GreyLashes

lasagna cupcakes

2012-02-16T19:06:00.000-06:00

I found this recipe over the weekend and could not wait to try it out! Making a big pan of lasagna takes a lot of work and these little cuties seemed so much easier and nicer to look at. I used this recipe from tablespoon as my guide line but switched it around so I will post what I did to make mine.

What you will need:
wonton wrappers {they come in packages of 80 which is way too much, I freeze the left overs and they taste just fine}
1 lb ground beef
pasta sauce of your choice {I used rago}
shredded cheese {mozarella for me}
optional {olive oil, sea salt, pepper and basil paste}

How to make:
Cook ground beef in olive oil, salt & pepper and basil paste until thoroughly cooked
Preheat oven to 375 degrees, spray muffin tin with cooking spray.
I placed one square wonton wrapper in the muffin tin so the edges popped up a bit, I filled with a spoon full of ground beef, a spoon of pasta sauce, added a little cheese and than added a spoon more of beef.
I than used a circle cookie cutter and cut a wonton wrapper to make the "top" of my lasagna cupcakes. On top of the wonton I added a bit more sauce and covered with cheese. I managed to make 10 of these and we had some left over they look small but are filling.
I baked mine for 16 minutes and than turned the oven to broil for the last 2 minutes which was just perfect.
The cupcakes remove quite easily with a knife, if you get cheese on the pan it makes them harder to get out...

Overall these are probably the tastiest little things I have made in a long time. Pizza lasagna is next and possibly mac and cheese cupcakes as well!

slight change

2012-02-15T09:49:00.001-06:00

I LOVE buttons and my favorite thing to do is change out most of my buttons. These 2 tops from old navy got their buttons changed this week from subtle to stand out. I was going to go colour block crazy and add the orange buttons to the green top but ended up going more classic. I also resisted my urge to put a classic combo of black buttons on the ivory top. Overall it was a quick fix and I am sure I will still fiddle around with them, but I am loving the more unique look coloured buttons give these simple tops.

where's the colour?

2012-02-13T19:15:00.003-06:00

In my head I feel that I wear colour all the time and hardly wear black anymore but over the weekend I re- arranged my closet and sadly found out I own almost no colour. A few of my coloured items could be easily donated as I know I haven't worn them in months... Sunday I had some luck adding colour back into my wardrobe with this yellow leather clutch from value village. It is a shame my camera wouldn't pick the actual colour but it is buttery! Hopefully this spring I don't revert to old habits and pick up some more colour.

recent purchases:beauty

2012-02-12T10:29:00.001-06:00

I have been using these products for a little over 2 mo's now and sometimes there is instant love and other times you need a few months to know that this product is actually working wonder for you... I bought the covergirl tone rehab foundation on a whim since my skin was getting so oily with my maybelline dream mousse foundation. I of course read reviews on it after I got home and seem to have a very different take on this foundation. Many reviews say this foundation is not for oily skin but I have found this is the best foundation I have used! my t-zone is matte for hours if I use this foundation alone on my skin, if I use a primer I do notice my skin gets oily...The tone rehab aspect of this foundation is amazing, it really covers up blotchy skin, acne scars and general blah skin. The only thing that has been keeping me from proclaiming my love is how it feels on my skin, my skin feels quite cakey and not skin like to the touch, although nobody touches my face but me it has been turning me off. But right now this has been able to keep my wandering foundation eye satisfied.

Ooooh how I have chapped lips in the winter, I bought this after making my own was too messy and didn't seem to be quite the same. At $9 is is slightly pricey but I have gotten a lot of use out of it and I still have more than 3/4 a jar after 2 mo's. I use this morning and night to gently scrub my lips and it has done a pretty good job of keeping my lips from splitting if I could stop wearing lipstick my lips may be doing even better. Overall if you are too lazy to make your own sugar scrub I recommend just buying this one!

just saying...

2012-02-09T10:42:00.000-06:00

dessert sinsations has the best imperial cookies I have tried in town {best sweet potato fries as well}

flea market style in the peg

2012-02-07T11:21:00.001-06:00

note: not taken at this weekends flea market, taken off google, bad me

Over this past weekend The downs hosted it's annual flea market with proceeds going to riding for the disabled. I always look forward to the huge flea market like sales that hit winnipeg in the spring and fall. The next few events are planned for Sunday March 11th at canad inns polo park {10am to 4pm}and the downs will host another spring antique and collectible show Friday, April 13, 2012 {5pm - 9pm}, Saturday, April 14, {10am - 4pm} Do keep in mind there is a cover charge for these flea markets of around $4. Although I usually come home empty handed it is nice to see the variety of vintage items. Winnipeg also has 2 year round free flea markets that will fill your weekend urge to shop for vintage. Thirsty's and the mulvey market are open saturdays and sundays and most holidays. This summer I have plans on making better use of these markets.

oh no you didn't...

2012-02-06T09:51:00.003-06:00

Don't get me wrong I love that this spring chiffon is everywhere. I just find that it tends to run big on me and my skinny arms are getting lost in these loose tops. After much debate I decided to try my luck and cut the arms off one of my shirts. As it turns out it was easier than expected, with tiny sewing scissors {think cuticle scissors} I cut the sleeve as close the the seam line as humanly possible right above the original serger seam. If you do attempt this keep the original serger seam don't cut off the arm and think you will hem it and it will look nice...

I almost didn't even have the sew the top but figured I would fold over the serger seam to make a nice clean edge. The only problem is I decided to do my project at 8 o'clock at night and didn't bother waiting till I had the proper thread color...but under cardigans nobody will know!

in love with...

2012-02-03T11:05:00.003-06:00

monogrammed jewelry from urban outfitters. I have always loved the idea of "lettered" items but have never ever gave in to temptation. These beauties might be able to sway me 1, 2 & 3

not for me anymore...

2012-02-01T16:05:00.000-06:00

Nail art seems to be all over the place lately {if you want really cute ideas the beauty dept does a mani monday features...this image was taken from there} However the past few months I have been growing farther and farther from my love of polish and come to enjoy my natural nails with a hint of clear.

I have been using sally hansen's green tea + soy cuticle oil and must say it is the best cuticle oil I have used. The application is lovely the little lip gloss like brush is firm but holds the product well, the oil sinks in nicely and keeps my nail bed from looking dry with the exception on my stubborn thumbs. I would have never thought I would grow out off my polish phase, anybody else not into something they used to be all about?

maybelline dream bouncy blush

2012-01-31T10:32:00.002-06:00

Have you ever wished a company would make something they already offer better? I have wished maybelline would come out with new colors or packaging for their dream mousse blush for quite some time...Instead they decided to re-design the whole line and introduce dream bouncy blush to replace the original mousse blush. There are 10 shades in the new spring collection I only had a choice of 4 at shoppers so I chose "pink plum" which is a lovely shade in the container.
How is it different?
This new version of this blush is in a compact and it more solid than a mousse. The blush still manages to have a very unique texture to it and will "bounce" under your finger when you go to apply it. The only downfall I have found so far is that it is more sheer than the original formula:( Pink plum is really, really sheer I wish there would have been a tester for me to try before hand. I have to dig a chunk of it out and apply it quite thick to resemble the color on the compact.
Overall?
When I heard these blushes were getting a redesign I could not wait, hoping for the new incarnation to be my new holy grail blush {I just don't seem to get the hang of powder blush...} but sadly I am not sure if these will deliver enough pigmentation for me. There are 2 more shades I would like to try but right now I am slightly sad about these. If you want to see the full swatches musing of a muse did a great review.

new to me?

