Smart n Snazzy

Review ~ My May Birchbox Unwrapped

2013-05-22T10:29:00.000-06:00

Hi lovelies! It's that time of the month... no not that time, it's the time when my subscription boxes come in! Here's May's Birchbox. If you're not familiar, subscribe to Birchbox for only $10 a month and get handpicked beauty and lifestyle samples delivered to your door free! {Click to keep reading!}

Sumita | Color Contrast Eyeliner
As promised this liner truly is velvety, glides on easily, and lasts for hours! Hard to find in a pencil for sure, but this has more of a gel-like formula. It's amazing and perfect for summer as it won't melt off your face!

I love the adorable extras, and the nerd in me got so excited for a teal pen. Who does that? I do! Love this thing.

Marvis | Classic Mint Toothpaste
How cute is the packaging? I almost want to use it just for decoration, but this Italian toothpaste leaves your mouth so minty fresh, you've just got to try it!

COOLA | Classic Face SPF 30 Cucumber Moisturizer for Face
The cucumber in this sunblock/moisturizer smells so delicious and really has a refreshing feeling when you apply it. The fact that it also has antiaging ingredients has me sold! I have a feeling that this will be a summertime staple for me!

DevaCurl | 3-Step System
I have been dying to try this, and as much as I hate foil packets, these are actually 3 times the size of normal ones, so I can use these a few times.

Finally, I had to fill this out on the back of my card, right? It's like Mad Libs :)

What was in your Birchbox?

xo
Lia

DIY ~ Dainty Bracelet Using Fishing Swivel Links

2013-05-21T10:32:00.001-06:00

Hi lovelies! Today's DIY is a fun, dainty bracelet. As much as I love bold pieces, I have such an affinity toward soft, dainty pieces as well. Remember the jewelry from hardware trend? I'm saying bye (for now!) to Home Depot and hello! to Bass Pro Shop! {Click for the how to!}

You'll need one pack of snap swivels. That's it. I picked up a few packs at Walmart, but you can buy these at any store that carries fishing supplies. These are used to create an easy on/off hook to your line, so that if your hook comes off you don't have to go about the whole process of tying on a new hook, floater, sinker, bait, etc. (that's my understanding at least lol!) I, however, saw these as links!

They open and close similar to a safety pin!

Attach them to one another this way.

Since each 'link' is roughly an inch long, I used 7 to make my bracelet.

The same way you attached them will also be your closure.

A great twist on the nautical trend, these are so simple to make (seriously it took me maybe a minute), go with anything since they're mixed metals, and look great alone as they would with a stack.

Now with Father's Day approaching, this would be a great little gift for dad, especially if he likes to fish!

Would you wear this bracelet? Would you have guessed what it was made from if I hadn't told you?

xo
Lia

My Mani ~ OPI Black Spotted Review & Ulta Holo

2013-05-20T09:41:00.000-06:00

Hi lovelies! I hope you all had an amazing weekend, now it's off to another fabulous week! Today's mani is one I'm super excited about. I've been drooling over OPI's Spotted effect top coat for a while now, hoping it would be released here, but alas, it was only a European release. I finally decided to hop on eBay to see how much it was going for, and to my surprise I found a bottle for less than $15 shipped! Of course I bought it, I mean, I'd be crazy not to... right? RIGHT? {Click to keep reading!}

Since the Spotted topcoat gives an oil-slick finish, I wanted a holographic polish underneath to really make the effect pop. Of course, I had just the polish (remember my post on this set of topcoats from Ulta?) I used two coats of the holo and let them dry super thoroughly before I added a very thin coat of Spotted.

And here's the products! Spotted by OPI (in black, I don't believe it was released in other colors), and Ulta's Holographic Topcoat. I highly recommend investing in this Spotted topcoat, it's pretty incredible and unlike anything else out there. It does require some playing around with it to get the coverage right, I found that even with hardly any polish on the brush it still gave a really good coverage.

Have you tried or heard of this polish?

xo
Lia

Free BaubleBar Baubles!

2013-05-16T14:59:00.001-06:00

Hi lovelies! In case you've been on the fence or waiting for a really good excuse to finally order something from BaubleBar, I've got just the kick in the rear you need! Through May 19th (that's this Sunday!), place your first order with BaubleBar (of $20+), and pick one of these six amazing pieces (or sets!) for FREE! They retail between $35 - $40! When you 'sign up' for BaubleBar, it's just to be on their email list, there's no commitment or anything, it's not a monthly club, just an amazing e-tailer with beautiful pieces at affordable prices.

