creativity Archives - Popcorn and Pandas

Rising Girlboss

***In search of my next RISING GIRLBOSS!!!***

Are you a dreamer of dreams? Do you have a vision for your life that you want to create for yourself? For your family? Are you currently living out your passion?

If you were to ask me 2 years ago if I thought being a health + fitness coach was my “passion,” I probably wouldn’t have been sure. I have always been an athlete, and I thought I may “good” at coaching, but I didn’t know how much it could actually change my life. I didn’t realize that by helping OTHERS grow, change and reach their goals, that I would also grow, change, and reach my goals in the process. At this point 2 years later, not only has this opportunity opened my eyes to the possibilities for the future, but it’s given me the confidence, the strength, the courage, and the fearlessness to pursue everything and anything I put my mind to. And to help women do the same.

I am putting together a mentorship group to help 5-10 women like me to become the next rising #girlboss!!!!

If you are:

-hardworking

-creative

-passionate

-goal oriented

-love helping others

-want to grow yourself personally

-tired of being stuck in the same place

-want to have more positivity in your life

-needing more balance between work and family

Then let’s chat! You just might be a perfect fit for this mentorship!

Fill out the application here https://pandpfitness.wufoo.com/forms/team-spark/ or email me at gina.notes26@gmail.com and let’s chat!

Make it a great day everyone!!

XO,

Gina

Three Hobbies

I found this quote on Pinterest the other week, and it really got me thinking. Aside from love and family (because I think PEOPLE and relationships are #1 in my life ALWAYS), these three things are so vital for our day to day:

1) We need money to pay the bills, simple as that and then extra money is always great for the finer things in life (which for me is traveling the world and delicious food)

2) We need our health…not only does staying in shape help us to live longer, but it helps us stay energized and more focused throughout our day.

3) We need to feel creative and to feel a PASSION for something. To make things, build, expand…it’s in our human nature to create.

Now, I loved this quote because wouldn’t it be wonderful if we had hobbies to check off these necessities in our lives? But I thought “wait a minute…it doesn’t have to be THREE different hobbies…”*

Because since having started as a fitness coach…I have all of that in ONE!

*I make an income helping people get healthy, keeping them on track to reach their goals on a daily basis by providing motivation and support for not only the physical health of my challengers, but also their overall happiness, positivity, and confidence. On top of that, I help a team of coaches build their own businesses to reach financial freedom.

*Working out each day is part of my job. While I may not always want to roll out of bed and get my workout done each morning, I know that if and when I do, I will be so happy that I did and feel so much better for doing it.

*Each day I am building my creativity by coming up with fun posts to share with my challengers, growing my social media and challenging people to become better versions of themselves.

—BEST of all??? I can do this while staying at home with my two small children. I love my job. But I also love my job as a MOM, and with this opportunity, I didn’t have to choose. I could do BOTH 🙂

My team is opening up the curtain next Monday January 25th to show you what it’s like in the day of an online fitness coach. We will show you what it takes to build your own business (no matter how great or small), what our days are like, how we make money, and what your potential can be.

If YOU have been looking for MORE in this new year and want to find that SOMETHING that gives you PASSION and makes you want to get out of bed in the morning, then come take a look and see what it’s all about. No pressure, just a place to learn 🙂

***If you want to learn more, please fill out the short application linked below! I will respond back and we can connect as to whether or not this would be a good fit for you!***

https://pandpfitness.wufoo.com/forms/team-spark/

Make it a Happy Day!

XO,

Gina

Chalk It Up

Now that my home office is up and running, I have been looking for some custom art to spice up the walls and make it feel more like my own comfortable, motivating work space. I am SUPER excited about this new custom piece I have added to the room created by Kristyn of Chalk It Up. She creates beautiful designs and quotes using chalk markers on handmade chalkboards, wood stumps, canvas, glass, or anything else you can imagine.