2012-01-30T10:31:00.001-06:00

With the announcement that winnipeg will be getting it's first banana republic, I quickly went to the website to see what I could look forward to. Although I would have preferred a jcrew or h&m it will be nice to have a little more variety to look forward to this summer. I didn't find much that I drooled over but I do think I will be enjoying the accessories like this belt & earrings. See you this summer!

theBalm mary-lou manizer

2012-01-24T10:55:00.001-06:00

There are very few items I contemplate for years before buying and for some reason theBalm mary-lou manizer was one of them. Mainly due to the fact the theBalm is hard to find here in winnipeg, london drugs does sell the brand but I have never seemed to be able to see this product in person to officially make my mind up. I decide to stop drooling over the possibility of golden highlighted skin and just order it online site un seen. It turned out the be the best decision ever! There is a reason this product has a 5 star rating on sephora, the color is just light enough to add highlight with out darkening your skin and the glow is so lovely it is hard to explain. Overall I am loving this new addition to my routine and am happy I bite the bullet. It is pricey at $27 can. but believe it or not it is well worth it:)

p.s if you want to have your self a lovely sewing pattern lady font I found mine here at dafont.

vs. organic eye creams

2012-01-22T15:18:00.000-06:00

Nearing 30 {well in a few years...} I decided it was time to try out an eye cream. I really like organic lotions and decided to give the all natural option a try. I bought my first eye cream almost 6 mo ago and purchased something else to try when the first one ran out. Here is my take on the 2 options I have tried.

This is the first eye cream I purchased from 100% pure. There are 2 sizes to choose from 0.5 oz for $13 and 1oz for $25. The main thing to keep in mind with organic products is the expiry date most organic products have a shelf life of 6 mo after opening, hence why I went with the smaller size. I used it regularly as much as I could remember and still have some product left after I hit the 6 mo mark.
Pros:
* it smells like coffee! it has a really nice texture thick but sinks in and doesn't get greasy under your eyes.
Cons:
* I didn't really seem to notice a big difference in the lack of puffiness or dark circles...but I loved applying anyways

For my second option I decided to try out desert essence de-puffing eye cream. I really like this brand and it was easier to order in canada from well.ca. This tube is listed online as only 9.3 ml but it is full size at 30ml or 1 oz, very good value the expiry date is 9 mo's on this one.
Pros:
* very light, almost a mix of gel/lotion. Really sinks in and does not get greasy under you eyes.
Cons:
* no scent? most people would like this aspect but I kinda like a little fresh scent in my creams...
* again I haven't noticed a night and day difference in my under eye region, but using eye creams can't hurt.

Overall if I had to choose I would order the 100% pure coffee bean cream again. Unless you have a large order it makes no sense to order this on it own hence why I wandered. I do like the desert essence lotion and use it one my nose and other dry spots I just really like the texture and smell of the 100% pure cream.

second use

2012-01-19T10:24:00.003-06:00

I bought this fabric spice rack over the summer and wasn't quite sure what to use it for, this past week while cleaning up my room I decided it made for the perfect behind the door product carry all. It made my dresser a lot less cluttered, which is lovely.

farewell sandbox!

2012-01-17T13:36:00.001-06:00

To much shock the lovely winnipeg sandbox magazine is seizing publication after the January 30th addition:( It was love at first read for me and sandbox I loved the niche market they had profiling local business/artisans and featured former winnipeggers. The photography and styling always got me. If you are in the peg and free saturday January 29th be sure to try and attend their last party being held at the winnipeg art gallery. The very last issue will be sold only at McNally Robinson on grant, I will miss my trips out there to pick up the newest issues.

how to make tassels

2012-01-15T14:01:00.000-06:00

When I tend to like something I tend to liiiiike it. Right now I am in love with tassels on necklaces. They are super easy to make, if you are like me and have a tin full of broken jewelry you will need 5 minutes tops to make some new and exciting necklaces.

What you are looking for in a successful tassel craft is a necklace or charm that already has a built in loop that you can simply just attach your newly made tassel too.

What you need:

A broken chain, that you can easily break apart {believe it or not some are hard to break...}

Pliers and tiny sewing scissors

Small metal rings {jump rings} new or re-purposed from an old necklace.

How to do:

With your chain I simply brake it up into 5 strands, you can make then all the same size or mix it up. Deciding on how long you want your tassel to be. I use my tiny sewing scissors to get into the small chains and break them apart.

If you have a large jump ring you can fit more than 5, but I have found it is a good un-even number to use. With your jump ring open tread the chain pieces through and carefully close the jump ring onto your necklace or charm. This will be the hardest part you will need patience but it well worth it.

Enjoy!

blogging holiday

2012-01-06T10:36:00.001-06:00

Can't remember exactly where I found this image but I needed a good reason to post it! I will be taking a week off for sure maybe two. Be back soon:)

worn fashion journal: issue 13

2012-01-04T13:47:00.003-06:00

I have posted about worn before and I will continue to do so as long as it is being published. If you want a magazine that you will actually read and find out interesting fashion facts than worn is for you. Issue 13 covers topics on how to dye your clothes {which is dangerous I have attempted and always want to attempt it again no thanks to the article...} A profile on the owner of workroom in toronto and how she makes her own clothes, a history of window displays/famous dressers and much more. Can't wait until the next issue in april. You can also visit the worn fashion journal site for their amazing blog.

same

2012-01-03T16:33:00.000-06:00

I tend to really buy the same sort of items just in slight variations, here is a look at my love for yellow and white stripes {I have a knit blanket in this pattern as well but no need to see that I am crazy...} sweater from old navy, pillows from superstore.

style inspiration: sincerely jules

2012-01-02T10:28:00.002-06:00

As always for the "new year" I will try to be more adventurous with my style. I always seem to right click the same type of images this one from sincerely jules in no exception. I love the look of fancy necklaces and casual sweaters...

I absolutely love exposed closets and clothing racks this looks amazing to me, also from sincerely jules.

last year...

2011-12-29T18:00:00.000-06:00

I am not doing any sort of resolution this year, why? I sorta tried last year and made myself a list only to look back at it now and realize I managed to do NONE of them. Not even close actually, if I were to make a list for 2012 it would involve the exact same things we will see if I can ever get around to it.

impressed with: covergirl lash perfection

2011-12-27T18:56:00.000-06:00

I will admit I cheated on my maybelline define-a-lash, rexall had a bogo sale on mascara and I decided to try out something new. I am actually pretty happy I did. I decided to try out covergirl's lash perfection mascara.
pros:
* Very lightweight, non clumping and semi dry but not too dry.
* Holds a curl all day
* Washes off easily! {This is the one complaint I had about the maybelline mascara that lead me to wander it never fully came off with remover. I almost don't know what to do with myself not having to always wipe mascara from under my eyes}
cons:
* The packaging, I am sorry but it took my a long time to try this out pretty much based on the looks of it...
* Subtle volume, this is not a heavy going out mascara but for day it is really good and light.

Overall I am liking how low maintence this mascara is, it makes my lashes fluffy and full but and not hard a super good new option.

vintage details

2011-12-21T10:57:00.001-06:00

My urge to own metallic still rolls on. Even though I will most likely never wear this beauty out of the house I love the look of it. The sweet bows on the back don't really show up but they may be the best part:) Vintage treasure found at the ruby slipper vintage shoppe.

as of late

2011-12-20T09:57:00.000-06:00

A few more holiday gifts using metallic doilies. Pictured is a dressed up gift certificate and recipe cards for cookies mixes I sent out.

Our holiday cookie factory. I made 74 cookies to be painted for a potluck. The best glaze ever for cookies is 2 cups icing sugar, 1/4 milk and 1/2 teaspoon flavouring of your choice. I applied it with a foundation brush and it worked out lovely.