So click here to head over, and enter invitation code 419496. Then get to shopping!

xo
Lia

Vlog Review ~ My May Ipsy GlamBag Unwrapped

2013-05-15T12:11:00.001-06:00

Hi lovelies! I'm soooo excited to share with you my very first Ipsy GlamBag! It's a similar service to that of Birchbox, and even costs the same. I am super pleased with the value of this bag, just wait to see what's in it! {Click to keep reading!}

Have you heard of Ipsy? Are you a subscriber? If not, click my link and sign up NOW!

xo
Lia

Kid DIY ~ Adjustable Perler Bead Necklace

2013-05-14T09:37:00.000-06:00

Hi lovelies! It's been a while since I've done any Kid DIYs, and with summer coming I thought now is the perfect time to do some more! My kids love fuse beads aka perler beads. When they'd go to summer camp, they would make hundreds of these things I swear. I never knew what to do with them either! Well now I'll show you how you can make them a really cute necklace with their own art they can wear! {Click to keep reading!}

My boyfriend's daughter gave me these things last week and said that since I love to make things she thought I could use them (so sweet, right?!) So I told her that I'd take them and use them to make something for her. She was so excited! First up was the perler bead heart. While I didn't photo the materials, they're pretty simple. You'll need:

Perler bead shape
Bead reamer or awl
2 large jump rings
3" of colored rope
Tape
Embroidery floss
Lighter to singe rope ends

I identified where I wanted the jump rings to go and used a bead reamer to open up those holes in the perler bead shape.

Add the jump rings.

Cut the rope into two ~18" pieces, singe the ends with a lighter so they won't fray. Insert about 3" of a piece through each jump ring.

Fold the ends up creating a loop. Tape the ends to their respective rope.

Knot a piece of floss right above the tape and wind it around until you get underneath the tape. Knot it off again and seal each knot with clear nail polish to prevent it coming undone. I chose to use some contrasting colors to play off the Gator colors she used :)

Now take the ends of the rope, tie a knot, snip the excess and singe. Tie one end in an overhand knot to the other rope, and repeat. Pull end knots to tighten, middle knots to loosen. This way the necklace can be worn long or short :)

There it is! She loved her necklace and gave me more shapes to make necklaces from now! I think it's a fun and easy way for the kids to be able to wear their art, and it finally gives you something to do with those darn perler bead shapes you have laying around!

xo
Lia

My Mani ~ Julep Joy & Yumi

2013-05-13T10:46:00.001-06:00

Happy Monday, lovelies! I hope you all had a fabulous weekend! This was my mani over the weekend, and it's a combo I am LOVING! {Click to keep reading!}

Both polishes I received in Julep Maven boxes (I've amassed quite a collection!) Joy, on the left, was in my March box (see the review, here). It's a beautiful smoky mauve creme color and it's super flattering on! Yumi, on the right, is a full coverage pink, silver, and holographic glitter.

I love doing a glitter gradient over a solid creme color, it looks so fun, doesn't it?

What's on your nails?

xo
Lia

Mother's Day DIY ~ Chain n Hoop Earrings

2013-05-10T14:06:00.002-06:00

Happy Friday, lovelies! It's the last day of my Mother's Day DIY series, and I hope you've gotten some good ideas on things to make for mom that won't break the bank. Please do let me know if you make anything, I'd love to see your take on it! Without further ado, I wanted to make a fun pair of summery yet chic earring for your mom, or for someone you know who's a mom! These are so easy to make, you'll want to make some for yourself too :) {Click to keep reading!}

You'll need:

Waxed cotton cord
Hoop earrings
Two pieces of chain that measure half the circumference of the earring
Clear nail polish

Knot the cord onto the chain and trim the excess. Seal the knot with clear nail polish.

Wrap the thread around the hoop and through each chain link. Try to keep the chain in place by holding where it's already been attached while you're working your way around.

Repeat with the knot when you reach the end of the chain. Again, secure it with some clear nail polish.

Repeat for a second earring, and you're done! You could do this with mixed metals, different colored cord, or even use some thread instead so it's thinner! The customization possibilities are endless.

