NOTD: Essie Penny Talk

Hey Girls,

I got a new polish today, and I couldn't wait to share it with you.  It is from Essie's Mirror Metallics collection, and the color is Penny Talk.

Picture from Essie

Sorry for the picture- I took it with my phone.

In  the bottle, it is a pretty, obviously metallic bronze or copper shade.

On the nail, it is a gorgeous sort of rose gold color. It is quite lovely, and is perfect for fall. Plus, the metallic sheen is very forgiving and hides mistakes quite well.

I see myself wearing this a lot over the next couple months.  What are some of your favorite shades for fall?

Talk Soon,

T.

Sober September and Weight Loss Update

Hello Again Ladies,

Earlier in the month, I mentioned that I was taking some time away from alcohol.  I am happy to report that it has been a roaring success!  Admittedly, I was not totally alcohol free.  I did have a beer twice this month, but both times, I didn't even finish one bottle! 

To be honest, I didn't really miss alcohol, and it was definitely good for my budget and waistline.  Thus, I think I will continue with my (mostly) alcohol-free lifestyle. 

My focus now is losing weight.  Cutting the alcohol is a great first step, but it is not enough.  I am doing WW for the umpteenth billionith time, but G is doing it with me.  I am excited for us to lose weight and get healthy as a couple.

I will be doing weekly blog posts on my weight loss efforts.  I will also include photo updates.  So, without further ado, here I am today:

My starting goal is to lose 10 lbs.  Once that is done, I will buy myself a fabulous present (makeup, clothes, who knows?!?!), and I will set another goal.  I know this isn't going to be easy, but my fall clothes aren't fitting.  I have some seriously cute clothes, so this is a bummer.

Time for a change!

Talk Soon,

Tiffany

Little Black Bag

Hello Ladies,

Do any of you use Little Black Bag? 

If not, I strongly recommed it. 

http://www.littleblackbag.com/

LBB is a monthly subscription service that offers designer bags, jewelry, accessories, cosmetics and some home goods.  It is a bit pricey at $49.95 a month, but it puts the buyer (you!!!) in control.

To start, create a LBB account by taking a style quiz.  You will then be able to view all the items in the gallery.  You can choose from a ton of items ranging in value from $10 - $110.  You can also select items that you love in order to create a gallery of your favorite items.

After scrolling through all your options, you choose one item as a must-have.  This item is guaranteed to be in your bag!  You also get 2 - 4 additional items, curated by LBB.  Once you pay for your bag, you will see the other items.

Here is the coolest part:  if you don't like what is in your bag, you can trade with other community members to get a bag you totally love!  Your bag will not ship unitl you have swapped for items that you want to have (or the trade deadline at the end of the month).

You can cancel any time, and you are not charged until your bag ships.  How cool is that?

Have any of you ladies tried LBB?  Are you as excited about it as I am?  Let me know in the comments!

My bag should arrive this week, and I will update you all when I get it.  As a sneak peek, here is my must-have item for the month:

This "Samantha" necklace from NYLA Star retails for $88!

Talk Soon,

T.

Crazy Cheap, Beautiful Blush

Hello All,

So, I am not really a fan of most ELF products.  I haven't tried the whole line, but I have dabbled with concealers, eye shadows and highlighters with no success.  When I saw rave reviews from some of my favorite YouTube beauty gurus, I was still a bit skeptical.  But for $3, I decided to give it a shot.

Boy, I am SO glad I did!

First, I purchased Fushia Fusion.  Some bloggers have compared it to NARS Super Orgasm (and it is heavily apparent that ELF copied the NARS packaging), but I find Fushia Fusion to be a brighter pink than NARS Super Orgasm.  It really pops on the cheeks and creates a natural, healthy looking glow.  Plus, this blush stays on all day!  The only drawback is that it is a bit of a glitter bomb, so you may end up with glitter on both your checks and below them.

After my success with Fushia Fusion, I decided to give another ELF blush a try.  This time, I chose Twinkle Pink.  It is a more muted pink and has a lot less glitter.  Again, the staying powder is awesome, but this one did require a bit more building. 


For the price, ELF Studio blush is a must-try!  Do you have any other recommendations for ELF products I should try?

