Bespangled Jewelry

Huge Spring Giveaway!

2014-03-10T06:30:00.000-05:00

What is now Bespangled Jewelry began in 2002 as a hobby quickly flourished into an obsession, and I happily began taking custom design requests from friends and family. Shortly thereafter I set up my first jewelry show, had an absolute blast...and the rest, as they say, is history!

I am so filled with joy that what has been my passion for the last 12 years (!) has become my full-time job. I am so honored and humbled to have such incredible fans and friends supporting me and my small handmade business!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart to my wonderful blog readers, email subscribers, Facebook fans and of course, my amazing customers for making it possible for me to have the best job (and the best boss) in the world ;)

I hope you'll celebrate with me as I do a little happy dance over recently reaching two major milestones in my business - 1,000 fans on Facebook and my 300th sale on Etsy! I wouldn't be here without your love and support, so as a huge THANK YOU and a GIANT HUG, I would like to show my profound appreciation by announcing my first giveaway of 2014!

1st prize: $50 spending credit

2nd prize: $25 spending credit

Spending credit is valid only at BespangledJewelry.etsy.com and must be used by April 30, 2014. Winners will be announced and contacted within 48 hours of the end of the giveaway. Entries close at 11:59 pm March 24, 2014 (CST).

Don't forget you can tweet about the giveaway once a day. I'll be changing up the wording of the tweets occasionally so you don't get bored. Good luck!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Valentine's Day Strawberry Brownie Hearts {Low Fat!}

2014-02-01T12:00:00.000-06:00

I made the most delicious low fat chunky fudgey chocolate brownies the other day.

I also bought some new heart shaped cookie cutters (and a bunch of other fun stuff) with my Amazon gift card score from Christmas! I was thinking I would make some cute heart cookies, but what I was craving was chocolate, and when I think of chocolate I usually think of brownies, so I put two and two together... and there ya have it folks, an adorable Valentine's Day dessert was born!
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Branching out!

2014-01-30T15:32:00.000-06:00

It's been a long while but I finally have my jeweler's bench set up again and ready to do some more metalwork! My jewelry work is mostly wire forging and wire wrapping, but now that I've got the bench pin and jeweler's saw back in action, be on the lookout for some different style designs. I can't wait to share!

Meanwhile, check out what's new in the shop - a new pair of interchangeable hoop earrings. I LOVE them, what do you think?

This gorgeous style is available in both sterling silver and gold filled, as well as with or without the gemstone charms.

See all my interchangeable hoop earrings and earring charms now!

Low Fat Chunky Fudgey Chocolate Brownies {Recipe}

2014-01-28T09:00:00.000-06:00

I am so excited to share this delicious LOW FAT chunky fudgey brownie recipe with you! As you can see from the photo, there's no shortage of chocolate in this batch of brownies, nor is there any shortage of flavor!

Thanks to replacing the butter with non-fat Greek yogurt, this decadent treat will satisfy your chocolate-craving naughty little sweet tooth for about half the fat of some butter-filled brownies of the same size. See bottom post for complete nutrition info.
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Choosing Necklaces for Necklines

2014-01-02T11:00:00.000-06:00

Choosing Necklaces for Necklines by imogenl on Polyvore

It's not always easy to choose jewelry that fits well with every outfit, and certain necklines are more challenging than others when it comes to accessorizing with necklaces! I hope you enjoy this visual representation of choosing the best necklace for various shaped necklines. Read more from the creator of this image here - she goes over each of these neckline shapes in detail.

Ready to find your next favorite necklace?

Happy New Year!

2013-12-31T23:45:00.000-06:00

Wishing you all a safe and Happy New Year!
May you look back on 2013 with pride and happiness, and look toward 2014 with hope and joy!

♥ Jess

Handmade Christmas: Feather Prints by Jody Edwards

2013-12-30T11:37:00.000-06:00

One of my resolutions for 2014 is to fill my empty walls with art. I am so picky that I end up just leaving walls bare instead of throwing any ole thing up there. I always think to myself that I'll make something to fill up this space and paint something to fill up that space, but then guess what? I never do. It's just too much pressure. It's like the whole blank canvas syndrome - where to start?

