4th of July Mason Jar Craft

So I’m a TOTAL and COMPLETE Pinterest addict. I love getting inspiration on everything from home design to outfits to makeup to how to decorate for a party. I’ve seen these 4th of July mason jar crafts on pinterest for the last couple summers and have been waiting to try it. I intend on using them on my deck with tealights to add some cute summer decor. Who doesn’t love a mason jar craft?! I swear I’m ready to make vases and soap dispensers and all kinds of things. Now I’m not a hard core crafter so don’t expect perfection. I guess I’m more of the “wanna be” crafter so my stuff has flaws and it’s far from perfect. But through my trial and error, I may be able to offer some better alternatives to what I did. And, of course, you can always take this and do a different spin on it. My different spin was the monogram that I added. Us southern girls sure like to monogram everything!

The finished version

I used stand paper to gently scrap the Ball Mason letters to pop back out of the paint and LOVE how the striped one came out. It was harder to see the edging with the navy and since I applied so many layers of paint to the stars trying to correct my previous mistakes it pulled hunks of paint off the stars instead of light scrapings. But if you did white paint first (like I recommended above) then when you scrape the navy the white would come through and that would be a better effect. I trimmed the stars jar in a red glitter ribbon and finished it off with a wooden B that I painted with the silver glitter paint.

Sunday Brunch Outfit

I’m slightly addicted to my Gigi New York Uber Clutch. I absolutely adore it! And any chance I can to build an outfit around it, I jump at. I decided to do a play on red, white and blue for a Sunday Brunch honoring a dear friend’s upcoming wedding. This lace peplum is absolutely lovely. I feel so girly in it. It is from Lily & Violet which is a small online boutique with some really feminine and flirty pieces. I think red/white/blue is a great summer trend that extends beyond just 4th of July. It really is a beautiful color combination. Necklace and cardigan are by JCrew.

Lace peplum, gigi new york clutch and a JCrew statement necklace to finish it off.Lace peplum, gigi new york clutch and a JCrew statement necklace to finish it off.

Red and Blue accessories added a nice POP of color. Red heels by Steve Madden.

Red and Blue accessories added a nice POP of color. Red heels by Steve Madden.

Essie's 5th Ave

Essie’s 5th Ave

Have you tried pairing red/white/blue other then for 4th of July?

LaurenB Nail Polish Review

Lauren B is a nail polish and nail care line that I recently discovered through my Glossybox about four months ago. I have since been able to try a couple other colors, along with a gel-like top coat, top/base coat, and their lovely hand cream. Lauren B touts themselves as “nail couture” and it definitely is a luxury brand nail care line. The Nourishing Hand Creme with Orchid and Peony has become a personal favorite of mine. It is like hand perfume. It is moisturizing and leaves a lasting scent on your hands that is just lovely.

The gel-like top coat was something I was most interested in trying and it didn’t disappoint. It gives you an at home salon effect to your nails, giving them high shine without all the damage of applying gel manicures in a salon. Lauren B’s brushes are a little different too in that they have extra bristles on the wand, so that it is easier to apply polish. The polish is long lasting and holds up well against chipping.

Lauren B products can be found on their website http://www.laurenbbeauty.com

Shopping Addiction to Jane (Formerly Very Jane)

I stumbled upon Jane.com about a year ago and ever since then it’s been an addiction. I was sucked in by cute boutique style items with low prices. I obsessively checked every day for the latest deals and even got up early to secure an item before it sold out. I told you I was addicted! When I started making a daily order for 3 weeks straight I finally had to admit my addiction and take a step away. I started deleting the emails and not checking the daily teasers of what was being featured the next day. I “get on the wagon” for about a month and then when I do “fall off the wagon” I do so in great flare. I order everything from maxi dresses to jewelry to tops for me, for the kids, to even cute straws. I love a deal and I even more so love a deal that can be gotten online from the comfort of my own home without a trip to the mall with four kids generally making me miserable trying to shop.

