Graphic Designer & Illustrator
★彡25 years old
𐩘 Aquarius ☽ Leo ⇧Gemini
♥︎ I have two snakes, Petra & Pharoah
Married to the love of my life
❀ local plant mom
☻ My hobbies and interests: Plants, Tennis, Reading/Writing, Travel, Kalimba, Steel Tongue Drum, Photography, Video games, learning new languages & other cultures, Fashion, Art & Design and Peace On Earth
October 2020 - August 2020
Our Trips Highlights
Sedona, Arizona is on the top of my favorite places, this little town in the middle of the valley is both beautiful and vibrant. They have many hiking trails in the Red Rock State Park & Red Rock Country. And it’s only 30-40 min away from Flagstaff, AZ.
Keep in mind, if your not staying at a hotel, and staying in the park in Sedona, while hiking, camping etc, you will need the proper parking pass or camping permits.
Everyone knows the Grand Canyon, and it did not disappoint its title as one of the seven natural wonders of the world. It has both a south and north rim; the south rim has hiking trails for all levels of experience and even just a simple sightseeing viewpoint(s).
Keep in mind, if you’re not staying in the park, there is a small town outside of the national park that has hotels and dispersed camping for those interested.
Horseshoe Bend is quite a short trail but with a massive impact on views. It is about 6 hours from the Grand Canyon south rim, without access to the desert viewpoint road. It’s located right outside Page, Arizona near the border of north Arizona and Utah.
Keep in mind, the best times to view and photograph Horseshoe Bend is before sunrise till early afternoon. We went at 5am.
Along the road from Flagstaff, Az to Utah there are many hikes and viewpoints/ sightseeing points. When driving past Horseshoe bend you can find Lake Powell, the Vermillion Cliffs, the Navajo Reservation and more into Utah.
Here’s a list of places we visited and our recommendations for a short trip to Denver, Colorado and the Rocky Mountains
Denver, Co and Colorado in general has so many local craft breweries, so a brewery tour is a must! They have it all, Hazy IPA, slow pour pils, Lagers, Ciders etc.
We booked a tour with Denver Microbrew Tours and it was a wonderful experience of tasting local beers, sightseeing and meeting new people.
Located in Boulder, Colorado, only 30 minutes from downtown Denver is a Tajikistan Teahouse. Originally made in Dushanbe, Tajikistan by artisans, the teahouse was gifted to its sister city Boulder, Co.
It offers both beautiful architecture and delicious teas and meals. 100% recommend for lunch & teatime.
This cute little town is just outside the Rocky Mountain National Park, with lots of small stores for souvenir shopping, local restaurants and some amazing views. It’s not unusual to see some wildlife there, especially if your staying overnight in a cabin.
There are many cabins & resorts in Estes park that provide the ultimate convenience to RMNP wildlife/nature and small town services.
Obviously if you’re visiting Colorado, you’ve probably heard of RMNP. There are many many trails ranging from difficulty and time to choose from.
I would suggest making sure you plan your trails ahead of time and start early. RMNP now require both an entry permit and a time entry reservation, so make sure to snag it ahead of time.
Go at Sunrise!!! Or sunset. Its a beautiful place period. I would’ve loved to actually see a concert or do yoga in the morning there, but if you don’t have time, watching the sunrise is worthy of your time.
Here’s a list of places we went; some iconic & some not
- The Denver Art Museum
- The Big Blue Bear
- Larimer Square
- The Tattered Cover Bookstore
- Union Station
- & a couple of escape rooms :)
For my friends and family who have a “brown thumb” or are busy, you too can have plants!
These 3 plants are super easy to care for. Good for any level of green thumb, from beginners to experts - these 3 plants are low maintenance and hardy. They are even suitable for the schedules of busy individuals :)
Philodendrons and Pothos - also referred to as Devils Ivy- are two of my favorite plants because of many reasons; 1. They are super versatile in its growth formations/patterns - it can be pruned to a shrub, have long hanging vines or grow up a post/wall/tree etc. 2. Pothos more so vary in color patterns and 3. They are plants that keeps on giving. Pothos and Philodendron vines are super simple to propagate and create rooted cuttings for family, friends or yourself :)
Care Tips:
- low light to medium light, can survive in bright INDIRECT light
- likes fast draining soil, do not overwater or let soil be soggy - can lead to root rot:(
- water once a week (finger test), allow for it to dry between waterings. This depends on your plants environment
- fertilize twice a year, every 6 months
Snake Plants are some of the most low maintenance and visually interesting plants. Categorically related to succulents, they do not need much water and care to survive. They are very die hard. Snake plants are definitely one of the best beginner plants for those who forget to water their babies or are just too busy. Plus they produce lots of oxygen for your living space.
Care Tips:
- low to bright Light (preferably indirect, but can survive)
- water once a week (finger dip test), depends on your plants environment
- likes fast draining soil and allow to dry between every watering
- doesn’t require much fertilizer at all, but twice a year is also good
Out of my top 3 plants for beginners Parlor Palms require the most work, yet are still super easy to care for. Plus who doesn’t love a plant that looks like mini palm trees.
Care Tips:
- low light to medium light, can survive in bright INDIRECT light
- water every other day (finger test), depends on your plants environment
- loves humidity, so misting is a plus and keep soil evenly moist/damp but not soggy because it can develop root rot :(
- fertilize once a month
Due to my love for both my snake and plants, I have wanted to create spaces that resemble a miniature ‘ecosystem’ for them to live and me to enjoy
Petra lives in her own mini ecosystem!
She eats, drinks water, poops and pees, then springtails and isopods eat her poop and other biodegradable like leaves and moss which then they poop giving nutrients back to the soil. Where the plants absorb water and Co2, giving Oxygen. 
This project took some patience and re-organizing/designing, up to 3 weeks build+ 3 months acclimation and I still rearrange things depending on her new explorations in the tank.
At first I composed the interior of the tank so I can enjoy the beauty of the space and view her at all times, but this was wrong. Her habits (as a snake) are not meant for me to view her whenever I please, so after some rearranging of wood, dirt and plants and now Petra is happy too.
Overall the project cost around $500. Including the tank, building materials, organic materials etc.
Tank - Exo Terra wide 24”x18”x18” front latch
open-out door
Snake Bioactive kit - Biodude - organic
materials (soil, biodegradables, plants,
cork, UV light bar, bioactive
ingredients)
Springtail + Isopod Culture - range of age
2 cans of silicone
2 cans of expanding foam
1 bag of Cocunut fiber
1 reptile habitat decor
1 water bowl
After assembling everything together, I waited 3 months before placing Petra in her new home. This allowed for the Spring tails and Isopods to eat any growing mold + biodegradables and allowed for the plants and organic materials to acclimate.
Next time I do a similar project to house a snake or any reptile, I will consider other less expensive options for finding organic materials. But the tank, worth the price 100%.
Tip: DO YOUR RESEARCH!
Below is the link for some of the Bioactive kits and materials I used
OH HEY, FOR BEST VIEWING, YOU'LL NEED TO TURN YOUR PHONE