The Everything Girl

Pine, apple, pineapple, pineapples everywhere...

2015-04-28T02:18:00.003-04:00

Has anyone else noticed that pineapples are everywhere these days? Here are some of my favorite pineapple items.

Pineapple by theeverythinggirl featuring a silicon ice cube tray

DIY: Gift for Friends

2015-04-02T02:54:00.001-04:00

Sometimes life can get pretty hectic, and we may forget to keep in touch with the special people in our lives. The thought of reaching out to a friend we haven't seen in a while may pop into our heads but may quickly be replaced by another idea. For example, during the day I'll think of texting or emailing a friend and suddenly that idea is replaced by, "Don't forget to pick up dog food!" or "Did I turn the stove off at home?" and I'll forget about reaching out. Many of us have also moved away from the places where we were born or grew up, and with that comes moving away from childhood friends and family. These friends sometimes get pushed to the back burner because as the saying goes, out of sight, out of mind. Of course, this doesn't mean they are less loved, but we may have a little more trouble keeping a relationship with them because we aren't physically close to them. The other day I was feeling a little bummed because none of my childhood friends live in the same state that I do and I was missing them. I also thought of close friends that I don't see due to our busy routines. During this pity party, I came up with an idea to not only stay in touch with friends but also express how much they mean to me in a fun and creative way.

Here's what I did:

I thought about all of my closest friends, new and old ones, and I wrote their names on pieces of paper. I included childhood friends that meant a lot to me growing up, family members that I hadn't seen in a while, and also friends that I spend more time with but that are special to me anyway. Then, I put all their names in a little jar.

So in the middle of each month, I'm going to pick a name from the jar and send a gift to the person selected by the beginning of the next month. That gives me time to think of something meaningful to send. Sometimes we wait for others to reach out to us, but why not reach out to them first? You can't beat the Golden Rule. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you". Not that I'm expecting people to send me gifts, but I know I would really appreciate receiving a gift from a friend that was meaningful, especially at random. What a great surprise for someone! Society sets rules about gift giving. People often feel forced to give gifts to people during a certain time of the year, even if it's not in their heart or budget to do so. I like this project because in a me-centric world, it reminds me to think of others.

Here are some suggestions of what to include in your gift package.

The friend I picked and I have an inside joke involving Hibiscus(I know, weird) so I included this tinted lip balm that is Hibiscus flavored.

Every time we got together, we would make chocolate chip cookies, so I included this cookie flavored chocolate bar.

She also likes to wear scarves so I included that as well. I also included my favorite picture of the two of us.

Last but not least, I included a card where I expressed what I was doing and why they were so important to me. I wrote about the significance of each gift and thanked them for putting up with me as a friend.

Then I packed it in a big envelope and mailed it.

It's as simple as that! If you like this idea, I encourage you to try it. If you have tons of friends, feel free to send a gift to more that one friend a month. Or if you want to do it every two months, that's fine too. Also remember that it doesn't have to be something expensive. Your gift cost can range from a dollar to one hundred dollars each month. It's up to you and your generosity/baller status. You also know what your friends will find funny or touching. I like gifts that mean something, ones that bring back a good memory of the two of you.

Let me know if you like this idea! And remember, good friends are hard to come by, so we wouldn't want to let our daily routine and hectic schedule get in the way of keeping them.

DIY - Custom Scented Hand Soap

2015-01-31T15:28:00.003-05:00

There are so many nice smelling hand soaps out there. Some of my favorite brands are Method, Bath and Body Works, and Mrs. Meyers. These are all easy to find but can get pricey if you have to purchase them over and over again, as not all scents come in refill sizes. If you are in a pinch but still want lovely scented soaps or if you want a particular fragrance for your soap, try making your own!

Essencial oils and soaps scents are a great way to boost any unscented liquid soap. Not only do they provide a lovely scent, but some essential oils provide other health benefits. Learn more about which essential oils would be appropriate to use HERE. I also purchased fragrance oils HERE. These fragrance oils are not essential oils but essential oils are also available on this website. Note that cost of making your own scented soap will vary depending on what oils you purchase.

I reused the soap containers I already had and purchased unscented liquid soap from Costco. You can find something similar at any bulk warehouse store.

Instructions: Fill your liquid soap dispenser with unscented soap then add essential or fragrance oil of your choosing. For a more subtle scent use fewer drops, around 4-7. For a stronger scent use 10-15. This is just an estimation for the 12oz bottle I had. Use as many drops as you need until you reach your desires scent level. When using the fragrance oils, use a teaspoon. Voila! It's that simple.

Don't be afraid to experiment with different fragrances. Below are some of my faves!