So there you have it! If you haven't caught all of the posts of the series, make sure to check out all of the other Mother's Day DIY posts! Best of all, enjoy the time with your mom, and Happy Mother's Day to all you mamas out there!

xo
Lia

Affordable Bathing Suits From Milanoo

2013-05-10T09:41:00.001-06:00

Hi lovelies! Warm weather is upon us and that can only mean one thing - Swimsuits 2013. While it's such a tedious, stressful and expensive chore, it is a necessary evil. With that said, why not shop from the comfort of your own home? Milanoo has hundreds of affordable swimsuits, and pretty much whatever style you're looking for they have! I've rounded up a few of my favorites, and would you believe they are all under $30?! For this price, you could grab a couple and mix and match the pieces (which I love to do!) No matter your shape, I know you'll find something at an affordable price! In the event you haven't heard of this e-tailer, Milanoo Reviews are available so you can read what others' experiences have been. So what are you waiting for? Check them out!

xo
Lia

Disclosure: Compensation was received in exchange for this post; all opinions are always my own.

Mother's Day DIY ~ Easy Upcycled Jewelry Tray + Acrylic Initial Pendant

2013-05-09T17:42:00.000-06:00

Hey lovelies! Here's my fourth installment of 5 days of DIY Mother's Day gifts. Planning to give mom some jewelry? Whether you buy or DIY, she's going to need somewhere to keep it. Why not make her a jewelry tray so her favorite pieces can be front and center? Now you could easily make a carboard 'tray' and cover it in some glossy black paper. Or you could luck out and have one ready to be upcycled! Make sure to keep reading, I'll also show you how to make this gorgeous initial pendant! {Click to keep reading!}

You'll need:

Box or tray base (mine is from an Intimint order!)
Felt
Rope (or some other trim to outline the bottom with)
Spray adhesive
Hot glue gun and glue sticks
Scissors

Use the bottom base of the box as a loose template to cut the felt to fit.

Spray the piece of felt with an even covering of spray adhesive.

Acting quickly (this stuff dries instantly and quickly!) carefully and accurately place the felt onto the box/tray bottom.

Outline the felt with rope using hot glue to adhere it in place.

And you're done!

Now about the necklace... I had to make one after seeing Lana's awesome tutorial on Lana Red Studio I had to make one! Especially since I had plenty of shrinky dink plastic after making my Kate Spade Inspired key chain the other day. I found a font on dafont.com I liked, made the letter 3" tall and added a circle to the top, which I used a hole punch to make a hole. I used the same method as I did with my keychain, taping the letter to the plastic, using the craft knife to cut it out, and baking and pressing down. I painted it with nail polish, also coloring the sides and the back.

There you have it! What a perfect gift for mom? Jewelry and a jewelry tray, both handmade! Now I'm off to make more initial and name necklaces... such a deadringer for acrylic, isn't it?!

xo
Lia

Birchbox vs. Glossybox ~ April Edition

2013-05-09T11:21:00.003-06:00

Hi lovelies! I realized here we are nearly halfway through May and I neglected to do my Birchbox vs. Glossybox for the April boxes! To read my reviews on each box individually, here is my April Birchbox review and here's my April Glossybox review. Now it's time for their head to head. Better late than never, I suppose? {Click to keep reading!}

These were the contents of my Birchbox. It was a decent box, I do love the hair detangler/protecting spray as well as the Yes to Carrots lip balm!

These were the contents of my Glossybox. The blush and lip balm are already two can't-live-without products!

Time for the breakdown.

Birchbox ~ Cost $10
Beauty Protector Protect & Detangle ~ $2.74
Caudalie SOS Morning Eye Rescue ~ $3.40
Juice Beauty Stem Cellular Repair CC Cream ~ $3.90
Yes To Carrots Lip Butter ~ $2.50
Yes To Grapefruit Daily Facial Scrub & Dark Spot Correcting Serum ~ $1
1 Year Women's Health Magazine Subscription ~ $9.99
===================================================
Total Value $23.53

Glossybox ~ $21
Alterna Haircare Bamboo Style Boho Waves Tousled Texture Mist ~ $4.45
Bvlgari Eau Parfumee au the Blanc Tea Bag for Bath ~ $9.50
The Honest Company Honest Organic Lip Balm ~ $3.65
Tigi Cosmetics Glow Blush ~ $22.00
Wash With Joe Coffeemint Invigorating Body Wash ~ $1.75
Le Metier de Beaute Replenishing Daily Solution ~ $13.23
======================================================
Total Value $54.58

*All prices were calculated by creating a ratio of the cost of the full size to it's size and then applying that to the sample size to arrive at a price. For example, if something costs $10 for 1 ounce, and a 1/2 ounce sample is received, I'm valuing it at $5. Make sense?

