Project: Danielle

2012 Vision Board

2012-02-08T09:56:00.000-05:00

I've actually been working on this off and on since New Year's weekend. I decided I had to let it go and stop being a perfection.

This is my first time doing a vision board. I normally write goals in a notebook at the beginning of the year but I wanted to try something different. My problem hasn't been determining my goals. My problem has been motivation.

As I started working on this, my plan was to cut out pictures but I found myself gravitated to words and phrases so I went with it. Honestly, I'm surprised to say that it has been helpful. That's part of the reason I had to get it off my worktable and on to the wall so I could look at it everyday.

How are you motivating yourself towards goals?

Haul: Soaptopia

2012-02-07T09:00:00.000-05:00

Here's where it pays to sign up for all these coupon deals...I got all this for $7 from Soaptopia!!!

Divine Creamsicle - A cool creamy blend of Orange & Vanilla

Ms. Afro D. Sheack - This Sweet Scented Soap is Our Aphrodisiac. Promise & Passion. Citrus & Lavender Essential Oils, Black Tea with dried Wild Flowers

Rozilla vs. Dryskinea - Madagascar Vanilla and Rose Essential Oil with monstrous moisturizing power.

Creme Vanilla - An elegant handmade soap with all natural shea butter and rich Madagascar Vanilla oil

Chai and Catch Me - Cinnamon & Vanilla soap with foamy swirls

Chocolate Makes Me Thorny - Chocolate, Rose and Vanilla Soap with a rich natural scent that smells like LOVE.

Plus two samples!

Now before you go thinking these are some itty bitty bars, let me show you...

Yeah, baby! I need to cut these in half!

How did I score such a deal? I purchased a $40 voucher for $7 on Plum District a few months back. Each of these bars go for about $6.95 so it was a great steal.

Review: Urban Decay Urban Defense Tinted Moisturizer

2012-02-06T21:34:00.002-05:00

I'm always looking for a tinted moisturizer. Unfortunately, I've had no success. Over the holidays, Haute Look had an Urban Decay sale so I picked up the Urban Defense Tinted Moisturizer in the darkest shade, Forcefield.

I normally use Oil of Olay as my moisturizer but I'm looking for something to give me light coverage.

Urban Defense has a pump top which I like but I can already tell from the first glance the color is too light.

Blended on hand. That's not too bad.

Blended on cheek. Also not too bad.

But here's the problem. In different lighting, I look gray. This picture is taken in natural light. The test pictures are taken in artificial light. Also for a moisturizer, it feels a bit heavy.

I'm not sure Urban Defense is still available. I couldn't find it on the UD site but I would have to pass on buying it again. For now, I will keep it for days when I will be indoors in soft lighting.

Review: Victoria's Secret VS Pro Lasting FX Eye Shadow Primer

2012-02-06T21:21:00.000-05:00

I'm always on the lookout for a good eye primer or base. I had a $10 coupon for Victoria's Secret and decided to take advantage of it. I picked up VS Pro Lasting FX Eye Shadow Primer.

To test its durability, I swatched it against Urban Decay Primer Potion and Too Faced Shadow Insurance

From top to bottom: Too Faced Shadow Insurance, Urban Decay Primer Potion, and VS Pro Lasting FX Eye Shadow Primer

MAC Eyeshadow in Humid lightly swatched.

Six hours later after using my hands and repeated dishwashing and rubbing.

I did heavier swatching on Christmas Day, but lost the photos when my computer crashed. In my original swatches, the eyeshadow lasted until the next morning on all three primers. The order being Urban Decay in first place, VS Pro Lasting FX Eye Shadow Primer in second place, and Too Faced Shadow Insurance dead last.

So as you can tell, I really liked the VS Pro Lasting FX Eye Shadow Primer. Long lasting and good for bringing out color. I didn't really like MAC Humid until I tried this primer under it. Also for $12, its a nice alternative to UDPP.

Doing the Purge...of your closet, of course!!!!

2012-01-24T21:20:00.000-05:00

When I started on the style rediscovery journey, my main issue was that I didn't feel like I looked like myself. Most of the time, I headed out the door in what was comfortable...what was was clean...what was quick. There's nothing necessarily wrong with dressing this way if you have the right pieces in your wardrobe.

