In Anticipation of Fall – Nicole of Making It Lovely

September 20, 2012

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Fall is just around the corner and I couldn’t be more excited to soon escape the 100 degree heat we’ve been having, and cozy up in my favorite knits and light a candle. In anticipation of the season, I’ve asked some of my favorite bloggers to tell us what they’re most looking forward to in terms of style, beauty, food and home decor. First up in this fun series is my friend Nicole of Making It Lovely. I adore her sense of style and eye for home design, so I was really looking forward to hearing what’s on her mind for Fall this year. Thanks Nicole for taking part in this series, and I hope you have a wonderful Fall!


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5 Beauty Must Haves – According To a Pro

September 18, 2012

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My friend Amber is obsessed with all things beauty, and good thing for me, she keeps me in check when I want to keep using 10 year old eyeshadow quads and attempt to get away with using some random color of eyeshadow to fill in my brows.  You might recall that when we last heard from Amber, she was sharing some easy makeup tips with me in the comfort of my own home.  Well today she’s sharing her top 5 beauty must-haves that every woman should own in her beauty arsenal.  I have to say, Amber hasn’t steered me wrong yet, so I’d listen up and take note if I were you ladies!

1) A good eye shadow palette with both neutral and dark colors. Something you can take with while traveling or throw into a large purse. It’s easy to use and allows you to change your look at a moments notice. ( I like Urban Decay’s Naked Palette but M.A.C let’s you create your own as well). You will also need a few brushes with this palette! (Angled soft brush, crease brush & flat brush

2) NARS blush in Orgasm. It is a game changer. The champagne pink matches every skin tone and instantly creates a subtle and provocative flush.

3) Smashbox Photo Op Under Eye Brightener – perfect for wearing under concealer or without, it instantly brightens the under eye area and is seriously one of the best products I’ve invested in. An essential tool for all moms.

4) Black Mascara. It truly opens up the eyes and gives them an extra oomph. I’ve tried them all and my favorites are DiorShow Blackout, Maybelline Stiletto Lash and Benefit’s Yes, They’re Real

5) Eyebrow pencil. Most people don’t think about it but the eyebrows are so important to the overall look of your face! Once you start filling in your eyebrows you will never go back. My favorites are Anastasia Brow Pen – Long Wearing Brow Tint or Perfect Brow Pencil and M.A.C Eyebrow (it’s like a crayon that stays sharp!)

Thanks so much Amber for sharing your secrets with us, oh wise one.  I have to say that every single product you’ve told me to buy, I’ve loved, so I know the ladies can’t go wrong with these recommendations.

Friends, please go check out Amber and give her some love at her Facebook page for Sweet Emotions Makeup Artistry!  She’s a great gal with a big heart and is a talent with the makeup brush who gladly shares her knowledge with anyone that’s interested.  Tell her I sent you!  And please share any of YOUR personal makeup must-haves.  Do any of them correspond with Amber’s, or do you have your own makeup arsenal weapon of choice?


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Daily Style – Week 3 Then & Now

September 17, 2012

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I still can’t fit into any bottoms that don’t have an elastic waist so I’m working through the closet and trying to stretch items as far as I can, and this skirt was a piece I was happy to work with.  I got it right in the beginning of my 2nd trimester and have been looking forward to wearing it when not pregnant for a while. Same rule applies as last week with the pleats, so I again paired it with my trusty wide belt to help cinch and define my waist a bit more to keep the pleats from looking too bulky.

Skirt – Anthropologie, Lace top- Forever 21; Ankle boots – Dolce Vita; Ring – Banana Republic

I added a sleeveless lace top to give it some texture, and paired it with my ankle boots to give the look more of a Fall feel, even though it was in the high 80’s.  So have you started to experience any fall weather yet where you live, and if so, what are you wearing to celebrate the change in season?  I’ve been pinning lots of Fall 2012 inspiration and trends, in the hopes of pinning the weather to turn cool, but so far no such luck.  I guess Pinterest isn’t as powerful as we all think!

Linking up to Monday Mingle Real Girl Glam WIWW!