THE VERDICT
I felt that my Birchbox was worth its value for the magazine subscription alone, and I'm obsessed with the hair detangler and have had to order a full size already!

Glossybox never disappoints, and I loved the full sized products this month. However, the foil packet of moisturizer pisses me off (as usual!) and it kills me that its value makes up for about a third of the value of the box.

THE WINNER
...is Birchbox! If it weren't for the damn foil packet sample in Glossybox, it would have won. But taking that out of the equation left Birchbox the clear winner!

So that's my opinion of April's Birchbox and Glossybox and how they compare. Who would you pick for the winner? Does anyone else share my intense hatred of foil packet samples?

xo
Lia

Mother's Day DIY ~ 'Necklace' Vase

2013-05-08T16:54:00.001-06:00

Hey lovelies! I hope your week has been treating you well! I've been volunteering with my daughter's advanced orchestra the past few days on their area tour, which has been so fun yet so tiring! I'm so proud of these kids and how talented they are, it's incredible. Today's DIY is another easy one, it took me less than 5 minutes to make, involves upcycling (YES!) and used items I had on hand. The idea came to me after realizing that: 1. Pretty vases are expensive, and 2. Plain vases are a dime a dozen. So why not give mom her flowers in a one of a kind vase she'll love? {Click to keep reading!}

You'll need:

Recycled bottle (I used one from a frappucino)
32" of thin-ish chain
A medium and a large jump ring
Jewelry pliers
Plastic gem vase filler (they have holes drilled in them!)
(not shown) tape

Wrap the trim around the neck of the bottle a few times, and bring the ends together, ensuring they have the same length. Grab some tape and tape in place for the time being.

Use the medium jump ring and loop it through all the chains in the back.

Untape the front, and feed the ends into the large jump ring and through the 'diamond'.

And that's it! How easy is that? It's so cute and looks like the bottle is wearing a necklace. So head to the farmer's market on Saturday and pick up some fresh blooms to put in your new (upcycled!) vase for mom!

xo
Lia

Mother's Day DIY ~ Coconut Lime Moisturizing Sugar Scrub

2013-05-07T18:19:00.000-06:00

Hi lovelies! I meant to post this earlier today, but sometimes life gets in the way, ya know? I love homemade beauty products, especially all natural, organic ones. This one here is so organic, you could eat it! Which brings me to why I'm posting it. Remember when mom used to always squeeze you and say you were good enough to eat? No? Am I the only one? Well now it's your turn to give her something so sweet it's good enough to eat :) {Click to keep reading!}

You'll need:

Coconut oil
Turbinado sugar (it's the raw, unprocessed stuff)
Half pint mason jar(s)
Lime (or pineapple!)
Not shown, mixing bowl, spoon, measuring cup.

I microwaved about 2.5 - 3 tablespoons of coconut oil (I hardly ever precisely measure things, I just eyeball them and know when they look right!) in a glass bowl.

Then add about 1 cup of turbinado sugar, mix it in really well!

Squeeze the juice of half a lime into the mixture, and stir it all together. Mmmmm it smells so delicious!

Pour (or spoon) it into the mason jar.

Write on the lid with a sharpie, and tie a pretty ribbon around the lid. Wrap it up with some other pampering pieces, maybe nail polishes, fancy soaps, lotions, you get the idea! Since coconut oil can be used as a moisturizer (among a zillion other things!), this is a great moisturizing exfoliator. You'll want to make enough to have some for yourself, I promise! I use this before I shave and it helps keep my skin silky soft.

xo
Lia

Mother's Day DIY ~ Kate Spade Inspired 'Taxi!' Keychain

2013-05-06T13:02:00.000-06:00

Hi lovelies! As I hinted on instagram yesterday, I've got a week FULL of Mother's Day DIY gifts for you! We've come a long way from the macaroni necklace we'd make for mom, or the pinecone bird feeder, but mom still loves our homemade gifts better than any store bought ones. Besides, anyone can buy something, but something you spent time on has your love built in with it! Okay, so enough sappy stuff!

