Smart n Snazzy

My June Ipsy Glam Bag ~ Unwrapped

2013-06-18T12:08:00.000-06:00

Hi lovelies! If you remember from last month, I started subscribing to Ipsy's Glam Bag. (You can check out my vlog review here) If you haven't heard of Ipsy, it's similar to the other beauty subscription boxes, it costs only $10 a month, and you get a makeup bag too! {Click to keep reading!}

This month's theme was 'On the Wild Side' and I looooooove the makeup bag! I mean, leopard + neon yellow? Yes please! I really like the quality of the bags, they're not flimsy, cheapo material. They're something you'll actually want to use! {Click to keep reading!}

Psssst! Dry Shampoo ~ I love dry shampoo for adding volume and texture to my 3rd day hair and this size is perfect to stash in my travel bag!

NYX Rouge Cream Blush in Natural ~ I've heard amazing things of their cream blushes, and this certainly lives up to the hype. It doesn't absorb right away - it does once you start rubbing it in and it leaves just a light peachy dewy glow, perfect for summer! The consistency is great and it's a full size product!

J.Cat Beauty Sparkling Cream Palette in Suzie ~ I thought this was an eye shadow palette, but the heavy glitter confused me. So on Ipsy's site, it says this should not be used around the eye area. WTF? I rubbed my finger over the pots, and it's just densely packed glitter. I'm guessing you'd use it on your body? I really do not know. I'll probably use it on my nails, sealed with a topcoat. I'm meh on it. (Full sized, btw.)

Chella Ivory Lace Highlighter ~ This is fabulous! It's creamy and glides on smoothly. I really like it for lining my lower waterlines to make my eyes pop and the whites whiter. It blends really well, I applied it on my brow bone and patted it in and it worked amazingly. This too is a full-sized product and almost pays for the bag twice!

StarLooks Lip Pencil in Tipsy ~ This brightish peachy pink is a great color and the formula is very creamy and glides on smoothly. I lined and filled in my lips with this and just topped with a lip balm. It is a great color just like that! This too is full sized and covers the cost of the bag.

In all, there were 5 beauty products; 1 deluxe sample and 4 full sized products. And the makeup bag! Although there is one product I don't really care for, the remaining ones are already in heavy rotation so I am more than pleased! This is only my second Ipsy Glam Bag, but I am so far super impressed and the quality has exceeded my expectations.

Have I convinced you to subscribe to Ipsy yet? Click my link and sign up!

xo
Lia

DIY ~ Boho Beachy Necklace

2013-06-17T11:21:00.000-06:00

Hi lovelies! I hope you had a fabulous weekend! I cut the inspiration image from a magazine a month or two ago, and finally realized I had just what I needed to make it. {Click to keep reading!}

You'll need:

Beachy beads (I got these at Michael's and used about 2/3 of them)
Suede cord (upcycled this oxblood one from a StyleMint order)
Bead wire
2 ~ 4mm jump rings
2 crimp beads
2 head pins
Super glue (as usual, I love Loctite!)
Not shown ~ jewelry pliers

Cut a length of beading wire longer than what you'll need. Thread on a jump ring to one end, fold the excess over, and thread a crimp bead over both pieces of wire, as shown above, creating a tiny loop for the jump ring. Use pliers to crimp the crimp bead so that it's secure.

String on your beads, and then repeat the jump ring / crimp bead process on the other end. Cut the excess wire. Thread a bead onto each head pin.

Use round nose pliers to create a loop as shown above and then use your fingers or another set of pliers to twist the excess wire underneath the loop but above the bead.

Repeat and you'll have these two pretties :-) Cut your suede cord into two pieces (mine were about 1 foot each), and tie a piece onto each jump ring. Secure the knots with some super glue. Tie a bead onto the cord end, securing the knot again with super glue. Let dry.

