Tutorial Tryout: Maegan's Low Side Fishtail

I am in love with what Maegan does with her hair.  LOVE.  So when I saw her tutorial for a low side fishtail, I decided I had to try it.

photo via

I had never done a fishtail braid before.  I'm actually not all that adept at braiding my own hair in the back, actually, although I wear the front braided all the time.  Her tutorial was PERFECT though and super easy.  This is what I ended up with:

(sorry for the crappy iphone photos!)

How I prepped my hair:  I washed it this morning, then let it air-dry as much as possible.  I finished drying it with my blowdryer and scrunching it with my hands (I have naturally wavy hair).  Then, I curled a few front and top sections with my 1" curling iron just to give it more texture (and the top layer tends to be straighter then the underside).  Then I pinned the top back (it drives me nuts when my hair is in my face) and braided the rest.  I LOVE this style!!  It held up really well throughout the day too, which I was happy about.  I DID end up having to add two bobby pins later this afternoon, but that wasn't a big deal.  My hair is pretty layered so I expected it. 

So yay!  Thanks Maegan!!!!

Friday Finds! (non-fashion version)

I'm getting COMPLETELY off-topic with today's post, but these things were just too cute not to share:

I Am Baker's AMAZING VW Bus Cookies

(Why are vintage cars so much cuter than the ones we have today?  Mini Coopers not included.)

BlanketID pet tags

(Make sure your pet comes home AND much cuter than the traditional metal tags! My favorite is the orange gingham)

Okay, so I know it's lame, but I just have two things today.  It's my blog though and I can do what I want, right?!  :)  I've just had too much to do to haunt the internets like I usually do.   Which, I'm sure, is something everyone can relate to.   I'm definitely looking forward to school being out - two more weeks and I have a 6th grader!  Eek!!!  I discovered a YouTube search on my computer today for "how to kiss a girl for the first time".  Scary.  11 year old boys are scary.  I'm sure there are lots of you who can relate to that too. 

Etsy Favorites

Itty Bitty Ice Stud Earrings $25

Double Wrap Around Friendship Bracelet $32

 Feather necklace $27

Are you guys shopping at etsy yet?  So many wonderful things, and they're almost all handmade items by small crafters.  I love the idea of both buying something beautiful, and directly helping to support someone's family. 

I'm a sucker for pretty packaging

Benefit It's Potent Eye Cream $32.00

Okay, I'll admit that I have no idea how well this stuff works.  It DOES have a 4+ star rating on Sephora.com, which means it's probably pretty good, but I haven't used it to know for sure.  I LOVE the packaging though, so I'm seriously considering snapping up some of this (plus, I'm 38 so a good eye would probably be a good thing to add to my beauty arsenal).

Here's another product from the line:

Benefit Remove it Makeup Remover $21.00

Since I actually DO like a lot of Benefit products (hello Dallas!), and these particular products have really good ratings, I might try this sample set:

b.right! Radiant Skincare 6 piece intro kit $24.00

Oh who am I kidding!  I just want this because the jars are even tinier and cuter.  Why try to lie about it?? 

Am I the only one who is a sucker for tiny and cute?

Trend to Try: Fedoras

Ever since I saw Busy Phillips sporting this hot pink fedora on last week's Cougar Town, I've been a bit obsessed with them.  Yet again, I'm coveting something that I didn't even really think twice about a week ago.  No wonder coveting is a sin.

Here are a few cute ones I've found:

Loft Flower Fedora Hat  $34.50

Gap Bow Fedora $29.95
(this one comes in two sizes: S/M and M/L)

American Eagle Embroidery Fedora $15.50

American Eagle Straw Fedora $15.50

(pink with a chambray ribbon!)

Anthropologie Caning Bows Fedora $44.00



Hmmm......it's always hard to amke a decision, but I think the Loft and brown American Eagle ones are my favorites.  Unfortunately, I have a huge head, so the only one that will probably fit is the Gap version that comes in Large.  Am I the only one who has a huge head??? 

My weekend:

This is my bed and I love it very much.  I could definitely do with a new mattress (those commercials that talk about the age of your mattress?  Gross!), but I love my sheets and pillows.  On Friday night I decided to go to my storage unit and drag out my sewing machine.  I haven't even SEEN it in two years, so it was about time to get reaquainted.  The two yellow pillows in the front are what I made yesterday.  The smaller one with the blue trim has a small travel pillow inside that my son brought me from his room (it was missing it's case so I confiscated it for my own), and the larger stripey one has a 14" pillow form inside.  The two actual pillow cases are Martha Stewart from Macy's (last year) and the "sweet dreams" pillow case is a white vintage pillowcase I bought from ebay, then embroidered the design on.  I have a second case that I'll get around to embroidering "good night" on one of these days.

