Marble Nail DIY

Always excited when I find new nail art ideas, I saw this one on A Stylish Blur and couldn't resist doing my own version of the marble nail. A quick youtube video later, I was off and running. Here is a photo DIY:

I chose to use pastels, but it would look equally as cool with some brighter colors.

Start with a basecoat (mine was pink).

Drop some polish into a cup of warm water. (Make sure you drop it close, so the polish 

doesn't sink to the bottom!) Add as many colors as you like.

Swirl it together with a toothpick. (I found that it works better when you work 

quickly because the polish dries too much if you wait a while to swirl.)

Dip your nails. I dipped my finger straight in and then scooped 

it up and out at an angle to get the swirls in the right place.

Clean up the extra polish with a Q-tip soaked in nail polish remover. 

Give it a topcoat when it's dry and you're good to go!

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I just did it with black and gray too. The bolder (and more opaque) colors 

really make the design stand out.

This is so easy, hopefully I've inspired you to get creative with your nails!

Giveaway: The Kind Diet signed by Alicia Silverstone

Happy Valentine's Day! Before I get to the post, here is a quick look at the outfit I wore at the time of the story I'm about to tell. I didn't think of doing an outfit shot on the actual day I wore this, so I recreated it for the blog :)

Gap jacket, Geren Ford dress, Jeffrey Campbell shoes

[Lavender] OPI "Done Out In Deco" / [Purple] ZOYA "Julieanne"

I told you I was going to report on last weekend's trip to Orlando and here it is... Right when I arrived at my sister's place and dumped my bags, we headed right out to attended an event at the university featuring Alicia Silverstone. As you may know, she's the author of The Kind Diet, a book about eating healthy and saving the planet. She spoke about nutrition and the environment (topics in her book), did a Q&A and signed a ton of books.

Quick story: We were running short on time, so I suggested a faster route as we were walking to the building. A shortcut I found while I went to school there.. the back entrance where signs say students aren't allowed... oooh rebels! Anyway, being fashionably late, and knowing about the shortcut, who would we waltz in behind but Alicia and her entourage (of two!) We saw some people getting out of a car and jokingly I said "hey there's Alicia" and then realized it was her.. 

Anyway, she was the cutest thing ever, even more lovable and awesome than you'd expect. (She's pregnant right now too!) The speech was so informative and I agree with everything she said. Even though she's vegan and basically superwoman, it was easy to relate to the things she was saying and not the intimidating "all or nothing" mentality that many other speakers of the subject convey. I've read my sister's copy of this book and it's really great. She starts out by logically telling you why meat and dairy aren't good for your body and why the production of them aren't good for the planet. Then there are three ways you can approach veganism: flirting, going vegan, and becoming a superhero. She also gives amazing recipes to help start you thinking in the right direction. While I'm not vegan, I certainly try my best to cut out as much meat and dairy as possible, to eat healthy and always think about the planet.

I really could go on and on about this subject, but I'll let the book speak for itself. One person will win a signed copy of it here on this blog, but if you can't wait to read it, check it out from your library or get it online here. 

Brand new & signed

I could have kept it for myself, but I want to share the wisdom :) 

Think of it as a Valentine's Day gift!

They wouldn't let us talk to her or get photos (only signatures)
because it was getting late :(  But here's what I managed to snap:

To enter:

1. You must be a follower of this blog

2. Leave a comment below with your name and email address

Winner will be randomly selected and be announced in two weeks (Feb 28th).

The Pink Galaxy Nail

This is a pink version of the galaxy nail that I DIY'd a few months back. The black and grey version is still my favorite, but I gave pink a chance and thought I'd share it with you. It certainly livens up the usual pink manicure, and is perfect for lifting your mood in these dreary January days... plus it's right around the corner for Valentine's Day!

Colors used:

[Essie] Knockout Pout

[Milani] Electric Pink

[Sephora by OPI] Just a Fairy-Tail

[Sephora by OPI] Only Gold For Me

Guest Blogger for D, etc

Just a reminder that two more of my guest blogger posts are up at Daniela's blog. You can check out my English Trifle recipe here and my week in pictures here!

DIY: Pink Striped Candy Cane Nails

What's more fun than themed nails? Ones that incorporate pink, that's what. I recently got both of these colors and couldn't decide which one to use, so I came up with another nail DIY for you. (Coincidentally, these are the same colors as the Victoria's Secret holiday shopping bags— great minds think alike, right?) These instructions are very straightforward and (I know I'll say this every time, but) they're super easy to do.