And here's your new necklace! It's easy to just tie on, and the adjustable length makes it so versatile. I especially like the beads on the ends. You can tie it on the side more to show the ends if you'd like. You can also make the necklace even more adjustable by using a longer length of suede cord so the necklace can be worn longer too.

xo
Lia

Father's Day DIY ~ Upcycled Birchbox to Trinket Box

2013-06-16T12:44:00.000-06:00

Happy Father's Day, lovelies! I wanted to share what I made for my boyfriend for Father's Day but didn't want to risk ruining the surprise by posting it before he got his gift. So in the event you're still looking to DIY up a quick gift for dad, or you just want to make something rad with all those empty Birchbox boxes you have laying around, you'll definitely want to see how to make this! {Click to keep reading!}

You'll need:

An empty Birchbox
2 ~ 8.5" x 11" sheets of scrapbooking paper (I found these amazing football textured plastic paper sheets at Joann's; they were about $1 a piece!)
Adhesive spray (I love Aleene's!)
Decorative clasp (I found a package of 4 of these 3/4" brass plated clasps in the woodworking aisle at Hobby Lobby)
Craft knife
Pencil
A bone folder or something you can use to score the lines with so the paper will fold (I used the tip of the mechanical pencil with the lead withdrawn, a butter knife would work well too)
Not shown ~ clothespins

Start by tracing the outline of the bottom box onto the paper's reverse side.

Use your bone folder (or whichever apparatus) to score along the lines you just drew. Now fold along those scores.

Apply spray adhesive to the bottom of the bottom box only, and slowly and carefully lay the paper on. This stuff is pretty tacky so you really don't have much room for error.

Fold the corners in, and one at a time apply spray adhesive to the box side.

Use clothespins to keep things in place while the glue dries.

All done and drying! Don't worry about the excess paper now, we'll cut it off later.

Take the top box and cut along the corners of one long side, as shown above. This will serve as our hinge. Trace and cover as you did for the bottom box, and adhere the hinge to the back with glue. Once everything is dry, use your craft knife to trim excess paper and to poke the holes for the clasp in the front.

All done! My boyfriend's daughter put a framed pic we did of her inside the box and wrapped it up for him for Father's Day. He can use this box on his desk or dresser to hold little things that are otherwise cluttering up a surface.

You can also line the inside of the box and use scrap cardboard from another Birchbox to create dividers inside, making it a jewelry box! The options are endless, but it's a quick, inexpensive, and easy way to upcycle those empty boxes you have laying around! Remember my Upcycled Birchbox Makeup Box? Well this is version 2.0 :-) If you'd like to see a tutorial for creating a jewelry box as I described, let me know and I'll be sure to make one and post it for you!

xo
Lia

My June Julep Maven Boho Glam Box Unwrapped

2013-06-12T12:00:00.000-06:00

Hi lovelies! This month's Nantucket themed Maven box is one of my favorites yet, so I needed to share with you, naturally! If you're not familiar with the Julep Maven box, you take a quiz to determine your profile, and for $19.99 a month, you get nail polish (and beauty products!) from the higher end Julep brand (sold at Sephora), with a retail value of at least double (usually more than that!) {the polishes alone retail for $14 each}. If you haven't, click on one of my links and sign up! And right now, sign up and enter promo code FREEBOX to get your first box for free, just pay $3.99 shipping. The best part is that they show you what you'll be getting each month, so you have a 5 day window to either switch to a different profile (there's 5!) or skip the month altogether and not be charged. Brilliant! {Click to keep reading!}

This month I added on a polish, this is 'Bunny' and she is a gorgeous opaque white with a very fine gold microglitter. It's really quite difficult to capture this in a picture, but you can *kind of* see it above.

The two polishes this month are 'Lexie' and 'Dianna'. I loooove 'Dianna', and the best part? It's the namesake polish of one of my favorite bloggers, The Budget Babe!

This month's beauty product I was really REALLY excited to try, it's a DD Creme! I'm not exactly sure what I expected, but I think I was expecting more. It's only 1 oz and retails for $36. {In comparison, the luminizing moisture tint by Jouer I use is 1.7 oz and $39} It works okay, but I don't think I'll be buying more once this tube runs out.

In all, I think that the box this month was a great value, considering it's contents were worth $54, plus the awesome salt water taffy that was an extra this month!