So when I discovered Jody Edwards' beautiful paintings on Etsy, I felt like it was a sign! When my darling husband asked me what I wanted for Christmas, I showed him these feather prints and he said, "Those are awesome, let's get a bunch!" So we did, but it's only the beginning of our collection :)

Click on any of the photos to see them on Etsy:

Aren't they just gorgeous? The first four we got as 8x10 prints and the last two on greeting cards. I think they will be a beautiful start to a picture wall. Now to get some frames!

All images © Jody Edwards from http://jodyvanb.etsy.com

Handmade Christmas : Owl Fingerless Gloves

2013-12-27T10:33:00.000-06:00

I hope you all had a fabulous Christmas! I sure did - my sweet hubby indulged me with lots of awesome handmade gifts from Etsy, including these adorable grey owl fingerless gloves which were a custom request from Coco and Cocoa! I love them so much - I even wear them inside the house :)

I am excited to see that they are available in the shop now so I can share them with you!! Gloves are handmade to order so you can get them in your favorite color.

I have always loved Julie's cable knit owl hats with vintage button eyes - I've written about them before - and when I saw the new fingerless gloves she's been making recently, I thought they would be so cute with the owls on them too. Well, aren't they??

What were your favorite gifts this year?

Cyber Monday Sale!

2013-12-01T09:09:00.000-06:00

Well it's that time of year again! How did it sneak up so quickly?? Somehow it seems December always surprises me and I realize I haven't planned ahead as much as I should have and start scrambling to figure out what I'm going to give everyone for Christmas. Luckily, there are always tons of great deals and sales all over the place to make it a little easier on the pocketbook.

Of course I'm jumping on the bandwagon to offer my favorite people in the world (yes, that's YOU!) a great deal on some gorgeous handmade jewelry (if I do say so myself!)

My sale this year is for 25% off any purchase with coupon code "THANKS25"in my Etsy shop (Bespangled.com routes to the Etsy address until I can get my stuff together and finish building my website :) This coupon code will expire at 11:59pm CST on December 3rd, so if you've got your eye on something, get it now!

SHOP:

Necklaces // Bracelets // Earrings // Pendants // Rings // Spiritual + Yoga Jewelry

Fall Fashion Crushes

2013-11-16T16:50:00.000-06:00

This post contains some affiliate links

There's nothing I love more than a great pair of boots with my favorite jeans and a cozy sweater to celebrate the beginning of fall in Texas. In fact, I wish I could dress for fall all year round, though the possibility of my uprooting from The Sweltering South is doubtful so I'll just enjoy it while I can :)

It's been a while since I made a styleboard, and I always have so much fun with them so I thought I'd throw together a quick set of my Fall Fashion Faves to help show off some of the new jewelry in the shop!

Get the Look:

Little Drops of Gold - Every Day Earrings

2013-11-14T11:48:00.000-06:00

Little Drops of Gold Earrings

These sweet little beauties are new in the shop! I love the way a satin finish looks on hammered gold, and this pair of earrings is the perfect way to add a touch of golden luxury to an every day outfit.

Pair them with a crisp white shirt, jeans, and your favorite boots and you've got a classic casual fall look. Wear them to work with a fitted blazer, ruffled blouse, and slacks. They also dress up nicely - with your best Little Black Dress and heels!

I could really go on forever - I haven't found a single thing in my closet that these perfect earrings don't go with. How can you go wrong with simple little gold drops?

Click here to purchase your next favorite pair of earrings :)

DIY Raspberry Lemon Sugar Scrub - Handmade Bridesmaid Gift Idea

2013-11-11T18:49:00.000-06:00

Well, I promised you all some more DIY Wedding stuff! I made this delicious homemade raspberry lemon sugar scrub as part of my bridesmaids' gifts goody bags. (I'll be sharing more of those soon as well). It's a beautiful happy color pink, it's moisturizing, and it smells amaaaaaaazing (seriously - good enough to eat)! Oh, and it's super quick and easy to make!

