Mascara Facts

   A stolen tidbit I learned reading the fabulous Preppy Princess Blog, that was too fun not to share:

This year in September, Maybelline Great Lash Mascara turns 40!!!  You know the one that is pink and green that you can find everywhere. I can attest that I have tried ALL mascaras, specialty and drug store brands included, and I still love Maybelline the best, the price doesn't hurt either.  It's no wonder they've lasted 40 years, their Blackest Black sure does the job, I am lucky that I do have long lashes  to start with, but they do the best job making them look full, and it comes off a lot easier than other mascaras I have tried, using make up remover. 

And obviously the Pink and Green bottle makes it fun and sassy, guess who inspired that idea way back when?

Lilly Pulitzer!!   Even back in 1971 she was known for using the pink and green colors seen on their bottle, in all of her collections.

This year to celebrate the big 4-0 three different designer's have designed limited edition bottles, you can find them  at Target: the designers include Tracey Reese, Max Azria and Vivienne Tam and each has come up with a design that reflects their personal style. 

Happy 40th Maybelline Great Lash!!

Happy Friday xoxo

Chalkboard EVERYTHING!!!!

   I have been meaning to make my own chalkboard FOREVER and  I finally did, and now I want to use chalkboard paint on everything.  It is so neat and fun to decorate. 

I have been in such a crafting mood lately and making the chalkboard was so easy. 

1. Start with an old frame, or buy a new one that matches the size you want for the chalkboard

2.  Measure the the size of the glass in the frame and go to your local hardware store to have a piece of plywood cut to fit.  ( or ALV purchased a frame with a canvas picture, and the canvas worked just as well as the wood)

3. Buy a primer ( preferably wood, if that's the base of your chalkboard ) and prime the side of the wood you plan to chalkboard. 

The primer drys fast, but I let it sit over night.


4.  Purchase chalkboard spray at your local Home Depot or Lowe's, and spray the base of the board until covered, you may need to do a few coats.   Let sit overnight.

5.  Fit the wood into the frame and decorate!


We also had an old plastic white table that was in our backyard and discolored/gross from the weather. 

I don't have a picture. but it looked sort of like this:

  It was the perfect height to fit in between our Adirondack chairs, but it looked super junky with all the weather stains.  We decided to try and chalkboard it to save the table, and it came out great!

It was such a quick inexpensive fix for the table, and now I want to chalkboard everything. 


Next, I really want to try to chalkboard the foot of the wine glass ( under the stem), that way everyone could write their name on the glass and it would act like a personalized wine charm.  ... Post to follow :)

Have you ever used Chalkboard spray?

Shooter Gear Bracelets

    While in Erie, DFH and I found a mini golf course near our hotel and we couldn't miss an opportunity to play mini golf near the water, ( I don't know why, but I feel like mini golfing while on vacation near a beach/lake is a must).

   At the mini course course shop I noticed these adorable bracelets that came in a variety of colors.  The bracelets were made from different colors of parachute cords.   I immediately wanted the bracelet and then loved it even more when the shop clerk informed me that the bracelets are custom made by the owner's daughter and that you can choose any two colors.  The clerk also let me try on a number of sample bracelets to make sure I got the right size. 
 
    I obviously opted for neon pink and orange, which I love!!!   The bracelet was made and sent to me the same week I ordered it at the golf course, and it is a perfect fit and so comfortable.  I also love how it looks next to other bracelets. 

  I think it would look super cute to stack a number of them together.

Check out more of the Shootergear designs  HERE  you can order right from their website as well. 

Lake Erie

Last weekend DFH and I left the city for the weekend to enjoy some time up at Lake Erie.  We stayed at an amazing hotel that was right on the lake, and next to a boat Marina and a pier with a light house. 

It was so nice to sit on the water and eat some delicious fresh seafood

We enjoyed the beach

And some beach friends

Tasted the famous Sara's creamsicle ice cream

Spotted my monogram on a car sticker

The Sunset was gorgeous

My Designs by Kara Kihm dress was perfect for the nautical weekend

 We ate at a really neat outdoor restaurant on the water with delicious seafood

Such a great lake weekend <3

DIY: Corks

  If your house is like mine, wine runs like water most of the time and you are always left with an empty bottle and a cork.  My mom has always used corks in a creative way, and I love the way cork looks. DFH and I store our corks in a square vase as decoration, and it's a neat accent piece. 

Also since we've moved we've decided to design our kitchen in a wine theme.  We've been searching for unique wine themed art to place in our kitchen, but everything we love is out of our price range. 
   Finally I came up with an idea to make fun wall art with an old window box frame I had laying around and some corks. 

The Final Product

              The corks in the window box look so unique and it was very inexpensive.  I had an old window box frame I wasn't using, but they sell them at Michael's, Joann's or any other frame shop.

Window box frames come in all different shapes and sizes, so you can find one that meets your needs.

We didn't have enough corks (yet) to fill the window box, but we were able to find bags of corks very inexpensively on EBay, but you can also find them at craft shops.  The ones we found on EBay were used, so a lot of them were dyed red from the wine which adds a nice touch of color.  We used approximately 150 corks for a 14 x 16 frame, but the number would vary depending on how you chose to position the corks.  Eventually we want to transfer our own cork collection into the window box when we have enough....time to start drinking up!!!

You can position the corks however you want, we didn't need any glue to position ours. 

   It was such an inexpensive and east project and it looks great on the wall.

Happy Corking :)

The TOMS bandwagon

 I have been contemplating getting the Metallic TOM's in gold for a while now, I kind of put them off because I am more of a flip-flop person in the summer, but now that fall fashion is on its way, I am thinking they would be super fun with skinnies or leggings.

I love TOMS One for One movement which gives a child in need a pair of shoes for each pair of Toms purchased

Do you have any Toms?  What do you think of them??

Fabulous Fornash

One of my favorite things about summer is colorful accessories.  Unlike in the winter I believe you can never wear too many summer accessories, they can never be too bright, and they can never be too fun.

   Fornash has amazing fun colorful accessories

I have been eyeing this  long clover necklace forever, it comes in so many amazing colors I can't decide which color I want/need most

How cute are these Enamel critter earrings

 And the matching enamel critter freshwater pearl bracelet

Critter headband: Now that I have short hair I have been wearing more headbands, and this crab critter is perfect to sass up an outfit in the summer.


Have you ever bought anything from Fornash ??