I tried: baking soda for my skin

2011-12-19T11:34:00.000-06:00

I have made my self a sugar and baking soda scrubs in the past but never really kept up with it, which is shame. Baking soda is a super cheap skin saving alternative. After contemplating buying a $60 microdermabrasion like scrub I decided to give baking soda another go in hopes that I will be able to keep it up. Here are a few things I experimented with and what alternately worked out the best.

baking soda scrub
all you need for this is baking soda {as much as you'd like} and some water to make it not to watery but also paste-y enough to spread. With a damp face massage the baking soda into your skin and let sit for a minute or two to really let it set in. Rise and your done. My skin is literally squeaky clean after doing this, it is just so darn awkward to do and messy my counter always looks a hot mess, hence why I tried some other "cleaner" ways of this

baking soda cleaner
For this I literally mixed baking soda with my cleanser to see if the added thickness would make it easier to apply. The two cleansers I tried semi- reacted with the baking soda and make a really cool non toxic foam. It didn't make it any easier to massage into my face though, still messy as hell.

baking soda scrub version 2
I mixed jojoba oil with the baking soda for this one and it made a lovely butter like texture. If applied to wet skin this held the shape of the baking soda quite nicely. I still recommend keeping your face over the sink, but it worked quite nice.

baking soda mask
by using a little more water than the scrub and a foundation brush to apply I tried using it as a mask. This can only stay on the skin for a few minutes as it dries it gets very flaky and you will leave baking soda powder where ever you go. But again cheap and effective.

Overall I have been trying my best to use this 2 times a week for the past few weeks and I can say that my larger pores are looking pretty darn good. If I can get in the habit I should probably shoot for 3 times a week. The simple water + baking soda seems to be the best version for getting the most effective results. To get more detailed instructions lease visit this site.

made it better?

2011-12-13T19:44:00.000-06:00

My camera doesn't seem to enjoy taking pictures of gold things... I really enjoy this vintage necklace but whenever I wear it, I feel it is missing something. I took it apon myself to add some tassels to the end and give it more weight. It worked out pretty well:)

2011-12-12T19:02:00.001-06:00

Absolutely love this print from kate pugsley.

gold and silver

2011-12-12T19:00:00.002-06:00

I usually don't have many gifts to wrap, but the few I do I want to make pretty. I love when holiday decorations fill the dollar store, I can't seem to get enough gold and silver doilies. Last year I made Christmas cards out of them this year it will be gift tags. This is super simple to do with a good tag template and some scrap book paper. Simply trace the gift tag onto the scrape book paper and cut out. On the back of the doily trace out the tag as well as cut. The best tip I learned from making these is to apply to glue stick to the scrap book paper and gently press the doily onto the tag. Putting glue on the doily itself makes for a sticky mess.

I finished up with a clapboard letter and and elegant gift was made!

vs: winter lips addition

2011-12-07T18:51:00.001-06:00

It is officially winter here and no matter how hard I try I have chapped, chapped lips. I have had to hide my lipsticks and resort to wearing tinted balms so my lips don't completely dry out. Luckily there are many good tinted balms out there. My two current favorites are from covergirl and revlon.

I am absolutely addictied to covergirl's natureluxe gloss balm I have gone through almost 6 tubes of this in pretty much every color. Hibiscus is probably my fave color wise but anemone, coral and peony are all nice as well {marble and tulip are very sheer} The darker colors tend to show up really nice on the lips and have quite a good lasting power almost 3 hours at work. I do not have a chapped lip in sight while wearing these which make it perfect for winter. I also really like the shape of the covergirl gloss stick it is very thin and makes it easy to apply.

Revlon colorburst lip butter is very new in canada, I found it at zellers, well.ca sells it as well. I had slim pickings of shades so I chose sweet tart to try out. The revlon lip butters seem to be more pigmented than the covergirl glossbalm, that is a good thing. At first glance this new butters look very similar to dior addict lipsticks in their glossy nature and shape. The butter itself is very soft to apply and gives you nice smooth lips, the lasting effect of the color is not amazing but not horrible either maybe 2 hours before it was completely gone, and I am too lazy to re-apply at work... It definitely looks more like a glossy lipstick while you are wearing it which I really like.

Overall: While wearing the covergirl gloss balm I find my lips feel so natural that I almost forget I am wearing it until I catch a hint of color in the mirror, I really enjoy this product. The revlon lip butters I cannot wait to find more colors in stores so I can try some more out. I am really liking the idea of them and may even give up lipstick if the other shades offer as much pigment as the one I tried. Both are great color options for winter weather.

blogger inspiration

2011-12-06T19:48:00.001-06:00

Here are a few recent images from some other blogs that are inspiring me right now.
atlantic-pacific, amazing pattern mixing!
petra's photoblog, Her hair and make-up is flawless, loving the side braid and messy bun idea.

chai tea brownies

2011-12-05T10:14:00.001-06:00

I tested out another holiday baking recipe this week, This time involving chai tea. {yes somebody snagged a piece before I took a pic} I had really high hopes that these would be my new favorite food seeing as I am in love with ginger cookies and can't wait for fall so I can eat them all the time...I however find chai tea just a tad to strong, usually with brownies any flavor you add gets second base to the cocoa but not in this case these babies are STRONG.

To make them: This recipe makes a very small snack sized version, double to feed somebody other than yourself.

1 egg
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup melted butter
1/3 cup cocoa
1/4 cup flour (heaping)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 or 2 chai tea bags {cut open} I used stash double spice chai 2 tea bags was a lot, one of these tea bags should be good enough

Beat egg and sugar and add melted butter and add the loose chai tea. Add flour, salt and vanilla. Stir well. Seriously this is the easiest brownie recipe ever... Pour into brownie pan, keep in mind this is a small recipe you will need a small pan. Bake at 325 for 20-25 minutes. These ones took about 23.

I love the idea of these and if I am going somewhere where there is a chai tea lover I will bring these, but for me I like my chocolate not spicy.

new vs. old

2011-12-01T19:09:00.001-06:00

I really enjoy finding items I have thrifted being re-interpreted but new retailers. I had found these yellow rose shakers over the summer and thought they were well worth the $3.99 I paid for them. The other day I found these pink very similar salt and pepper shakers at urban outfitters. I must say I do like my vintage version better...

diy: gel blush

2011-11-30T10:29:00.001-06:00

I have been addicted to maybelline dream mousse blush for over 2 years now. I had managed not to sway from it but I never really was in love with the colors maybelline offered I just really liked the texture and application of it. I do how ever love the color options of blush put out by joe fresh...I decided to cheat on my maybelline and try out a powder blush from joe fresh. For me I simply don't seem to like powder blush so I got creative and decided to try and make my powder blush into a more spreadable version sorta hoping to knock off make-up forever microfinish blush, which has tempted my in the past as well...

