DIY: Journal

Up-cycling!!

I don't know about you in your job, but I get a lot of note books.  From all directions I have vendors trying to leave me these "Trash & Trinkets."  I like them.  I have great use for these.

I use notebooks constantly.  I haven't dove head first into the tech world and I still like to manually write a to do list and manually check things off.

But I also don't like ugly things hahahaha!  So here is an easy tip.  Modpog!

If you are a crafter, DIY-er, up cycler, or any kind of frugalista you need to have ModPog.  This comes in handy all the time.

Simple solution: take a notebook and ModPog the cover.

Done and Done!!

DIY: Makeup Compact

So nice to have a little bump in the day!!

It is so nice to have a little pick me up throughout the day.  There are all kinds of palettes that are available however I haven't found one that I particularly like.  They don't always seem to have what I am looking for in my pick me up.  I like to have a couple different color concealer options, a highlight and a cheek product.  I generally need something after a long day at work and that something needs to make me look less tired.  So the concealer does the obvious, it conceals.  The highlight I use in the corner of my eyes, eyebrow bone, tops of cheek bone, and sometimes center of my lid.  This helps brighten up my eyes.  Finally, to look a little healthier I like to put some color in my cheeks.  

I haven't found a palette that has all the right kinds of colors for me as well as the specific products.  So I make my own.  I made a new one this weekend and thought I would share.

I found a great and inexpensive new palette option in the E.L.F. product line.  This thing was a buck!!  Can you believe it!!  There is a nice mirror, and four color options.

The tools of the trade are simple.  Your cosmetic options, cut with a butter knife, and smashed into the compartments.

I leave the sponge time in the compact.  I haven't found a use for it, however I have not idea what I would use it for.

Let me know if you give this a try!!

WE LOVE LEFTOVERS!!!

Leftovers are your chance to make an awesome dinner with no work!!!

I love left overs.  We have already done the work to cook the dinner.  Leftovers are all about dressing up last night's dinner the make something fabulous with minimal effort.

Today I have some good uses of Thanksgiving leftovers.  TURKEY POT PIE!!  You could actually do this with many kind of meat and veg left over, but this is what I did with some of my Thanksgiving leftovers.

First just select your leftovers you will use for your filler & pick your sauce.  I used some greenbean casserole, couple frozen vegetables as my filler.  I used gravy and greek yogurt/sour cream as my sauce.  Then just season to taste.

Mix in your meat whatever that might be and put in a oven safe dish.

Then mix up the topping.  Use Bisquix or whatever pancake mix you utilize.  If you do everything from scratch (you probably don't need this blog hehehe) you could use a biscuit recipe.  The mixture should be the same consistency as biscuits.  Once done, just throw it on top of the filling and bake.

Bake times will vary depending on how thick you make the topping.  It will be rough 15-20 minutes at 350.

Good Luck!!!

Tip

Skin not looking so good?

This is a simple and brief tip.  If you find that your skin isn't looking so nice, and you use make-up, take a look at what you are using to apply your makeup.

Whether you use brushes, sponge tips, and powder puffs etc. you need to use clean tools.  If you don't clean your tools and/or use new tools you can find things go a little haywire.  Couple things that can happen: break outs and poor makeup application.

This is why I like to use brushes.  You can purchase brushes for very cheap today.  Check out Target, Walmart, Walgreens and you can find some very economical options.  What I like about the brushes is they are a one time investment (that is if you take care of them).  I don't particularly like the application from sponges and sponge tips, plus you can't re-use them.  Brushes can be clean and re-used over and over again.

That brings we to my next point.  CLEAN YOUR BRUSHES!!!  It is a very simple process.  It takes just a couple minutes and you only have to do it once a month if you do touch up cleaning.

Hope this helps!!

Baby Ballers

Our babies should get to be chic as well.  Well, I have a little boy so he gets to be a little baller!!

I try to keep my son as fabulous as I am, and often he is more!  Over this weekend, a couple things came to mind about how I am keeping him fresh.  

First, SOCKS SOCKS SOCKS!  No socks ever seem to stay on any babies feet.  Their precious feet are so chubby, it is hard to socks to stay on.  Well, I found a kind that will...crew socks.  I found a bunch of crew height socks at Target and they stay up great.  He has worn a couple of them multiple times between multiple washes and they are still staying up & on.  It is hard for him to pull them off and he sure tries believe you me.

Additionally my little man had a cold this weekend as well.  To keep his little nose in good condition, I used the flannel spit up ranges as a hanky.  These rags are awesome.  We have used them as spit up rages, hankies, and cuddle blankies.  They are great for everything!!

Make-up Like a Pro!

So I am definitely a big fat girl when it comes to make-up!!  

I buy make-up all the time so it often gets me buying cheap make-up because it is well...cheap.  Cheaper make-up often does take more work.

Here is what I do.  I was recently turned on my Wet n' Wile Icon Palettes.  These shadows are awesome.  If you haven't tried these I suggest that you do.  They are terrific.  Highly pigmented and the colors in each palette option are really good and make sense.   However, sometimes with these kinds of palettes and brands their shadows are very dusty and have a lot of fall out.  There is a very simple solution.

Only pack the shadow onto one side of the brush and then blend accordingly.  Seems kinda silly but this really works.  Give you brush a tap before you put it onto your face, but you really save yourself some heartache in fixing your foundation if you just pack one side of your brush.  Simple solution, but makes it so much easier!!

Gotta Build a Team

Hold your horses this one is going to be preachy!!!

In order to kill it in today's world you have to have a team.  There is not much going on, you have to build a team of people to really kick butt.  Here is a for example: get connected with a health insurance agent.  First and foremost, there are agents for everything.  They are experts in their specific field and they can be great tools.  Utilize them.  Recently when I connected with a heath insurance agent I saved $3k for the year on my premiums, stayed with the same providers, and have comparable out of pocket expenses.  It is crazy!!

