DIY Hippie Flower Headbands

This week I did a really fun photo-shoot with these two twins in my youth group. They are so adorable and we had such a blast running around town taking “attitude” shots:) A few days before the shoot I was throwing together props and accessories that would look cute in the photos and got inspired to make a hippie flower headband. These are SO easy to make and they are selling for $15-$100 on Etsy. So here’s how you do it…

1. Pick up a silk flower that will lay pretty flat. They have them at most craft stores like Hobby Lobby or Michael’s usually for about $1. Mine is from Walmart and came with beads attached. If you’re really creative, you can even pick up some beads to sew/glue in the middle.

2. Now take a metal bobby pin (the heavy duty ones work best) and hot glue it to the back. If you want to hide the glue, you can also glue piece of felt to the back and slide the bobby pins through it.

3. The flower is cute enough on its own, but I think attaching a headband gives it more of that hippie look. I just grabbed a simple black elastic headband and slid it right into the bobby pins. These skinny headbands are really cheap at any drugstore and usually come in a set of different colors. I have about 20 of these laying around (from when I used to work out hahaha) and easily switch them out to match different outfits.

4. And that’s it! Just wear the headband in the middle of your forehead and slide the flower a little to the side. (I like to use it to hide my “bald spot” left from my bangs and weird hairline) It is also really cute to dress up an otherwise boring low ponytail. I’ve even seen a few brides wearing them with big elegant flowers over soft waves. And of course they are very fun for senior photo shoots…

I think she looked really adorable, don’t you?

DIY T-shirt Spaghetti Scarves!

(Photo credit)

Before you head to Goodwill with all of your old clothes after spring cleaning, stop and search through the bag for any old t-shirts. I kept a stack of mine and have been doing some really fun DIY projects with them.

The first one I’ll show you is the T-shirt Spaghetti Scarf pictured above! Isn’t it so cute?

It is very simple to make. Here’s how…

Step One

Find a medium or large t-shirt  in a color you like. I picked gray because I’m boring like that haha. (Note: Longer T-shirt = fuller scarf, Wider T-shirt = longer scarf. If you can find a Tee without side seams, that is even better.)

Step Two

Cut the shirt off right below the armpits and also cut off the bottom seam. It does not have to be a perfectly straight cut, but sharp scissors are always nice.

Step Three

Turn the shirt sideways and then cut it into strips (about 1/2 to 1 inch is good) but DO NOT cut them all the way off. You’ll want to cut up to about an inch of the top so that the strip are attached like the images below. They don’t need to be perfect, but you can use a ruler if you want to.

Step Four

Take each strip one at a time and stretch it. You shouldn’t have to pull very hard to get them to look like spaghetti. Keep in mind that the more you stretch it, the longer your scarf will be.

Step Five

Make the shirt back into a loop and wrap it around your head. You can wrap once for a long necklace look or twice for a short scarf look. Wrapping it twice is a good way to hide the seams if your t-shirt had them. You can also layer a few different colored scarves to change it up.

So easy, right?

Have fun making your scarves!

The Beautifiles: Inexpensive Pieces to Enhance Your Winter Wardrobe pt. 2

Missed part 1? Check it out here.

This week has been insanely busy but I am so excited to be doing lots of design projects again! I am especially excited to have finally purchased some Formula One Actions for Photoshop that I mentioned in this post. That’s right. I’ve been dying to own them since last April! They are going to make my photo-editing ten times easier and I have been spending all evening playing around with them. I’ll have to post some examples later so you can see.  Anyway, I promised that I would fill you in on the simple, inexpensive pieces I’m going to wear to enhance my wardrobe. Here are three more ideas!

4. Classic Striped Tops

[Photo credit: leona, whitney 1, whitney 2]

Stripes just make me happy. My closet was full of them, some items good and others were not so good anymore. What makes a good striped top different than a bad stripe? They don’t necessarily have to be black and white like the stars featured above, but I think simple, horizontal, two-color stripes are best. Layering the top with a fitted blazer or jacket can keep the horizontal stripes from making you appear wider.

