Rhinestoned Adventures

Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes

2013-02-09T22:03:00.000-05:00

Hello Blogosphere! So I have a lot to celebrate this month, first it has officially been 1 year (& a few days) since the launch of Rhinestoned Adventures! Yippie!

Many thanks to my 'SuperFans' & frequent visitors for stopping by.

Secondly it's my birthday month... when is my birthday you ask?

Well lets just say it's Leslie Knope's favorite holiday.

That's right my birthday is on Galentines Day!

So Happy Galentines Day to all my lady friends, & Happy Birthday to me!

& while Leslie may prefer to celebrate with waffles, I prefer to celebrate with cupcakes.

Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes to be exact.

So I made some Devils Food cupcakes.

( 2 cups all purpose flour, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp baking powder, 2 tsp baking soda, 3/4 cup unsweetened coca powder, 2 cups sugar, 1 cup vegetable oil, 1 cup milk, 1 cup hot coffee or hot water, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla - blend together and bake for 19 minutes at 350 degrees)

Or make these cupcakes 'semi-homemade' by purchasing a devils food box cake mix ;)

While you let your cupcakes cool separate the cherries from 1 can of cherry pie filling.

(be sure to save the extra filling for later)

When the cupcakes have cooled, take a small paring knife or an apple corer & remove the center of the cupcake. (Try not to remove the entire center so you still have the base of the cupcake.)

Then take a single cherry & place it inside the core of the cupcake.

For the filling, I use a play on ganache, but instead of using heavy cream I use the cherry pie filling.

Start by taking 1 cup white chocolate morsels & microwave at 70% for 1 minute & stir. If morsels are not melted, microwave again in 10 second increments until melted. Then stir in 3-4 tablespoons of cherry pie filling. Microwave again for 15 seconds to fully combine. Then fill the remainder of the cupcake core with the white chocolate cherry mix.

For the frosting combine 4 tbs of butter, 4 cups confectioner's sugar (sifted), 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract & 6 ounces of cream cheese with a electric mixer at a high speed for 2 minutes

Or just grab a can of cream cheese frosting when you pick up that box cake mix. ;)

Then take the remainder of the cherry pie filling and combine it with the cream cheese frosting. Cover & place it in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to let it set up.

Then place your frosting in a pipping bag, (or a zip lock bag with a tip cut off) & swirl onto the cupcake.

& last but not least, top with a cherry & enjoy!

For more on Leslie Knope & Galentines Day tune into Parks & Recreation on NBC

(For those wondering, I use re-usable silicone baking cups for my cupcakes. I think they are an excellent investment & actually help your cupcakes remain moist & delicious!)

On Pinterest?

Repin here!

Go Nude for New Years...

2012-12-28T03:45:00.002-05:00

...of course by nude I mean your nail polish.

New Years is always a time to start fresh, & sometimes that means keeping it basic. Now most of the time when I think of New Years I think of sparkles, sequins & shiny confetti, however this year I wanted keep it sleek & simple; nude polish was the answer.

Now I realize I have been MIA for the past two months, but I'm going to make it up to you by giving you three ways to go nude this New Years.

The first look is a spin on the Half Moon nail look.

What you need:

Urban Outfitters Nude 5 w Funky Fingers Star-Studded w Reinforcement Labels w Base Coat w Quick Dry Top Coat

Start with a base coat to protect your nails from the glitter polish

& then add 1-2 coats of Funky Fingers Star-Studded.

When the glitter dries place the Reinforcement Labels at the base of your nails. Then paint over the remaining part of your nail with Urban Outfitters Nude 5. Remove the reinforcers after painting and allow nails to dry. Then add your favorite top coat.

voilà!

The next two looks are going to use sand tropez by Essie.

This is a great color on it's own even without any New Years glitz.

When your sipping on your champagne this New Years it's always good to remember to use proper etiquette. When in doubt, pinky out.

What you need:

Essie sand tropez w Essie as gold as it gets w Quick Dry Top Coat

Start with 1-2 coats of sand tropez.

Then add 1-2 coats of as gold as it gets to your pinky finger to give this look a subtle glitz.

Finally this last look will dress up your nails with an frosty white ombre.

What you need:

Essie sand tropes w Essie east hampton cottage w Make-up Sponge w Quick Dry Top Coat

Start with 1-2 coats of sand tropez. Then using a make-up sponge apply a thin layer of east hampton cottage to the edge of the sponge.

Then beginning half down your nail, gently dab the end of the sponge on to your nail. Let it dry. Then moving about a centimeter up your nail repeat this process. I did this about 4-5 times. These layers will dry quickly & will not consume as much drying time as traditional coats.

Then add some top coat & you will have frosty tips to ring in the New Year.

On Pinterest? Repin here!

Pumpkin Perfect

2012-10-11T21:35:00.000-04:00

I don't know what it is about Halloween that makes me so giddy. I think it has to do with all the extra decorations & preparations that go into it all, it's basically like the Christmas of weird, & my favorite decoration of them all is the pumpkin. While I've done my fair share of carving, this year I wanted to try something new & as luck may have it one of my good friends shared a link with me that spawned my inspiration... GLITTER PUMPKINS. It was a sign, a big shiny, sparkly sign.

What you need:

Pumpkins, Elmer's Glue, Paint Brush, Glitter, Shoe box, Hot Glue & Hot Glue Gun & Rhinestones

Start by taking a clean pumpkin & place it inside of your shoe box. Using the brush, paint on some glue to a section of the pumpkin, then sprinkle glitter over that section.

Repeat this same process around the pumpkin until it is covered in glitter.

As a glitter rule of thumb, it is best to lay something down under your working space to catch the extra glitter bits that fall around your project. Then when you are done with that color, you can pick up the extra glitter and funnel it back into your container to reuse at a later time.

So I did two small pumpkins with this process, one in an all orange glitter and the second in a gold and orange glitter.

Then for my big pumpkin I wanted to do something a little bit more creative. So with a pencil I drew a spider & then using my hot glue gun and rhinestones I glued on a sparkly spider.

Then using the glue bottle, I drew a few lines down the pumpkins natural curves, & connected them like a spiders web.

Then using a silver glitter, I covered those lines. I also covered the stem in green glitter.

Then I took some of those silly spider rings and glued them around the pumpkin.

