Makeup Review: L'Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes Mascara!

 

Things I love: 

• The packaging--its a nice shiny gold, so pretty :) haha
• The way it separates my lashes IMMENSELY
• The wand type, its the perfect size, not too big or small 
• The little spoolies shape, not sure if you can tell in the pic above, but its like a propeller shape.  Add this with TONS of bristles and you are bound for the "millions of lashes" look!
• How black it is, I believe mine is "blackest black" -or something like that. 

**I absolutely LOVE L'Oreal Mascaras, they have always been my favorites even after branching out to try other brands, I don't know what they're doing, but I hope they keep it up. I decided to give this one a whirl because just the name in itself sounded promising, especially from a very reputable brand.  I was pleasantly surprised with the results, and this has become my new favorite mascara.  I have pretty long lashes to begin with, but I can definitely attest to the fact that this mascara separates each and every lash because of the brush and it also does not get clumpy (which is obviously a plus!) I cannot think of anything that really bothered me to mention, so I will leave it at this and say that I definitely recommend trying this! :)

To gals batting their beautiful lashes everywhere,

xox 


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ENERGY 2 - UNIT 6 - FOCUS 3 - THE WEATHER

GRAMMAR AUCTION: REVISION OF WILL/WON'T

1- He'll be here tomorrow night.

2- I think I come tonigh.

3- Will you to come by car?

4- I hope they'll not arrive late.

5- She won't come to the party because she's ill.

6- We'll see you probably on Saturday.

7- He thinks he will be a famous pop star.

8- What time will they arrive?

SONG: www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqBuj0TU9xc&feature=related

Those Who Conquered Breast Cancer Series : M's Story

This week, I would like to start off with my very first feature for this October Breast Cancer Survivor Spotlight Series on my blog.  I think it is something that can spread hope, love and encouragement, and I strongly suggest reading one of these when you feel like you are maybe having a bad day, you are not alone in the "having a bad day" department, and as long as you have hope, your faith in a brighter tomorrow will push you through I promise! I hope that the stories that these women have offered, touch your hearts, and instill in you a sense of dedication to your emotional and physical health, and not only that, but also a sense of pride in being a woman/man who can make it through anything! Lets begin:

*The person sharing this story will be referred to as "M".


How did this person come about the idea that maybe something was wrong? 

M  came across what appeared to be a small lump in her left breast while in the shower during a normal body wash.  Having had a mammogram just three months earlier, she thought it was almost impossible for it to be anything serious.


How did this person go about getting checked out to see what could be wrong? 

She scheduled an appointment to have this lump checked out with her General Practitioner the next morning, he scheduled her for another mammogram and ultrasound right after he too noticed the lump.  After reading the ultrasound and being told by the Doctor that it was a mere cyst, although a bit relieved, she was still not at ease. It was told to her that they would try and go about draining the cyst as soon as possible.

After multiple failed attempts to try and drain the cyst, doctors told her that they would try again in 3 months time because they feared puncturing her lung (being that this was close to where the cyst was).  M was nervous to wait that long, and rightfully so. M opted to get another opinion after not feeling that it was just a "cyst", after all, it had been 3 months and it had not gotten any smaller!

Finally the proper testing was done and a biopsy was put in place, unfortunately the news was delivered later that evening that she indeed did have a tumor, measuring 2.5 cm. at that!

How was the breast cancer treated? 

M decided to have a mastectomy, it was not an easy decision, but one that had to be made rather quickly as her life was on the line.  After having the mastectomy, a temporary implant was inserted and chemotherapy ensued.

What made this a success story? 

After 6 rounds of chemotherapy, spread over 18 weeks, the cancer was gone! April of this year (2012) will mark 9 years since her last treatment!

What type of support system got them through this hard time? 

Having a wonderful husband/wife is always something positive, sometimes the person you choose to be with during sickness and health is the same one who gets you through sickness into health and that's the honest truth.  In this story I saw a lot of different outlets for M, and I think she was super lucky to have friends and family by her side until the end of this terrible journey, that is what drives a person for sure.  M also had her work family behind her 100%, allowing her to work from home part time and giving her all the time she needed to mentally and physically recuperate.   It is with the loving guidance of those that you love around you that gives you hope, if they believe in you, so should you.  M credits having so much to live for as her reason for "fighting like a girl" and conquering cancer!

Next part in this series will be up some time the week of 10/17.

To Fighting Like A Girl Always,

xox

Good Eats: Banana Cream Pie!

