Sparkle and Shine

Don't know about you, but I seem to have a hard time not being attracted to anything coated in glitter during the holidays. So you can see why when I saw ...love Maegan's Maegan Tintari take on a neutral nail with a hint of sparkle I had to try my own hand (haaaaaa.) at it.

Glitters-but-not-too-much and goes with everything? Yes. You can see her tutorial here.
 For my own digits, I used Revlon's Sheer Cotton :

Image courtesy of tinroofnails.com

  ...And a swipe of Sally Hansen's new Gem Crush line in the color Big Money :

Image courtesy of AlisNailNews.blogspot.com

Those colors together along with Maegan's single-swipe idea turned out looking like this on my hand :

Excuse the Instagr.am quality, but you get the idea. I'm thrilled with the outcome. The glitter is uber-durable, and a chip in nude nail polish isn't very noticeable, which combined are making my life easier.
Grab the Revlon Sheer Cotton here (on sale for $3.99) or at your local drugstore for around $6. Pick up the Sally Hansen Gem Crush in Big Money (or any of the other DELICIOUS colors) in person only at this point - Not available anywhere online that I can find including the Sally Hansen website, which is currently down. Regardless, I think it will run you right around $6 too.
I plan on quite a few more spin-offs of this mani in my future... Stay tuned.

Color Run Of Gem Crush Line ('Big Money' 3rd from left)

Image courtesy of AlisNailNews.com

Daily Values

Image courtesy of LuneVintage.blogspot.com

Step Up[Grade]

Want to get in on the tribal trend without breaking the bank? Check out the latest DIY entry from Geneva on A Pair and A Spare. Best part? Works on heels OR flats, and it's hardly a bank buster - Pick up a couple cheap-o necklaces from Forever 21, break 'em apart, and use the beads on some craft store-bought black string or elastic (or pick up a few packs of beads from your local craft store while you're there) . Drape on a pair of tired black shoes in your closet. New shoes for $10 or less... Just how I like it.

Here are her inspirational shots, from the Burberry money-suckers to her finished project product:

Hot tip: If you have an idea for bead colors you want but can't find them, go the route of buying ready-made necklaces*, pick up a can of spray paint (I like Rustoleum brand), and make them the color(s) you desire. You can do this with any jewelry... And believe me I'm going to.

*It's easier to shellac the ready made strands rather than trying to spray loose beads as they roll around. Not that I have any experience with the latter... *cough cough*

Mani-cure

Trouble making your at home mani-pedi look pro? Check out this step-by-step image via one of my all time fave blogs ...love Maegan

I find it handy even without reading the text, but Maegan has a larger copy on her site, along with some dreamy nail art inspiration shots. Dig in.

Inspiration Station

How are you feeling about the 30 Day Challenge in my last post? A little daunting, no?

Let me offer a little inspiration - Even if  you're not Challenge-ing, it'll be some deeeeelish eye candy.

 My fave blog for inspiration on all fronts, Honestly...WTF is not nearly as rough around the edges as the title may make it appear. The best friend duo of a stylist and photographer co-author the site from different cities, taking their own incredible photographs, offering DIY (do it yourself) projects that will blow your mind, and featuring artists who work in all forms of media.

 

Talk about dreamy...

 

Custom-made Vans for Robert Verdi, inspired by his collection of vintage Hermes scarves.

 

DIY hex-nut bracelet - I made my own based on the site's directions!

 TopShop look book loveliness

I can't even say I'm scratching the surface of this incredible one-year-old site. They're prolific post-ers, so you're sure to get something for your eyeballs to snack on daily. 

Honestly... Check it out.

~All images courtesy of Honestly...WTF~

Contribute to the Crazy

Refashionista to the nth degree Marisa Lynch is keeping the crazy-great $1 thrift find makeovers going! First featured on my blog months ago, Marisa is well beyond finishing out her blog's purpose: Make a new garment every day for a year, all refashioned from a $1 thrift find.

Now YOU, the one looking at your computer screen, you can be a part of it all. This year Ms. Lynch is accepting donations from any and all Closet Cleaners and Value Village Vixens. Send in that piece in the closet time and trend passed by, or that garish puffy peach number from 1984 you spot on the Goodwill clearance rack. Just hit up her site, newdressaday.com, and hit the Donate Here! button at the top of the screen for all the info. Let's see what you can dig up to challenge Marisa with!