& finally I put them outside on the front step for the trick-or-treaters to enjoy!

On Pinterest? Repin Here or Here!

Singin' in the Rain...

2012-10-02T18:26:00.001-04:00

First of let me start by saying Happy October! I know I have been on a two month hiatus but as we roll into my favorite month of them all, my most creative self is about to emerge & it is only fair that I share my crafty creations with all of you!

So today I was greeted with some cold October rain & it gave me the inspiration to finish a project that I have had in mind for a while.

I have done my fair share of crayon melts in the past. Many were gifts, some were just for the sake of art therapy. I think tye-dye is the only other craft that I have done that I have done in the past that has given me the carefree / instant-reward feeling that comes along with crayon melts.

So sometime this summer I found myself in one of those pinterest hypnosis spells where I spent entirely too much time following pins and getting lost on the web.... but I did stumble upon these cute crayon melts of people holding umbrellas under a downpour of blue wax. This method used a hot glue gun as a way of melting the crayons; very inventive, but the fear of it messing up my beloved glue gun kept me away.

Click here, to see the full blog!

So I sat on this idea for awhile thinking of how I could interpret all this rainy goodness & put my own spin on it. Then one day I was in the mood for some old Hollywood glits & glam & turned to my favorite musical, Singin' in the Rain. & then the little light bulb in my head turned on...

I started by tracing this iconic image on Gene Kelly swinging from a lamp post embracing the rain. I used the DVD cover as my backdrop. Then once it looked about right, I cut the silhouette out to make a tracer.

Once I had my tracer, I got some black card-stock & traced it with a silver sharpie & proceeded to cut the new silhouette out.

Next thing was to collect several different shades of blue (& few grey) crayons. You are also going to need a some white wrapped canvas & a hot glue gun with plenty of glue sticks. Then once I had enough crayons to make it across one side of my canvas, I laid the crayons out next to the canvas in the color pattern I wanted. I tried to mix up the darker blues with the lighter ones.

Then I glued the silhouette to one end of the canvas, then the crayons to the opposite end.

For space sake, I only glued the crayons half way on. You can glue 1 of 2 ways. Applying the glue directly to the crayon, or place a glue strip on the canvas & press the crayon down.

Then you are going to want to either go outside or paper everywhere around the canvas. (Trust me you will be scraping up wax bits for days if you don't)

Finally I plugged my blow dryer in and gave it a go.

Holding your blow drying a few inches away from the crayons you will notice that after a few minutes, the paper around the crayons will begin to sweat. The paper will become darker & the crayons will begin to look glassy as the wax heats up. This is how you know it is just about ready to drip.

Then the crayons will begin to drip down. You can control the length of the drips and the direction by simply pulling the heat off of the canvas, it will cool and freeze almost instantly.

& that's it! My ode to Singin' in the Rain. :)

On Pinterest? Repin Here! or Here!

Purple Polka-Dot Perfection

2012-07-15T23:36:00.001-04:00

I'm Back! Forgive my brief absence from the blogosphere, my summer has been quite busy filled with road trips, music festival adventures, & well work... but I all that aside I still had my blog on my mind. I'm still debating doing a post about my adventures at Electric Forest, but I'm thinking I should just leave it a mystery & force you curious cats to venture out there next summer to join me! (If you really wanna know what went down, gimme a call and we can chat!) All you need to know is that it was worth it.

Ok back to business...

What you need:

Essie play date w Funky Fingers Sand & Stilettos w Sally Hansen Diamond Flash w Funky Fingers Paparazzi w Essie no more film w Bobby pins

So I started with a mixed accent on each hand. On my left hand I have play date as the accent color & on my right I have no more film as the accent color.

Then using the bobby pin dotting tool technique, found here, I dotted my accent nails. I paired play date with Sand & Stilettos & no more film with Paparazzi.

For the pairings, I found that Paparazzi & no more film both had indigo & blue undertones while play date & Sand & Stilettos both carried a pink shade.

You are going to to want to use one side of the bobby pin for each nail. The lacquer will eat away at the plastic part of the bobby pin after awhile, so in order to keep your dots nice & round & avoid asymmetrical shapes I would alternate bobby pin ends for each nail.

Then the glitter got the best of me (which it always does) & I put a coat on each nail using the same pairings.

Then I topped it off with Sally Hansen Diamond Flash Top Coat. For the dotted nails you will probably want to do a double layer of top coat to avoid any weird textures... eek.

On Pinterest? Repin here!

Save Bottle, Rock an Ombre

2012-06-11T22:12:00.001-04:00

Ok up-cycle lovers I'm giving the 'ok' to embrace your inner hoarder (well not really, but...)

If you hate throwing old nail polish bottles away I have a solution that may ease your inner turmoil.

Save them, clean them out & then fill them back up with new custom colors! Hooray!

So one of my old roommates from college got married recently & for her wedding I decided to wear a slate grey tiered pleated dress, & I wanted my nails to compliment the look. I decided on the ever so popular ombré look.

I used two different colors to achieve this look & then added some glitter polish for my lack of wedding ring bling ;)

What you need:

Essie Power Clutch w MILANI one coat glitter Silver Dazzle w Sally Hansen xtreme wear Wet Cement w Old Top Coat Bottle (empty & clean)

First thing I did was the mixing of my colors.

I used an empty bottle of top coat to mix my first color (which for blogging purposes we will call 'Power Cement'). For this color I mixed equal parts Power Clutch & Wet Cement. I probably used 4 -6 drops of each. The reason I did this is because I wanted a lot of polish leftover to mix for the next color.

Power Clutch w 'Power Cement' w Wet Cement

Then I used this random piece of left over plastic packaging to mix the next color in the ombré. I mixed equal parts 'Power Cement' & Wet Cement to make the fourth & final color: 'Wet Clutch'.

Now because this color wasn't mixed in a bottle it requires that you apply it right away. (which I did, straight on to my ring fingers) I covered it up with some cling wrap in-between coats to prevent it from drying up.

The Break Down:

Nail 1: Power Clutch

Nail 2: Wet Cement

Nail 3: 'Power Cement' (1+2)

Nail 4: 'Wet Clutch' (3+2)

Nail 5: Power Clutch & Silver Dazzle

(Disclaimer: If you are someone with a texture issue when it comes to glitter polish, be prepared to use about 2-3 coats of top coat over any MILANI one coat glitter polish. Looks great but feels like sandpaper.)

