Peanut Butter Popcorn... YUM!

Since I tried to make a batch of milk chocolate brownies earlier today and wasn't too impressed... I figured I should attempt another little snack! Although, my fiance LOVED the brownies... go figure, haha! Since I was already on this website for my last blog, I stumbled upon this delicious looking recipe: (Not my photo, but they should turn out just like this.)

I got this photo from this website which has this delicious recipe so click here for the details! This is a snack for those who have a sweet-tooth. It needs just your regular microwavable popcorn, peanut butter, marshmallows, butter, and brown sugar. The total time to make this should take just 15 minutes! Enjoy!

Bacon and Lil' Smokies Recipe!

I couldn't resist but to share this recipe when I had a taste of my in-laws freshly baked bacon and lil' smokies! It was a hit, especially with the men which is no wonder because it includes BACON! I'm baking my first batch tonight, but blogging before hand so this is not a photo of my work. However, if all goes as planned... they should turn out just like this:

 

They are a great appetizer but tonight I'm feeling a little under the weather so I'm going to try to just cook them with some cheesy scalloped potatoes and veggies and call it good. Please click here for a link to a great website which shows you this super easy recipe! It only takes 30 minutes to make these little mouth watering appetizers so be sure to give it a try!!

Prepping to snowboard

As a Minnesotan, if you are going to get a little enjoyment out of winter, you should try taking up a sport! My fiance snowboards every winter and I have an interest in it as well. We are joining some friends for a little snowboarding trip! I'm excited because I haven't went in a decade. I can already picture myself face planting right away, haha! I'm pretty sure I will have to learn all over again. I never actually went to a resort. I only went boarding where ever my friends and I could find a decent hill.
In order to make sure I have everything I'll need, I recently went to Zumiez and bought a pair of black and purple Dragon goggles. I used some christmas money to purchase a Columbia coat designed to hold up in the cold/wet snow. I also got water repellent gloves made by Columbia as well. Last winter American Eagle Outfitters sold hear muffs which came with headphones inside them. Such a great idea! I plan to bring those as well. I'd show a link, but I couldn't find them for American Eagle this season. If anyone knows where else you can purchase earmuffs as headphones, please comment below =)

Click here and check out Columbia gear for your winter fun needs!
Click here for a link to the exact coat I just purchased.

Our christmas

I hope everyone had a great holiday! I know we did! Very blessed this year that's for sure. Little man will put a lot of his new things to good use. He especially fell in love with his new rocking chair! Who knew something that wasn't a toy would become his favorite item? Well, I take that back... he seems to be attracted to a lot of things that are NOT a toy, haha. I got gift cards and a beautiful diamond necklace from my fiance. I can always expect a pair of good slippers and a cute piece of jewelry from my mother in law. With my side I never really know what to expect, haha. Its a total surprise. I took down our tree christmas night. I figured with a child going through his terrible two's and my pets, its just easier to part ways right away with the tree. I love the warm feeling our home has when its all decked out for the holidays, but I'm enjoying the extra space we have back without everything set up. We got a great, slim space-saving tree this year! Its as tall as a 6 or 7 footer but its super slim. No need to assemble it every year either! All the branches are already on it, it just comes apart in three easy to store pieces! Phew! That saves me a 40 minute hassle =)
Before I go, click here for tips on storing your christmas decorations!

Tips for fighting the winter blues

Leave it to good ole' Cosmo to give more good advice... this time on battling those winter blues! They seem to creep in after the excitement of the holidays pass and the new year has begun. Personally, by the Beginning of February I'm really beginning to miss going outside without freezing and slipping around just by walking out to check my mail. I love winter, but I just wish it didn't have to last so long.

A few tips are as follows:

Cosmo and I both definitely agree that now is the time to redecorate! Try to avoid cool colors such as blue or gray and spice up your home with warm colors! Trust in me when I say that this will bring a touch of warmth to not only your home but your mood as well! I painted my bedroom walls orange when I was younger and I always felt like my room was cozy and vibrant!

Plan an outdoor trip! Visit new places within driving distance of your home. Its a great time to explore historic areas or try a new shopping center.

I suggest picking up a winter activity such as snowmobiling or snowboarding. It gives you something to look forward to when the snowballs fly and you might build a new appreciation for the change of weather.

