Where to Shop Online

I love to shop online, mainly because I don’t have to fight through crowds and my size is usually in stock. This being said I also usually shop on sites that I’ve been in the physical store itself so I have a better idea of what sizes I will need despite the sizing charts available. Here is a list of some of my favorite places to shop from the comfort of my couch.

Threadless

If you don’t know what Threadless is, shame on you. It is such an awesome place to get t-shirts with unique designs. I really enjoy how it’s a community of designers who submit designs, the public scores them, and a select few with the highest scores are chosen to be sold as shirts. In the beginning designs were placed on simple tees or hoodies, but now you can purchase infant-wear, bags, and they’ve started putting the designs on different clothing styles in their “Select” line. A lot of the designs are amazingly artistic and many have a story behind them you can read about in the “About the Design” section. If a design you’re looking to purchase is sold out never fear; just click on a button and Threadless will let you know when it has been reprinted.

You can check out Threadless Tees on their website or while you’re watching Community as Abed frequently sports these awesome shirts.

American Eagle/Aerie

I don’t purchase as much as I used to from AE but I still love the site, especially since they upgraded and got a better site layout. Since I live in Canada I get dinged with extra duties and taxes but it usually isn’t that big of a deal because AE has free shipping deals every other week it seems as well as taking off an extra percentage on clearance items. Clearance is typically where I get all my items from just because I love a sale and why pay full price for something when you can get it on sale?

Victoria’s Secret

As a Canadian I suffer from lack of Victoria’s Secret stores. Did you know that they can only be found in Alberta and Ontario? I live a long ways away from either of those locations so unless I wanna jump on a plane for a few hours every time I want to shop, I’ll just have to stick to online shopping. Now I’ve never ordered any undergarments or over-the-shoulder-boulder-holders, but I love their clothes. I find the sizing charts are pretty good to work with, but some items are a little short in the torso but still manageable. A big disadvantage I find with the site is that their free shipping offers generally only cover U.S. based orders. Once in a blue moon they apparently have free shipping to Canada. To make up for this there are usually some online promotion codes you can enter to save a few bucks, but without the free shipping it means that whatever I buy off the site is something I really want.

1928

I don't tend to wear a lot of jewelry but when I do I find myself drawn to vintage-inspired pieces. Thanks to a family member I was told about this awesome website. They have tonnes of stuff to choose from ranging from very affordable pieces to some that are a little more expensive. They also have a bridal line, things for pets, frames, and lots more. I adore this site and am always on the lookout for a sale so I can order even more :) Make sure to check out their website

If anyone can suggest some other great online sources for online shopping leave your comments below. Happy Shopping!


Rebecca

First Apartment Drama: Things You Should Learn

Just before you leave home there are a few basic things you should learn to do. Some of them are going to sound silly but hey, somewhere out there some lost soul is unaware of what they are missing out on.

1.      Learn to cook

One cannot live on take-out and Mr. Noodles alone. You need some nutrition in your life otherwise you’re going to get scurvy or a deficiency of some sort. Now I understand that cooking is not for everyone but at least learn to do some basic things like rice, eggs, boiling water, and cooking some form of meat. Ask someone you know to give you hand or write down a few pointers. There are also some great literary references you can invest in that will really help you out, a lot are actually aimed at college students who are getting their first place. Two cookbooks out of my collection that I really enjoy are Jamie’s Food Revolution and Everyday Food: Great Food Fast.

Jamie’s Food Revolution is the first cookbook of Jamie Oliver’s that I can actually use. Not because the recipe’s in his other books suck (they are actually awesome) it’s that I’m not fond of the page layouts. I’m really fussy when it comes to cookbooks but I use this one a lot, I find the recipes are simple, delicious, open to your own variations, the book is organized really well. He really tried to target this book at people who do not know how to cook.

Everyday Food sometimes has unique ingredients (it is a Martha Stewart book after all), but I really enjoy how recipes are divided into seasons. This gives one a greater idea of what produce is in season and taste best. Certainly you can cook these recipes anytime of year, but I thought it was a unique concept dividing them by season. I highly recomend the recipie for Creamy Broccoli Soup because it tastes fine by itself or with some additions like crackers and cheese.