Yummm, as I type this blog post, I am craving yet another slice of this bad boy! So rich and delicious, who wouldn't love this recipe?! Lets get started: 

Ingredients: 

1 Medium Orange (I used a large one and found that it was super orangey so if you like this use a large one! I didn't mind :) 

1 Pre-made Nilla Wafer Crust (can be found in the baking aisle of your super market, if not use a graham cracker one!)

3 Bananas
3/4 Cups Granulated Sugar
1 Box Mini Nilla Wafers
1/2 Tsp. Vanilla extract
1.1/4 Cup Whipped Cream (you may use light or fat free as well, tastes just as good!)
2 Tbsp. ROOM TEMPERATURE butter (I used organic, you can use regular if you wish--non salted!)
3/4 Cup Heavy Cream
1/4 Cup Light Corn Syrup (can be found in baking aisle as well)
1/2 Cup water
1/4 Tsp. Salt (to bring out all of the wonderful flavors in this pie :)
5 Egg Yolks (I used Organic Brown Eggs, feel free to use whatever you prefer)
1/2 Tsp. Vanilla Extract (yes a separate 1/2 tsp--this is for the pastry cream filling)
1.1/2 Cups Scalded Milk
1 Tsp. Unsalted Butter (yes a separate 1 Tsp. this will be used for the filling as well)
2.1/2 Tbsp of Cornstarch
1/2 Cup Granulated sugar and a pinch more to your personal liking :) (this is another additional measurement)

Cooking Tools You Will Need: 

Whisk
Rubber Spatula
Wooden Spoon
Medium pot
Medium Bowl
Zester
Liquid and Dry Measuring Utensils

• First you want to mix together all of the egg yolks and the 3/4 Cups of sugar. Add in the cornstarch and keep whisking until everything is a pale yellow color.
• In the meantime, bring the milk to an almost boil and when it has reached this point, add it to your bowl slowly while also continuously mixing the egg yolk and sugar mixture. 
• Pour this mixture in your medium saucepan and put the flame on low heat. While this mixture is warming, be sure to continuously whisk it until you realize it is thickened well. 

• Once your mixture is thickened, remove it from the heat and add the orange zest (this adds such a delightful taste!) and the 1 Tsp. of Butter.  Mix well and place everything in a bowl being sure to cover the top with plastic wrap. You want to place the plastic wrap right on top of the mixture instead of on top of the bowl, this assures that the pastry cream filling doesn't form a film at the top. Leave in the fridge until everything is cooled. 
• Next we are going to work on our homemade caramel! :) Begin by placing the water and light corn syrup into another medium sauce pan. 
• Add the second listing of sugar (1/2 cup) and be sure to NOT mix it all together, just let it sit there in a white mound on the bottom of the pan--I have OCD tendencies so this was SO hard to do haha
• Put this over medium low heat until you can't see anymore of the white sugar and you are confident it has dissolved.  
• After you see this, pipe up the heat to high and bring it to a vigorous boil, remember not to stir! This process will take about 10-13 mins, but be patient, you want to wait until it reaches a nice amber like color :)

• Once the mixture in your medium saucepan has turned an amber color,  turn the flame back down to low and add in your room temperature heavy cream. BE SURE TO DO THIS VERY SLOWLY! 
• Continue to whisk this heavy cream in pretty fast, you don't want to go too slow or the caramel will form a clump on your whisk, believe me, I've done that before! (your mixture is going to look pretty out of control once you begin adding the heavy cream, but take control of it and don't let it control you! lol whisk whisk whisk and you MAKE it come together! :)
• After everything is combined and you have what looks like caramel, add 3/4 of this in with your sliced bananas in a bowl and coat them evenly. (I say 3/4 of the caramel because you may want to use some of the leftover caramel as a drizzle for decoration before serving)

• Place this banana caramel mixture as the first layer in your pie, smoothing it our over the bottom. 
• Place your mini Nilla Wafers as a thin second layer right over the banana mixture. 
• Remove your heavy cream from the fridge (hopefully fully cooled at this point) and spread a layer of that over your Nilla Wafers being sure to smooth everything out evenly. 

• Lastly, take out your whipped cream and spread this as the final layer. I am going to warn you now, some of the caramel may ooze out of the sides depending on how thick you have made your layers, but have no fear, this can easily be wiped up and your pie will not suffer in flavor because of this :) 
• Don't worry yourself about being perfect while spreading your whipped cream, the "homemade" look is what we are going for anyway right?!
• Leave this pie in your fridge for at least 4 hours (I left mine over night because after 4 hours it still wasn't "set" all the way and not everything had congealed together as I would have liked it to at that point. 
• Place a piece of aluminum foil under your pie so that if any of that yummy filling leaks out, your fridge will be saved! 

There you have it! When you slice into this, you will have a little slice of heaven. You taste everything from the caramel to that sweet pasty filling and even the lovely orange--zest is pretty strong!

This recipe was a hit with everyone who had the pleasure of trying a piece, its truly a piece of comfort, and I LOVE bananas and anything banana so this is for sure one of my favorite pies to make :)

3 Bananas and some Caramel,

xox

Narrow Calves and Fall Boots!

I find that many stores carry boots that my poor little calf just swims in--and I don't think I have particularly narrow calves either--it can be quite frustrating.  If you fall into that category, the category of ladies like myself who will try on gorgeous boots and then realize the diameter is just way too large, this post is for you :)

There are a few tips to searching for boots that will more comfortably fit you.  They are simple, and if you shop only those kinds of boots, you will be sure to almost never be disappointed by trying on a boot that is just simply too large.  Here are my personal tips:

1. Search for boots that have things like buckles and lace ups. These will ensure that YOU will be able to control the size of the diameter of the shaft of the boot. I often find myself going for these sorts of boots :)

2. When shopping online, be sure to always look at the more info section and search for the part where they list the inches of the diameter of the boot.  Anything 6.5' + is an almost no go in my book. If I am really set on them, however, I will make it a point to go try them on in the actual store to assure that the measurements aren't just off.

