you want to share with fellow lady bloggers? I would say that being genuine is the most important part of blogging. Don't be afraid to be emotional! Blogging isn't a popularity contest. There will be people who don't like you or your blog, and they might be rude about it, but that's just comes with the territory. Don't let it discourage you! My biggest pet peeve is when people expect to get stuff because they blog, or are greedy about things.

What is one thing you are looking forward to most in your future (blog or otherwise)?

I'm looking forward to a super fun roadtrip coming up in March, listing a line of summer accessories in my Etsy shop, and seeing what this year has in store for me!

[Thanks, Susannah! <3]

Lonely Toothbrush

Remember the time I posted about a snow day? Well. It turns out that Nick couldn't get his at-home set up to work from home. So he has to go all the way to Mason. And since the weather is only supposed to get worse? He has to take one of the offered hotel rooms tonight, so that he can make it to work in the morning. This means Guillermo and I are settling in for the long haul all by ourselves until tomorrow night. Sad face. At least I have a multitude of Grey's and Kindle books to keep me occupied! Hope your snow day is turning out better!

Snow Day!

Today is a snow day, meaning that I still had to go to class. BUT Nick gets to work from home, which means we hang out at his dad's house allll day while Guillermo plays and I watch an entire season of Grey's Anatomy on Netflix. It's FINALLY on instant play, which I have been waiting for for months!

At first I had planned for today to write a book review but I really don't feel like it right now. HA! So, instead I am going to tell you about the book I just started:

This book is by the same author as The Devil Wears Prada, which I loved and have read twice. [The movie is also awesome!] I've heard that this book of Lauren Weisberger's will also be turned into a movie in the near future! I am neglecting reading a bit because of Grey's, but this one is a really fun and easy read. I ordered the sample on my Kindle before purchasing the entire thing, just to make sure I'd want to read it, and just the first chapter was really good!

By the way, if you have a Kindle, I would highly suggest taking advantage of the sample feature! Sometimes I hear about a book, and rather than waiting to look into it until after I finish my current read, I'll just hop online and order the sample for later. This is awesome because it not only allows me to read a little before committing to the 7 or 8 dollars the entire book will cost, but it's a fail safe way to remember all of the books I want to read! 

Also, I won this painting over at Much Love, Illy, yesterday! I am so excited. The painting is by Lindsey from Aisle to Aloha, and it's so pretty!! [you can check out her shop, here!]

This is also really convenient because I have been throwing the idea around of getting an ampersands tattoo next. Love this, and can't wait to hang it up! :) 

Happy snow day, friends!!

xoxo S

Bloggin' Ladies: SrslyLiz

Name+Age+Site/Blog: Hullo. My name is Liz & I'm a fancy nerd who writes over at srslyliz.com

What is something interesting about you? Most people don't realize I'm 100% Mexican and are even more surprised to find out I'm fluent in Spanish.

Why did you begin blogging? I started blogging in general as a way to express myself through writing. I've always loved journaling {I can't tell you how many embarrassing diaries I have from being a kid} and blogging gave me the opportunity to do just that in a community-based environment.

How long have you been blogging? I've been blogging for over 10 years, which is so crazy to think about. I started out on Teen Open Diary, spent a few years on Live Journal, ventured into Myspace and then finally to a self-hosted WordPress site when I started getting more into web & graphic design.

Who is your inspiration for writing? 

I'm not usually inspired by a specific person but rather by music, other bloggers/writers, specific events in my life, etc. 

Where do you get your ideas? My best ideas all come from the same place--the shower! Srsly. It's my favourite place to think.

Do you have any advice that you want to share with fellow lady bloggers? My advice to bloggers in general is to just be yourself. This can be tricky in The Blogosphere specifically because of similar interests but I personally appreciate people who put their own spin on things instead of just being more or less the same. Be yourself and own it. It will shine through in your writing/blog.

What is one thing you are looking forward to most in your future (blog or otherwise)? Since the decision my boyfriend and I made to move to Seattle this summer, it's all I can think about! We are so very excited to explore a new city together and spread our wings a bit.

[Thanks, Liz! <3]

Reviews, Opinions, and Other Things

Hello, friends! I have a couple of ideas for the blog, and I really want your opinions! I'll have a couple little blurbs about each, and then you please tell me what you think in the comments? Be honest! Femmena Mala is mostly my space to get out my words, but also a little your space to read about something you like, so I'm really interested in what you've got to say!