Unlike my other books, which I never dog-ear or mark in, I love to write in cookbooks. I can remind myself what recipes I like, ones I don’t, changes I’ve made to recipes, or note another recipie that paired really well with another.

2.  Learn to do laundry

As Rachel Green pointed out, not everyone knows how to do laundry when they move out. If you do not have laundry facilities at your new place, scout out Laundromats around town. Make note what type of payment the machines take cause if they use quarters you can remember to save all of yours for laundry day. Don’t just throw everything in together; learn to read the labels on your clothing. Again you may want to ask someone you know for advice on laundry or you can check out Laundry Labels or How to do Laundry

3. Learn how to manage your finances

This is probably the most important thing to learn because you need to know how to budget so that all the bills are paid and you still have money left for food and other expenses. Try to make a routine out of it so you get into the habit of paying bills, transferring money when necessary, etc. Every paycheck I like to assess my bank account, make sure I have enough to take care of my living accommodations, then I move so much into a savings account for school, my budget for personal money I can blow on non-essential items, and my Christmas Fund. I love my Christmas Fund because during the summer when I’m working full-time I can actually have the money I need for getting Christmas presents before school starts. This means when I'm back in classes and only working weekends, I don’t have to worry about having money saved for Christmas.

Since you’re learning to budget it is also wise to consider getting a credit card. If you’re a student some banks offer a special credit card that cuts you a break on banking fees. Having one will help build your credit rating so if you ever need a loan, they can see what a good banker you are and approve the loan. But beware! Don’t use your credit card for everything, preferably it should be kept for emergencies or purchases you know you can pay off at months end. I use my credit card for groceries because I know I can pay it off each month and I get extra air miles at the store for using it.

There you have it, three things that are important to learn when you get your own place. Hope you find it useful!

Rebecca

Beauty Breakdown Tag!

Hey Guys!


I watched this tag on xeverygirlx's channel and I thought it looked fun so I wanted to do it! The tag consists of 5 categories!


Categories:
1. What products do you use in the shower?
2. What products do you use when you get out of the shower?
3. What are your odds and ends products?
4. What products do you use on your face?
5. What other makeup products do you use?


So here we go!


Category 1:


In the shower I use the Macadamia Nut Oil shampoo, Burt's Bees Pomegranate Raspberry conditioner, The Body Shop Apple shower gel, Bic Soleil razors, EOS Pomegranate Raspberry shave cream and loofah!.. apparently I really like pomegranate raspberry.


Category 2:


When I get out I use Soft and Dry no aluminum deodorant, The Body Shop watermelon body lotion, Burt's Bees Peppermint foot lotion, Victoria Secret Splash of Pink Fresh and Clean body spray, Marc Jacobs Daisy Eau So Fresh perfume.


Category 3:


My odds and ends products are my electric toothbrush and Colgate Whitening toothpaste.. real exciting.
OH! and my Lush bubble gum lip scrub.


Category 4:


On my face I use the Clinique 3 step acne system and Carmax cherry lip conditioner.


Category 5:


On lazy days, I'll usually just use my Maybelline dream matte powder to stop oils throughout the day, Boing! concealer by Benefit and my eyelash curler. If I put on makeup, I'll use some of Revlon Colorstay mixed with a dab of Stila tinted moisturizer so I don't feel cake-y, Maybelline dream matte powder, Nyx cream blush in natural and Maybelline one-by-one mascara.


I tag all of our followers and if any of you do this tag please send us your link so we can check it out! <3

Chow-4-Now


xox


Ash

Don't Fear the Dress

Whenever I went shopping for a night-on-the-town outfit I always avoided dresses that were the least bit form fitting. The main reason being that like many ladies out there, my biggest problem area is the lower abdomen/hip area. It just doesn’t look flattering in tight numbers that hug every curve which made me uncomfortable. For as long as I have done my own clothes shopping, I’ve gone for the dresses that have an empress waist style or a fuller skirt; never the little black dress that would surely display everything I was trying to hide.

That was until last year when I was desperately trying to find a new dress for our school’s semi formal. Everything I tried on was so similar to what I had previously owned; I didn’t see the point in buying it. Discouraged and with nothing else to try, I started browsing through my personal forbidden zone of dresses when I came across a sharp looking dress with horizontal pleating. Years previous I had also make it a rule to avoid this style or anything with ruching due to an unpleasant experience of my grandmother and aunt working in cahoots to force me into something more “modern” for the next school year.