What I did:
I took a canape knife and scraped some blush powder into a travel jar. I then scooped some lotion into the jar and mixed it up. (I used the body shops seaweed mattifying day cream since it was a semi opaque gel and I love the smell, I did try it with some white lotion and it worked the same) and yes that is all I did and it worked out really well! I did have to add some more pigment to the lotion it make it more dramatic but overall it worked out really well and I find my new "blush" blends better on my skin and it took a lot of the fuss out of it for me. Worth a try if you have an old blush lying around.

holiday baking: the start of

2011-11-29T10:32:00.001-06:00

I am planning on only giving out home made gifts this year and since I seem to bake a lot I had the great idea of making cookie "mixes", that could easily be made at home with just adding butter. I wanted to make some unique flavours and tested out one of them this weekend, good thing I did! I used my go-to cookies recipe and swapped out the white sugar for brown and added a butt load of expresso powder. The cookies came out alright but aren't really what I was hoping for... I will post the recipes I end up using this one was unfortunately a bust. Swapping out white for brown sugar sounds like a good idea but it makes for very sweet cookies, almost too sweet... Let the holiday baking begin!

winnipeg love

2011-11-27T19:40:00.001-06:00

There was an article in this weekends winnipeg free press highlighting winnipeg text/screen printing artist roy liang. The shirts are simple yet genius. I could use a St James t-shirt with Valley View, Carriage, Heritage and Sturgeon.... great idea!

joe fresh: gel liner

2011-11-23T10:32:00.001-06:00

When I was doing my usual ~~googling~~ research before I buy a product I noticed there didn't seem to be much on the new joe fresh gel liner pots {nothing even on their web site...} I was super excited to see that joe fresh now offers gel liners and couldn't wait to try them out at $8 they are a good price. I was only in search of a purple shade so I picked up the shade "raisin" they offer classic colors like black, brown, navy, slate and olive They come housed in a glass pot with a plastic lid, no brush is included.

As for the liner itself, it glides really easy and the pigmentation is strong this purple shade is the best purple pigment wise I have used. It is a darker purple color than pictured on the bottom of the jar. I will say that it is a better shade of plum than maybelline offers. Overall I really like joe fresh gel liner and it worth a try if you already love gel liners. And if you don't love gel liners I recommend to try it out one little pot will last you a year easy I have yet to make a sizable dent in my liners before the expiration date they are a better value than pencils that is for sure!

vintage obsession: coro jewelry

2011-11-22T10:06:00.001-06:00

I have always been drawn to vintage necklaces, lately I have been drooling over almost every piece made by vintage jewelry company coro. All images found via etsy.

vs.

2011-11-20T19:15:00.001-06:00

I got the urge to create a new avatar this weekend. I don't like getting in these mood since I tend to tinker and tinker with it for days. I have come up with two very different options. I started to use the orange silhouette but wonder if I should use the other one... Feel free to vote your favorite!

2011-11-18T10:36:00.001-06:00

Just a lovely shot from hound.

I tried: mint in my hair

2011-11-16T10:19:00.001-06:00

I have read on several occasions that adding some mint essential oil to your shampoo will help with excess oil production. My hair had been doing really good but the past few weeks it has seemed to go back to it's old ways and get gross through out the day. I added a mint/eucalyptus essential oil blend from di erbe to my desert essence shampoo and the first day I will admit my hair was so so shiny. But by the time I get home on day two my hair has reverted back to its greasy ways. I will continue on with this and hopefully over time the mint will teach my scalp to hold in the oil!
How to do:
* I usually transfer my shampoo into a different bottle when I get home since I don't like big bottles + wet hands. In an old honey squeeze bottle I eyeballed one drop of essential oil for every 15ml of shampoo. Shook up the bottle and let it absorb into the shampoo. And yes that is all you need to do to make mint infused shampoo. If you would like to see other oils you can add to your shampoo for other benefits click here.

{I just really like this bun, sorry no source}

breaking my things

2011-11-14T19:07:00.001-06:00

I haven't taken apart any of my necklaces in quite some time. I have been staying away from crafts since I have been having bad thoughts about trying to paint gold fabric paint on one of my blazers...but besides that I decided to give an old necklace of mine a new life. I am always oddly drawn to gold and pearls and yet I don't seem to like wearing them. I switched out the pearl strands for some old glass beads and I think I made it much more dramatic.

ringer

2011-11-13T21:17:00.001-06:00

When I was looking for a new winter coat I fell in love with this emersonmade coat. But it cost $376... I still haven't found a coat that I loved as much as that coat until I saw this dorothy perkins coat! After conversion it will be around $150 totally do-able for a winter coat. I cannot wait for it to arrive {yes I pretty much ordered it the minute I saw it}

pretty organic beauty mud

2011-11-10T08:00:00.000-06:00

I love the idea behind pretty's organic approach to skin care. I have been using their cleansing grains {as a mask}since July of this year and decided to try out their beauty mud in licorice & oats. Made with simple ingredients; french montmorillonite clay, kaolin clay, green tea extract, aloe extract, licorice extract and oatmeal this beauty mud has to be the best clay based mask I have ever used!

I mix equalish parts powder {2 teaspoons} with water {a little less} to make the paste, apply it with a foundation brush and let dry. It washes off very easily and my pores have never looked better after a mask. The smoothness does wear off but I am hoping with continual use it will do wonders for my complexion.

I can't stress enough how much you should try out organic skin care products. I have been beyond impressed with the products I have ordered from pretty. This has been a lovely addition to my weekly routine.

just gorgeous

2011-11-09T10:42:00.001-06:00

Absolutely gorgeous images from the december issue of elle canada. Photographed by richard bernardin. Images found via visual optimism. {full spread}

vintage inspiration

2011-11-08T07:56:00.000-06:00

Lust worthy glasses from vintage 50's eyewear.

in case you were thinking about: got 2b powderful

2011-11-07T09:15:00.000-06:00

I bought this got 2b powderful on a whim and sorta hoped it would be similar to a dry shampoo that gave you volume via clean shiny hair {aka the picture of the box}... The powder shaker itself it super adorable with a tiny little shaker on the top. The powder is very fine and you are meant to rub it in between you hands and apply to your roots.
This powder is quite cool it is sticky! That really caught me off guard. The stickiness really allows you to back comb your hair and have it stay quite well. I have been using on my crown when my hair is tied up to give it a more solid volume and it is working great. I haven't really tried it with my hair down seeing as I noticed it made my hair more static-y. That being said the stickiness is dull and won't make your hair look shiny in any sort or way. And in case you were wondering it does nothing to revitalize day old hair, nuts...
Overall it is a very unique product and at $5.99 not a bad price to try it out, just wanted to give everyone a heads up if you thought it would be similar to a dry shampoo.

easy skin care fix

2011-11-03T10:12:00.000-05:00

My skin is not the best, I have tried chemicals and many many products to tame my skin. Lately I have made one little switch that has made all the difference in keeping my skin clearer. I have been added a drop or two of tea tree oil to my cleanser right before I lather it up on my face. Doing so has worked wonders in keeping most big break out from happening. It is a simple and cheap way to help out your skin free from any bacteria you may get from "not touching your face".

Do keep in mind tea tree oil will hinder some of your cleansers foaming quality but it will leave it squeakier clean with out them. On a side note I have been using aveeno's positively radiant cleanser, only because it was cheap and I didn't want to hunt for a new cleanser that day... tea tree doesn't react with most things so any cleanser should work well with it. Tea tree oil is available in many brands and sizes, just make sure you are buying 100% pure tea tree oil not pre-diluted.

jealous of : mrs. lilien

2011-11-02T10:38:00.001-05:00

Mrs. lilien is definately won of those blogs that drops my jaw every time I go on it. Some people are just too darn creative! Enjoy the beauty

just an adorable item

2011-10-31T10:44:00.002-05:00

This adorable item is courtesy of mod cloth. Just not sure if it is worth the $20, maybe $8?... I do tend to use a lot of tape so I will think about this.

getting a lot of wear...

2011-10-27T10:25:00.000-05:00

This was a whim of a purchase a few months back but has turned out to be one of my favorite necklaces, the neutral moonstone seems to go with everything. This one is from the ruby slipper in winnipeg.

sandbox fall 2011

2011-10-26T09:21:00.000-05:00

The fall issue of sandbox magazine came out last week. Sandbox always has a theme to their issue and this season's theme is winnipeg's/manitoba's french culture. It definitely made me jealous that despite having french heritage I never picked up on the language... The photo shoots are again top notch and included more lovely stories of winnipeg landmarks and the stories behind them, well done!