The world with live in today is not the same world that our grandparents live in.  We have more intense contracts, more fine print, we have a multifaceted world that our grandparents just didn't have to deal with.  Our parents grew up in a time when they could get a summer job and pay for a new car.  We just aren't there any more.  Lawsuits, the government, and inflation have changed our world.  Not necessarily for the worse, it is just changed.  Many of those things provide more protections, but with those protections, there comes details.  Now when we multiply those protections and details across all areas of our lives today, we see we are no longer able to be experts in our own world.

So that is why I say, get a team.  Get a great primary care physician.  Preventative health care (preventative maintenance of all kinds) keeps anything in tip top shape and lasting longer without major repair.  Get a great personal insurance agent.  Bundle together your home, life, car etc. with one great insurance agent.  Get the best value for your money, not just the cheapest, but make sure you get a great deal.  You don't want to overpay $3,000.  Get a financial adviser.  They can help put a plan of action together to develop wealth.  To have something in 40 years.

Get a team!!  It is a rare person in today's world who has time after working a 10 hour day, coming home and making dinner, doing a couple chores, will then find time to gain an understanding about the healthcare industry.

Get an expert!!!

Product Review: E.L.F. Bronzier Blush Duo

DEAL!!!!

I found another great from from E.L.F.  Like I have said before, they are very hit or miss.  But right now this product is a hit!!  

It is tones that would work for lots of skin tones.  A wonderful peaching gold tone and a terrific bronzy gold tone.  I actually use the bronzer to contour and it works great.  Plus...$3!!!  You can't beat that!!

DIY: Bibs that don't fall off!!

Twist on your standard bib.

So our 10 month old hates bibs.  But mommy hates stained shirts.  We have a ton of bibs, but a lot of them have velcro instead of snaps.  Now I don't have the kit to add snaps so I came up with another solution.  Bra clips!!!  You know those clips that hold our bras in together, well I have some lying around the house and WOW they work great for this little task.  I just sewed them onto the end of the bib and BOOM no more baby pulling off bibs.

Simple, easy and effective.  Let me know if something else has help you in the past!!

Product Review: Bio Oil

Stretch marks...yuck!!!

So after my baby I have a couple stretch marks.  Totally normal.  However I couldn't get the color to change!!  You know what I mean.  Purple fresh stretch marks....terrible!!

Bio Oil really helped heal the stretch marks.  I would recommend it to anyone who has stretch marks from anything.  Plus it would just be great for anyone with super dry skin.  Give it a go!!!

DIY: Simple Rattles

This one is like a 30 second DIY.  My son likes to make noise a most kids do.  He also likes to put things in his mouth.  He also likes new things.  To keep from going crazy with toys and rattles I make him rattles.  Super simple.

Whenever you run out of a creamer bottle, Parmesan cheese bottle etc. just add beans or rice into the mix.  This will make a ton of noise, wont break open, and will be a nice chew toy for you baby as well.  When they are bored with if, just throw it away and start a new one.

It is simple easy and fun!!

DIY: Monograph Picture

Super easy and super cool.

This is a super easy way to add a personal touch to you home.  My last name begins with a M.  So I wanted to bring that into our dining room wall of family & vacation adventures.

Step 1: Get a frame.  Grab one that has a bulky edge.  If you have a frame with a thin edge the proportions will be off and it wont look right.

Step 2: Decide what you want to do on the background.  I didn't want to put anything in the background.  I have a shabby chic interior style so I liked the rough background.

Step 3: Flowers!!  These can come from anywhere.  I got my from the Dollar Store.  Actually, these were reflective of Dollar Store purchases from over the years.  I had been keeping a hold of much of this stuff and was stoked when I came across this idea.

Step 4:  Dry run & Glue.  Best to lay it all out and make sure all the flowers balance etc.  Then hot glue and you are done.  

Simple Solution: Getting a Puppy to Eat

Well my little puppy is a bit...sensitive.

He has always been this way.  Whenever company leaves on Monday he would be in such a depression.  But when we went on vacation for a week, wow it look him a long time to recover.

He wasn't eating and was actually puking a lot.  I gave him some milk with his food which has always helped him.  However, that is expensive. 

So, in order to keep his tummy okay & full and our pocket books okay and full I just added water instead of milk.  Seems like a simple solution however I didn't think it would work and boy did it!!

That might work for you and your pup. 

ps. another great benefit is our dog didn't have the usual gas afterwards...yeah!!

Another Great Makeup Product - Rimmel Waterproof Eye Liner

Rimmel has developed a great waterproof eye liner.  This is a simple simple review.  It is inky black and stays in place.  Even on the water line.  If you wear black eye liner....enough said right :)

Product Review: NYC Sparkle Eye Dust

WOW!!!!  SHIMMA SHIMMA SHIMMA!!!

I recently tried NYC's new eye product, their Sparkle Eye Dust.  WOW


It is definitely a a great product.  It has an exceptionally rich color and totally totally a metallic shine.  I don't think it quite describes it enough to say that it has a shimmer.  It is very metallic.  What is also so awesome, is when many of these kinds of shimmer products they crease on my eye lids.  I have oily lids and even with a primer, at the end of the day I look a little rough.  However, this product, didn't crease.  It is a great value on top at only a couple bucks per tube.  I have tried the Smokey Topaz and the Pink Topaz.  I am going to also pick up the Golden Champagne.

Word of the wish however, this will get everywhere!!!  I recommend not putting on your concealer until  you have put this one and blended it in.  The fall out is crazy.  If you try one of the bolder colors, because it sticks to the skin so well, I would probably wait on foundation until my eyes were done.

However, all is all it is a great product at a great value!!