Burn Baby Burn + a GIVEAWAY! (CLOSED)

When I was a kid, I always looked forward to going to the grocery store with my mom because as a reward for helping her out, she gave me a quarter to get something out of the prize machine. Of course, everything that came out of those machines was technically "garbage"... but as I always say, it's all about the experience.

A few weeks ago, I was contacted by Diamond Candles. I'm not going to lie. I was skeptical at first, and thought it was a scam. After doing a little research, here is what I learned: every candle is made of all natural soy, and has a ring inside of it ranging from $10 to $5,000. The company is fairly new, but as seen on their Instagram (@diamondcandles), they already have quite a few fans. The entire concept reminded me of those machines I used to get so excited over (oh, the suspense!). It took a while to get to the ring, but after a few days, I dug out a gorgeous ruby. The ring is obviously fake, but hey... it was in my size (which is rare), and I still have 3/4 of a huge candle to burn.

Overall, the candle was pretty decent smelling. The only thing that I didn't like was that, even though the company claims that each ring is wrapped in multiple layers, underneath the foil and plastic, my ring was still covered in wax. It wasn't anything a little hot water couldn't melt away, though.

Today, I'm giving one lucky reader a Diamond Candle in a scent of their choice. To qualify, please fill out the widget at the end of this post-- refresh your page if it doesn't pop up. It may take a few seconds to load. Participants must have a U.S. shipping address. The giveaway will run for one week (until 8/20/13), and the winner will be notified via email. Up to three entries per person. You don't need to be a follower of SWEATshirt DRESSshirt, but it is most definitely welcomed!

*Diamond Candles gave me this candle for free, along with a code to give to one of you. All opinions are my own.

New Places

This past week, I spent time on the island of Oahu. Before I left, I never really thought it was possible to "forget" what it was like to be inspired by something besides the internet. My vacation refreshed my views on what it means to "bring your ideas to life", and truly stick to your personal style as an artist. If only I could travel more often. Cheers, to new places.

Summer of Love

You know that place between graduating from school, and finding a job? Yeah, that's where I'm at right now, and to be honest, I'm loving it. I've had more time than ever to rekindle friendships, pick up new hobbies, and partake in plenty of self-care. But as we all know, all good things must come to an end. Considering how this will be my last summer before I become a Working Woman, I've decided to milk it for all it's worth, do something crazy...and, you know, appreciate things like these:

1. Fishtail braids

2. Cute dresses

3. Vintage jewelry (see inspired pieces here, here or here)

4. Finding reasons to celebrate

Thank you to my beautiful friends, K and K, for being such amazing models!


hair ties c/o Kitsch

Home of the Brave

Peace Out, Girl Scout

dress: Urban Outfitters //accessories: c/o Kitsch //nail polish: 'And a Cherry On Top' Sephora by OPI

A trend that I've been admiring a lot lately is dainty jewelry. It makes a statement with little effort, and its versatility allows it to be styled in a number of ways. Here are some of my favorite tips and tricks on how to achieve different looks with dainty jewelry:

-  Layer multiple necklaces (about 2-3) for a more elaborated look.

- Wear multiple dainty rings on different fingers for a more trendy look, or a single ring for a more classic look.

- Stick to one color/metal (e.g., gold) when wearing multiple dainty jewelry items for a more polished look.

- Mix metals to appear more eclectic and unpredictable.

*Jewelry in this post is c/o Kitsch. All opinions are my own.

DIY: Animal Jars

For this week's Crafternoon, K and I made these animal jars. I've been eyeing tutorials on Pinterest for quite some time now, but was unsure as to what I would use them for. Coincidentally, K had all the supplies, so we went for it. They turned out much cuter than I predicted, and the one that I made is now sittin' pretty on the bookshelf in my room. Read on to find out how to make your very own animal jar.

TOOLS: empty jars, glue (we used hot glue, but if you wish to use something stronger, I'd recommend super glue or E-6000), plastic animals, and paint (we used Martha Stewart's Multi-Surface Acrylic Craft Paint in 'Gold').

STEPS:
1. Clean each jar and lid set. I find that Windex works really well for removing sticky residue.
2. Glue one animal on to each jar lid.
3. Paint 2-3 coats on to each animal+lid. Wait approximately 5 minutes between each coat.
4. After the paint has completely dried (for the type of paint that we used, this takes about 1-2 hours), screw the lid back on to the jar... and you're done! If you used hot glue, do not twist the lid back on to the jar while holding on to the animal, as hot glue does not tend to have a very strong bond to smooth metals and plastics.

A Celebration

A few weeks ago, I graduated from my Masters program. My friend K threw me a surprise party to celebrate my accomplishments.

As always, I was beyond impressed with K's work. From the food, to the decorations, all the elements of the party embraced the themes of being feminine, elegant, and whimsical. My favorite part of the party was the ombre, ruffle, chocolate masterpiece, which I would consider to be my "dream cake". Also at the party were lemon bars, a flag banner, several rounds of Heads Up (via iPhone), a lace table cloth (actually a curtain from IKEA), pizza, iced tea, and lots of laughter.

Party tip #283: On a budget? Get creative with your decorations. For example, a lace curtain can become a nice tablecloth, and ordinary tissue paper can be easily transformed into decorative pom poms (tutorial here).