So what was in your box?

xo
Lia

DIY ~ Dolce & Gabbana Inspired Raffia Tassel Earrings

2013-06-12T05:00:00.000-06:00

Hi lovelies! I think we've all had our eyes on the raffia tasseled Dolce & Gabbana earrings since we first saw them. They epitomize easy breezy summery fun, and I knew I had to recreate them. {Click to keep reading!}

You'll need:

Colored raffia (rather than spend on rolls of the stuff, I repurposed some from this old fan my mom brought me back from a trip, you could find something similar at a gift shop or thrift store)
Filigree earrings (if you have trouble finding some, etsy has a ton!)
Matching metal wire (I used 24 gauge) and jump rings (I used 6mm)
Pompoms
Wooden beads
Not shown: scissors, jewelry pliers, wire cutters

Make a tassel by wrapping your strand of raffia around a piece of paper slightly longer than you'd like your tassel to be. Slide it off, wrap a spare piece around the top and tie it securely into a knot. Pull the ends down so they become part of the tassel, and trim the ends to your desired length.

Repeat for as many tassels as you'd like.

Once you've made all you tassels, start playing around with your supplies and figure out the design.

Thread a jump ring through a loop on a tassel and attach it to the earring as shown above.

If there are no spaces to attach the jump ring where you'd like it, improvise by using some wire as I did for the orange tassel above!

To attach your pom poms, thread a piece of wire through the center, and coil one end. Pull it until the coil is hidden in the pom pom/

Attach it by wrapping the wire around the earring securely. Similarly for the beads, thread the wire through them and attach by twisting both ends together and through the earring.

And that's it! So easy, and so light on the ears! They are the perfect summer accessory, sure to punch up any outfit. They're so boho chic, they'll go great with anything and everything!

How you make them is up to you, use more pom poms, different colors, same with the beads. Or mix up the raffia colors so you have multicolored tassels, etc. The options are seriously endless.

xo
Lia

Birchbox vs. Glossybox vs. Ipsy MyGlam Bag ~ May Edition

2013-06-10T11:26:00.000-06:00

Happy Monday lovelies! So we are a third of the way into June and I haven't done my head to head (to head!) beauty box matchup for May, and it's due to Glossybox's horrible supply chain/logistics. So better late than never, right? As you'll notice, it's no longer just Birchbox vs. Glossybox... as mentioned in my latest vlog, I'm now subscribing to Ipsy's MyGlam Bag too! So now you'll have three to compare, to decide which is for you! Yay! {Click to keep reading!}

This was my May Birchbox, you can familiarize yourself with my review here. I really liked all of the products this month, and was quite pleased.

Here's what I got when my May Glossybox finally arrived, you can read my review here. I was very happy especially with the solid perfume, eyeliner, and free brow waxing!

And this is my first Ipsy MyGlam Bag! To refamiliarize yourself, check out my vlog review here. I loved everything (except for the weird concealer pot) and am super duper impressed with Ipsy so far.

So here's the breakdown.

Birchbox ~ Cost $10

Coola Classic Face SPF 30 Cucumber Moisturizer for Face ~ $4.87

DevaCurl 3-Step System ~ $4.74

Marvis Classic Mint Toothpaste ~ $2.40

Sumita Color Contrast Eyeliner ~ $5.25

Acroball Pen ~ $2

===================================================
Total Value $19.26

Glossybox ~ $21
Epionce Intense Defense Anti-Aging + Repair Serum ~ $18.13
etre belle Collagen & Aloe Vera Hydro Mask ~ $3.95
European Wax Center Free Waxing and Sample Packs ~ $16.68
Nicka K New York Absolute! Perfume Stick ~ $14.99
Sebastian Professional Volupt Spray ~ $6.69
Xtreme Lashes GlideLiner Long Lasting Eye Pencil ~ $29
======================================================
Total Value $89.44

Ipsy ~ $10

Zoya Nail Polish ~ $8

Mirabella Lipstick ~ $22

Pacifica Roll On Perfume ~ $12

Macadamia Hair Oil ~ $13.50

Yaby Concealer Pot ~ $4.85

======================================================
Total Value $60.35

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

THE VERDICT
I was totally pissed off that my Glossybox didn't even SHIP until May 30th, yet they are always prompt in taking payment at the beginning of the month. The other boxes process payment and ship within a week, not a month's time. I do love the products in Glossybox, but I feel they need to get their shit together and ship at the beginning of the month. Birchbox was great as usual, nothing spectacular, but as always, it's a great way to try new products out! Finally, Ipsy was surprisingly amazing. I was expecting something similar to Birchbox, or with weird products or something, but I was super impressed. Three full sized products in my first bag? Sold.