There will be times that a boot is just a "smidge" too large and not to the point where it looks awkward.  With these sorts of boots, I like to sport the "fashion knee socks under the boots" look.  This can actually be SUPER cute! I love doing this with argyle patterns, plaid patterns, and even just solid colors. The knee socks can really add a pop of something fun to your look.  That tiny peek one may get into your boot will be a surprise  :)

Here are some boots ranging from $29.99-$100.00, so there is something for everyone! These boots came from either Macy*s or Target :)

 

You can pair leggings or skinny jeans with any of the above pictured boots comfortably.  Who doesn't love a good skinny jean and fashion boot? :) I don't want you guys to feel limited to the ones I have shown you above, I just wanted to give you some ideas as to what to look for and what stores carry these types of "non wide calf boots".  Remember, look for adjustable buckles, diameter of the shaft size LESS than 7' and lace up boots or booties. 

To skinny calves everywhere, 

xox

Ladies, Take Care of Your Lady Lumps!

It's almost that time of the year, Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October). For a lot of people, the only time you get educated or involved in becoming proactive in the prevention of Breast Cancer is during this month. It's hard to escape right? All the pink ribbons everywhere, the town walks raising money for Breast Cancer Research--and the occasional story told about someone who lost a loved one to the viscous disease. Being completely honest, I myself haven't been the most concerned with doing the mammogram tests (they hurt!) or doing a self breast exam in the shower following one of those cards that you hang on your shower head. In fact, I have been pretty bad when it comes to things like this, and for this I am truly disappointed in myself. I am going to attempt to redeem myself, however, by getting checked this month and being consistent with eating healthy, something I have been doing a lot lately thank goodness :)

As I mentioned above, eating healthy is key when trying to protect your body from ANY disease, Breast Cancer included. Now I am not stating that if you eat 100% Organic healthy foods, you are 100% safe from this disease, but it's certainly a start and a good one at that.

Eating healthy is simpler than you think--don't get discouraged by the common misconception that you have to eat tons of vegetables and fruits ONLY.

Breastcancer.org states that:

"Diet is thought to be partly responsible for about 30% to 40% of all cancers. Some foods can make your body the healthiest it can be, boost your immune system, and help keep your risk for breast cancer as low as possible. Research has shown that getting the nutrients you need from a variety of foods, especially fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains, can make you feel your best and give your body the energy it needs. Eating food grown without pesticides may protect against unhealthy cell changes associated with pesticide use in animal studies."

 

 You can start by doing a few simple things to up your "health factor" as far as diet:

1. Opt for skim or low fat milk as opposed to whole milk
2. Be sure if consuming meat to trim all of the excess fat and avoid processed meats as much as possible!
3. Bake or Broil foods instead of frying.
4. Only buy healthy snacks, you will only be able to eat what's on hand, remember that! :)
5. Whenever possible- BUY ORGANIC! (I know this may be more $, but remember its a small investment for your health!)

Breastcancer.org states again on the note of eating organic that:

"There's a real concern that chemicals used to grow food may cause health problems, including an increase in breast cancer risk. To reduce your exposure to pesticides, you might want to buy organically grown food or organically produced dairy products."

 Eating organic can be super yummy and fun--don't think any different ladies and gents! Below is a link for an AMAZING Banana Split Parfait using organic products--its SUPER SIMPLE too! This and more recipes can be found on the Breast Cancer Org. Website at : www.breastcancer.org .

Banana Split Parfait Recipe: http://www.breastcancer.org/risk/organic_living/recipes/banana_parfait.jsp

I would like to end on a bright note and say that early detection saves lives every single day. Don't put something so important on the back burner. I hope that you take the opportunity at least once this coming October month to do something proactive to help prevent yourself from becoming a victim to Breast Cancer, even if it is just eating healthier :)

Wishing you all healthy "bubbies" ,

xox


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Colors of the City

I love making these sets on Polyvore.com :) There are endless possibilities and when you let your imagination run with it, you can create a real masterpiece! I did this one above in less than 10 mins so it is quite simple, but it still holds much truth to what I was trying to achieve.  When I think of NYC fashion, the things above run pretty close to home.  Lots of reds, blacks and whites, clean colors and clean lines.  I love the gold accents that are shown above in the Tory Burch Flats and the Chanel bag.  If I were to make one for London, my vision would be completely different! Perhaps I will do that another day :)

You should all give this set making a try, you would be surprised how much fun it is! Check it out by clicking here : Polyvore


What is your favorite city that inspires you for fashion? Let me know in the comments below :)

Fashionably Yours,

xox

Follow @AlyseaP

Spicing Up Your Humble Abode For Fall!