Before I forget, winter wouldn't be the same without a fresh cup of coffee! If you are not a coffee drinker, stock up on some hot cocoa =)

 

 

 

Click here for Cosmo's complete list of ways to beat the winter blues

Braving the crowds in search of things for the wedding

Since I cant guarantee that I will be able to be at the stores right when they open up the day after christmas, I went out today to at least get a 30% off discount. Right now I'm focusing on finding more white mini lights for the wedding... but with white cords, not green. Target sells an off brand... forgive me but I'm drawing a blank at what they are called... I know they say decor on the center of the box though. Anyways they are lights that are good quality and a lot cheaper. Look for them at the end of the isle of lights. I stocked up on three large packages of 350 (white) lights each. Make sure to get the ones with the white cord unless you don't mind green with your wedding decor. Then I purchased three crystallized light up branches which I plan to use for our head table.
I made my way over to Joann Fabrics as well but they were already really picked over as far as christmas decor goes. Almost everything was already 70% off. I really wanted to pick up these pretty little sparkling bird cage ornaments that could easily be used for a wedding but out of the ten that they had left, only one wasn't broken! No luck there, haha. I'm focusing on lights and flowers for our reception decor. I love anything that lights up and/or sparkles. What I really need to do right away after the new year is get our save the dates and invites sent out! I know, I know... I'm being a complete slow poke with those! If it weren't for the holidays I would of had them sent out already, haha.

 Click here for a link to holiday mini lights sold at your local Target. They are battery operated and also work great for crafts and decoration! You will find wedding ideas where you least expect it ;)

Photography... My very first practice session!!

My goal is to be as ready as I can be to be a legit photographer by late spring. With that said, I have begun my practice sessions! This week my friend and I went to a few parks in a couple neighboring towns where I photographed her. We were supposed to shoot at sunset but things ran late and by the time we were ready to shoot, it was getting pretty dark. My first session was quite a challenge to say the least but I was able to get a couple nice shots and a few that I can take note and learn from.

There is so much more that goes into photography that I never fully realized until I actually bought my own camera. Real photo shopping is nothing like Instagram people! (haha) It takes at least an hour for me to edit a photo. I don't know how to edit everything the exact way I would like to, so I'm hoping I can either take note from a photographer, view enough tutorials, or actually attend a class within the next year.

 

(This was a photo that was once dark and had a low level of exposure. It didn't turn out too well. Instead of deleting it though, I still used it as more practice towards my editing.)

 

 

 

I share this passion with a few of my friends so its neat to share photos and talk with them about our hobby! Everybody needs a hobby of their own... something that makes them feel good and keeps them productive =)

Click here for some tips for using your DSLR camera and snapping photos at night.

Click here for 10 more tips as well. Good night folks!

What to watch out for when buying shampoo

When I was younger I never put much thought (or care) into what chemicals are in the products I use or the food that I eat. Well today I'm here to point out 5 toxic ingredients which are put in common shampoo's that you should be aware of. Now, I personally wouldn't go toss out your bottle sitting in the shower, but just make a mental note of some things the next time you find yourself buying shampoo. Over time, these chemicals can pose a threat to your health. I seen this on my local news a few months ago and sure enough when I showered that night, I caught myself glancing at the back of my Herbal Essences shampoo bottle.

 

 

 

Methylisothiazoline- This may be found in leading brands such as Pantene, Suave, Clairol, and Head and Shoulders. It can put an unborn baby at risk for brain damage. It can also cause neurological disorders.

 

Parabens- This is a preservative which helps stop the growth of bacteria. Unfortunately, it has been linked to raising estrogen levels which in return can help create hormonal disorders and cancer.

 

Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulfate- This is found in almost every leading brand of body wash and shampoo. It can be abrasive to your hair and skin. This is unfortunate because SLS is what helps create suds the way you would expect them to form. It can also lead to thinning hair due to its acidic nature.

 

Formaldehyde- This ingredient can cause damage to the nervous system as well as allergic reactions. It may be listed as quarternium-15, doazolidinyl urea, and imidazolidinyl urea.

 

Phthalates- While its added to body wash and shampoo to help give them scent, it might be linked to reproductive and hormonal issues. Often these problems effect children.

 

 For more info on these ingredients, click here.

 

 

Christmas shopping... Chelsea's way ;)

 

We just finished up some more shopping today and well... judging by this picture I love my girls to either A.) smell pretty or B.) look sexy because I noticed that my christmas shopping trip #2 consisted of mainly Victoria's Secret, Aerie, or Bath and Body Works. (Haha) No we did not purchase the kitty. You really can't go wrong with lotions and perfume though! Works especially great for the people who seem to have everything and you don't know what to get them. By the way, if you buy a perfume at Victoria's secret, they toss in a free VS ornament. If you buy three signature lotions or body washes, you get three free. That probably explains why I bought a dozen haha. I absolutely love their body wash though. Those little bottles seem to last me forever even though I've used them daily. I also went into a lot of novelty shops this holiday season. I picked up some unique gifts that I could almost bet the person I was buying for didn't have. I'd spill about what I bought but a few of the people on my christmas list read this and would instantly know who it was for, haha. Take note, those types of stores are another great idea for people who either have everything and/or those who you are not sure what to buy for. If you are absolutely unsure, you can go the gift card route. Some people hate gift cards, others love them. It depends for me. I don't mind receiving them, but its more fun to shop for gifts and put them under the tree then it is to put a gift card in an envelope. Also, Posh Love was my own guilty pleasure. They only have two stores, one in I believe Ridgedale Mall and one at Crossroads Mall in St. Cloud. It was a cute, inexpensive store with unique clothes for teens and young women.