THE WINNER
Seriously, is there even a question about it? Ipsy killed it! I have a new favorite subscription service and it is Ipsy! I use every product (except that stupid concealer pot) and love it all! Now I can't wait for my next bag to come in!

Well that's my take on the three, what's yours?

xo
Lia

DIY ~ Nautical Hardware Bracelet

2013-06-07T13:41:00.003-06:00

Hi lovelies! As I promised yesterday, here's the matching nautical hardware bracelet to match the necklace! (DIY Nautical Hardware Necklace) And you won't believe how easy it is! (PS ~ How good does it look with my diy fishing links bracelets?) {Click to keep reading!}

You'll need:

Scrap of fabric, about 13" long
4 - 3/8" compression sleeves

Thread three of the compression sleeves onto the fabric and center them.

Remember my DIY Luis Morais Inspired Bracelets? (If you don't, I recommend you check them out! One of my easiest and most popular ones!) Well that's how we're making this one's closure! Thread the remaining compression sleeve on one end, and insert the other end through the sleeve in the opposite direction.

Knot the ends and that's it! Pull the knots to tighten, loosen by pulling on the bracelet part of the fabric.

So easy, right? I hope you liked this project, and make sure to sign up for savings from the Home Depot!
We all know how much DIYers love the Home Depot for supplies, right? Well take advantage of some savings by signing up for their Orange Insider, where you'll receive savings and tips right to your email! (Who doesn't love saving money on stuff they're already buying?!)

Just sign up, above! Easy peasy lemon squeezy, right?

xo
Lia

Review ~ DIY Holographic Nail Polish with BA Star Glitter Makeup

2013-06-06T11:00:00.000-06:00

Hi lovelies! I'm thrilled to introduce you to a new to me product, BA Star glitter makeup! I love glittery eyeshadow but have never seen anything like this before. It's holographic! (I received Holo Silver Glitter) {Click to keep reading!}

There's so many colors available (check them out here), and you can also get the priming 'glue'. But don't let the name fool you, this stuff is not sticky and while it provides a great holding medium for the glitter, it's not impossible to remove. The best thing about this is don't limit it to just your eyes, use it on your body, hair, etc.

I love just a light wash of this on the lids, it's perfect for a night out with the ladies and hello holo sparkle! Isn't it great? Applying just a thin line near the lashes would be fun for daytime too.

Now my favorite use for this? Well since it's cosmetic grade glitter, of course it would be perfect to make glitter nail polish!

Here's how to make it!

You'll need:

BA Star Glitter (in any one of their awesome colors! Here I'm using Holo Silver Glitter)
Clear nail polish (I had this base/top coat I don't use on hand)
Recycle an old envelope! (rather than use a new one, duh!)

Snip a tiny piece out of the one of the bottom corners. Make sure that when open it's still small enough to fit in the mouth of the bottle. This is your funnel.

Hold it fully in place, and then pour your desired amount of glitter into the funnel. I used about 1/6 of the pot, you can add more or less depending upon the coverage you want. I made mine a light/medium coverage.

Put the brush back in, it will look pretty clumpy. Shake it for a few minutes to evenly distribute all the glitter.

Voila!

Since I just did my nails, the only thing I had to model the polish on was my toes! Sorry for the toe pic lol! But you can see the holo topcoat on the left, and not on the right so you can tell the coverage that I achieved. This is only wearing one coat of holo, as well!

Now here's the best part! BA Star is generously offering Smart n Snazzy readers 50% off their purchase with code BBGLITZ! The glitter pot (as well as the glue) costs $8.75... so with this discount you can get two for that price! Check out all the colors they offer, and make some awesome glitter polish for yourself and for gifts!

xo
Lia

Disclosure: I received payment in the form of the product featured as part of a campaign with Brand Backer. As always, all opinions are my own!

DIY ~ Nautical Hardware Necklace

2013-06-06T06:00:00.000-06:00

Hiya lovelies! Today's necklace is a fun design I kind of just came up with! I think that the white/gold combo is rather nautical yet still rough with the chain/hardware combo. {Click to keep reading!}

You'll need:

Fabric scrap (mine is from an old tunic's belt that I promptly removed and set aside), cut to about 19"
7 - 3/8" compression sleeves from Home Depot
2 small safety pins
2 - 8mm jump rings
Needle and thread to match your fabric
Leftover chain scraps from previous projects (different sizes, between 8" and 12" long)
Super glue (not shown)

Lay out your chain from smallest to largest, the longer pieces will end up being on the bottom of the necklace, the shortest on top, giving it a bit of curve. Thread them onto the jump rings.