Let me first state that I am no professional home decorator, I just know what I like when I see it, and those are the tips I am going to be sharing with you today :) Decorating your home doesn't have to be a huge task as many think. I think it is the word in itself that can be intimidating to those on a time constraint or those who just don't have confidence in the creative person inside of them, but fear not, making your home look "spiffy" is not rocket science, I promise!

Lets jump right in as I have so many pretty awesome things I want to show you guys.

1. Fall Floral Centerpieces--Displaying floral arrangements in areas where a lot of people gather (ex kitchen, living room, front foyer) can be an excellent way to add some pizazz to your home! You can use either silk flowers or fresh ones depending on the type of maintenance you are able to do. The good thing about the fresh flowers is that you get to enjoy the scent, but I think for lasting power it may be smarter to use the silks! A few examples of some flowers that can be included in your fall arrangement would be sunflowers, chrysanthemums, gerberas, roses, lilies etc.  Fall colors include shades of red/burgundy, oranges, yellows, greens, almost any color that can be found on the changing colors of the leaves on the trees :) 


** Choose a rustic looking vase for an optimal look, and don't be shy to add a plaid bow with some plaid ribbon that can be found at your local craft store, this really ties everything together. You will see that ribbons are something I mention a lot in this post because I really think its such a simple way to spruce things up! 

 2. Outdoor Decoration Florals: --Mums are a very popular Autumn floral that can be found outside many homes as decorative pieces.  They really add curb appeal if you ask me :) I love the vibrant colors they come in, and honest to goodness, they last forever! haha Something I like to do with these is change out the pot they come in (mine come in a cheap plastic pot with some cellophane wrapped around it), and place them in ceramic clay pots, pretty inexpensive but makes all the difference! Next I love buying many different patterns of ribbon from my local craft store, plaids, reds etc., and tying a bow around the pot with these.  It adds something so homey feeling to them and makes them look even more "handmade".  

*If you are really feeling nifty, you can also buy some pumpkin garland (pretty much garland but with mini pumpkins and leaves etc) and use this to decorate your pots as well, use your imagination and go crazy! 

Pumpkin Garland

3. Decorative Votives: --I don't know about my readers, but there is nothing I love more than feeling warm and cozy during those brisk Autumn nights.  What better than creating your own Fall votives?! This is something I am definitely going to be trying out this year. It's so simple and requires only what you want, oh and a candle of course :) 

*Some common things to include when making a decorative fall candle would be gourds, decorative apples/pumpkins, decorative leaves, Indian corn etc. What you want to do is place your candle on a dish a few inches larger than the diameter of the actual candle, preferable something appealing to the eyes :) Next overlay some of your decorative pieces around the candle on the dish. So Simple I tell you, yet looks so beautiful when you take your time with it.

4. Glitter Pumpkins! --Ok, I had you at glitter right?! haha Anything with glitter seems fun to me, and no this does not have to get super messy if you follow directions carefully, it's actually astonishingly simple but by far my favorite craft for the Fall ! No, I didn't come up with this idea myself, I have to give credit where it is due, and I shall. I actually came across this in a video on YouTube and thought oh my goodness, I HAVE to do this! She makes it look so fun! Below I am going to link the video so that once you gather the three things you need, you can watch and create :)

* If you choose to do this on real pumpkins, they should last a few weeks as we know the pumpkins will eventually go bad. However, if you choose to do this on decorative fake pumpkins, they can last very very long! You can do the entire pumpkin, like shown in the video below, or you can even just do the parts you would normally carve out to make funny faces in glitter for kid approved ones! :) 

5. Fall Flare Wreath--Wreaths are perhaps one of the staple items that stay around for 75% of the year throughout many of the holidays.  They are something that, with a change in colors and theme, can always decorate your door for something splendid.  In the Spring, we do a wreath made of Lavender and boy is it gorgeous, in the Fall, we do wicker handmade wreaths and in the Winter, we do the Balsam wreaths in typical Winter Fashion.  

 

Well that's it for this edition of my Fall rambles haha I really truly hope this blog post made some of you want to go out there and get your "creative on"! lol I love being inspired to make my home look nice during different seasons/holidays, so I thought I would pay it forward to you all. I am not the most crafty person so all of these things are for beginners trust me! Just think of how amazing your home will look, I bet you will have people asking you who you hired to do it ;)

Gourds, Indian Corn, Pumpkins and Glitter Galore! ,

xox

Putting the Plant in 'Plant'ation Shutters

Looking to add a little green to your Plantation Shutters, just make a 'Plant'ation shutter planter.  With her environmentally friendly thinking and creative talents Cynthia Bee, of designresourceutah.com, donated her time and talents to the Conservation Garden Park. Using an idea from another floral designer Cynthia created a living work of art by transforming a used pair of plantation shutters into a planter by adding water wise succulent plants to the shutters. Read on to find out more about this project.  In addition check out Cynthia's blog Utahgardenblogs.com for other information and ideas for your home and garden.