I’ve had a few hit and miss items. Sometimes I’ve ordered one thing and something else has come in. There have been times the quality has been so poor that I haven’t ordered anything for a couple months before I get sucked in again (which generally helps me to “get back on the wagon”). Generally speaking, I find that when I have had issues they have been resolved. Sometimes I just like worry free shopping so I take my money and go to JCrew where I know I’m going to be happy even if I’m paying soooo much more. I think the real CON of Jane is it can take forever to get something shipped. I generally wait two to four weeks to receive what I’ve bought and paid for. I do feel like it’s getting better there though. I feel like they’re trying to address that and I have noticed that some things are shipping quicker. But you still need to expect longer shipping times of 2-3 weeks. And checking the “expected to ship” on an item before purchase helps to know if it will arrive in time if you’re buying as a gift or need it for an event.

I can say that after a year of probably being one of their best customers and having several issues, I will still always go back to Jane. They have some amazingly cute things at really great prices! Here are a few of my most recent purchases that I love!

Summer Makeup Routine

So it’s starting to finally become summer which means it’s hot and humid, and generally your makeup could go running off your face into a puddle on the floor. It’s generally the time to time change not only the colors you’re using from dark to light and bright, but what you’re using for protection from the sun and what will hold up on a hot day so you look radiant and not sweaty. If I had to pick just ONE go to product for summer it would be Dr. Jart+ BB Cream which is a tinted moisturizer with an SPF of 45! I have tried so many BB creams, CC creams, tinted moisturizers and this one is still my number one pick. It goes on light and smooth, super hydrating, but also you get this amazing coverage like a foundation. I like getting a tan in the summer but never on my face, so this offers amazing protection from the sun.

Two new products that I’m trying for summer are Bobbi Brown’s bronze brick and YSL Baby Doll Lip/Cheek tint, color no. 1. I was really excited to try the Bobbi Brown bronze brick since I first saw it on Pinterest. I’m not 100% sold on it. I don’t know if it’s the color or the shimmer but it’s not perfection, which is what you want when you’re  spending nearly $45 on a bronzer. I feel like I’ve gotten better results with products that are far more cost effective. So I can’t say I’m a fan, but I will keep trying it out until I’ve mastered it. I do like that you can pick individual colors or a combination to use for different things. Such as the highlighting color can be applied only with a sweep of a smaller brush and that’s pretty awesome.

I am a HUGE fan of YSL lipstick and lip tints. It is a very pricy thing to collect at $35 but I really believe that it is truly the best. The YSL Baby Doll Lip/Cheek tint comes in at $40. I guess they added that extra $5 for its versatility. Who knows? But I found this to be a bright and fun fuschia to wear this summer. It is a matte formula that is hydrating and has decent staying power, not as good as a YSL lip stain though. I have tried it both as a lipstick and as a blush. I thought the blush was a little bright for my skin tone but maybe it’s just a less is more kind of thing.

My Summer Essentials: tinted moisturizer with coverage and good spf, a bronzer with a little shimmer, and a lip tint that can be used both for lips and cheeks.

What are some of your go-to products for summer?

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Statement Jewelry from @Cherrylovesjewelry on Instagram

I’m somewhat of a statement jewelry addict and if you go in my vanity you’re probably going to class me as a stage 1 hoarder. But I’m a firm believer in how a great piece of statement jewelry can literally dress anything up and make yourself look instantly put together. Throw on a simple tee from Forever21 (like the mint polka dot version below) or bring your outfit to the next level for added glamour. I found @cherrylovesjewelry on Instagram and fell in love with the pieces she offers. I have always spent full price on the JCrew version and it’s definitely broke me on a few occasions. I never really had good luck with the lower cost knockoffs. They would tarnish or stones would fall out. It just felt like the old adage “you get what you paid for” was true. So I was super excited when I finally found someone that was selling almost identical pieces of JCrew and Stella Dot for super affordable prices and the quality was near flawless. I’m happy I found a way to continue my love of statement jewelry in a more affordable way and put my money to good use, like shoes and handbags 🙂

