Holi-Daze: Wine Bottle Wrap

Instead of buying yet another wine bottle sized gift bag or slapping another ribbon around the neck, how 'bout trying something different with that hostess gift this year?

Enter : Furoshiki

There are a positively endless amount of furoshiki options out there for different sizes of gifts, but as we hit the holiday get-together circuit, what's easier than grabbing a bottle of wine and heading out the door?
Armed with nothing more than a scarf (or a large fabric scrap,or even a table linen) and a rubber band, try this:

Psssst! Square scarves are super easy to come by at your local thrift store for practically pocket change.

30 Days Update

How are you doing on  your 30 Days? I'm hoping even if you're not creating, you're seeing things in a different light as you're out there in the world. I know I've actually been turning pages of magazines with an eye for "can I make that myself somehow?" and ripping out inspiration pages left and right.

 Image courtesy of RockbrookCamp.com

Note to self... Purchase second bulletin board...

Here's my latest attempt at trying to master a new creative feat: The Chevron Friendship Bracelet. Remember those guys? Takes me back to camp bunks and taking a polar bear plunge in the wee hours of the morning in a freezing lake.

Super on-trend for summer, the old-school friendship bracelet is back and now can be created with more dextrous fingers and better taste in color than when you were nine (...well, hopefully).

First Attempt Bracelet by Yours Truly!

 Here's the tutorial I used to learn via Honestly...WTF. Clear instructions with lovely photos of each step. Fun and easy to do while catching up on all those mind expanding documentaries waiting on your dvr... like... The Bachelorette.

'Fess up, I know it's not just me.

 

Nearly Finished - Note the Puggle lounge in the background...

Eye of the Tigress

Raise your hand if liquid eyeliner is or was ever a scary prospect. Nearly everyone? Yes? Let me qualm your fears and lead you into the land of Cleopatra with ease.

 RIP Liz ~ Image courtesy of SelectSpecs.com

Now, let it be known, I can take z-e-r-o credit here.  The ever-fashionable and intrepid makeup guinea pig LBD turned me on to this, and even gifted me my first one. I'll kill the suspense: It's InColor FauLiner. A liquid eyeliner contained in a FELT TIP MARKER. I cannot make this up. Genius.

Image courtesy of Walgreens.com

I was nervous about liquid eyeliner for years before trying it out, but once the spell was cast I could never go back to a regular pencil. I was fairly adept at my mini-cat-eye swipe*, but the trouble was the inconsistency. Sometimes thicker, sometimes thinner, a q-tip fix often took up some of my precious morning getting ready time.

At $1.99 - seriously - FabuLiner is a steal and a half. It comes in your basic brown and black online, and I've seen it in navy and dark green in Walgreens. Quick tip: Find it almost always at the cosmetics counter. It's not on the wall or down an aisle like a major brand (Cover Girl, etc.), and the only thing sold under the brand name is eyeliner. Period.

Image courtesy of AccordingToNoes.com

I do wish they would come out with a waterproof version, but at a price of under $2, I can afford to reapply if needed (actually haven't really had to ever - fab staying power on the upper lid!)

Walk like an Egyptian.

*My fave pre-FabuLiner find was always Almay. If your a traditionalist when lit comes to liquid liner, try it out. Optional waterproof formula, soft brush, and easy on the eyes (literally and figuratively).

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!

Flash Sale!

I'll continue with the sample review tomorrow (I've tried 3 more since my last entry), but had to alert the masses:

One of my fave web and catalog shoe sources - Alloy - is having an up to 50% off all boots sale on their website for the next 4 days only.

Alloy has that Forever21 malaise of having to really pick through to find the gems that aren't in the only-appropriate-for-a-14-year-old genre (granted, that's their target market), but their shoes have always treated me right. They carry a wide range of sizes, heel heights, and have proved to be durable, comfy, and stylish every time I've purchased... Which is at least twice a year.

These are my current faves:

Quinn Boot - Image courtesy of Alloy.com

I bought an extremely similar pair last fall at full price (still a fairly good bargain) and have worn them multiple times a week for months on end two years in a row now.