Hand Soap by theeverythinggirl featuring Method body cleansers

Taylor Swift - Blank Space Inspired Look #4

2014-12-30T18:29:00.001-05:00

Blank Space - Look #4 by theeverythinggirl featuring Yves Saint Laurent

GUESS leather shoes
6pm.com

Michael Kors engraved bracelet
michaelkors.com

Ann Taylor ring
anntaylor.com

Forever 21 rhinestone bracelet
forever21.com

H M bracelet bangle
$6.21 - hm.com

Yves Saint Laurent lipstick
sephora.com

Urban decay eyeliner
sephora.com

Leopard Print Tie-Waist Dress - Vince Camuto
vincecamuto.com

I love this look because its one of the more wearable looks in Taylor Swift's video. The items in this look can also be wardrobe staples. Animal prints can be worn with pretty much any neutral color.

Taylor Swift - Blank Space Inspired Look #3

2014-12-06T03:23:00.003-05:00

The actual outfit she wore in this video is designed by Katie Ermilio. I couldn't find it online but found these cute outfits that are very similar to Taylor's.

Taylor Swift - Blank Space Inspired Look #3 by theeverythinggirl featuring metal jewelry

Missguided pink midi skirt
missguidedus.com

Ivanka Trump holiday shoes
$95 - nordstrom.com

Alexis Bittar metal jewelry
$150 - nordstrom.com

Yves Saint Laurent moisturizing lipstick
sephora.com

Yves Saint Laurent nail polish
sephora.com

Alysha PU Binding Midi Skirt Nude
missguidedus.com

DANGLE EARRINGS ASSEMBLAGE Bride by thesparklingsparrow on Etsy
etsy.com

Renamed Pastel Faux Leather Top at PacSun.com
pacsun.com

Taylor Swift - Blank Space Inspired Look #2

2014-12-01T04:00:00.001-05:00

Taylor Swift - Blank Space Inspired Look #2 by theeverythinggirl featuring a red sweater

Taylor Swift - Blank Space Inspired Look #1

2014-11-28T23:05:00.003-05:00

Elie Saab 2014

Taylor Swift - Blank Space Inspired by theeverythinggirl featuring kate spade jewelry

Momofuku Milk Bar Chocolate Chip Layer Cake Tips!

2014-11-22T13:28:00.000-05:00

This post isn't a recipe for the Momofuku Milk Bar cake, its just me talking about things I found helpful while making this cake. I also list places you might look for the unconventional ingredients called for in the recipe. To see the recipes I used click here and here!

So for the passion fruit puree, I went to several different stores. I tried Publix first because they have a pretty good latin selection. I looked in their frozen section but they didn't have it. Although, the Public staff was so helpful! They went around the whole store with me trying to find alternatives. Sadly they didn't have it there, so I went to my local ethnic food store or Mexican Supermercado! They would have had it there but the owner said his freezer was broken so he hadn't ordered anything that needed to be frozen. There was a nice lady there though, and she said that she knew Walmart carried it for sure. So finally, I went to Walmart and found it there. You may need to go to the more ethnically diverse Walmarts in your area to find it.

For the actual recipe, I left half of this block out and put the other half back in the freezer. You need about a quarter of the puree for the passion fruit curd and another quarter for moistening the cake. Make sure to leave the part you need for the cake in the fridge not the freezer! It needs to be liquid so you can dip your brush in it and moisten the cake.

The recipe also calls for grape seed oil. I looked in several different supermarkets and either they didn't have any or they had little bottles that were very expensive. So it dawned on me that I had seen these bottles in a different store. TJ Maxx! I got this huge bottle for $12! They sometimes have smaller bottles as well for around $4 or $5. I also found the clear vanilla extract there. It was only $2.99.

The other item you may not have in your fridge is buttermilk. I found a single bottle at Publix, but you should be able to find it at any supermarket. They may only have one brand, but it should be there. Cake flour is another one of those items most people don't usually have unless you bake cakes all the time. Like the buttermilk, I was able to find it but they only had this one brand.

The acetate for the cake building process was easy for me. I happened to have this pad of acetate sheets. What I did for the cake was tape two of these together to make one long strip that I cut once the cake was assembled inside. You want the acetate to come out higher than your cake ring but not so high that you have trouble assembling. Once you start assembling the cake you'll know what I mean. So this pad was about $7 vs a roll of acetate for baking that can run around $35.

This is what I used for a cake mold. It's a 6 inch springform pan. I used the circular insert as my guide. I cut my cake around it so that it fix inside the mold. Once I started assembling the cake I did not use the inner circle. Just the outer ring.

I found this at Michaels for around $6.

So that's it! Here's my cake after it was all said and done.

If you have questions let me know down below!

DIY Cake Stand

2014-11-21T22:32:00.001-05:00

I was looking for a cake stand to put my fabulous Momofuku Milk Bar cake on but didn't want to spend 20 dollars for something I would only use once a year. So I made one!

