DIY coffee filter lampshade

Once again, I have recreated a DIY project from the amazing Liz Marie :)

When I first saw these gorgeous lamps shades - made out of coffee filters I knew I had to make some of my own! The plain white lampshades that came with these genie lamps weren't very exciting and were starting to yellow.

Isn't it gorgeous? Looks like a ruffly store-bought lampshade but it's really just a boring lampshade covered in hundreds of coffee filters. Yes, hundreds. After using an unused pack of 200 I had lying around I had to make not one, but two trips back to the store to complete two of these. Plus, I didn't quite know how to make the top look presentable so I fancied them up by adding some crystal gems to the top. I wish I had taken before and after pictures, along with step-by-step instructions, but if you want to know the details, visit Liz Marie's blog post here!

My unorganized nightstand at my previous apartment shared with the ex. But hey, at least the lamp is pretty! :)

Moving out of our apartment and dealing with a breakup after a 2 1/2 year relationship has kind of threw my life out of whack so the DIY projects won't be happening as often now that I don't have my own place to decorate. However, beauty-related posts are on their way!

Don't Waste Your Moolah!

Everyone has those beauty products you get completely psyched to buy, then you get home, try it out, and end up tossing it in the back of a drawer and never using it again. I figured I'd share a few of my regrets with everyone so you don't waste your money too! Everybody's different, so I'm sure there are plenty of people out there who love these products, but these definitely aren't for me!

Hard Candy Glamoflauge heavy duty concealer

Blech. It's no secret that I have horrible dark circles. After hearing countless rave reviews of this concealer, I picked it up from Wal-Mart (double blech.) and gave it a go. This stuff has the consistency of paste. It's thick and gooey and a microscopic dot sized amount could cover my whole face. You might think this is a good thing, but it also has a weirdly yellow tone that gives me kind of a drag queen look, which is totally not what I want. After storing it in the bottom of my makeup case for a few months, I took it out to try again after many nights of no sleep and to my surprise, it had turned in to complete liquid. Just taking the cap off made it run all over the place. Unless you're a drag queen with super yellow undertones, I don't suggest this.

Coconut Pineapple fragrance mist from Bath & Body Works

A few months back I ordered a few things during one of B&BW's huge sales. I'm a huge sucker for anything coconut, and I also love pineapple so I figured I couldn't go wrong with this scent, especially at the discounted price. WRONG. It's super musky and just....not fresh smelling. It's not a bad scent, but it wasn't anything like you expect coconut and pineapple to smell like.

Almay moisturizing eye makeup remover

I have relatively normal skin - a few dry spots from time to time and the occasional oily spot. I figured a makeup remover that moisturizes at the same time would be a good idea. Unfortunately, I turns my face into a disgusting oil slick. I seriously have to wash my face after using this, which totally defeats the purpose. I can't even imagine what someone with oily skin would look like after using this! For now, I'll stick to plain old face wash or eye makeup remover pads or wipes.

Organix nourishing coconut milk anti-breakage serum

With my unruly wavy hair, I'm constantly using flat irons, blow dryers, and curling irons on my locks so I needed something to help mend my fried ends. I've used the coconut milk shampoo & conditioner before, so I thought I'd give this a go because it smells like HEAVEN. (Told you I like coconut!) But, ew. Even the smallest drop worked into the ends leave my hair oily and nasty. I'd rather have the breakage.

NYX Anti-Redness Photo-Loving Primer

For those lovely red patches around the nose, on the chin, and sometimes even on the cheeks that foundation and concealer just don't seem to cover up enough, I decided I'd try out a green primer. I found this on sale at Ulta and gave it a shot. Maybe it's just me, but it doesn't get rid of the redness at all. I like the texture and it's very easy to apply, but it just didn't cover like I was hoping it would.

Tresemme Fresh Start Dry Shampoo

I'm lazy. I don't like to wash my hair too often because it takes SO long to style, so dry shampoo sounded like a dream. Spray on, brush out; instant clean hair. Unfortunately, it didn't work like that. My hair isn't dark, but you can still see the white powder all over my roots even after I've brushed over it a million times. It also leaves my hair feeling really weird - not oily, not greasy...just weird. I'd rather have dirty hair or spend an hour in the hot bathroom with the flat iron.