On Pinterest? Repin Here!

Perfect Summer Seafood Sauce

2012-05-31T00:24:00.001-04:00

Summer is here! For many this means hitting the grill for some burgers & dogs, but for me this means super fresh seafood season! Now I'm not huge on seafood, (I prefer the 'Turf' side of a 'Surf & Turf' any day) but I have really grown to love a nice light white fish with a citrus kick.

I had gotten some beautiful fresh Tilapia at the market & I knew I wanted to jazz it up a bit for my own little kick off to summer meal, so naturally I headed to the internet for some inspiration. I found myself stumbling around FoodGawker, (if you haven't tried this yet, it's basically like what would happen if Julia Childs had a love child with Pinterest.) when I found this recipe on there and it came with a bonus Lemon Garlic Mayonnaise Sauce (umm yum.) & I decided to give it a go. I did tweak the recipe just a bit (less & 'light' mayo) to make it a bit more healthy, it is pool party season afterall.

What you need:

Light Mayonnaise w Garlic w Lemon w Salt & Black Pepper

Peal back some of that garlic (1 clove to be exact) & mince it up.

Then you want to measure out 1/2 a cup of Light Mayo

Then you are going to want to squeeze one large lemon which produces about 2 tablespoons full of juice.

Using a spoon, combine the minced garlic, lemon juice & light mayo in a bowl. Sprinkle in some sea salt and black pepper for taste.

Place the sauce back in the fridge until your ready to serve.

I up-cyled an old mayo 'squeeze style' bottle & tripled the recipe so I can keep it in my fridge & have it ready to go for next time. *Just make sure you remove the old wrapper & write on the bottle with a sharpie to make sure there is no condiment confusion. :)

& there you have it. This sauce tastes amazing & was a great compliment to the Tilapia (it tastes great with Swordfish & Mahi Mahi too.)

On Pinterest? Repin Here!

Help Me Get to Bonnaroo!

2012-05-26T09:33:00.000-04:00

Hello Everyone I'm putting my good mojo out there into the universe (cough..cough..internet) & hoping all you Rhinestoned Adventures readers will help me win a pair of tickets to Bonnaroo!

Because my summer job doesn't start for a few weeks, & I appear to be playing a game of russian roulette with full-time employment & my student loans, I'm a little short on cash. So lately I've been jumping on any/every chance to somehow earn free tickets this concert.

So for this contest I had to design a poster for the 11th Annual Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival. They are going to be picking 3 winners, 1 Student Entry from the Art Institutes, 1 General Entry (that's my category) & 1 Random Voter (that could be you!) So what I need is to get into the top 10 of the General Entries! How do I do that!? Hopefully with your votes.

So Everyday up until May 28th at 11:59 pm you can a vote. You get 10 different votes per day. Remember this also increases your chances to get entered in for a free pair of tickets as well (score!).

How do you vote?

Log on to facebook and find the Art Institutes' page (or click here. http://www.facebook.com/artinstitutes)

Then click the "like" button (remember you can always unlike something later on)

then you want to click on The Bonnaroo Poster Promo Page. (http://www.facebook.com/artinstitutes/app_321078081298129 )

Then find my design. It looks like this.

and click the view button under the photo.

once you have it in full view you click the VOTE button!

& that's it!

Now I have 2 pictures of my Bonnaroo Jelly up on the sight, one was the original drawing that I did and the second was after I photoshoped it because they require a layer format for their entries (yes I did download a photoshop app just for this contest hahaha). So please vote for one or both! I would love an opportunity just to make it into the finals!

PLEASE & THANK YOU!

Flawless French

2012-05-19T15:59:00.002-04:00

Ahh the art of a DIY french manicure. There are many different methods out there (some of them may even lead you to calling your manicurist for the next available appointment) but this one has worked the best for me. Now I know you can use scotch tape to help you make a nice crisp line for your french, but I however like to rock the 'squoval' or round shape on my nails & sometimes a straight line tip just looks off; & I also know there is a special nail tape that has a round shape to it specifically for a french, but that can be a bit pricey. This method lets you customize the shape of your french without any tape, it is a super quick & easy way to help you conquer your DIY french difficulties (yes, even on your right hand!).

What you need:

Sally Hansen Xtreme wear White On wEssie Mademoiselle w Essie Good to Go

Flat Paint Brush w Nail Polish Remover w Cotton Ball

Using Sally Hansen White On, paint on the tips for your french. Do Not Stress about making this perfect! If it's a little messy or the edges are not perfect, it's ok!

(You can go a head onto the next step if your in a rush, but I would recommend that you wait about 5 minutes to let the tips dry completely first. I find that the remover becomes easier to control when the paint is dry & you won't have to worry about any runny edges.)

Now on to clean up those edges. Using the bottle of nail polish remover, fill the cap up & dip a flat tip paint brush in. (this type of brush is great for creating lines) Wipe or tap off any excess remover & then place it onto the bare part of your nail.

Using a windshield wiper motion, bring the paint brush up to the white tip. This motion will help clear up any messy edges and help you form a nice natural curve.

As you go along the flat brush will begin to gather up the excess white paint. Re-dip the flat brush in the remover & wipe the paint off with a cotton ball.

Be sure to hold your hand back & notice the thickness & shape of the other nails, you want to have a cohesive feel on you hand.

Once you are satisfied with the shape of your tips you can add 1-2 coats of Essie Mademoiselle. I think that this is a perfect french color, it has a nice milky pink hue to it that gives a natural feel. Then finish with your favorite top coat. :)

On Pinterest? Repin Here!

Mint Julep Mani

2012-05-03T13:27:00.000-04:00

No copyright infringement intended.

To celebrate this years Kentucky Derby I decided to do a Mint Julep inspired nail look.

No copyright infringement intended

The $1,000 Mint Julep is the most iconic drink of the derby. Served in a gold plated cup it is an instant eye catcher & separates the high rollers from the gambling enthusiast. Now if the $1,000 tab is bit to rich for you blood, I suggest you throw on your biggest hat, mix up the cocktail at home & paint your nails in spirit. (that's what I'll be doing anyway)

No copyright infringement intended

What you need:

Funky Fingers Mrs. Mint w Funky Fingers Down to Earth w Funky Fingers Star-Studded

Bobby Pin w Toothpick

Start with a base of Funky Fingers Mrs. Mint. This mint color is great for this look because it has a crushed gold undertone.

