My Morning Hair Routine

It was recently suggested to me that I should do a hair tutorial when I was twittering away with Brandy and Alicia. I have reservations doing this because I've learned a lot of what I do from well-know YouTube guru, LolaMarie7. I think Jess rocks and would never claim her ideas as my own, I decided to post this just to let inquiring minds know how I usually do my hair in the mornings.

I also have anxiety about being on YouTube full-blown because I've seen people get so nasty towards the girls who make videos. So, for now, this video can only be viewed through my blog (and maybe my YT channel).

I hope the video isn't too long or redundant, it's my first. Let me know if you'd like to see my version of a quick wavy 'do.

Relics of Workout's Past

I was obsessed with Minna Lessig (blonde on the left) back in the day. She was my Jillian Michaels of 2000-2004, I did her tapes religiously and actually saw results. I can't believe it's been so long since I've visited her. 

As I was finishing up day 3 of the 30 Day Shred (again), I found myself reminiscing about the VHS tapes of yore that I used to get in shape during high school... I'm not one to save things so I was pleasantly surprised to find these two in our stash of movies we don't watch! 

I think my best friend Jill actually gave me these tapes and I knew I had bought another tape of Minna's but quickly remembered that I wore that sucker out, so... Amazon to the rescue! For $2.99 flat I will have my missing VHS by Tuesday, I can hardly wait! In the meantime I plan on doing Minna's workout through Quick Fix: Arms & Legs tomorrow morning ; )

My missing tape. $2.99 on Amazon,
free shipping with Amazon Prime trial.

A Tweet & A Post

Hey all! I just tweeted this picture of my newspaper nails and got many requests for how I did it. I am not the pioneer of this technique at all and I'd feel bad if I took any credit for coming up with it.

I used Sally Hansen "Made You Blush" and Sally Hansen
Hard as Nails for my top coat

I am subscribed to nguerriero19 on YouTube and she is the first glance I had at this technique. Happy polishing! Oh, and check out the rest of her vids and subscribe, she's super cute and positive : )

Friday Fancies: Food & Jewelry

This is going to be a shorty, I have a Finance exam on Tuesday so I'm freaking out!

First of all, I've been a smoothie maniac for the last month, averaging one every other day. Smoothies are a great meal filler when, frankly, I have no time to think about making something for myself. I decided to share my favorite thus far with you, I'll call it the Bodacious Banana Smoothie : )

Ingredients:

1 & 1/3 bananas (this is only b/c my daughter had a piece of leftover 'nana)
3 heaping tsp. peanut butter
1 scoop Jillian Michaels' Whey Protein in vanilla
1 handful of crushed ice (sorry no specific measurement, just add enough ice to make the smoothie cold and a little thicker)
Milk (no specifics on this one, I usually use less than a cup of 1% milk because I like a thicker consistency, more like a milkshake; it just depends what thickness you prefer)
Blend!

There was more leftover from after I poured this in the glass. I drank all of it.

Secondly, I have found that I have to force moderation on myself with any "snack" food I buy because I'm a student who munches non-stop when studying, I have zero self control, and I will polish off a container of anything in one sitting. Not good!

Craisins are BOGO @ Publix, making each
bag about $1.25. Thrifty snack alert!

Five servings in ea. bag = 10 snack bags @
$0.25 a pop!

My solution is to split up snack foods immediately so I do not have the chance to keep going, and going, and going... until I have to have my test-proctor-man come and give me my exams at the house because it's too expensive to cut me out of it! 

Finally, the pretties! I've been reaching for these pieces of jewelry that are bargains yet fast becoming staples in my day to day look.

Cupcake earrings from Forever 21: $1.50

These are sweet (haha) and not too bold so the people who would criticize them haven't even noticed and the people who love them have. I love how that works! I looked for them on the site tonight and couldn't find them but I encourage you to look at the rest of the $1.50 earrings on F21's site, they're darling and you can't beat the price!

Crisp White from The Prim Trimmings shop

Not to be cliche but I really do wear this ring quite a bit, it seems to go along with a lot of my wardrobe. I'm also really loving white for the summer, it's so refreshing. 

Well, wish me luck on this mother of an exam and I'll probably post shortly after. Have an awesome weekend!

Hair Fail

I like trying new things with my hair. I get bored very fast with the same "look" so I'm always switching it up. My work is somewhat conservative so the customers get a kick out of anything different. Most of them enjoy seeing what I'm up to, some tend to poke fun... What's life without a little fun though?

Today I attempted something I've never done before: a side swept chignon. I'm usually not a fan of anything having to do with your hair off to the side since you can look off balance or a little to cray-cray... BUT after seeing this tutorial on Pinterest, I just had to get her a whirl because it looks so darn elegant.

Front view

I thought it looked good from the front, especially considering that I've been out of hair spray for a few weeks now! I procrastinate about buying certain things in life and I'm not sure why. They are things that feel like a waste of money but are kind-of essential such as: razors, shaving cream, new toothbrushes, mascara, AND hair spray apparently!

Back view.
Love my coworkers for taking photos of the back
of my head, it's not rare for me to ask.

The problem was the back. I didn't do very well with the placement of my pins so it didn't look as polished as I would've liked. I will say that even sans hairspray this 'do held up all day and even looked better as it dropped lower and a few strands came loose. I think next time I will attempt to achieve the look I got by the end of the day by loosening some strands and going back over them with the curling iron.

Ut-oh.

On a silly side note, I always try to make sure I either take my t-shirt off before I do an up-do and have an outfit I can step into or button up or already be in my outfit but for some reason (I call it Monday morning) I forgot. This is me realizing my mistake : )

Color Palette: Yellow, Navy Blue, & White

Had a happy Sunday with my little family & attended a wedding

Sunnies: Dior
Necklace: Given to me by my father on my wedding day
Blue cardigan: Ross

Yellow racerback: too long ago to remember

Skirt: Gap, forever ago

Ring: Me, mentioned here

Flips: Target

Quick Tip, Surprises, and Nail Polish

I had a movie date set up with my good mommy friend, Beth, to see Bridesmaids today. My daughter was going to her grandparents for the afternoon and chose a very cute Gymboree shirt to wear. While the shirt is adorable, it's also a pain because the flower on the back always comes out of the dryer looking like a blob. Well, I did not have time to iron it and I usually stay away from the iron in general because I have been known to singe clothes in the past. I was doing my hair and had a stroke of genius: I was using my straightener anyway so I took my daughter's shirt off her and quickly "straightened" the bow and sleeves of her shirt. It didn't produce a perfectly pressed shirt but it got it to look decent.

Before

After

I recommend this if you are crunched for time and just need things to look "ok". Use a med/high setting on your straightener, not full blast. I only clamped the straightener on each section of the bow for a second or two and swiped it along the sleeves. 

After rushing out the door and dropping my daughter off I met my friend at the movie theater and she came in carrying a BIG box... She got me a gift "just cuz"! When people do sweet things for me I can hardly believe I deserve it, so you can imagine my surprise when I opened the box and she had gotten the tea/coffee mugs I wanted from Pier One (mentioned here)!

We barely have counter space so I may play around with where I place them, but here they stand for now : )

Can't wait to have my nightly dose of Organic Throat Coat tea tonight!
Thanks Beth, you are really too sweet!

Beth and I also share a nail polish obsession and she let me borrow her new OPI purch from the Pirates of the Caribbean line, "Skull and Glossbones". Someone is getting at home *mani*pedi* tonight : )

All in all it was a fabulous day. Bridesmaids is HI-LARIOUS, BTW.