1. Book reviews? 

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You know I love to read, and I find a lot of really awesome, fun books via my Kindle and Amazon's suggestions, as well as by reading other blogs that offer awesome reading suggestions. I have seen book reviews done on other blogs and I always end up adding a book or two to my list of "to-reads". Would this interest you guys? I know that all of you aren't readers, and this probably wouldn't even turn out to be a weekly feature by any means, but I think it could be really fun! 

In addition to that, if anyone has read a really awesome book that you think I might enjoy, or want to see reviewed on the blog, I would be MORE than happy to look into it and see if it's something I might want to read from beginning to end! 

2. Product reviews?

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This is something that would really require your help/collaboration. I know that a lot of you have etsy/big cartel shops that you might be trying to promote, and while Femmena Mala is far too small to begin sponsorships, if there is anyone who has a product/shop that they would love to have some exposure for, I am throwing the idea around of doing product reviews! I think it would be fun to help you guys gain some exposure and some customers through Femmena Mala, and if you're interested, please leave a comment with your feedback! 

****

In other news, I found these the other evening and am excited to learn that two of them still mostly work! Being an Apple fan, I could never get rid of my old iPods, and hopefully I can get them back into complete working order! I love my pretty red one, from the second newest generation of nanos, but The oldest iPod (with a click-wheel!) is my all time favorite. The only problem is that it freezes frequently. Any ideas? (p.s. I'm totally a Verizon customer and cannot wait to get an iPhone. eeee!!!)

Nick and I are finally going to see HP #7 today with Lynzie and Brandon. I finished the series, and while I am really sad to be done (again) I really feel like it was the perfect ending of the series. Seriously, J.K. Rowling is my fave. If you were wondering, in the fall, when we can move into a bigger apartment, we plan on getting Guillermo a brother and last night we spent the car ride home from dinner (Indian food!) throwing around all of the Harry Potter inspired names (Remus, Rubeus, Sirius, Fenrir, Grindelwald, Bilius) we might consider for our future puppy son #2! 

Happy Sunday!

<3

Stylish Blogger Award

Remember that time I won the Stylish Blogger Award from TWO of my awesome friends? Well, that was this week. First of all. I didn't even know this existed, and I think it's an awesome way to give a little confidence booster to others! AND a perfect way to share the love in the blogosphere. So, a HUGE thank you to Jen from lifespelledJEN and also Daphne from Oh, That's Nice (which is an awesome blog name, bee tee dub). ;) <3 you, ladies!!

Here are the criteria for the award. I have to:


1. Thank and link back to the person who gave you the award. (see above)
2. Share 7 things about yourself. (see below)
3. Award to 15 recently discovered bloggers. (see below)
4. Contact these bloggers and tell them about this award. (done and done!)

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Here are the 15 awesome bloggers that I would like to give the award to! 

1. Suburban Sweetheart
2. Lollipop Loves
3. pardon my ffrench
4. travelgirl
5. Much Love, Illy
6. Strataflora
7. Harper's Happenings
8. windshield diaries
9. Little Ocean Annie
10. A Spoonful of Love
11. THE LOUDMOUTH
12. Bows & Sparrows
13. Born of the Sea
14. This Military Mama
15. She Breathes Deeply

Happy Thursday! <3

heart.

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Guys?

I'm bored.

Link your blog in the comments?

I need to have something to DO.

What better than to get to know you?!

Love,

Stephanie

What Guillermo Wore. (Or "The time Guillermo was a model.")

Photo dump of the cutest puppy in the world, wearing the most epic sweater, ever. You're welcome. :)
Initially I had an itch to do a "What I Wore" post, today. But alas, I tried to take some pictures and I just wasn't feelin' them. So, you get a "What Guillermo Wore" post, instead. Better? I think yes.

epic sweater: WalMart Pet Section, $5

cuteness: God given. ;)

Happy Wednesday, friends!

Bloggin' Ladies: Pardon My Ffrench

Name+Age+Site/Blog

Jaelynn|21 years old| http://pardonmyffrench.blogspot.com & http://www.closetmob.com

What is something interesting about you?

I know sign language- not fluently, but I can definitely hold a conversation. I am actually a huge lover of sign language and the whole deaf community.  It’s such an amazing, beautiful language and I really want to get my certificate in sign language within this next year.

 

Why did you begin blogging?  