Kristyn started her business by chance as her cousin was getting married, and they asked her to make a chalkboard sign. She had never completed one before, but she decided to take on the challenge. She knew she had a talent for drawing, but never thought it could turn into something like this! Guests at the wedding were very complimentary of her work, friends encouraged her, and she realized she had something here. Thus, Chalk It Up was born!

Her pieces are fabulous for events or weddings, can be used as home decor, a monthly baby board, and they also make for excellent gifts. With the holidays right around the corner, this could also be the perfect opportunity to add some Christmas or Chanukah sparkle to your home or to someone else’s!

She creates custom work and is happy to collaborate with you or also get creative herself. I had a few style ideas in mind for my office, but Kristyn came up with this concept and the font all on her own. I was super impressed, and she was such a pleasure to work with!

Working from home has gotten even better and prettier!

Now for the exciting part…Kristyn is offering a GIVEAWAY to one of my loyal popcorn and pandas readers!!! One of you can win a custom piece of artwork of your own to use for any upcoming event, to decorate your home, or to present as a gift to a friend or family member. The options are endless.

To enter you must:

1. Be a follower of popcorn and pandas & comment below on what type of chalkboard you dream about winning

2. Like Chalk It Up on Facebook

3. Share this Giveaway on your Facebook Page

Winner will be announced Tuesday November 17th!

Good luck!

XO,

Gina

{27} Lately…

Lately I’ve been…

reading Finished beachy read, Another Piece of My Heart, by Jane Green. Nothing groundbreaking, but a decent vacation read.

writing A deposition for a court date. I’m a witness! Don’t get too excited, it’s just traffic court…

listening To lots of upbeat music, because Friday I returned to the gym after a 20 month hiatus. And I actually went again on Monday, and went for a run this morning. Hoping to keep this momentum going, because I’m already feeling more energized (apart from my sore limbs).

thinking That we had a really great time last Sunday at the Industry City Dance Party in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. Zack was eager to go, and I was a little worried that we would be “those people” bringing a baby into an entirely inappropriate situation, but I was happy to find all sorts of kids and babies rockin’ out on the dance floor with the best of them. It was definitely a party. And not a kid’s party. But the fact that kids were welcomed and deemed appropriate there was pretty cool. Nico (not surprisingly) loved it, and our little fam had a really great time getting our dance on.

smelling My fav scent, Light Blue.

watching All the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge videos. I was a little annoyed by them at first…people dousing themselves so they didn’t have to donate…didn’t make a lot of sense to me. But after reading this blog post, I have a new perspective.

wishing Nico an early Happy 1st Birthday! He is turning ONE on Friday. I just can’t believe it.

hoping That I can get my act together this week for a party planning extravaganza. And by extravaganza, I mean myself, a glass of wine, my living room, and some DIY crafting.

wearing In the photo above I’m wearing my new ModCloth dress that I got at their 70% off sale! It’s sold out, but check out some of their other sale dresses here. Did I mention I was able to go shopping this weekend…ALONE? It was kind of amazing.

loving My new haircut (also seen in photo above) from the amazing Tim Dueñas. Feels so much lighter and loving having some layers again.

laughing At this adorable friendship on Daily Laughs.

wanting The summer to stick around a little longer. I’m not ready for the beach days to end…

needing To start checking some more things off my bucket list. And as I’m looking at it…thinking about making some edits.

feeling Incredibly nervous as today is Nico’s first day with his new nanny and new playmate. We are going to miss our old one so much, and it’s going to be a tough transition week for all of us, but I’m hoping he will adjust quickly.

craving These sweet cinnamon oven roasted peaches. Thinking this is just the recipe I need for the peaches in our yard this year.

clicking Looking for a few sweet new baby gifts for little ones on the way.

What have you been up to lately?

Hope you are all having a fantastic week!

XO,

Gina

***I was inspired by Tina of Like Ordinary Life to create this post, and she was inspired by Lauren of siddathornton, who started The Sunday Currently.