My problem was I had all the wrong pieces. Most of the items in my closet were not reflective of my sense of style. They were random buys. I bought it because it was on sale. I bought it because I needed it for a function. I bought it because it was my size, etc. Does this sound familiar to some of you?

This is so not my closet. If only I were this neat...

So how do we work on this problem? We have to do a closet purge. It's painful but its worth it. I suggest you purge on a day when you don't have other pressing issues. You need some time...a lot of time...and maybe caffeine and sugar or maybe alcohol. No wait! You need a clear head so no alcohol.

Here's some other things you need.

A full length mirror
A clean space to lay out your clothes
Trash bags

My mom used to make us purge toys and clothing on a seasonal basis so I follow the same format I learned as a kid. Everything and I mean everything comes out of the closet! Don't pause to look at anything. Just place them on the bed or wherever you have designated as your clean area.

Part I - Make your piles
You will be making the following three piles: Keep It, Give It, and Trash It
Go through each item of your closet. Go on first impressions. If you love it, it hits the Keep It pile. Hate it, the Give It pile. If the arms are falling off or moths have taken up residence, it hits the Trash It pile.

Part II - Sorting your Keep It pile
Next, I want you to start sorting through your Keep It pile and ask yourself some questions:

Does it fit? Don't hold onto a dress you wore when you were two sizes smaller two years ago. The same goes for anything too big. Let them go. Also don't make assumptions about the size listed in the garment. Try it on. This is where your full length mirror comes in. I can wear anything from an 18 to a 28. If I'm really in love with something hanging in the closet that says size 18, I try it on to make sure it still works for me.
Does it wear well? This is a little different than the above. This is about how the clothes move on your body. For example, I had an electric blue miniskirt that I loved. When I put in on, I looked fantastic but there were two problems. I couldn't walk in it because the skirt would rise up as I moved and I couldn't sit in it because it would hike up to the point of indecency. So unless I planned on standing in place all night, it had to go.
Does it have stains that can't be washed out? Ever wear a shirt thinking no one can see that oil stain from the pizza you had two weeks ago? I'm guilty of this. On my first date with my ex beau, he mentioned I had a stain on my shirt. I knew the oil stain didn't come out in the wash. I hoped it wouldn't be noticeable. It was. Sometimes you have to let garments go or re-purpose them. That shirt became a shirt I wore while crafting. Quick tip: Before you toss it in the wash, check out Good Housekeeping's Stain Buster for some ideas to get that garment clean.
Is it in disrepair? Can it be fixed? You know that jacket hanging in your closet that's missing a button? The shoe with the broken buckle? The purse with the broken strap? Before you junk it, figure out if you fix it. If its beyond your scope of knowledge, visit your neighborhood dry cleaner or cobbler. And please don't think you can wear that blouse with a safety pin and no one notices. We all noticed. We're all pitching in to buy you a needle and thread.
Is it dated? This is a tricky one. Sometimes things come back in style but lets face it...the acid wash bomber jacket I had in high school is NEVER coming back in style. Even if it did, would I wear it?

Now, from your Keep It pile, you should have some strong contenders for your wardrobe. Hang up everything that doesn't need to be repaired or cleaned back in the closet out of sight. Everything that needs to be repaired or cleaned, place in bags labeled for cleaning and repair and place that in the closet too. Whatever needs to be trashed, toss in your original Trash It pile. Whatever can be given away add to the Give It pile.

Wow, that took some time! I told you it was painful.

Part III - Tackling your Give It pile
Fold the items to be given away. Examine each carefully and discard anything that should go in the trash bag.

Part IV - Take Out The Trash
Simple enough.

Part V - What do you do with the Give It pile
I'll talk about that later this week. For now, place everything in one of your unused trash bags.

Any questions so far?

A Day Short of a Month

2012-01-20T16:52:00.000-05:00

My 2nd big chop anniversary is less than a month away and my hair has reached that length where every male relative starts a conversation with,

"Please, tell me you're not going to cut your hair again."

4th day of a braid out

It's such a silly thing.

Review: Alba Botanica Leave-In Conditioner

2012-01-18T12:56:00.003-05:00

Alba Botanica Leave-In Conditioner: The first of a few conditioners I purchased before the end of the year from Vitacost.com

I've been noticing Alba on the shelves at Rite Aid for awhile now. I discovered with my last foray into Vitacost shopping that I could purchase Alba cheaper there.