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DIY Dip Dye Chairs

September 15, 2012

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I’ve been working on completing Hayden’s nursery, and one thing every little kid’s room needs is a little chair. I actually quite adore little chairs and we have about 8 of them in different shapes and sizes all about the house.  I was going to buy him a new one, but instead decided to give one we already had new life with a dip dyed leg treatment.  My inspiration below.

image 1, image 2, image 3

Because Hayden’s room is primarily white with some bright pops of color, and some even brighter neon pops here and there, I decided to refurbish a simple pastel yellow chair we had that previously sat in Taylor’s room, and give it just a hint of an orange neon leg.  For this project, you’ll need paint or spray paint in which ever colors you like, as well as some primer; here I used white and neon orange. You’ll also need some painter’s tape, a ruler and some painter’s paper. This is the chair before I added a coat of primer and white spray paint.  It was cute in the yellow, but didn’t quite work in his room. Once the white coat of paint had dried completely, I taped off each leg (I went 6 inches up), making sure to add plenty of paper to block off the spray from the paint can.  When you’re taped off, simple spray your legs and let dry completely.  Remove your paint and paper and there you have it, a simple dip dyed chair leg that adds an updated twist to any room. Eventually the chair will be used for Hayden to sit and read a book or two, but for now, it’s getting a lot of use in the room by the big kids.  They are using it to read to Hayden, and even more so as a step stool to help me change diapers (bonus!). I love how this little chair came out and love how easy it was to complete.  It was the perfect DIY project to jump back into after having Hayden, and helped to get my creative juices flowing.  I’d love to try it in the pastel and natural wood tone options too, for another room in the house.   So do you guys have any DIY projects in the works this weekend?


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For the Love Of – Instagramming

September 14, 2012

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I have a confession: I’ve become addicted to Instagramming; I’m @fourflights.  For me, it’s far more inspiring and exciting to look at and interact with right now than Facebook and Twitter combined, although I do love the community at my blog Facebook pages 🙂  Anyhow, I digress.  I love being able to capture our everyday moments quickly and on the fly, without having to take our bulky dslr camera everywhere we go, and I love finding new apps to make the IG process even better.  The latest app I found, via Jason Hudson’s Instagrammar school, is called Camera +, and can be found in the app store for .99 cents.  While Jason does a much better job explaining what the app actually does, I basically just love it because it allows you to quickly and easily brighten up the levels on any photograph so that they are brighter and punch more.  I also love that it adjusts the lighting when you are shooting against a bright background; you know how the camera phone automatically darkens the whole picture when that happens?  Well this app takes care of that.  Let me show you a few examples.

Here’s a picture of a yummy smoothie I recently made.  The photo on the left is shown in its true form with no special editing done to it yet.  The photo on the right shows how quickly adding a “backlit” filter brightens it up and makes it stand out more.  Often the pictures I take in here don’t even need a filter added to them in Instagram because they come out so gosh darn pretty. Here’s another example taken in my dark bathroom against a beige countertop.  The picture on the left isn’t bad, it just doesn’t really pop.  But after hitting the backlit button, it is instantly brightened.  By the way, some fun new beauty posts are coming up next week…since I’ve been stuck in the house a lot I’ve been having fun playing beauty school. And of course my favorite use of this app is for taking pictures of Hayden.  Because his room is well lit and all the bedding and walls are pure white, it makes for a pretty easy and bright canvas to begin with, but add the backlit option, and the photos of him become so bright they almost glow.

I’ve been on Instagram since February 2012, and I now have over 600 pictures, which means I need to start thinking about doing something with my favorite shots.  I love this roundup of creative ways to turn your IG pictures into prints, and here are a few favorites.

So are you addicted to Instagram too?  And if so, have you found any creative and fun ways to display your photos, or are you still thinking about what to do with them all like I am?  And what are some of your favorite apps for IG?  I’m always looking for some fun new ones to add.  Currently I’m looking to download a black and white app, since I don’t love the black and white filter on IG or via Pic FX.

I’m hoping to get a little DIY tutorial up on the blog tomorrow, and I’m guest posting over at Little Miss Momma today, so please go check it out.  I’m getting back into the groove friends, and it feels good!  Hayden is waking twice a night now (on average), and I take 1 feeding and my wonderful husband takes the other feeding (he takes a bottle of breast milk like a champ!).  Hoping and praying that things only continue to get better and better in the sleep department, and I’m almost all healed up too after labor.  Things are looking up!  How are you all?  Would love to know what you are up to these days 🙂


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For the Love Of – Sweet Baby Hayden

September 13, 2012

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It occurred to me today that I hadn’t taken any pictures of Hayden with our proper camera since we’ve been home!  So I remedied that this afternoon by getting his belly nice and full and shooting a few pictures of my sweet boy when he was happy.  He continues to melt my heart every day and made me so proud by being the best little shopper today when Miranda and I went to Sephora to get a few updates for our makeup arsenal.  He continues to surprise and amaze me everyday and I continue to fall further and further in love with him.  Follow along on Instagram @fourflights for daily updates on this sweet little guy.