{croppings of images I liked}

I tried: honey in my hair

2011-10-25T09:21:00.001-05:00

I do like my home made recipes and decided to try a hair mask. Despite honey's stickiness it is very water soluble it washes off your face very easily so I decided to try it in my hair and hopefully relieve some of my dry static ridden ends.
what you need:
2 kitchen spoons of honey
1 tablespoon or eye ball it of olive oil
microwave for 20 seconds and mix well.
*optional* I added eucalyptus oil if you already have essential oils than you can add what you like...
how I did it:
I tied my hair up in a pony tail and with a towel over my shoulders used a basting brush to apply the honey to my hair and than used my hands to really rub it in.
Your hair will be really sticky but don't fret. I left it in for about 10 minutes but longer is better to absorb the moisture.
Rinse it out in the shower and shampoo as normal.
overall:
My hair was the least bit oily after I did this which was great, it did relieve my dryness for a few days but it did come back. I liked doing this and will try my best to remember to do this on the weekends to keep my hair in check this winter.

2011-10-24T09:39:00.001-05:00

Still addicted to anything striped. {pink tartan, lg fashion week}

foreign inspiration

2011-10-20T10:30:00.001-05:00

This week has been pretty boring I haven't been up to much so this is a links post to show some amazing blogs from around the world that I am currently loving...

daydream lily, is from australia and after looking at her blog and frankie magazine I am getting the impression that australia is one freaking cute country that loves their vintage!

et pourquoi pas coline, is french obviously, and although google translates it for you it doesn't seem the same. I just love her tattoo's and "french" style

late afternoon, is american and not really that foreign but her style is to die for and the photography is done really well, don't know how she does it...

2011-10-19T10:37:00.003-05:00

Beyond loving these iphone cases from society6 and artist cassia beck, I can't seem to get enough of pictures of books...

ode to organic:desert essence

2011-10-18T12:37:00.002-05:00

I just wanted to share one of my favorite products that has worked wonders for my hair. I had tried every drugstore shampoo there was but was always mad at my hair, it was flat and greasy by day two and I am really too lazy to wash my hair every day so as a last attempt I tried out desert essence organics tea tree shampoo and was amazed that it could keep my hair shiny and clean for more than a day! I will admit I have tested out my theory and swayed back to a drug store shampoo here and there and always come running back to my tried and true desert essence shampoo, with in days {I have learned my lesson not to sway again} I am currently using the red raspberry shine shampoo and it is working wonders as well. If you are thinking of going organice this is the brand to try in my opinion. Where to buy? In canada I have found well.ca sells they best range and price. If you want to buy it locally in winnipeg vita health and nutrition house sell it however their stock is small and varies.

featured on: style nine to five

2011-10-17T09:45:00.000-05:00

I was contacted a few weeks back about a winnipeg blogger round up by style nine to five and was ever so delighted to be included. Style nine to five is Canada's first and only job site focused on fashion careers, I have spent many hours ogling dream jobs in other cities...{not too many get posted for winnipeg sadly} Christie Lohr who started up style nine to five also runs her own style blog seen here, which also offers great style videos from here appearances on breakfast television.

It was nice to see some familiar blogs in the round up I was already followers of cheap thrills, flattery and lune vintage, and the others I had come across before it just reminded me to visit them more! Another great winnipeg blog not included in the round up is latherwriterepeat. I really do enjoy reading local blogs so if you happen to have one let me know:)

loving: eco tools foundation brush

2011-10-13T09:34:00.001-05:00

Oddly enough I haven't gotten the hang of using this brush to actaully apply my foundation buuuuut it is just perfect for applying face masks and my maybelline dream mouse blush! I have tried many other brushes and the size/weight on this one is just perfect. I own two of these and if I used other make up brushes they would all be eco tools.

almost the same

2011-10-12T11:10:00.000-05:00

Over the weekend I managed to find this lovely red velvet vintage cushion at the goodwill. Granted it is "used" but some steaming and lysol will fix that. I bought it for my outdoor bistro set so I am not too concerned about it. Urban outfitters is selling re-makes of this classic pillow for quite a bit more $$. I only found one so I will now be on the look out for a match...

wren

2011-10-11T09:56:00.002-05:00

really loving the the brooches from the wren fall 2011 look book. The whole collection is really quite lust worthy.

rum with it

2011-10-07T08:43:00.001-05:00

I don't drink and have never tried real rum yet I love treats with rum in it, rum caramels has to be on my top 5 list. I have been playing around with recipes to see where my rum extract works best with some good and bad results (rum brownies don't turn out...) The dough for these cookies is too tasty I was tempted not to bother baking them and eating them raw.

What you need: (This recipe is halved, double if your not going to be eating them all yourself)

1/2 cup Crisco/butter/margarine
1/2 cup brown sugar (firmly packed)
1/4 cup sugar
1 eggs
1 1/2 tsp rum extract plus more if you feel like it
1 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
as many chocolate chips as you like

How to make:
1. Cream crisco (butter), brown sugar and white sugar together. Beat in eggs and vanilla
2. Combine flour, baking soda and salt. Gradually blend into creamed mixture.
3. Stir in chocolate chips.
4. Drop from small spoon full ( I used a tablespoon) onto un greased cookie sheet.
Bake at 375F for 10 minutes.

art crush: janet hill

2011-10-06T10:52:00.001-05:00

Even though I have taken many painting classes I never really got into painting but I desperately love the medium. If I were to ever paint I would love to be as good as janet hill. Her subject matter is right my alley. Maybe one day is the chilly dead of winter I will try painting again...

new to me: frankie magazine

2011-10-05T10:45:00.003-05:00

This week while looking for new inspiration at chapters I came across frankie, an australian magazine that is oh so quirky and adorable. I got the july/august issue and hope the newer issue finds its way to wpg soon. If you already purchase lula and worn then this is a magazine worth checking out. I don't want to give any of its surprises away...

I an also very tempted to order this recipe book put out by the magazine, just not to sure if I want to know the s/h prices yet...

inspired by: prada s2012

2011-10-04T09:46:00.000-05:00

I saw this coat from the prada s2012 collection and immediately right clicked it. Gold, roses and rhinestones what could be better? I had some martha stewart scrap booking flowers that I never knew what to use on. They happened to be a dead ringer for the roses on the prada coat so I made a card out of them. It looks pretty damn close in my opinion! I have a few more flowers and more cards will be in the works.

almay vs andrea eye q's

2011-09-29T10:09:00.001-05:00

I have been on the eternal search for a makeup remover that gets ALL of my mascara off at the end of the day. Recently I have been trying out pre-moistened pads to see if they work better than a cotton ball and liquid. I haven't really had much more luck with these products and although my pad looks black. After I wash my face I have black all under my eyes and than some more when I wake up the next morning.

I tried these first and liked the thickness of the pads, these ones do have oil in them so washing your face right after is a must. I did like using these but they left a lot of mascara under my eyes for days and days, which prompted me to try out something else.

I decided to try out the blue version of these which is meant for waterproof and long wearing makeup. I thought this would be stronger and more in line with what I needed to get my mascara off {note I do not wear waterproof makeup...}These pads are thinner and more fuzzy than the almay ones. I do find that I spend more time swiping these across my eyes to get my mascara off. After I wash my face I do have horrid black streaks under my eyes but after I clean that up it seems to be the last of it and I wake up with okay eyes better than I have with other products but I am still looking for better...