Open up your bobby pin and paint the end with Funky Fingers Down to Earth. Use this a a dotting tool along the bottom of your nail. Then take a tooth pick & drag some lines of paint at a diagonal.

Then once you have the shape you like, repeat the 'dot & drag' process with Funky Fingers Star-Studded for a glitzy look.

Then make sure to top it off with some top coat & you'll be ready to cheer on those ponies with the best of them.

Mint Julep Recipe

No copyright infringement intended

Recipe courtesy of Drinks Mixer
2 oz Woodford Reserve® bourbon whiskey
1 oz water
1 tsp cube white sugar
4 fresh mint sprigs

Muddle 3 mint sprigs, sugar and water in bottom of Julep cup or highball glass and fill with crushed ice. Fill with bourbon, stir. Dust 4th mint sprig with powdered sugar for garnish. Serve with straw.

Don't be that girl.

2012-05-03T13:00:00.000-04:00

Ok so here's the deal, I'm not big on classifications, I like to think I'm in a constant state of evolving; However after taking some thought provoking classes during my years of higher education I'd like to fancy myself somewhat of a feminist. (Now for those of you who think feminism is all about burning your bra's, growing out your arm pit hair, & 'sticking it to the man', please educate yourself a bit more before getting all 'judge-y.') I'm a firm believer in equality & like to see most gender rolls broken (having my door opened is still a nice gesture). Not to mention I can recite all the lyrics to every Spice Girl album ever. (Go Girl Power & all that jazz.)
Now with that being said, I must share with you something that drives me absolutely bonkers.... A box of tampons next to the toilet.

Nothing says "Hey guest of my bathroom! Guess what!? I have my period." quite like a brightly colored 'box of fun' next to the toilet paper. I don't want to know you have your period; No one wants to know, except maybe your boyfriend who you had unprotected sex with, but other then that no one cares. We probably already figured it out anyways since you've been shuffling around all day eating Ben& Jerry's & crying for no apparent reason. So please princess save me the eye sore next to your thrown. k?

Now some people may take the time to put the box away under the sink when their bathroom is not occupied (kudo's to you), but lets face it, normally I am racing to the bathroom & I forget to grab the box before I sit down, which leaves me trapped & debating a MacGyver type move to open the drawer with nothing but toilet paper & old InStyle magazine.

Solution? Secret disguise box.

Well if you haven't tried these Cottonelle Fresh Care Wipes, I suggest you do. Scott brand also has a version and I'm sure your local supermarket probably has their brand version as well. So being a good consumer I wanted to test the variety; They are all pretty much the same but their boxes come in different designs & colors. So when you finish your pack you can either get a refill wipes, or in my case you can upcycle it into your secret disguise box.

Just pop open the bottom portion & fill it up with whatever you need. Then stash the box next to your toilet paper & magazines & no one will be the wiser (& you wont have to find yourself in a MacGyver situation.)

You Are Welcome.

Just Another 'Manic Mani'

2012-04-30T22:41:00.000-04:00

Ready for some fun spring & summer colors? Well I am, so I decided to give the 'manic mani' a go. The idea behind this look is to use 3-4 different polishes in same ball park hue & then paint them in a random order. Similar to the ombre but instead of having a nice gradation of color from nail to nail, this look allows for a little bit more room for interpretation.

What you need:

Orly VA VA VOOM w Orly Hot Shot w Funky Fingers Mighty Brights (pink) w Funky Fingers Kingston w Essie Good to Go

This look is great if you have some similar shades & you can't decide which color to choose between or if you're having a quick lapse of multiple personality disorder! ;0)

Happy painting!

On Pinterest? Repin Here! or Here!

VAVA VOOM

2012-04-24T19:54:00.000-04:00

So this past weekend I attended Bassnectar's VAVA VOOM tour in Rochester, NY. As usual it was an excellent evening of friendships, tunes & dancing, if I don't say so myself.

When I had bought my ticket a few months back I knew I wanted to do something crazy with my nails. So when I found a glow in the dark polish from OPI online, it was pretty much a done deal.

What you need:

Essie Power Clutch w Essie Good to Go w OPI Zom-body to Love w Sally Hansen White On

small detailing paintbrush w ziplock bag w paper/pencil

I knew I wanted my nails to say "BASS HEAD" & have the Bassnectar logo, but, because I don't trust myself to write directly on my nails, I decided to go the DIY nail sticker route. (If you would like to see more on how this is done, Click Here to a previous post where I show you how!) I decided to draw out the logo and letters on a piece of paper first then basically trace them with the paint brush and zip lock bag in between.

For the logo I put down a layer of top coat first, then I painted the design. This way it would be easier to peel away from the ziplock bag.

For the glow in the dark polish to really glow you want to put down a base coat of white polish. This will help prevent the glow polish from looking streaky as well as keep the total layers of polish to a minimum. When I first got the polish I tried it on my natural nails without a base & it took me 4 layers of polish to get the same effect.

So I started with one coat of Sally Hansen White On.

Once that dried I put on 2 coats of OPI Zom-body to Love.

It comes out almost like slime & has a gritty texture when It dries, so be sure to even out the amount of polish you load on your brush.

Let your nails dry in the sunlight & test them in the dark. If you want more vibrant nails add more layers. I was satisfied with 2 coats.

(For the record this is as far as I got before the concert the final product is what I'm rocking today. So make sure you give yourself enough time ;0)

Next thing you're going to want to do is carefully peel the stickers away from the ziplock & place them on your nails & seal with top coat. (If you find that the stickers are reluctant to stay in place just lick your nail first, then lay the sticker down & you should be fine)

& there you have it, my nail tribute to Lorin. :)

For more on Bassnectar visit http://www.bassnectar.net/ :)

On Pinterest? Repin Here!

Dirty Shirley

2012-04-16T17:39:00.000-04:00

It's Cocktail Hour! For this post we are going to put a spin on a classic 'mocktail', The Shirley Temple.

