Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Pinterest found Tutorial Review

I found this great tutorial on Pinterest on an easier way to remove nail polish. Since I’ve been wearing a lot more of it lately I have had a hard time getting the nail polish off and still protecting my nails. This tutorial from gingerbreadmanne was so helpful. I did have to use a qtip for the edges but it was still better than what I was doing before, and my nails looked much better. I didn’t know going back and forth across the nail can make your nails peel.

Some tips from what I learned:

- Don’t put it in the cap like she does, mine had little pieces from the seal band and it caught the cotton dumping it over a couple times. {Side note: acetone will remove the painted finish from iron sinks…. oops}. I think I’m going to get out a glass shot glass and dedicate it for nail polish remover. REMEMBER: acetone will eat through most plastics!

-I am going to actually cut the cotton next time for a cleaner edge to sop up the remover easier.

-Don’t let it soak up too much remover, or when you go to squeeze the cotton off your nail you get acetone running all down your arm and all over the place. I think the cutting mentioned above will help eliminate this.

-She let hers sit on the nail for 1-2 minutes, I really only needed a good 45 seconds MAX after getting them all on the nail for it to take mine off. And I use a base coat, color, decoration, and then a top coat.

 

~Tamara

--This is the first post in a while without any photos! Crazy!

Summer Reading List

I have accumulated several books that I have had for a long time that I have yet to read, and they just keep piling up. So I’ve decided to do a summer reading list! I found these great printables {even tho I have far too many to fit on there} and they were my inspiration.

Property of Nicolesclasses.com

Source: Nicolesclasses.com

And this is my list so far, I know I have another box of books somewhere!

summer reading

And I also picked up books 5,6,8, & 10 in the Janet Evanovich series. And the Vampire Armand by Anne Rice {free after picking up the others @ Savers, buy 4 get 1 free}.

I’m thinking that Sundays should be for reading? Maybe…

If you want to fan a great up and coming book club page then check THIS ONE out, it’s my friend Kristin and she always gives me great advice for books!  What are you reading this summer?

~Tamara

P.S. I’ll update soon on the awesome fun times of Jexica’s Lingerie shower and Bachelorette Party. Including a post on just the food I made!

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Things I love Thursday

I'm posting inspiration I've found amongst the internet!

In order:
The shoes I want to wear when I get married! Love them!

Record side table diy via design sponge.

Hair idea for Jexica's wedding.

Another hair idea.

A great website to make you laugh : Disney gents from last night (also Disney ladies from last night)

Another hair idea (out of order but my phone won't let me change it)

Awesome tattoo placement, where I want some stars!

Ultimate gaming console! Epic.

Awesome idea for diy bookends! I'm doing this tonight.

A sweater from some random expensive website that I want to diy. Savers here I come!

((sorry this post is kind of a mess, I've been crazy busy with planning J's wedding! Three weeks! ))

~ Tamara











Wordless Wednesday... Err Thursday... Oops






Monday, May 7, 2012

Should I DIY my wedding dress?

As little girls we have imaginations. And we let them wander. All throughout childhood and teen angst and heartache in college we still have daydreams… little wanders in the realm of fairy tales. I got my nerd in shining armor… but I was a little surprised at how expensive things are when it comes to the wedding dress. Admittedly my ideas on a wedding dress suited to me has changed as I became older. It changed as I changed.

As a little girl it was the big poofy white dress and the ride off into the sunset. As a teen I had a fascination with medieval  garb: the big train, the embroidery, the big sleeves, and corset base. Then in college (after prom with my massive dress that I couldn’t dance in) I went a bit more toward the rockabilly style with the shorter dress. Now, I know that shorter dresses don’t look good on me, that I can’t dance very well in big poofy dresses, and that medieval style is just a dash over the top.

When Jexica got engaged and we went shopping for her dress I got a dash of hope… I realized that wedding dresses aren’t $7,000 like on “Say Yes to the Dress”… but it came with a dash of reality… Jexica has a much bigger budget than I will. More than double. And I just can’t spend a lot of money on a dress I’m going to wear once. I’d rather spend that money else where.

I was inspired by Corinne’s DIY Wedding Dress and then I went on Crafster and saw that there were other brides that had made their own wedding dress. I had been looking a lot online and found some overseas websites where they make knock off dresses but I couldn’t try the dress on to make sure it was flattering first. And then I found several dresses I like that aren’t carried by any store around me… (one in Australia the other I’d have to drive down to Dallas)

I really like this dress: (this is the Australian one)

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I live in the USofA and can’t fly on down to Australia to try this baby on. And they don’t list a price so I don’t even know what it costs. But I love the silhouette, the details, the sash, and the fact that is has STRAPS.

But I’m not a big lace person, I think it’s beautiful but I don’t wear it much. But I do love the shimmer tulle on this dress:

(the one in Dallas, the Cinderella dress… literally… from the Disney collections)

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But the shimmer of the tulle is so me. OOOOOH shiny!

So last night while I lay awake in agony with allergies I started to peruse the patterns of the major companies… And I came across this:

V2979

(Vogue 2979, they were having a sale on their patterns too!)

It has the bottom that I would have a hard time making from scratch but the top is not right. But I do not believe that making the top would be difficult nor would finding a pattern if it came down to it.

Next hurdle? Fabrics… there is a severe lack of good fabrics here in Arkansas. We have a bit of a selection at Joanne’s but other than that it’s Hancocks (mostly cottons) and Hobby Lobby (also mostly cottons)… I don’t know where to get good fabrics or even what fabrics to use. Most commercial wedding dresses are polyester or other various cheap fabrics… yet they are hundreds/thousands of dollars. I am thinking since I want to do a sparkle tulle overlay (or polka dot?) that I might be able to get away with costume satin for the skirt. And I might try going around some thrift store and see if I can pick up a lace dress/top that I could overly the top with. Corinne gave a good tip on the dress she made since hers was a corset top there is a special fabric that goes as the lining of the corset that has NO stretch to help give structure, I might pick up a yard of that for my top just so it holds ‘the girls’ up.

But I definitely need more ideas from people who have done this before. Or even people who have made dresses more.

I’ve made a couple but not much. I got a year to get good! I think I might try to do something similar in black and red for a Halloween costume. I have a nice black mask. It’ll let me work with the fabric and figure out tricks and tips for helping make it a smoother process.

 

First things first… time to make a home made dress form… I’m gonna need backup!

 

~Tamara

Friday, May 4, 2012

Summer Crafts Inspiration

I seriously want to do these crafts this summer. This is my list.

(Click on the image for the link to the Pin)

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Tshirt bangles – How fun would these be for all those random scraps of fabric.

 

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Men’s button up cuff pockets. These would be great for organizing my purse.

 

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Braided fabric necklaces. I have such pretty fabric for this!

 

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Bow paper clips. I need some cute bookmarks.

 

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Wish Bracelets. I miss friendship bracelets and anklets.

 

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OOOOO Buttons! These are so adorable.

 

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Flip flop update. Ruffles and comfy flip flops? I’m sold

 

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Beaded bracelet with button closure. LOVE.

 

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Braided belts. I need some new belts.

 

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Simple Button Bobby Pins. For when I pin back braids.

 

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Updated chain bracelet. I wonder if I could do something like this with the watch bands…

 

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Quote scarf. I need to bust out the Sharpie Stained markers!

 

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Flip flop update. Another version!!

 

Look for more craft inspirations posts.

-Baby gift inspirations

-DIY Clothes inspirations

-Smashbook inspirations

 

Or you can check me out on Pinterest!