Thread your compression sleeves onto the fabric.

Place a small bit of super glue on the tip of the pin of the safety pin and promptly close it. This will prevent it from opening.

Thread it about half an inch onto one end of the fabric strip, fold the excess over and hand stitch it down.

Repeat on the other side.

Now we're ready to attach the two pieces! Open the jump rings, attach them to the safety pins, and close them. Voila!

Now you have a fun nautical summery necklace! For me, this was a complete stash-busting project, so if you hoard supplies (like me!) you're sure to have all the materials on hand.

You can give this an entirely new look by painting the compression sleeves, using different colored chains, and of course depending on the fabric you use. You could also use ribbon, rope, etc.

Make sure to check out tomorrow's DIY, I'll show you how to make an accompanying bracelet!

So we all know how much DIYers love the Home Depot for supplies, right? Well take advantage of some savings by signing up for their Orange Insider, where you'll receive savings and tips right to your email! (Who doesn't love saving money on stuff they're already buying?!)

Just sign up, above! Easy peasy lemon squeezy, right?

Lia

Review ~ My May Glossybox ~ Unwrapped

2013-06-05T15:16:00.003-06:00

Hi lovelies! I *just* received my May Glossybox yesterday (uhhh May's box in June?! WTF!) and thought I'd share it with you as usual! If you're still not familiar, Sign up for GlossyBox here, and get some amazing goodies delivered to your door for only $21 every month too! They promise 5-6 luxury deluxe sized samples, with a total box value of at least twice of its cost! {Click to keep reading!}

etre belle Collagen & Aloe Vera Hydro Mask While this sounds awesome and I could really benefit from it, these masks creep me the hell out... I think I've watched Texas Chainsaw Massacre (all of them; btw how good is the newest one?!) wayyyy too many times!

Sebastian Professional Volupt Spray Now I absolutely love Sebastian hair products and have received quite a few in my Glossyboxes. I do love this spray gel, it's not typical at all and works fabulously while not glue-ish. /*HOWEVER, what pissed me off is the coupon... like I said I *just* got this box and the coupon (at Ulta, my favorite store) expires today. I think this is horrible planning on Glossybox's end, and I'm bummed that I'm missing out on this offer. I don't feel like I should haul ass to Ulta today because Glossybox can't get their supply chain shit figured out.... end rant*/.

European Wax Center Slow It Body Lotion and Slow It Body Wash These are kind of rad, they are supposed to prevent ingrowns, deter bumps and blemishes, all while nourishing and hydrating AND decreasing hair density allowing for thinner hair growth. PLUS, there is a coupon for a free waxing session, and I really need to get my brows done. Luckily, there's a European Wax Center near me! (and this doesn't have an expiration date on it lol!)

Epionce Intense Defense Anti-Aging + Repair Serum This is basically a multi-vitamin for your skin, which is a fabulous idea! Rather than using multiple serums only offering certain benefits this one gives you all of them!

Xtreme Lashes GlideLiner Long Lasting Eye Pencil This gel formula is fantastic, the Xpresso color is perfect, and it even came with a sharpener. It stays on all day and doesn't budge... I LOVE it!

Nicka K New York Absolute! Perfume Stick First of all this packaging is so precious! I love this concept of a solid perfume stick, and the scent I received is Rhythm 125, which is fruity yet floral and soft yet sassy. (Totally smart and snazzy!) It's great and I love how I can just throw it in my purse for touch ups!

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

xo
Lia

DIY ~ Crystal Spike Stud Earrings

2013-06-04T12:14:00.000-06:00

Hi lovelies! I've got a fun and easy DIY for you today... it's these unique crystal spike stud earrings!