Originally created for the one & only Miss Temple, who needed a non-alcoholic cocktail for when she was out & about schmoozing with Hollywood bigwigs.

The 'mocktail' is typically made up of ginger-ale or lemon lime soda, splashed with grenadine & garnished with a maraschino cherry.

Simple, sweet & adorable just like Miss Temple.

(I do not own this photo, no copyright infringement intended)

Now the Dirty Shirley is still sweet & adorable,

but has the perfect pinch of sass.

(I do not own this photo, no copyright infringement intended)

What you need:

Cherry Flavored Vodka, Ginger-ale, a Jar of Maraschino Cherries, a Highball Glass filled with Ice, a Spoon & a Shot Glass

Fill your glass 3/4 of the way full with ginger-ale & add out about 2 ounces of cherry vodka.

& if your feeling extra sassy, make it a double ;)

Spoon out a cherry or two from the jar & I like to add a spoonful of cherry juice in lieu of a simple syrup or grenadine for sweetness.

Then it's time to employ the 3 S's

Stir, Sip & Smile! :0)

False Lash Fabulousness

2012-04-11T12:53:00.002-04:00

Oh false lashes, they will forever have a special place in my heart. As one who is, what I like to refer to as 'lash impaired' I can truly value a good pair of falsies. I practically praise the mascara gods when I put on my make-up in the morning for creating such a magnificent product.

However, I wasn't always like this, believe it or not I used to fear the stuff. Being a little dancing nugget myself, every June meant a recital which equalled stage make-up. I could handle the red lipstick, blush, eye shadow & the glitter(of course); but having my mother come at me at age 4 with a smelly wand of black goop and waving it in front of my eyes was all but traumatic. (not to mention the eyelash curler which can only be described as a steel death trap) I think I was like 7 when I finally insisted on learning to do it myself for that years recital. Well sure enough once I got going, I fell in love.

Then just a year later I was placed on a competition dance team where they upped the stage make-up anti with fake eyelashes. These suckers blew my mind. It was like the eyelashes I was born to have were suddenly glued on my face! (If only the glue could last forever...) Now while this was acceptable make-up for dance time, I wasn't quite sure how I could pull off such a dramatic change to my everyday make-up (which at the time consisted of roll-on scented body glitter, lip smackers, & clear mascara).

So fast forward a few years & now I actually have somewhat of an idea of how to wear make-up outside of a dance performance, but I still yearn for those long luscious lashes. I will admit to wearing a full set out on the weekends with a dark smoky eye, but the weekend just won't cut it, I want more! So when I came across this trick on 'what not to wear' I practically did a fan kick for joy. This will allow you to wear your false lashes out in daylight without giving the impression that you work on street corners.

Ok so here is what my actual lashes look like after being curled with one coat of mascara. Not horrible, but pretty pathetic if you ask me.

Ok so first things first, look at your eye lashes, notice their natural thickness

& length. This trick requires a natural blend between false & real lashes; we're not going for Vegas showgirl, just the (smokin' hot) girl next door.

When you get to the drug store, try to find a pair that suits your needs, I picked ANDREA's mod lash in Black 21, because it has just enough thickness & length comparable to mine. I've found that Black 53 also suits me well. If you're not sure pick up 2 pairs & experiment.

You're also going to want to pick up some sharp scissors & waterproof Lash Grip Adhesive. (I prefer the kind that is a white glue that dries clear vs the dark drying glue because I'm partial to plum eye liner.)

Next thing is to cut the lashes. You can either go from the half way mark or I prefer three fourths of the way down. You want to use the inner section with the smallest part to the widest. You can save the little end piece that you cut off & place back on the holder.

(At this point you should also apply your eye make-up especially your mascara & eye liner.)

Then add a thin layer of glue, & I like to blow on the glue so it gets a little bit tacky. You do not want a gluey mess dripping onto the corner of your eyes. Trust.

Then starting from about the center of your eye going outward, gently place the false eye lashes along your natural lash line.

Now whether your going for a outward &/or upward look you can gently press on the lashes while the glue dries to get the shape you want. (Yes the glue with dry clear, I PROMISE!)

Then I like to go in with my mascara & add a second coat to those inner lashes. Pulling my mascara wand in an up motion will concentrate the mascara to help add length and definition.

& that's it! A nice soft full lash perfect for your next lunch date ;)

Here's a few more shots with the flash on, so you can really see the subtle definition the false lashes can add.

Again, a pre-lash shot.

With the cut lashes on.

And for comparisons sake, here is the full set, before I cut them.

Hope you enjoyed my little lash trick!

On Pinterest? Repin here!

Two-Tone Diagonals

2012-04-01T20:44:00.000-04:00

Here is a color blocking inspired nail look using two different tones of blue along a edgy diagonal.

What you need:

Essie go overboard w Essie turquoise & caicos w Essie good to go w Scotch Tape

On my left hand I painted my thumb with 2 coats of turquoise & caicos and the rest with go overboard.

Then on my right hand I painted my thumb with go overboard and the rest 2 coats of turquoise & caicos.

Once the nails are dry it is time to add the scotch tape. Take the tape and place it on the back of your hand first to take off some stickiness. Then smooth it along the nail at a diagonal.

Then taking the opposite color add a coat of polish.

Peel the tape immediately & you should see a nice diagonal line.

If you feel like it needs a second coat; wait a few minutes for it to dry & repeat the taping process.

Then add a good helping of top coat & voilà you have a fun and edgy two-toned look.

On Pinterest? Repin here!

Purple Luxe

2012-03-26T19:07:00.001-04:00

Here's a look at one of Essie's new Luxe Effect polishes, shine of the times. I LOVE this polish, it contains slightly larger flakes then traditional glitter. It has this amazing iridescent quality which can pick up so many different colors. It actually reminds me a lot of the mineral Mica. (What up 4th grade geology!?)

It looks great paired with pinks & reds or blues & in this case purple!

What you need:

Essie Luxe Effects shine of the times w Funky Fingers Cheshire

Start with 2 coats of Funky Fingers Cheshire.

Then add on a coat of Essie Luxe Effects shine of the times & your favorite quick dry top coat.

Here is a few more looks in different lighting so you can see the full spectrum of colors this polish gets!

I wanted to show you how this pairs with a pink polish; so here is a quick look of shine of the times paired with Essie eternal optimist as a base.