My thoughts: It's a nice medium weight conditioner. Heavy enough to use under a light gel but light enough to use as a styler alone. I did get some tangles but I've noticed as I get closer to my 2nd big chop anniversary that is the norm. I would not use under a heavy styler like Kinky Curly Curling Custard but I could see leaving this under a cream based styler for wash and gos. This could really shine in warmer months.

For now, its just not moisturizing enough in winter weather and it has a tendency to leave little white balls in the hair if you air dry. My other complaint is personal. I seem to be flying through product lately and this was just not enough conditioner for me.

We are experiencing technical difficulties..

2012-01-04T13:13:00.000-05:00

I knew it was coming. My laptop was getting slower and slower. Born in 2006, I had re-installed Windows twice in the past three years. I knew it needed a major overhaul but who wants to take the time involved in re-installing Windows. Ugh!!

So this weekend it kept freezing and Tuesday I came home to this message:

ERROR LOADING OPERATING SYSTEM>

No, no, no!!!!

So I decided to re-install Windows once again. Unfortunately, it also reformatted my hard drive so I've lost everything from 2011. (I don't save much to my hard drive since I have an external TB drive.)

The good news: Since my laptop is reformatted its a blank slate so it should run much better. The bad news: I will have no idea what I lost until I need it and that sucks!!!

Oh well, it will take me a few days to get all my programs re-installed and the pictures I had for a few reviews will have to be re-shot so my posts I had planned are up in the air.

It could be worse. At least got it working cause I can't afford a new computer. At least I can fix it myself. And at least I'm not in school so I don't have to stress homework. Plus, I can use my Nook or my daughter's laptop to surf the web, if necessary. I also have a neglected iMac sitting in the den if worse comes to worse.

Faces of the Day: Variations on a Theme

2011-12-28T15:45:00.001-05:00

Both of these faces are pretty similar with subtle differences: Both are built around MAC Eyeshadow in Humid and Wet N' Wild Mega Liner Liquid Eyeliner in Black.

Christmas Eve: I wanted a little color since I had to go out on errands

Products Used:

Face: Urban Decay Urban Defense Tinted Moisturizer in Forcefield
Blush: Mary Kay Signature Blush in Brick
Eye Primer: VS Pro Lasting FX Eye Shadow Primer
Eyeshadow: MAC Eyeshadow in Humid
Eyeliner: Wet N' Wild Mega Liner Liquid Liner in Black
Lips: NYX Round Lipgloss in Apricot

Christmas Day: Wanted to try a nude lip. I figured since I would be home I didn't have to worry if it didn't work. Every time I try a nude lip, I look kind of crackhead-ish.

Products Used:

Face: Urban Decay Urban Defense Tinted Moisturizer in Forcefield
Blush: Rock and Republic Blush in Shameless
Eye Primer: VS Pro Lasting FX Eye Shadow Primer
Eyeshadow: MAC Eyeshadow in Humid
Eyeliner: Wet N' Wild Mega Liner Liquid Liner in Black
Lipcolor: NYX Round Lipgloss in Apricot over Wet N' Wild Color Icon Lipliner in Willow

Polish Pretty: Sally Nansen Complete Manicure in Black Platinum

2011-12-28T15:27:00.001-05:00

This reminds me a lot of Zoya's Loredonna and Orly's Iron Butterfly but its much darker and not matte.

Buy one, get one free on Crocs (Sale items) plus free shipping!

2011-12-12T22:03:00.002-05:00

There's only a few hours left!!! I just ordered new boots for my daughter and me for $59.99 shipped. The boots are $79.99 regular price. There's shoes, clogs, boots, and more. Go run, buy!!! Crocs.com

P.S. Be sure to go through ebates to get 8% back.

30% off Everything at Accessorize

2011-12-09T15:15:00.001-05:00

http://www.accessorize-usa.com

What I'm Pinning: Kurt Geiger Shoes

2011-12-09T14:44:00.001-05:00

I guess I've been getting emails from Kurt Geiger for about two years now but I don't remember why I signed up. I just delete them and keep it moving. Today is the first day I really looked at the selection.

O
M
G!

How could I miss these?

And I love that they sell more than stilettos. Us heel challenged ladies like pretty shoes too. You can check out what else I'm pinning by following my Pinterest or you can visit Kurt Geiger directly.

Igigi's Kaori Infinity Dress

2011-12-08T10:16:00.001-05:00

I had to share this email with you.