{26} Lately…

Lately I’ve been…

reading Finished a few good ones recently. First up was The Fault in Our Stars. I wanted to read the book before watching the movie. Of course, it’s predictable and a total tearjerker, but I was pleasantly surprised with how well a male author (John Green) was able to capture the mind of a sixteen year old girl. Next, I read Dark Places, by Gillian Flynn. This author never disappoints. Although the main character, Libby, is a little unlikable in my opinion, Gillian Flynn is always keeping you on your toes with her novels and makes you want more. Heading to the beach this weekend, so if you have any beach reads to recommend, please do!

writing A ginormous to-do list of everything I need to get done before our trip to the Outer Banks. And a packing list.

listening Summer…my summer anthem by Calvin Harris. Prepping a little playlist for our road trip.

thinking That this beautifully written blog post from my friend Sascha really hits home for the working mom.

smelling The delicious homemade eggplant parm the hubby cooked this week. Fresh eggplant, tomatoes, and basil from the garden. Melt in your mouth amazingness.

watching The Bachelorette finale really threw me for a loop! I realize I am delayed on watching my shows, so sorry for being late to the party. I won’t throw out any spoilers for those who may also be behind on their TV watching, but let’s just say I was really surprised!

wishing Time would slow down a bit. My little baby is almost a year old already! I can’t even take it.

hoping I can pull off this fabulous fishtail braid at the beach next week shown in this tutorial by Nikki.

wearing Lots of leopard print this week. Feeling feisty.

loving The end of summer sales! ModCloth, Free People, J. Crew, & Zara have some pretty good ones going on right now.

laughing At how Nico loves to be chased around the house. I will crawl after him, and he will start crawling away squealing with delight…then come back and start chasing me while laughing. That belly laugh is enough to get me laughing and smiling all day long.

wanting To be with my little boy today. In case you couldn’t tell, I’m missing him a lot while at work this week. Looking forward to spending a whole week with him at the beach and introducing him to the place I have vacationed since I was a small child. Also excited that the whole family will be able to see how much he has grown.

needing A little girl (one day) so I can buy these adorable ribbons from Brit!

feeling Totally inspired by hometown friend Candice as she becomes the first plus-sized model to appear in next year’s Pirelli calendar. Doesn’t she look fantastic!!??

craving Something sweet. What else is new?

clicking On 1st birthday party ideas for my little guy.

What have you been up to lately?

Hope you are all having a fantastic week!

XO,

Gina

***I was inspired by Tina of Like Ordinary Life to create this post, and she was inspired by Lauren of siddathornton, who started The Sunday Currently.

{25} Lately…

Lately I’ve been…

reading #Girlboss by Sophia Amoruso, founder and CEO of Nasty Gal. Incredible story and extremely inspirational. Would recommend to anyone, not just the ladies.

writing In Nico’s baby book. I have a few months of catching up to do with all his new milestones!

listening “Talk Dirty” by Jason DeRulo. As a former sax player, I had to give a shout out to the awesome solo work in this song.

thinking It’s been a bit of a crazy few weeks for me and my family. We lost my beloved Granny recently, and although she was 93 years old, it was sudden and a bit of a shock for all of us. After losing my Uncle earlier this year, it’s been rough for everyone, especially my Mom. I cannot imagine losing my own mother, and I know this has got to be incredibly difficult for her. My Granny was the sweetest lady, and I miss her dearly. I am comforted in the fact that I was able to be by her side in her last week along with the rest of our family, and that she was comfortable and knew we were all with her at the end. I truly appreciate all of the love, prayers, cards, and support that people have given us during this time.

smelling The great outdoors. Spent Zack’s 1st Father’s Day Weekend hiking Bear Mountain on Saturday, and Sunday was spent smelling the sweet salt air at Rockaway Beach. I would definitely recommend the Perkins Memorial 3.9 mile trail loop. Amazing views and a challenging, fun hike. I impressed myself by doing a few rock scrambles with a baby on my back as well, and we were able to introduce Nico to his first ride…the carousel! Onto the beach…if my fellow New Yorkers make it to Rockaway this summer, you must go to 106th street for arepas at Caracas. I insist! P.S. Nico LOVED the beach. That’s my boy!