I constantly have ideas, photos, thoughts and random obsessions that I would want to share with everyone- when I discovered blogging, I realized that I could do just that. It was an online journal- a nook in the vast world of the internet that I could call my own. This excited me and I was instantly hooked. I’ve always loved web design and even took a few courses in high school and college to further my knowledge in it. My blog then became my own ever-changing portfolio of work to share with all my readers.  (Not to mention my overwhelming amount of photos)

How long have you been blogging?

I started blogging in February of 2008 on a different blog that I ended up abandoning in June of 2009- to start pardonmyffrench.  I’ve been blogging there ever since.

Who is your inspiration for writing?

I would be lying if I tried to pin most of my inspiration on someone else other than myself. I’m not trying to be conceited in anyway- I am just a very self-driven person with a lot to say.  I do however look to my mother A LOT for inspiration and we tend to bounce ideas/creativity off each other constantly.

Where do you get your ideas?

Most of my ideas for new crafts/projects can be inspired from things I find that I end up saying; “I could make that!” I tend to say that often on the urban outfitters store/website. As for blogging ideas- it’s all about what’s going on in my life currently.  It could be a range of things from a type of shoe I’m obsessing about to a new favorite band. Whatever it is- I love sharing it with all of my readers.

Do you have any advice that you want to share with fellow lady bloggers?

My biggest advice is to BE YOU. One of the most annoying things a blogger can do- is reblog what everyone else is blogging about. Always keep in mind that people subscribe to your blog for a reason and it’s probably not because you like what all 100 other top bloggers like. If you aren’t actually obsessed with cupcakes or owls – then don’t be. Blog about what YOU are actually obsessed about. You would be surprised to find how happy and proud of your blog you’ll end up being.

What is one thing you are looking forward to most in your future (blog or otherwise)?

I’m always looking forward to the next steps in my life. I have a lot of goals for my online shop- closetmob.com. It’s truly a never ending experience and I would love to one day even share a giant studio space with foundandmade.com where we can have amazing photoshoots, create new product constantly and  continuously grow as companies with the support of each other.  I’m also hoping for a fun road trip out to San Francisco or Oregon this next spring/summer.  Oh, and saving up for a new fancy camera. : )

epiphany

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Remember that time I was a student teacher? Remember that time that it was absolutely horrible in every conceivable way? You may have [or more likely, may not have] realized that I haven't posted about, or even so much as mentioned, student teaching in any way since I finished it. Want to know why? Read on.

Since I have completed student teaching, I whole-heartedly feel that student teachers need a de-briefing period. During this time, they should be required to leave the state/country/their normal habitat in order to regain the personality that they entered the semester-long enslavement that is a footstep to completing higher education.

I realized, after having one of the worst weeks that I have had in a long time this past week, that I don't remember really feeling as much emotion as I have in the past five days since I began at WHEHS in August 2010. By the end of that semester, I was quite possibly the most dull, complacent, numb person you'd have met. I felt completely unsatisfied by anything and everything. Nothing stimulated me; not reading, not writing, not even the Christmas season (at least as much as it usually does). I even started to feel like I wanted to be alone. All the time. As in completely alone. Guys? This is sad. 


Fortunately, yesterday this all hit me. I realized that I had a bad week because I was finally starting to feel like a normal person again. I used to get a little sad when I spent a day by myself. I used to count down the hours until Nick came home from work. I used to find things to do outside of the house just to be around people. I am finally starting to do these things, again. So, yay!! This is really great news, even though it took a really horrible week to realize it. It also got me thinking about how strange it was that I hadn't posted a single thing about student teaching since it ended, and how I had no idea what to even say about it.  So there's that. Now it's all out on... er... blogger. ;)

In other, un-realted, news....*

I haven't been able to wear this shirt (thrifted) since 2009. WIN.

Seriously one of my favorite shirts, ever. And even better? It was 50 cents!

Definitely going to keep on this road I've been on. 15 pounds down, 12 to go!

Nick took this picture of Guillermo and me one night after we fell asleep on the couch. :)

Sure, I look absolutely ridiculous, but I think puppy cuddles are one of the best parts of my day. 

Happy Monday :) Have a great week, friends!

It's FINALLY Saturday.

I just need to take a second to acknowledge the huge sigh of relief I had at the thought of this week finally being over. For some reason, it just seemed like everything that could possibly go wrong this week, did. I am so happy it's Saturday and that I get to spend the weekend with my boys!