Anyways, we didn't have time to get out our christmas cards again this year. Oops! Hopefully next year, haha.

 

Click here to check out the holiday sales at your local Bath and Body Works

 

For the love of photography

Today I purchased one of the very latest photoshop programs on the market, the Adobe Photoshop Elements 11. It was long overdue! I have been using Adobe Photoshop 2.0 and it was so outdated and basic, haha. It took me forever just to come up with a mediocre photograph. What i noticed right away with the new version was at the top of the screen it had three options: quick, guided, and expert. This helped tremendously! Each option had a variety of settings and controls that made the process of photoshopping go a lot more smooth. Upgrade? Yes please! =)

 

In order to have everything I want for a studio set up I still need a couple backdrops and studio lighting. Hopefully by next spring I will of been able to come up with something! I can always use natural light and make my own set up until then. I'm a fan of taking photos outdoors so that's also an option.

 

I highly recommend the Adobe Photoshop Elements 11. You can pick it up at your nearest National Camera Exchange.  

 

 

Soaking up some sun... and snow (with my canon)

If you are from Minnesota then you know we had a big snow storm the other week. I was more excited this year then I have been for a long time. My son is finally at an age where he is learning that you can play in the snow! More about that in my mama blog =) Anyways, I took him out almost every day this week and grabbed my Canon Rebel so I could capture some adorable memories! I'm using these photos as kind of like my first official batch while using my photo shop. If I'm going to pursue photography, I need to know how to edit and how to do it fast. Tomorrow I'm going to buy a new Adobe Photo shop but for the past couple weeks I have been using an Adobe version from about 10 years ago haha. I'm hoping to get a couple friends penciled in my schedule in the next couple weeks. This is my passion and to me, its not considered a job. I enjoy taking photos, traveling, editing, and admiring =)

Check out 5 tips for taking better snow photos

and

10 tips for taking great winter pictures!

 

Here is one of my own Instagram photos

 

 

 

 

Wedding decor hunting during the holidays?

Hey everyone! As always I am keeping busy with my family life, hobbies and the fast approaching holidays. However, wedding planning is becoming a big chore, haha. A great time of the year to look for wedding decor is the holiday season! We are having the color purple in our wedding so when Halloween was here, I purchased mini purple led lights. They were made for using with a small scene and are battery operated which is perfect! Now the other day I went to Target and looked back by their Christmas lights and found mini white led lights. I plan on stringing them in our tree branches for the table centerpieces along with the purple lights. Unless you are renting all of your own lighting, hitting holiday sales is a great idea =) I plan on grabbing some white Christmas lights the day after Christmas. I figure after the wedding I can use them on our home for the holidays or sell them. Also, if you have a little extra cash, you can always buy those light up mini led pre-lit branches and reuse them in your home after the wedding. Just a thought =)

 



A fall/winter 2012 makeup idea

 Typically, I barely have enough time for a little cover up, eye liner and mascara with a 20 month old child running around! When I do get the chance to spend a little extra time on myself, I like to experiment with different looks and maybe even take a few self portraits. It will be fun to look back on your changing styles one day when your older! Change can be a good thing! I've always switched out clothing styles and colored my hair every color from pink to black since I was a pre-teen.

According to Glamour Magazine, the one eyeliner shade that every woman must have for this season is... bronze eyeliner! Their reasoning, "It makes your eyes look all glowy and warm." Whether you have light skin or dark skin... light eyes or dark eyes... you can pull it off! You can order your bronze eyeliner at Ulta, click here! Don't feel like ordering it, try your local Walmart, Target, Walgreen's, etc and look for bronze.

 

Here is a bronze shimmer by elf cosmetics at Target. It is only sold in stores and it sells for a dollar. For that price, it might be worth a try!

 

 

 

 Lipstick has really made a comeback for the younger ladies this year. In previous years, the nude look was trendy. I still love it on days where I really want the focus on my eyes. Step out of your box the next time you shop. Go for colors that really stand out such as red, deep purple, and pinks that make a statement!

 

 

This and that...

Its been busy the last couple of days with family, my fiance working long days, etc. With that said, I haven't had a lot of time for projects. I'm kicking myself in the butt right now because my side of the family had a huge family gathering today aaand well... I didn't think to charge the battery on my new camera. Pretty bummed but hopefully we can get everyone together next time.

I've also been spending a lot of time working out some details with the wedding. I frequent theknot.com. It was recommended to me and I recommend it to anyone getting married as well! They also have a magazine that I pick up sometimes while grocery shopping. Can anyone recommend another great site?

