Purples!

Hi Everyone, Hope your week is going well! I decided today we need to get some different colors on the nails and do a manicure! I am really enjoying this seasons colors... I got a few shades in the mail from China Glaze and Orly recently so I thought I would test them out. :)

When I first did the manicure I put 2 coats of China Glaze Tantalize Me on. I really enjoyed this color and almost keep my nails that way but like always, I had to do more!

 Here are the colors I used: China Glaze Tantalize Me, China Glaze Flying Dragon, and Orly Fowl Play. 

 Two more coats of the new colors and a top coat of OPIs Rapid Dry and the manicure was complete!

 This is what it looks like it natural light!

Love, love, love this manicure and these colors. Besides the greens I recently did these colors are some of my favorites as well!

What do you think? 

Vinegar, Not just for food!

Hi Everyone, if you are like me anything to help the budget is a must try. It seems every time I go to the store to purchase the very expensive and non-eco-friendly chemical cleaners seems outlandish when you can use one miracle cleaner that costs less than a $1.00 per gallon: vinegar!

In this Blog I decided to have some cleaning tips you can easily utilize in your home to help you save money. The thought came from using my vinegar this weekend on some cleaning I did around the house! Keep in mind vinegar is not as strong as some of the corrosive chemicals out there and sometimes takes a little extra elbow grease: well worth it to save the extra cash. 

• Remove bacteria and pesticide residue from produce: Use 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water, wash produce thoroughly.
• Clean windows and countertops: Use a 50% water and vinegar mixture to clean windows and countertops.
• Wash no-wax floors: Add 1/2 cup of white distilled vinegar to a half-gallon of warm water. Mop or scrub floor.

• Vinegar as Garbage Disposal Deodorizer: Deodorize a garbage disposal. Make vinegar ice cubes and feed them down the disposal. After grinding, run cold water through the drain.
• Clean microwave:  Utilize 1/4 cup of vinegar and 1 cup of water in a bowl. Place in the microwave and cook until boiling. Immediately wipe interior of microwave.
• Clean kitchen cutting boards:  Use vinegar full strength on cutting boards.

• Vinegar as Coffeemaker Cleaner: Clean a coffeemaker or a tea kettle by making a pot using a mixture of water and vinegar. Follow with several cycles of water to rinse.
• Remove shower and bathtub film: Use vinegar full strength on an old wash rag.
• Toilet bowl stains: Use white distilled vinegar full strength with a scrubber.

• Vinegar as Sticker Remover: Dislodge a stubborn price sticker. Paint with several coats of vinegar, let it sit for five minutes, then wipe away.
• Remove molds and mildew: Use a 50% water and white vinegar mixture for light mildew stains, and full strength white vinegar to kill heavier mildew and mold growth.

• Vinegar as Odor Remover: After chopping onions, scrub your hands with salt and a splash of vinegar to eliminate the smell.
• Wash grass stains out of fabric:  Use a 1/3 cup vinegar and 2/3 cup water mixture. Apply to stain and blot.

Hope you enjoy these tips and they help your budget this Holiday Season! 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hi everyone, I can't believe it is Thanksgiving already! The holidays come around quicker each year it seems! This blog is going to be short and sweet. I wanted to give you all some sites for black friday ads/deals if you are going out for the day(s). I am done with my Christmas shopping already and love my sleep too much to go out for deals. Cyber Monday is more my thing if I need anything last minute and doesn't take time out of celebrating this holiday :)

Thank you to all my readers for following my page! I hope you have enjoyed the blogs as much as I have enjoyed posting all the great pointers I have to share! 

Here are the few sites for you to look at for Black Friday Deals, I hope they help you find what you may be searching for, for that special someone! :)

http://www.theblackfriday.com/

http://www.2011blackfridayads.com/

http://bfads.net/

Have a wonderful holiday!

For Our Loved Ones

Hi Everyone, With "Black Friday" quickly approaching, I wanted to give you some gift ideas for this year.  My husband and I always have a hard time thinking of great gifts for all the loved ones in our lives  that won't break the budget. I have been scouring the net for gift ideas that can be personalized and maybe even DIYed but make sure the receiver knows just how much love was put into their gift as it will make it that much more special!

