DIY | Ombre Nail Tutorial

February 11, 2016February 28, 20166 Comments

Happy Thursday Lovlies! I’m so excited to bring you this DIY ombré nail tutorial designed by my cousin, just in time for Valentine’s day. 💕 My cousin describes this look as a Lana del Rey inspired edgy romantic style. Cue “Young and Beautiful“, this beautiful ombré effect is so simple to do! The look is meant to be a little messy which makes the application that much easier. The gradient pink of this DIY helps to draw attention towards the tip of the nails, without being overly dramatic. Oh, and did you notice the little gold heart detail? A little detail that others can’t notice from afar, but you’ll know, since it’s a heart just for you. 😘

Pair this nail style with something comfy but cute. Our #OOTD is a pale pink romantic sweater paired with jeggings and combat boots, to add a edgy vibe. A simple white clutch completes this look with a pair of rings.

DIY | Ombre Nail Design

What you’ll need

White nail polish
Two shades of pink nail polish (One brighter than the other)
Gold nail polish
Eye-shadow sponge
Small piece of aluminum foil
Nail art dotting tool
Nail polish remover
Q-tips

How to

Start with the white nail polish to set the base for your design. Apply two thin coats and allow to completely dry before moving to Step 2.
Apply a drop of the lighter pink polish on a piece of aluminum foil.
Dab your sponge in the polish from Step 2 and sponge on (lightly stippling) to cover 3/4 of your nail, starting from the tip; let completely dry before moving on to Step 4.
Using the same technique from Steps 2 & 3 apply the brightest shade of pink polish to 1/4 of the nail, starting from the tip, adding color until you build the desired intensity. Allow to completely dry. You can either stop here and skip to Step 6 or add the heart design.
Heart Design: Using the dotting tool, add two dots of the gold nail polish side by side leaving a small space in between. Drag the two dots downward at an angle, connecting each end to form a heart.
Use a q-tip soaked in nail polish remover to remove excess polish.
Seal the design with a clear top coat.
Repeat on the rest of your nails.

Tips

Start with clean nails.
Do one hand at a time.
In order to avoid muddy colors, allow the polish to completely dry before moving to the next step.
Dampen the sponge with water to avoid over saturation. This also helps for smoother application.
In order to avoid making a mess, dot the nail polish on aluminum foil or a wax plate instead of paper. Nail polish will soak through paper and could potentially leave a mess.
Don’t have a dotting tool? Make your own by sticking a pin in the eraser end of a pencil.
For the heart design, work quickly to make your connecting lines before the dots dry.

XOXO

Follow me on Instagram!

DIY | Art Deco Nail Design

January 21, 2016February 7, 20164 Comments

Hi lovelies! Happy Thursday! Are you ready for the weekend? I know I am. 🙂

Here is a Great Gatsby inspired DIY nail design for you to try. My cousin channeled her inner Daisy Buchanan when coming up with this nail art idea and drew inspiration from the black and gold color styling of that era. The Art Deco feel is achieved by using geometric lines in the design. This nail art is very simple and low-maintenance but achieves a sophisticated look. My cousin loves this style because since the polish doesn’t extend all the way to the tips, the manicure never chips!

It’s the perfect look for a glamorous night out and would pair well with that little black dress.

DIY | Art Deco Nail Design

What you’ll need

Tape
Gold Nail Polish
Black Nail Polish
Nail Striper or Thin Brush
Nail polish remover
Q-tips

How to

Form a triangle on your nail with two pieces of tape.
Apply two thin coats of gold polish inside the space between the tape.
Immediately remove the tape after the second coat and allow the polish to completely dry before moving on to the next step.
Using the thin brush, outline the triangle with black polish.
Draw a line from the bottom right corner of the triangle to 3/4 of the top.
Use a q-tip soaked in nail polish remover to remove excess polish.
Seal the design with a clear top coat.
Repeat on the rest of your nails.

Tips

Start with clean nails.
Do one hand at a time.
Remove the tape before the polish is completely dry.
For Step 4, lay the thin brush lengthwise along the triangle and pull your finger away swiftly for an effortless line.
For thin lines, use light pressure.

Hope this DIY inspires you for your glam night out.