 

 

For the ladies

I mentioned in a previous blog that I would comparing more expensive nail polish to those that are more affordable. I tried brands from O.P.I sold at Regis Hair Salon at a whopping $8.50 a bottle to N.Y.C. sold at Target for under $2. Do you always get what you pay for?

 

 

 

The pros of spending more on nail polish:

 

 The quality does seem to be better and when I say better I mean the color is usually more rich. The paint seems a little more thick. I didn't need to put on as many coats. I did notice less chipping which is a huge plus. I found most brands from Sally Beauty Supply and Nail Polish sold in salons such as O.P.I. to over all work better than less expensive brands.

 

The cons:

 

They are expensive =(

The color selection is limited depending on where you shop

 

The pros of spending less on nail polish:

 

If you are shopping in a department store, you will find that the color selection of cheaper nail polish is much greater than the smaller selection of more expensive brands. I usually get sucked into the bright or sparkling colors made by cheaper brands such as Sinful Colors. You can also afford to buy more when you are only spending a couple bucks on each.

 

The cons:

 

The quality is usually a little disappointing.

Also, most do start to chip within the first 24 hours of applying the paint.

 

I have personally been most disappointed with Wet n Wild and Sinful Colors. Both chip fast and Sinful Colors had a few that went on really thin, needed multiple coats, and turned a funny looking color that didn't match the bottle. I cant say that I wont ever buy another color from them again, but I will be more careful. That is just my personal take though. So which would I buy? Well, I sure as heck wont spend $8.50 every time I want a new color, but I did find a way to make the inexpensive colors last a little bit longer...

 

 

I found this at a local store and I have been putting one coat on top of all of my nail colors for past few weeks and it has noticeably slowed down the chipping process. I recommend it. The reviews were good. Plus it adds a little extra shine.

Click here to check it out at Ulta Beauty.

 I also have thin nails so I bought the Revlon Calcium Gel Nail Hardener. Its in a bottle just like the one shown above. I also recommend that.

Decorate your own candle holders!

This is actually an extremely easy project! I was able to finished decorating all of our candle holders in the matter of an hour. When I was done, we had 20 beautiful sparkling candle holders for our wedding! Feel free to decorate them for a gift or around your home! Here is how you can decorate them:

 

You will need the following:

 

Candle holders

I recommend fabric glue and a small foam sponge

Glitter of your choice (I used very fine glitter)

A container to hold your candle holder over and catch any extra glitter

A rag or paper towels to wipe your hands off

 

 

Lets begin!

Lay down newspaper so you can clean up the mess easier.

Get a container to hold your candle holders over. This is so that you can use the glitter in the container and either pinch more back on using your fingers or pour it back into the glitter container to pour it again. Use a funnel for pouring, even if you have to make your own from a piece of paper. As you can see in the photo above, I ended up using the lid. Hey, whatever works! Put about a pea size amount of glue near the tip of the sponge and start to rub the glue onto the glass.

 

 

 

For this particular design, I started from the bottom of the candle holder and went about half way up. I gave the top a jagged look by moving the sponge upward all around the glass.

 

 

The hardest part is already over! Now you just take the container of glitter and lightly sprinkle the glitter evenly all around the cup. Shake off any extra glitter. Feel free to give it a second round of glitter to make sure you covered all of the glue. Once again, shake off any remaining glitter and you are finished! Wasn't that easy?!

 

 

I wish I had a small white candle to light in here and show you how great it looks but you will just have to create one and find out for yourself ;)

 

 

*All supplies can be found at your local craft stores such as Michaels or Joann Fabrics!

 

WEDDING DRESS!!!

Hey everyone! Unfortunately I wont be sharing a picture of my dress before the big day, haha. Sorry! I will tell you about my experience today however!

My best friend and I went to David's Bridal. It was my first time out looking and trying on a dress. I went with the plan of just buying it today and getting it over with! The wedding is in May and I'm starting to feel like time is going by faster and faster so I don't want to be too picky at this point. I knew I would find one that I loved... and I did =)

I'm usually not a big complainer... I think I'm doing a pretty good job of not being a bridezilla ;) but unfortunately my consultant was a little hard to connect with. She showed little personality and very little sense of humor. She was trying to sell me dresses over my budget which was getting annoying. It was painfully obvious that she was paid on commission. I had a decent budget to work with though, so I got to try on a lot of different styles from the A-frame, the mermaid, the princess, etc. When I would come out of the dressing room wearing a gown, the other consultants would walk over and strike up conversation with me and my bridesmaid so that helped. They were very kind! All of us brides-to-be were stealing glances at each other to see what the other one was wearing, haha. It was kind of funny. The girl next to me was trying on dresses for a few thousand dollars! Mine was a little spendy at first, but after the sale price I came out with extra cash in my pocket so that felt great! I felt pretty accomplished after that =) Both my best friend and I agreed that the dress I ended up picking out was not the style we both thought I would of liked. I can't say much more than that but I will say it's gorgeous and I'm going to feel very much like... like a princess in a fairytale, haha =)

When I said "This is the one!" the consultant gave me a bell, told me to make a wish about the wedding day, keep the wish a secret, and ring the bell!! Once I did that everyone stopped to clap! I had no idea they did that. Our next trip I'm getting my accessories and sending the bridesmaids in to get their dresses! I'm very excited for that! I've said too much so I'm done for now! Have a good night everyone =)

 

By the way, I do recommend David's Bridal despite my own consultant being a little hard to connect with. Everyone helping around the store was amazing and the other consultants were very genuine! Great selections too! Click here and feel free to check out their website!