Anyways, the material had a pattern I fell in love with and the back had an edgy geometric cut out that I was sure some magazine had informed me was all the rage. Not thinking I would like it, I tried it on anyway. The worse that could happen was that I look like a stuffed sausage in the privacy of the dressing room. I was in for a surprise. Instead of clinging to areas I didn’t want attention drawn to, the pleats actually formed a smooth silhouette over areas I generally had a strong dislike towards.

Now I’m sure most of you are saying, “Well Rebecca, everyone knows this,” but I didn’t! I must’ve missed the memo when they sent it out. Admiring myself in the mirror I felt silly for ever forbidding myself to consider a form fitting style. So if anyone out there was like me, and avoiding a more fitted dress because you feel you don’t have the “right” shape; stop it. Don’t disregard a style because of one bad experience or be afraid to experiment. What you wear makes a statement and what better statement is there to make than, “Look at me, I look awesome,” in that pleated dress.

Rebecca

First Apartment Drama: Dealing with Roommates or Lack of

 

Growing up I was lucky enough that I did not have to share a room with either of my two younger sisters so I really enjoy having my own space. When I moved into my first place after a year of living in residence, I had my first real experience of sharing a living space with someone else. Sure we both had our own rooms but after awhile you begin to realize that there are going to be some ups and downs to sharing an apartment. The same can also be said about living alone which I am currently experiencing as my roommate is now home for the summer and won’t be back until fall.

Here I am going to go through a basic pros and cons list to each situation and how to remedy any nasty roommate spats.

Living with a Roommate(s)

Pros You have someone to split bills, food, and rent with You have someone you can borrow clothes from/ask for outfit advice Someone to share chores with Someone to talk to Even if they are holed up in their room it’s nice to know you’re not alone Someone to blame those bump-in-the-night sounds on Someone to go see a movie with or another fun activity If roommate has a pet, you get to cuddle and play with it but don’t have to pay for any vet bills Someone to study with if you’re in the same classes If above is true they can also bring you notes when you’re sick Someone can help you decorate your new apartment Don’t have to get all the furniture It’s easier cooking meals for two rather than one

Cons Roommate may not want to pay for things they are not going to use ie cable or land-line Food preferences may differ so much you can’t split food Roommate is a crazy neat freak and gets upset when things are left dirty for two seconds Roommate could be a slob Roommate likes to play loud music Find out you just plain don’t get along (could be true if you move in with a friend or find someone in the “Roommate Wanted” section) Roommate likes to throw parties when you want to study Roommate does not clean up after their pet Roommate does not know how to cook and ruins your beautiful cookware Roommate has no regard of personal space Someone is ALWAYS around

Living Alone

Pros Can arrange things just the way you like with no compromise If the place is a mess, no one is around to judge you Quiet time when you need it Don’t have to worry about making food everyone likes Can walk around in your underwear Can watch trash tv without the harsh judgment of others No one is going to borrow your stuff without asking (unless you get burgled) No one is going to ruin your fancy cookware

Cons Have to pay for all the bills, food, and rent yourself Have to furnish the apartment yourself All the chores must be done by you No one to blame bump-in-the-night noises on No one readily able to give you their approval on an outfit Develop the habit of talking to yourself No one to blame but yourself for ruining your own things such as your fancy cookware Run the risk of becoming a crazy cat lady by acquiring too many feline companions

When it boils down to it I have enjoyed living alone these last few weeks, but I’m also excited for my roommate to come back, mostly because I really hate those bump-in-the-night noises.

If you are thinking of living with someone, make sure you think it over and discuss it carefully with that person. If either of you have mixed feelings about the situation, you’re probably not going to find living together easy. Be really honest with each other about living habits you may have or things that would bother you. For example, tell your potential roommate that you hate doing the dishes, you don’t want to pay for a land-line, and you are not going to clean up after their dog. This way you can find compromises so living together will be a great experience. Instead of doing the dishes maybe you can be primarily responsible for some other chore and agree that if you’re not paying for the land-line you will not use it or ask permission if you should need to. There is nothing wrong with making A Guideline to Harmonious Living. Being able to communicate with one another without flying off the handle will make sure you remain friends when one or both of you move out, so avoid yelling at one another or the passive-aggressive route should any problems arise.