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Daily Style – Casual Neon

September 12, 2012

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Top – from local boutique Tullemoss; Pants – James Perse; Sandals – Sam Edelman

I’m running out of button up shirt options for ease of nursing.  Good thing I love the ones I have.  This shirt last made an appearance at a Coldplay concert, and while a day spent at home isn’t as exciting as singing along with Chris, the shirt does appreciate being able to serve a very utilitarian purpose.

Hoping your week is going well so far.  Other than being tired and still recovering a bit, I’m hanging in there.  Made a couple of fun purchases at Sephora today that I’ll share with you next week.  Have a great one!


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For The Love Of – Downton Inspired Jewels

September 11, 2012

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Hi friends.  Occasionally over the next few weeks I’m going to have a few friends stopping by so that I can get some extra rest and spend time with baby boy Hayden.  Megan is a talented jewelry maker and recently launched a line inspired by Downton Abbey, a show that is near and dear to my heart, and steeped in major style.  So here’s Megan to talk a bit about her inspiration behind the line, which I found to be quite fascinating.  Hopefully you will too.

Hi, I’m Megan Reynolds from Flawed Perfection Jewelry. I design sterling silver and gemstone, pearl, and/or Swarovski crystal jewelry. More than anything, I love color. I’m so happy to be on here today to share a really fun line, inspired by something that many of us are obsessed with right now! Welcome to…

Dinner at Downton Banner

I’ve come up with 7 colorways inspired by the characters and activities of the beloved BBC/PBS series. Each colorway is comprised of 3 colors of Swarovski Crystals. Some of the colorways were inspired directly from looks the characters wore. Even if you haven’t watched yet (first off, why haven’t you?!), I hope you enjoy these fun color combos! Here’s all the colorways together…

Downton Color Swatch

Here is an explanation of the inspiration for 3 of my favorite colorways:

Lady Edith is an interesting character. She’s misunderstood; she acts mean, but deep down, all she wants is to be loved. I was inspired by her fair hair and complexion, as well as the pale looks she often wears. (See her peach & green hairclips below? Perfect!) Edith is the most understated of the 3 sisters, so this colorway is just like her. She doesn’t have Sybil’s boldness or Mary’s passion, but she has a soft spot.

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Edith Color Swatch Here’s how it looks in one of the 7 available designs:

Edith Large Circle Listing

Lady Sybil is the most outspoken of the three sisters. Her colorway is inspired by her boldest look yet. Her “surprise” pants look was the perfect inspiration, as it shows her spunky spirit and fun personality. This colorway also seems modern, just like Sybil’s forward-thinking ideas for the time. These colors fit perfectly with her bold personality.

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Sybil Color Swatch Here’s how it looks in one of the 7 designs:

Cora is one of the more mature characters on the show. She has to lead the Downton Household, especially during WWI. Her colorway is mostly inspired by this look below. Linen dresses with black accents seem to appear a few times on the show, often on Cora. This sophisticated colorway matches the elegant role she plays as the lady of the house.

Source

Cora Color Swatch

Here’s how it looks in one of the 7 designs:

Cora Shine On Listing

I hope that these colorways capture a bit of the colorful fashion of Downton Abbey! My favorite thing about these colorways is that they are a subtle nod to Downton without being dated. Color is so powerful to me. I think these colorways show that so, so much can be expressed with color. Sass, power, calmness, passion etc. can all come through with the right use of color.

Here are the designs which are currently available in the colorways: Triple Drop Petal Berry Earrings, Shine On Cluster Earrings, Oval Cluster Hoops, Barely There Necklace, Row of Sparkle Necklace, Marquise Cluster Necklace, Large Circle Cluster Necklace. Each of the 7 designs above is available in the 7 colorways. Everything is organized in the shop by item. You can then choose your colorway choice when adding your items to your cart.