On Pinterest? Repin here or here!

Cute Cukes!

2012-03-26T15:50:00.001-04:00

Here is a quick & easy way to class up your cucumbers!

All you need is a fresh cucumber, a peeler, a fork & a knife.

Start by washing & peeling your cucumber.

Once your cucumber is all peeled take a fork & press into the cucumber.

Drag along the side to create ridges. Repeat this all the way around.

Using your knife, slice up your cucumbers & voilà you have some super cute 'cukes'!

Add these too your salad, cucumber sandwiches or try them in a tangy marinade!

This marinade is made from 3 parts white vinegar, 1 part vegetable oil, 2 Tbs of Sugar. Let them soak for 10-15 minutes for a tangy treat.

On pinterest? Repin here or here!

Orange Cream Cupcakes

2012-03-21T20:03:00.000-04:00

It's cupcake time! So after seeing this pin on pinterest, I was curious to try it! Basically it says you can replace the eggs, oil & water in a boxcake mix with a can of diet soda then top with light cool whip topping for a cupcake under 100 calories! Sounds good to me! Now while this does add aspartame (fake sugar) to your cupcake, it is a nice alternative if you are on a diet & desperate for some sweets! So like cupcakes consume aspartame sparingly & in moderation.

So when the challenge came for me to make a low cal birthday cupcake for a family friend, I decided to get creative.

What you need:

Diet 7Up wDuncan Hines Orange Supreme Cake Mix w Nestle White Chocolate Chips,w 1 Cara Cara Orange w Light Whipped Topping w Cupcake Baking Cups w 1 Gallon Zip-Lock Bag w A Food Processor w Apple Corer w Fresh Raspberries & Decorative Sprinkles (optional)

Mix & Bake

You can actually just use a can of Diet 7Up but since I don't drink soda regularly I didn't feel like buying a 12 pack & just got a bottle. Measure out 12 ounces of the soda & add it to your cake mix. It will fizz for a moment so give it a second or two before you blend. Place your batter into your baking cups & bake for 18-22 minutes at 350.

White Chocolate & Fruit Purée

While your cupcakes bake you'll want to get out your food processor to purée your white chocolate chips & Cara Cara orange. (If you can't find a Cara Cara orange you can use the local variety at your market.) The Cara Cara orange has an exceptionally sweet & tangy flavor which will blend nicely with the smooth white chocolate flavor.

In a microwave safe bowl add 1 cup of the chopped white chocolate chips & begin to microwave in 10 second intervals. Stir in-between & repeat 3 times until smooth. Then you are going to want to spoon in the orange purée. Add in one spoonful at a time & stir. At first the chocolate will seize & begin to get thick and chalk like. IT'S OK. Just stir the best you can, when you feel like it is well blended add in another spoonful. The chocolate will smooth itself out again. I added about 5-6 spoonfuls until I got a nice orange cream flavor.

Fill

By now your cupcakes should be done. Take them out of the oven & let them cool. Then take an apple corer & gently press into your cupcakes. (I only went about half way down into the cupcake, I didn't want to fill the cupcakes with too much filling seeing as these are diet inspired cupcakes.) Then fill your cupcakes up with the orange cream filling.

Top

Then take a large 1 gallon zip-lock bag & fill it with the cool whip topping, snip off a corner with scissors to create a makeshift piping bag. Top off the holes you created in the cupcakes above the orange cream filling.

Swirl the piping bag around to create your mock icing topping.

You can stop there if you like, but to make these a bit more aesthetically pleasing I added a little bit of red sugar sprinkles & some fresh raspberries. :)

So even with the addition of the orange cream filling & toppings you can still have a cupcake for around 150 calories!

On Pinterest? Repin here!

Peachy-Keen

2012-03-19T22:22:00.000-04:00

The first official day of spring arrives tomorrow & here is a new nail look to bring in the season!

What you need:

Funky Fingers Star-Studded w Funky Fingers Down to Earth w Essie A Crewed Interest

I started with 1 coat of Funky Fingers 'Down to Earth' on my accent nails & then 2 coats of Essie 'A Crewed Interest' on the remaining nails. This color has a great peachy hue, it's more on the orange side then pink. Very bright and sunny.

Then I added 1 more coat of 'A Crewed Interest' (just to bring out a bit more richness in the peach color) then 2 coats of Funky Fingers 'Star-Studded' to the gold accent nails, followed by some quick dry top coat.

On Pinterest? Repin Here!

End of the Rainbow

2012-03-14T15:49:00.001-04:00

I just can not seem to get enough of my gold polishes lately! Here is a quick look at this St. Patty's Day 'pot of gold' look.

What you need:

Funky Fingers Down to Earth w Funky Fingers Star-Studded

Start with 2 coats of Funky Fingers Down to Earth

Then add 2 coats of Funky Fingers Star-Studded to your accent nails & top off with your favorite top coat!

Enjoy!

(Disclaimer: this glitter polish will take you forever to get off so plan on rocking it for as long as you can!)

Did I mention this pairs great with a Glitter Bombed EOS ?! ;)

On Pinterest? Repin Here, Here, orHere!

EOS gets GLITTER BOMBED

2012-03-13T12:55:00.001-04:00

So a couple of weeks ago I was in the drug store looking for some cough drops (laryngitis is the pits btw) when I spotted that EOS came out with a new flavor lip balm 'Honeysuckle Honeydew'. YUM. (To be perfectly honest I was more intrigued by the beautiful bright green spring color, but the flavor is what sold me) Now normally I'm all about the 'Summer Fruit' flavor, but I'm ready for spring & need to shake things up.
Now if you haven't heard of these little EOS Smooth Spheres yet, you should probably pay attention. These little eggs pack a huge punch, for 1 they are the smoothest lip balm ever, they make my lips feel amaze & are great for a daily moisturizer. (I wouldn't recommend them if your looking something to cure really super chapped lips, for that I would go with 'NEOSPORIN Lip Health Daily Hydration Therapy' that stuff with cure the chapped lips off an ice road trucker.) Plus they are super cute & little known fact they were designed with the 'conversation starter' concept in mind; people who are unfamilar with it with it are always curious as to what this magical sphere is. Double bonus if you are hyper sensitive to chemicals & weird products, this baby is 95% organic, 100% natural, paraben & pertrolatum free. Packed with antioxidant-rich vitamin E, soothing shea butter & jojoba oil, to keep your lips kissably soft & smooth.

photo credit - http://evolutionofsmooth.com/

So I purchased this little green guy & brought him home. I had it on my night stand & then one fateful day I left my door open to my room, where my little sweet angel Brindlee, decided to go investigate. So I understand, if I were a dog I would want to go check my room out too, I mean I do live there so it is pretty awesome... so as a way to show her gratitude to me for letting her explore she decided to CHOMP on my new little egg. So I came back to a not so round, not so fabulous egg. :(major sad face.