 

 

A totally cool DIY project!

 

Hello everyone! Its been another busy day in our household with work, mommy duties, a cool photo session for our child, and i finally carved out some MUCH needed time for a DIY project!! I'm so wrapped up in family life, trying to practice photography, and planning a wedding that i cherish my alone time to do these type of things, haha.
Anyways, since I'm into photography, it makes sense that I'm also into creating neat frames. Its hard to find the right frame... the color might be wrong, the size, style, the price, etc... i mean come on, $20 for a frame? Shut the front door, haha! With that said, i got the idea to use old frames and give them a new look. I'll give some credit to Pinterest. That site is amazing!

Here is what you need:

a cup with water to dip your brush

acrylic paint

frames

photos or scrapbook paper to put in the frames once you're finished

brushes

a towel for messes

 

 

Now let the fun begin!

 

 

...After the first few strokes of my brush with my lavender paint. I found this little frame at the thrift store. Its really heavy and has beautiful detail. I wish i could find more frames like this one! They are hard to come by.

 

 

 

Check out the finished product! I am in love with the bright purple! I'm not sure if i will put one of my child's pictures in it from his photo session tonight but until i decide, i put a piece of scrapbook paper in for decoration. I'm excited to find a place to hang it =)

 

 

 

Here is a picture of one of the oval frames posted above. I'm taking out the screws so i can paint the frame.

 

 

I'm not sure whether i want to add our own photos or put scrapbook paper in. Until i make up my mind, here is what they look like so far. The cream colored frames are from a previous project. It took at least 5 layers of paint but they dried very fast. This whole project took just over an hour. It might take two for a beginner. Its super easy, inexpensive, and fun! If you get tired of the decoration inside the frame, switch out the photos or put different scrapbook paper designs inside. You can even go as far as repainting the frames!

 All of the supplies needed can be found at craft stores such as Michael's or Joann Fabrics. Happy Painting!!

Making it happen

Hey readers! I'm happy to report that i was fortunate enough to be able to purchase a new lens for my Canon Rebel today! I purchased it at National Camera Exchange. The one i had on it before was the factory lens that came with the camera. In a nutshell, it wasn't anything special. My new lens is designed for people who are focusing on taking professional portraits. I'm really excited because this allows me to take quality photos. Its been a dream of mine to be a photographer and I'm finally making it happen.

 

 

 

Maybe this coming summer i can save up for a lens that zooms in on objects more. That way my fiance and i can go on our nature walks and zoom in on objects far away like the eagles nest in the Sherburne County Wildlife Refuge. I love taking photos of landscapes. My fiance takes great photos while he is watching races so that's another reason why getting a lens that will zoom more is a good idea. If anyone has a blog about their photography, id love to check it out!

I was happy tonight when i realized i can start doing some of our son's photo shoots. He's 19 months old and a little ball of energy! This will be fun =)

Wedding Talk =)

Ahhh I'm getting so excited for the big day!! May needs to hurry up!! I had a great afternoon thrift shopping with my fiances grandma. Shes very creative and has beautiful ideas so shes a pleasure to shop with =) I know when you think about weddings, thrift shopping doesn't exactly come to mind. I absolutely hated to thrift shop when i was younger. It was only recently when i realized i needed to hop off my imaginary high horse and be more smart about how i shop! Trust me, people are always bringing in their wedding items to second hand stores! Lucky for you, you get it for a fraction of what the first bride paid.

 

 

We went to two thrift shops the other day. At the first stop i found a set of champagne glasses used for a wedding. $1.50 a piece after using our 25% off Tuesday discount. Like I've said in a previous blog, shop on the sale days! Anyways, the last store we went to guess what?! We found the exact same champagne glasses and they were just 49 cents a piece! Plus they had over 20 wedding candle holders. I was in heaven! Then to top it off, next to them was a glass cup from Buca which just so happened to be where we went for the first big date my fiance ever took me on =) I figured it was a good luck sign so i grabbed that too, haha!

 

 

I have craft projects already in mind for decorating the champagne glasses and candle holders so keep checking back! I'm excited to show you how to personalize your items and give them that glamorous look with cash to spare =) 

 

 

Oh yeah, i found adorable new Forever 21 tops, a Maurice's top, Hollister jeans, and super cute shoes from famous footwear while second hand shopping. Ive been lucky lately! (Sorry the photo is upside down, haha.)