Note: I also have the blush/brozer duo (St. Lucia), which is considered a close match to the Laguna/Orgasm version from NARS.  I really like the blush in that set; however, I find the bronzer to be too dark for my skintone.  If you have medium to dark skin, definitely give that one a try.  It is worth $3 for the blush alone!


ELF Blushes are available from Target or ELF cosmetics:

http://www.target.com/p/e-l-f-studio-blush-fushia-fusion/-/A-13586728
http://www.target.com/p/blush-83141-elf-168oz-pink/-/A-13959341
http://www.eyeslipsface.com/studio/face/blush/studio_blush

Talk Soon,

T.

LUSH Bath Melt- Happy Blooming (and Review)

Hey Girls,

I am back from my weekend trip and working my way through another week.  I have been feeling a bit stressed lately and decided to give myself an evening of pampering.  I went to Lush to find the right bath product for my night of indulgence.

The result?  I purchased a bath melt in Happy Blooming (below):



Just looking at this baby makes me smile!

I am eager to try it tonight and will report back to you girls tomorrow.  What is your favorite Lush treat?

Also this week, stay tuned for a cute craft project, some fall outfit essentials and a review of my favorite blush at the moment (bonus: it is $3!!!).

Talk Soon,

T.

UPDATE:  I tried this last night, and I really liked it.  I wouldn't say it is my favorite bath melt from Lush (that would probably be Dreamtime), but it had a nice scent that hung around for the entire bath.  It also turned my water pink-ish and made my skin feel super smooth.  I mixed it with half of a Sakura bath bomb that I had laying around.  Sakura is definitely not my favorite, but combined with the Happy Blooming, I enjoyed the cherry scents and felt very relaxed.  I would not say Happy Blooming is a must have, but it is a fun one to try.  Plus, you can use it three times.  Score!

Weekend Trip

Hello All,

I am going away for the weekend to see my family.  It is a bit last minute, and I am not sure I will have time to blog.  I do have some exciting stuff planned for next week.

I am going to do a bit of a fashion update (I just bought some cute stuff!!!), and I am working on a craft or two at the moment!

Also, I bought a couple new candles today, including Leaves from Bath and Body Works.  I am burning it now.  Ah, fall :)  What is your favorite fall candle scent?

I look forward to talking with you all again soon!

T.

Dyeing a Leather Handbag

Hello Out There,

I have a cute bag that I purchased a few years ago.  It is a Michael Kors, and the leather is so soft and buttery.  I love it!  Unfortunately, having lived in the DC Metro region since purchasing said bag, it has become a bit discolored from use and smog.  I haven't carried it in over a year because I don't like a dirty bag :(

Ain't she a beaut?

Anyway, I still love the bag.  It is the perfect size for commuting.  I called around and found a shoe repair shop that dyes leather bags.  They only have basic colors, like brown and black, but they have received excellent reviews.  I think I am going to give it a try.  If my bag were black, that would breath new life into her, and I know I would carry her again.

I will post information about the process, cost and pictures of the finished project when it is done!

Have you ladies ever dyed a handbag?

Talk Soon,

T.

UPDATE:  I just got back from the leather repair shop where I was told the bag could not be dyed.  They are charging me $60 to clean it.  To be honest, I was not thrilled.  I guess $60 to restore a $400 handbag (the only expensive one I own) is not a bad deal, but I am still a bit peeved.

Must Try Moisturizer

I am in love... with a moisturizer.  I recently received a birthday gift from Sephora (thanks, Mom!), and I got a delux sample of the Lancome Bienfait Aqua Vital Cream.  LOVE!

First of all, this baby has SPF 30, so it provides protection from the sun.  Next, it smells wonderful and feels light on the skin.  While is may be a bit heavy for someone with oily skin, it is a perfect match for my dry to combination face.  Plus, it wears well under makeup and seems to last all day. 

*Photo from Sephora

Here is the link.  It is a tad pricey (not too bad for a face cream), and a little goes a looonngg way.

http://www.sephora.com/bienfait-multi-vital-spf-30-cream-high-potency-vitamin-enriched-daily-moisturizing-cream-P158043

So, if you are in the market for a moisturizer, this one has my seal of approval.