I can remember growing up, having my mom cart around all my friends, picking everyone up, dropping us off, picking up again, and dropping everyone off individually. Although she'd complain (a bit) and joke about starting to charge, like a taxi, she still did it out of love :) So when I saw this keychain, it instantly reminded me of 'Mom's Taxi' and I knew I had to make it. Although it's on sale for $29, I still made it for nothing using supplies I had on hand! I'm sure you too will have most of them as well! {Click to keep reading!}

You'll need:

Shrinky Dink Plastic (I used about half of one sheet, a pack of 10 sheets costs about $6 at Michael's)
Craft knife & cutting board
Speech bubble template (I just found a clip art one and printed it out ~ make sure it's about 7" x 5")
A keychain ring
A large jump ring
About three links of chain
Jewelry pliers
Nail polish!
(not shown) Painter's tape

Use painter's tape to secure your sheet of plastic to your template, and put it on top of your cutting board. Press firmly and away from you, and cut out the template using the craft knife on the plastic.

After you've done that, remove the tape and the template and flip the plastic over. Trace on the other side with your craft knife. Now you'll be able to punch out your shape.

Here's the shape! It's a little big and too thin though. Use a hole puncher to punch a hole on one side!

Following the directions on the package, I preheated the oven and wrapped my piece in a brown paper bag. Then put it in the oven on a baking sheet for about 2.5 minutes. Fold the edges of the bag up so you can quickly remove it from the oven, because you will want to press down on top of it (with a towel) while it's still warm in order to ensure it's completely flat. Work fast - it cools down fast even in the paper!

Now you'll have this! It seriously is a dead ringer for lucite, isn't it? The great thing about shrinky dink plastic is that it shrinks down to about 1/3 the size but increases in thickness by about 10 times! Now here's where I realized I forgot to punch a hole before baking, so I had to drill one.

If there are any rough edges, use a nail file to sand them down.

Now it's time to paint!

Here's one thick coat of teal polish on one side. Let it dry thoroughly.

Grab a large nail dotting tool (or a plain pencil eraser will work great too!) and some white nail polish.

Dot away! Let it dry completely.

Grab some black polish, paint the edges and then a border around the shape, and 'TAXI!' inside. Let dry overnight.

You'll notice the backside is blah. You could paint it a solid color if you'd like, or repeat the design on the back. I chose the latter. When all is dry, seal it with a topcoat and let dry thoroughly!

Time to assemble! Attach your jump ring through the hole in the shape. Add the three links of chain with the keychain ring to the last link.

Voila!

Now mom can carry her keys on her 'Taxi!' keychain! It will surely make her smile everytime she picks up her keys :)

Make sure you're following so you don't miss a single DIY!

xo
Lia

My Mani ~ OPI Suzi's Hungary Again! & Sinful Colors Scene Stealer

2013-05-06T09:57:00.000-06:00

Happy Monday, lovelies! I hope you all had a fabulous weekend! It's Monday, which means it's time to show my latest mani! I recently picked up these colors and knew they'd go so well together! I almost did all of my nails with the glitter over, but stopped myself at 2.

The glitter is aaaahhhhhmazing and is the best $2.99 spent! It's called 'Scene Stealer' and is part of Sinful Colors new Diamond Lust Limited Edition Collection. While I can't find it for sale online, I found mine at Walgreens. It's a metallic fuschia and gold microglitter with large diamond shaped holographic glitter pieces too. I've never seen anything else like it before!
I've preached my love for OPI's Euro Centrale collection before (Can't Find My Czechbook & You're Such a Budapest and Polka.com) so of course I had to pick up Suzi's Hungary Again, a beautiful creamy bright pink. {Click to keep reading!}

Isn't the glitter fabulous? And the pink is such a perfect pink that it is a must-have for anyone's collection :)

xo
Lia

Mother's Day Giveaway ~ Win One of Ten $50 Gift Cards!

2013-05-05T20:16:00.001-06:00

Chasing Davies // The Mrs. & the Momma // Sandy a la Mode // TfDiaries // Jessica... Who?

Casey Leigh // Chioma's Evolution of Style // Pop of Style // GBO Fashion // Pretty Polished Perfect

Camp Patton // The Other Side of Gray // Chic on the Cheap // The Serena Saga // Lemons, Avocados, and the Bay

much love, illy // Kacie's Kloset // Smart n Snazzy // Citrus Refreshing Fashion // Oh to Be a Muse

A Beautiful Ruckus // the daily dani // Crowley Party // Wild & Precious // the Freckled Fox

Coupons.com is kind enough to bring you this giveaway today for not just one lucky winner, but TEN! Five winners will receive a $50 Target e-gift card and the other 5 will receive a $50 Macy's e-gift card ($500 value)...just in time for Mother's Day! Make sure to check out Coupons.com for great Target and Macy's offers!

