DIY: Heart Chain Link

Looking for some last minute Valentine's Day decorations for your party/girl's night/date? When hanging out out with my friends K^2 (they're twins!) and B, the other night, K showed me how to make this simple and cute heart chain link. All you need are a few pieces of colored paper, scissors, and a stapler.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cut your colored paper into strips that are approximately 1.5 inches in width. If you're using 8.5"x11" paper, you're going to want to cut it horizontally, or, as many people learned to call it, "hotdog style".

2. Take one strip, and fold it in half so that it looks like a V. Bend the ends of the strips toward the inside of the V so that the strip resembles a heart.

3. Take another strip, fold it in half, and sandwich it between the top of the heart you just created.

4. Staple the two strips together (see picture below). Depending on whether you want to make a chain link or a wreath, repeat steps 2 and 3 until you reach a desired length.

Wisdom

At one point in time, we will all experience something that makes us feel like we aren't good enough. That is, regardless of whether we have tried our best or not. In times like these, all you can do is tell yourself that you have done all you can, and that "you are exactly where you should be... doing exactly what you should be doing."

Don't ever let anyone tell you that you aren't good enough (whether it is directly or indirectly), because if you have the passion, motivation, talent, and perseverance, you will get to where you want to be.

My BFF, R, gave me this card around Christmastime. Whenever I'm feeling discouraged about my future (as I had been this week), I pull this out of my desk, and read it several times.

Nail Polish Favorites

I've posted about nail polish trends, tutorials, and deals, but never about all-time favorites. Over the years, I've accumulated a list of my frequent go-to colors, regardless of the season. Here they are, in no particular order:

1. Black + White Art Deco Nail Art Polish

2. 'Only Gold For Me' SEPHORA by OPI

3. 'Strawberry Electric' Revlon

4. 'Big Apple Red' OPI

5. 'Valentine' Revlon

6. 'For Audrey' China Glaze

7. 'Lavender' F21

8. 'Conquistadorable Color' OPI

leopard tutorial here //heart tutorial here

marble tutorial here

*oops, I forgot to mention: 'Mint Sorbet' is by Sally Hansen

Stripes

top: Robin K. via Nordstrom //jeggings: American Eagle //watch: Marc by Marc Jacobs via Nordstrom //boots: Frye

Something I've found myself reaching for a lot lately: striped shirts. There is just something about them that make an outfit look simple, yet chic. Who's with me on this?

Two

image via http://blamethecrane.tumblr.com/

Two years ago, on this day, I made my first blog post. Since then, I have received an overwhelming amount of love and support. I cannot thank all of you enough.

Cheers, to another fantastic year!

DIY: Toilet Paper Roll Art

After being accepted into graduate school, and moving into my new apartment, I decided that my decor was going to be one thing: sophisticated. That meant letting go of the bulletin board that I had covered in pictures from high school, and the stockpile of Seventeen Magazine clippings I used to adore. 

While on the hunt for pieces to suit my new room, I came across a wall decoration, similar to the one you see above, on Pinterest. Budget friendly, and minimal materials? Yes, please!

TOOLS: toilet paper rolls/paper towel rolls (I had 5 TP rolls and 3 PT rolls), scissors, and staples or glue. If you decide to use glue, you will need paperclips to hold the petals in place while they dry.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Collect as many toilet paper/paper towel rolls as you can. I had 5 TP and 3 PT rolls, which ended up making a flower that was about a foot in diameter.

2. If you are using TP rolls: cut the roll in half, and then cut each half into thirds. If you are using PT rolls: Cut each roll in half, then cut each half into fourths.

3. Arrange 7 petals into a flower-like design, and begin stapling/gluing. Continue to add petals around the design until a desired size is reached.

4. Optional: for a different look, spray paint the entire thing when you are done. In this case, you may not want to use staples, as they will be visible through the paint.

Hair We Go Again

I'm a big fan of at-home hair care rituals that require little to no effort. Call me lazy, but I'd rather not put extra time into something that can be done in as little as 5 minutes. That said, I've discovered several products that I can quickly use while in the shower and during my daily routine. Here they are in detail:

1. Aussie 3 Minute Miracle (see my review for this product here)

2. L'oreal Eversleek deep conditioner --I alternate between this one, and #1.

3. Goody headbands --waaay sturdier than the ones from Forever 21. And they're cheap!

4. Goody clear elastic hair ties --these are perfect for side braids, and won't snag your hair.

5. Conair Infiniti ceramic curling iron --has a high heat setting that allows you to get Taylor Swift-esque waves in minutes.

6. GVP straightener --the perfect CHI knock-off. This product also has a high heat setting.

7. L'Occitane volumizing shampoo --made with natural ingredients for clean and healthy hair.

8. Not pictured: Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Renewal --basically Argan oil, a product that makes your hair smoother. Use very sparingly, as your hair can get greasy from it.