Rhinestone Religion

Rhinestone Religion has moved!

2013-06-03T00:22:00.000-05:00

Click here for Rhinestone Religion's new home!

After a long semester and a lot of work, I've finally moved Rhinestone Religion to Wordpress! Some feeds should have updated automatically, but go ahead and check out RhinestoneReligion.com and make sure you're subscribed through your preferred service to keep getting updates, especially now that Google Reader is shut down.

I'm looking forward to seeing you all at my blog's new home!

Lexi

Changing Things Up

2013-04-27T11:36:00.000-05:00

Hello, lovelies. I need to touch base with you as there are a few announcements I've been meaning to make for a while, so let's hop to it!

Temporary Semi-Hiatus
So, it's getting to be crunch time for the semester for me. The good news I have like, one final exam. The bad news is that in place of those final exams I have; a 10 page research paper, a ginormous project which involves having to interview city officials, a literary analysis, directing and rehearsing a 10-minute play and creating a prompt script for said play among a few other tiny assignments all due in the next two weeks. Between all that jazz and filming the The Look, I'm a very busy bee and just don't have enough time to dedicate to blogging at the moment.

More good news though: I really, really love blogging and being away from it bums me out big time. School is going to be my priority for the the next few weeks, but I'll try to squeeze in a post here and there if I find the time, just understand class is my priority at the moment. Once all that is cleared out of the way though, it's smooooth sailing.

I'm moving to a new apartment!
This is only sorta kinda blog relevant but I'm super duper excited because my new place is a lot bigger, nicer (I get a balcony, woo) and I have space for an office. The process of moving will also bite into my bloggy time as well, but this will be going down during the time I'm taking a break anyway. Plus, having a dedicated space to "work" tends to help get my creative juices flowing freely, so I'm excited for what I'll come up with when I'm in a nicer space.

Moving to Wordpress and Possible Name Change
When I first began planning to even start a blog, I faced a decision virtually every newbie blogger these days faces: Blogspot or Wordpress? I really, truly wanted to start with Wordpress right from the get-go but I ended up using Blogspot because I had dabbled in it before and because of the prominence of Google Friend Connect, which is not available on Wordpress blogs. I'll admit I'm not entirely sure how the closing of Google Reader will affect subscribers on Google Friend Connect, but I've come to the conclusion that if I'm going to have to start changing strategies anyway I may as well move to a more professional platform in the process. So, in the near future I will be moving to a self-hosted Wordpress format.

Which brings me to a second point. Moving platforms is an ideal time to set into motion another tweak (albeit a major one) I've been tossing around in my brain for a while now. I'm not entirely happy with the name Rhinestone Religion. Initially, it was supposed to be tongue-in-cheek but now I'm finding myself wanting to distance my blog from anything even remotely related to the concept of religion. I just don't like the undertone it gives off; it feels unprofessional and maybe even potentially offensive, especially as a decidedly secular individual.

My goals with the name change is to retain as much of what I've established under the current name as possible. So far the best candidate is "Rhinestone Roses;" I get to keep my weird obsession with alliteration involved, I can keep the RR logo/watermark, I have a penchant for florals and I should be able to maintain some level of brand recognition with it, though I'm exploring other possibilities.

Summary, TL;DR, etc.
♥ I'm taking a two week break from blogging regularly to focus on my hectic end of the semester work
♥ I'm moving to a new apartment, which is not entirely blog related but I'm excited!
♥ Rhinestone Religion may be undergoing a name change...
♥ ... but will definitely be moved to Wordpress in the near future
♥ Everything else like content and style will remain the same -- or if anything, be new and improved!

Thank so much for sticking with me, I appreciate everyone who has taken an interesting my blog more than I can possibly express. I know I have a great community of readers, many of whom are fellow bloggers and many of you can relate to the constant desire to bring your blog to the next level, so I ask for your understanding. Sometimes life gets in the way.

Also, if you've had any experience moving platforms or changing names, I'd love to hear any advice you have to give.

21st Birthday

2013-04-22T23:09:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone! Today was my 21st birthday. I just thought I'd make a quick post to share some of the highlights.

I can hardly believe what my boyfriend got me -- these gorgeous Prada baroque sunglasses that I've been lusting over since the first time I saw them in a magazine spread. I saw a girl wearing them when we were in Puerto Rico and that was the first time it actually struck me that people could actually buy them. I mean, it's not like I didn't know that, I'm just so used to flipping through magazines and seeing a barrage of designer items that I'd never be able to actually own that I start to gloss over the more reasonably priced pieces after a while.

I didn't have time to do it myself, so I asked the boyfriend to snap a quick picture of my outfit before we met some friends for dinner. He's not very good at photography (despite my insistence that all the best style bloggers have photographer boyfriends) and seemed to think that the picture was more about showing off his car than my clothes... My shoes aren't that exciting anyway, black leather pumps. Just use your imagination!

Kinda sucks that my 21st was on a Monday (and I had an exam in the morning) but I'm not too big on partying most of the time anyway so I don't mind waiting until the weekend to celebrate a bit more.

Thanks for reading!