Obviously there are pros and cons to all living situations, and your first time living with someone is going to have its challenges; but, it also is a huge milestone. You’re living without constant supervision, no curfew, you’re practically an adult! Enjoy it :)

Rebecca

P.S. Any stories/advice about your first roommate experience? Comment below!

Book Review: Seventeen Ultimate Guide to Style + NOTD

Hey Guys!

It's been a while since my last post because I've been feeling slightly un-inspired. I've been
buried in homework since it's almost the end of the semester and I haven't really been doing
any shopping lately for reviews.. but enough with the excuses!

A few days ago I picked up the Seventeen Ultimate Guide to Style. I'm not the most stylish person around so I'm hoping this book can inspire my future shopping decisions.
This book starts off with a Hi from Ann.. I love Ann (she always gives the best intro's) and she has the best job in the world!

Then the style guide starts by breaking down the book into 6 different categories: Girly, Edgy, Boho, Classic, Glam and Indie.

In each style section, the authors first gives you staple clothing items to add to your wardrobe. From there they show you how to wear them and how to incorporate them into your everyday style. They then give a bio and inspirations of a girl who have the style they are talking about. Then they show the girls favorite looks for events like going to school, a date, a look for the weekend and a part outfit. The book then goes into a celeb-spiration section, tells insider secrets to getting that celebs style and you then give the best looks of the celeb. Then you get suggestions on styling tricks to try, a look book and the best places to shop for your style taste.

Near the end you get the ultimate accessory guide and your ultimate fit guide.

Before reading this book, I would not have been able to tell you what my personal style was. I realized through this book that I am a mix between boho and edgy because I have many pieces in my wardrobe that look like clothing articles in these sections. I was really drawn to these sections of the book and through looking at the outfits that were illustrated, I can see how to mix up pieces I already have and some staples pieces that I would like to pick up. This book gives great ideas that I never would have thought of.

This book is $23.00 Canadian and $19.95 US but I found it at Wal-Mart where they give 40% the cover price so I bought this book for around $13. Score!

I would definately recommend anybody who's style challenged like yours truly to pick this up. It's a keeper!

Nail of the Day: Today I picked a yellow from Sally Hansen Insta-Dry called Lightening. This is a bright yellow which is perfect for summer!

That's all for now<3

xox

Ash

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2: A Review

          

           Well ladies and gentlemen it is the end of an era. The Harry Potter movies are over and I am so pleased with the final installment. While Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 was more of an intense drama, Part 2 was a roller coaster of emotions and action sequences. 

            Since it has been about two years since I last read the book, all I could remember was the general storyline and not all the little details. For me this was the best frame of mind I could be in cause I was watching and enjoying a movie and not getting upset about something being out of place. 

            I decided to shell out the extra few bucks and see the 3D version and I must say I was impressed. I could go on all day about issues I have with 3D but I’m not. The 3D effects done in this movie were executed marvelously and I was not disappointed about spending those extra dollars. 

            The action sequences were almost non-stop the entire film and they were all done beautifully, but in-between all the action were these really deep and emotional moments that every actor pulled off flawlessly. I’m well aware that Alan Rickman (Snape) is a phenomenal actor, but he really blew me away with his performance. Let it also be said that I was impressed with Daniel Radcliffe’s (Potter) performance cause I was a little worried. I’m not saying he is a bad actor, I’m just saying that there was a lot resting on his shoulders due to the emotional rollercoaster Harry is on throughout the film and he needed to portray that perfectly. Radcliffe really gave it his all and it showed. 

            I still remember the magical feeling I had sitting in the theater and watching Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone and watching the final installment of the series brought back that feeling times a hundred. My only negative thought is I wish they could’ve extended the end scene at King’s Cross Station a little bit, but that’s really just a personal opinion. I just thought it was missing something.  Overall I would give this film 5 out of 5 cause I loved it.

Rebecca

On a side-note, when did Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom) become a sexy beast? Not that I’m complaining cause damn he looks good. 