This is BOSS!

I love the concept of the convertible dress but I've always been hesitant to buy one. This however is going on my 2012 wishlist. While I do find the other popular plus size convertible dress to be stunning, this is more me. The sex appeal is more subtle. I really hope Yuliya makes this dress in more colors in the future.

New Eye Palettes at Black Opal Beauty!

2011-12-08T09:40:00.001-05:00

You can normally find Black Opal Beauty in the makeup section at most major drugstores. These palettes however are an online exclusive. I received an email this morning with a gorgeous picture that peeped my interest.

Hana's Pot of Gold

Light up your eyes and create various looks with this color-coordinated collection of warm shades of gold and bronze. Mineral-based formula reflects light away from fine lines and dark circles while vitamins A, C, and E condition and protect eyelids. Jet-milled pigments create a smooth velvet finish and blend easily. Won't crease or fade. Oil-free, dye-free, talc-free. Hypoallergenic.

Brookell's Silver Platter

Emphasize your eyes by playing up the contrast between muted mattes and bright minerals with this color-coordinated silver collection. Mineral-based formula reflects light away from fine lines and dark circles while matte formula creates a smooth, wrinkle free surface. Vitamins A,C, and E condition and protect eyelids. Jet-milled pigments create a smooth velvet finish and blend easily. Won't crease or fade. Oil-Free, dye-free, talc-free. Hypoallergenic.

I'm not crazy about the makeup application in the vids but I think it gives you some good inspiration. You can find both eye palettes at BlackOpalBeauty.com.

The 12 Days of Christmas with Cush Cosmetics!

2011-12-06T20:31:00.001-05:00

I'm happy to share Cush Cosmetics' 12 Days of Christmas with you. Sign up for Cush Cosmetics newsletter and each day, you' ll receive and email with a special offer or gift for you to keep or re-gift to that special someone on your list.

Today's deal:
A free 2 oz. bottle of Pure Organic Argan Oil -a $25.00 value . That's right, with a purchase of $45.00 or more, you'll receive a gift of 97% Pure Organic Argan Oil, which was rated a favorite on Naturallycurly.com for the month of July 2011. You'll also receive complimentary free shipping, as well. Hurry, this offer is only good until midnight on Tuesday, December 6, 2011.

Flat Twist and Roll on Straightened Hair

2011-12-05T20:45:00.001-05:00

I didn't have many rollers in the house so I set my hair in flat twists with rollers on the end.

Rollers out in a.m.

Unfortunately, it was damp outside today so my hair was cottony by the time I got to work.

So a quick twist in the crown and a hair clip saved the day.

So about that InStyler?

2011-12-05T20:26:00.001-05:00

I know you may be wondering about that straight haired woman in my avatar. It's me. No I didn't get a relaxer. I asked my mom for an InStyler for Christmas. Since it came early, I decided to try it out.

I washed Saturday night with Silicon Mix Bamboo Shampoo, followed up with the Silicon Mix Bamboo Conditioner. Garnier Fructic Sleek and Shine Leave In before braiding with a dab of NjoiCreations Ayurvedic Butter.

Sunday morning, I took my braids down and added alittle Smooth 'N Shine Silk 'N Sleek Heat Protect Straighten Polish before heading to the laundromat. Came back and did this...

I will say I'm impressed. I don't get great results when flat ironing and I usually have to blow dry my hair then flat iron to get decent results. I used the InStyler on air dried hair. I will have to play with a bit more but I can see using this sometime. Other than that, I'm surprised at how much hair is on my head. I don't think its been this full since college. It's definitely grown since I straightened my hair in March.

Knock, knock, its housekeeping

2011-12-05T16:36:00.001-05:00

You may notice some changes around here. The blog needed an update. I hope you enjoy the new look. Things you may be interested in.

My new email is me @ projectdanielle.com.
I'm planning contests for the new year.
I'm looking for bloggers who would be interested in another blog hop for January 2012.
I'm looking for guest bloggers. Submit me an idea. I really would like to do some round table reviews on products.
If you're not following me on Pinterest, you're insane. My boards are hot! Especially the shoes. Go check it out. Its not like I'm enabling you or anything. Ha, ha ha!
Psst! I hear Google Connect is going bye-bye so you can subscribe to my blog by entering your email address to the right or following me on any of the following:

Holiday Deals: Hair Products

2011-11-18T15:13:00.000-05:00

I didn't want this post to get lost so I moved it:

http://www.projectdanielle.com/p/holiday-deals-hair.html

Updated on November 22 with new sales!