It's hard living across the country from my mom. Growing up, I hated her! But as I've grown and matured she is my best friend. I don't know where I'd be without her, and I hate not being able to hang out with her. We make up for that by talking at least once a day on the phone, and Skyping at least once a week. I hope that my daughter one day says the same thing about me. Well, minus the hating me part!

In the spirit of mother's day, make sure to leave your mom's best advice she ever gave you (about anything!) in the comments below!

You can enter this giveaway through Rafflecopter now through Sunday, May 12th on any of the participating blogs. Good luck and Happy Mother's Day to all you mamas!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Lia

Review ~ May Julep Maven Boho Glam Box Unwrapped

2013-05-02T13:00:00.000-06:00

Hi lovelies! Can you believe it's already May?! Here in Colorado, the calendar says it's May, but it feels more like January with the 6+" of snow I got yesterday. Anyways, I wanted to share with you my May Julep Maven Boho Glam box I recently received! This month's theme is 'Set the Stage' and is inspired by the Jazz Age - The Roaring Twenties. Perfect timing with the release of The Great Gatsby, no? If you're not familiar with the Julep Maven box, you take a quiz to determine your profile, and for $19.99 a month, you get nail polish (and beauty products!) from the higher end Julep brand (sold at Sephora), with a retail value of at least double (usually more than that!) {the polishes alone retail for $14 each}. If you haven't, click on one of my links and sign up! And right now, sign up and enter promo code FREEBOX and get your first box for free, just pay $3.99 shipping. The best part is that they show you what you'll be getting each month, so you have a 5 day window to either switch to a different profile (there's 5!) or skip the month altogether and not be charged. Brilliant! {Click to keep reading!}

The polishes I received this month are 'Millie', a vintage indigo creme, and 'Alice', an antique lilac shimmer.

The beauty product was this trio of lipsticks! I received the New York Jazz Trio, consisting of 'Lady in Red', a matte crimson lip color, 'Tea For Two', a nude shimmer lip sheer, and 'Satin Doll', a poppy lip sheer.

Of course I had to swatch them for you too!

I think sometimes the best part of each month's Julep Maven box is the surprise extra! This month it's these adorable flower bobby pins.

So what was in your box?

xo
Lia

DIY ~ Studded Satin Cord Cobra Bracelets

2013-05-02T10:03:00.000-06:00

Hi lovelies! Long overdue, I have a new DIY for you! If you remember wayyyy back in the day, I did 30 days of DIY and on the 30th day, I made cobra bracelets from brightly colored rope. I'm still a huge fan of this knot, but decided to glam it up a bit this time by using satin cord and studs! {Keep reading for the how-to!}

You'll need:

About 100" of your main color rattail cord
About 18" of your interior rattail cord
Studs (mine are old ones from M&J Trimming)
Lighter
(not shown) Super glue (I'm obsessed with Loctite!)

Start by folding your interior cord in half, leaving a loop of about half an inch above where you start tying your knots. Using a clipboard really helps because I leave that part under the clip. A safety pin can work just as well. Center your exterior cord under the interior, and begin tying your knots. Remember you are always going to be using the same piece, start on the right bring it over the center cords, take the left cord and bring it under the right cord you just brought over to the left, under the center cords, and up and through the loop created from the right cord. Now start from the left and repeat. The above image shows a left knot.

Keep going until you reach about 7" or so of the knotted pattern.

Trim the excess of the main color.

Singe the ends with a lighter and use the butt of the lighter to press the melted cord into itself, thereby adhering it.

Take the remaining ends and tie them into a knot. Trim and singe and press as well.

Now it's time to stud! I chose these regal looking crests to go with a bright and regal purple!

Apply a small but generous amount of super glue to the inside of the stud.

Press the stud (and its prongs) into the bracelet, pressing firmly for a good 30 seconds. Repeat with the other studs. If you notice any starting to lift a little, go back and press some more.

And voila! To wear, wrap around your wrist inserting the knot through the loop. That's it!

Make them in as many colors as you like!

xo
Lia

My Mani ~ Can't Find My Czechbook + Ulta Nail FX Review!

