Category Archives: beauty

31 Day Blog Challenge: March 2013

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Hello, all! I hope everyone’s March is off to a fantastic start : )

I recently discovered this 31 Day Blog Challenge via my friend Danielle’s Instagram. I was instantly drawn in. What a great way to jump start my posting after a busy season and time away!

Luckily I discovered this only a couple days into March, so there’s not too much to catch up on. Here’s Day 1: Self-Portait and 5 Random Facts!

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  1. I am double-jointed in both of my pinky fingers.
  2. My favorite colors are green and purple.
  3. I didn’t learn how to tie my shoes until second grade.
  4. My dog means the world to me.
  5. I have a tattoo of Ohio.

use it: nail polish

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Polishes I’m loving lately: 

L’Oreal Colour Riche in Jet Set to Paris: I’ve been interested in trying this line of nail polish for little while now. Coincidentally, I’ve been looking for a royal blue shade – so it all worked out! This polish was a reasonable price and easy to apply. It did chip a little easily, but I didn’t put any top coat on it and was working in a pool a lot, so take that as you will.

 

Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Right Said Red underneath OPI’s Minnie Mouse collection in Nothin’ Mousie ‘Bout It: I have blogged about my love for Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure before, so we won’t get into that. Instead let’s discuss my love of OPI’s special nail polish collections, such as the Nicki Minaj collection or this summer’s Minnie Mouse inspired group. I think OPI has some of the most fun polish names in the business, and I’m always happy with the results I get when I use the brand. I was super excited for Nothin’ Mousie ‘Bout It. I’ve been really drawn to glitter polishes and top coats lately, and not only is Nothin’ Mousie ‘Bout It have a very faint pink glitter gel, but it has adorable pink hearts in it! The application of the polish was a bit involved, at least in order to achieve the look I wanted. I first only got the pink glitter gel on the brush and smoothed that on my nail. Next, while it was still wet, I dabbed individual hearts where I wanted them. I waited for that all to dry, and then I smoothed just the pink glitter gel on again over it all. It lasted well and made me so happy every time I looked at my nails!

 

Essie Sand Tropez underneath Essie Luxe Effects As Gold As it Gets: I’ve had Sand Tropez since last summer, but haven’t used it since. It just feels like a summer appropriate shade, both in looks and name. I have gotten pretty tan this summer from working at the pool so much, and the soft beige looked great in contrast. I added As Gold As it Gets over it, and the combo is my absolute new favorite for summer. I can’t get enough!

What polishes have you been enjoying lately?

 

does anyone else…

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Source: spotlight.com via Kelly on Pinterest

 

…feel like summer has been moving way too fast?

…feel strange with unpainted fingernails?

…have trouble sleeping without their dog (or cat) cuddled up next to them?

…wish the summer Olympics happened more frequently than every four years?

…love kicking back with a bowl of popcorn and a funny movie after a long week?

…think it’s just as fun to go through the drive-thru as an adult as it was as a kid?

…enjoy starting the day with a big cup of coffee and morning news and talk shows?

…feel like they could eat Mediterranean cuisine for every meal for the rest of eternity?

 

 

weekly gems

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weekly gems

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things that making me happy

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Source: buzzfeed.com via Kelly on Pinterest

 

  • Obviously the above illustration! : )
  • Attending and loving my first pilates-yoga fusion group fitness class
  • Fun new nail polish from OPI’s Minnie Mouse collection
  • Walking the dogs at dusk
  • Discovering a new yummy protein shake recipe: vanilla whey protein powder, low-fat chocolate milk, strawberries, and cherries
  • New candles in beachy scents
  • Attending a Greek festival with one of my closest friends and her family just like old times
  • Blueberry pancakes for breakfast
  • A perfect day spent with Dan celebrating the one-year-away-from-our-wedding milestone mark : )
  • Driving around drinking Sonic slushes and listening to baseball games
  • A good night’s sleep

 

things that are making me happy

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Source: beagleandbear.tumblr.com via Kelly on Pinterest

 

What is making you happy as of late?

 

use it: nail polish

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Polishes I’m loving lately:

China Glaze Captiol Colours (Hunger Games) in Riveting: As both a big nail polish and Hunger Games fan, I of course felt compelled to add some of China Glaze’s Capitol Colours collection to my personal polish stock. I was immediately drawn to Riveting since I have no orange polishes yet and because to me it just screamed “the girl on fire.” It applied quite easily. I can’t attest to its staying power because I had to remove it earlier than planned (due to attending an event for which bright orange nail polish was inappropriate), though it did not chip for the few days I was wearing it.

 

Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Cherry, Cherry, Bang, Bang: I’ve shared my reasons for admiring Salon Hansen Complete Salon Manicure before, so I won’t go into details about the quality of the formula again. However, I can’t stress enough how much I just LOVE this color. It’s beautiful and bright without being neon. Every time I looked at my nails I just felt happy!

 

China Glaze Capitol Colours (Hunger Games) in Smoke and Ashes + Essie in Peach Daiquiri: I originally intended to wear just Smoke and Ashes, since I had recently purchased it and hadn’t worn it yet. However, tomorrow is the last day of school (which teachers enjoy just as much as students!) and my birthday is in a couple of days, so while black nail polish is certainly sophisticated, it wasn’t quite as fun as this week requires. I attempted to use Peach Daiquiri to create a black-and-pink French mani, but ended up creating way too thick of a pink line at the top of my nails. I adapted and decided aimed for ombre nails instead. I horizontally painted 1/3 to a 1/4 of the top of each nail pink. After each horizontal line dried, I then (with a trace amount of polish on the brush) painted pink vertically over the already-dried black. Results – solid pink tops of nails, dark purple/pink fades in the middle, with very light pink and purple (or even black) bottoms. It’s not the best ombre job since (a) wasn’t even planning on it when I started and (b) I didn’t use a sponge to shade like most tutorials recommend, but I still like it for my first attempt. In any case, it definitely fulfills this week’s fun factor!

 

Do you enjoy special collections of polishes? Have you tried ombre nails or any other unique nail trend lately?

 

things that are making me happy

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  • Beautiful early summer weather
  • Cuddling up with Dan and watching baseball games
  • Having fun with Coca-Cola Freestyle machines
  • Good hair days
  • Taking photos in a photo booth
  • Adorable cats like Peppermint getting adopted from the shelter
  • Watching favorite episodes of my favorite shows
  • Discovering new delicious and healthy recipes
  • Picking up new nail polish shades
  • Naps on the front porch swing
  • Turning on the radio and hearing a favorite song

 

What is making you happy as of late?

 

 

gift guide: mother’s day

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Have you gotten your mom (or grandma or aunt or wife or new mom relative/friend) a Mother’s Day gift yet?* I’m not a mom, but from what I can by watching my mom and other relatives, and talking with my friends who have already been blessed with their own kiddos, what a mom can benefit from – and enjoy – the most is just plain relaxation! That being said, I think a gift that provides the chance to chill out is just the fit for many moms. Everything below is easy to put together (even if you’re behind schedule):

 

Let Mom kick back with a…

Followed by… 

All the items shown above can be found at popular shopping stops such as Target, Amazon, and Bath & Body Works (the images themselves were taken from my Pinterest).  

 

Would your mom enjoy a gift like the one above? How would you adapt it to fit her personality? How do you plan on celebrating the day?

*The Glitter Guide had a great idea about how to spend Mother’s Day honoring moms who have passed away or supporting friends who have lost their mothers.

 

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