Testing haircare and make-up products

Hey readers!! It's a cold day up here but us Minnesota girls know how to keep it hot... sort of ;) I did come across a product that I tested out and i will be back for more... I purchased the Maybelline 14 hour super stay lipstick and it was worth it! 

 

 

The color is called Eternal Rose... its kinda flashy but you only live once so why not? They have the 24 hour kind as well and i think that's the one I'm going for next. Did this one last 14 hours? No, but it did last longer than the Revlon lipsticks I usually buy (or any other kind for that matter). Revlon went on with more moisture but didn't last too long. I have zero luck when it comes to cheap lipstick such as Wet N Wild. Not dissing it, I just cant get it to last or find a decent color for my liking.

 

 

 

 At some point through out the day I must of rubbed my lipstick in too much because my fiance said I had a pink mustache... lovely, haha =-{] I'm such a dork!

Aside from make-up I'm testing out hair care products. Everyone who knows me well knows that I (surprisingly) have extremely curly hair. You wouldn't know it because I usually straighten it everyday. I know, I know... I'm crazy! I have a hard time taming my curls. They seem to have a mind of their own. Plus, I have a more square face so I like how long sleek hair looks on me. Like they say, you always want what you can't have!

I recommend BigSexyHair conditioner. Walmart sells it for around $11 a bottle. It gives as much of a noticeable effect as a bottle of $18 conditioner. Love it! I also love Biolage by Matrix. Its a little more spendy but the results and scent are worth it. Nexxus is one that I'm actually not too impressed with. I just think for spending that much, I should notice more of a difference. Remember that everyone has a different hair type and just because it didn't work well for me, doesn't mean you will have the same results. As for shampoo, I just stick with more cheap brands. There are a few ingredients you want to make sure to avoid though. I'll make a blog in the future about what you should look out for.

That's it for today! I Hope everyone had a great weekend and here's to surviving our first cold MONDAY of the season, haha =) 

Ahh Saturday =)

 

Today was a much needed day of relaxing and quality time with my little love bug in the morning and my soon to be hubby in the afternoon! My day started out by a loud wake-up call at 5:50am to little guy crying in his crib. He must of had a bad dream because that's awfully early to rise and shine. The sun wasn't up yet and he continuously yawned all morning. Needless to say we did a lot of snuggling, haha. Anyways, later this morning i met with a lady from an on-line garage sale site and purchased an adorable bird cage style card holder for our wedding! You cant even tell it's used! Plus it was dirt cheap... SCORE =)

 

 

It matches perfect with the life-size bird cage that i talked about in a previous blog. I figure after the wedding is over i can use them for household decor or see what Pinterest suggests, haha =) She also sold me a few vases and threw in a free item too.

After that, i went and picked out my fiances christmas gift a month early... he can be a little pampered ;) He was surprised at what i picked out because its exactly what he's been wanting for awhile so he best be a happy gamer now, haha. For those of you who game on a PS3, its the Turtle Beach PX5's!

Last but not least, i had a couple stamp cards to use up at a thrift store so i found these totally cute pumps (I'm obsessed with purple), a super cute Lauren Conrad top, Hollister skinny jeans, and an extra long button up shirt with a belt for around the waist... perfect with leggings! The heels match both tops as well. Again, great condition and dirt cheap! I Love the thrill of the hunt =)

 

 

P.S. Excuse my attention seeking pets... I promise you they are overly spoiled and far from neglected, haha =)

 

 

Click here for an article from Lucky Magazine on tips for thrift shopping! My blog from yesterday points out some tips as well =)

 

I never would of said this when i was younger...

...but i LOVE to thrift shop now!! Its the thrill of the hunt and who doesn't love to save money? Even if you have money, its still smart to save some. My fiances family and i are going thrift shopping this coming week for 25% off Tuesdays.  We will also be checking out National Camera Exchange. I'm in need of a better lens for my new Canon. Speaking of deals, I was on a local garage sale site tonight and found a bird cage designed to hold cards for a wedding... SCORE!! I bought a bird cage this summer at Home Goods as tall as me for a nice big decoration. The bird cage card holder will match perfect and it was only 5 bucks. I'm getting excited for the big day! So far the wedding hasn't broke the bank thanks to all the deals I've been finding =) I'm one week away from purchasing my wedding dress. I'm not wearing one handed down to me though... I'm very particular about the style of my dress so that is the one thing i for sure want to go buy new. I don't want to spend too much time going from store to store looking for thee perfect dress though... i think ill be so happy that day that ill end up bringing home something my first day looking, haha.
Its been a very busy holiday weekend for us though, so i haven't been able to do much for crafts. We have just been busy doing some shopping and finding deals!