2013-05-01T09:58:00.000-06:00

Hi lovelies! You may remember in my Ulta Haul Vlog from last week (if you didn't watch it, check it out now!) that I got OPI's new 'Can't Find My Czechbook' as well as this incredible collection of topcoats, Ulta Nail FX. And as promised, I've swatched them! First of all, I really love this gorgeous shade of blue from OPI, I think that this Euro Centrale collection may be my favorite one yet. {Click to keep reading!}

Color Enhancing Topcoat ~ Brightens and intensifies any nail enamel. Pops in direct sunlight and glows under blacklight. I really love the subtle brightening effect it gives. It seems to just kick the color up a notch, which is kind of fun! I don't have a blacklight, nor do I have sunlight (it's friggen snowing out!) so I can't attest to the other claims, but I really can't wait to try those aspects!

Matte Topcoat ~ Create a matte effect when applied over any shade. This is a great matte topcoat. It works well and gives a great matte finish. I apologize for the out of focus photos; my daughter took these pics for me and I did the best I could with what I had ha! The flash does give a little shine effect on the nail, but it really is a true matte finish.

Holographic Topcoat ~ Futuristic rainbow holographic effect when used alone. Silvery holographic frost when used over any colored nail enamel. This. Is. Amazing. It seriously turns your polish into a holo, and I feel the set is worth buying if only just for this! It's hard to capture the rainbow effect in a picture, but IRL it is a true (and hard to find!) holo. I haven't used it alone yet, but I sure will be soon!

Smokey Topcoat ~ Gives any shade of nail polish a dark smokey effect. Extends wear and increase shine. I do love how this darkens the color, it's pretty fun! It goes on a little thick, and I wanted to do a thin coat, so this may need a drop or two of nail polish thinner. But all in all, I really like the effect it gives.

Final Verdict I absolutely love the Ulta Nail FX set, and feel the $14 price tag for it is such a steal for what you get. It's pretty much a way to turn any (and all!) of your nail polishes into 4 additional ones. I recommend you go NOW and buy it!

xo
Lia

How to Get Perfect Gisele Beachy Waves ~ BlogHer #Spon

2013-05-01T09:14:00.000-06:00

Hi lovelies! Do you envy Gisele's perfect beachy waves? I mean, her hair epitomizes beachy waves and is so hard to achieve! Well the folks over at BlogHer sent me this video to share with you, and it teaches you how to achieve her signature 'do! You won't want to miss this!

What's even better than learning how to achieve Gisele's waves? How about winning money?! BlogHer is giving away 3 (!) cash prizes this week only, there will be 1 $250 winner and 2 $100 winners! Simply answer a question at the end of the video clip!

Sweeps rules

Prizes & Promotions page on Blogher.com

I'm off to heat up my curling iron... hope you find this tutorial useful as well!

xo
Lia

Review ~ My April Glossybox ~ Unwrapped

2013-04-30T14:39:00.000-06:00

Hi lovelies! I just got my April Glossybox in, and couldn't wait to share it with you! If you're still not familiar, Sign up for GlossyBox here, and get some amazing goodies delivered to your door for only $21 every month too! They promise 5-6 luxury deluxe sized samples, with a total box value of at least twice of its cost! {Click to keep reading!}

Bvlgari Eau Parfumee au the Blanc Tea Bag for Bath I'm utterly obsessed with this beautiful scent after receiving the bar soap in this box, and cannot wait to take a relaxing bath and soak in this amazing scent! I really love the creative 'Bath Tea Bag' idea behind this, and think it's so fun!

Le Metier de Beaute Replenishing Daily Solution I received a sample of this in my 'Man Repeller' themed box, and if you're familiar with my reviews, then you know how I feel about these damn 'one hit wonder' foil packets. I really do not think anyone can see how a product works for them after one single use. And this time, Glossybox was kind enough to offer a discount code for the full sized product, bringing it down from $225 to a mere $150. :::rolls eyes:::

Alterna Haircare Bamboo Style Boho Waves Tousled Texture Mist I just bought some sea salt spray (see it in my vlog here!) and am stoked to get a different kind to try! It works fabulously well and has a nice clean smell to it.

Wash With Joe Coffeemint Invigorating Body Wash You guys, I have never smelled coffeemint before, and it smells just like that. I want a candle in this scent, it's delicious! I haven't used the body wash yet, but the scent alone has won me over.

The Honest Company Honest Organic Lip Balm I've been dying to try the products from this line by Jessica Alba. I love the lavender mint flavor of this balm, and it really works well!

