Just Beachy!

I'm so excited to try this at the beach this summer!

What are your vacation must haves?

Pop-Arazzi Nail Polish

CVC recently came out with their own bargain nail polish brand, Pop-Arazzi.
It's $2.99 a bottle which is not bad.  When I bought mine, it was on sale for $1.99 which is even better.  As of now, they have 64 colors available, some of which are awfully cute.
Honestly, I was drawn to it because it has really adorable packaging.  What can I say, I'm a sucker for polka dots.
I chose to purchase Star Shine, a holographic glitter topcoat pictured to the right.  You can find it here on the website.
So, how'd it perform?
The brush is nothing to write home about and the glitter coverage is pretty good but the polish takes an awfully long time to dry and the smell is TERRIBLE!!!
Just opening this fills the room with a sickly smell - almost like decaying plant matter with a sweet overtone.  Even after this drys, it still leaves a lingering smell on your nails.
I also found that this one feels gummy for days and chips fairly easily.

Is it cheap?  Yes.
Does it look pretty good while it lasts on your nails? Yes.
Is it worth making your whole house smell like something's died in there?  Probably not.

Save your money and buy some Wet and Wild or Sinful Colors if you're looking for a cheap polish fix!

Oh, crack!

This weekend I broke a nail.
No - That's an understatement.

This red line is a rough idea of where the break is.
Now just add gushing blood dangerously close to
the clean laundry and you'll understand my reaction.

I annihilated it.

I slammed it into the dryer while switching over the laundry so hard that it broke almost all the way across well below the nail plate and started bleeding EVERYWHERE!  I was yelling and swearing so badly, I'm pretty sure my husband thought I'd seriously hurt myself.

Normally when I break a nail, I just cut them all pretty short until the broken one grows out enough to not be noticeably shorter.  This, however, is not a normal break.  I can't imagine how painful it would be to walk around with a raw, bloody, exposed nail plate all day (you don't realize how much you use your thumb until you've injured it).

After cursing and bleeding some more, I cleaned everything up and started pondering how to combat this situation.  I'd had success with the super glue/tea bag method in the past, but surely this break was too heinous to be held together by such a simple solution, right?
Wrong!
It's WORKED and is still holding strong 4 days later.  It has survived dish washing, baby baths, showers, and laundry.
What's that?  You've never heard of this method before?
Oh, well let me fill you in.  It's quick and easy and holds up well.

First, gather your supplies.

If you're going to try this is HIGHLY recommend getting the glue with the brush in the cap.  It makes it so much easier to accomplish and provides a reduced chance of gluing your fingers together.
If you like drinking loose tea, you should have these in your cabinet regardless or your nail mending needs.  If not, you can cut apart a filled tea bag but as a huge fan of teas I kind of feel like that's a sad waste of your tea.
I also suggest not using your very best tweezers for this as it's possible you'll get some glue on them, so put the tweezerman away and grab your less expensive backups.

1. Start by cutting a piece of the tea bag slightly larger than the crack you're repairing.  I suggest trimming and shaping this before you apply it to your nail.  Set this aside.
2. Brush your glue over the crack in your nail and a little bit on the surrounding area.
3. While the glue is still wet, use the tweezers to place the tea bag over the crack and push down all the edges.  If you see any air bubbles, use your tweezers to press them out.
4. After the glue had set, brush another coat over the tea bag.  Make sure it is completely saturated.
5. The end!!!

You can also paint nail polish over this, but it will look kind of lumpy bumpy.  A smaller patch will last you 3-4 days.  This larger patch seems to have held up really well.  One of the edges that I didn't push down well enough is starting to show some wear, but otherwise it's been a lifesaver!  These do eventually come off on their own, but if you're desperate to get rid of it, try some acetone.

Good luck!

Unexpected uses for baby products

Did you know it's a proven fact that when you bring your baby home your house magically shrinks?

This mystical phenomenon known simply as, "Where am I going to keep all this crap?" plagues parents the world over.  Your once spacious home is now packed to the gills with baby gear.  Although there are no known cures for this predicament, there are luckily treatments to lessen your symptoms.