           

How to Paint a Store Bought Dresser

Ever since my roommate moved back home I’ve been rearranging the apartment for a new look and also moving things around in my room. During the process I came to the realization that none of my bedroom furniture matches. This was suddenly such an important matter I decided to repaint my vanity and dresser. This first tutorial is going to focus on painting the dresser.

The dresser is a cheap one that can be found at almost any department store. These dressers are typically covered in melamine paint and although they have a wood grain look, it still looks like a cheap piece of furniture.

What needs to be done first is to get a nice workspace. Be sure to lay down sheets or newspapers to prevent any mess on your floors. Take out the drawers (I’m assuming the dresser has previously been assembled), spread them out, and remove the handles. Using 80-120 grit sandpaper, by hand lightly go over the surface of the dresser and drawers. You’re only looking to remove some of the shine from the dresser and give something for your primer to stick to.

Once sanded, clean the dust off with a damp cloth and again once the surface has dried with a dry cloth. Any dust left on the surface can result in an uneven surface. When this is done you are ready to start priming.

I used Zinsser Bullseye 1-2-3 Primer after browsing the interweb and reading some reviews on the best primer. Apply two coats of primer to your dresser, following the dry time instructions on the container.

Now that your dresser is primed, you can apply your paint. I used Sico Furniture and Cabinets Paint in “Cloak”. I loved this paint but I would suggest that you wait the longest suggested time before applying a second coat and even longer if it is really warm in the room you’re working in. You’re going to need to do at least two coats but I suggest three. When the final coat was dry I let the dresser sit overnight just to make sure that everything was good and dry. 

With this new color the dresser is already going to look updated, but to complete the look I suggest also changing the handles. They are not expensive and it is really going to pull everything together. If you are going with new handles, install them now, put the drawers back in place, stand back, and give yourself a big pat on the back cause your dresser looks so good, no one can tell it’s from Wal-Mart.

Happy Painting!

Rebecca 

Before

After

NOTD: 07/20/2011

Hey Guys,

I have been feeling kinda un-inspired with nail polish this week (I know.. me?). I couldn't settle on a color. I have painted my nails 4 times in the past 2 days and I finally settled on Revlon's Ocean Spray. This color is so pretty and reminds me of the blue foil nails that was in style last summer. Ocean Spray looks similar to OPI's Catch Me In Your Net so if you missed out on that color from OPI's collection last summer, then I think Ocean Spray might fill the void.

Ocean Spray is a scented nail polish and when dry I find it smells like Glade air freshener. This smell gets annoying on my fingers after the second day. Even with a top coat on I can still smell the scent coming through but I definitely wouldn't mind if it was something fruity!

                                  

                                         Revlon's Ocean Spray, 2 coats

Revlon has excellent quality nail polish and I like how they offered something different to consumers. They have a brand new summer 2011 collection of scented nail polish out right now and I think I'm going to pick some of them up!

Did you guys try any of Revlon's scented polishes? Which ones and did you like them?

xox

Ash

Current Favorites: 07/19/2011

Hey Guys,

I kinda missed the boat on the monthly favorites but I still wanted to tell you guys what I've been liking so I thought I'd do a little current favorites post. This might be some stuff I've been loving for a long time or relatively new and I'm still testing it out but I'm loving the first impression I've been getting. So without further adieu.. here we go!

First off I've been loving the organix coconut milk split end mender. This stuff smells yummy, makes my hair feel soft and has a price that's not to hard on the college budget.

I've also been loving ballerina buns! I have been wearing my hair like this all month. It's chic and gives my hair a nice break from all the products I normally use.

Last month I picked up the Clinique 3 step acne system which was difficult for me because I have been using Proactiv for 3 years. I decided to change because Proactiv sends out to many systems at once and I started to build up an extensive/expensive collection. Hence, I decided to try something I could buy in my town and didn't have to send away for. I will be doing a review on the whole system but this month I've been loving the foaming cleanser(1st step). This cleanser isn't obrasive and has no exfoliating beads like Proactiv, but it somehow manages to get rid of gross dead skin cells and helps my skin look glowy.

This month I also picked up The Body Shop's Green Apple shower gel. The smell lingers for a long time so I love this for the summer.This stuff smells delicious....I think I'd be cool if somebody made a caramel green apple shower gel. OMG YUM!