TIGI Cosmetics Glow Blush I loooooove this full sized blush (which coincidentally covered the cost of the box!). I received it in 'Haute' and it's a perfect bronzer/blush hybrid color with awesome highlighting / 'glow' particles as well. It looks alot more dark in its packaging than it does on, and it even doubles as a fantastic eyeshadow!

What was in your Glossybox? Have you tried any of these products?

xo
Lia

Ulta Beauty Product Haul Vlog

2013-04-26T11:09:00.000-06:00

Hi lovelies! I had to share my Ulta haul with you, and what better way than a vlog?

Products Mentioned:

Nail FX || gift || Non Stop Red || Ulta Eyeshadows || Gold Digger glitter eye top coat || OPI Can't Find My Czechbook || Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Smoothing Serum || Not Your Mother's Beach Babe || Benefit They're Real || NYX The Curve Liner

Mani Post

Giveaway, ends TODAY!

Now leave me some love! Do you use any of these products? What's your take? Are you stoked to see these Nail FX? Do you like my new 'do?

xo
Lia

Splurge or Save ~ Pin Tucked Duvet & Shams

2013-04-24T20:05:00.001-06:00

Hi lovelies! I've been eyeing the gorgeous pin tucked duvet cover and sham set from West Elm for ages! It's utterly perfect - except for its price tag. So when I saw a near dupe at Target (and on sale!) I had to grab it! {Click to keep reading!}

This is the West Elm version, it has such beautiful pleating, doesn't it? However, the duvet alone will set you back $119, and the shams are $24 a piece. Not terribly expensive, but considering it's only 230 thread count, I feel it's way overpriced.

And this is Target's version. The pleats aren't as gathered but it does have the same effect. Now for $60, the set includes the duvet and both shams. And it's 210 thread count. I feel this price is much more reasonable, hence my snatching it up!

I love all white linens; I find they're easiest to keep looking like new since you can just bleach them! Now my bed is perfect with its all white ensemble. Now I just need to find the perfect throw pillows!

Which set would you choose?

xo
Lia

My Mani ~ You're Such a Budapest + Polka.com

2013-04-23T20:06:00.000-06:00

Hi lovelies! I must preface this mani by saying I totally copied Amy's from At The Pink Of Perfection. Seriously, as soon as I saw it, I needed to recreate it. So I did.

Both colors are from OPI's 2013 Euro Centrale collection, and are absolutely amazing. 'You're Such A Budapest' is a perfect lilac / periwinkle hybrid, and 'Polka.com' is a perfect glitter, with larger hexagonal and smaller micro glitter both in teal, magenta, and purple. {Click to keep reading!}

There's an ever so light shimmer to '...Budapest' so it's not technically a cream, and I love it more!

How gorgeous is this glitter? It may be a new favorite!

Do you own any colors from the Euro Centrale collection? What's your favorite?

xo
Lia

Review ~ My April Birchbox Unwrapped

2013-04-22T13:23:00.000-06:00

Hi lovelies! I recently got my Women's Health Birchbox collaboration box, and love it! If you're not familiar, subscribe to Birchbox for only $10 a month and get handpicked beauty and lifestyle samples delivered to your door free! This was April's box this year, and I usually love their collab boxes (Gossip Girl, Teen Vogue, Goop) so it was no surprise that I thoroughly enjoyed it! {Click to keep reading and see what was inside!}

I love the packages inside, it's more of a surprise! The accompanying theme is tiny tweaks, big results!

I'm a lip balm addict, so I was super excited to get a full size Yes to Carrots mint lip butter. It works amazingly well and it's currently my favorite lip balm yay!

My eyes are constantly puffy and have dark circles so I'm loving eye creams. This one by Caudalie is great so far and moisturizes and seems to brighten my undereye area as well, so it's a bonus!

These were my 'beauty extras', and I really hate these one-time-use foil packets. I really do, however, love the product and wish the samples were larger, but will most likely end up buying the full sized as I really liked how well they worked on my skin.

This is my first CC cream, and I really love it! It diminishes pores I swear, while giving a light coverage. It's also a sunscreen and contains antioxidants as well.

I think this leave in conditioner from Beauty Protector is my fave product in the box. I've been looking for a good sulfate free leave in that's also a spray (because it works as a detangler as well) and this fits the bill perfectly. I'll be ordering this full size soon as I'm almost out!

Finally, every box included a one-year subscription to Women's Health magazine! I think that all of these tiny tweaks will yield big results, especially if I am motivated enough to follow the advice of the magazine ha!

What was in your Birchbox? Have you tried any of these products?

xo
Lia