My collection of waste :)

Hope you enjoyed this post and don't go wasting your money on these suck-tastic beauty products!

More blog posts coming soon!

My Lovely Wall Art!

This project is by far the most time consuming DIY project I have taken on so far. When I first saw this idea on Jennifer's blog, "Life, Crafts, & Whatever", I thought it would be an easy, inexpensive way to spruce up my bare living room walls. Boy, was I wrong. Not only did this cost much more than I intended, it took forever!

Did you guess what this lovely is made out of? If you guessed paint chips, you're right! I felt like a shoplifter taking hundreds of paint chips from Wal-Mart with no intention of actually buying the paint, but it was worth it when I saw the finish project. So how did I create this unique art?

1. I cut up each individual paint chip to the same size (I don't remember the exact size...but if I did it again I would have been a bigger perfectionist and measured so there weren't half squares at the bottom and spaces on the side. Oh well, it makes it unique!)

2. Using spray adhesive, I glued the chips on a blank canvas one by one. (That stuff smells horrible!)

3. After all the chips were stuck on, I applied 3 coats of Mod Podge to seal those bad boys on good.

4. I used a regular ol' furniture stain and quickly stained over the top to create a more "weathered" look.

5. I didn't like the sides of the canvas being plain white, and the stain didn't darken it enough, so I just painted all the edges with a dark brown fabric paint.

My creation doesn't look nearly as perfect and pretty as the one I stole the idea from, but I like it kind of imperfect...it's more me :)

Another project I did with the intention of going along with my paint chip art were these little lovelies:

Simply canvas covered in scrapbook paper, layers of Mod Podge, some more of the dark brown furniture stain, and that's it.

I intended on hanging these randomly around the other wall art, but I'm considering either scattering them on another wall or setting them on the ledge we have over our kitchen cabinets - I can't decide. The colors of our kitchen/living room are green, orange, and brown so I went with that theme and created six of these, two in each color scheme. To make it look prettier, I could have only put the scrapbook paper on the front and painted around the edges, but that seemed so tedious that I figured this would work just as well.

I got this idea from a different blog, but I feel horrible that I can't give her credit because for some reason I didn't bookmark it!

I have a couple more projects I did in the past few weeks that I'll be sharing soon, so don't forget to follow me! Also, go check out this fantastic blog:

  'Til next time...

 

*These pictures were taken by my lovely friend Bailey! :)

Recent Makeup Purchases!

I'm quite the bargain hunter when it comes to makeup...I have so much of it that it's hard to justify paying full price for anything that won't be used every day! I've found some good deals on makeup recently on Walgreens and thought I'd share.

Milani Jewel FX Nail Lacquer in "Gold"

I'm not a huge fan of glitter nail polish, but I've been lusting over this since I first laid eyes on it. This amazingly chunky gold glitter looks amazing over any color, but especially warm tones. The past few times I've used it, it's been over....

Revlon metallic nail enamel in "Gold Coin"

This is a fantastic shimmery gold color, and best of all, it only needs one coat!

Revlon scented nail enamel in "Not So Blueberry"

Not exactly something I would usually go for, but the blue/purple duochrome excited me. Yes, it does smell like blueberries once it dries.

Jordana Glitter Rocks Retractable Eyeliner in "Rockabilly Brown"

Jordana Glitter Rocks Retractable Eyeliner in "Blues Rock"

Jordana Glitter Rocks Retractable Eyeliner in "Glam Rock Green"

Jordana Kohl Kajal eyeliner in "Parisian Plum"

Jordana Kohl Kahal eyeliner in "Green Gables"

CoverGirl Intense Shadow Blast in "Extreme Green"

Unfortunately, all of the Jordana eyeliners have been discontinued, which is why I bought them for around 50¢ a piece. They have come out with new products though, which are definitely worth a look. The Intense Shadow Blast has a sponge-tip applicator that is a little wobbly and I don't particularly like, but I've just been using it to apply on my eyelids and then just using my finger to blend it. I was so skeptical about buying another cream eyeshadow, because I have yet to find one that doesn't crease or smudge, even with primer, but this stuff stays on forever! I went swimming with it on and still had it one when I got out hours later!