Now of course, it's not strictly wedding related, but it's the reason it came about, so it is to me. I love the idea of using this homemade scrub for any gift giving occasion, and it's definitely great as part of a gift basket (filled with other homemade goodies, of course!) Hostess gifts, baby shower gifts, etc. etc., it's perfect, right??

And if you want to make it extra special, see below for info on etching a monogram right onto the glass jar!

DIY Raspberry Lemon Sugar Scrub

DIY No Sew Burlap Table Runners DIY Wedding / Home Decor

2013-09-20T15:41:00.000-05:00

Well I'm getting down to the wire with only 15 days to go now! I've got all the big things taken care of for the wedding and thankfully I'm finally getting to work on the fun stuff - all my DIY decorations and wedding decor.

I knew I wanted some burlap table runners but I don't sew. Well, I totally would, but I haven't bought myself a sewing machine yet, so for now I don't sew. I do have a handful of friends who do (and my mom too, of course) but I didn't want to burden anyone with a big project so last minute (I need to make runners for at least 10 tables), so I started shopping around, thinking I could probably just buy some.

I couldn't believe the prices on some of these things! Some up to $50 each for an 8 foot burlap table runner! I don't even think I'd want to spend $20 each...So you know me, I'd rather spend the time to make something than get ripped off, lol!

So without further ado, here is my video tutorial showing the step by step process for these adorable and very inexpensive Easy DIY No-Sew Burlap Table Runners! (< click to watch the video on YouTube if you are on a mobile device or otherwise unable to see the embedded video below)

SUPPLIES & MATERIALS:

• burlap fabric by the yard (see diagram & notes below to determine how much you need)
• fusible webbing
• scissors
• sharp tool for hooking and pulling out the burlap thread
• measuring tape / ruler
• spray bottle with water
• pale colored cloth*
• iron

NOTES:

• This technique will work for other fabrics, not just burlap. There are different grades of Stitch Witchery (fusible webbing). I used the regular weight for mine. Now, unfortunately I don't have any neat tricks for cutting normal fabric in a straight line...

• If you are using burlap, you may want to work on top of another cloth or piece of fabric - especially if you're ironing on your ironing board. Burlap leaves behind fluff as bad as a Persian cat - you'll be annoyed next time you go to iron your nice black slacks on your furry ironing board if you don't protect it :)

• *Be sure to use either a pale colored cloth or an old well washed one that won't bleed any color to your fabric below when you iron it damp!

• For the 6 foot picnic tables that are about 30" wide, I made 8 foot long, 16" wide table runners. I cut my fabric at 98" by 18", leaving myself only an extra 2 inches to fold over the edges, but you can leave more of an allowance if you feel more comfortable. Just trim off the extra after your fabric is fused - but remember to always fuse right in the crease.

I was able to get two 16" runners from one 47" wide piece of fabric that was 2.75 yards long. At my local craft / hobby stores, the price per yard was about $3.99/yd, but with my 40% off coupon that became $2.39/yd, so I spent about $3.50 per table runner (and that includes the fusible webbing)!

I can't wait to share pictures from the wedding! I'm sure everything will look so much prettier in place :)

If you want to see some of the other DIY wedding stuff I've been up to lately, check out my DIY Mason Jar Hanging Lanterns and my DIY Bridal Shoe Hack.

Also, more to come!!

Easy DIY Bridal Shoe Hack - 3 Ways! {Video}

2013-08-18T16:00:00.000-05:00

I won't lie. I did NOT enjoy shopping for shoes for my wedding. Like, at ALL. I knew exactly what I wanted and I couldn't find them anywhere. Not even online. All I wanted was a simple open-toed strappy nude or ivory wedge heel with just the tiniest touch of something special. Is that asking too much??

No bling, no glitter, no lace, no stiletto heel, no patent leather or cheap looking satin...just something comfortable, something simple, and hopefully even something so simple I could maybe wear them again (what a novel idea!!)

Oh, and I didn't want to pay $400 either, soooo....there's that.

After spending way too many hours scouring the internet and an entire day and a half running all over town trying on shoes until my little piggies hurt, I gave up and went to Target to see if they had any leather sandals to replace my favorite pair that broke....and to give my feet something comfortable for the drive home.