One of my favorite ways to do this is to put my baby's products to use for me!  It might not be a huge space saver, but it's nice to know that when I look in my medicine cabinet some of the items in there are there to keep me looking good, too!

Baby Oil:

• Stubborn eye makeup won't budge?  Put a little bit of this on a cotton ball and gently rub your eyelids.  You can also use this all over your face if you have really heavy makeup on for a special occasion (e.g., stage makeup or Halloween makeup).  Make sure not to use a ton and if you use it all over, you'll probably want to wash your face afterwards as well.
• Rough heels?  Put some baby oil on your tootsies before bedtime and then put on some cotton socks.  It's even better than moisturizer.
• Smooth this on your legs after you shave while you're still damp.  You'll feel super smooth and have nice, moisturized legs.
• Mineral oil is great for getting latex paint off of your skin.  Massage some in wherever you have some pesky paint on your person and it'll come right off.
• After your manicure, rub some around your nails to soften and moisturize your cuticles.

Lanolin:

• My absolute favorite use for this is for sore noses.  When the baby had a cold and had to have her nose wiped so often that she shuttered at the sight of a tissue, this was a lifesaver.  Now my allergies are driving me nuts so this goes on my poor, abused nose each night before bed.
• Desperate for some lip balm but the baby's asleep on you and you can't reach it without disturbing her?  A little dab of this'll do 'ya!
• Cracked cuticles?  Dry hands? Cracked heels?  This is seriously awesome.

Detergent:

• Don't feel pressured into buying super expensive baby detergent.  This will work just as well and it's great to use on your delicates.

Diaper Rash Creme:

• Razor burn?  Try some of this.  The active ingredient is zinc oxide which has some antiseptic properties and works as an astringent.  It's mild and gentle enough to use just about anywhere.
• It's starting to get warmer and the baby loves going for walks, but with the addition of a few extra pounds from not-yet-lost baby weight the thigh rub is serious business.  Use a little diaper rash creme before you go for a walk to help prevent irritation from chub rub or smooth it on after to provide relief to irritated skin.
• Zinc oxide can provide relief for minor burns.  I like it even more than aloe!

What are your favorite products to borrow from baby?

Comment below to help combat shrinking house disease!

Mommy Registry

So you've just had a baby.  Congratulations!

If you're anything like I was, you spent hours pouring over lists of what to register for and reading reviews of the best/safest/most useful items you'd need for transitioning your little bundle of joy from the hospital to home (spoiler alert: when you first get home you need a safe place for your baby to sleep, some clothes, and your boobs.  Everything else is just a bonus to make life easier.)  My whole life revolved around nesting and creating a loving, welcoming environment for my precious angel. 

What I neglected to think about?  Me.

I knew my life was going to change, but I'm a strong, confident, independent, intelligent woman!  Things will be hard, but I can handle them, right?  Ladies from all over have been doing this as long as humanity has existed!  I have read and prepared and look at how cute the nursery is! All I need now is my beautiful baby to make my life complete!

Hard isn't a strong enough word for it.  It has tested me in ways I never expected.  I bonded with my baby, but not in the way I had anticipated.  I was no longer carrying this life in my body, but my body was still not mine.  And breastfeeding?   Breastfeeding was so difficult.  And it was painful.  And  my baby wasn't gaining weight fast enough.  If I wasn't nursing my baby, I was hooked up to my pump.  It was miserable.  I wound up having to supplement with formula which made me feel like I wasn't a capable mother and then I went back to work after 6 weeks where my schedule had to revolve around when and where I could pump - waking up early, locking myself alone in a room during lunch, rushing home and skipping out on socializing with coworkers at the end of the day so I could feed my little girl.  I still struggle with this and have more then once had a little voice in my head tell me that I should stop pumping.  Plenty of babies have been exclusively formula fed and turned out fine.  Great, even!  But I'm stubborn so I keep doing it.  And I keep feeling miserable.  

Then my baby looks up at me while I'm feeding her.  Our eyes meet and she smiles at me.  Then I know it's worth it.

As I've made it through these struggles, there have been a few things that I have that helped me get through it all.  So forget the baby registry.  You need things to make you feel good.  And you're important too.