Yesterday, my best friend, Lauren, brought her puppy, Penny, over to have a play date with Guillermo. Lately, Guillermo has been really lethargic and depressed, and when he's not, he's shredding tissues or chewing socks, or stealing the unopened box of toothpaste that was not-so-safely stowed on the bottom shelf in the bathroom... and I really think this all comes down to being lonely! He's really not alone too terribly much, most of the time between 6-8 hours a day, and that's even in pieces. He needs constant attention and does whatever he can (see above) to get our hands and eyes on him! So, I decided to start getting him out more + around Penny to get some of that energy out. Here are some pictures from yesterday :)

I think they spent a good three hours tumbling around the living room, chasing each other, and wrestling. And when Penny went home? Guillermo STILL wanted to play tug... At least he's cute :) 

In other news, I FINALLY began Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and I am most excited about this one because the first time I read it, I was borrowing the book from my mom, so I SPED through it, and hardly remember anything that happened. [spoiler alert] And let me just say that I shed tears when Hedwig died..... tears. 

Unfortunately, and although I am trying my hardest to savor the HP books while I am still in the mood to re-read them, I am itching to read the many books I got for Christmas. I have so many sitting on my bookshelf just waiting to be opened, and about 10+ more that I have planned for my Kindle. I honestly cannot WAIT to read some of them, and I plan on putting a post together sometime soon about my Kindle plans :) 

Also, remember this boy? 

Well, he's amazing. Last night was pretty much a culmination of a pretty crappy week for both of us, and when I got home from work at midnight, of course all we could think to do was have a stupid argument. Then, he woke up with me at 7:30 AM and drove me to work, and then went and got brand new tires for my car without even telling me. Seriously. What did I do to get so lucky? And his birthday is coming soon! I have big plans :) shhh...!*

Happy Saturday! 

A couple things...

Firstly, I wanted to say "Hello!" to some new readers friends I have noticed around here! I am really happy to have you guys! 

Please comment, email, tweet, facebook etc etc etc to your heart's desire! Take a second to introduce yourself and leave a link to your blog/shop if you have one; I'd love to check it out! You can also get to know the girl behind Femmena Mala. There are some awesome tabs at the top for your reading pleasure. Most importantly, check out the Bloggin' Ladies series that I have been doing on some other awesome ladies across the web.

Secondly, Crystal from Domestic, But not Martha is hosting a benefit auction called Miracles for Mason for her best friend who has a son in need! You can read the entire story here. I donated a Bath & Body gift set that you can check out here. There are tons of other prizes, so please take a second to over them and perhaps bid on something to make yours!! <3

Here's to hoping Friday is awesome :) Good night! xo

winter blues

I had a really great idea for a "remember that time..." blog post in my head last night, and then when I logged on to do it, Blogger wouldn't work? Well, that was last night. It turns out that it didn't matter too much because I ended up getting REALLY sick last night out of no where. All the sudden I had a migraine and horrid stomach cramps (which, incidentally, also happened on NYE... is it going around?) I ended up falling asleep halfway through the first episode of Friday Night Lights that Nick and I were watching, and then going to bed way early. And of course, today, I have [the other kind of] yucky cramps. This is not my week, apparently! 

weheartit

Has anyone (besides Ilene) felt the winter blues lately? It seems like I have. Especially since being back on campus, where I am generally a loner, I tend to get a little sad during the cold season. I also tend to second guess myself a lot during this time of year, as well as being much more critical of myself than usual. How do you guys tend with winter blues? <3

Also, today I had an appointment to get my eyebrows waxed (as I do every four weeks) and I totally missed it. They just called all "we had you down for a 2:15 wax today and it's now 2:25." UGH. Stupid week, when will you end!!

Also, also, guess what I just had to take away from my Chihuahua? A TUBE OF TOOTHPASTE. Yes, that's right, Crest Whitening Formula (we do what we can), still in the box. I have a feeling that had he eaten said tube of toothpaste, he would have had SERIOUS health problems. I don't understand him one bit. He is now trying to figure out how to get the blanket off the back of the couch so he can take a nap. Silly dog.

I apologize for ranting to those of you who read this entire post. Hopefully expelling said rant will get it out of my system! Luckily, Nick and I have pretty awesome plans for the rest of the weekend. On Saturday, I have to work 8-2, but then we are heading to the outlet mall to pick up some shirts for him, and maybe a new bag for me! And, as it turns out, through working at PetsMart, I get a free, 8-week puppy training course! I got Guillermo signed up (hopefully to work on his eating un-natural things & resource guarding problem) to start this Sunday. We are really excited to see how much he will learn!

Hey, weekend! You can come any time! 

Hope everyone has a fantastic rest of the week, and an even better weekend!

xoxo S