Thrift shopping became huge after the recession in 2008. Stores like Plato's Closet boomed and other second hand stores started popping up! What i will share with you today is a few tips I've learned when it comes to thrift shopping:

 

• Make sure you examine your items before you purchase them! Its a no-brainer, but a lot of times there will be a small tear, a button missing, etc. If you aren't able to fix that on your own, you might be disappointed when you discover the flaw after buying it.
• Hit the sale days at Thrift stores or use their punch cards. Usually these days will fall between Tuesday and Thursday.
• Check out second hand stores out of town. My favorite time to stop in to new locations is if we are passing through a town while traveling. That's where the real thrill of the hunt begins =)
• Check brands because I've visited thrift stores that had no idea Silver Jeans can be spendy so i paid just FIVE dollars for a pair of Silvers in GREAT SHAPE!
• Remember that thrift shopping takes time. You probably wont find everything you need that day, but you just saved a ton on what you did find. I usually go buy new what i didn't find used =) If you spend just 20 minutes in a Thrift Store, don't expect to walk out with much. The more time you take to sort through everything, the better! Happy savings!!

 

 

 

 

Our Thanksgiving =)

Well its officially the start of the holidays today! I hope everyone had an awesome Thanksgiving and got to relax a little bit. I changed my mind about Black Friday shopping this year. The weather made a huge change from mild and sunny to cold, windy, and snowing soooo... very few deals are worth standing outside for hours in that crap just to walk into a bunch of chaos. I suppose if it was nicer out i might reconsider, haha. I watched a video last night where a Walmart worker was trampled to death one year. Also, a lady who was eight months pregnant was trampled but both her and her baby survived. People just kept running and shopping. That's kind of sad when people value saving a few bucks over valuing someones LIFE. Thanksgiving is about being thankful for what we already have... then Black Friday comes and it's like all that was forgotten. Last year i went out, but even though this year we are staying in, im not bummed. I'm pretty humble for once and can finally say we have almost everything we need =) When we went last year though, we went to a store that only let in a certain amount of people at a time. I didn't witness even half of the madness that i was expecting so we were able to check out fairly quick once we got in. Do i have any readers brave enough to stand out in that wind tonight and if so what deal are you going for?? =) 

 Also, i just wanted to say that i hope all my readers had a great thanksgiving =) please be safe!! 

From:

 

Here is a link to some Black Friday shopping tips: Yahoo News

 

Super easy nail art

I figured since I'm testing out all of these nail polish brands for a future blog, I might as well get creative with my nails. I don't typically get my nails done at the salon. I have a love/hate relationship with acrylic nails. I love how they look but i usually don't like to wear them. With that said, I'm always looking for ways to add a little design to my own work. Here is a design I found online and decided to try it myself. Its super easy:

 

 

 

 

 

I really dont even need to explain what I did here. Just use a little scotch tape and make a design you want! I started with placing the tape where I didnt want to get any paint. Once I painted the bottom, I let that completely dry. Then i placed the tape over it so i could paint the rest. SUPER EASY. I used a color called Beige-A Vu by Nina. You can pick this up at Sally Beauty. The top color was a bright color called Coral Reef by Sally Hansen. You can get it at Target. I love either nude/beige with neon/bright colors =)

 

 

 

 

Now before you go, be sure to check out this link: The Beauty Department. My example above was the easiest one you can do. If my sons naps were longer I could of made a more creative design, haha. This site will show you more in depth how to create neat designs with just some scotch tape, scissors, and 2+ kinds of nail colors =) Happy painting!!



Our christmas home =)

Greetings readers!! I once again visited the craft store today (Michael's this time) and had a lot more luck finding what we needed for the wedding! Flowers, beads, thread, jewels, super glue and more glitter..as if the huge tubes i got the other day weren't enough! I'm excited to start the projects and blog about them as they come along! 

 

Today i went out and got the rest of the christmas decor for the tree. I added the rest of the ornaments, different lights, and decorated the rest of our home. Put up all the stockings. Five in total (counting the pets, haha ). One says naughty on one side, nice on the other, a Disney/Pixar Cars one, and a black and red one... you can guess which belongs to who, haha ;) I also put a wax cube in our electric wax warmer with a gingerbread scent to help get the holiday vibes flowin' =) I have to clean up the house a bit yet and if i have time, start digging into the wedding decor tonight. For now, here is a little bit of what we did today:

 

 

 

 I hit up the day after christmas sale last year at Target and Kohl's. That's where i got half of what you see in the picture above. You can find 90% of what you see for decor at Target this season including what we bought last year. Kohl's is where i grabbed frames saying "Our first christmas 2011" ... eh, I'm a sucker for sentimental things, haha.

Crafts, Nails, and Black Friday...