Well lo and behold...guess what? I saw the perfect wedding shoe just sitting there on the shelf, coyly waiting for me as I turned down the aisle. Pale faux suede with a lovely curved wedge and ankle strap, just asking for a little DIY embellishment.

Shock and awe! My size? What an amazing turn of events! And comfortable too? And under $30?? SERIOUSLY? Score. Happy dance. Smiley face. And I can guaran-dam-tee ya I'll be wearing these babies again too. I love them!

If you're on mobile device and can't see the embedded video, you can watch my Easy DIY Bridal Shoe Hack video on YouTube.

HOW TO:

So, as you can see, this was ridiculously simple. I just grabbed a yard of 6" wide tulle ribbon (available in tons of fun colors besides white and ivory) and doubled it over, lengthwise. Then I used it to tie around the shoe or around my ankle. Of course, repeat for the other side. Trim ends as necessary, and that's it. Under 2 minutes. Done!

The most difficult part is deciding which way I want to wear them! My dress is a tea-length gown, so it ends about 6" above my ankle. What do you think? I'd love to hear your opinion!

And, bonus!! I found myself a pair of cute sandals (on sale) to change into as the night winds down. All in? About $50 for two pairs of shoes for my wedding that I will definitely wear again (though, probably without the tulle). I'm a happy girl.

Stay tuned for more DIY wedding stuff - I've got tons more planned. Coming soon: my bridal necklace tutorial, pretty bridal hair comb tutorial, and some DIY crepe paper rose pomanders. And if you missed it, check out my Mason Jar Hanging Lanterns Tutorial.

See y'all soon!

I linked up at:

Easy DIY Heart Shaped Jewelry Display

2013-08-16T14:49:00.000-05:00

Last year, just before Valentine's Day, I posted this How to Draw a Heart Without a Template Tutorial. I had all but forgotten all about it when I saw a comment pop up from a reader who had followed the instructions to make a jewelry display for an upcoming craft show!

"Brilliant!" I thought. What a great idea! I asked if she would email me some photos so I could see them and share. And she did!

Thank you, Faye, for sending in these photos and allowing me to share your awesome idea. Wishing you every success at your very first craft show :)

If you'd like to make a jewelry display like this, start by drawing your heart shape on a piece of foam posterboard. If you don't want to freehand it, my tutorial shows you how to draw a perfectly symmetrical heart very easily!

Cut around the heart shape carefully with a craft knife.

Choose your fabric - felt, velvet, or anything you like! and make sure you have plenty of excess fabric overlapping all the edges - at least 5 inches. Attach the fabric to the heart using hot glue, stretching it tight as you go around the edges.

You can always trim off extra after the glue is set firmly. If you'd like to cover the back completely, you can cut another piece of fabric using the heart as a template, and just glue that on top of the folded over fabric.

You can cut and attach a triangular shaped piece of foamboard to the back as a stand, but something sturdier like a wooden or metal bracket might be better, especially for an outdoor show where wind might be a concern.

Thanks again, Faye, for sharing your process and your beautiful jewelry! I love these necklaces and I think they look great on this display :)

Dream Big - Build Your Castles in the Air

2013-07-20T11:20:00.000-05:00

I love this quote from Walden. I have always heard that to reach a goal you had to have a clear vision of the outcome, and I know that's true.

You will surely get lost on a path without a destination.

Don't be afraid to dream big! Build your castle in the sky and then come back and build the foundation and the beautiful staircase up to it. It's a lot easier to hit the target if you know where to aim.

✧✧✧

What does your castle look like?

Hanging Mason Jar Lanterns - DIY Wedding Craft {Video}

2013-07-18T13:16:00.000-05:00

I know I'm not the only one who has a crush on mason jars. Mason jars are huge in arts and crafts and in DIY weddings, especially right now...in case you have been living under a rock.

Ever since I saw these cute customizable mason jar save-the-dates I knew I wanted to incorporate mason jars into my someday wedding, even though that was a couple of years ago and I wasn't actually even engaged yet... So yeah, I totally had a crush on them first ;)

I thought it might be easier to make a video showing the step-by-step process than just take a zillion boring photos of me looping wire that may or may not really make sense. Plus, I like making videos.