Otherwise known as a 'Plant'ation Privacy Screen. Like many of you, I saw the original idea for this project in Sunset Magazine, though I am sure the designer who created it was not the first to do this, she certainly did it up beautiful! The Sunset Magazine version featured a gorgeous project completed by San Francisco area floral designer, Baylor Chapman of LilaB Designs. The magazine gave a little information on how the shutters were constructed and it sounded pretty basic (weed barrier fabric was stapled to the shutter to create pockets), so I thought I'd give it a try.

"'Plant'ation Privacy Screen on the auction block at the fundraising Gala for Conservation Garden Park"

Except that I don't live in the ideal climate provided by the California Coast which meant I had a lot more factors to take into consideration than the original designer would have to worry about. Not even succulents can survive our real-world heat and intense summer sunlight planted in just weed barrier fabric pockets! In addition, I did't want to be limited to just Utah-hardy succulents (sedums and sempervivums), I wanted to enjoy the massive array of Mediterranean climate succulents- which means overwintering them indoors and THAT meant making it possible for the plants to be overwintered indoors. This "easy" project is getting a lot harder already! Luckily, I like a challenge and I lack a reliable idea filter.



The first thing I needed to make the project work was a plantation shutter. Ideally, you'd use solid wood (as I did) or, even better, vinyl. The classifieds section is a good place to find a used shutter. Since I was creating my to be a one-of-a-kind piece for a Charity auction to benefit Conservation Garden Park, I decided to try and get a nice one donated.



I was a little nervous to call Stanfield Shutter (the leading company in this area for plantation shutters) and tell them about my crazy idea! Thankfully, not only did they hear me out without hanging up, they gave me a huge 6 foot tall by 4 foot wide shutter with extra wide slats to play with! Thanks to Stanfield Shutter!

"Thanks to Stanfield Shutter for donating this gorgeous plantation shutter!"

The next step was to retrofit it for our purposes. This meant adding vinyl trim pieces to the top and bottom of the shutter for better weather protection and gluing vinyl wedges between the slats to hold them in the desired open angle. I just purchased vinyl trim pieces from Home Depot for trimming out the shutter. My poor Dad (pictured below) is often roped into things like this, bless his heart. He's trained so well now that he just helps me get it done without thinking I've totally lost it. My spouse is still on a learning curve with that but he'll figure it out eventually!

"Retrofitting the shutter for long-term viability."

Once the plantation shutter is prepared, it's time to make the custom pockets. Now, I used a piece of paper to trace the shape along the ends I needed for the boxes which would account for the slope. That caused one side of my square shape to be longer than the other. Honestly, you could probably get away with just doing the sides the same length- once the plants grow the difference will be minimal.



To create the pieces of the box, I used a layer of weed barrier fabric on the outside (allows air and water to pass but not too quickly), 2 layers of felt in the middle (to help insulate, hold water longer, and help retain the shape) and then a layer of burlap on the innermost surface (to give the roots something to grip). At first, I tried to make the seams be on the inside of the pocket but that doesn't work so well. You won't see the pockets so go ahead and do it the easy way by sewing the seams so that they are on the outside of the box. Just trust me on that!

"Pocket pieces before stitching together."

For the top, I used a special 'fabric' type thing I get locally at Tai Pan Trading. It is a synthetic mesh which has real moss adhered to it. It's messy. Bits of it are still in my sewing machine but it's worth it. The mesh works really well for vertical gardening projects because it enables the plants to grow through it while the brown mesh and green moss serve as camouflage for the other elements in a vertical application. I wish I could find an online source for it but since I don't even know what it's called, that would be hard. I am sure you can use other types of mesh product so long as they have larger holes (no fine mesh). Even so, you'll still have to cut a few bigger holes in the mesh to insert the plants.

"Empty pockets with moss mesh tops."

I filled the finished pockets with a special soil formula which involved perlite, succulent soil mix and coconut fiber. As always, I rinsed the soil off the original plants. Every grower useke our REAL sun at this altitude! This screen has spent most of it's time indoors since it was planted. I watered the plants thoroughly right after planting 2 weeks ago and just now watered them again. Please note, the plants NEED to dry out after watering. They prefer a good soak so the soil is fully wet and then a good period of dry soil before wetting it again. A consistently moist soil or lightly misting them with a spray bottle will produce less desirable results. Consistently moist soil is the kiss of death for succulents while misting will create shallow roots and weak plants.

In the proper setting and with a water resistant shutter, you wouldn't have to remove the pockets at all for watering outdoors, just s for plants to be added. Cut the mesh as needed to get the root balls inserted. You MAY have to sew or zip tie the mesh closed if the hole is large."

As for watering frequency, the succulents would need to be watered about once per week if the shutter is outside and in PART SHADE- the non-hardy succulents can't take our REAL sun at this altituden: left;">The end result of all this work is a planted privacy screen that can be installed on a deck for the warm season and stored away in the cold months (unless you've got a sunny south window and a tile floor indoors!) The plant pockets can be removed for watering if you don't have a vinyl shutter and you want to ensure better long-term survival of the shutter. The pockets are narrow enough to overwinter in a sunny windowsill.