Overall I am not too impressed with either pre-moistened pad remover and will be on the hunt for something else as always. I do like the idea of the quick and easy pads though! If anyone has found their holy grail of makeup removers be sure to share!

2011-09-28T09:29:00.003-05:00

I usually like my cups vintage but these 2 are adorable. Found via F yeah I love tea.

I tried: nanaimo bars

2011-09-27T09:09:00.002-05:00

Over the weekend I attempted to make nanaimo bars. I once thought they would be crazy hard to make but after seeing a recipe in the weekly flyer's I decided to give it a try. I am not posting the recipe since these don't taste very good! They are beyond sweet soo sweet nobody in my family can eat them, they will be meeting my garbage can soon. My chocolate top layer also isn't as smooth and soft as a "real" nanaimo bar. If you are wondering what is actually in the cream part of a nanaimo bar it is custard powder, milk, butter and icing sugar. I think the proportions need to be just right and I got them wrong...This is one dessert I will not try again and will happily enjoy buying.

how to alter {kinda}

2011-09-26T11:38:00.000-05:00

I have become accustom to sewing my clothes, been doing it for almost a shocking 10 years...I decided to give a few pointers that I have learned along the way since you only learn from your mistakes when altering your clothes. Normally I rule out sewing "new" items that I paid full price for but this color of this joe fresh cardigan was exactly what I was looking for so I had to make an exception. The cut on this sweater was quite baggy in the arms so I needed to do a quick fix and now it fits like a dream!

I will start off my mentioning that I did a little more than just take in the arm, I went pro and took in the arm pit as well but my tips will work for arms that are slightlyy baggy and don't need the whole side taken in...

First
Turn your garment inside out and study the shape of the area you want to take in. In most cases it is quite obvious where the cut of the item can be taken in with a simple straight line. For arms there is usually a built in "chicken wing" of fabric that can be sewn right over. Always start you sewing line on the original hem of the garment, if you don't you will get puckering and when you turn it right side out you will KNOW where you sewed.
For me I always start sewing from the sleeve end and let the sewing machine guide me to the armpit. In this case I went over the armpit and along the side of the cardigan and until I hit the original seam on the side of the cardigan. This method can be used to sew up the body of a shirt etc, if you start from the armpit and work your way down.

Second
Once you have sewn your line, turn the item right side in and try it on. If you feel quite good in the new shape and can't feel the excess fabric on your arm leave it don't cut it. If you feel the bulge then turn the item inside out again and carefully cut away the excess, don't cut as close as you can to the new stitch line try to leave a little bit of a seam allowance in case of fraying etc.

Learn which fabrics to cut and when to walk away...
With time you will learn what can and can't be sewn just by looking at the seaming and the fabric. In my experience any fabric with metallic in it will fray like hell and it is best not to try. Most knits will make you want to cry when you cut them but then others won't, and sew like a dream. I find re-swing knits the easiest to do... jersey looks like it would be easy to sew but it can cause many problems with your sewing machine if you do attempt make sure you hold the fabric very taunt and guide it through the machine don't let the machine take over for you it will eat the fabric.

Overall learning to take in your clothes just the tinest bit will open up a lot of possiblilties when you go thrifting. My only super huge tip if you are going to buy an item you know doesn't really fit is make sure the shoulder seam fits. That is one thing no matter how much you take in the arms or the body it will look ill fitting. If the shoulder fits you can most likey find a way to make it fit you:)

100% pure vs 100% pure

2011-09-22T10:59:00.005-05:00

I have been in love with the 100% pure brand for quite some time now. I decided to try out the brand with one of their cleansers. I couldn't decide on which one so I started off with the eucalyptus seafoam cleanser and loved the quality of the product I was just in denial about my skin type so I choose the wrong cleanser. I am now using the purity cleanser+mask for my blemished skin...Here are the differences I found with the 2 cleansers

pros:

* lather and foams like a dream.

* if you like the smell of eucalyptus and mint you will find the scent amazing, which I do.

* washes make-up off very well, my toner pad is always white afterwards.

* all natural, has a 6mo expiry date after the seal is broken, which will force you to use all of it up!

cons:

* very runny, my counter has seen more of this product than my face some days, the tube packaging is wrong it should be in a pump. The lid gets caked off easily and you squirt out way more than you need.

* it is meant for oily skin and although I have oily skin it did not help clear up or prevent blemishes because of oily skin.

Overall I really liked this cleanser enough to try out another by the brand. I have been using what is left of my tube as a mask and I find it works much better for my skin when it is left on for longer.

pros:

* this is thicker and more mud like, but still foams like crazy and it a pleasure to use with my scrublet.

* It has kept my skin calmer and not caused any breakouts what so ever.

* the mask is a nice addition to the cleanser

* all natural, 6 mo expiry date as well.

cons:

* for me I like it as a cleanser better, the mask was nice but I didn't notice amazingly better skin after the mask so I will save it all as a cleanser and use the seafoam cleanser as my mask.

Overall I don't think this cleanser will clear up really bad acne but if you have a few hormonal blemishes this cleanser would be a good option for you.

paint it gold

2011-09-21T10:43:00.002-05:00

I like the functionality of my wallet but it didn't have much pizazz. I went looking for gold fabric paint and came home with martha stewart multi purpose paint. I was originally thinking of doing stripes but once I started to paint it, it was so fun that I painted the whole thing! and then I had the urge to glue something on it and found this broken broach...

I do like my new wallet but am left wondering if I went too crazy with it? I can see more of my items covered in gold paint very soon...

easy to make: circle scarf

2011-09-20T11:11:00.002-05:00

I really liked this scarf, but found it fussy to wear I would play with the tassels and the jangly bits were always in my way so I decided to make it into a circle scarf and make it more functional to wear.

I started off by cutting off the tassels...I tried to make them work but it just didn't. With the scarf "right" side in{the good side which you will see} you can sew the scarf together. I added a fold since the fabric was really fraying. I also sewed 2 lines to really make sure it stayed together.

Now all you have to do is turn the scarf right side out and you are literally done! I am really happy I decided to change things up it is more wearable for me now.

loving: hudson bay collection

2011-09-19T09:25:00.000-05:00

It has been chilly out and all I can think about is blankets! I have always had a love for vintage bay blankets and wondered if now is the time to finally go and get one. I had no idea how much they were {turns out they are $300+ new, for the classic version} not quite ready for that kind of spending so I will admire my beauties from a far. Maybe this throw will look as good in person...

spring forward

2011-09-15T09:46:00.000-05:00

Very happy to see the color trends for spring 2012. I can not get enough yellow, coral, orange and white.
preen, nanette lepore, christian siriano.

mark by avon kabuki brush review

2011-09-14T10:19:00.000-05:00

I bought this a few months back because I really can't decide if I am a powder girl or not. I figured using a kabuki brush instead of a sponge would help me decide... I pretty much went for the cheapest brush I could find seeing as I wasn't sure how much use I would get out of it. I found this brush by mark for $7. It has the added bonus of being retractable so no make-up box junk will get on the bristles.
what I noticed using this brush:
* kabuki brushes are more dense and feel really nice on your face to apply powder, however once I washed my brush the "new" denseness went away and it dried very soft and fluffy. {it also took a few days to completely dry}
* the retractable part of the brush is a great idea, with this design there is not way to lock the bottom, while using the brush it pops up and you have to constantly adjust the bottom and hope it stays down.

Overall I really like using a kabuki brush. If you apply powder out of the house I would suggest a retractable version for ease of travel. If you apply powder in your house only I would stick to a traditional version and spend a few more dollars. I like my brush but am swayed to get a "better one"...

gold on gold?

