Working on my Quads

The past 24 hours have just been... something. Hope all of my midwestern followers are doing okay! On Monday afternoon Chicago and other nearby states were hit with a major storm. I was without power for 28 hours (it just came back late last night! We had the windows open and could hear the block cheering!), and as anyone who has been to Chicago in the summertime knows that means you're in for a sticky, hot, and uncomfortable time. We were able to step out and walk to my tattoo studio to charge up and enjoy a little AC (Opal is an air conditioning dog), and thankfully our only loss was a fridge full of just-purchased-that-morning food. Frustrating and wasteful, but it could have been much worse.

 

Pastel Stripes

 

Back again with more color! I feel like I've been very deliberate with my purchases during quarantine. I can't tell you how much I miss thrift stores and boutiques. I haven't ordered much clothing, but when I have it's been for coveted items like this bag from Big Bud Press (and yes I got a jumpsuit! More on that later), my dream leopard romper, and this pastel striped dress from an old favorite hometown store, Tigertree.

Coming Up Roses

 

At some point during quarantine, I guess my closet became colorful. This is strange considering I rarely ever wear more than pajamas these days, but I suppose it's just my wishful thinking for future days when we can get back to traveling to all the bright spots in the world. Keep looking up, y'all.

Wear a Mask

 

Gosh, I miss taking outfit photos. I miss outfits. I've now been isolating for over four months, and started thinking about how much I miss thrift stores, coffee shops, work, and even generally unpleasant things like the airport. I have managed to do very little shopping during the pandemic but have made a few small business buys that I feel very excited about! I always thought that in a pseudo apocalyptic situation, I'd go all black. But somehow, my closet has become... more colorful. I've been waiting for this boilersuit for months and it's as perfect as I had hoped!

You've Got Nail 95 // Introducing Mini Penny Nail Stickers

Hey everyone! Wow, I really thought I was going to be on top of Mini Penny during quarantine. But I'm 72 days into this and I've given you only two posts. How did I manage that? Where did the last couple of months go? I hope you are all able to stay home and healthy. This period has certainly taken its toll on me (emotionally, mentally, financially), but things are finally feeling like they are getting easier. I've been filling my days with Animal Crossing, 90 Day Fiance, and projects. I went the first month and a half with no nails — which, yes, is odd for me. I just figured why do my nails if no one is going to see them? But then after a while, I remembered that I love nails and I missed doing them. In a bid to find some new ways to do them, I busted out my Cricut machine and got to work. I have created a few different styles of nail art stickers, all of which are now available in my Etsy Shop! Click through to see the three new styles and how to use them.

FabFitFun Spring Box

It's here! The Spring FabFitFun box I've been looking forward to! I loved my partnership with them last quarter so much that I decided to sign up for myself. Check out all of the great items I got in my box and click through for a code for how you can get $10 off your first box.

DOWNLOADS // ISOLATION AGENDA

I'm not even sure how to start a blog post about this. Right now is an uncertain, scary, and anxious time for me and many people all over the world. This past weekend I made the very hard decision to temporarily close my tattoo shop and practice Social Distancing. I know more people out of work right now than those who are working. Many of us are at home and not sure for how long. I worked from home for most of 2014 and I gotta say -- I half liked it and half hated it. Now that we're in a scenario where staying home is the best way to combat the spread of COVID-19, I'm trying to remind myself of ways to stay organized and on-track. I've created this free printable sheet to help you too! Click through for the Dropbox download link and some tips for how you can use it.

Arriving in Mexico City

It's been months since I've posted here. Part of me isn't sure what happened with Mini Penny in 2020, but another part of me knows that I needed a little bit of a break. Between world news, a completely full work schedule, and Chicago winters, I took a little breather. Last month over Valentine's Day, Yoshi and I took a week trip to Mexico City. We've had it planned since August and it really came at the perfect time for us both. Click through for our first day adventures in Ciudad de Mexico.

New Year's Eve!

Only one more day of the year (and decade)! It's so wild looking back on what Mini Penny has meant to me over the past 10 years — most of the time I can't believe I'm still doing this and that people are still watching! There's plenty of time for recaps in the next couple of weeks though, so in the meantime let's get dressed up and enjoy the night!

You've Got Nail 94 // December Scratch Box

It's been an entire year since I've made a You've Got Nail post. How is that even possible? I swear that 2019 went by so quickly — and as I'm seeing other bloggers' Best-Of-The-Year roundups, I'm also seeing lots of Best-Of-The-Decade. Mini Penny Blog launched in early 2011 (pre-Instagram!) and it's wild to observe how much has changes since then. Should I post my own Best-Of-The-Decade? I have definitely slowed down on long-form blogging and I have lots of thoughts and feelings on that, but I'm missing this format more and more. For example: nails. They get lost in the endless Instagram stories, but I enjoy these little creations. These snowflake nail wraps are by the always-wonderful Scratch. Did you hear their Monthly Mani Kit is going up in 2020? If you subscribe before the new year, you'll get locked in at the $10 price. Go get yours!