Then I've been liking my Korres Guava body butter. I bought this a couple of days ago and so far my first impression is good. I love how moisturized it makes my dry skin but my only problem is the selection of smells at my store. Guava was the one of the four I liked the most but I find it smells quite strong on my skin. I'm not sure if Korres has more scents but my Shoppers Drug Mart just received the Korres line so I may discover one I like more.

I also picked up the Burt's Bees Peppermint Foot Lotion.. This stuff keeps smells great and keeps my feet super soft all day.

Some nail polish I've been loving recently is Tangerine by Revlon, an orange with a slight silver shimmer; OPI's San tan-tonio, a nude which I love on my skin tone; and OPI's I Lily Love You, a multi-color multi-sized glitter (best decription ever really) with a sheer pink base from their newest collection and China Glaze's Flip Flop Fantasy; a neon pink.

Then my pride and joy... Duh duhhhh! My Daisy Eau So Fresh by Marc Jacobs. It's smells so pretty and sweet. I find the original Daisy for flower-y for me so I love this fruity floral.

I have also been loving the Starbucks Mocha Coconut Frappuccino. It's so tasty and it makes me hope this isn't just a drink Starbucks put out for the summer. Please Starbucks! Don't take away my mocha coconut!

Now for music! I've been hooked on She's Dope by Down With Webster (uhh oh uh oh uh oh) and Stop Standing There by Avril Lavigne.

So that's all for now friends! Please comment below and lemme know what you've been loving!<3

Talk to you soon

xox
Ash

P.s- Have you guys seen the new Rebecca Black? Go check it out and comment what you think!

I don't know how I forgot this but *not pictured above* is my NYX Cream Blush in Natural. This blush is the perfect color for a nice subtle glow. I love it!

Sally Hansen Crackle Topcoat Review

When I saw that other companies are coming out with their own versions of crackle nail-polish to compete with OPI's Shatter collection I was excited; not because I'm against OPI  but was looking for cheaper alternatives.

During a trip to Wal-Mart today I stumbled across picked through remains of a Sally Hansen Crackle display. Previous shoppers had left slim pickings with only two out of the eight shades available. I went with "Antiqued Gold" and immediately went home to try it out.

I used Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Xtream Wear in "White On" cause I thought the gold would look really nice against it. The directions say to apply a thin layer and boy do they mean thin. I almost had to get every speck of extra polish of the brush or the stuff wouldn't crackle like it was supposed to. The brush also didn't spread the polish very well so I'd sometime end up with odd blobs instead of an even coat. This also meant that some of the crackled chunks looked streaky and uneven.

I liked the color but not the crackle. It didn't have the same shattered look that OPI's collection has. I wouldn't bother buying another bottle.

Below are some pictures I took of the nail-polish after it dried. Please don't judge too harshly as I am awful at painting my nails when I rush so I flooded my nail-bed and I have to go take this off now :P

Rebecca

My thumb came out alright...

...but most of them ended up a hot mess like this.

First Apartment Drama: Packing, Unpacking, and Decorating

Now that you’ve acquired everything you need for your new pad, it’s time to move in and get settled. Before you move in make sure that all the arrangements have been made for electricity, cable, phone, Internet, or any other services you’ll need. When you’re packing everything away, remember to wrap up anything breakable before it goes in the box. It would suck to unpack your favorite picture frame only to discover it’s now in pieces.

When you put items into their respective boxes make sure to label them. This way you know what boxes should be handled with extra care, might be heavier than others (ie: the “books” box is heavier than the “pillows” box), and what room it should be placed. As you’re unpacking you’ll be glad you did this so you won’t have to root through all your boxes just to find the can opener. 

The rest of unpacking is pretty self-explanatory; you take something out of the box and put it where it belongs. The only advice I can offer is unpack the stereo, play some tunes, get through it one box at a time, and don’t drag the process out. You don’t want to find yourself a month later stepping over boxes you still haven’t unpacked.