I bought this 6 inch clock surface. It was originally $4.99 but with my 40% off coupon it was only $2.99.

Then I bought this mini pot for $.89!

Then you just need to glue the two together. Ideally I would have used E6000 but couldn't find it so I used a mixture of Tacky Glue and hot glue. That did the trick. The hot glue holds the two pieces in place while the Tacky Glue dries.

The pot and the clock piece are perfect for each other because they both have holes in the middle that tell you exactly where the middle of each piece is.

I drew a circle around the pot.

Then I dotted Tacky Glue along the inside of the circle.

After that, I dotted hot glue between the tacky glue and quickly placed the pot on top.

I let the Tacky Glue dry completely for about 6 hours. To extra secure the glue I placed a heavy book on top while it dried.

Once dry, I painted it with this metallic acrylic paint. You can paint it however you like.

Once dry, it was ready to use. I didn't paint the top of the clock surface since the food goes on top. You can if you want to. I also placed a circle of parchment paper on top before I placed the cake on the stand.

It's that simple!

Clone That Look! Green, Gold, and Tartan

2014-11-14T17:28:00.003-05:00

Clone That Look! by theeverythinggirl featuring a gold necklace

Clone That Look! Black Maxi and Stripes

2014-11-14T16:33:00.001-05:00

Clone That Look! by theeverythinggirl featuring ankle boots

So sometimes you'll see an awesome outfit on Pinterest, but the item will be sold out or the person who posted the look didn't post where they got their clothes. I'm here to help!

Effie Trinket - Butterfly Costume

2013-09-26T00:30:00.001-04:00

Effie Trinket - Butterfly Outfit by theeverythinggirl featuring lace gloves

DIY Fascinator by theeverythinggirl featuring hair accessories

Nutella Snack!

2013-09-14T14:33:00.001-04:00

I've been holding back on buying Nutella because its so darn tasty and I'm so darn chubby and that's not a good combo. But the other day I caved and bought some because I had a coupon so i couldn't deny myself Nutella anymore because at that point it had become fiscally responsible. When I got home I realized I didn't have anything to slather it on and eating it straight with a spoon sounded way too wrong. The only thing I had in the pantry was pancake mix, rice and rice cakes. At the time the first two options sounded pretty lame but now that I think about it Nutella pancakes sound really good. Definitely better that Nutella and rice. So rice cakes it was! Plus rice cakes are supposed to be healthy for you so it was obviously the best option. This was going to be my lunch so I needed some protein, and what better protein than good old peanut butter. My creation was complete! A rice cake base, followed by my protein in the form of pb, topped with Nutella! This is an awesome faux guilt free snack/dessert!

Divergent: Amity

2013-09-03T00:36:00.001-04:00

Amity by theeverythinggirl featuring a bohemian bracelet

Divergent: Abnegation

2013-09-01T02:32:00.001-04:00

Abnegation by theeverythinggirl featuring a foldover skirt

Divergent: Dauntless

2013-08-31T17:02:00.001-04:00

So excited to see the movie Divergent this coming March! To be honest I still haven't read the second book, but I will soon now that I have motivation. While we wait for the movie to come out, here are some outfits inspired by the different factions in the book. If you haven't read Divergent yet and are a sucker for YA books like me, go read it now before the movie comes out!

Divergent: Dauntless by theeverythinggirl featuring army boots

Nollie baseball tee
pacsun.com

Stone top
modcloth.com

Vest
$48 - attitudeclothing.co.uk

Mossimo clothing
target.com

Faux Leather Trim Open Front Cardiwrap
maurices.com

Topshop clothing
topshop.com

H M black legging
$20 - hm.com

Topshop black legging
topshop.com

American Eagle Outfitters black boots
ae.com

Soda army boots
tillys.com

Cuff ring
etsy.com

Leather glove
etsy.com

Nails Inc nail polish
$19 - nailsinc.com

DIY - Cashew Milk

2013-06-30T15:27:00.001-04:00

So I did the Blueprint Cleanse recently and one of my favorite drinks was the cashew milk. It's creamy and refreshing and a great alternative to regular milk. It's also cheaper to make it yourself rather than purchasing it already made. The price of making it yourself can also vary depending on where you buy your ingredients. Here are the ingredients:

1 lb of raw organic cashews
3 tbsp organic agave nectar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
A splash of pure organic vanilla extract
3 cups filtered water

The pound of cashews cost me $8.99 at the Fresh Market but if I had purchased them at the local farmer's market I could have found them for around $6.99. Fresh Market just happened to be more convenient that day. My suggestion is to shop around for them to get the best price. The agave nectar was about $2.99 and I had the other two ingredients in my pantry already. Most of you will, but if you don't, those can be found at the grocery store.