Sunday Link Love 04.21.13

2013-04-21T11:38:00.000-05:00

♥ 10 Reasons Skirts Are Better Than Pants

♥ Great piece which expresses the nuances of wearing makeup.

♥Super helpful advice for giving your blog a DIY makeover for my fellow bloggers

♥Fashion Philosophy: Coco Chanel

♥I want to make a fancy friendship bracelet.

♥This list of untranslatable words from other languages is soo cool!

New Pretty Spring Dresses

2013-04-18T19:57:00.000-05:00

I'm so excited that the snow has finally melted (even though we did get a few flurries last week...) and I thought I'd share with you guys a few of the dresses I've recently bought in preparation for Spring weather.

This gorgeous yellow eyelet lace dress I purchased at The Limited. I was immediately drawn to the cheery, bright color and the 50s-esque silhouette when I spotted it on the rack. I held it up to my shoulders and excitedly asked my boyfriend what he thought of it.

He said it looked like cheese.

Though I suffered a crushing moment where I feared I would never be able to unsee the cheesiness, I resolved not to let his offhand comment bother me.

I fell in love with the dress after trying it on. I'm on the bustier side, so I have a problem with button-gaping when it comes to off the rack pieces but this lace dress is incredibly flattering. Instead of buttoning all the way up, it comes to a V-neck midway across the chest, which is quite becoming on well endowed ladies. I can button it all the way up with zero worries about showing more skin than intended. This is a perfect dress for women with large chests who like a vintage look.

I forgot to mention: not to be discouraged by my skeptical boyfriend, I have henceforth referred to it as "the cheese dress." Put me next to Lady Gaga and we could be a walking meat and cheese platter.

This blue floral sundress is from Tommy Hilfiger. It struck me while I was shopping that 13 year old me would be so weirded out by the prospect of shopping there because, y'know, that's a prep store. I was super non-conformist and exclusively bought clothes at Hot Topic because it like, expressed how different I was. Or something. I don't know.

I just self-cringed a little. That was a dark time in my life, let us not speak of it further.

Anyway, I think this dress would look gorgeous with the big white straw sunhat I bought for Puerto Rico (but never ended up wearing because of the wind, boo.) Can't wait for the rain to let up so I can give it a whirl!

I'm ashamed to admit it, but as much as I adore vintage and retro styles I rarely ever go thrifting. It's a combination of feeling overwhelmed by the generally disorganized racks and feeling discouraged because of the aforementioned bust issue.

When I decided on a whim to go to Atomic Katz, a local vintage store my discouragement was only reaffirmed as I zipped up gorgeous dresses with ease... right up until mid-ribcage when it became apparent there would be no closing them up without taking some very drastic measures.

This mint dress was the only one I had zero issue with, and strangely enough it's another with buttons. Since this is one of the first vintage missions I've come back from successfully, I'm itching to search for more shops around my area and hopefully expand my vintage wardrobe.

What have you bought for Spring? Tell me in the comments!

Link Love 04.14.13

2013-04-14T13:51:00.000-05:00

Don't forget that Google Reader will be shutting down June 10th. Follow Rhinestone Religion on Bloglovin' to make sure you keep getting updates.

♥ 6 Life Lessons We Learned from Girls -- Okay, so confession time. I avoided watching Girls for a long time until my boyfriend got me into it. We just finished the second season and while I'm not borderline obsessive like I am with Game of Thrones, I have to admit it's pretty alright. I can definitely relate to a lot of what the characters on Girls go through. I cannot relate to being an exiled princess with three dragons in tow.
♥ Some basic etiquette for your online life, because manners count on the internet too!
♥ In the same vein, here are some tips for balancing sponsored content in posts and ethics.
♥ The Pros and Cons of Bras -- Apparently bras actually make your boobs saggier. Sadface.
♥ Miranda Kerr is no longer a Victoria's Secret angel. My feelings toward Miranda Kerr have always been something between girlcrush and blinding jealousy of her ability to somehow be adorable and sexy at the same time.

4 Best Products for Looking Glamorous On Vacation

2013-04-12T19:57:00.000-05:00

It's only been a few weeks since I came back from Puerto Rico, but I'm already daydreaming about where I'll go next. One problem with traveling is trying to reconcile the hyper-romantic image I have in my head of looking like a celebrity jetsetting around the globe in style with... y'know, reality.

All things considered though, the majority of my trip I felt satisfactorily glamorous without sacrificing too much comfort or practicality and it's all thanks to these few items I was savvy enough to bring with me. Take a look at what I couldn't have lived without on my vacation and let me know what you always pack for your trips!

1. A Big, Beautiful Bag

One of my most vivid memories of traveling as a child with my grandma was her giant blue totebag that she'd bring on the plane with her. As a kid, it seemed like that bag had everything you could possibly ever need on a trip; ways to keep me entertained, snacks, extra batteries, whatever I needed was loaded into that ugly wind-breaker material tote bag. For some reason I specifically remember finding a banana at the bottom during a long flight and being the happiest kid in the world.