Here's the inspiration, these beautiful Courtney Lee Collection Eve earrings, as soon as I saw them I knew I'd be making them! Now they are on sale on Gilt right now for only $45, but they're sold out there too {here} So if you really like them, you've got to check the how-to! {Click to keep reading!}

You'll need:

A few inches of 1/8" metallic rhinestone trim in red/silver (from M&J Trimming, here)
2 - 8mm x 13mm metal spikes with screw in nickel (from M&J Trimming, here)
2 post earring backs (I found these at Michael's)
E-6000 glue
Toothpick (or skewer)
Wire cutters (not pictured)
Loctite glue (not pictured)

Use your skewer (or toothpick!) to apply a small amount of E-6000 to the back of the first rhinestone on the chain. Let it set for a few minutes before you attach the others.

I found it easiest to attach the rest by standing the spike up and wrapping the rhinestone chain around it like this, gluing as I went along. Snip the chain right after the last stone. Repeat with the other spike. Let dry thoroughly.

Squirt a small dab of Loctite glue into the spike's hole and then screw the screw in, I decided to only screw mine in a little bit to leave it more exposed. Let dry thoroughly.

Use your skewer to apply a dab of E-6000 onto the back of the screw head and push the earring post onto it. Let it dry thoroughly!

There you go! How fun are these? Such a unique statement piece you're sure to reach for again and again!

xox
Lia

My Mani ~ Emerald City

2013-06-03T07:18:00.000-06:00

Hi lovelies! I hope you all had a fabulous weekend! I recently ~finally~ picked up OPI's When Monkeys Fly and coincidentally layered it over a bright emerald color, not realizing the whole Emerald City thing until later. It looks so good together though! {Click to keep reading!}

Here's what I used:

2 coats of 'Wild Cactus' by Color Club (from a Birchbox!)
2 thin coats of 'When Monkeys Fly' by OPI

What I love most about 'When Monkeys Fly' and what sets it apart from other glitters is its composition. Obviously there's the huge gold hex pieces, but there's small and smaller holo hex pieces as well, so I had to include an out of focus pic that captured the holo as best I could!

xoxo
Lia

My Outfit ~ Neutral n Easy

2013-05-30T16:21:00.001-06:00

Hey lovelies! As promised in yesterday's post, here's how I wore these incredible LeeMo Designs earrings! Today was my baby girl's 6th grade continuation ceremony (seriously, I cannot believe I'm the mother of a 7th grader now!), and I wanted to wear something simple yet classy without being too dressy. This Stylemint dress fit the bill! Paired with some patent nude pumps from Target (which just disappear on!), it was the perfect neutral canvas to feature these statement earrings. {Click to keep reading!}

Perfectly face framing, pop of color!

I wanted to keep the rest of the look simple to allow the earrings to really stand out. These look great with just about anything! Hope your week is going great!

xo
Lia

SnS Loves ~ LeeMo Origami Diamond Earrings

2013-05-29T13:01:00.000-06:00

Hi lovelies! As you may know, I have such a penchant for unique, statement jewelry. So it comes as no surprise that when Leela reached out to me to check out her handmade origami earrings, I fell head over heels in love with them! I'm sure you will too... {Click to keep reading}

Presentation is everything, no? The earrings came beautifully packaged; her attention to detail is incredible.

Leela has been an avid paper-folder for over 20 years but decided to turn her hobby into her business recently. She remembers being inspired by her grandmother's jewelry collection but those earrings were HEAVY! So the idea of paper earrings was born! (Seriously, these earrings are so light you'll forget you're wearing them!)

The earrings are coated with a paper sealant to protect and add longevity, but showering or swimming in them certainly isn't advised ;-)

I found the craftsmanship to be absolutely amazing, and am in such awe that she is able to create something so tiny yet so precise and perfect. I encourage you to check out her website www.leelamorimoto.com, which includes the link to her etsy shop where you can check out more of her incredible designs!

Plus, check back tomorrow to see how I wore these beautiful earrings!

xo
Lia

May PopSugar Must Have Box ~ Unwrapped

2013-05-28T20:15:00.000-06:00

Hey lovelies! I hope you're all recovering well from the long weekend! I thought I'd share my May PopSugar Must Have Box with you! In case you're not familiar with PopSugar Must Have, for $35 a month, you'll get an exciting monthly box, full of fun, hand-selected items from PopSugar's editors. Each box includes a variety of full-size products worth over $100. {Click to keep reading!}

This may be my favorite thing in the box. Who doesn't love margaritas?! It's a pack of 5 margarita flavors (just add alcohol!) and sugar for rimming the glass. Sold! {Retail Value ~ $9}