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For the new babies in your life that you aren't sure what to get for them besides toys, personalized onesies are always a welcomed gift that will definitely get used!

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For the little kids in your life, putting together an art caddy or art supply tote is a wonderful idea!  Gather up some essential art supplies like crayons, makers, notepads, etc... and fill it up so they can spend hours getting their craft on anywhere they go!

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What grandparents out there wouldn't like a book of their loved ones! They are the perfect candidates for photo books filled with all of their favorite people and this is the prefect size to throw in a purse and show your family off to all their friends!

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 Such a simple idea: Fill up an oven mitt full of baking goodies and wrap with a bow!

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I love the idea of filling a galvanized pail or any type of bucket for that matter with all sorts of car washing supplies!  Sponges, waxes and window wash will leave him and his car smiling all year long! Our family is crazy about keeping our cars clean so this gift is perfect!

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Don't forget those furry friends!  Instead of just buying a toy or some store bought treats, you can bake them some healthy treats and toss them in a pretty jar!

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Not sure what to get someone special?!? Have you ever met anyone that doesn't LOVE ice cream sundaes?  Well, maybe lactose intolerant friends (which we have a few and lactaid is used often so they can enjoy dairy still!) but for all others, How fantastic is this little packaged sundae kit?!  

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One of my favorite ideas of this year is: T-shirt Scarves!  I actually have made my own for some fashionistas in my life this year and a few for myself! They are so easy and even though a sewing machine would be handing for this project it isn't necessary. This is a great way of using though old shirts you don't want anymore and turn them into something beautiful. Get creative as there is so many options for this, braid em, knot em, twist em, make bracelets, etc....!

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For the Designer in your life a great piece to add to their house would be a prefect gift! DIY Metallic letters for their place. Laundry, Eat, Love, their last name, etc... They look expensive but cost under $10 and look great!

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For that special gal: What woman out their during the winter season isn't concerned with dry skin?? Sugar scrubs are what help me get through it. They can be used all year, yes, but I find it helps pull the moisture back into my dry skin during our long winters. Plus, exfoliating is an important step to healthy skin! There are many recipes for homemade scrubs out there. I enjoy this one because I LOVE lemons. It is a nice refreshing smell in the mornings!

Hope this blog has helps get you mind thinking about what to get the loved ones in your life. Like I mentioned in a previous blog, I start mid-summer so I don't hurt the budget but there is always room for additional gifts and what I posted above are some of them! Enjoy!

Mistletoe Kisses

Hi Everyone, I can't believe we are coming up on Thanksgiving! The years go so quickly when you get older, just like mom and dad use to say but we never believe them as kids! For the holiday I wanted to do my nails very festive and went when one of my favorite colors to wear, green! I am hooked on this manicure and am sure I will be doing it more than a few times this winter season! The colors I used are from China Glaze and Orly. I used two coats of the base colors and two coats of the glitter. Like always  remember a base clear coat to protect your nails from the colors and a top coat to seal it in and hopefully help it last longer!

The camera was having problems focusing but these colors are China Glaze Holly Day, Orly Lucky Duck, and China Glaze Mistletoe Kisses. 

I am in love with this manicure and once you have it one for a few hours it really doesn't seem as bold as you first thought. When you use the right colors together (same shade groups) you can pull off almost any colors and make them seem almost neutral. It is a great fall/winter color combination also since dark shades like browns are wore more though out these seasons.

After I had it on for a few hours, I decided to get creative and add a little bit more to it with some dots! Very shuttle but a nice addition to the manicure I think! What do you think?

Stay tuned for tomorrows blog! I am hoping to do something for the season with my tips for the day.  :) See you then!

An early Christmas.

Hi Everyone, hope you had a wonderful weekend. Sorry, that I did not blog on Friday. My husband took an education day and needed to use the computer for his masters class! Hope your Monday has been well. :)
   Christmas came early this last weekend for my dear friend, Natalie! A little background information is needed first for why I wanted to do what I did for Natalie's xmas gift. Natalie and her family purchased a cute little house in the town when they moved up here for the first station. Months after moving in (a long story, short) they had some pretty horrible water damage occur in their basement and when cleaning it up found nasty black mold and asbestos which was hidden from inspectors. :( So, that lovely tax incentive money they were given back for buying a house went into making the basement mold free and livable again. 