I wanted to hold onto that feeling of being prepared for anything by getting my own huge bag, just a more stylish one. I found the perfect bag at Aldo. It's deceptively roomy, with a main storage area, a zipper pocket inside, cell phone pocket, and then two zipper compartments on the front and back which were perfect for keeping my magazines and electronics stored separately. The coral color was gorgeous in the tropical weather, and the damned thing took one Hell of a beating being dragged all across Puerto Rico with me but it's still holding up great! I cannot gush enough about how much I love this bag.

2. Blister Relief

I bought Dr. Scholl's Rub Relief Stick on a whim while doing some last minute shopping shopping before the big day. At only about $6 and knowing I was bringing a few pairs of shoes with me that had yet to be broken in, I figured it wouldn't hurt to give it a try.

I'm so glad I took the risk, because I don't want to imagine what my trip to Puerto Rico would have been like without this! I was able to wear a pair of brand new, strappy wedges for hours a time. The key with this product is to put it on before anything starts to hurt, though. I just put on my shoes, took a few steps around with them to figure out where the problem spots were going to be, applied the product where needed and I was A-okay -- no ugly sneakers for me. Definitely don't go sight seeing without this one!

3. Waterproof Mascara

The thing about going on a tropical vacation is the opportunity to go swimming could present itself at any minute and chances are you're not going to want to pass it up. Unfortunately, impromptu dips in the pool are out of the question if you did your makeup earlier and want to avoid looking like you walked off the set of The Crow.

Normally when I go on vacation I keep my makeup pretty minimal. I don't want to waste too much time getting ready in the morning, and mascara is one of those products that can instantly make you like 5 times better so I keep it as one of my morning routine priorities. Getting your favorite in waterproof or water resistant is a great compromise while on vacation. My personal favorite is Covergirl's Clump Crusher, I wore it every day of my trip (even when snorkeling!) and never had a problem.

4. Tinted Moisturizer

On the topic of keeping makeup simple, my second priority after mascara is foundation. Out in the sun, I don't want anything that's going to be heavy or feel sticky so a tinted moisturizer with SPF is a fantastic way to get a little extra coverage.

I got a sample of this Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer on my last trip to Sephora. The small sample size was perfect for travel and the coverage was better than I expected from a tinted moisturizer and I felt like it layered well with sunblock.

What are your secrets for looking fabulous while traveling? Tell me in the comments!

Lavender & Glitter Manicure

2013-04-08T19:37:00.001-05:00

Don't forget that Google Reader will be shutting down June 10th. Follow Rhinestone Religion on Bloglovin' to make sure you keep getting updates.

Something about having well-groomed hands makes everything I do feel so much more elegant. Even if I'm doing something nasty like cleaning the toilet, it makes me feel like at least I'm cleaning the toilet with class.

Unfortunately I was cursed with brittle nails and the overwhelming desire to pick at my cuticles during long lectures, which makes it nigh impossible to have beautiful natural nails.

Enter gel nails, which I've had on/off for the last few years. I won't lie, they can be a massive pain in the ass to maintain and expensive, but they make me feel so good about myself that it's usually an expense I'm willing to pay.

I do have a problem however with being daring when it comes to my nails. I almost always default to the classic french look. It's elegant and I never have to worry about it clashing with something I'm wearing. But after spending a few hours in the nail salon watching other clients who unabashedly will get neon orange nails with green tips (something I would never, ever do) I've started trying to dip my toe into less conventional manicures.

Today's mani was a big step for me, because I had them painted lavender with pink glitter, which is kind of depressingly still really basic... but at least I'm making an attempt at stepping out of my comfort zone. They look refreshingly spring-like, so at least they're seasonally appropriate! I provided both of the colors myself, both are Essie and are called "Bond With Whomever" (Lavender) and "A Cut Above" (glitter.)

I'm scouring Pinterest as we speak trying to find some new inspiration for future polish. What are your digits currently colored? Tell me in the comments!

Link Love 04.07.13

2013-04-07T12:33:00.000-05:00

Don't forget that Google Reader will be shutting down June 10th. Follow Rhinestone Religion on Bloglovin' to make sure you keep getting updates.

♥ 18 Trends That Died in 2012 ... I can honestly say I have never really liked any of these. Either I'm really un-trendy or I'm ahead of the curve.

♥ Did you catch the season premier of Game of Thrones? Here are 12 Game of Thrones House Sigils for the Internet

♥ This was a really interesting read about blogging to "look good" vs. personal style. I definitely think it's a little bit of both for me; like most people I want to look as good as I can when I post pictures to my blog and I steer clear from anything I think is ugly or frumpy (even if it's trendy) but my style is already very feminine and classic.

♥ The 6 New Style Types -- I think I'm a mix of the Francophile and the Mad Men Extra. What about you?

♥ This advice on how to move is going to be very helpful to me in about a month.

I'm on TV!

2013-04-03T13:21:00.000-06:00

Exciting news! I've been co-hosting a beauty and fashion talk show on my university's television channel. Unfortunately, it's only available on television in the Fox Valley area of Wisconsin, but feel free to "like" The Look on Facebook to get updates on web uploads!

Here I am with my co-host, Pang right after shooting our second episode yesterday. Neither of us had done any television work before, so our first shoot was a little rough but we were able to power through out second episode and do almost everything in one take.

