photo friday: morning snapshots
A few photos from this grey and rainy Brooklyn morning, made better by good yoga, good food, good friends.
Makes the Trader Joe’s line a little more bearable.
Poached eggs, soy latte. And those overhead lights!
Coffees drained. They study warrior 2 and their adductors. I try not to stare at Maggie Gyllenhaal and Peter Sarsgaard at the other table.
Wise words.
Happy Friday!
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5 DIYs to try this weekend
Thanks to Pinterest and a wealth of crafty bloggers, DIY projects are everywhere. Here are a few ideas to try over this long holiday weekend, whether you’re staying home or have a few hours to kill in the car or on a plane.
Hurricane Bracelets via I Spy DIY
I spent many, many summertime hours in the early ’90s making lanyard bracelets and keychains. They say everything comes back in style, right? Give it a try again – I bet it’s like riding a bike.
Citrus Coasters via The Purl Bee
These felt coasters are perfect for a Memorial Day BBQ. No sewing machine required.
Homemade Nut Milk via My New Roots
I made my own almond milk for the first time last week, and I may never go back to the boxed stuff. It’s definitely worth trying. This video is styled so well – who knew a video about nut milk could be this charming!
Rope Bracelet via Honestly WTF
Honestly WTF has so many great DIY ideas, especially for on-trend bracelets and necklaces that look just like the pieces you’re seeing in boutiques right now. You can get everything you need at the hardware store – a perfect roadtrip project!
Makeup Brush Holder via Centsational Girl
You’ll need a sewing machine to attempt this one, but it’s such a great way to store makeup brushes, especially for travel. This would also be a really cute crayon or marker holder for kids. I’m going to dust off my sewing machine and give this one a whirl this weekend.
Do you have a favorite DIY project? Let me know in the comments!
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style board: china glaze summer neons
I know, I know. More neon! You can’t turn a corner without being slapped in the face with bright yellow and hot pink right now, so we might as well just embrace it. China Glaze has 12 new neons out for summer, available in stores in June. With Memorial Day coming up this weekend and the start of the summer season, here are a few swimsuit picks to pair with these bright new shades.
1. Deck Stripe Triangle Tank with CG Ride the Waves and Splish Splash
2. Pepo Striped Bikini with CG I’m With the Lifeguard and Sun Kissed
3. Chevron Tanksuit with Orange You Hot and Surfin for Boys
4. Lauren by Ralph Lauren Colorblock Bikini with CG Flirty Tankini and Pink Plumeria
5. Sunfire Bandeau with Loves a Beach and Hang Ten Toes
6. Miraclesuit Sonatina One-Piece with CG Beach Cruise and Under the Boardwalk
Head on over to Scrangie for swatches of these colors! Do you have summer-y plans for Memorial Day? Let me know in the comments!
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love this: the big harumph
Letterpress and block prints from The Big Harumph, based in Wichita, Kansas. Love…
rush less play more / you can have it all / oh how i love thee / today is the day
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nail art: bracelet inspiration
I love browsing BaubleBar for on-trend jewelry that’s fairly affordable, and this bright pink cuff was screaming “nail art!” at me. I listened and got to work.
I began by painting my nails with Nails Inc. Cambridge Terrace, which is the best metallic silver I’ve tried yet. It’s like pouring molten metal onto your nails. Amazing.
After letting the silver dry completely, I applied four diagonal pieces of Scotch Tape to section off a diamond in center of each nail. I filled in the exposed diamond with neon pink China Glaze Flip Flop Fantasy, and removed the tape while the polish was still wet. After allowing the pink polish to dry, I cleaned up around the edges and applied a glossy top coat.
Nail art inspiration is everywhere you look, so keep your eyes open and your polish collection nearby.
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nail art: white to black striped gradient
Applying thin vertical stripes of color is a simple way to create a modern gradient nail design. I used pinks for this look a few months ago, but today I’ll show you how to get this ombre mani with shades of grey.