Once everything is in it’s place you’re going to want to decorate to make your new place feel like home. You don't have to head out to the stores to get decorative items that can end up being expensive plus it's stuff a lot of other people can have too. Try to incorporated your style into your place even in small ways. A relatively cheap decorating tip I like is the use of picture frames. You don't have to fill them all with photos and they don't have to all look the same. You can fill them with fun printed fabrics to add a pop of color, greeting cards that have a design you like, postcards from places you've visited, ticket stubs, you can even leave them empty and place them on the wall. The later is actually one of my favorite frame use as it looks really unique especially when a variety of frame shapes and sizes are used. You can check out some decorating with empty frames at Tip Junkie 

If you don't want to poke a bunch of holes in your walls from hanging photos, I suggest the use of Command Strips. These little guys can hold a lot, do not damage the paint, and allow you to change up your decor as often as you like without leaving holes all over the place. You can also get the strips that come with hooks if you're looking for somewhere to hang your keys or need something in the kitchen to hang utensils from.

Place nick-knacks on shelves, get a house plant, and Google some DIY projects for home decorating. There is an amazing amount of great ideas out there on sites such as Crafterholic and Cut out and keep. If you feel like you're a person who doesn't have a flair for home decor, don't worry because you can do it! Try displaying items that you really like or collect like books, movies, CDs or vinyl records, anything. This can also serve as a conversation piece for your home. For instance, I framed a crocheted hand towel and whenever someone comes over they ask why I choose to display it. I can then explain that my 94 year old great-grand mother, who is blind, made it for me when she found out I was renting my first place.

The most important thing to remember is that this is your first place so don't get bent out of shape if everything doesn't match. Work with what you got, incorporate your own sense of style, have fun, and it will be awesome.

Happy Decorating!

Rebecca

Nail Polish Summer Trends

Hi Folks,


I just want to start off by saying words cannot describe my love for nail polish. Nail polish is at the top of the list with Disney movies, caramel frappucinos and watching Jimmy Two Shoes.. and yes I am 20.. i swear.

There's a few staple summer colors and trends like nudes, baby blues and the ombre effect nail which look very pretty. There's also colors that help add to your trendy summer fashions like nautical nail colors and bright neon colors. Here are a few of my favorites and a few that I think will be sporting a lot this summer.


Glitters: OPI I Lily Love You (I don't have this yet, but I need it).. yes..need
OPI Teenage Dream
OPI Bring on the Bling
Wet and Wild Party of 5


Nautical Trend: China Glaze Hey Sailor
Metallic: Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear Celeb City
Orly Rage

Neon- China Glaze Flip Flop Fantasy
China Glaze Sun Worshiper
Baby Blues: Revlon Blue Lagoon
OPI What's With The Cattitude


Nudes: OPI San Tan-Tonio


Light Pink: OPI Steady As She Rose
OPI Pinking of You
Sally Hansen First Kiss


Brights: Essie Braziliant
Essie Turquoise and Caicos
Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Yellow Kitty
China Glaze- Sugar High

Do you guys have any summer favorites? Comment down below and let us know..

xox

Ash

Strawberry Tart Recipe

I found this when I was looking through Crafterholic and I just had to try it. It was absolutely delicious and so easy to make even though mine didn't come out as pretty; however, you can learn from my mistake :)

I was preparing my supper while the dough was chilling. I thought it would be smart to also prepare the tart filling a little ahead of time. While the filling was sitting in a bowl during the chill time, a lot of the natural juices came out of the strawberries and pooled. I didn't think this was a big deal, but during the baking time the juices just boiled over everywhere making for some extra cleanup. Maybe if the filling is made just before it goes in the oven there wouldn't be so much overflow.

Here is the link http://crafterholic.blogspot.com/2011/07/strawberry-tart.html

Happy Baking!

Rebecca

Mini Haul: 07/4/2011

Hey Guys!

I just had a mini shopping trip and I thought I'd share what I bought..

I made a trip to Shoppers Drug Mart because I've been wanting to pick up Marc Jacobs Daisy Eau So Fresh and I decided to get the fragrance sampler. The fragrance sampler comes with eight 50ml-75ml perfume samples and a gift certificate for a perfume up to $89. The perfume samples that come with the box set are

1) Tommy Hilfiger Loud
2) Lacoste Joy of Pink
3) Marc Jacobs Daisy Eau So Fresh
4) PAco Rabanne lack XS For Her
5) Dolce and Gabbana Light Blue
6) Givenchy Play For Her
7) Vera Wang Princess
8) Calvin Klein Euphoria
9) Kate Spade Twirl
10) Calvin Klein Beauty

So apparently I can't count.. ten perfume samples.. sweet!