"Plants will eventually be large enough to hide the gaps."

The end result of all this work is a planted privacy screen that can be instathem into the shutter openings but you can get away with putting them in immediately so long as you don't move the screen around much.

"Pockets fitted into the Louvers"

Pockets can be repositioned to improve privacy. Plants will grow at least 3x larger than their current size.

In the case of my planted pockets, the winners of this item are out of the country for awhile so I'll likely be overwintering it for them in a nice warm greenhouse with all of my own plants. I wonder if my work will notice that I snuck them into our new greenhouse!?

Ideally, you would let the plants grow in the pockets for a 6-8 weeks to establish themselves before popping them into the shutter openings but you can get away with putting them in immediately so long as you don't move the screen around much.

I'd like to make a screen FOR MYSELF now that I've got the whole process figured out and engineered but I'm rather worn out from making this one! I will confess that part of me hopes the new owners decide they don't really want it (and the required maintenance) and I get to keep it! Cross your fingers!


The project CAN be done reasonably cheap if you can find an inexpensive used shutter and use small plants. A little patience always pays off with succulents as they'll propagate themselves given the right conditions. The pockets are a bit time consuming if you sew them so they are removable as I did.

"On display for the Garden Gala"

If you just want to keep it outside permanently, you can probably get away with stapling the materials to the slats as the original designer did but I would recommend you use similar materials to those I recommended above or your plants will dry out much too quick.


I would rate this project a 3 of 5 stars for difficulty if you're making removable pockets as I did. If you just staple the fabrics in place, it's a 1 of 5 stars for difficulty but may be more a pain over the long term for maintenance. While the project is not that hard, it can take a lot of time to create AND care for. Make sure you're willing to do both of those things before starting. If anyone else is crazy enough to attempt it, feel free to ask questions in the comment section or e-mail me. I'd love to see photos when you're done!

Fall Season Meets Beauty Routine

 With the fall weather approaching, there are a few key things to keep in mind when it comes to skin care. 

1. The cooler air and the heat you may be forced to blast in your car as the nights get rather brisk, are two things that can severely dry out your skin! Be sure to alter how much you moisturize to compensate for this, no one likes dry crackly skin.

2. Remember to also maintain using SPF in your skincare somewhere.  Just because you don't see or feel the sun, doesn't mean its harmful rays don't exist!

3. What did you all do this summer? Probably something that consisted of loads of sunscreen from sunbathing and makeup for those fun warm nights out on weekends right? Well now is the time, as the weather is changing and those warm nights are coming to an end, to exfoliate your skin and do a nice deep cleanse. You want to make sure you dig deep down in your pores to remove any excess residue left behind from this warm humid summer season.

That all being said, there are a few fun ways to incorporate one of my favorite sights to see in the fall, Pumpkins, into your daily beauty routine! :)

 

Vitamins A & C are collagen building and Zinc is a great helper to fight off those blemishes, and guess what?! these things are all found in pumpkins! 

Here is a QUICK and super EASY recipe for a killer pumpkin treat for your lovely skin : 

1. Firstly, you want to carve out the seeds from your pumpkin.  

2. Slice your pumpkin into smaller pieces and peel the skin off.

3. Place these pumpkin pieces into a steamer or colander (whatever you have on hand), and steam over some boiling hot water for about 45-50 mins (pretty much until tender, which you can make sure of with your fork!)

4. After the pumpkin pieces are nice and tender, puree them in your food processor. 

5. Let this puree mix cool off, after all we don't want to place something super hot on our faces! haha 

-2 Tsp. of the cooled pumpkin puree

-1/2 tsp honey (I use organic honey because remember this is going to be absorbed into your skin!)

-1/4 tsp milk

-1/2 tsp. brown sugar (this adds to make a wonderful exfoliant!)

* if you have oily skin, leave out the brown sugar and use 1/4 tsp. apple cider vinegar, it works wonders ;)

Leave this mask on for 10-15 mins, rinse off, pat dry with towel and you are on your way to better looking skin, in just 15 mins! :)

Another quick treat for your skin, that is so delicious sounding you may want to eat it! : 

1. In a food processor or blender, combine 2 cups canned pumpkin, 4 tablespoons low-fat vanilla yogurt, 4 tablespoons honey, and 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice.
2. Slather this on your entire face, leaving your eyes out as always (they are super delicate!).
3. Leave this on for 10 minutes and then proceed to rinse as normal and pat dry.


A Great body exfoliant:

1/2 cup pureed pumpkin
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Combine all of the above ingredients and while in the shower, take a moist washcloth and proceed to scoop a table spoon at a time and scrub this all over your body starting by your feet and stopping at your neck.  (we use the other scrub above for the face :)
2. Be sure to work this into your skin in circular motions.
3. Rinse this off with warm water and I guarantee your skin looks and feels amazing!