Here are a few steals I found online:

navy & white striped tee – $17.00

black & cream sweater – $13.50

black and white cinch top – $19.95

grey and white sweater – $14.95

5. Infinity Scarves

[Photo credit: kim, emma, selena, jessica]

I LOVE infinity scarves! Basically they are just a scarf that comes as a loop and you can wrap it around your neck once or a few times. This is perfect for the days that I’m sporting a ponytail and a really boring top! I’ve actually been cheating a little – In order to make my own infinity scarf,  I tied the ends of a few normal scarves together in a knot. (Note: If you make your own, your scarf has to be really thin and you almost have to hide the knot in the bulk of the scarf). I like this look better than a normal scarf because you don’t have ends hanging out everywhere and I think it looks more elegant – like a scarf necklace:)

If your scarves aren’t thin enough to make a ‘fake’ infinity scarf, here’s a few good deals I found online:

wavy mohair eternity scarf – $5.99

charcoal gray infinity scarf – $19.99

ribbed charcoal gray infinity scarf – $24.99

wool infinity scarf – $15.99

6. Cozy Cardigans

[Photo credit: ashley, rachel, rihanna]

There’s something so great about throwing on a long cozy cardigan on a cold day. The only problem is attempting to wear it without looking like grandma. A few things I learned from researching how the stars pull it off… 1) Wear the cardigan open over something “un-grandma-like” such as a flowy top, girly dress, tank and shorts, etc. 2)Push up the sleeves – may defeat the purpose of staying warm, I know. But do this if you need a quick fix-up before getting a photo taken (or getting that cute guy’s number haha) 3) Add accessories – necklaces, sunglasses, cute boots

Don’t have one? Check these out:

oversized stripe cardigan – $22.80

basic open front cardigan – $11.80

coral nautical stripe cardigan – $17.80

black wrap up cardigan – $ 25.00

That about covers my findings. Did I miss anything? What inexpensive item are you most excited about wearing?

The Beautifiles: Inexpensive Pieces to Enhance Your Winter Wardrobe – pt. 1

Last week I spent some time organizing my closet. I decided to have some fun with it and put on a  “fashion show” for the mirror and my husband! That way I knew what he liked and what just wasn’t working for me. No one likes having a closet full of clothes you will never wear. Every once and awhile I like to take inventory to keep my wardrobe from getting too drab. So anyway, here are a few inexpensive ways I plan  to add to my winter outfits to keep them fresh. Hope this list can help you enhance your wardrobe too!

1. Bib Necklaces

[Photo credit: Olivia Palermo and Kim]

These bib necklaces add so much to an otherwise plain outfit. Here’s three impressive pieces all under $20.

Large Flower Bib Necklace – $18.

Pink Beaded Bib Necklace – $12.50

Black Crystal Ribbon Necklace – $9.99

Silver Edgy Chain Necklace – $8.80

2. Chunky Hats

[Photo credit: Taylor, Ashlee, and Cameron]

Adding a chunky knit or wool hat can do so much for an outfit.Extra bonus: It’s an easy way to hide bedhead!

Here are a few of my favorites, all under $13!

Warm knit pom pom hat – $6.80

Striped rosette beanie – $4.80

Silk flower knit hat – $9.80

Brown marled beanie – $12.99

3. Boyfriend Blazers

[Photo credit: Taylor, AnnaLynn, Rachel, and Olivia]

I really like this look because I don’t have to go out and buy anything. Between me and my husband’s suit jackets, I have a nice selection of blazers to throw on over my casual tees or dressy tank tops. In case you don’t have any old suit jackets stashed away, here’s a few for under $25.

Two-button front blazer - $24.80

Sleek white cropped blazer – $24.99

DKNY cropped blazer – $22.25

Black career boyfriend blazer – $20.00

How about you? What is your favorite inexpensive item in your wardrobe?

I’ll be posting part 2 of more inexpensive pieces later in the week. So check back later for more ideas!

*This post is linked to The Thrifty Home’s Penny-Pinching Party.