Start by choosing four polishes. I’m using Sally Hansen xTreme Wear White On, Zoya Dove, Nails Inc. The Thames, and Mattese Elite Black.
Starting with the lightest color, paint a vertical stripe down the side of each nail. You could use a small paintbrush, but I just used the normal polish brush. Continue with the remaining three colors, adding stripes until you’ve filled your entire nail with polish. For best results, work polish by polish (paint every nail with the first color, then move on to the next color) rather completing a full nail at a time.
Dip a small makeup brush in polish remover and clean up around the edges. Once all of the polish is dry, add a good top coat to smooth out the brushstrokes and add some shine!
Voila! Have you played around with gradient/ombre manis? What’s your favorite technique?
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love this: thezakka clutches
These handmade clutches and coin purses from Etsy shop thezakka are cute, cute, cute.
I love the bright geometric fabrics, especially this rainbow chevron sunglasses case. So darling!
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nail art: nautical stripes
I got my hands on a Models Own nail art pen last week (thanks, Angela!), and I’ve been doing variations of the same mani ever since. Stripes, stripes, stripes, I just can’t stop. This blue and white mani looks very nautical, or very J.Crew. Both are good.
I started with China Glaze First Mate (a rare one-coater!) and used the nail art pen to paint diagonal stripes halfway down one accent nail. Any thin nail art or makeup brush will do. I got some white polish around the edges, so I dipped a small brush in remover for a quick clean-up job. Make sure to let the stripes dry completely before adding a top coat so they don’t smear together. Anchors away!
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on her nails: daniella
Meet Daniella, who is oh-so charming, super talented, and pretty darn hilarious, too. Find out what was shimmering on her nails last week, and then head on over to her brilliant dating blog, The Inside Voice, for some very wise words…
Name: Daniella
Where are we today? Brownstone Brooklyn, so pretty!
What are you wearing? OPI Glitzerland.
Salon or do-it-yourself mani? Salon, always.
Why did you choose this color? I wanted something bright and light, and opaque. Also, chips aren’t as noticeable if you stand back a foot and squint real hard.
Why do you wear nail polish? It’s the happy result of a weekly post-yoga mani/pedi bonding ritual with my mom.
If you could only wear one polish for the rest of your life, what would it be? OPI You Don’t Know Jacques. Super sexy and understated grey/purple/brown. It reads neutral, but gets noticed!
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my top 5 nail polishes – spring 2012
No matter how much polish I accumulate, I find myself gravitating toward the same bottles again and again. Here are my five favorites this spring – some are new, some not so new, but all are fantastic and worth trying.
(Thumb to pinky)
RGB Dew: This is the first polish I’ve owned in this pale mint/pistachio green shade, and I really love it. It feels so fresh and light. Dew applies a bit streaky at first, but smooths out beautifully in three coats. A close match: Butter London Bossy Boots.
China Glaze Gaga for Green: I love this grassy kelly green from China Glaze’s Electropop Collection. Wearing this shade feels a little daring, but not too daring. I just picked up some colored denim in the exact color. Also try: Essie Pretty Edgy.
Color Club Jackie Oh!: You can’t have a top 5 list right now without including a neon, so I’m going with Jackie Oh!, a hot pink with a formula that makes application a total breeze. Similar: Nails Inc. Notting Hill Gate.
Essie Lilacism: Lilacism isn’t a new polish, but it’s my go-to when I’m in the mood for a pretty pastel. I’ve had it on my toes almost non-stop this spring, so it definitely deserves a place in my top 5. Alternative: Sally Hansen xTreme Wear in Lacey Lilac.
Nails Inc. Baker Street: Who says a saturated cobalt blue doesn’t belong in a list of spring polish? Baker Street is all over magazines and nail blogs right now, and for good reason. I want to wear it pretty much all the time. So does Beyonce… Also try: OPI Blue My Mind.
What’s on your favorites list this season? I’d love to hear. Let me know in the comments!