For my hangers in this video, I used some electrical wire (Romex) reclaimed from the trash pile after we installed a new ceiling fan. It's perfect for all kinds of crafts, and it's solid copper! But if you don't happen to have any of this stuff lying around, you can find 12 gauge (or 14 gauge would work too) wire in your choice of metals at the craft store or at the hardware store.

I believe the mouths of mason jars are a standard size, but just for reference I am using the quart sized jars.

There's a complete list of tools and supplies after the video. (If you're on a mobile device and can't see the embedded video, you can watch this Mason Jar Lantern How To on YouTube.) Enjoy!

TOOLS & SUPPLIES:
• mason jars
• for each mason jar - 26 inches of 12 or 14 gauge wire (copper, brass, or colored craft wire)
• heavy duty wire cutters ( I use floral cutters)
• round nosed pliers

I'd love to hear what you think about this project. Leave me a note!

I linked up at:

DIY Patriotic Manicure - With Foil Stars and Glitter Glue!

2013-07-04T20:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Fourth of July, everyone! I have to admit this wasn't a planned post. I just woke up this morning and thought, darn it! I wanna do something FUN today. So I decided to do a little patriotic nail art with what I had available...which turned out to be some aluminum foil, some glitter glue, and a little bit of nail polish. Hmmm, well, you know what? It turned out pretty great if I do say so myself, and I didn't have to make a run to the store, so in my book, that makes it 10x more awesome :)

I also made it into my very first video for my new YouTube channel, which is something I have been wanting to do for a while. (I keep my other channel specifically for jewelry making tutorials, so random fun things like funky nail art designs and other such distractions don't exactly fit in, I think?) So yeah. 15 hours later, here is the finished post and edited video. And there goes my 4th of July, LOL!

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Rock Candy Rings - My first live jewelry making class!

2013-07-03T23:35:00.001-05:00

You may or may not know that I started a jewelry tutorial website last fall, JewelryTutorialHQ.com, where I have been making and sharing videos and tutorials on various jewelry making techniques. I have been having so much fun, and after hearing so many people urge me to teach a class, I'm finally going for it!

I am excited to say that I am teaching my first live jewelry class, "Rock Candy Rings," at The Artful Bead this summer! Class begins this Sunday, July 7th at the Carrollton location, but there are some classes on Saturdays as well. I would LOVE it if you would join me! Classes are limited in size, so be sure to register early.

Upcoming Classes:

(click to register)

~~Sunday, July 7^th 12:00pm – 1:30pm (Carrollton)~~

~~Saturday, July 27^th 10:30am – 12:00pm (Fort Worth)~~

~~Saturday, August 3^rd 10:30am – 12:00pm (Carrollton)~~

~~Saturday, August 10^th 10:30am – 12:00pm (Fort Worth)~~

Sunday, September 8^th 12:30pm – 2:00pm (Carrollton)

A little bit about the project:

I will teach you how to form an adjustable size ring band from a straight piece of wire. We will hammer, forge, and form it into shape, then I'll show you my technique for wire wrapping some lovely gemstones to the band. You will create lovely stackable rings that you can wear home the very same day!

Downloadable PDF Tutorial:

I know lots of you aren't in the Dallas / Fort Worth area, but if you'd still like to learn how to make these gorgeous fun rings, you can purchase an instantly downloadable .PDF file from Craftsy or my Etsy Jewelry Supply Shop.

Hope to see y'all there!

Homemade Sangria Recipe {Warning: Not for Lightweights!}

2013-06-28T15:14:00.001-05:00

Today I'm finally going to share with you one of my favorite summer party drinks. I had every intention of sharing it right after I posted my DIY Etched Glass Mugs Tutorial last November, but then I thought it might make more sense to wait until summer. It's officially summer, and amazingly, I remembered!

This Homemade Sangria is great for summer parties and BBQ's - it goes perfectly with sunshine, sitting by the pool, flip flops, fire ants, sunburns, short shorts, and sleeping in.

