Author: hellosamanthadear

They say April showers bring May flowers, and while we’re not near April yet, I didn’t want to wait to buy a new umbrella for when the next rain storm arrives!! My previous panda umbrella broke after a few years of owning it, and so I wanted a replacement that was just as fun. I feel like this cat umbrella really suits me!

I also styled this little black dress with pink accessories, a Hello Kitty purse, and a pink bow in the back of my hair!

Closing My Etsy Shop 🥀

I took several months to consider whether or not I wanted to close my Etsy shop, and as of a few days ago, I officially shut it down. It did make me feel a bit sad, but I realized I was essentially losing money just by keeping it open; keeping listings active costs only a little, but it still adds up, and what I was making didn’t even itself out. Plus, for some odd reason, my shipping cost was more than other shops comparatively, which didn’t make any sense to me, even after meticulously checking my shipping preferences? Weird!

Anyhow, I’m thankful for the time I had on Etsy and for the sales I made! I’d like to make a special shoutout to The Tote Trove who has been a returning customer for years! 💖 Thanks for supporting my Etsy shop!

My sister is getting into Etsy again and makes ultra cute purse charms (here’s her shop!), so I’m happy to donate my label printer to her so she can get good use out of it. And of course, I’ll still be an Etsy buyer! ☺️

I’ll still make stuff, but it’ll just be for my own use. So, cheers for continued creativity!

My friend and I went for a lovely walk mid-week, and I got to enjoy the sight of beautiful blossom trees blooming everywhere! For my outfit I wore to see Scream 7, it reminded me of the gorgeous blossoms I photographed, and the butterflies in my hair captured the blossom essence! 🌸

Aren’t the blossoms gorgeous?? The skirt I’m wearing looks similar to them! 🥰

Seeing Scream 7! 🍿 (Spoiler-free)

On Friday, I went to see Scream 7 (first showing), which I had been anticipating for so long!! I’ve been so hyped up to see this one, and for me, it did not disappoint!

I can not EVEN COUNT how many times I jumped and gasped while watching this movie. Even just the previews alone terrified me from the start, haha! (I scare super easily). The amount of jump scares in this film was amazing, and it took me by surprise every time. Nothing felt predictable; the storyline itself had me guessing and questioning everything along the way. There were many nostalgic references to the past Scream films, which I appreciated!

Ghostface definitely felt like a menacing entity that filled me with dread and utter fear anytime he appeared on the screen. I could feel my heart pounding and I would hold my breath any time a character was trying to hide from his wrath. Also, I did not expect to feel so much heartfelt emotion when it came to Sidney and her daughter; seeing their relationship bloom throughout the film actually brought tears to my eyes! 🥲

I personally felt this was one of the most terrifying and well-made Scream films in recent years, and I’m so glad I got to experience it in theaters! (Side-note: I was so happy to see Ethan Embry play a part in this film! *swoon* 😍 💕)

There are all sorts of fun ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day/week, and for me, it was trying the Cupid’s Brew from The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf earlier this past week, and also baking sugar cookies for my family members for actual Valentine’s Day! Check out the cookies at the very end of the post. 💘

And of course, a Valentine-y outfit was in order!

Didn’t the cookies come out so cute?!?!?! Ahhhh! 😍

Wishing you a lovely and sweet Valentine’s Day! 💘

I feel like every year Valentine’s month approaches, I’m reminded why Valentine’s Day is one of my favorite holidays!! The reason is pretty simple, too: red and pink together as an aesthetic, chocolate, and baking themed cookies to share. I love the joy that Valentine’s month brings me when I see things decorated in cute hearts!

With that said, I put together two Valentine-inspired outfits at the end of January! ❤️💖

Look #1 – Vintage Valentine Vibes 🌸

Look #2 – Cherry Letterman Outfit 🍒🖤

And to end on a sweet note – that’s a homemade iced mocha, decorated with red and pink sprinkles! As you can see, I’m diving into Valentine’s month. 😍

When it came time to decide which socks I wanted to wear with this outfit, I couldn’t decide between the stripes and the pink ones. And that’s how you got this final outcome: I wore one of each!

Back in elementary school, I went through a phase when I would wear two different socks with my outfits. Specifically with my jelly shoes; I had a few pairs in an array of colors. So, I felt like I was channeling my inner child with this sock decision, and any time I decide on something with my inner child in mind, it always ends up being a choice I’m happy with!

On another note, I made two new necklaces for my Etsy shop and I’m very happy with how they turned out! 🖤🦄

I’ll definitely try wearing two different sock colors again sometime, because it was fun! Because sometimes, both choices are the answer. Just like skull and bones and Hello Kitty. ☠️💕

You all know I love dolls, and I own a few vintage ones, so I thought it would be fun to include my doll Charlotte in this outfit post!! I think she is from the 1930’s or 1940’s.