The Beautifiles: Shimmery Eyes that Pop

I got to sleep in this morning! That is such a huge deal! Normally the baby wakes up around 7:30am but since we were out later at church last night, he slept until 10am this morning! He still woke up for feedings but I actually felt like a normal person because it was light outside when I got up! It was so nice! Now I am about to head to the store to pick up meals for the week. I found a few new meals from the blogs I read that I’m going to try so I’ll post them later this week if they prove to be delicious:)

Okay well on to my new favorite  -

Here’s a makeup product that I hope you will love as much as I do! I have been so impressed by Maybelline’s EyeStudio Color-Gleam collection. So impressed that I have ended up buying one in every color over the last few months. They are about $7 each and I think that is pretty reasonable if you use them as much as I do. The cream glides on nicely without getting stuck in the creases which often happens to me since I have deep set eyes. The color shows up well and I really like how the shimmer of each shade reflects the light so your eyes really pop. Plus it makes my makeup routine really fast since all of the guesswork is done for me and I don’t have to pick which colors to use together.

I use mostly these three sets since they are a little more natural hues…

But the bold colors are really pretty too…

Try these out and let me know what you think!

Do you like them as much as I do?

The Beautifiles: Products that work

Beauty products are expensive. And why are we so swayed by the ones with a pretty container and a brand name? I’ve spent way too much in the last couple years trying out expensive products that just didn’t quite live up to my expectations. When I worked at Von Maur, I had a discount and many coworkers who assured me that I HAD to try Estee Lauder, Clinique, Laura Mercier, etc. After using drugstore products my whole life, I decided to try it out. Some things I felt were wasted. It’s frustrating when magazines tell you “This is the BEST product” and you spend the money only to find it was not so great. Others I think were very much worth the money and paying more. So because I’m nice and want to save you the trouble and money, here are my findings. Please don’t send me hate mail if you don’t agree haha. These are just my opinion and hopefully you’ll benefit from them!

Hair products

Money well saved:

*Pantene Pro-V Ultimate Texture Hairspray – great for separating boring flat hair.
*Garnier Fructis Color Shield Conditioner – My hair color fades insanely fast. This really locks it in and smells good too.
*Got2be crazy sleek flat iron & blow dry lotion – saves split ends and settles frizz. Bottle is really cute and makes me smile.

Money well spent:

*Aquage finishing spray – great for curls and making hair look shiny
*Matrix smooth & sleek shampoo – I’ve never found anything that compares. It rocks.
*American Crew fiber balm – who cares that it’s supposed to be for men? I steal it from my husband to quick paste down fly-aways and it works!

Money well wasted:

*Redken Fresh Curls Curl Boost scrunching spray – It may just be my hair, but I don’t feel like this does anything at all
*John Frieda Frizz-ease hair serum – okay this is one that I see in every magazine so I talked myself into buying it. They don’t tell you in magazines that if you hair isn’t insanely curly or dry, this will just make it extra greasy – even with just a drop of product.

Fragrance/Skin-care products

Money well saved:

*Clean & Clear oil free shine control moisturizer – Light and creamy, doesn’t make your face oily and greasy.
*Clean & Clear foaming facial cleanser – the foam is really nice on your skin, not harsh like most cleansers – I end up with soft, clean skin

Money well spent:

*Jergens natural glow face tinted moisturizer – especially for albinos like me that do not keep a tan, a little tint is nice. The bottle is small and is only in the expensive category because it goes fast and you have to buy more often
*Escada Moon Sparkle perfume –sooooo good! Sheer and pretty and doesn’t overwhelm the senses

Money well wasted:

Clinique skin care cleansers/moisturizers – Okay I did not try them all, but these are expensive and I honestly didn’t find them to do anything that Clean & Clear couldn’t for my skin. People with different skin types may disagree.
*Estee Lauder beautiful sheer perfume – loved it the first few weeks and then smell got really old and faded really fast.