I'm really excited to get involved with something style related on campus. Small college towns in the Midwest aren't exactly known for being fashion hubs, but I'm glad to be able to help promote the small local community that we do have. Unfortunately, it does eat into my blogging time a tad but I try to make time when I can.

Quick Note: Google Reader will be shutting down on June 1st. Make sure to update your subscription to Rhinestone Religion through Bloglovin' or another reader of your choice!

Pictures from Puerto Rico

2013-03-25T21:24:00.000-06:00

Hey everyone! I got back from Puerto Rico on Friday, but I had to work the rest of the weekend so I took a couple more days off. Big thanks to Willow of Willow's World for contributing a guest post while I was gone!

This also happens to be Rhinestone Religion's 100th post, so take a quick second to give me a little clap and a "yay!" Anyway, I thought I'd share a couple of my favorite pictures from the trip to get back into the swing of things. Enjoy!

Monday

Unfortunately, things didn't really go as planned for us on Monday. We had wanted to take the ferry to Culebra island, but it was full so we went to Vieques instead. Then, it started to rain and the waves were choppy so we weren't able to go snorkeling like we had intended. We walked up and down the beach though, and ate at a local restaurant and bar and just enjoyed the warm weather and relaxing atmosphere.

Candid picture of me eating. Cute, right? /sarcasm

I do however, find this picture of my boyfriend eating to be the cutest thing ever.

We also weren't able to do the Bioluminescent Bay tour, which is one of the big attractions in Puerto Rico. The bay on the main island was booked up through the week, and we couldn't stay until dark on Vieques because the ferry back left at 6PM -- Oh well, I guess it's just an excuse to go back!

Tuesday

Tuesday we took a snorkeling trip with East Wind Excursions. I didn't get too many pictures from the actual trip since we were mostly in the water. I was a little disappointed with it to be honest, it was sold as a snorkeling trip but we were only able to go for about 30 minutes before getting called back to the boat for lunch and heading off to another beach where there weren't any reefs to snorkel in. We basically went on a very long beach trip on a small island. Even when things weren't going as planned though, I tried to remind myself "At least I'm in Puerto Rico."

Wednesday

Thankfully things started to go more smoothly towards the end of the trip! Wednesday we went to Old San Juan, a more historic area of Puerto Rico. The streets were narrow, hilly and cobblestone and the houses all packed together. It definitely had a little bit of a European feel to it.

Most of the day was spent exploring Castillo de San Cristobal, one of Old San Juan's two fortresses. Historic sites are some of my favorite places to visit when I travel, even if it does get a little tourist-y. It's so cool to think about how many people have been where you're standing and how long ago. And it being a fortress, thinking about how many people have died right there.

These turrets are a pretty iconic image in Puerto Rico, an image just like this is on the license plates!

Also, there are iguanas everywhere. I took a picture pretty much every time we encountered one because the only time I ever see them is in the Zoo. In Puerto Rico, they're like squirrels. The one above is my favorite of my many iguana snaps though, look how majestic that little guy looks!

Second favorite is definitely this next one of this huge sucker we saw by the hotel pool.

I really wanted to wear my new dress that I wore from my last outfit post to Puerto Rico. I didn't realize how windy it was going to be and I had more than one incident where I had to quickly flatten my skirt down to avoid flashing the entirety of Old San Juan my pink lace underwear! Thankfully the boyfriend did a pretty good job of keeping an eye on it for me.

Thursday

Friday we drove to El Yunque rain forest, the only tropical rain forest in the United States. It was absolutely gorgeous, though we only had time to drive through most of it and stop at the landmarks instead of hiking a trail.

Later, we took a second snorkeling trip off of Vieques with much better results. We were able to go for a couple of hours. My boyfriend saw a sea turtle, sting rays and a barracuda, but I wasn't in the right spot at the right time. On the boat ride back to the main island though, we saw a whale come to the surface which was really neat.

La Coca Falls

Even though the trip wasn't without its frustrations (what vacation isn't?) it was such a fun way to spend my Spring Break and I can't wait to do more traveling.

I think my Spring Break was earlier than most people's but did you or are you planning on going anywhere for yours? Tell me in the comments!

A Few of my Favorite Lipsticks [Guest Post]

2013-03-20T13:00:00.000-06:00

Today's guest post is courtesy of Willow of Willow's World where she talks about beauty and makeup related topics, sharing helpful swatches and her favorite products. Be sure to show her some love!

I love wearing bold lip colours, I don’t know when it happened but I suddenly started to love wearing bright pinks, deep vampy colours and sometimes I’ll even try out a bright red or two. This never used to be the case, when I was 15 I never wore anything on my lips but I used to focus on my eyes with brightly coloured eyeshadows and thick, black eyeliner.

From L to R: Revlon Super Lustrous Black Cherry, Revlon Lip Butter Candy Apple, Boots 17 Mirror Shine Lipstick Bolshie, Art Deco Dita Von Teese Collection Shade 645, MAC Amplified Girl About Town, Revlon Balm Stain Smitten and Crush.

I remembered to keep these in the same order as above!