*Full disclosure: most of these items revolve around your boobs because, let's face it, most of your life currently feels like it revolves around your boobs.*

1. You need a Kindle.

I know.  I'm a book girl, too.  I like the feel of turning pages and the smell of the binding glue and how smart I look with them littered around my house.  But believe me, you need this.  You can turn the pages with one hand when you're holding your little one with the other.  How about library lending?  I can just go to my library's website, click on the title I want to read, and borrow it for free.  Without leaving my house.  While in my pajamas.  It's amazing.  You'll be glad you have this when you're up feeding your screaming baby at midnight.  And 2 AM.  And 4.

2. The greatest nursing pads ever.

One of my good friends, who happens to be a mom of two, got me some of these for my shower.  I hadn't registered for them - they're more expensive than the washable cotton ones and those will work just fine, right?  Sure.  They absorb alright, but those suckers will stick to your poor, sad, sore nipples.  Yeah.  That stinks.

The first time I used a pair of these I was struggling with a horribly cracked nipple and pain so intense at latching that my natural instinct was to pull my body away from my baby when she tried to latch.  Long story short; it hurt.  I put these in not expecting much different from the other ones, but when I went to take them off I commented to my husband that my friend was a saint for introducing these to me.  They're soft and velvety and amazingly gentle.  Get them. 

3. Get the softest towels you can find.

You know your favorite towels at home?

They're not soft enough.

Listen, you're nipples are going to hurt.  Those towels are going to seem like sandpaper.

Go to the store and touch all the towels.  Ignore anyone who looks at you like you're a weirdo.

The set that makes you want to curl into a ball on them and nap all day?  Get those.  You'll thank me.
My husband and I refer to these as my happy nipple towels.  I want to cry on the days they're in the laundry.

4. A Bathrobe

I already had a jersey bathrobe kind of like this one that I took to the hospital with me.  I loved having it when company came so that I could feel a bit more covered and a bit more like a human while still in the hospital gown.

Once we were home, this quickly became a staple because the rest of my wardrobe mainly consisted of comfy shorts and a nursing bra.  I liked to wear this because it felt less cumbersome than a t-shirt but it's still loose and comfortable.  It's also great for those early morning feedings.  For Christmas I asked my husband for one in a slightly heavier material and it's now my winter go-to.  

Look for something not too heavy and about knee length so it won't get in the way.  Bonus points if it has a pocket that you can carry your new Kindle around in.

5. Lounge pants you're not embarrassed to be seen in

People are going to want to come visit you (You will know they truly love you if they bring you food and news of the outside world).  You will not want to change out of your pajamas (See #4).

I had a pair of pants very similar to these from Target while I was pregnant and I still wear them regularly.  They are comfortable and yet still socially acceptable to wear in casual settings, like when those visitors come knocking.  

Plus, if anyone judges you for wearing lounge pants, you can tell them to suck it - you just had a baby, dammit!

6. More Technology

I should preface this one by admitting I don't have a smartphone.  Even if I did I'd still live and die by my Chromebook.

If you're still planning on trying to get any work done at your current desk situation, stop fooling yourself.

You'll be doing it one-handed on the couch while also nursing the baby.  When she's older, you'll make it to the table but you'll still be working one-handed as you shovel sweet potatoes into her face or help her hold her sippy cup.

You need technology that's affordable (sometimes that sippy cup goes flying - imagine that hitting your Macbook and sending juice everywhere)  and portable.   The Chromebook has been both of those things for me.

7. A comfortable nursing bra

While I was still happy and pregnant and loving my big amazing body I started ordering clothes for after the baby was born.  This was while I was still naive and thought nursing would be beautiful and magical.  I bought all the cute nursing bras that look like regular bras with molded cups and under-wires that just happen to unhook for when you need to nurse.
They are crap.  The cups are awkward and get in the way when you try to nurse.  The under-wires are torture.  And don't forget the fact that your breasts are going to change size throughout the day as they fill and empty so anything with a specific cup size is a joke.  You might also get engorged.  That's a story for another day, but let's just say the thought of a bra that is even the least bit restricting will make you want to cry.  Luckily for me, I had ordered a Lamaze sports bra on a whim from Zulily (if you're not a member yet, go here to sign up.  I don't often buy stuff from the sight, but I like browsing and getting ideas there).  As soon as I put it on, I knew everything would be okay.  Yes, it looked like the bra equivalent of orthopedic shoes... but oh boy, did it make my boobs happy - and as I said earlier, most of my life these days feels like it revolves around my boobs.
My current favorite is this one from Target.