Makeup (This is my favorite part, so there are many)

Money well saved:

*Maybelline mascara –Maybelline makes great mascaras. I like simply pink/green mascara. Doesn’t clump or smell.
*Physicians formula multicolored blush, bronzers, & powders – these multicolored pallettes make skin tone very even and don’t get cakey. They add a really pretty glow.
*Almay liquid eyeliner – very even consistency and color. Doesn’t smudge or fade. Easy to wash off.
*Maybelline shadows – great color. Especially if you get your brush wet before applying, they are even and bright.
*Sonia Kashuk cream blush – you can get it at target. Great for when you need a lot of color to stay on, but want to look natural and not powdery.
*Victoria secret lip gloss – Smells, tastes, and looks amazing.

Money well spent:

*Mary Kay eye primer – Primers are amazing. They act like glue for your eyeshadow, brightens the shade, and keeps it from getting stuck in the creases
*Smashbox soft lights shimmer powder – Ever wanted that shimmery glow that celebrities like Megan Fox have on the red carpet? This powder is the secret. It looks really natural if you apply a sheer layer. It’s bomb.
*MAC eyeshadows – are very higly pigmented so the color is bright and stays on well.

Money well wasted:

*Clinique eyeshadows – Wears off really fast! I was pretty disappointed.
*Mary Kay eyeliner – did not smudge, but color was not strong enough. Faded quickly.
*Covergirl mascara – It smells. The color is okay and tended to clump a little. But the smell is really gross. Possibly just the type I was getting (curling mascara), but still…ew!

Have you found that some products work better than others? Leave some comments. I would love to do more saving and less wasting!

The Beautifiles: Take Inventory!

Okay don’t laugh at how much time I have on my hands but last week I did something really fun! I had been watching TV (being a slacker) and kept coveting all the super cute outfits I was seeing. And obviously working part time, I don’t have the funds to be buying a new fall wardrobe so here’s what I did: I took inventory.

I went through my closet and attempted to put together outfits. To my surprise after pulling everything out and layering a bunch of things I was able to come up with almost 40 outfits!

When I worked at a department store we had to put together outfits for the mannequins (forms) and had certain rule to make them look “fashion worthy.” At times it was really difficult to take boring and sometimes ugly clothes and try to make them into a cute outfit, but anyway this is what I did with my closet. My theory is that we have a lot more than we think but get bored after wearing a shirt the same way every time. I tested the theory on my sister’s closet and she was freaking out. Now before you give up and decide there’s no way you’ll find much in your closet, you have to try it!

Here’s the rules…
1. Get out a piece of paper and write as you go. Trust me, you’ll forget what goes with what after going through twenty things. Then you can write down when you notice something missing from what otherwise could be a really cute outfit. You’ll quickly find out what you need to pick up when you go shopping.

2. Start with laying out all of your pants on bed or floor side by side. It’s easy to put on whichever jeans that are clean with the shirt you want to wear, but don’t do it! You have to pair the shirts with the best pair of jeans for that shirt. As you put shirts together, hold them up to all of your jeans and see which looks best. Write it down and whenever that pair of jeans is clean, you can look at all the shirts that go well with them and choose from those. (By the way, ‘mom jeans’ don’t go with anything. Neither do pants that are too short. This is a perfect time to throw them away!)

3. Next make a goal to never wear any one shirt by itself. At the mall, we had to layer at least three tops on a form. Usually I just grab a couple longer tank tops that complement the top/main shirt and let them peek out the bottom of my shirt. For fall especially you can make your wardrobe stretch by pulling out jackets, cardigans, or any other cover ups for your arms. Then you can keep wearing the majority of your summer clothes.

4. Add accessories. Sometimes a long necklace really helps a flowy shirt from looking like a balloon. Add some fun tights under a dress to keep warm. For shoes, look at the style of your pants. Jeans with more of a leg opening/flare are better for flat shoes. Bootcut jeans are best with heels. (Skinny jeans are the exception)

5. Now that you have an idea of the great outfits in your closet, but hopefully along the way you’ve been writing down what is missing. For example: “This outfit would be great with a silver ballet flats or a black cardigan.” Now tally up how many times you needed that item for your outfits. The item you needed most will be at the front of your mind the next time you go shopping and you won’t waste money on another thing you won’t wear.

Time consuming – but so worth it!