**Interesting trivia:  my bedroom set is the same one that Jake has on "Two and a Half Men".

Friday Finds!

Essie Braziliant $8.00

(orange with shimmer! LOVE)

Talbots Bow Wedges $89.00

(comes in 12 different colors!)

LL Bean Grand Lake Mocassins $89.00

(love this color combination and you will wear these FOREVER)

 Turks Head Sailor Knot Bracelet $7.00
(came across these first thanks to Maegan's site and the tutorial she posted, but in case you don't want to make your own this one is a fantastic alternative!)

Hope y'all have a wonderful weekend planned!  It is supposed to be a beautiful weekend here in Dallas, so I'm hoping to take advantage of that somehow.  Which reminds me.......need to go text all my friends who have pools...... :)

What I Want Now: Crossbody Bags

Does the need for something ever just come upon you like a hot flash (not that I've started having those yet, but I have friends who do and I'm not looking forward to it AT ALL)??  Something you didn't even know you needed yesterday but now is the only thing you can think of?  That has happened to me with crossbody bags.  And I mean the little ones, not the huge totes.  See, I'm a huge fan of big purses.  I want to be able to carry my wallet, my makeup bag AND my Nook Color all at the same time.  Plus I have a 11 year old who is forever saying "Here mom, hold this!"  But those big bags are a pain if you're spending the day at a festival, or flea market (or anywhere where you don't want to have to carry a bag).  So I've decided I need a small bag, and here are a few favorites I've found:

the Sak Thalia Crossbody $34.30

(Comes in several colors.  This is black metallic, which I have in a different Sak purse.  It's a COOL color!)

the Sak Thalia Crossbody $49.00

(The same purse as above, but in cream, on Zappos website.  Sadly, it's full-price there.)

Fossil Maddox Twist Lock $128.00

(this is my favorite color for purses this year)

 Lucky Brand Mini Abbey Road Foldover Bag $139.00
(Lucky has the BEST details on their bags!)

Fossil Camille Drawstring $58.00

(I love the hippy music festival vibe of this one.)

So many cute choices!  I'll probably either go with the last one (those butterflies are so cute!), or the white Sak one.  I'd REALLY like to have them all though.  Which one is YOUR favorite??

DIY: Stretchy Beaded Bracelets

Vanessa Mooney Beach Girl Bracelet Set $152.00

I saw these on The Possessionista's blog, and LOVED them, but not for the $152.00 price tag.  That's a little out of my price range for jewelry, especially costume jewelry.  No matter how stinkin' cute they are.  I figured I make my own instead!

Here's my version:

Cheap and Fluffy version:  $9.17

I could actually do white, black, and weird brownish/orange, but I like the brights best.  The trickiest part was finding all the supplies.  JoAnn's had the gold beads (6mm) and the stretchy cord (.5mm), but not the solid color beads.  I scored at Michaels though, finding a package that contained all these colors instead of having to purchase lots of packages of separate colors.  There were enough left to make a second set too.

Here's what I bought:

And really, this isn't so much of a tutorial as a "Hey!  Look what I made!  Go get your own!" because I'm pretty sure you all can figure out how to make these.  Here are a few tips though:

• Cut your stretchy cord extra long to give you plenty of room to tie your knot.  I tried to "conserve" at first and made it much more difficult on myself.  The stretchy cord was $2.49.  No need to be so stingy.  lol
• The back of the stretchy cord package shows how to tie it off.  An overhand knot works very well, but once I get my hands on some super-glue I'm going to add a small dab to each knot.
• Stretch the cord slightly when tying off so that you don't end up with gaps between the beads. 
• I left the ends about 3/4" long then thread them through the adjacent beads.  The ends DO tend to poke back out when you take them on and off, so adding the dab of glue will mean I can cut them shorter.  I haven't found a good solution other than that, but since the cord is clear you don't really notice it when you have the bracelets on.
• The 6mm beads work perfectly for this.

I really would like to have a pink bracelet.  I love the pink and gold.  Hmmm......will be looking for pink beads!

Splurge vs. Steal - Leather Bracelet

Hive & Honey Leather Studded Bracelet $36.00

SPLURGE!

Wide Leather Bracelet with Gold Grommets $16.99

STEAL!