At one point I had to wear shells to help a crack in my nipple heal.  For this, I had to be sure to have a super stretchy bra to make them as comfortable as possible.  It's not as supportive as the one above, but my second favorite and my most comfortable choice is this guy.

What were your must haves?
If you could go back and make a registry for your new momma needs, what would you add?

In Which I Quit Shampoo

A.K.A. How to do away with frizz.
A.K.A. The day the static died.
A.K.A. An easy way to love your curls.
A.K.A. My journey in cleansing conditioners.

My interest in cleansing conditioners began as I'm sure many have... late night watching infomercials for Wen.
The models have the hair I'd like to have and the ease of only one product in the shower?

Then I started actually reading about it.

Price notwithstanding, there are all sorts of complaints floating around online about the impossibility of getting out of the auto pay/auto shipment and the nightmare stories of the jerky customer care  PLUS I just recently found out there's a lawsuit pending because ingredients in the product are causing some women's hair to FALL OUT IN CLUMPS!

No, thank you.

The good news is, here are less expensive ways and ways that won't cause you to loose your hair while still ditching the shampoo!  After all, shampooing is not great for your hair, particularly if you're curly.  You strip your hair of its natural oils causing damage and "training" your scalp to create even more oils leading to a vicious cycle of cleaning then adding product then cleaning it out again.
NO MORE!

So, this is just a collection of my personal experiences.  I am not a hair care professional and I am about the laziest person ever when it comes to care and styling of my hair, but I've had some pretty awesome results without having to change much by way of my lazy girl morning routine.

I currently shower and wash my hair daily.  I use little to no additional product (if anything, I'll work some of this in to my ends) and "style" my hair by pulling it up into a messy bun while it's still damp.  If I'm feeling crazy, I'll eventually take it out of the bun until it starts to bug me and then I'll pull it back again.

Just imagine some eyes peeking out,
and you've got the general idea.

My hair's thick and stuck somewhere between curly and wavy (3A or 2C) and pretty course and wiry.  Before eliminating shampoo, I would describe my hair as flat and oily near the roots and frizzy and poofy near the tips.  I frequently referred to it as lamp shade hair because it looked like it grew out instead of down.  I've had hairstyles ranging from chin-length which I tended to wear straightened (this lasted for the better part of 2 years before I realized how much I prefer sleeping in to waking up earlier to blow-dry and straighten my hair) to crazy stupid long (like, we're talking long enough that I'd regularly shut it in my car door or get it stuck in any other number of ridiculous places).  Right now it's to about my shoulder blades and I only get it cut once a year or so.

I first began my foray into eliminating shampoo by changing nothing but the frequency of my shampooing.  I would buy 2-3 bottles of conditioner for every bottle of shampoo.  Although I would still wash my hair every day, I would only use the shampoo every 2-3 days.  On alternating days, I would just work my normal conditioner through my hair making sure to massage my scalp really well and rinse a lot.  After a brief period of adjustment (e.g. oily hair!), I soon noticed my hair was softer and less frizzy.  

Not long after this success, I noticed a bottle that looked an awfully lot like Wen in my local Walgreen's.

Enter Renpure Cleansing Conditioner:

I have used this for going on two years and loved (and still love) it.

I've recommended this to many people and still happily do if solicited for my favorite hair products.  I prefer the pomegranate but everyone else I know who has tried it seems to like the mint more. One of my favorite things is that all of the ingredients in it are things I've actually heard of and it's made in the good old U. S. of A.

Regardless, I love both.

Although this is forever and always in my shower and using it feels like coming home, I decided this past year to branch out a bit and try some other products I've noticed popping up in the cleansing conditioner or cowash world.

I'm going to break down my experiences for you and how I think they'd best be used, but remember - I'm no expert by any means.

Here they are from least to most favorite.