2011-09-12T10:38:00.003-05:00

I found this lovely top while vintage shopping last week and can't wait to wear it. It has a nice swoop neck and I am slightly puzzled what to wear with it. I don't own any black necklaces so gold would be my next option, it is too much to wear gold on gold? Let me know what you think!

repurchased: maybelline define a lash

2011-09-08T10:31:00.003-05:00

I think it is good to mention items that you try and actually re-purchase. There was some stiff competition from my go to brand rimmel {lash accelerator volume, sexy curves full volume, extra wow lashes} I managed to resist them all and re-purchase maybelline's define-a-lash volume

what I like about it:

* the brush gives me a fan of lashes, the volume is not amazing but the fan like quality of my lashes makes up for that.

* it holds a curl alllll day long, it dries fast so you can curl them right after you apply it.

what I didn't like:

* it tends to get drier quite quick, after a month it takes a few coats to get the same effect and it is tempting to buy a new one...

could be better: boscia pore purifying strips

2011-09-07T10:17:00.002-05:00

I was literally dying to try these, the description sells them so well... I have blackheads to spare and for me these strips didn't remove any of them, instead they pull off a layer of dry skin and my peach fuzz {which does deserve a thanks!} but I was hoping for more.

If you have used the biore ones, these are actually a bit different. They are quite soft and flexible to place. They harden up well and I found easier to remove than the biore, which always left me with white patches of glue on my nose. I like the ingredients and how they are "different" than other nose strips I just don't think for me they have enough sticky to them to get out my deep blackheads. Now I know, I have tried them and gotten my lust for them out of my system!

p.s Using a toner right after does help with any stinging afterwards.

missed out on...

2011-09-06T09:36:00.003-05:00

Over the long weekend I took a trip to a road side antique shop {junk for joy, sadly no website} I don't know if I wasn't in the mood for it or what but I didn't find anything that really spoke to me. As my mom was paying she found this for me and it was pretty cheap so I decided to buy it. It is very cute buuuut

now that I am home I can't stop thinking about an item I passed up. There was a 1937 copy of chatelaine magazine that I should have bought instead...I can't even google a good example of the one I missed out on. It would have been nice framed and a good read, nuts!!

Do you ever dream of items you missed out on?

thank you

2011-09-05T10:34:00.001-05:00

My friend gave me a macaroon book for my birthday so it was fitting to make her a macaroon inspired thank you card!

furniture crush : christopher guy

2011-09-01T09:58:00.003-05:00

Vintage inspired furniture at it's best, christopher guy.

kitsch at it's best

2011-08-31T09:41:00.003-05:00

There is the best thrift store by our cabin that sells books for 5 cents, shoes for 10 cents and collectibles for a steal. I don't get to go very often, but my mom brought me home some "presents" they definitely border on they are so ugly they are cute. I doubt I will ever use the owl vase for flowers... it has rhinestone eyes so I must keep it at least for a while.

This herb sack is really cute but there was a manufacturing flaw and the spices are the same...I decided to hang this behind my door to hold my socks for now.

white before labor day

2011-08-30T09:41:00.003-05:00

I decided to treat myself to some fresh flowers this week. I quite like them and I will try and keep up with some weekly fresh flowers for my table. As an added bonus I finally put my milk glass vase to good use!

random picture

2011-08-29T15:12:00.002-05:00

A cute tea pic from the september issue of lucky.

new batiste fresh dry shampoo

2011-08-25T10:21:00.004-05:00

I have tried many different types of dry shampoo {oscar blandi, tresemme, mark by avon I even made my own...} none of the ones I tried before really did it for me so I had almost written off dry shampoos. I was offered a sample of batiste new unisex FRESH scented dry shampoo and decided to finally give it a try.

It is aerosol style but easier to work with than the oscar blandi version. A few shakes and a couple spritz and I was done. Instantly my hair felt 10x better. it is very silky and hard to explain if you have tried other dry shampoo's this formulation is amazingly different. I let it sit for a few minutes {there is white powder that will need to brushed out} once it dried a bit the white powdery bits blend into your hair quite easily. I used a towel to absorb any extras.

From what I have tried before, with this dry shampoo your hair actually feels better than it did before, and does not get gross through out the day, even the next day my hair didn't feel bad at all. I loved this soo much that I even sprayed some into clean hair one morning!

Overall I am a convert at around $10 canadian it is the best option I have tried. I will personally buy more when my can runs out very glad I got to try it out. Well worth a try!

dream coat

2011-08-25T09:51:00.003-05:00

I came across this emersonmade coat the other day and it looks just perfect to me! I will be needing a new winter coat this year so fingers crossed when this becomes available online the price will be reasonable and the material suitable for winnipeg winters...

beauty tested : honey

2011-08-24T09:38:00.003-05:00

fun fact: honey is naturally anti-bacterial and the body does not gain resistance to it like antibiotics. "Back in the day" it was used after surgeries on wounds to prevent infections.

I am still on a natural ingredient kick and have had a few blemishes that weren't healing so I decided to give honey a try. After cleansing and toning I put a little honey on the end of a q-tip and massaged into my troubled areas and left overnight. It is sticky but if you are staying in, who really cares?

It worked amazingly! after the first night my trouble spots looked 10x better and after the second dam near healed. I would recommend giving this a try if you have problem spots...

diy: chain gang

2011-08-22T11:03:00.004-05:00

The inspiration:
her waise choice, I saw this headband the other day on her blog and sadly there wasn't a close up of it. So I just assumed it was a chain headband, which is pretty awesome. In turn inspired me to make my own...

I couldn't really find a good headband to glue the chain onto, so I sewed on some elastic to make a wrap headband. It stays on pretty good but I think I still need to play around with the idea. The look is really cool on and is super cheap if you happen to have old chains lying around. This may be my new obsession...

siren call

2011-08-18T09:18:00.002-05:00

My eternal search for the perfect shade of orange lipstick is over. I finally remembered to take a look at revlon's super lustrous lipstick in siren and was beyond impressed by the color. It is not too bright and slightly sheer on. The retro packaging is too adorable. I got mine for $5 and it is well worth it. If you have been on the hunt for a more orange than coral lipstick this is for you.

fall inspiration

2011-08-17T09:56:00.002-05:00

As fall starts to trickle in to the stores, I want to make sure this year I stick to guns and only buy pieces that are truly special and not just buy cardigans because I love cardigans... Here are a few fashion look books that are my inspiration for fall.

Kitsune, I love the cream and blacks as well as the layers, the cardigans under blazers looks amazing. I will be wearing navy and orange lipstick.

juliette hogan, this label to me can do no wrong, good thing it is in new zealand and temptation is far away. I hope to attempt to wear more prints.

almay : clear complexion foundation

2011-08-15T10:58:00.003-05:00

I am a fan of almay's TLC foundation so I decided to give their clear complexion foundation a try since my skin hasn't been behaving lately. If you would have asked my last week my first impressions of this foundation I would have said "it's not bad" but over the weekend I have had a falling out with almay's clear complexion and here are a few pointers if you are considering it.

Pros:
* it is very lightweight. When you touch your skin after applying it, it feels like skin which is a nice change. That being said it is light coverage and doesn't really cover up blemishes all that well, but concealer blends well with it.
* It does keep oily skin at bay for longer than other foundations I have tried.
* My skin did not react in a bad way to it.

Cons:
* The packaging {regular glass pour style}, I ended up pouring it into another jar since I was wasting so much product trying to pour it or dip things in it.
* It doesn't wash off easily... I went to clean my norex face cloth and foundation brush over the weekend and this foundation seemed to repel water and make-up remover {I noticed this right away but thought a good cleaning would help} My norwex cloth is still peach even after being boiled, and my foundation brush has remnants of foundation after being soaked for a few hours.