This was a good choice for me because I paid $75 dollars for this perfume sampler kit and I'm already pretty sure I want Daisy. Daisy is $85 to buy just the perfume so I'm saving $10 plus I get ten perfume samples. On top of that since I bought it today(this offer goes on until tomorrow) Shoppers Drug Mart has an Optimum points bonus on where if you spend $75 or more you get 18500 optimum points which is a $25 value. Pretty good eh!

Then I bought the Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips in Miami Strip which can be used as a blush, bronzer and eye shadow. It was on sale for $17.59 and I used a $10 gift card that I received as a bonus a couple of weeks ago from Shoppers so I got the shimmer strips for $7.59. Yay! I just swatched them though and they don't seem as pigmented as I thought they were so I'll see how this turns out.

So this was my little haul.... Do you guys have any of the perfumes from the kit? and what do you think of Physicians Formula? Have you tried the shimmer strips?

xox
Ash

Daily Dose of Cuteness

June Favorites

Hey Guys,

Another month gone by and I'm here again with another favorites! Monthly favorites are one of the videos I look forward to watching the most on Youtube but since I'm not brave enough to make videos, I'm glad that I can share my favorites through the blog <3
I've had quite a few this month so here we go!

Nyx eyeshadow trio in 28A Very Delight- This trio has a bright white highlight, a perfect summer peach and a brown which I find myself always reaching for
Benefit high beam- To get the summer glowy look

Carmax cherry lip balm- Makes my lips super smooth and has SPF 15

Nars orgasm lip gloss- Lovely color with some bronzy sparkles which look amazing on sun kissed skin
Lush Bubblegum lip scrub- Rebecca talked about the Mint Julip lip scrub in an earlier post which reminded me of my bubblegum lip scrub.. It smells like hubba bubba and will get rid of any dead skin. Before bed I use my lip sbrub then I put my carmax lip balm on top and my lips are like silk in the morning

The Body Shop apricot and basil body wash- Smells like the epitome of summer and lathers extremely well for a product with no sulphates
Victoria Secret Splash of Pink body spray in Fresh and Clean- This body spray smells just like the name says.. fresh and clean!

Escada Taj Sunset- I'm not the best at describing scents so I have this description from my favorite perfume site www.nstperfume.com: The India-themed fragrance features notes Alphonso mango, nectarine, blood orange, watery floral accord, raspberry, pomarose, coconut cream, sandalwood and musk.. I love this perfume for the summer.. although I can't pick of notes of a perfume, I do know I like citrus smells and I guess it really shows through this perfume

Sigma Make Me Cool brush kit- I love the quality of Sigma brushes.. This brush kit was my first experience with Sigma and it's been great so far.. This kit comes with 12 brushes and these brushes are the best I've ever owned.. I <3 you Sigma!

OPI San tan-tonio- From the Texas collection, this color is the perfect nude

Essie Turquoise and Caicos- I don't this I have heard anybody say they don't like this color.. It pops beautifully on tan skin

Friendship bracelets- I love this trend. It adds a bit of boho-ness (it is so a word ;)) to any outfit and can help you incorporate different colors.

Wrap bracelets- I also love the look of these.. I bought a leather one this month that I can't stop wearing which brings me to..

Leather accessories- Whether it be my sandals, bracelets or belt, I love the classic preppy vibe of leather accessories.

Tcby's vanilla frozen yogurt with rainbow sprinkles- YUMMMMM.. that is all

Song's I can't get out of my head:
Coldplay-Every Tear is a Waterfall: " I'd rather be a comma, than a full stop ".. A quote all generations should think about.. especially my age group

Robyn- Call Your Girlfriend: "Then you tell her that the only way her heart will mend, is when she learns to love again, and it won't make sense right now but your still her friend". This song is written so beautifully.. I love the transition between the first and second verse and Robyn's story-telling.

Avril Lavigne- Smile: "It's been a while, since every day and everything has felt this right
and now, you're turning all around and suddenly you're all I need The reason why I smile". A happy summery feel good song~!