The Art Deco lipstick is definitely the most pigmented lipstick I own but it felt a bit dry when I was swatching compared to Black Cherry which seemed to glide on but still be really pigmented. Candy Apple was the first Revlon Lip Butter I fell in love with after being slightly disappointed by Peach Parfait and Cotton Candy, it’s the perfect sheer red for me. Mirror Shine lipsticks are meant to be sheer but they add a little bit of colour and some shine to your lips. Perfect for when you’re scared to try out a new colour and want something sheer. My lovely fiancé bought me Girl About Town from MAC for my birthday last year since I’d been lusting after it for so long. Revlon Balm Stains are my favourite lip products because they’re a stain and balm combined, I also like to apply them under similar coloured lipsticks for that extra bit of colour. I swear Revlon aren’t paying me, they just have the best lip products!

I slapped on a bit of Candy Apple in this picture to show you why I love it so much, please excuse the fact I still fail at putting lipstick on. Do you have a favourite lipstick? Or maybe you’re more into lipgloss or balms. Leave a comment below telling me what you love.

You can follow Willow on Bloglovin' here!

Adios!

2013-03-17T12:00:00.000-06:00

I'm on my way to Puerto Rico right now! Get updates and pictures from my trip by following me on Twitter and Instagram. I'll be back on the 24th. Have a good spring break. :)

Polka Dot Pink

2013-03-11T11:00:00.000-06:00

We had a bake sale at work to raise money for our Help the Homeless drive yesterday. I wasn't initially supposed to work that night, but I was asked to cover a portion of my co-workers shift so I came in for a few hours.

Everyone decided to wear aprons to go along with the theme, but since I don't own one I thought it would be cute to wear my new dress. I think it gives off a little bit of a 50's housewife baking in the kitchen feel, don't you think?

It's actually a halter dress, so it'll be perfect for Summer and my vacation, but I needed a way to cover it up and make it more work appropriate so I tied a white blouse around it which... kind of gives it a more country-girl vibe but oh well.

Outfit Details

Blouse: The Limited

Dress: Lace Affair

Shoes: Aldo (similar)

Necklace: Vintage

Lace Affair might be my new favorite shop for dresses. I got this one from the site as well, I think they're really reasonably priced for the quality. I know this dress was available on another (ahem, very popular) site for $15 more than I paid for it. Love it when I use my super sleuthing powers to find bargains.

I was a little nervous for it to come because I wasn't entirely sure on my size, but the medium fits like a dream. The hem is just right that it shows a little leg without stopping me from bending over, the waist is exactly the right size and it covers my bust enough that if I were really careful I could probably get away with wearing it without a bra, though I did opt for an adhesive one because I would really, really like avoid wardrobe malfunctions at work.

I'm definitely packing this for Puerto Rico -- can't wait to wear this adorable dress outside without anything over it and it'll look awesome with the white sun hat I picked up for the trip.

Oh yeah, I started tanning for the first time in my life. Notice any difference? Haha.

Link Love 03.10.13

2013-03-10T11:03:00.002-06:00

♥ I really liked this list of the 5 Most Popular Black Tea Blends. I've tried all of them besides the two English varieties, I guess I'll have to do some more shopping!
♥ Also tea related -- Which is Better, Coffee or Tea? Why can't we have both?
♥ How to Pack a Carry On -- I'll have to remember this when I leave next weekend!
♥ Easy ways to get flawless skin, always useful.
♥ My idol, Dita Von Teese, wears the world's first 3D printed dress. And looks even foxier than usual.

One final call for guest posters from the 16th-23rd! Just send me an email here with your idea :)

No Pants, Ever

2013-03-08T14:33:00.001-06:00

Outfit Details

Top: The Limited

Necklace: Express

Skirt: White House Black Market

Shoes: Nine West

Heey, the weather was kinda-warm today! Know what that means? It means Hell if I'm wearing pants.

I got a long-overdue haircut yesterday. The way the layers are shaped right now I thought it would be fun to pretend I have a bob haircut for the day. Here's a not-very-secret secret: I'm really, really bad at doing hair. My strategy is pretty much "Stick pins in it until it looks kinda like what you want it to look like" so... here is my half-assed attempt at faux bob. It probably looks like death from behind, but I couldn't tell you because putting a mirror behind my head while I look at one head-on requires way too much coordination.

Otherwise, keeping it simple. Can't go wrong with white and black.

As a reminder: I'm looking for people to contribute guest posts the week of the 17th! To those of you who already e-mailed me, fret not! I'm off to work right now but I'll get back to you later tonight.

Would You Like to Contribute a Guest Post?

2013-03-07T11:39:00.000-06:00

I think I may have mentioned but -- I'm going to Puerto Rico for Spring Break! As you can imagine, between getting mid-term projects done, studying for pre-break exams and preparing for vacation I've been a busy little bee.

I'll be gone from the 16th through the 23rd -- That's a pretty big chunk of time to be away from my blog, so I'd like to invite anyone who would be interested in writing a guest post to please contact me here.

Contributing a guest post would be a great way to expose your blog to a new audience and build connections with fellow bloggers. And of course, I'd love to return the favor if you ever find yourself away from your blog for any period of time!