Pantene Pro-V Truly Natural Hair Co Wash

Scent: Typical Pantene smell.  What is that scent anyways?  Regardless, you'll get a whiff and know it's Pantene.

Value: It's a big ol' bottle and it's easily worked through the hair, so it'll last you an awfully long time.

Results: This made my hair so soft.  On the downside, after a few washes my hair started to look weighed down.

Best for: Want to shampoo less but not willing to give it up all-together?  This is for you!

PROS: Super soft hair, easy transition from traditional shampoo, ease of use.

CONS: Not great for prolonged daily use.

Herbal Essences Naked Cleansing Conditioner

Scent: SO MUCH SMELLS.  The first time I used this, I couldn't wear my hair down for two days afterwards because it was SO OVERPOWERING!!!  My cheapness prevailed and I was determined to use this.  After a few days, I got used to it... but if you're sensitive to smells, stay away from this one.

Value: Less than $5 for 16.9 ounces?  I like it!  This one is a little thicker and harder to work through hair, so you may find yourself using more product each use.

Results: This made my hair feel the cleanest out of the bunch.  I did find that I had a little more of the poof back with this versus the other products, but there's just something to be said for hair that feels super clean.  I particularly liked this one for after working out or if I had styling product in my hair.
Best for: Everyday use, if you have particularly oily hair.

PROS: If you love clean hair or tend to be on the oily side, this would be my recommendation for you.

CONS: The smell.  Oh lordy, the smell.

As I Am Coconut Cowash

Scent: This smells like a beach vacation.  It took a while for me to get used to my head smelling like this, but it's wonderful and understated.  Imagine a light creamsicle scent, and you're there.
Value: 16 ounces for under $7 - better than Wen, that's for sure!  The only problem is that since this doesn't have a pump, it's hard to monitor how much product you're using on any given day.  It's also easy to get water into the product when you have the jar open which hasn't seemed to ruin it but it's an annoyance.
Results: Frizz free curls, a nice light scent, and softness without being greasy.  If this had better packaging, it would surely replace Renpure as my everyday product of choice.
Best for: Curly hair, cutting back on frizz, everyday use.  This is the perfect blend of cleansing and conditioning.
PROS: The results speak for themselves.  This will rightfully have a place in my shower from here on out. 

Some general cleansing conditioner tips:

• Make sure your hair is really wet before you put the product in your hair.  It makes it easier to work it through.  And don't be afraid to put some more water in your hair to work it though some more.  These products take a little more rinsing than your typical conditioner, so unless you have a really powerful shower head, you don't have to worry about washing it all away.
• Keep a wide-tooth detangling comb (Like this one: Conair Anti-static Detangling Comb, Colors may vary) in your shower.  After the conditioner's been in your hair a while, comb it through to make sure your hair is detangled and the product's been worked evenly through your hair.
• Massage your scalp A LOT!  I find if I don't really, really massage my scalp that near my roots will start to feel a little waxy or straw-like.
• Rinse, rinse, and rinse some more.  I know you can also use these products as a leave-in, but I wouldn't recommend it for the most part.  If anything, work a little into your damn ends after you get out of the shower.
• Brush your hair while it's wet and then leave it alone!  (This is always true, curly girls.  But I just had to throw it in there anyways.)
• Don't give up!  It will take your scalp a few days to adjust.  Initially I thought I was going to have to give in and quit.  My hair felt weighed down and icky.  I'm so glad I stuck with it, though!
• Many of these cowash products are marketed for black women with natural hair.  Don't let that scare you away!  It can be used by women with a variety of ethnic backgrounds and hair types.
• Just an added bonus: since I've been using cleansing conditioners, I no longer have static - even in the winter!  YES!

What have your experiences been?

Have you tried any cowashes that I need to test out and add to the list?  

Do you agree with my ranking?

Comment!

Now go forth and condition with confidence!

Avon Makeup Maven Northeast: Amy P.

I've entered Avon's Makeup Maven competition.

Please view and like my video to help me win!

New Nails

Quick nail picture.
Pink, glitter, sparkle, and beads.

Tights!

I love tights.

I recently found out that jeans are not allowed on Friday dress down day (what?!), and I was pretty bummed until I realized it's tights weather!