While doing research and testing these scrubs and masks out myself, I found that pumpkin really works wonders on the skin, no it's not only good for making jack-o-lanterns and  making your front steps look pretty.  I always love finding ways to use all natural ingredients in my beauty regimen because what you put in and on your body is what you get out of it. If you want radiant healthy skin, eat healthy and use healthy beauty products right? :)

Hope you all have a wonderful start to the fall season, and to any of my readers who are still enjoying wonderful weather for the next couple of months, I envy you! haha

Pumpkin Patches and Beautiful Faces,

xox

Shop and Tell!

Here is a list of the things I picked up during this run, pictured above:

First Stop in this "Shop and Tell"--Sephora/Target and MAC!

1. e.l.f Cream Eyeliner in Black from Target--I love this so far! It goes on smooth with my angled eyeliner brush and it has always lasted me all day and is super black! For only $3.00 you really can't go wrong. (comes in a few other colors as well)

2. MAC See Sheer Lipstick--I purchased this because it was the perfect sheer medium pink tone for the wedding I was in this past weekend. I was wearing a navy dress and didn't want something so pigmented and matte because I was doing a rather dramatic eye look. On the other side of that, I didn't want to do something that would be too washed out, needless to say this was the perfect choice! It is a great shade that can be layered for maximum pigmentation, but like the name says, it can also be that perfect "bitten" sheer medium pink tone as well :) I definitely recommend this as part of one of your staple lipstick shades from MAC.

3. MAC Painterly Paint Pot--I wanted to try something new and have always wanted to get more paint pots. I use this as an alternative to my Urban Decay Primer Potion. I love this because it is heavier and provides more even coverage on top of being an amazing primer.  I am totally loving this so far and look forward to purchasing most of the other shades as well.

4. Sephora Nano Eyeliners in Pearl Beige and Azure Blue--These little things (literally only a few inches) are great! I love the pigmentation and I really love all the shades they are available in!

5.DUO Lash Glue in the dark tone-- Special Occasions call for lashes! I picked this one up as an alternative to another one I had that was regular white--I love that it dries dark and it for sure held my lashes all night! :)

6. Makeup Forever Mat Velvet Foundation--I used this for the first time last weekend, literally the day after I purchased it. I was nervous, because I have never used a foundation at all before, but figured for a wedding where lots of pics are being taken, I should have something.  I love this foundation--although it is a thicker formula (so I hear in comparison to others) with a light hand, it can give you just the coverage you need. It also kept me matte for the majority of the night! Perfect shade as well. Definitely will use this again.

7.Urban Decay All Nighter Spray--I have heard of this a ton of times and was always meaning to pick it up. Sometimes when I go out for special occasions, I am out well into the evening and want my makeup to last me.  This worked without a doubt for me, 7 hours and my makeup didn't budge at all!

Next up, my final leg of the shopping voyage this week, Bath and Body Works.  I love when my house smells good, it just makes me happy honestly! haha I love the fall because of the wonderful colors and scents that come along with it.  Bath and Body Works is the perfect place to find all of the candles that capture the best scents of the Fall season and you are guaranteed to have a yummy smelling house!

1. 4 oz. Candles in:
       --Creamy Pumpkin
       --Kitchen Spice
       --Smores--MY Favorite of the bunch--oh my goodness, smells JUST like real smores!!
       --Mountain Leaves
       --Pumpkin Caramel Latte--Another Favorite, sweet pumpkin like something from Starbucks haha
       --Homemade Cookies (not pictured because I gave it  to my boyfriend's sister, she's quite the baker! lol)

2. Mini Candle in Marshmallow Fireside--this is a mini that I got free with a coupon but smells so good that I will be returning to purchase the big size asap!

3. Mini Anti-bacterial to-go in:
       --Chocolate Chew (not pictured because I gave this to my boyfriend's sister as well!)
       --Cranapple Crisp
       --Phantom Pumpkin
       --Bat Bite Apple
       --Creamy Pumpkin

4. Wall Flower in Japanese Cherry Blossom (I will insert a pic of it below as I hastily put it up in my bathroom) haha

Well that completes my Shop and Tell.  I hope you all like the setup--I took less space with the pics and did more explaining, because that is what this is about after all right?! :)



Cozy Autumn Smells and Blissful Beauty,

xox

A Little Something Special For The Bride...

I quickly whipped up this photo story using my Windows Photo Story Program. I love doing stuff like this because it turns what can be bland pictures into a story! :) It wouldn't let me email it however, since it is a rather large file, so I decided to post it here.  What a fun day everyone had for sure--enjoy! xox

Two songs included:

1. Vanessa Williams-As the Years Go By
2. John Lennon- Imagine

Bridal Party FOTD

Products I Used On Myself And The Girls: 
 

 

1. Bronzer side of the Elf Bronzer and Blush Duo
2. MAC Painterly Paint Pot to prime the eyelids
3. Urban Decay All Nighter Spray to Set the makeup and make it last all night--which it did! :)
4. Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Smog
5.Makeup Forever Matte Velvet Plus Foundation in #45
6. Garnier Dark Under Eye Circle Roller
7. Covergirl Lashblast Mascara in whatever the blackest one is (I forget the name at the moment!)
8. MAC See Sheer Lipstick
9. Prestige Lip liner in Silk
10. Stila Kajal Eyeliner in Sapphire
11. NYX Jazz Nights Palette --This was the main palette used for all of the girls I did--LOVE the colors!
12. MAC Blush in Melba
13. Miss Adoro Lashes in #600 and #28
14. Duo Lash Glue in the Dark tone
15.L'Oreal Lineur Intense Liquid Eyeliner in black
16. Urban Decay Pore Perfecting Face Primer