If you're a regular reader of Rhinestone Religion, you probably have a pretty good idea of what sort of content is usually featured. Anything from beauty, fashion & style, tea, home decor and DIY to cosplay or other "nerdy" posts would be just peachy. I'm pretty open-minded!

Interested? Send me an e-mail with your idea, I'd love to work with you!

Where the Magic Happens

2013-03-04T15:48:00.001-06:00

This post comes in two flavors! You can either take a look at my traditional post, or scroll down to the bottom where I experimented with video content.

Hey everyone! Today, I'm going to show you where I blog. I have a desk in my bedroom which doubles as my vanity, so it's kind of half makeup storage and half writing instruments, with a dash of inspirational nonsensery.

I had initially intended for the desk to only serve as a vanity, but as I gradually started moving from blogging as a casual hobby to something I took more seriously I decided to allocate some space in the prettiest room in my apartment so I could feel more inspired while I work.

I sit on a pink tufted bench which opens up for more storage space. I don't really like the color of it, it's a much brighter shade of pink than the rest of my room so I've been looking into fabric painting, anyone have any experience with it?

Here's a closer look (with me in my lounging clothes in the mirror... class-ay) I keep my makeup brushes and drawers to the left side of the desk, as well as my palettes that you can see stacked next to the mirror. My organizational binder is open and ready to go -- it's been incredible for keeping track of all the minutia of running a blog. I'm terrible with sticking to a schedule but this cute, customized binder has kept me pretty on track.

I don't have my laptop on the desk for this just because it's not a pretty little Macbook... it's a big, blocky Asus that I got for its gaming capabilities and kinda, y'know, ruins the overall aesthetic. Not every aspect of my life can be pink and dainty, but no one can say I don't try.

I dug up some pretty books that I use for inspiration. The bottom is a book on Chanel's life and the top is The Last Unicorn comic -- the artwork is gorgeous and flipping through it puts me in a whimsical mindset. The movie has been one of my favorites since my childhood and this is my first venture into the world of comics. I've wanted to get into them for a while but for some reason I always felt really unwelcome any time I went to a comic store and never ended up getting anything. I digress...

I keep my prettier makeup on display in a vintage candy tray. I've got everything from my Mor Cosmetic's order in there, as well as a YSL lipstick and a Too Faced lipgloss. I like to bask in my material possessions sometimes, so sue me.

I also have a Baby, The Stars Shine Bright mug (which is a Lolita brand) where I keep pens, highlighters and dry erase markers.

When I change apartments for next school year I'm really hoping I'll have an area I can designate as an "office" and get a desk specifically for blogging with more storage space for books, my binder and my laptop. All of the extras can be distracting sometimes when I'm trying to write, but I definitely think I manage to make due for now.

Bonus Super Fun Exciting News: I acquired a point and shoot recently that has a video function, so I decided to experiment with giving the gist of this post in video form. I honestly had no idea what I was doing, but let me know what you think and I'll try making some videos that involved more foresight than just "Oooh, let's see what this button does!" Enjoy!

This post was submitted to IFB Project #85: Where Do You Blog?

Spring 2013 Wishlist

2013-03-01T17:11:00.000-06:00

// Nail Polish // Sunglasses // Sunhat // Earrings // Gloves // Tote // Sun Dress // Pink Flats // Sleeveless Blouse // Polka Dot Skirt // Coral Blazer // Trench Coat // Hot Pink Pumps //

Looooot of stuff on this wishlist. I feel a little greedy, but Spring is my favorite season for fashion. I've been bitching a lot lately about how the weather is totally cramping my style, and now that it's March I feel like I can finally start looking forward to Spring shopping -- the weather is perfect for light layers, the colors are bright and cheery, floral prints everywhere... whew, I need to sit down before I get too excited.

My personal aesthetic for the season is going to focus on color combinations. I'm really loving black + white + hot pink right now (with polka dots, for good measure) as well as the effortless chic feel of camel + coral. The former is already a pretty gosh darn easy color scheme to pull off for me with what I have in my closet, though the latter is going to take some strategic purchasing.

I actually already have two trench coats; one hot pink and one leopard print, but I somehow haven't procured the staple tan colored trench. How is that even possible? One of my main missions for the season is going to be to add this essential to my wardrobe. Target has great trenches out right now, and they're on the cheaper side for those who are budget conscious and looking to do the same.

Know what else I could really use? Some sleeveless blouses. I layer cardigans and blazers over plain camis quite a bit, but getting a pretty bow-blouse without the bunching sleeves would be much cuter and more comfortable!

Everything else is more icing than cake. I love the look of a pair of dainty gloves with a sundress, and I definitely need a new pair of sunglasses before I go on vacation to Puerto Rico this month (Wooo, Spring Break! Just kidding, I'm not a woo girl.) I also recently rekindled my love affair with quirky rhinestone animal brooches, which are obviously far from being essential but add a little oomph to any outfit.

What are you lusting after this Spring? Tell me in the comments!

February In Review

2013-02-28T12:03:00.001-06:00

February was a big month for Rhinestone Religion -- I posted more than I ever have in a single month, mostly due to my new blog binder and editorial calender. It's kept me motivated and organized, and knowing quite of few of my readers are bloggers themselves I can't wait to share the project with you. It still requires a few tweaks here and there, but there should definitely be a post detailing how I put it together within the next two weeks, so sit tight!