Swatches...eyeliners in order from left to right, and the Intense Shadow Blast underneath.

Stay tuned, because there are a lot more posts to come!

*These photos were all taken by my wonderful friend Bailey :)

Small Sephora Haul!

Probably the only good thing about being a college student is the ability to trade in old textbooks for money. Or in my case, trading them in on Amazon.com and getting credit for their website. Since you can't trade that credit in for cash or pay bills with it, I figured I'd take half the money and buy a few things through Sephora, which is affiliated with Amazon.

All the goodies together :)

 

Benefit Erase Paste

Whether I get 10 hours or 10 minutes of sleep, I always have huge dark circles under my eyes - I guess it's just genetics. I've tried countless drugstore concealers trying to make myself appear more awake and presentable, but to no avail. I've heard many rave reviews on this product and figured I'd finally splurge and give it a shot. I purchased this in No.2 (medium) despite my ultra fair skin because it had more of a salmon tone, which cancels out the purplish color of under eye circles. I can't wait to use this tomorrow morning!

 

 

 

Sephora Face Complexion Brush

I always wash my face, but for some reason it just never feels clean enough. For $5, I had to add this to my "cart". Now I can scrub away! Not to mention it sure beats the price of a $225 Clarisonic! No thank you.

 

 

Sephora Beauty in a Box

Summer Goddess Palette

I paid $10 for this whole set - a $50 value that was originally priced at $36. Yay for being patient and waiting for it to go on sale! This kit contains:

• Eyeshadows in "Swimming Pool Blue" and "Coppery Sun"
• Eyeliner pencil (blue)
• Mascara Lash Plumper (black)
• Bronzing powder
• Powder brush
• Eyeshadow brush

From what I can tell so far, everything seems like good quality except the eyeshadow brush. The bronzer and eyeshadows are very pigmented and the eyeliner is a gorgeous shade I plan to use mainly as a pop of color on the lower lash line. The eyeshadow brush seems a little hard and wiry but I haven't actually used it yet so that's just my first impression. This kit also includes step-by-step instructions on how to apply everything!

 

 

Sephora Mineral Matte Setting Powder

I've been looking for a good setting powder for a while since my coveted Revlon PhotoReady one shattered. I really like the Revlon one, but wanted to try something else. None of the drugstore brands had one that interested me, and I refuse to pay high-end money for a setting powder you can't even see. This Sephora one is one the higher end, but with a drugstore price - can't go wrong with that! Hopefully this keeps my makeup from melting off my face in this horrible humidity.

July Birchbox

I finally received my July Birchbox! Woo hoo!

Unfortunately I opened it and got rid of all the pretty packaging before taking this picture, but you get the idea :)

In my box:

• philosophy purity made simple one step facial cleanser (haven't tried yet)
• Zoya nail polish in 'Shay' (haven't tried yet...but I got a different Zoya nail polish in a previous Birchbox and loved the formula so I'm excited to try this one)
• Ahava mineral hand cream (used once...smells great and kept my hands amazingly soft)
• Redken shine flash 02 glistening mist (used once...gave an amazing shiny finish to my curled hair without looking greasy)
• Kind almond & apricot bar (obviously haven't eaten yet!)

In case you've been living under a rock, Birchbox is a monthly service that delivers beauty directly to you to help you find products you’ll love. For just $10 a month, you’ll receive 4-5 hand-picked, deluxe beauty samples from the best brands — from the popular luxe brands you covet, to the new and niche brands you’ve yet to discover. I HIGHLY recommend this subscription service to anyone who is remotely interested in upscale makeup and beauty products!