The above point has turned my off from continuing using this foundation, It seemed to come off my face when I washed it but it ruined my other beauty utensils only after a week of use. So I feel it could still be on my face...If you do use this foundation use a sponge and try not to use "good" cloths to wash your face with.

but that just might be me.

feeling floral

2011-08-15T10:41:00.003-05:00

This past week while thrifting I picked up some super adorable floral vintage items. I can't decide which one is my favorite...

in case you were googling how to make liquid soap from bar soap...

2011-08-11T10:25:00.002-05:00

I often get some really crazy ideas and waste no time making them happen. This week I decided there must be a way to make a bar of soap into a pumpable liquid soap. I wanted to do this since I was really liking my neem soap bar but hated the application and wanted it liquid...

So I google a bit and found this tutorial {note the image above was taken from this site, I didn't dare picture my hot mess} Overall my experience was not pleasant I ended up with no soap at all and one big mess.

Things I have learned:
If the soap you are using grated very nicely and looks like cheese, my advice is don't even try to boil it. My neem and the other vegtable based soap I used grated very nicely and when boiled gave me a pot of soap scented water nothing resembling pump soap in the least.
* I grated some more soap I found around the house in hopes of saving my experiment and my next bar of soap grated like dust ala the picture above. As soon as I added this to the water it instantly melted beautifully and made something that resembled liquid soap.
* The only problem was I had the proportions way off so when my soap cooled it turned back into a solid and was unusable:(

Overall I do think this can be done, but not with all soap bars. I think this would work best with fancy soaps to make bathroom soap pumps, not cleanser bars in hopes of making a creamy cleanser. Just thought I would share my two cents about my trail and error.

b-day splurges?

2011-08-09T10:36:00.003-05:00

Even though I have about a month until my actual birthday I am trying to compose a little list of "expensive for what they are" items to be my b-day splurge to myself. So far I seem to be settled on these 2 items

clinique all about eyes: I have tried a few other eye rollers and never really like them as much as the clinique sample I had tried. I am thinking it may time to go out and buy the real thing...

boscia black pore strips: I haven't used a nose strip in years and feel I could use some. These black ones look more fun that the biore ones so I think they may be worth a try just once...

Other items rotating on my list

dior addict lipstick, benefits in the garden of good and eva.

puuurfect

2011-08-08T09:13:00.004-05:00

I used to be addicted to leopard print and have done good in the past few years limiting myself to only a few pieces... From what I have seen from the first few tricklings of fall into stores it will be everywhere soon! The pattern on this forever21 {not online...} scarf is my ideal "leopard print" not too natural looking and more stylized. It will be perfect for fall.

avon healthy makeup lip cream

2011-08-04T10:24:00.004-05:00

Lipsticks are my weakness. Lately I have been trying out glosses in hopes of finding the right mix of color with out drying out my lips. I recently purchased avon's lip cream from their healthy makeup line. The colors in avon books are never quite the same in person so here is a look at the shades I got on.

Berry Pretty looks lovely in the tube and goes on slightly lighter more pink than berry. The lip creams have a very nice texture creamy but not as gooey as a gloss. I only wished this had a slight bit more pigment...
Pink charm, is sheer, sheer, sheer which is a shame. I was hoping it wouldn't be, I will be layering it over other lipsticks to keep my lips moist. It is too light on its own for my liking.
Overall I do like these more than glosses {which I have unofficially banned myself from buying again} I think if you are not used to wearing full on lipstick and need a baby step into color these would be great to try, but they don't quite compare to a lipstick.

vintage crush : milk glass

2011-08-02T11:16:00.004-05:00

Right now I am really crushing on milk glass, I have always had a love for it the last few times I have been thrifting I have managed to find some really good pieces {not pictured, I haven't found a good spot for them yet} If you love milk glass as well there is a great pintrest page dedicated to milk glass run by jane's apron.

cover love: remix

2011-08-02T11:05:00.002-05:00

I saw this mag last week at chapters and it is even more gorgeous in person the "remix" is in gold and very tempting. I was already buying a pricey lula so I left this behind...the online version will have to do for now. Nicole looks absolutely flawless totally crushing on this.

oh lula

2011-07-29T09:54:00.003-05:00

Lula issue 12 is out and I always seem to find it by pure dumb luck. This time was no exception I managed to pick up the last copy chapters had, lucky me! Here are some images from my favorite editorial in the mag, the full version can be seen here.

As always I will be anxiously awaiting the next issue in 6 months...

tools of the trade

2011-07-26T10:26:00.006-05:00

Here are a few of my favorite beauty tools of the moment.

Plain old wedge sponges, I have tried other shapes and always go back. These are great for foundation but I also use them apply my day/night lotion. I can't remember the last time I used my fingers to apply lotion to my face I have some what got addicted to using these...
Norwex make-up removal cloths
I bought these upon recommendation from my sister who insisted these with in days helped clear up her blackheads and made her acne scars look lighter, so needless to say I had to buy them. I have only been using them for a few days but am pretty impressed. You can see your foundation on these cloths after you wash your face it is gross but great at the same time. My face does seem "cleaner" after. I am tempted to get the regular body cloths now...

Precision pore cleansing pad {sephora}

This is my favorite thing in the world, I cannot wash my face with out it! It foams up your cleanser so nicely, makes it easy to rub product all over your face and overall makes it feel like you are really cleaning your face. If you have never tried one, you should.
Round handle facial brush {the body shop}
This has to be the most adorable thing I own, it is tiny in real life {maybe about 1 1/2 inch diameter} it comes with it's own case and really just looks nice on the counter. It doesn't make your cleanser foam, so it would be good for more cream based cleansers or a gentle exfoliating gel to give it some extra help sloughing off dead skin.

pretty natural skin

2011-07-26T10:01:00.005-05:00

For my new cleanser option, I decided to go the green and natural route. I have been drooling over the pretty website for a few months and decided to finally make and order. I was beyond impress when I opened up my package. The quality of the products and the thought that went into the design of the packaging has by far been the best I have seen. It truly beats buying a plain old plastic container from the drug store. I have been using my products for over a week now and here is a mini review of what I got.

Creamy facial bar in "purify" {aka tea tree and neem}

I have never used a bar soap before so I knew it would take some getting used to, but really it hasn't been that hard to adjust. I used the above tools {will be doing a post tomorrow on them with proper links...} the pink pore scrubby makes the bar foam and makes it really easy to use a bar soap. That being said my skin has been behaving quite amazingly since I started using this soap. It literally leaves your skin squeaky clean and not dry. Very much worth a try!!

Cleansing grains in black tea and cocoa
First off this stuff smells amazing I just "smell" it when ever I am in the bathroom...I knew when I ordered this that it would be hard to get a hang of. It is a no soap powder that you add water to, to make a paste and cleanse with. I have yet to find the right combo of water and tend to make a hot mess while using this. I however love idea of the cleansing grains. I have found another great use for this. I have been adding 1/2 teaspoon of grains to warm honey and it makes for a lovely mask:) I will continue on with this it is just so different and such a good idea.

With my order they sent more a sample of the tea tree and rosemary beauty mud I had no problem trying this out! The mask although it looks like the cleansing grains turns to a beautiful green mud when water is added to it. It had a nice cooling sensation as it dried and came off like a dream. I really enjoyed the mask and will be adding it to my next order. I am anxiously awaiting the release of their creamy cleansers.

Overall my experience with pretty, has been pretty amazing. Glad I finally tried it out.