Until then, why not take a look at the rest of the content that was put together in the last month? You never know what you may have missed.

Daily Style:
♥ Red in the Snow
This was my first time wearing colored jeans! Though I would be lying if I said I wasn't dying for dress weather.
♥ My Valentine's Day
The outfit I picked out for my Valentine's Day date with my boyfriend. It went so much better than expected (the outfit, that is!)
♥ Pearls and Studs
Know what you should never do? Buy something from Forever 21 with a million tiny pearls sewn on.

Tea Tuesday:
♥ New Additions
Check out all the tea I added to my collection!
♥ Adagio Hugs and Kisses & Sweet Nothings Review
A review of the themed tea I received as a Valentine's Day gift.
♥ Fava Tea Company
My first impressions of a local tea shop.
♥ Reddit Tea and Coffee Exchange
Just letting everyone know about this exchange, who doesn't love getting mail?

Other:
♥ Mor Cosmetics Haul and Review
A review of Mor Cosmetics, a brand with the most beautiful packaging in existence.
♥ 3 Easy NYFW Beauty Trends to Try
Three on-trend ways to spice up your beauty routine.
♥ Fashion Inspired by Adventure Time II: Fionna and Lumpy Space Princess
Ideas for outfits inspired by the characters from Adventure Time!
♥ Current Beauty Favorites
What I can't live without.
♥ Valentine's Day Gift Guide
A list of prezzies for Valentine's Day.
♥ Valentine's Day Date Outfit Ideas
Cute ideas for ways to dress for Valentine's Day date (or any other day!) from casual to dressy.
♥ February Activity Ideas
Things you could have done in February, but February is over now. Boo.

See you in March! ;)

Tea Tuesday: New Additions

2013-02-26T11:59:00.001-06:00

I went a little crazy this week and bought approximately a bajillion new teas to add to my collection. Adagio is awesome and lets you get sample sized packets for a couple bucks. Since I'm still new to their brand the offer was too good to resist, I went through the entire selection and got samples of pretty much anything that looked good! Shipping was really fast too, I think it only took maybe two business days. I got so excited when I saw the package sitting on my front step this morning!

I ended up with:

♥ Thai Chai

♥ Masala Chai

♥ Sencha Premier

♥ Sleeping Dragon

♥ Early Grey Moonlight

♥ Irish Breakfast

♥ Jade Oolong

♥ White Symphony

I also went back to Fava Tea Company, my local shop which I wrote about here. I restocked on my favorites from my sample purchase like their Spiced Pear and Raspberry Patch, and I picked out three new teas to try; Vanilla Spice Chai, Almond Spice Chai and French Breakfast.

The French breakfast is amazing. The leaves smell and feel creamy, and the brew itself is like coffee. I've been drinking it when I want more caffeine in the morning but I don't want to get the jitters and it's just as satisfying.

I haven't had a chance to make any of my Adagio samples yet, which should I try first?

Link Love 02.24.13

2013-02-24T12:06:00.001-06:00

♥ So excited for the Kate Spade Saturday line!
♥ Here's a great Tumblog for color combination inspiration
♥ 3 More Ways to Decorate Your Dorm Room Desk Space -- I'm not in the dorms anymore, but these easily apply to home offices too! My desk actually doubles as my vanity so I can only use it as a workspace if it isn't littered with makeup.
♥ Great for bloggers and literally everyone else, 10 Makeup Tricks That Make You Look Spectacular In Photos
♥ Freaking finally, the first real Game of Thrones Season 3 trailer. My body is ready.

Mor Cosmetics Haul & Review

2013-02-21T13:32:00.000-06:00

I first stumbled upon Mor Cosmetics while aimlessly flipping through a magazine. One of the features had a collage of items that every woman should have in their purse, and Mor Lip Macarons was pictured.

Now, for those of you who don't know, I'm a complete sucker for packaging. I'm also a complete sucker for macarons and beauty products. Needless to say my curiosity was piqued to put it mildly, and I instantly went to their website to take a look at what else they offered. It was love at first sight. Everything matched my aesthetic perfectly and I had to try some of their products out for myself. I know, I shouldn't put so much stock in packaging, but everything was just so pretty!

The Belladonna Hand Cream was the purchase I was most apprehensive about. Scented lotions are tricky for me because if it's too heavily perfumed I get a headache and never ever want to use it ever again. As much as I love LUSH, I've stopped buying their body and hand creams for just that reason.

I was pleasantly surprised by the subtlety of this scent. I didn't find it to be the least bit overpowering, in fact it's a very delicate fragrance -- sort of like a floral baby powder, which doesn't really sound quite a appealing as it is.

The cream itself is rich and moisturizing, it actually keeps my hands feeling soft longer than my medicated Eucerin cream. I love that it has the added effect of making me feel like I'm pampering myself by using it, even though it's actually really good for me.