Pre Holiday Deals: Just My Size

2011-11-18T13:28:00.001-05:00

I know you're all waiting for Black Friday but there's some deals popping up this week. Pay attention to your email. Just My Size has a buy one get one free deal in their clearance section for today only. I picked up two cardigan sweaters in red and black for $14.99. I like layers. I can see this not just worn like you see below but belted with a silk tee peeking out.

Plus, I tipped on over to Retail Me Not for a $1.99 shipping promo. Total cost: $16.98

Yeah, that's how I like to start my holiday...

Annual Update: It's only two months overdue!

2011-11-18T13:24:00.001-05:00

Two years into the mix and I'm still here!!!

September 2009

September 2010

October 2011

Life has slowed down a bit since I started blogging in September 2009. I'm now a proud holder of my Master of Science, graduated May 2011. Still doing database work and now getting back to work on my stationery/gift biz, Collective Elements. The kid is blossoming into a tween. Ugh, she'll be ten in three months!! She wants to start a fashion blog so she can post Outfits of the Day. Um...little bit, you wear a uniform to school every day!

I'm still on a journey. I've been slacking...I admit it. I haven't worn makeup regularly for months. I wear the same outfits all the time.

Why?

After graduation, I kind of hit a slump. Hence, the lack of regular posting but I'm going to get on top of it. I have to...I'm looking for a new gig to put that shiny new degree to work. I can't make a good first impression if I'm backsliding on my style.

So here we go again...

The circumstances are the same...I have to do it on my own, wisely, and on a budget.

So jump in with the reboot...

My Stats:
Birthday: March 29 (Aries, baby!)

State: New Jersey outside NYC

Occupation: Mama, techie, artist, and student (I keep busy.)

Height: 5'3 (and three quarters)

Size/Shape: Roughly 22 in pants sometimes 24, and anywhere from 22 to 26 in tops and dresses. Still hourglass shaped.

Hair: Currently a little past shoulder length. My last relaxer was in December 2009. My big chop was February 19, 2010 so we are cruising into Year Two of being natural. I do dye my hair about four times a year. Most of the time, I color with semi-permanent.

Favorite Colors: Red (of course), orange, blue, green, yellow

Favorite Shoes: Anything mary jane, t-strap, peep toe, or a combo of all three **squeals**

Favorite Facial feature: It's a toss up between my eyes and my smile. I have very big eyes and a tiny mouth with good cheekbones.

Favorite Makeup label: Bobbi Brown, NARS, Maybelline, Cover Girl but I mix it up. I have to be careful though, I have allergies and sensitive skin.

Favorite Clothing label: I mix it up. I buy what I like so it can be high end, low end, indie or big label.

Favorite flower: Gerbera Daisies

Keeping It Personal

2011-11-03T15:52:00.001-04:00

I am a broke joke this week but when I spotted vintage name bracelets by Diament Designs on Refinery 29, I had to go take a look. Of course, there's no "Danielle" but there's this.

So perfect for the little miss!

So a little Christmas shopping done on the fly. My daughter's really getting into jewelry so I'm sure she will adore this. Plus, it was less than $12 shipped. (There's a coupon code on Refinery. Click the link.)

Artsy Fartsy Stuff with the kid

2011-11-03T15:45:00.001-04:00

I'm artsy and my daughter's artsy. I'm trying to help develop her technique. I admit my formal training is limited in certain disciplines. For example: painting. My painting instruction is limited to the Joy of Painting with Bob Ross. Before you laugh, I know I can't be the only one making happy trees.

My daughter had to make a diorama of the tundra for class. So guess who decided to make it into a painting lesson?

Painted with acrylic paint in a Payless shoe box. (Yeah, we recycle/reuse/remix like that)

It took about a week to complete. I think it came out pretty well considering she doesn't paint often and I didn't help (take over) too much. I let her choose the colors and basically just defined things a bit when she went off track. For example, she picked turquoise blue for the sky. I softened it by adding the clouds by dabbing on white paint with a crumpled paper towel.

October 29, 2011? Really?

2011-11-01T21:34:00.001-04:00

Just some pics from the neighborhood this past Saturday when we got hit with an early Nor'easter.