Start with a pink base coat. Cut strips of tape and place diagonally across your nails, doing one hand at a time. You can make them different sizes if you like.

Cut the tops of the tape short and press down on fingertip to make sure the polish doesn't puddle underneath. (You'll see what I mean if you don't do this.)

Paint the red on top of tape stencil.

When the red is done, carefully peel off the tape. Paint on a clear topcoat and voilà!

Colors used were:

[OPI] Color So Hot It Berns

[Essie] Knockout Pout

DIY - Galaxy Dipped Nails

 The trick to doing a galaxy-inspired nail is messiness, anyone can do it. You don't need to be artistic, as this DIY tutorial will illustrate. Just follow these simple steps, and your nails will be out of this world! 

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Step 1

Start with a black base coat (your canvas).

Step 2

Haphazardly paint the bottom half of your nails with gray. 

(You can leave some black gaps in there also, do whatever you feel.)

Step 3

Messily paint some silver over the gray. You should leave some gaps that are just 

gray, and you should also paint a bit of silver over the black (so it's not too perfect).

Step 4

Paint some gold glitter on top and you're done.

(You can stop at step 3 if you like that look, but I went for the gold- literally!)

Nail polish colors used in this tutorial:

[Black] OPI "Black Onyx"

[Gray] China Glaze "Recycle"

[Silver] Sephora by OPI "Just a Fairy-Tale"

[Gold Glitter] Sephora by OPI "Only Gold for Me"

To speed up the process: Sephora by OPI Drying Drops

(If you haven't tried this yet, get it asap. You'll thank me!)

A peek into my world...

This post started out with this photo— I just wanted a pic of the nail polish, so I picked up a book to give it more interest. And that sparked an idea to do a post of a glimpse into my room... I posted recently that I wanted this book (and the one in the background). I got it (obviously) and have only flipped through it, but it looks great and I can't wait to crack it open for real.

Some texture on my bed. I bring out the faux fur throw around this time of year, and the pillows I just swiped from my sister. (She's redecorating her room and didn't want them anymore. Score!)

I got this Voluspa candle from Anthropologie recently. The scent is Crisp Champagne and it smells just like walking into an Anthro store. A new favorite!

My friends got me this plaque a couple years ago, they know me so well. And it's a great saying to remember when shopping.

Some magazine clippings I keep as outfit inspiration on my wall.

 An antique floor lamp that I also swiped from my sister (do you see a pattern here?).

On the back of my door– more inspirational photos, some for outfits, but mostly photographs I find aesthetically pleasing.    :)

A french romantic style armoire that I absolutely love. It has weathered mirrors on the doors.

I don't have big bottles of perfume, only a bunch of small ones that I try out because I get sick of the same scent everyday. Classic books from high school that I'll probably never read again, I just like having them in the bookcase. And MKA Olsen's book, Influence, has premiere bookcase real estate. That book really changed my life.

An ancient bottle of Chanel N°5 from my grandma. And a camel-shaped perfume bottle that I got while in Egypt.

Some old magazines I want to keep. A small stuffed toy dog (I really wanted a tan male chihuahua for a while. And I wanted him to wear a pink collar. When I saw this stuffed animal I had to get it!) He's sitting on top of a pile of moss... because, I like moss.

A tangled mess of purses kept in the armoire.

Also in the armoire, my jewelry. I have two small picture frames with my parents' school pictures in them.  I think my mom was about 14, and my dad is around 12 in those two photos (??).

An old 70s doll (that reminds me of the Blythe dolls with those huge eyes) that I got at a garage sale in middle school.

 Some shoes...

and accessories...

and clothes!

10 Things I Love

Samantha, of Sincerely Samantha, was tagged in the "10 Things I Love" chain. In turn, she decided to tag all of her readers (instead of just one). Here is my list of 10 things I love; will you do the same? Tag, you're it! 

In no particular order...

1. Sweets 

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2. Online Shopping

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 3. Creating Abstract Photography

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*Photos taken by me*

4. A cozy bed with some books and tea

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5. Movies & TV

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6. Graffiti

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7. Philosophy & Existentialism

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8. OPI Nail Polish

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9. Minimal Raw Interior Design

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10. Promo Videos

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The Row 2007


*All images via Google unless otherwise stated.