I got a little tin of soap as well, called Little Luxuries Marshmallow Soapette which sounds freakin' adorable. I haven't had a chance to actually use the soap yet... I almost don't want to because I don't want to ruin it. I'd rather keep it in tact as decorative soap for when I finally have an apartment with a decent sized bathroom.

I can tell you that it doesn't really smell like marshmallow, which is fine with me because I mostly selected this one because I liked the shade of pink (I know, I know I'm terrible.) Right now tin and soap are decorating the top of my dresser. I like them better there.

And of course, the reason I ventured to Mor Cosmetics in the first place -- the lip macaron. I'm sad to say, I was initially disappointed. It was much tinier than I was expecting, and for some reason I was expecting (through no basis in reality) for there to be a tint of color to the formula, but it's just clear. The tin itself also feels a lot cheaper than I was expecting. The tray of the product moves around a little bit in the container, and you can see below what the inside looks like.

$10 felt like an excessive amount of money to pay for basically a peach-scented tin of Chapstick. My opinion changed when I tried it, however. It's remarkably moisturizing, even decadent feeling. I am an absolute Chapstick addict but I only need to use my lip macaron once for every maybe 5 reapplications of Chapstick that I'd have to do otherwise. The soft feeling lingers for a long time, and tastes delicious too. That said, buying another one seems unnecessary for the price tag so I'm perfectly content with just having one in my collection.

Overall, I'm completely pleased with my order and I can't wait to purchase from Mor Cosmetics again. I'm especially interested in trying their scented candles and gorgeous perfume, which I think I may be getting in the near future!

Red in the Snow

2013-02-20T13:56:00.000-06:00

Getting so sick of Wisconsin weather. Just the other day, I was getting out of my car to go to work and I realized I barely even needed my heavy coat. I heard birds chirping, the snow was starting to melt and make little puddles for me to dodge across the parking lot and the wind didn't feel like burning on my face. "How delightful, spring will be here soon!" I said to myself in my best Disney princess impression (not really) and went about my merry way.

Not five minutes into my shift a customer passingly mentioned the snow storm that was coming. I mean, I guess that's what I get for not watching the weather, but seriously? Make up your mind, Wisconsin.

I'm getting sick of boots and I'm getting sick of pants. I know, I know -- no one really wants to hear me complain. So I'll make note of some good news. If I were going to be stuck wearing the same pair of boots for four months straight, this pair from Nine West would be it. They're super comfy wedges, they're waterproof and they don't weigh 50 pounds like my last pair of boots so I don't take an extra 20 minutes lumbering to class. The best part? I got them at an outlet mall for only $24.99.

Outfit Details

Top: Ann Taylor

Jeans: Express

Boots: Nine West

Necklace: Express

Still, I have a rack full of cute flats that haven't been worn yet because I'm waiting for the slush to disappear. Keeping my fingers crossed for some warmer weather soon!

Tea Tuesday: Adagio Hugs & Kisses and Sweet Nothings

2013-02-19T13:35:00.000-06:00

When I posted about my Valentine's Day, I mentioned that my boyfriend gifted me some new tea from Adagio, which is a brand I've been dying to try for a few months now. I only ever hear good things about them and was eager to try some of their tea for myself.

Unfortunately, the Valentine's Day gift set Love Petals was sold out. But, I still got two of the tins that came in the set -- Hugs & Kisses and Sweet Nothings.

I won't lie, I not-so-subtly dropped some hints before Valentine's Day that I had been eyeing these up. Look at those tins, even if I hated the tea I know for a fact I would have found a way to decorate with the containers. The good news is that I absolutely love both of them!

Hugs & Kisses is a rooibos tea blended with rose petals and cornflowers. The blend itself is absolutely gorgeous and brightly colored, I almost want to just eat it straight out of the tin.

The flavor is a little bit heavier than it looks, but that's to be expected with most rooibos. I think it's better with a small amount of milk mixed in (almond milk, for me!) It leaves a slightly strange aftertaste in my mouth, but the initial flavor is great so I don't mind as much. It also has little to no caffeine, which is perfect for me because I like to drink tea before bed.

Sweet Nothings is a white tea, and is actually the first white that I've added to my collection. I was a little bit apprehensive about it at first, because white teas are more delicate. They are more sensitive to temperature and steeping time, and the flavor is more subtle. Most of my tea is black, which is pretty much the exact opposite of all of those things.

The white tea is blended with sunflower petals, lavender buds and apricot. It isn't as pretty to look at as Hugs & Kisses, but the taste is amazing. It's light and refreshing without being too fruity, because fruity tea just makes me feel like I'm drinking juice. I'm not turned off to the idea of white tea anymore just thanks to how delicious this blend is and I want to buy a bajillion more flavors.

It's too bad that the third tin in the set, Ripe for Romance, was sold out. From the website, it looks as though that blend was a favorite in the reviews. Which I mean, is probably why it was sold out in the first place. It's a black tea with chocolate and raspberry flavors I'm sure I would have loved. I'm signed up to get a notification when it comes back in stock, so hopefully I'll get a chance to review that one as well!

I've been doing Tea Tuesday for a few weeks now and I'd love some feedback on the feature. Do you enjoy Tea Tuesday or find it useful at all? Anything you'd like to see added or improved upon? Please let me know!