My favorite go-to black tights are ASSETS, Target's Spanx brand. I bought a pair on sale three years ago, and I'm still wearing them. They look brand new except for a little hole in the crotch where the seam has started to let go.
They're opaque enough to wear with a shorter skirt and not feel terribly inappropriate but not so thick that you feel like you're going to die if the heat kicks on. They stay up beautifully and even if you're not looking for a shaper (I wasn't when I bought my first pair), I'd highly recommend them. The fact that they make your rear look like you've been doing a million squats a day is just a happy bonus.

I'm also a huge fan of colorful, patterned, or textured tights and I'm so excited that they seem to be becoming more and more popular every year.
I've found a lot at local department stores. JCPenny usually has some fun options and Target always has fun solid color options.

Online I've found that ASOS has some fun, hilarious, or sophisticated options. Not to mention super hot. Hello? And come on, if my legs weren't short and chunky, how smokin' would these be? I should mention I've never owned a pair of these so I know nothing about the quality, but oh boy do I lust after them.

Hue also has some swoon-worthy options and Foot Traffic has tons of unique options.

I also like to wear fun colored leggings (most of mine are from Victoria's Secret) under a dress for a warmer option and I personally find it as comfortable as sweatpants so I can still be comfy on dress down day even without my jeans.

What are your favorite fall and winter fashions?

My First Time - The Neti Pot

I gave in.
I bought a neti pot.
People I know who have these talk about them like it's the most life changing thing that you will ever do for yourself.
I was skeptical and when you add that to the fact that I thought using one of these would feel like drowning myself with salty water, I was hesitant to run out and jump on the neti wagon.

After a day of incredible sinus pressure (which at the time I wrote off as allergies but have recently understood to be a terrible crippling cold - ick) I figured I may as well try it out.
I was at work and feeling pretty cruddy, so I took myself across the street and combed the aisles for medicine and the like when I came across the neti pot kit which comes with the pot and 30 pre-measured packets of saline. The instructions even included a delightful photograph of a lovely woman with the pot unceremoniously shoved up a nostril. Giggles ensued, mostly thanks to my nervousness at wasting $12 on something I'd never be able to successfully use.

When I got home, I figured I may as well give it a go.
I took my time, got the water to a comfortable temperature, carefully measured out my 8 ounces of water, took a deep breath, and stuck the thing in my nose.
Imagine my shock when without any real effort there was saline streaming out of my other nostril!
It was so easy!
I still haven't decided whether or not this is going to change my life, but it was so much more simple then I thought it would be.

My quick tips:

• Breathe through your mouth - this should go without saying as you'll be unable to breath out of your nose with water streaming through it, but just in case you thought you'd try, don't.
• Try not to swallow. You can without drowning or anything, but it does not taste good.
• Have your tissues or a towel ready. You're not going to blow boogers everywhere, but your nose is going to keep dripping the saline for a little while. From my personal experience, your spouse will probably not be too turned on my your drippy saline nose.
• Since I've been sick and super stuffed up, I have not been able to use the neti with much success. I will continue to attempt since it seems like this should be the ideal time to need to flush out my sinuses, but I guess if I can breathe out of my nose, there's no good path for the solution to follow either.
• For goodness sake, keep your face over the sink. You don't want that ick all over the bathroom!
  

Walgreens Deals!

Last weekend when I had to take a break at work, I meandered over to Walgreens and searched the sale aisle. I found some great nail polish deals!


First up, Wet and Wild nail polishes were on sale for only 99 cents.
I bought Gray's Anatomy.
It doesn't photograph well, but it's pretty neat in person. It's a really pretty iridescent which generally looks lilac and gray but occasionally shows touches of blue and green. Really unique without being obnoxious!
This color took three coats to look good, but it wore really well and is a fun color for this time of year. I also got lots of positive comments on it while I was wearing it.
This should be available at any drug stores that carry the Wet and Wild line.



Next up was Nicole by OPI Party in the Penthouse for only $1.99. This is a glittery dark blue (shown here with a silver Konad pattern). By itself I thought this color was kind of boring but it's a nice base to stamp on. Unfortunately this one took three or four coats to get nice coverage and it chipped fairly easily.
Fortunately, I only paid two bucks for it and it's a different shade of blue from any other polish I have in my collection.
I don't know if this is still readily available. I wouldn't recommend it at the regular price tag of $7.99, but if you come across it at $1.99 like I did, go for it!

