Cassie DeNisco

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Life Updates!

puppy life updates

Wow I can hardly believe that we’re halfway through October so I decided it was time to do some life updates. Seriously can’t figure out why time moves so quickly. We’ve had Sky now for 3 full weeks and I honestly am absolutely in love. She is the most perfect pup and I am so impressed with her intelligence.

Overall, she’s doing really well with potty training. We only have accidents in the house once every few days and she really knows when she needs to go out. One of our biggest challenges is still putting her in the crate overnight. I know that it’s best for her but she cries so much. I would let her sleep on my bed with me but I’m worried she might fall off and my bed is quite high off the ground. We also don’t totally trust her yet for that long without going potty, and I don’t think I even want to imagine cleaning up that mess. Other than that we are doing great and she seriously is such a fun puppy to have!

In other news in life updates, I have also accepted an internship. I’m currently working with a digital marketing agency and I absolutely love it. It’s exactly what I want to be doing. I am so lucky that I was able to find something with such flexible hours and so close to home. I’ve also been with this internship now for about 3 weeks and I feel like I’ve learned a lot. At the same time, I also am working on the skills I already had.

Digital marketing is basically what I do for this blog. From writing and designing websites to promoting it on social media, in a sense I’m my own marketing person. I think it’s so cool that this is actually a job that people have because it’s fascinating. I work on the social team so I get to create graphics for Instagram and come up with captions. There’s a lot of hashtag research involved as well which is something I can apply to my own blog and posts.

With all that is going on in my life I definitely have had moments that I feel overwhelmed. I actually wrote a blog post about all of this change as it was happening. Although, I just didn’t share the details but you can read it here. I was doubting myself for so long and now that I’ve let go I am seriously so happy. Friends in life come and go but you have to be your own cheerleader 100% of the time. I really was able to learn that this year and I know how capable I am of handling any type of situations. 2019 so far has been a crazy year and I can only imagine where else it will take me.

Hope you enjoyed reading my life updates. Stay tuned for more because 2019 is not over yet and there’s still so much more to come!

Sky’s Instagram: liifewithsky

Homemade Halloween Costumes

It’s officially spooky season and Halloween is right around the corner. Halloween is absolutely my most favorite time of year because you can dress up however you want without any judgement. Every year I really try to step up my Halloween costume game but I’ve noticed that the best costumes are the ones that are usually homemade. Often the costumes you get at like Target or Party City don’t really fit right and leave you looking awkward. At least if you make your own, you can make sure that it looks exactly how you would like it too. Here’s a list of some of the homemade Halloween costumes you could do this year!

Wonder Woman

wonder woman homemade halloween costume

This might be one of my all time favorite costumes ever. It was made entirely from clothing that I had from home. I used a red leotard and blue tutu that I already had. All I needed was to just purchase the gold and white sticky foam from my local craft store. For the crown, I got it at my local craft store as well and just used paper cups for the cuff. I seriously love this costume because it looks so cute and it was actually so easy to create.

Black Widow

black widow and captain america homemade halloween costume

Even more basic, Black Widow is so easy to put together. I had black pieces already in my closet and just paired them together. Not only does it look cute, but it matched Jordan’s super hero shirt so it looked like we somewhat arranged our costumes together.

Minnie Mouse

mickey and minnie mouse homemade halloween costume

Probably one of my most reused costumes is my mini mouse costume. I just took a basic black bodysuit and paired it with a red tutu. I hot glued some white dots onto the tutu and then purchased on https://www.amazon.com?&_encoding=UTF8&tag=cassiedenisco-20&linkCode=ur2&linkId=549fed78305062f349cfa43d83bc06c7&camp=1789&creative=9325">amazonAmazon some Minnie Mouse accessories. This costume is so timeless because she’ll never go out of style and is perfect if you’re looking to do a family or group costume.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

ninja turtles homemade halloween costume

This costume wasn’t for Halloween but we did do it for my cousins birthday party. We just went out and purchased the Ninja turtle shirt and then paired it with black leggings. I made sure to get the same color fabric for all the arms, legs, and eye ties. My family also used an aluminum foil turkey tray and spray painted it brown for the shell. This was such an easy costume to put together but is one that seriously was one of my favorites.