This is a $30 gift card to Charm & Chain, a new to me e-tailer! It's a curated selection of some top jewelry designers, I'm already having a hard time picking what I want! {Retail Value ~ $30}

I've been DYING to try a Beautyblender for a long time now, so I was so excited to get one! Not to mention, it comes with a bottle of Blendercleanser too! The size and shape allows you to apply liquid foundation so much better and more precisely. {Retail Value ~ $24}

I'm pretty much in love with anything by Pacifica, so this Color Quench Lip Tint is amazing and right up my alley. Perfectly hydrating and a light tint, it's a must have! {Retail Value ~ $7}

This was this month's extra, a snack bag of these Way Better Snacks chips. I'm already a fan of the brand's sweet potato tortilla chips, and these are friggen incredible too! {Retail Value ~ $1}

Who doesn't love Mindy Kaling? This box of conversation cards based off her book is so fun! It's great to have around at a little party, or even a girls' night in. {Retail Value ~ $15}

This little Popsugar reusable bag is so cute, it's the perfect size to stash a few magazines and sunscreen to take to the pool!

Finally is this fabulous sun hat from Kooringal. Its mid-brim is the perfect size, and it's foldable and the wire rim makes it moldable too! Best yet, the hat provides 50 spf to protect your face from the sun's rays. Love it! {Retail Value ~ $28}

THE VERDICT
This was such a fun box to kick off summer! I love everything I got, and will definitely get a lot of use from these products. And with a retail value of about $114, it's a great value too!

Still not a subscriber? Click here and sign up, and enter code REFERFRIENDS to receive $5 off your first box! Fabulous!

Check out my previous Must Have Box reviews here!
xo
Lia

DIY ~ Suede n Chain Bracelet

2013-05-23T14:04:00.000-06:00

Hi lovelies! With the long weekend ahead of us, I thought I'd share a quick and easy DIY you can do with the extra time! Better yet, load up on supplies and bring them to that BBQ, a sure hit! {Click to keep reading!}

You'll need:

Suede cord (I picked up this package at Michael's)
Chain (this fab matte gold I found at Michael's)
2 jump rings
Lobster clasp
Clamps
Super glue
(not pictured) jewelry pliers, scissors, end cap, eyepin

Cut about 6.5" of chain, and about 14" of suede cord, I chose this fabulous periwinkle color! Weave your cord through the chain in an over / under fashion, ensuring to keep the links and the cord straight.

This is what it should look like.

Trim each end so the suede is about 1" longer than the chain.

Thread the jump ring onto the excess suede, apply super glue to the inside of the piece of suede, and fold it over on top of the woven suede, as shown above. Repeat on the other side.

Use a clamp of some sort to hold the suede down in place for about 10 minutes. While the glue is drying, you could make a quick tassel! I cut six 1" pieces of suede cord, superglued them into an end cap, and inserted an eye pin through the hole in the end cap. Then I let that dry for about 10 minutes.

Open the jump ring on one end and add the tassel and lobster clasp.

That's it! This is such an easy project, it took less than a half hour, including drying time! The customization options are endless, use a different color chain, use different color suede cord, or you could use some fabric scraps, ribbon, rope, etc!

Review ~ My May Birchbox Unwrapped

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What was in your Birchbox?

xo
Lia

DIY ~ Dainty Bracelet Using Fishing Swivel Links

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

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

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

They open and close similar to a safety pin!

Attach them to one another this way.

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

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

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

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

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

xo
Lia

My Mani ~ OPI Black Spotted Review & Ulta Holo

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

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

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

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

Have you tried or heard of this polish?

xo
Lia

Free BaubleBar Baubles!

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

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

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

xo
Lia

Vlog Review ~ My May Ipsy GlamBag Unwrapped

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

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

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

xo
Lia

Kid DIY ~ Adjustable Perler Bead Necklace

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

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

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

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

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

Add the jump rings.

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

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

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

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

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

xo
Lia

My Mani ~ Julep Joy & Yumi

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

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

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

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

What's on your nails?

xo
Lia

Mother's Day DIY ~ Chain n Hoop Earrings

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

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

You'll need:

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

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

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

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

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

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

xo
Lia

Affordable Bathing Suits From Milanoo

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

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

xo
Lia

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