watching Watched the throwback movie Big for the first time with one of my favorite actors of all time, Tom Hanks. Although the method of getting “bigger” was a tad cheesy, I really enjoyed the movie and would recommend it.

wishing For the weekend to get here! We are heading to Cape May for the first time for a family vacation with the hubby’s side. Looking forward to snuggling that little nephew of ours, and spending time with the entire fam. Have any of you been to Cape May before? Would love some suggestions on what to do/where to eat/where to shop, etc.!

hoping That Nico feels less pain when the rest of his teeth come in…yes, you heard right…Nico got his first tooth this weekend! My boy is getting big.

wearing This new vintage style bathing suit I purchased from Grey Dog Boutique. Discovered this shop from Bonnie over at Flashes of Style. Go say hi!

loving The the line-up of summer travel we have on the horizon. While driving long distances can sometimes be draining, Zack and I are always up for an adventure, and this summer will be no different even with a little one in tow. We started off the summer in New Hampshire with good friends, enjoyed upstate NY last weekend, and have Cape May to round out the month of June. July we will be heading to Rehobeth Beach (DE), North Fork (Long Island), Deep Creek Lake (MD), and celebrating my 30th (eek!). Ending the summer will be a trip to the Outer Banks (NC) and celebrating Nico’s 1st birthday. Some may call us crazy, but we wouldn’t have it any other way.

laughing I’m not a cat person, but this kitten jam had me rolling!

wanting This shocking coral lip color for the season.

needing Some more time with girlfriends. I’ve been loving the family life without a doubt, and I love my boys to death, but sometimes a girl needs some quality time with her girlfriends too! Hoping to set up a few “girl-dates” while the weather is nice and warm.

feeling A second needle injection into my thumb this morning. OUCH. My thumb has definitely gotten a lot better since the first shot, but it’s still not completely back to normal, and as the doc said “I am too young to have this problem!” Not to mention how impossible it is to “rest your thumb.” I really do hope this one will curb me from having to undergo surgery, but worst case scenario, I have heard it’s a fairly simple procedure.

craving More time to work on this blog and other personal endeavors/passion projects. My creativity is bursting at the seams with very little time to act! I’ve always been great with time management, but juggling work, caring for a baby, and our social/travel calendar have made things a bit more tricky. I know it’s tough to “have it all,” but I’m determined to come up with a way to make things work without sacrificing my family time.

clicking Nico is pulling himself up to a standing position, and I think it’s time for some functional shoes for summer. I’ve been searching around online, but does anyone have any favorites they love for their little one?

What have you been up to lately?

Happy Hump Day!

Love,

Gina

***I was inspired by Tina of Like Ordinary Life to create this post, and she was inspired by Lauren of siddathornton, who started The Sunday Currently.

A Summer Shower

Recently, the matrons of honor along with the bridesmaids (myself included) and close family threw a beautiful wedding shower for our dear friend Teri that was all about the details. Starting with the “guestbook” above made out of a Jenga game, the delicious mimosa bar with fresh fruit, customized “Rome” (her future new last name) gift bags for the guests, handcrafted custom made gifts, and carefully designed centerpieces, this shower definitely showed both creativity and care in every aspect of the event. All of the bridesmaids are currently married, and Teri was involved with each one of our weddings. This was truly our chance to give back to her and show her how much we appreciate having her in our lives. A custom slide show was designed with photos of her and her fiancé and their loved ones, and we also played a little game where we interviewed her fiancé, Charlie, on camera to see how many questions they could answer the same. It was a great time, and we hope that Teri enjoyed being showered with love on her special day. The countdown to the wedding in October is getting close, and I am definitely getting excited to see these two tie the knot!