Clearly you can tell I take my Halloween costumes very seriously. I start planning them over the summer so that I have time to gather everything. Making homemade Halloween costumes really just adds to the fun of the season. Let me know in the comments below your Halloween costume plans this year!

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How I Let Self-Doubt Hold Me Back

I think for most of us, we’re our own worst enemies when it comes to self-doubt not feeling good enough for the things in our life. For myself, I know that I easily could let my stress and anxiety about change and new experiences control my life but I try my hardest to not let it. Letting things that scare you control your life isn’t a healthy way to live but a lot of us decide to not overcome the things that stress us out.

Self- doubt has been a huge factor in my life and honestly has controlled some of the decisions I have made. I often feel either not worthy enough for the things in my life or I let the fear of the unknown consume me. It often consumes me so much that I sometimes won’t do certain things or will not go all out in situations that I really would have liked to. I know for a fact if I started truly believing in myself whole-heartedly, I wouldn’t be as anxious of a person as I am.

For a little context, I used to think I was just an extremely indecisive person. Once I dove deeper and tried to get to the root of my problems, I realized that I just wait for “signs” on how to handle situations and and make decisions that may or may not come. And if they don’t come, I let fear take over and not do whatever it is I really want to do. It literally took me almost 22 years of my life to realize this but once I got to the root of my indecisiveness, I realized it was my own self-doubt that was holding me back.

This week alone I have had to make some major “big girl” decisions for myself and I almost talked myself out of them, even though they were things that I really wanted. Just take a moment to think about that, I almost let two amazing opportunities pass me by because I was scared. It was comforting to know that I had other people’s support no matter what I did but ultimately it had to be me making the decision as to whether or not I would pursue these things. Although I’m super nervous, I know that I just need to in a sense rip the bandaid off and get to it.

Having the courage to fight yourself in situations is definitely not easy but is so necessary if you’re like me and are constantly in your head. You can let your internal fears and doubts run your life. Just because something scares you and you’re nervous about it, doesn’t mean you can’t do it and succeed at it. Once you’re in a mindset where you are confident with yourself about your decisions and situations, you’ll realize the life filled with self-doubt that you lived before wasn’t healthy. Whether it has to do with body positivity or fear about how you life is going to turn out, you just have to let it go and start living your life for yourself.

I wish I could tell you an easy way to overcome whatever mental struggles and self-doubt you’re going through, but like I said, it truly took a long time to become at peace with myself. I realized that I can handle situations and I shouldn’t allow the things that make me anxious to live my life. It is truly so liberating when you are able to take your life back and start doing things that make you happy. The light at the end of your tunnel will come and you will make it through whatever scares you. I mean, at the end of the day, if it doesn’t scare you at least a little, is it even worth doing?

Don’t for get to listen to me new podcast Chit Chats with Cass on Apple and SoundCloud.. new episodes every Monday!

Major Announcement: Chit Chats with Cass!

I am so excited to finally share this secret that I have been hiding for months now…. my very first podcast Chit Chats with Cass is now LIVE on SoundCloud and iTunes!!!!

Having a podcast has always been a dream of mine but I was never sure when the right time to start it would be. After having my blog for a few months now and growing steadily, I felt like it was the perfect time to be able to connect with all of you on a different platform. I could not do this without all of your love, support, and kind words so seriously THANK YOU for following me on this journey.

Chit Chats with Cass will have a new episode each week talking about a different topic.In the weeks ahead, I will be covering everything from boys and relationship drama to navigating college and healthy living. My first episode is all about inspiration and getting inspired. I thought it would be the perfect topic to start with because getting inspired was the key to launching this podcast. This podcast will be a way to continue our conversations and make it easier for us to connect on another level.

So, you might be wondering what will happen to my blog and my answer is, nothing will change. Right now, I still plan on posting twice a week on Wednesdays and Sundays. Also, check out my new page dedicated to the podcast here on cassiedenisco.com. The only change is you’ll be able to hear me any day of the week once a new episode of my podcast is live!