Black and purple is such a striking combination, I think. 💜🖤 I played up the purple with my pink-and-purple butterfly hair clips and purple rose barrette I wore in the back of my hair!

And to add to the doll theme, I wore my doll purse with the outfit. 💓

I’ve been cruising down childhood nostalgia lane and am currently re-reading the FIRST EVER Goosebumps book, Welcome To Dead House (1992)!

It’s been so long since I read this that I totally forgot the plot, so it’s literally like reading a new book for me. Honestly, it’s very eerie and dark!! But it’s creepy cool and most definitely a page-turner. I wanted to start the year off reading some Goosebumps books!

It’s just the kind of book that’s perfect for a cold January day, exploring the dark secrets of the town the main characters have moved to – Dark Falls. Fitting name!

I’ve been bit by the creativity bug and am itching to create some new jewelry this weekend, so that’s what I’ll be doing. Stay tuned for some new jewelry designs! 💖 It’s been awhile since I’ve made anything new. Woo!

For the last day of the year yesterday, I treated myself to a special kind of mocha; I added Starbucks’ sugar cookie cold foam on top. And it was deliiiiiicious! 💖

It was a rainy day, but I got to enjoy the damp patio view from the comfort and warmth of my indoor table. I tinkered around on my laptop and also took some time to read. Watching people come and go with coffees in-hand caught my attention intermittently, as did a massive flock of seagulls accumulating in the distant field outside. 🌧️

I also realized, upon seeing my reflection in my laptop screen, that a few pieces of my bun on the back of my head were sticking straight up. Yeah, like pointed straight upward on the top of my head, waving to the world. SCORE!!!!!

And all that to say – it was the perfect way to close out the year! Why, you may ask? Because no matter how much I have spent my life trying to prevent the awkward and cringe moments that never fail to find me on a regular basis, I want to prove to myself that I can still rock the blunders. I like to think that my cringey quirks make me more endearing (albeit, to no one else but myself.)

Because trying to do things perfectly is but an illusion.

I’ll take that little epiphanic wisdom straight into 2026! 😉

💕 Black and Pink Floral Outfit! 💕

Cheers to 2026 ahead!! 🥂

It’s almost Christmas!! Where did the time go?!

It’s been fun taking in all the holiday cheer this month. I’ve also enjoyed many a peppermint mocha and a couple of Starbucks Snowman cookies, to boot! ⛄️

With that, I have this wintry outfit to showcase; I wore with it, for the first time, my winter-themed bow I made! 🖤 And the combination of hot pink with gingerbread men – ahhh, I just love it. 💖

I wish you a very Merry Christmas and all the holiday cheer this week!! ❄️

Look at that Christmas tree!! 💜 Isn’t it simply gorgeous?

That photo was taken at Coffee Bean, where I enjoyed a delicious Iced Tiramisu Latte yesterday, and as a bonus, got to enjoy the festive Christmas decorations throughout the store. Even the windows had a snowy scene painted on them! ☃️

The latte was sooooo good. And seeing all of the festiveness had me digging through my accessory inventory to see what I had that I could wear to display the Christmas spirit. That’s where Rudolph and Clarice come in!

I gotta say, I totally dug this outfit!!! And to pair with my Smashing Pumpkins top, I’ve been listening to this album of theirs, Earphoria (1994), that finally made its way into my collection. (And can I just say, I absolutely LOVE the album cover!) It’s one that I see as a hidden gem in their discography, as it features gritty live performances and even some songs that never made their way onto any official albums. I’m glad to finally own it!

In conclusion? I’d say the Christmas spirit and rock music can easily coexist into a unique fashion statement! ❤️

Guess what? I sprouted butterfly wings when I woke up today and turned 38!!!!!!!!!!! Was it the collaboration with Thanksgiving that brought on this miracle metamorphosis?

Alright, not really. But!!!! Earlier this week, when I went for a lovely afternoon walk with my friend at a local park, I saw that they had installed beautiful sculptures in the art garden for various photo ops! I couldn’t resist taking a photo in front of the monarch butterfly wings. Because if you’ve been around my blog for long enough, you know that not a day goes by when I’m not wearing something butterfly-themed in my outfits – whether it be a barrette or a ring! 🦋

I LOVE IT when my birthday falls on Thanksgiving every few years! It feels like an extra celebration with a delicious meal (tofurky for me!) and seeing the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on television. So, a big shoutout to this awesome holiday that, fortunately for me, falls on my birthday this year!

And I can’t resist having my birthday cake be pumpkin pie when this happens! 🧡

Wishing you a very Happy Thanksgiving!! 🤎