A Taste of Summer

My mother-in-law recently celebrated her birthday.

One of her very favorite things in the beach, and as a person who shares my child-like love of all things sappy and cute, I endeavored to create a cake as colorful and fun as her joie de vivre.

To decorate, I used vanilla wafers to create sand and some colored frosting to shape the waves with the help of a few Swedish Fish. The beach chair and palm trees were purchased at Create-a-Cake and and the beach towels are fashioned out of some Air Heads candy. George also created a sun (not pictured here) out of some melted yellow decorators sugar.


The inside was a little more tricky. I split a white cake mix into four parts and died each a different color (The most fun part for me besides the decorating was how fun the batter looked in the bowls - like something out of the feasts in the movie Hook). I then poured these into 9 inch cake rounds and baked them according to the box directions.
This was my first attempt and I haven't yet perfected getting the colors perfectly even, but it was still a fun surprise. I think this technique would be easier on a smaller scale like cupcakes where each layer could be smoothed out with less difficulty.
I also chose to use chocolate frosting between the layers and should have stuck with some white or cream cheese frosting dyed a fun rainbow color to add to the fun of the inside.

Have you baked anything fun lately?

Share with me in the comments below!

Stars and (Zebra) Stripes

Happy 4th of July, friends!

What better way to celebrate our great nation then with a patriotic manicure? None, say I.

Pretend I cleaned up the edges of my manicure before I took this picture.

This was done with a base of Avon's Nailwear Pro in French Tip White followed by the fishnet print done with Wet and Wild Fast Dry in Silvivor.
On my ring fingers I used Konad's special polish in blue and red to do zebra stripes for a punny play on stars and stripes and then did the stars in the same colors on all the other nails.

If you'd like to try it yourself, the fishnet and the zebra stripes are both from Konad plate m57. There are several plates that have stars on them, but these particular stars are from m3.
(If you're a real USA nut, check out m14. After all, we Americans love us some cupcakes and diamonds.)

Now, go have fun!
And be sure not to blow off any fingers with illegal fireworks... it'd be a shame to waste all that hard work!

Pottermore

Have you signed up for Pottermore yet?

Also, who else is excited for Google+?!?!
(Psst.... feel free to send me an invite)

I think Google+ will be to Facebook what Facebook was to MySpace.
Is that totally dweeby, or does it make sense?

Legs of Steel!

I so want this shirt.
I wish I rode my bike more often so that I wouldn't feel like a jerk wearing it while riding around in my big old Buick.

I've been sick.
::cough, cough::

Accept this instead of a real post.

What summer treat does Avon's Powerful Pink remind me of?

Summer Shine

Even though the weather here has been less than ideal (rain, anyone?), I'm so ready for summer to begin. I figure what better way to advertise that than with a fun, sunny manicure?

I started with a base of OPI's Bling Dynasty from the Hong Kong collection. It's a slightly older color, but is still readily available online.
I don't much care for this color on its own. I find it boring and too much of a yellowy gold, but I like it fin e as a base to stamp on.


For this manicure, I chose plate m64 - it's been one of my

new favorites - and used the pattern on the bottom right.

(Does anyone else look at this and think of the bad late 80s/early 90s laser photo background? I'm going to have to try bright pink and blue over a nice navy some time and see how it goes.)

For my stamping, I used Avon's Mirror Shine in Blaze (currently on sale for only $1.79). The mirror is less of a true mirror finish and more of a metallic look. I like this line a whole lot. It only takes one coat to cover well and it dries super fast, making it a perfect go-to for my toes. I figured this would be perfect to stamp with, and it was except for one thing - it dries too fast. I could barely transfer the stamp to my nail before it was too dry to adhere well.
Except for the edges, I did wind up getting a pretty nice transfer. I had to clean the plate after ever two stamps of so, but that's no big deal, and the colors look excellent together.

I did this manicure on Monday, and it's still looking good.

(Pardon the terrible picture quality - I need new batteries for my real camera and have had to resort to the webcam.)