These boots were made for walkin' - Get you some!

Gorgeous on the Go

Trolling Sephora.com one day, I found myself scoping the "Value Sets" section. As a rule, this section of the site offers fantastic little snack packs of all sorts of beauty brands, allowing you to test drive a multitude of colors and categories.

On this day, I found this gem I've come to love:

Image courtesy of Sephora.com

It's the Too Faced Glamour to Go 2 Pack, and my only disappointment is that I missed number one. Containing eight semi-sheer and shimmery eyeshadows on the top level and four glosses and a blush on the second slide-out tray, it's topped off by the mirror (underside of lid above shadows - not seen in photo), and the fact that it's all about the size of a 1/4 of a pack of cards. Magical! My faves in the pack: The yellow looking shadow in the bottom right corner is actually the perfect shade of glimmery gold that I find myself using nearly every day in some capacity, and the nude lip gloss in the top left corner of the bottom tray is almost obscenely perfect.

Downside: No applicators come with this guy. To me, not truly a problem as I'd rather use my own brushes or fingers anyway, but if you're used to the brands that come with their own you may be dismayed.

Priced at $19.50 it may seem spendy, but when considering a regular size Too Faced singular eyeshadow is around $16 a pop... Well, you can see the value.

Givin' Some Lip

New must-have alert!

Image courtesy of makeupandbeautyblog.com

Pretty much all the drugstore brands are jumping on the bandwagon with the lip stains in marker form, but I decided to try Covergirl Outlast Lipstain... Mostly because it was the one in front of me in the aisle, and on sale to boot. It seemed like a safe bet to try (regular price: $8.99).

Image courtesy of Walgreens.com

I chose the color 'Flirty Nude', pictured above. Based on some staining trials in college with actual markers, I knew to choose slightly brighter than I would in a lip gloss or lipstick as stains are sheer as sheer can be, and are easily layered for higher impact. The options for the Outlast stain line are fairly wide - From the lightest pink 'Everbloom Kiss', to the darkest mauve 'Saucy Plum', you'll find a shade for you.

Bonus: This little guy is currently available for the buy one get one 50% off program on Walgreens.com (good for a multitude of Covergirl goodies - Mix and match style), so if you need a super easy stocking stuffer, carpe diem.

My only issue with it is the little bit of a drying factor, which I've found to be easily remedied with a little swipe of gloss or chapstick over the top. Pucker up!

On Sale Now!

Discount alert:

Image courtesy of VictoriasSecret.com

The Victoria's Secret cotton-cashmere wrap I wrote about in August here is now on sale for $39. Not only that, but sweaters are 20% off using the code SWEATER20 at checkout, bringing the total to under $32. 

Image courtesy of BizRate.com

Just wanted to pass on the good news.

Signed, Personalized, Delivered - It's Yours

One of the most successful gifts I've ever given was a personalized sign from Meissenburg Designs.

All images in this post courtesy of OldWoodSigns.com

A homespun company with high end results, Meissenburg Designs offers a plethora (literally.) of vintage poster art you can choose to personalize with your own text. My choice was for my favorite skier, and after choosing my art, the size of my sign, and even the material (I chose metal), had the perfect "logo" applied featuring my skier's fave spot.

This is the art that's on my sign - I changed "Stowe" to a different city, and "Vermont" to a different locale.

I was blown away with the personalized service - I wasn't sure which version of my text to use, so my consultant whipped up images of both and emailed them to me for decision making. I had an estimated time of arrival of 2-4 weeks. I got it in one. I knew exactly what it would look like when it arrived. It looked even better in person.

All of this makes the bang for the (semi-big) buck oh-so-worth it. Each sign is priced based on size, material, and personalization preferences. Mine was over $100, but has been on the mantel for years since, and even elicited a little bit of a misty eye upon giving (score!).

Bella Candela

I don't really feel the need to scent my home very often, and I'm loathed to purchase anything overly floral or dripping in sugary cupcake scents. But every once in a while, I need a little smile for my nose.

Bella by Illume candles are my favorite. I received one as a gift from my dear PNH last holiday season, and haven't looked back. They always have a balance of spice to sugar, and tend towards the natural side of the olfactory options.