Dreamland-Dot-Com

If TheWoreRoom is the extent of your fashion-y blog reading then girl (or boy, we're equal opportunity here), are you missin' out! Even if you aren't into crafting or styling, the world of Do It Yourself (DIY) fashion is out there for the inspiration-taking.

One of my current obsessions is P.S. I Made This. It's bordering on a sickness as I find myself on this page daily, new post or not.

Blow-your-mind blog-ess Erica Domesek has the single most incredible knack I've ever seen for seeing something beautiful, sucking out it's essence (in the best way), and recreating that beauty in a crazy-skilled - and generally quite simple - manner.

Maven of Recreation, Ms. Domesek in her drool-inducing craft room ~ Image courtesy of Shine on Yahoo.com

Erica's beautifully easy-to-read blog is a dream for DIY-ers and inspiration seekers alike.

Inspiration 'bulletin board' for a pompom purse DIY segment

Image courtesy of psimadethis.com

Not only does she pull her DIY ideas from runways around the world, but from the hottest trends in home goods as well. Every tutorial features a scrapbook-like layout of needs and short-n-sweet instructions.

I'm going to try this with cheap-o vessels found at my local thrift store for pennies.

P.S. I Made This also features DIY archives, so you can peruse the pages (highly recommended), or get straight down to business on a project of your choosing. And Erica's latest project: A book of her best and brightest, for sale on Amazon.com

Image courtesy of Amazon.com

So go, click forth, and be inspired. You can do it... Really!

Beauty & The Brain

Have you met Marie Claire?

Allow me to introduce you. She likes fashion, the newest beauty scoop, and health and relationship advice. She also has a penchant for world issues concerning women, a drive to promote self-esteem in the every-girl kind of woman, and has - *gasp* - a brain.

 Photo courtesy of TheHollywoodGossip.com

I'll admit it: I've had my days on the plane with US Weekly and People. I dabbled in Cosmo in college. I always come back to InStyle on the newsstand. But Marie Claire is my go-to gal. The only magazine I've ever found that I literally read cover-to-cover, and think about certain pieces for days/weeks/months afterwards. The writers don't dumb down their articles to be in a 'girly' publication, and the interviewers print what's said to their faces, demure or not.

Photo Text: "Keep a high self esteem even after taking off your high heels. Marie Claire Magazine: It's stylish to be intelligent."

Photo courtesy of AdvertNews.com

Fave sections included in every issue:

*What I Love About Me: A random assortment of girls from the streets of a single city, their photo, what they like about themselves and why.

*In the Bag: A whats-in-my-purse for celebs - Fluffy, sure, but a peek into the lives of some pretty interesting ladies. This month is Christiane Amanpour. Don't you want to see what a CNN powerhouse has tucked away?

*Big Girl in a Skinny World: Size 18 Ashley Falcon gives a rundown of what works, what doesn't, and where to buy what looks great. Always a reminder that it's the presentation, not what the size tag says, that ultimately matters.

*Campaign: In-depth look at a women's issue that is crying out to be recognized and acted upon. It will make you mad. It will make you cry. It will make you want to DO something. And that's great.

Photo courtesy of theyrep.com

I could go on and on. Tim Gunn's column 'Gunn Laws'. The multi-page editorial fashion spreads that always include a 5 or 6 question interview with the model (yeah, she's a real person, not just a hanger! Wow!!). The 'Designer Dossier' featuring a different fashion mastermind every issue.

Natalie Portman graces the pages - Photo courtesy of socialitelife.celebuzz.com

But I'll stop. Go grab your own copy, tear out that annoying little sheet begging you for a subscription, and send it in immediately.

Girl You Should Know

She's inspired and inspiring. Clever and crafty. She's Marisa Lynch, blogger and refashonista extraordinaire.

I found her via a friend's Facebook post, and haven't missed a day since. Her idea in essence sounds simple enough: Get a clothing item for $1 at a thrift store and tweak it to make it modern and wearable.

The hard part: Repeat for the next 364 days in a row.

But this is exactly what Marisa is doing on her blog New Dress A Day, and with only 113 days left to go, I'd say she's cruisin' toward success. At this moment, she's even a dollar in the black. Not to mention getting interviewed by Time Magazine recently.

And as a bonus, not only are her results consistently fab, but her clever commentary and step-by-step pics of the road to each refashion only amp up the enjoyment and suspense until the finale photo.

Day 241: My personal fave.

I'm not looking forward to day 365 and $0 left, but I'll be hanging on every stitch until then.

All photos courtesy of NewDressADay.wordpress.com