So, what’s your favorite thing about Downton Abbey? Are you as obsessed as I am? (Pssst…if you are obsessed, I would check out these previews for season 3.)

Remember to stop by my blog for a full explanation of all 7 colorways. You can find all the designs in the shop. You can also find me on Twitter, Facebook, & Instagram (@meganluvsjewels).

Thanks for having me today, Andrea! As a thank you, everyone can enjoy free priority shipping on your order with the code FORTHELOVEOF 🙂 *Expires September 30th.

Megan


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Daily Style – Week 2

September 10, 2012

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Pleated Skirt – Nordstrom; T-Shirt – James Perse; Necklaces – Lisa Leonard; Sandals – J. Crew; Bag – Marc by Marc Jacobs; Belt – Gap

When this pleated skirt last made an appearance, I was wearing it as a dress and about 6 months pregnant.  The time before that, I was slim and trim and wearing it back to snakeskin heels and a leather jacket, so the fact that it’s taken me through several body stages, and can be worn casual or dressed up.  That’s a sign of a good investment piece.

As I said on Friday, I’m not in a rush to lose the baby weight, but I am definitely more apt to dress a little more consciously than before.  Truth be told, pleats around the waist are not always the most flattering thing, but I added a thick belt to cinch in my waist a bit, and when paired with a form fitting tee, it slims down the overall look.  Keeping the sandals light and airy lends to the casualness of the look and keeps the skirt from looking too fussy or overdressed for just a casual dinner out.

And my take on hair for the past few weeks, even when I was still pregnant, was to wash and blow dry it about 2 times a week, and when it starts feeling a little limp, pull it back into a slick ponytail.  My hair is usually a bit too full the first couple of days after a wash and blowout, but by day 3 it’s smooth and straight, making a nice clean looking pony.

So this is how I’m doing postpartum style.  Let me know if you have any other suggestions or advice on how to continue to stay true to my style while getting back into my pre-pregnancy size. And to see Week 1 postpartum style, click here.


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9 Months On, 9 Months Off

September 7, 2012

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I had planned on getting back to blogging this week, but it just didn’t happen, and I’m okay with that. I’ve needed the week to bond with baby without any distractions, and just rest. When feeling up to it, I’ve also accomplished a few projects around the house. I have been Instragramming quite a bit though (I’m @fourflights) and it’s been fun posting pictures of sweet baby Hayden, and my pursuits in trying to dress comfortably and appropriately for my postpartum body.

I’m not in a rush by any means to “lose the baby weight”, never has been my style, rather I give myself grace that it took 9 months for my body to morph into what it did, and will take at least that to get back to “normal”.  By the way, in case you’re curious, I gained 43 pounds this pregnancy, the most I have ever gained, but I honestly felt the best I had ever felt, proving that sometimes numbers don’t mean a thing.  And I have no idea how much I have to lose now since we don’t own a scale.  But I do want to dress in a way that flatters the shape I have right now, and also make use out of the clothes in my closet, instead of feeling like I have to run out and buy a bunch of new clothes.  So for now my formula for dressing are elastic waistbands, which I actually have a lot of, button up or loose fitting shirts, and comfortable shoes with an edge.  The outfit above is a perfect example; elastic waistband stretchy skirt with the added bonus of a ruched side panel to hide the tummy a bit, a loose fitting and casual button up pocket shirt that is lightweight considering we still are experiencing hot weather, and good ol’ Chucks, because they’re fun and hide toes that are in need of a pedicure.  Nothing fancy, but just dressed enough for me to feel good. Another look that I love is the slouchy laid back feel of a pair of elastic waist “sweatpants”, and a button up nehru neckline, loose fitting shirt.  I was comfortable all day in this look, but still felt like I had got dressed for the day.

And since I’m not getting really “dressed up” much these days, I have been having fun playing with some new makeup finds and polish changes.  This recent acquisition from AG is stunning, in a sparkly midnight color.  Any new colors for fall you’ve fallen in love with this season?  Please share! And to round out the assortment of pictures for today, I’d like to share some Hayden cuteness. This little guy is melting my heart every single day and I am feeling overjoyed and blessed to be his mama.  He is truly a sweetheart, and so far the easiest baby I’ve had.  I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and I look forward to getting back to regular posting soon.  Thank you for your understanding though while I rest and spend time with Hayden.


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