Directions:
Put the cashews in a medium bowl and cover them with cold water. Soak them overnight in the fridge for at least 8 hours.

In the morning drain and rinse the cashews until water runs clear. Put the cashews in a blender or Vita-mix and add 3 cups of water plus all other ingredients.

Agave nectar, vanilla extract, and cinnamon powder.

Blend until cashews are completely pulverized. About one to two minutes.

If you don't mind tiny cashew particles in your milk then you are finished! If you don't like the texture, strain liquid through a cheesecloth to separate the solid particles from the liquid. Squeeze the cheesecloth until all liquid is drained out of it. And voila! You're finished! Cashew milk will keep in fridge for up to 3 days.

DIY Dollar Tree Bookends!

2013-05-21T21:55:00.000-04:00

I found these cute little owl piggy banks at the Dollar Tree and thought they had potential. First thing i did was remove the stopper on the bottom.

Then I placed them one at a time on top of my broom stick and proceeded to spray paint them outside.

This is what I used but next time I would like to try Krylon Looking Glass Paint but that's a little pricey for me right at this moment.

I filled the owls with left over pebbles from a previous project and put the stopper back on. You can use anything you have at your disposal. Maybe even some coins! If your stopper is finicky you can hot glue it back on so it stays in there firmly. The owls were pretty stable without the pebbles but I wanted them to have more weight so that they could act as proper bookends.

Here's the final result!

Katniss Everdeen Inspired Look

2013-04-17T00:16:00.001-04:00

Katniss Everdeen Inspired Look by theeverythinggirl featuring eddie borgo

Shift dress
$120 - houseoffraser.co.uk

Forever 21 pumps
forever21.com

Eddie borgo
theoutnet.com

Naked Basics
urbandecay.com

Expedition Pinterest: Produce Soaking

2013-04-14T14:19:00.001-04:00

So I started juice fasting about two weeks ago and that meant buying tons of fruits and vegetables in bulk. I am notorious for letting veggies go bad in the fridge but in my defense they only last a few days anyway. One day, while perusing Pinterest I saw a pin that said you should soak your produce in a water/vinegar bath before putting them away to take off all of the dirt and pesticides that are on them and also to make them last longer. My first thought was, "Ew! Won't they taste all vinegary??" But I tried it anyway because I had already spent $70 on produce and didn't want them to go quickly and along with them, my money. Here are the directions I followed:

When buying fruit and veggies, always soak them in a 1:4 ratio of vinegar and water to help remove toxins and pesticides - even organic! Leave them soaking for up to an hour, longer with nonorganic apples. At the end of the bath, sometimes you can even see cloudy like stuff in the water from the skins and waxes, and dirt on the bottom.Vinegar is the key!

Here are my results:

In this picture you can see the waxes and other cloudy substances coming off of the fruits.

After I drained the sink I gave them another good rinse with cold water and kept them refrigerated. My cucumbers which usually go bad first are still good after almost 3 weeks!!
I will definitely be doing this again!

Pantone Colors of Spring 2013

2013-03-21T22:14:00.001-04:00

To prepare for this spring's fashion scene, here are some versatile dresses from my favorite stores, inspired by the Pantone 2013 Spring Colors.

Pantone Colors of Spring 2013 by theeverythinggirl featuring petite dresses

J Crew j crew dress
jcrew.com

Petite dress
anthropologie.com

Betsey Johnson smocked dress
betseyjohnson.com

Zara ruched dress
zara.com

River Island mini dress
asos.com

Mango pleated dress
mango.com

Dorothy Perkins blue dress
dorothyperkins.com

Forever 21
forever21.com

Expedition Pinterest: Brownie in a Mug

2013-03-12T23:22:00.001-04:00

So I went to dinner with my hubby today and the place where we went isn't known for their awesome desserts. Food yes, desserts, not so much. When we left the restaurant I had a huge craving for chocolate but there were no open places where I could go in and get chocolate cake except the grocery store but its such a hassle to get in and out quickly. When I got home I remembered I pinned something on Pinterest about making a brownie super quickly so I decided to give it a try.

Here's what I used:
4 tablespoons of flour
3 Heaping tablespoons of hot cocoa mix
1 tablespoon of milk chocolate chips
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
2 tablespoons of water and a pinch of salt

You'll also need a mug, a microwave, and something to stir with. The Pinterest recipe calls for 2 tablespoons plain cocoa powder and 4 tablespoons of sugar but I didn't have either so I improvised and hot cocoa mix already has sugar in it plus 4 tablespoons of sugar seems like a lot.

Basic directions:
Place dry ingredients in mug then add oil and water. Stir together until clumps flour are gone. Microwave for 50-60 seconds and voila!! You have a personal sized brownie!

Even with the substitutions I made it still turned out awesome!

Post a comment below if you tried out this pin or any other one that is worth trying.