Beauty Favorite: Nail Polish

Rescue Beauty Black Russian $18.00

I originally started wearing this waaaaaay back when I was called "Revamp".  Then they discontinued Revamp, and came out with this color, which I'm pretty sure is the same.  I was on a waiting list for THREE MONTHS after seeing this in a magazine because I just had to have it. It didn't dissappoint.  I LOVE this polish. Yes, it's $18 a bottle, but I've had my bottle for years and I wear it almost constantly on my toes. It goes on smoothly and has staying power, something I can't say of all the polish I've tried. Granted, you can't really tell there is red sparkle when looking at your toes from 5' away, but I still think it looks much sparklier than regular black. And I know there's red in there, and isn't that all that really matters??

This polish is hard to come by though, so if you want some of your own, grab it now while it's back in stock!!!! Once it's gone you might not get another chance (and I've looked for replacements with not much success).

Ridiculous but I want 'em anyway......

Rock & Republic Bette Wedges $139.95

(original price $310.00)

Seriously.  I want these.  I have no idea why because even though they're super-cool, I wouldn't be able to walk in them.  And people would stare if I wore them in the tiny town I live in.  Actually, that might be kind of fun, but it would embarass my kid.  So I guess they'll stay at DSW where I found them.  But if any of you buy these will you please send me a picture of you wearing them??  I'll live vicariously though you. 

Friday Finds!

Teala Strappy Wedge Sandal $24.99
(Sadly enough, I already own yellow wedges which makes it hard to justify these.)

Addison Moto Jacket $29.99
(Seriously cute!  Imagine this with a sundress!)

Studded Wrap Bracelet $11.99 (comes in other colors too!)

 Drawstring Collar Vest $24.99

(I love the collar and back details)

My agenda this weekend includes a swim meet, a day at the Renaissance faire, and finishing up a little home update (starting small with my entryway, which I'll share with you soon!).  Should probably also get around to doing the dishes and laundry too, but that's not nearly as fun as thinking about what I'm going to wear next!

JCrew Factory--now online!

But only until Sunday at midnight (that's May 8th) AND they are offering free shipping.

Here are some of my favorites:

• Factory stripe sequin boatneck $44.50
• Factory printed eyelet trim dress $79.50
• Factory nautical cotton braided flip-flops $24.50 (didn't they used to have these in their regular stores?  I was wondering what happened to them!)
• Factory caprice jacket $49.99 (LOVE the collar on this jacket!)
• Factory lilac shower shift dress $29.99 
• Factory denim calvary skirt $29.99

There are also about a million cardigans too, which I think you can never have too many of.  

So has JCrew opened it's Factory stores online before?  Am I the last one to be finding out about this??

(sorry no pictures, am posting from a Mac today and don't know how to save images with this mouse.  oops!)

I'll take this for Mother's Day please!

Around The Bend willow swing $875.00

Yes, I know it's pricy, but ohmygod I love this so much!  And a girl can dream, right?!  This would look so stinkin' cute on my porch.  Guess I need to take up willow-bending........

Thinking about home design

I've lived in my house for about 2 years now.  I moved from a 1200 sq. ft. townhouse into a much smaller 900 sq. ft. home in the woods.  It's tiny, but plenty of room for my son and me (along with our 2 dogs, cat, rabbit, and 2 turtles--yes, that's excessive).  The problem is, there's no storage, and our furniture was purchased with a much larger house in mind.  I've been thinking of solutions to my design delimma, and short of calling Nate Berkus, here's what I've come up with:



This is all from Ikea, mainly because I can't afford Pottery Barn.  Is it crazy to want white couches?  These are slipcovered though, and therefore washable.  I love washable things.  I love the idea that I can just whip these babies off and throw them in the washing machine.  Plus, Ikea sells covers, so if they get too bad I can always buy more.  So that's not TOO crazy, right??  I'd like to paint the walls a light blue-gray, and accent the couches with bright pillows and art.  My house has really deep porches, so it tends to be very dark inside, so I think I just want something that looks bright and clean.  All my current furniture is dark.  I'm sick of it.  Now, if I could only convince my family to buy me Ikea gift cards!  I keep asking, and they keep coming up with reasons why they won't.  Anyone have a solution to that??

Little Blue Dress

Surplus Chambray Dress $24.00 (on sale!)