Image courtesy of fringebenefitssalon.com

I'm currently burning the Pink Grapefruit and Tarragon, which is not only a lovely shade of terra cotta itself, but comes in a cute tin that I'm actually happy to leave on the coffee table even when unlit.

The scent of my living room...

I'm struggling to find a link to this scent online, but the Illume website offers a wide (and I mean WIDE) variety of designs and scents, including the one I just found myself being intrigued by: Pink Pepper. If only there were scratch and sniff screens...

I've found my Bella by Illume options most often at Target, where they retail from $10-$30, depending on size and style. Long burning and subtle - Bella indeed.

Umbra-lievably Easy

I love to scrapbook, but sometimes I just don't have the time or motivation to bust out all of my supplies and get down to business. I still tend to hang on to all those little bits and pieces that make a scrapbook live up to it's name, and have finally found something quick and easy to take care of the memory-inducing goodies that tend to start cluttering up my mantle/fridge/dresser.

Image courtesy of PostModernDesigns.co.uk

Umbra, which I'm sure you've seen the aisle of at Target, has always been my favorite for clever twists on photo display. Lately they've been doing a lot with magnetic structures, allowing the user to create a three dimensional scrapbook that can be changed in seconds.

Image courtesy of FridgeDoor.com

This is the Seto Suspension Frame, which I've decked out in my house with sports tickets, a sew-on patch, pinback button, and even an ice cream bar shaped eraser. Each spoke is completely removable, allowing any combo of items to be masterfully staged. I needed mine to be a lower profile, so have no spokes emitting from the top plane, taking down the height shown above considerably.

My own 3D scrapbook results

This frame isn't available on the Umbra site any more, but is at FridgeDoor.com, and retails for under $20.

Blow the dust of those scraps, de-clutter your surfaces, and create a piece of art, all in 5 minutes or less.

3-Minute Mug Cake

Okay, so this isn't exactly a tip or trick, and it's definitely NOT fashion-friendly, but it is delicious.

It's also about a 10 minute round trip from pulling ingredients out of the cupboard to a hot mug full of chocolatey goodness.

My fave mug, courtesy of soon-to-be-Mrs. MBM

So. In your fave (microwave safe) mug, mix:

*4 Tbs. flour
*4 Tbs. sugar
*2 Tbs. cocoa powder

Mix 'em up. Now add:

*1 egg
*3 Tbs. milk
*3 Tbs. oil (I used vegetable)
*3 Tbs. chocolate chips
*1 small splash vanilla extract

Zap in the microwave for 3 minutes (in a 1,000 watt oven). If you watch it, you'll see the cake come up over the top of the mug. Don't fret: It will hold it's shape and you won't have a microwave to scrub down. Let it cool - seriously - then you can slide it out onto a plate, or, my fave, grab a spoon and the handle of that mug.

All set for some dvr'd Project Runway

Is it the best chocolate cake you'll ever eat? No. But it is hot, homemade, chocolate comfort in a personal size container. Toss a garnish on if you're so inclined: Ice cream, cinnamon, fruit or chocolate syrup. You could even share with a pal.

...Nah.

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.

Go-To Gift

Ever have trouble thinking of the perfect girlfriend gift for your bestie?

You want it to be perfect, a suprise, creative, and, of course, not too spendy. Well, if you have a camera handy, you've got your next present already half planned. One of my long time pals and I are both snap-happy, and both of us place a lot of value on photos. So, rather than agonizing over eachothers Christmas gifts, we've made a sort of pact.

Each year, we will exchange framed photography of our own creation. Sure, we know what we're getting, but the suprise of what photo was chosen and why makes the trade so fun and meaningful. What made that moment in time make her think of me? Out of all the photos she's taken in a year, why this one? It creates discussion and bonding, and we each come out with art for our home.

Christmas 2009 Photos: Left by yours truly, Right by RJF

We've both also become experts at cute-but-cheap picture frames. Target and Walgreen's have captured our hearts and wallets for their wide array, and one can easily find something well-suited to any photo in the $5-$20 range.