Share your thoughts if you own this product.  If not, leave tips about your favorite facial moisturizers in the comments below.

Talk Soon,

T.

Get Moving Monday

Good Morning Ladies,

Over the weekend, I relaxed, had a dinner date with my guy and did some baking with a friend.  Somehow, I am still exhausted!  Alas, I am back at my desk and ready for the work week to begin.

The bf and I are both doing Weight Watchers now.  If you want me to journal my weekly progress (including pics), leave me a note in the comments.  Anyway, we have our meals planned out, so now, I need to focus on exercise.  I am a member of a gym, but I never go.  I am thinking about spending some time outdoors, walking... maybe running?  Eek!

How about you, lovely ladies?  How do you keep in shape?  Any hot new exercise trends I should try?

Talk Soon!

T.

The Crafting Chronicles: Volume 1 (And Giveaway!!!)

Hello Lovely Ladies,

Fall is well on its way, and while I am excited for pumpkin spice lattes, leggings and fall foliage, I am not thrilled about the rapidly dropping temperature.  This means more time indoors and G monopolizing the TV with football.  Ick!  I plan to schedule fun activities with my girlfriends and even drag G away from his beloved football games a few weekends, but for those times when I am stuck inside with little to do, I intend to craft!

I am not the craftiest girl in the world.  Not even close, so I feel this is a good time to brush up on my crafting skills and maybe even make some cute gifts for family and friends.  This past weekend, I did my first fall craft project, a DIY earring/jewelry holder. 

I was really pleased with the way it turned out, and the best part is, I made it for under $5!!!

If you want to give this project a try, directions are below.  What other crafts should I try?  Got any tips on how to expand my crafting horizons?  Leave your tips in the comments section below.

You Will Need:

1 Staple Gun and Staples
1 Old Frame (a picture frame without the glass will do the trick)
1 Spool of Tulle or Twine
Paint of Your Choice
Paint Brush of Your Choice

Note: I picked my frame up at Goodwill for $2.96, and the tulle was $1.97 at A.C. Moore.  We already had the paint, staples and staple gun, so I was good to go!  Twine will likely work better than tulle, but I liked the tulle because it was glittery.

Directions:

1) Paint the frame- Ideally, you should sand it first.  I am lazy, so I just put lots of coats of paint on it, and that seemed to do the trick.

2) Cut twine or tulle to fit your frame.  Use as many or as few strands as you like.  It is all about personal preference.  If using tulle, be sure to twist it tightly to make a thick rope-like strand.

3) One at a time, staple the strands to the interior part of the frame.  You do not want to staple directly to the back of the frame because this will make it difficult to hang jewelry when the frame is on the wall.  I used a lot of staples because I wanted it to be secure.  Trim the excess tool, twine or rope after securing it with a staple.

4) Hang your new masterpiece and start using your favorite earrings as decoration!

Note: If you don't feel comfortable wielding your own staple gun, ask for help from a parent, friend, reluctant boyfriend, etc.  Safety first!


CONTEST:

I am giving away one earring rack (made by me)!  The contest will close on September 12 at 12:00 PM EST, and the winner will be randomly chosen by me.  Contest rules are below.  Good luck!

Giveaway Rules:

1) Must be a follower of this blog.
2) Must leave a comment in the comments section telling me your favorite color.

Talk Soon,

T.

Sober September and LUSH

Good Morning All,

I am going without alcohol for the entire month of September.  I am *trying* to do Weight Watchers, and hopefully, this will help.  Over the weekend, I drank way too much, and I am still trying to recover.  Bleh.

On another note, I am heading to the gym today for the first time in a while, and I Metro-d to work instead of driving.  Baby steps :)

Aside for the abuse my poor body took this weekend with the drinking, staying up too late, etc, I did squeeze some pampering in there.  I took a lovely bath using the Twilight bath bomb from Lush.  I loved it, and I can't wait to try more Lush products.  I am currently using the Ro's argan body conditioner, and I am not a fan.  I find it greasy, and while I love the smell, it is not worth the film left on my skin or the slipperyness of my shower post-use.  Have you tried the body conditioner?  What other Lush products should I try?

Later Gators!

T.