I tried this dress on yesterday at Kohls.  Loved it, unfortunately even on sale I couldn't justify buying it.  Can't wear it to school, and it's a little big in the bust.  The bust issue will probably work itself out in the first washing (and isn't really that noticable to begin with), but I still just couldn't buy it.  It's a great dress though.  The fabric is wonderful - not too thin and not too heavy, and I love the stitching detail across the band.  There's also plenty of coverage to wear a strapless bra. 

There were still plenty in the store, and online though, so I can always change my mind and pick it up later. 

Stylebook

I'm seriously obsessed with this app.  I've had it a few months now, but was having a hard time entering in my clothing.  I figured out, though, that using my "real" camera rather than my iphone really helped.  It's a pain, but once you've got your clothes in the system it's great!  Here are some screen shots from my Stylebook:

This is your main closet, and where you add or remove items.

Here's what the "looks" look like.  Kind of like Polyvore, but with things you already own!

 And here is your calendar.  I love the tiny outfits on each day.  So cute!!

Tips for this app:

• If you purchase something online, use the online picture for your Stylebook picture because it usually is photographed much better than you can do yourself (professional lighting is awesome!).  Often, it will also be on a white background while will allow you to "clip" the background super-easy.  I just download the image to a folder on my desktop, then email it to myself.  Easy-peasy.
• If you have to photograph your own outfits, photograph them in the brightest room in your house on a white background.  I use the back of my bedroom door with ALL the lights on in my room.  For shoes I just sit them on my white comforter. 
• You can enter notes for both outfits and individual pieces of clothing.  I like to add both the store I bought the item at, plus the date and price.  No real reason for this, I just like knowing that kind of stuff.
• You can also add inspirational pictures to give you ideas on outfits.  I like to save some of my favorite outfits from my fellow bloggers and email them to myself to add to my app.  It's fun to look at when I'm stumped on what to wear. 

This app is seriously addictive.  Don't blame me because I warned you!!

Monday Favorites

Gap Sequin Strap Tote $49.95

I'm blaming Haute Mama for this one.  Completely impractical but still so cute!  Sadly, at $50, I can't even BEGIN to justify buying it.

OTvan (image and more info here)

Ok.  Seriously.  I want this.  I have no idea why, but it's so stinking cute!!

So there are really only two things today.  I think I've been feeling a little shopped-out and guilty the last few days.  I've bought a lot of stuff the last week or so!!!  Here's a list:

1. New sunglasses (I broke mine last fall, and I'm paranoid about getting cataracts like my dad so it was PAST time to replace them.  Did you know that sun exposure to your eyes is a cause of cataracts??!!! $14)
2. Wide brown belt (used a Kohls coupon - $4)
3. Amazing $18 dress from the resale shop
4. Black cotton blazer (thrift store - $4!)
5. Target dress (I need a few more things to wear that are school-appropriate - $24)
6. Hairspray (upgraded from the $2 a can stuff I've used forever because I used this brand at my sister-in-laws and loved it--also used a coupon from Ulta - $13)
7. Black wedges (half-off AND a needed addition to my wardrobe because the only pair of summery black shoes I have are flip-flops - these were my most expensive purchase by far - I'd link but they're sold out already - $49)
8. Eyeshadow (to replace the one that was used up - $5)

It's not really like I've just gone CRAZY shopping or anything, but that's a lot of things at once for me.  The guilt kind of takes the fun out of things, doesn't it?  BUT...I've also kind of run out of "wants".  I need a new curling iron, and I'm still looking for that denim jacket to restyle, but I think I'm good for now.  My plan now is to take all the inspiration I get from my fellow bloggers and come up with some new ways to wear the things I already have. Can't wait to see what I come up with!!! (and do any of the rest of you spend an inordinate amount of time thinking about your next outfit?  lol)

What I Wore: May 1

Jeans:  Old Navy Skinnies

Top:  Anthropologie (from a few years ago)

Sweater:  Anthropologie

Shoes:  Lands End

I like this outfit.  I'm getting ready to go out for drinks in a little bit and might exchange the cardigan for a brown velvet blazer.  It's in the 50's here today!!!  I want my hot summer weather back!

So these rolled-up skinny jeans? Totally an inspiration from my fellow bloggers.  I have worn these jeans exactly once since I bought them last fall.  Mainly just because I didn't really know how to wear them.  I had a pair of platform booties that looked cute with them, but they just weren't "me".  I felt weird everytime I tried them on, so I returned them.  I like these pants with flats though.  And I have a pair of wedges on the way to me in the mail that they'll look cute with.  So now?  I'm kind of diggin' em!  Thanks guys!!