  This summer I started to think about just what I wanted to get our family and friends for Christmas (yes I start in the summer, like mother like daughter in this case) and I thought I want to do something to make their basement better.  I brainstormed about a place they use almost daily, and something which will help with resell in only a few years from now.  It immediately came to me, the laundry room! I didn't take pictures before my husband and I began our work and am still kicking myself for not having one.  However, when we went downstairs it was more important to begin our work.  It was go time! :) No matter who you are you always look at a house and expect the laundry room to be a clean, inviting place.  Otherwise, it could be a deal breaker! My dear friend was cleaning her clothes in a dirty, white, cobwebbed, lent filled room. The clothes would go in, get washed, dried, and go out and back upstairs to fold and put away. Now, she can go in, clean her clothes, fold her clothes and enjoy the space! 

  I can't tell you the amount of money spent to make this room beautiful and bring it back to life as Natalie is a follower of my blogs. However, I will say it did not break the bank at all (just 'few' hundred which sounds like more than it really was) since we started this summer getting the items needed and thank goodness for IKEA! We began painting at 10 am Sunday morning and at 3pm Sunday afternoon the project was complete! 

  From this angle you can see almost everything we added to the room. Before we began, it really was just a cabinet with her detergent and the washer/dryer. We used yellow: lemon tree in a semi gloss to brighten the room up. And brighten it we did because within one hour into working the sun was bouncing off the walls and we had to turn the light off; it was soo bright! :) To the right you are seeing a closed hanging clothes storage unit. On the back half wall is a holder to put Natalie's iron and ironing board on it when she isn't using them. The white circle is actually a retractable clothes line she can pull across the room or just pull over to the exterior wall next to the storage unit to air dry items. They are going to close off that wall before selling (as well as do the flooring throughout the basement) so extra paint and the paint chip information was left with them to finish the room when they do! The shelving and workbench/laundry folding table was bought through IKEA, the clock: target, the little dog butt hangers: IKEA, and then there is a 3 compartment hamper for dirty clothes to separate the loads! 

 In this picture you see two black shelves which are also from IKEA that replaced an old ugly brown cabinet (I think it was a kitchen cabinet actually). The open shelves holding her detergent and other laundry accessories (when she stocks up more she can place on her workbench shelves and move over when it is time to use again) are simple and neat looking now compared to the ugly cabinet that used to be in its' place. 

 The dog butt holders were personalized to look like their Great Dane, Samsons' back-end by dipping the tip of the tails in white paint! I love this wall! Besides the grey and yellow, black, white and yellow is a wonderful, uplifting, and modern combination.

 Me with my creation. You can also see in this picture that we painted the piping yellow also. I almost painted them white but decided when we were painting that yellow was better. Now, it almost seems like the pipes blend into the walls better like they aren't even there! In this picture you can also see the white tipped tails! 

 Taking it all in and explaining how everything meant to Natalie.....

And the reaction: You think she liked her Christmas gift?!? Many thanks and words like I love came out of her mouth. I love that room soo much and we are slightly jealous of it after we did the work! She would be crazy if she didn't fall in love with her new space! 

The laundry room turned out even better than what I expected! Later on that evening Natalie wrote me a text message that read: "Announcement!! I just folded laundry on my laundry table"! Hehe. 

That text right there is the reason I did this for her. They now have a room in the basement which has been a past source for so many negative memories.  Now, that space is bringing them more positive, happy memories. This room shows just what a little time, cleaning, paint, organizational tools, and a few personal touches in accessories can do to a dark, unloved room. It brings it back to life! What do you think?! :)

Helpful Hints for everyday!

Hi everyone! Last week when I placed the tips to make life a little easier, I had some great feedback so I will be making it a weekly blog. Here is a few little things that I hope will make cleaning the house a bit more simple! Enjoy. Next week I think I will do a blog with all the wonderful things vinegar can be used for!

Broom as Long Distance Duster

To dust crown moldings or in my case vaulted ceilings, place a microfiber rag over the broom's bristles and secure with a rubber band. Then use the long handle to dust areas that your arms can't reach!