May Glossybox – Bergdorf Goodman Edition

Glossybox is a monthly beauty box that includes 5-6 beauty products, ranging from large sample size to full size. Every month has a theme and includes anything from lipstick, mascara, nail polish, moisturizer, face masks and so on. June featured the Bergdorf Goodman box which includes 6 luxury products PLUS a $25 gift card to Bergdorfs!! After a year of being a Glossybox subscriber, I can say this is truly the best box ever! I was super excited to see I received the Revive Eye Serum which retails for $350 and the sample size is very generous (probably a $75 sample amount). The Alterna CC Cream has done wonders for my hair–hydrating, thickening, and even a UV shield to the hair. I’ve tried Birchbox and Ipsy as well, and nothing compares to Glossybox. The value you get every month is tripled by what you spend. Check Glossybox out at the link below!

http://www.glossybox.com/referal?CI=NDEzMzg=

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The Home Tee

As a true Southern girl, I’ve never wanted to express my Texas pride more then I have in the last 16 years living in New York and other states. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve gotten to sample some of the other parts of the country and life is about living and trying new things. BUT there is no place like home! I love, love, love this tee. It is super soft cotten, unisex sizing, so I recommend sizing down; or if you’re in-between sizes, getting the smaller of the two. I wear it with a JCrew cardi when it’s cold (when is it not cold in NY?) and a statement necklace. My photo was featured on The Home T instagram page for my southern pride. Whether you’re from Texas or Alaska this is a cute way to show your state pride!   http://thehomet.com/

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Emerald Green isn’t just for St. Patricks Day Anymore!

Let’s face it, green is not just for celebrating St. Paddy’s Day so you don’t get pinched by that pesky leprechaun (which was told to me as a child for the reason behind wearing the color), but it’s also the 2013 Pantone Color of the Year.

Sephora is offering a shop dedicated to the color of the year: Emerald. Some of the looks are not exactly every day kind of wear but it’s certainly inspiring to create your own version of these looks using emerald. And they’ve created a whole shop dedicated to all the beauty brands that have added emerald to their line ups. If you haven’t tried emerald yet, take a look at Sephora’s shop and see if it inspires you to add the bold color to your beauty bag. SEPHORA+PANTONE UNIVERSE: Shop | Sephora.

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I personally can’t get enough of the green nail polishes. I think a beautiful green mani really pops against a black top in a way that is so chic and modern. Right now I’m wearing Essie’s Pretty Edgy which is a middle tone green in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. But honestly, I’d wear it any time because I’m loving this new green trend. And it’s popping up everywhere, not just in makeup but handbags, wallets and jewelry.

 

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TB_11139060_302Accessories have seen a huge spark in the emerald trend and fashion houses everywhere are trying to jump on board to stay ahead of the trend by offering up their own versions of the emerald stunners. Some of the great uses of emerald can be seen by Tory Burch in their handbags, wallets and leather wrap bracelets.

 

 

 

But if you’ve got an endless wallet then I would definitely opt for a pair of pear shaped emerald drop earrings, like the ones worn by Angelina Jolie on the red carpet. But if you don’t have a few grand to spend on the emerald trend then there are lots of other amazing cost effective choices whether it be a great eyeshadow or just a pop of emerald on the nail. Either way you’ll be on trend if you add a little emerald to your beauty bag or wardrobe.

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YSL babydoll mascara

Excited to try the new mascara by YSL, slated to hit the shelves on May 22, 2013. I’ve yet to try any YSL mascara, but I’m addicted to the lipsticks, glosses and covetable lip stains.

The Baby Doll mascara increases the volume of the wearer’s lashes, curling them perfectly and fanning them out without getting lumpy. The mascara contains soft waxes along with an ingredient that ensures equal and uniform distribution of the product on the lashes.

The mascara comes with a helix brush with multi-directional bristles and asymmetric shape that reaches every corner of the lashes giving it a dramatic and seductive look in minutes. The mascara comes in four shades; Fetish Black, Audacious Blue, Indiscreet Purple and Wheedler Brown.