Again, thank you all so much for your love and support! We have created such a cute little community and it feels like you all are turning into my best friends. I’m so happy that we now have another platform to connect on and continue to grow our friendships!

Be on the lookout for a brand new Chit Chats with Cass on Monday September 23rd!!

5 Time Management Tips You Can’t Live Without

It’s the best and worst time of year for college students: syllabus week. This is the week of easy transitions back into college classes after a great summer. It’s also the week that reality sets in and you realize how much work and responsibilities that you have again. Have no fear though, I’m here with my best time management tips and tricks to keep you stress free this semester!

  1. Invest in a Planner

I can’t stress this enough, if you don’t have somewhere to write your events and due dates then you probably won’t remember them. Using iCal, Google Calendar, or a good old fashion planner you write in is absolutely essential in maximizing your time and not missing out on important things.

2. Prioritize Assignments

If you’re like me, reading for classes is something quick and easy where as it takes me much longer for written assignments. At the beginning of every week I like to make a to do list with when I need to have certain assignments done by so that I can stay on track and know exactly what to do which assignment when. Half the battle is starting and its so hard to start when you know you have so many other things to do.

3. Know When to Ask for Help

There’s literally no worse feeling then being seriously stumped on some math problems but just wasting time staring at it hoping it’ll come to you. Professors have office hours multiple times a week and I’m sure other people in your classes will be so willing to give you a little help too. Don’t spend the whole week struggling when you could’ve easily had the answer right away.

4. Getting Balance takes Time

Having a work, live, and social balance will take you more than just one week of back to school. Give yourself time to figure it out and know which classes will take you longer to do during the week. By feeling out what your week is going to look like, you’ll easily know how much time you can have to spend with friends and know when you need to do a little more studying so you aren’t stressed at work. Make sure you ALWAYS make time for yourself because self-care is the best care!

5. Don’t Procrastinate

You’ve probably heard this one a thousand times but here’s your friendly reminder that procrastination just adds to stress. I know a lot of people like the excuse that they do well under pressure but why even add that pressure to your life. If you start assignments early you’ll have plenty of time to be able to finish it and get to do the things you want to during the week. And with the technology we have today, you never know when uploading an assignment will go wrong and then you won’t have the chance to correct the problem before the deadline.

Time management is a skill and I don’t care what anyone has to say about it. Knowing how to prioritize things and balance your life is something that you’ll have to do for the rest of your life so you might as well start getting into the habit of it now. There’s no better time than the beginning of the school year to work on time management to get yourself into a routine that helps make your life much easier!

6 Ways to Save the Planet as a College Student

@jordanmavradesigns

It’s so important now more than ever that we start to realize that similar to our bodies, we only get one earth. We only have one chance to treat it right and to enjoy the beauty and resources we get from it. For years I never cared at all about reducing my consumption or making switches to more eco friendly products but now it’s seriously all I think about. Here are my favorite ways that college kids like us can save the planet.

  1. Bring your own bags to the store

I absolutely love stores like Urban Outfitters or Lululemon that give away free reusable bags with every purchase. It really helps to not use plastic but most grocery stores aren’t so helpful. I went on Amazon and found a pack of super cute reusable pink bags that were so cheap but I also know they sell them literally everywhere. What do you actually use that plastic bag for after you bring your groceries home? Probably nothing, so you might as well bring your cute one from home. Pro tip: as soon as you bring your groceries inside, just put the bags back in your car so you’ll always have them.

2. Plastic straws aren’t cute

That iced latte you just got from Starbucks might taste good but it might kill your favorite little sea animal in a year. Seriosuly, if you’re bored do some research on what actually happens to plastic straws, it’s not pretty. I made the switch to glass or silicon straws at home. There’s also some cute travel straws that you can bring out with you wherever you go. Pro tip: ask for a nitro lid when you’re at Starbucks. You can still enjoy your iced drink but won’t need a straw for it.