Coaster as Drip Catcher

Catch the sticky stuff from bottles and jars in cupboards. No more shelves that require a full wipe-down after every spoonful of honey, caramel for latte (in our house!), or glug of olive oil.

Pillowcase as Ceiling Fan Duster

Slide an old case over a fan's blade then pull the fabric back, keeping all the dust and dirt contained. We don't have fans in our current house but several friends have tried this out and said it is an amazing tip! 

 Dryer Sheet as Scum Buster

Remove obstinate soap buildup from glass shower doors by sprinkling a few drops of water onto a used fabric-softener sheet and scrubbing. We don't have glass door for our shower currently but this helped our budget back in college!

Rubbing Alcohol as Permanent Marker Remover

Remove permanent marker from countertops and walls. Pour a bit of alcohol onto a cotton ball and rub on the stain. I would recommended doing a spot test on a hidden area first just to be safe. 

WD-40 as Crayon Cleanup

To remove crayon marks apply just a small amount to almost any surface (plastic, metal, TV screens, freshly painted walls) and rub away with a clean cloth.

Salt as Wreath Duster

In spirit of the holidays which are right around the corner, here is a festival tip! Place a wreath of pinecones or faux evergreen in a paper bag with a 1/4 cup of salt. Fold the top of the bag over and gently shake the salt crystals will work off the dust! 

The Sock Bun Curls

Hi Everyone, About a week ago I FINALLY got my invite to Pinterest, a site where people pin things on the internet that they think are cool. There are a lot of crafty people on this site pinning things to make and try out. It is a great site for me to help keep on the "newest" beauty and craft ideas. One of the most popular hair styles right now is no heat curls. My hair is just long enough to test this out for my self to see if it really works for course, thick, straight hair. 

What you'll need:

•  Hair tie
•  A sock (preferably a clean one ;D). Cut the toe of the sock off so it's like a tube. You'll be rolling this into a doughnut shape to give your bun volume!
• Tips for shorter hair: possibly use a smaller section of sock.... cut it in half perhaps? I didn't test this out to see if it would work. I will have to find another pair of socks to give to the world of beauty and see. I will post of a future blog the follow up! 

Directions: There are two types as you can wear the bun throughout the day and then at night, unroll the bun and you have curls for the evening! OR you can sleep with the bun in at night and unroll the following morning for curls the next day!

   

Day Bun, Night Curls:

• Wake up... take a shower (you know you need one). 
• Optional: use your choice of hair gel and run it through your wet hair. I need this because my super straight hair doesn't hold curls very well. 
• Place some frizz control in your hair to help keep the curls smooth. As noted in a picture to come I use Avon's ADVANCE TECHNIQUES Frizz Control Lotus Shield Anti-Frizz Treatment
•  Let your hair almost dry... still a little wet (if you need more moisture use a water spray bottle to get some more moisture in your hair). BUT, it should be mostly dry. P
•  So, instead of trying to explain exactly how to get your hair up in this sock bun... I have a picture tutorial of just how to do the bun at the end of the blog! 
•  By the end of the day.... at night... you can take your sock bun out and your hair should be wavy with some curls throughout! 

Bedtime Bun, Morning Curls:

•    Before going to bed place your hair in a pony tail. For me since I have thick hair I separated it in two ponytails. 
• Spray with a water bottle some water onto your pony tail so that it is a little wet. 
• Optional: use your choice of hair gel and run it through your wet hair. I need this because my super straight hair doesn't hold curls very well. 
• Place some frizz control in your hair to help keep the curls smooth. As noted in a picture to come I use Avon's ADVANCE TECHNIQUES Frizz Control Lotus Shield Anti-Frizz Treatment
•  The next step is explained exactly how to get your hair up in this sock bun with a picture tutorial of just how to do the bun at the end of the blog!
• When you wake up in the morning unroll the bun and you have curls and are ready for the day!

 I wore my hair up in a pony tail for the day after I did the sock bun. I think it would be great to help me create a messing bun updo or to dress up the pony tail add some braids and teasing at the crown of my hair! 

 This picture shows if you were to do the sock bun for day and curls that evening. I love the added string to dress it up. I wish I knew about the sock bun when I was in dance for 16 years! It would have made getting ready for class so much easier!

I would say all in all that the sock bun was a success with many possibilities. How about you?