Well i didn't have time to craft today but i did make it to the craft store. I bought a few large containers of glitter, spray glue, string, etc to help make our centerpieces for the wedding. I still need to go get the twigs so i don't have everything just yet. I got LED purple mini lights which I'm sure ill put into the centerpieces somehow. That's for a later blog =)

 

 

 

I did also start a little something today... I purchased my first two OPI nail polishes. I got them for only 5 bucks but you will easily pay 8 if not more in the store. That's a bit spendy considering girls need multiple colors. Are expensive nail polishes really worth paying extra? I'm doing a little test to find out. I have cheap brands such as NYC and Sinful Colors from Target to Nicole by OPI, China Glaze, and Orly. Over the next couple weeks I'm switching from one to the other to see whats really worth your money. Even though Sinful Colors takes up a nice chunk of the nail section at the store, they chipped the same day i applied them. Sinful Colors, you already failed.

 

On another note, i think we are black friday shopping again this year. Funny thing is, we don't need really anything. I have everything i need to keep me happy for awhile but i think just getting out of the house and watching a bunch of mad women shoving each other for a material item just hours after they were supposed to be thankful for what they have might be a little amusing! The most popular black friday ads are as follows: Walmart, Best Buy (of course), Target, Kmart, JC Penney, Kohls, Macys, Meijer, Office depot, Sears, Staples, Toys R Us, Babies R Us annnnd Walgreens. Check out theblackfriday.com and happy savings!

Tis the season for coffee and cocoa =)

I used to work for Caribou Coffee for almost four years. One thing that they sell are coffee cup cuffs, also referred to as coffee clutches. They are a real cute accessory especially if you are a regular coffee drinker! Me, i like my campfire mocha or a simple cocoa =) Now I'm not trying to take away from their little clutch profit, but you can easily make a coffee cuff of your own. There are a couple different ways you can do this...

 

The super easy way:

 

 

I really don't even need to explain much with this one! The picture says it all, haha.

 

Cut part of the sleeve off of a winter sweater that you don't wear anymore.

 

Make sure it fits snug around your favorite cup. 

 

I would hand sew the bottom so it doesn't unravel. Also, i would sew a couple buttons on for decor. Those can be found on another old piece of clothing. Otherwise decorate it however you want!

 

Feel free to leave it plain. Either way, you didn't spend a single buck as long as you had an old sweater and a sewing kit!

 

Here is another way:

 

 

First off, this would make a GREAT idea for a stocking stuffer or a gift!! I might just have to make one for my mother-in-law for when she is working at her desk =)

 

Pick out some fabric of your choice. Felt or cotton work best.

 

 Fold it in half so that there are two layers with the top sides facing up.

 

If you have time, feel free to iron it to get any wrinkles out. Its not necessary though.

 

Use a disposable cardboard coffee cuff. Cut it open and lay it out flat.

 

Put the coffee cuff on top of the back side of the fabric and trace with a pen/marker. Do this while leaving the fabric still folded.

 

Take a pair of scissors and cut along the line. You should have two identical shapes.

 

Sew the long top and bottom edges together. Leave about a quarter inch seam.

 

Turn the coffee cuff right side out...

 

Sew the short edges together. Trim the edges so they appear even.You should have a long piece of fabric at this point.

 

If you do not want to add anything more, sew the two short piece to one another and ta-da! If you want to add a corset look similar to what is shown above, get ribbon, maybe even some beads, and design it how you want.

 

 I'd suggest you go to a fabric store and look for a rotary hole punch to lace the ribbon.

 

Google ways to use buttons as well! There are too many possibilities to put in this blog so feel free to explore =)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This makes me wish i could paint our home!!

While looking through magazines and photos on the internet Ive took notice that a lot of rooms seem to have really neat designs on the walls. I'm aware you can buy wall decals with sayings on them or stickers for decorating your child's room. Have you ever wondered what it would take to create those trees...

 

or even an entire wall?

 

 

Its surprisingly pretty inexpensive and can be fun to do! Plus you don't have to deal with the mess and hassle of out-dated wall paper!

I must admit, I'm a little jealous of anyone who can paint their walls, haha. Where we currently live, we cant =(

 

Here is how its done:

 

 

 

Purchase your stencil design. Not sure what a stencil is? A stencil is a template used to paint or draw patterns, shapes and designs every time its used. Amazon is a great place to look.

 

Decide on the pattern or picture you are going to create.

 

 If you are going to use an all over large wall stencil, tape the stencil in place on your wall.

 

Carefully dip your foam roller in paint. Make sure not to overload it with too much.

 

Start rolling over your stencil with the foam roller. Do a second coat if needed.

 

If you go over the edge of your stencil, simply wipe the excess paint off the wall with a damp rag. Lift the stencil to see if you missed a spot. If you did, its easy to go back and place the stencil over where you have painted and make corrections.

 

Removing the stencil is the fun part! Take a look at how its turning out =)

 

Re tape the stencil next to the pattern you just created. Make sure it lines up. Then repeat the steps above =)

 

Seriously, this makes me want a house!!