The beginning of a DIY summer

My obsession with DIY projects started with the discovery of Liz Marie Blog. This girl has amazing talent and creativity...I'm so jealous! If you haven't already, check out her blog! My apartment is incredibly boring and ugly. All of our walls are white, and are required to stay that way, so I have to start doing some creative things to liven up the place.

  

I found these mason jars at my other new obsession: Hobby Lobby. If I remember correctly, they were only $1.99 each! I painted the inside a spring green and placing these sunflowers and hydrangeas inside. I can't take care of real flowers, so these lovelies on top of my book shelf help liven up my boring apartment!

I can't remember the blog where I found the idea for this spectacular mirror, but I saved a picture in my "inspiration" folder on my computer's desktop and couldn't wait to recreate it! All it took was plain round frameless mirror, clothespins, and hot glue. I decided to step it up a notch because the unpainted clothespins were a little boring. I picked up some gold Krylon webbing spray paint, thinking it would give a neat effect. Boy, was I right! I felt like Spiderman spraying these clothespins becuase the paint literally shot out like a spiderweb. I'm very happy with the finished product and the paint gave it some nice texture. I hung this above the towelbar in the bathroom, and unfortunately it's a little to high for my short self to use, but at least it looks pretty!

I plan on doing a few more DIY projects this week, so stay tuned!

St. Augustine Haul

While on a recent weekend stay in the beautiful St. Augustine, Florida, I had to make a trip to the historic St. George St. They have tons of funky little shops and I can usually find some good deals on things I can't find in local stores. We were only there for an hour or two, but I managed to pick up  few things before deciding it was time to close my wallet for good and head home :)

First stop: Earthbound Trading Company. This store was heaven. Walls of jewelry and accessories and tons of unique home decor. Since this was the first shop I went in, I held back because I didn't want to spend all my money in one place. Now I can't stop thinking about some of the cute picture frames and wall art I saw. Oh well, there's always next time!

 All earrings were Buy 2, Get 1 Free so I couldn't help myself. This first pair caught my eye immediately. I love the faux leather with the gold chain!

Of course, I have to get some wings. I have a similar pair in silver already, but these were gold and had bling!

Unfortunately, these giant sky blue hoops are a little on the heavy side, but they were so pretty I couldn't resist. Great statement piece!

 Feathers are everywhere this summer. I got feather hair extensions from Birchbox a few months ago, and was incredibly disappointed. They were only a few thin feathers, which were barely noticeable no matter where I placed it in my thick hair. They also fell apart within days. Needless to say, I wasn't happy with those $39 bad boys so when I saw this crazy clip-in feather for only $3.95 I couldn't pass it up!

 My next stop was Hickory Ridge Organics, where everything is 100% Organic & 100% Vegan. It's just like Lush, but not as colorful and a bit on the pricier side. However, this was exactly the kind of stuff I had visited St. George St. in the hopes of finding, so I got a few things:

 This "Ache Away" organic aromatherapy mist claims to help with sinus pain and headaches, along with a long list of other ailments. I suffer from almost daily headaches and weekly migraines, so I will try ANYTHING at this point to try and help with the pain.

This "uplifting and refreshing" peppermint bath bomb is also supposed to help with sinus and headache pain. Can't wait to try it out!

This gorgeous thing didn't come with a card expaining what it is and I can't find it on the website, but it's basically just a shimmery moisturizing bar that when rubbed on the skin gives a gorgeous, natural-looking glow! I'm not a huge fan of the scent, but the color is amazing!

 Who doesn't love freebies? I got this little chunk of 'Lemon Verbana organic body soap' with my purchase, which claims to be uplifting, energizing, and moisturizing. It smells just like fresh lemons! Yum!

My final stop was Scents of St. Augustine for some soy candles.

 For myself, I picked up the Sparkling Yuzu Blossom scent. The French Vanilla is for my mom :) The best thing about these candles is that they double as a lotion. When it melts down, you just scoop out a quarter-sized amount and rub it in. Not only is it extremely moisturizing, but the scent lasts for a long time!

I have another 6 days of vacation from work, so I will definitely be using some of these lovelies soon!