Well, I like to make the best out of most situations, & I really enjoy up-cycling things that are old & making them sparkly & beautiful, I decided to do some therapy on my little green guy. First I tried fixing the holes where Brindlee bit in using a candle to warm up the plastic and then smooching it down with my fingers... so this kinda worked, but it was still lumpy. Then I came to the conclusion that the only thing that could save this baby was glitter. This actually was a brilliant idea (if I don't say so myself) because glitter reflects light, it gives the illusion that the sphere is perfectly round and hides all its imperfections. It's basically botox for your EOS.

But then I wanted to up the anti. I wanted an 'EOS To Go'. Lately I've been rolling around with just a tiny little clutch, (haven't been feeling the purse or shell for whatever reason) & the only downside to the EOS is that it can't really fit in your jeans pocket. So I figured I already had a whole bunch of holes in this sucker, why not one more. So I decided to add a key ring.

Forgive me for not photographing the first couple of steps, I made the decision to blog this about half way through.

What you need:

Sharp Tweezers w Key Ring w Hot Glue/Gun w Acrylic Paint (heavy body) w Funky Fingers Down To Earth w Funky Fingers Star-Studded w Top coat

Ok so you want to start with your pair of sharp pointy tweezers, (now these tweezers are honestly sharp enough to 'shank-a-bitch' if necessary. I keep them in my makeup bag when I go out in lieu of mace. ;) ) I pierced the container at the top of the sphere were the EOS logo is printed. Then I pierced it on the other side and kept slowly stretching the holes until they finally connected. Then once I could see the tweezers on either end I carefully slid on the key ring. You want to make sure that you have enough plastic between the hole & the top of the egg so it wont rip when you put on the key ring. I then just coated the top of the plastic with some hot glue to enforce strength to the EOS so it wouldn't rip.

see the bite marks?!

Next thing I did give it a new base coat by adding a layer of Acrylic Paint. I used a 'heavy body' because I wanted to fill in the holes a little bit, and the heavy body acrylic is really easy to build upon without using a lot of paint.

Then once that dried I added a layer of Funky Fingers Down To Earth. I like to call this the 'golden snitch' phase. (10 points to Gryffindor)

I know I could have probably used another acrylic paint for this layer, but I really wanted to use this nail polish combo because I think it looks awesome plus it really is 'hard as nails'. I knew it wouldn't flake off with any bumps or scuffs from my keys.

Then it was time to add on Funky Fingers Star-Studded. I did two coats. Then to seal the deal I added some top coat. If you wanted to do this in acrylic and craft glitter I would suggest sealing it in 'mod podge' or glue gel to keep the glitter from flaking off.

& that's it! Surprisingly easy, & it looks awesome! Who knows maybe EOS will see this and start producing a limited edition sparkly EOS smooth sphere! ;)

on Pinterest? Repin Here, Here, or Here! :)

KONY 2012

2012-03-09T03:26:00.001-05:00

So if you haven't heard of KONY 2012 yet listen up. Above is a link to a 30 minute video depicting the Invisible Children Organization's effort to bring public awareness to the world about Joseph Kony.

Joseph Kony is head of the LRA, (Lord's Resistance Army) an Ugandan guerrilla group who steals children from their homes and forces them to join Kony's army. The girls are turned into sex slaves and the boys are forced to fight in war where they often have to kill their own families and partake in facial and genital mutilations.

Besides bringing awareness, the video has a clear intention of encouraging activism as well as for the end goal of capturing Kony in 2012.

Now if you don't know this about me, I love little nuggets, (nugget is my term of endearment for children) I have dedicated most of my adult life it to becoming an educator to enrich the lives of little nugs everywhere. So you have to know how physically sick I feel about Joseph Kony. After watching this video I was upset, (were talking tears people) I was angry, and mostly I was confused. How had I not heard of Joseph Kony before!?

I had first heard about invisible children when I asked my friend Jimmy about a sweet hat he was sporting one summer that had an image of Africa with a heart over Uganda. He gave me a quick run down of what it was and it was a real eye opener but at the time I didn't really give it the research it deserved. Then in 2009 I was cast into Springfield College's production of the Vagina Monologues ("Vagina Motherfuckers") and that year's spotlight was on Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) which gave an inside view of the violence and atrocities being perpetrated against women and girls in DRC. (The three rebel groups that have caused the greatest destruction in the DRC in the most recent years have been the LRA, the National Congress for the Defense of the People (CNDP) and the Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda (FDLR).)
So even after having two direct real life experiences dealing with the LRA I still did not know who Joseph Kony was, that was until I saw that video.

So he is now famous to me. I will not forget his name. & because this blog is my way of communicating to the world outside of my social network, I feel the need to let you know who he is. So I got to thinking. Since the launch of Rhinestoned Adventures last month, many people who I have ran into out and about on my own adventures have asked me to see my nails & I have happily showed them. So I decided to become my own activist.

So not to get into too much detail on how to do this because that's not what this post is really about, but I used the same technique for the nail art that I used in the valentines day post. so you can use your imagination ;)

So whether you share the video with your friends and family, 'like' a link, tweet a hashtag, donate to the cause, buy a bracelet or action kit, call your senator, or paint your nails, spread awareness of this cause because it has the best of intentions.

Do it for the nuggets.

On a side note,I posted this on my facebook when I had just about had enough with all the people jumping on the jaded negativity bandwagon. "just throwing it out there to all the naysayers flapping their lips about the invisible children organization: last month when you were gobbling down your girl scout cookies, did you give two thoughts about where your money was going, because looking into that you would see that most of the money doesn't go to the actual girl scouts. But you still ate your cookies with a smile and felt good about yourself right? So quit your bitching, no organization is perfect, eat your cookies and spread some damn awareness about child abuse. No child deserves to have their innocence ripped away from them. KONY 2012"

I am also posting a link to a post by Lorin Ashton aka Bassnectar who I think summed it up best.

on pinterest? repin here, or here, or here!