Well there you have it, the list of ALL of the products used for all of the makeup I did that day including my own.  The makeup turned out spectacular and we all got tons of compliments on it! I had never done makeup for a wedding or even a large group of girls like this, normally I only do my own! It was very nerve wracking at first because of time constraints, but I made it work.  The other good thing is that I was doing the makeup for members of my own family, which made the whole process much easier because I didn't have to worry about using only products for clients and not mixing it with personal use makeup. My main goal was to make the girls look a little more dramatic for the sake of taking pictures, but also make them look themselves and not too out of their normal style. My second largest goal was to give them a look that would last all throughout the evening, and this was achieved thank goodness! The All Nighter Spray really does work! Staying Matte was a third goal and this was also possible for the majority of the evening.  Toward the end I saw a little shininess here and there, but nothing that a little blotting paper wouldn't help in an instant. 


All in all I had a wonderful time doing every ones makeup and it made me excited and happy that my cousin and my sister liked the outcome as well! 


Wedding Bells & Beautiful Belles of the Bridal Party, 

xox

How Your shutters are made......

Ever wonder how your shutters are made?  Click Above and Check it Out....

My Favorite Fall Fashion Trend Predictions!

Hey guys, the last time I mentioned trends it was Spring, I feel as though Summer fashion is a bit "ehh", so I decided to skip that blog post all together. I LOVE Fall Fashion, it is perhaps one of my favorite seasons because I love the changing colors on the tree leaves, and I adore 99% of fashion during this time.  I love that I am again able to layer when the months get a little cooler, and I love that I am able to wear BOOTS!! :) It took me a while to compile these trends because after much research, I found that I didn't like a few of the predicted trends and I am certainly not going to speak about something I myself dislike. I finally got all of the trends together that I like and that I truly think are most easy to wear on a daily basis.  Hope you enjoy!

1. Polka Dots:

Whether it be sweaters, dresses or skirts, polka dots seemed to be one of the "it" things on the runway this year.  I think used in moderation i.e. just a clutch or a top, this trend can actually be very pretty.  The key with this is to be subtle however, no one wants to get a headache from just looking at your wardrobe, and with a busy pattern like this, overkill can do just that!

2. Mustard & Crimson Colors:

I for one absolutely adore these colors! I think they are very reminiscent of the colors of the leaves on the trees as the fall progresses.  I think they are fabulous for Fall fashion and I am glad that there seemed to be a lot of these colors on runways as well.  I love going bold and wearing a more subdued outfit color and then throwing a mustard or crimson shoe or coat on top to add a real pop to your ensemble! Give it a try :)

3. Maxi Skirts:

I know what you're probably thinking, "maxi skirts??". Well I have to say yes on this one.  I saw a few versions of the seemingly repeated trend from summer, and I have to say I can totally see how this is a great fashion item to bring you gracefully through the first few "awkward temperature" months of Fall. You can throw one of these on with a tank and carry a denim jacket around or a blazer for when it gets cooler.  These also come in many different fabrics, and picking up a heavier one would be smart for those colder days when you still want to feel feminine and girly!

4. Peplum Style:

 

Peplum is such a unique style, it reminds me a lot of vintage clothing worn in those old movies. I love the modern day twists on it though. Wearing structured clothing that cinches you at the waist is the perfect way to give yourself some sexy curves with no effort at all! I think it adds some  nice kicked up flare to a dress as well.  Anything that makes you look feminine and well put together is a plus in my book :)

5. Shoes-Tassels, Wedges, Patent Leather and Chunky Heels:

As you all know, I love shoes, any kind really haha Since we are talking Fall Fashion here, I will stick to these trends above.  We are seeing a lot of tassels, wedges, chunky heels and patent leather.  I love wedges, they are my favorite type of shoes because they are just so comfy!! A nice patent Mary Jane shoes is a staple in every girls wardrobe and I'm loving the way the tassel really brings almost an office look to the shoe! Very chic!

6. Chunky Sweaters That Scream Cozy:

You know what I love? Clothes that make you feel so warm and cozy :) These sweaters will do that for sure! Who doesn't love a nice chunky knit sweater to snuggle into in the cold Fall evenings? These sweaters can be paired with a nice pair of jeans and a pair of chunky heel ankle boots for the ultimate chic styling :)

Well there you have MY personal favorite Fall Fashion Predictions as predicted by runway fashion magazines.  These aren't the only trend alert predictions out there, the others just didn't float my boat as well as these did lol I hope you enjoyed this post, and I look forward to doing another one of these for you guys next season! 

To Staying Stylish and Exquisite, 

xox

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FALL FASHION TREND?