I'm not kidding when I say this Homemade Sangria isn't for lightweights. Let me tell you from experience: this is a beverage that can knock you on your ass!

Wine AND rum?!? Well, I know it's crazy, but trust me, it tastes delicious. A little too delicious. Consider yourself warned (and please be sure to pass along that warning to whomever you decide to share this tasty beverage with).

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How to Achieve Perfectly Polished Complexion - Simple DIY Microdermabrasion Treatment

2013-06-20T20:00:00.000-05:00

If you've ever indulged in a microdermabrasion treatment at a spa or a really good microdermabrasion home treatment system, you are probably aware of all the benefits in using these products; wonderfully soft, smooth skin and a gorgeous healthy glow.

If you have never experienced microdermabrasion or are unaware exactly what it means, I'll tell you briefly so we can get to the good stuff!

Microdermabrasion is basically a fancy word for a very fine exfoliant, much finer than your typical face scrubs which can have pretty large grains. The finer grains slough off more dead and dying skin cells to reveal the newer, more vibrant layer of skin below. It's this fresh new skin that tends to 'glow'.

Normal face scrubs achieve the same thing, to an extent, but the difference is much like the comparison between using very rough and very fine sandpaper. The rough stuff certainly works to scratch up the surface, but the finer stuff achieves a nice, smooth, polished finish.

One problem with these microdermabrasion productss is that they can be pretty expensive ($50 and way up for an average of 2.5 oz), and the other is that they can contain a lot of chemicals and toxic ingredients!

So I'm going to share my secret all natural DIY microdermabrasion recipe with you! Ok, it's not really a secret, and it's not really a recipe. It's too easy for that!

I like to call this stuff my "Face Polish," and after you try it for the first time you'll see why! Let me put it this way....when I first tried it and I asked my fiancé to touch my face and see if he could feel a difference, I ended up

yelling at him to "STOP TOUCHING MY FACE!!!! later that same evening. Of course, I couldn't stop it either, but still. LOL!

Etsy Fort Worth Sets up Fund for Hood County Tornado Victims

2013-06-14T10:50:00.000-05:00

This year's theme for the annual Etsy Craft Party is "Crafting for the Community". Etsy Fort Worth, our local street team, has put together a fund to collect donations on behalf of our neighbors to the south in Granbury and Cleburne (and the rest of Hood County) to help them rebuild their community after 18 tornadoes ripped through their lives leaving many of them homeless and injured. Several lost their lives in this terrible storm - the worst to hit the Dallas Fort Worth area in 50 years. This devastated community does not qualify for government assistance, so we'd like to do our part to help these good people to rebuild and heal. Join us on June 20th for our Etsy Craft Party, where we will be folding 1,000 origami paper cranes to raise $1,000 to donate to the United Way of Hood County, who will distribute the funds to help those affected by this disaster. Visit EtsyFortWorth.com for more information and to make an online donation if you are unable to attend the Craft Party! Donations of all sizes are welcomed and appreciated. Please help if you can, if only to spread the word and send this message out to as many kind hearted people as possible!

One Year Ago Today... He Proposed

2013-06-13T18:00:00.000-05:00

I love this pic of us, even though I'm blurry and he's sunburned and not-quite-smiling. We snapped this right after he proposed on the beach!

It was the last night of an amazing vacation in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. We had spent the week with our dear friends, witnessing two of them getting married. Some of Alan's family was even there, and we had such a great time! It couldn't have been more perfect, I was thinking to myself as we walked along the beach at sunset.

Boy, was I wrong!!

He stopped in his tracks and turned me toward him. "WIll you stop here with me for a minute?" he said. "There's something I want to ask you."

The water rushed up over our sandy feet, and my heart did a back flip in my chest. Oh my gosh, is this what I think it is?? His hands grasped mine and he stared deep into my eyes. I had to fight not to scream "YES!!!" before he had even asked it.

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

"I've never known anyone like you. You're my best friend - the love of my life - and I want to spend every day for the rest of my life making you happy...

Jessica Barst, I want you to be my wife.

Will you marry me?"

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Tears welled up in my eyes - and possibly his too, but he'll never admit to it. I said yes, of course, about a thousand times. He slipped a beautiful sparkly ring on my finger and I melted into his arms.