Can of Doughnuts?

2012-03-03T08:00:00.000-05:00

Ok as much as I like to play the healthy game, I can not deny my sweet teeth (yes I know its suppose to be 'tooth', but lets be real, all of my teeth want to have deliciousness all up in their business, not just one). So when I found this super easy doughnut recipe I just had to give it a go. Now I know spring break is just around the corner and some of you will be in a bikini on the beach, so I apologize for tempting you with this wickedness.... but to play my own devil's advocate, you can have 3 of these tasty little doughnuts (toppings included) for around 220 calories (that's basically a bowl of cereal) so spice up your Sunday brunch & live a little!

what you need:

Ok so your going to want to gather a large skillet w vegetable oil w a plate covered with some paper towels w tongs w an apple corer w & a can of biscuits.

Now when I say can off biscuits, I'm not talking GRANDS biscuits, no no friends that would be a giant doughnut, I'm talking about a regular sized biscuit, the can should be significantly smaller then a 'grands' can.

For your toppings you can use a simple glaze, which is made out of 1 & 1/4 cup confectionery sugar and 3 tbs of water or milk. (you can also substitute a fruit juice if you want to give it a flavor or a dash of vanilla) Which when combined is 1tbs of equals about 31 calories.
You can also use a cinnamon and sugar mix, using 1/2 cup of granulated sugar, and 2 tbs of cinnamon.

& sprinkles are always fun.

Ok to begin, cover the bottom of your skillet with vegetable oil (I would say I filled mine up so it was maybe a 1/4 of an inch - 1/2 an inch thick) & place on the stove top at a medium/high heat. While you let that heat up, pop open that can & separate the biscuits onto a plate.

Take your apple corer and punch out the center of your biscuits. Use your finger to gently push out the center bit. You can save these little centers and make doughnut holes with them!

By the time you've punch out the centers of all your doughnuts your oil should be hot enough to begin frying. Test out the oils heat by placing in some doughnut holes in the oil, you should hear the nice sizzle sound and they should begin to bubble around the outside. Once you see that it's hot enough you can begin to add in the regular doughnuts.

You will see the doughnuts begin to brown up on the bottom in the oil, that's how you know it's time to flip. I would say total time in the oil is about 1 minute per each side.

(fyi: you should be using your tongs to do this)

When your second side starts to brown, use your tongs to remove the doughnuts from the oil and place on the paper towel plate to cool. The paper towel will help absorb any extra oil that may be on the doughnut.

Let your doughnuts cool for a few minutes & mix together the toppings in separate bowls. Dip the doughnuts into the cinnamon & sugar mix, top off with just glaze or spice it up with glaze & sprinkles.

I found the cinnamon sugar mixture to be the most delicious! Once your done dipping it's time to dig in! Best served when they are still warm!

Enjoy!

On Pinterest? Repin Here!

Shamrock Sparkle

2012-03-01T23:17:00.000-05:00

Ok so before I even get going on this let me take you back... (cue fuzzy flashback sitcom waves)

The year is 1994. Robinson Elementary School's 1st Grade St. Patrick's Day Assembly is upon us. Mrs. Reedy has thrown the gauntlet down to her 1st grade class that we will be singing in front the entire school as well as all of our friends & families for this assembly.
Just as I am about to squirm out of my desk with excitement, Mrs. Reedy pulls out the most beautiful piece of head wear I have ever seen. A green plastic top hat dripping in green craft glitter.
"we..wE GET TO WEAR THOSE!?!" Mrs. Reedy smiled & replied in her teacher voice "Not everyone will get to where these hats, these hats are for my special performers, the ones who can show me their best behavior & practice their hardest this week."

....game changer. I now have to compete against these nuggs? Not an issue. So on my way out to lunch I casually make a pit stop at Mrs. Reedy's desk, just to.. you know.. say 'hello'. "I'm Irish you know?... Yeah well my Papa is Irish, so that makes me Irish....just thought you should know..." (look up subtle in the dictionary; you'll find a nugget sized picture of me tap dancing with a white feather boa on the coffee table) I had planted my bait, now all i had to do was outshine everyone at practice. So for the remainder of the week I did everything in my nugget power to earn 1 of the 3 green glitter bombed top hats. I even confirmed with Mrs. Reedy that my Irish Papa was coming to the assembly & then asked her if he could sit in the front row (simply because he was Irish and would appreciate the assembly to its fullest potential. duh.)

Then the day arrived. Mrs. Reedy came into class holding a cardboard box filled with plain plastic hats, (umm.. WHERE ARE THE SPARKLES?) then she pulled out a smaller bag that had been tucked away in her desk. She began passing out the plain & special hats. I knew this was the moment. Butterflies filled my stomach, my palms began to sweat, & then the moment came that she presented me with the emerald city of all hats. My 6 year old life was complete.

So these nails are a tribute to my famous Irish grandpa, Mrs. Reedy, & of course green glitter I hope you enjoy.

What you need:

Essie Navigate Her w Funky Fingers Tinsel Town w Sally Hansen Ista-Dri

I chose to do a base coat of Essie Navigate Her because the Tinsel Town glitter polish has a undertone of blue & I wanted to really showcase the green in this look. I found that Navigate Her really makes the green pop!

Next thing I did was start progressively adding thin coats of glitter polish. Let the coats dry before you add on the next. All in all I put on 4 coats of glitter. The first coat starting at the base of my nail, & the last coat at the edge of my nail like a french. This will give you the 'ombre'/ 'gradation' effect (without having to add white)

Finally top off with with a nice helping of top coat to even out the layers and voilà your nails will be ready for Irish adventure.

On Pinterest? Repin Here!

(Disclaimer: this glitter gradation effect does not work with every glitter nail polish out there. I've tried it a handful of times mostly ending in a blur of glitter and a bottle of nail polish remover. So don't get discouraged if you try it and it doesn't come out right, it could just be the polish. Explore different polishes till you find the right one, it will be worth it!)