XOXO

Follow me on Instagram!

RECIPE: Hot Spiced Apple Cider

December 21, 2015Leave a comment

What smell is more comforting than that of cinnamon apple lingering throughout the house. It is a wonderful combination that is associated with the holidays and hopefully has the ability to transport you in time.

Wanting to get into the mood of the holiday season, we took a Trader Joe’s spiced apple cider mix and took it up a notch. By adding allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and lemon slices, and boiling the mix on the stovetop, we were able to highlight the flavors of the ready made cider and bring forward the hints of citrus.

Baby it’s cold outside!

Ingredients

1 Teaspoon Allspice

1 Tablespoon Cinnamon

1-pinch Nutmeg

5-7 Cloves

1 Quart Spiced Cider (Trader Joe’s) – Or substitute apple juice

Optional: Slices of citrus to taste – lemon, orange, or pineapple. Or substitute a splash of juice.

Directions

Bring the spiced cider to a simmer. Add all of the dry ingredients and optional citrus flavors, and whisk. Simmer over medium heat for 15-20 minutes. Serve in mugs and enjoy! Yields 3-4 servings, depending on the size of your mugs. 🙂

Happy Holidays!

DIY Project: Updating a Front Tie Top

November 29, 2015November 29, 20153 Comments

Do you have an attention to detail? Like the type of attention where if you see a simple shirt with pearl buttons lining the back, you have to have that shirt because of the button detail. Don’t worry, you are not alone. Here’s a super easy DIY for adding detail and updating a front tie shirt to help with your addiction. 🙂

I recently purchased this cold shoulder 70s style shirt by Jolt with an awesome wooden bead detail on the front ties. So I was pretty bummed to loose beading on one side after just a few wears. I had to fix this detail issue asap!

I went to Micheal’s and purchased jewelry beads with bead holes large enough to string through the front ties and small angel wing charms to sew on to the ends. The beauty with updating your clothes is that you get a chance to add a bit of your personality and to be as creative as you want.

DIY: UPDATING YOUR FRONT TIE SHIRT

What you need

Front Tie Shirt
Jewelry Beads
Crochet Hook
Optional: Small Charms, Sewing Needle, and Thread

How to

Organize your beads in the order you want them displayed before starting.
Add the beads from top order to bottom on to each tie, utilizing the crochet hook to push the tie through.
Double knot the ends to secure the beading in place.
Optional: Sew on charms to the ends for added security.

Tips

If your shirt is machine washable, pick beading that won’t easily damage with a wash. Wooden charms would actually work best, but for added care hand wash and hang or lay flat to dry.

If you add glass pieces, throw your shirt in a pillow case when putting in the wash. The pillow case will add protection to minimize damage to the beads.

XOXO

What to do with leftover taco meat? RECIPE: Breakfast Tacos Al Pastor

November 15, 2015February 11, 20164 Comments

What’s a lazy Sunday if you don’t stay lounging around in your PJs all day. So when trying to figure out what to make for breakfast why not use last nights leftovers? Here is a recipe idea for what to do with your leftover taco meat. For this recipe, I used al pastor taco meat, but you can substitute leftover beef, chicken, or veggies.

AL PASTOR – THINLY SHAVED PORK MEAT MARINATED IN SPICES, DRIED CHILE, AND PINEAPPLE.

Recipe: Breakfast Tacos

What you need

For the taco filling:

4 Eggs

2 Tablespoons Taco Meat

1 Teaspoon Sour Cream

Pinch of Salt

6 Tortillas

Taco Toppings – Salsa, Sour Cream, Cheese, or Guacamole

How to prepare

For soft and creamy scrambled eggs:

Whisk eggs until frothy
Whisk in sour cream until broken into small pieces
Mix in meat and salt
Place a lightly buttered pan over low heat
Add egg mixture and slightly simmer before stirring
Occasionally stir eggs mixing the bottom cooked eggs with the uncooked eggs on top
Continue to cook over low heat until done

For hot soft tortillas:

Lightly butter a medium pan and place over high heat (careful not to burn the butter)
Add two tortillas at a time flipping once they start to raise (about 7-10 seconds each side)
Remove from heat and place to the side
Repeat the process until all tortillas are done