3. Read what’s in your makeup

Guys this one was so shocking to me. Just because a makeup product is certified safe for your face, it doesn’t mean its safe for the planet. Certain preservatives in things like moisturizers have been linked to mutations in aquatic life. (Those poor animals!) Also, things like microbeads in exfoliators have been showing up in lakes and completely messing up the ecosystem of them. I know it might be so hard to give up your favorite products but with so many clean makeup brands popping up, I am so sure you can find something you and the planet will love.

4. Invest in reusable containers

This one a lot of us already do but single use plastic containers definitely are awful for the environment but they’re also so expensive. Think about how many containers and Ziploc bags you’ve purchased and then just thrown out after. Brands now make reusable bags that are basically Ziplocs but you never have to throw them out. You also can find really good quality plastic and glass containers that will last you for the rest of your life. Also, try your hardest to not drink bottled water. I know how convenient it is to buy that case of water but just get a gallon for your fridge and a cute reusable water bottle.

5. Educate your friends + family

I think this is my biggest tip. So many people don’t live their lives thinking about the environment most of the time because they think it’s too hard to make changes to their life or more expensive. Little changes here and there seriously will make a huge difference. The best way to change something is to educate people about it.

6. Donate!!

Even if you can’t give a lot, there are so many organizations out their that will benefit from your small donation. I love Project Aware, which is a global force of divers that work with communities to form policies for Marine conservation. Another organization that I love is the World Wildlife Fund. First, I think its so cute that you can symbolically adopt an animal with your donation but aside from that, this organization works to preserve endangered species and help keep animals safe. Make sure you do your research and donate to organizations that will do go for not only animals but also for the planet.

The planet and our environment is something I am seriously passionate about. The way we treat it right this second will seriously affect how we will live the rest of our lives’ and our kids. Making super small changes now will help in the long run and its cooler to be for the environment then against it. Hope this post inspired you and you start making more environmentally friendly choices in the school year!

Here’s a few of the products I suggested:

Disclaimer: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Face Masks for Glowing Skin

My favorite part of a Sunday night is easily a face mask. I love resetting my skin with a face mask because they help to purify your skin and reveal your healthy, glowing skin. With so many face masks on the market these days, it’s easy to get overwhelmed when you walk into Sephora or Ulta to try to pick one out. I have tried so many types of face masks and products and these are my top 3 face mask brands for healthy, glowing skin.

GlamGlow:

I think the name says it all. I love these face masks because they are some of the best products I have ever tried. I love their Supermud mask because it really helps to clear up your skin. I like to leave it on for like 30 minutes and when you’re ready to take it off, you can start to see how it sinks into your pores and really helps to clean them out. Sometimes I’ll use the Supermud as a spot treatment as well because its really great at clearing up acne. GlamGlow masks are super expensive so I highly suggest you get the small sample kit, Glow Essentials Masks, so that you can try them out and see which mask you love the most.

Drunk Elephant:

I may sound like a broken record but Drunk Elephant products are AMAZING. This baby facial mask really helps to perfect my skin and help even it out. It does tingle a bit when I apply it but I kind of like it because it feels like its working. I put this mask on for like 20 minutes and any little bumps or imperfections on my skin will disappear by the morning. This face mask is pricy, I’m not going to lie to you but I think its worth it for you to give it a shot.

Sephora Collection :

I am obsessed with this mud mask! For the price, it really is a steal because it leaves my skin so bright and glowing. This mask reminds me a bit of the Supermud by GlamGlow so you might want to check this one out before you make the commitment to the Supermud. I do caution though that this one is definitely not as powerful at skin clearing as the Glam Glow mask but I literally love this mask because it does exactly what I want a mask to do. After using it my skin is left so soft and looking amazing.

Neutrogena:

Now I know that a lot of us are college kids on a budget who prefer to not break the bank on a face mask which is why I tried out this clay/cleanser mask from Neutrogena. I was seriously impressed with this mask. It does exactly what it says it will do on the package. I also love that its super affordable and you get a lot of product for the price. I also thought it was super cool that you can use this as a cleanser too because when wet it turns into a milky, creamy soap to wash off.

I am so obsessed with all of these face mask! They seriously are the best in helping to reset my skin and give it that glow that I’m looking for. Let me know if you’ve tried out any of these products in the comments below!

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