I love my gorgeous ring!

This is our history in the making. And he surprises me every day with his kindness, selflessness, and loving nature. I feel like I won the lottery with this man, and every single day I thank my lucky stars!

Adorable Mason Jar Themed Save - the - Dates and Postage Stamps

2013-06-02T14:00:00.000-05:00

I am so excited to get my save the date custom printed magnets from Zazzle last week! I fell in love with this design a couple of years ago and had it pinned to my Pinterest Wedding board. (Yes, I had a wedding board long before I was engaged. And thank goodness I was presumptuous enough to start early, or I'd be about 3 years behind!!)

Then I forgot all about it until a couple of weeks ago when I was frantically looking for another pin, as is becoming more and more common these days. I think we all fell into that trap, didn't we? We believed them when they told us it was a convenient way to keep track of bookmarks and stuff to save for later. Well, it's a little too convenient if you ask me. Every time I sign on to Pinterest to look for something I've already saved, I end up saving a gazillion more things and forgetting what I was looking for in the first place. Oh well. It sure is fun!

Anyway, ever the procrastinator and feeling the weight of too little time + so much to do + my little angel on my shoulder reminding me to "keep it simple, stupid!", I decided to toss out all my most recent crazy photobooth obsessed Save the Date ideas right out the window. (But don't worry! I still have plans for a DIY photobooth at the reception. I'll let ya know how that goes!)

After I customized my adorable Save the Dates, I couldn't help but splurge on the matching Mason Jar with Fireflies custom postage stamps. How cute are these?? You put the wedding date right on them!!

I could not be more happy with the quality of these custom printed items. I was really hesitant to order the full quantity without seeing one in person first, but I read the reviews and felt comfortable enough to just go for it. They are awesome!! I will be ordering these matching mason jar & fireflies wedding invitations soon :)

I had always had in mind that I would make some mason jar hanging lanterns if I had an outdoor wedding, and when I saw these I just knew it was right. I don't know that I can pull off fireflies in October, but I think some lovely little flickering lights will do the trick. I will be sure to post the tutorial as soon as they're done!

If you're looking for any kind of custom printing with NO minimum, then be sure to check out Zazzle.com. You can upload your own images or choose from thousands of customizable templates for tons of products, ranging from t-shirts to neckties and coffee mugs as well as awesome wedding invitations and postage stamps!!

DIY Ultra Moisturizing Hair and Face Mask

2013-06-01T18:50:00.000-05:00

I've been doing a lot of research lately on DIY hair and facial treatments, trying to find easy recipes that will yield good results. (Yes, I have become slightly more vain of late as my wedding date nears; only 4 months...eeek!) I found lots of great recipes for each, but in an effort to remain frugal with both money and time as well as 100% natural & chemical free, I wanted to see if I could come up with a recipe that would work for BOTH my hair and my face to have me looking so shiny and smooth that people will think to themselves, "Oh my, she's too YOUNG to be getting married. For shame!" (Heheheh. I'm 35 :)

I researched lots of ingredients that kept popping up and built this concoction based on maximum effect for both applications with the fewest number of ingredients and minimum effort. I decided on Avocado Oil instead of the actual fruit for having so many benefits for both skin and hair but longer lasting (for storage purposes) and without the lumpy consistency of guacamole.

I have been using this recipe regularly for 3 and a half months now, and am confident that both my hair and skin have proven it worthy of being shared!

How to Make Your Own Ultra - Moisturizing Hair and Face Mask

INGREDIENTS:
• 2 TBSP Organic Avocado Oil
• 1/2 cup Homemade Mayonnaise* (see recipe below) or Organic Mayonnaise
• 1 TBSP Organic Raw Honey

To Make Homemade Mayonnaise:

Mix one organic (preferably pasteurized) egg yolk with 1/2 cup organic olive oil in a bowl and whisk until it looks like mayonnaise!

*Note: This homemade mayonnaise recipe is meant for beauty recipes so it won't have much of a flavor at all. You'd need to add a few more ingredients to make this actually taste like the mayo we all know :)