DIY: Decorative Mug

I saw this originally on Pinterest where you draw on a coffee mug or plate with a sharpie, bake it, and it becomes a piece of art. Well, let me tell you I wish it was that simple. First off it is a myth that the sharpie will after baked onto the mug is permanent. A friend of mine learned that the hard way. She made a homemade mug for her father and as soon as he put it in the dishwasher, it all washed off. 

Now, after a lot of research and driving around town I figured out how to make this mug dishwasher safe and most importantly, make it permanent!

Here is what you will need:

 A dollar store plain mug

A porcelain 150 marker 

(Found mine at a local clay store for $6)

And an oven.

I made these mugs as mothers day gifts, they were a huge hit and I think they would also make great fathers day girls, or just personalized birthday gifts!

 

Here's how its done!

1. Clean the mug inside and out and make sure it is completely dry
2. Shake the porcelain 150 marker and dab it on a piece of paper until ink reaches the tip
3. Draw any design you please on your mug 
4. Place your mug in a dry area and let it sit for 24 hours
5. After 24 hours of air drying it's time to go in the oven
6. Set the oven at 300 degrees
7. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes
8. Enjoy!

Using the porcelain 150 pen will permanently seal your design to the porcelain surface and will make it dishwasher safe! You can drink out of it or use it as decoration! Most importantly, get creative!

xoxo

Abby

All things stripes!

Okay okay I know I have been absent for a while and I do apologize, life has been crazy! However, I think I have figured out a new schedule to incorporate blog time!

So my focus this week is stripes! I found this very flattering stripped shirt at Nordstroms Rack and if they had it in multiple colors I would have bought them all!!!!

Lets start from the head and work our way down.
As previously stated, the shirt is from Nordstroms rack. I needed some new summer tops that were loose, but still trendy.. and I think I nailed it with this top.
Since I am wearing a busy top, I wanted to keep the necklace some what simple. This Kendra Scott necklace is a statement piece, but it doe not SCREAM "look at me!", which is why I like it. 
Next, Jeans. These are my go-to skinny jeans. I am obsessed with them. Also from Nordstroms. (I think I have a slight okay, MAJOR Nordstroms shopping addiction.
Moving on down would be my new watch from fossil. So let me tell you why I was so attracted to this watch.. It has a huge face and a skinny band. It has the "boyfriend" size but the famine appearance. I also got the deal of the century on this watch, and who can say no to a great sale?!
Shoes, shoes and more shoes! Okay so my girlfriend bought these exact same shoes online, but sadly they did not fit her. She told me she found the exact replica of them at.... HEB (a grocery store here in Texas). WHAT??!!!? shoes from the GROCERY STORE! She was right.. for a whopping $8 I got these conformable, trendy, stylish shoes from HEB (they came with the ankle strap but I cut it off).

There are endless ways to wear stripes, I think I want to find a polka dot scarf to pair with this top for fall, like I stated in eariler blog posts, I am not one to shy away from mixing patterns! How do you wear your stripes?

xoxo

Abby

Egg Crate Jewerly Organizer

So this may sound a little odd.... but for the past, oh I don't know, 3 years? I have been SEARCHING for a ceramic egg crate to organize my jewerly. I found some here and there but they were always a strange color, too expensive (Anthropologie!), or not big enough. I mostly encountered crates that would hold 4-6 eggs, never 12.

When I like something, I tend to tell everyone around me.. you know, just so they can keep their eye out as well. In this case, it paid off! My mother spotted a 12-egg crate at World Market, in white, for..wait for it.... six dollars! That was the perfect deal, and I immediately grabbed one and headed straight for the check out line.

 Isn't it glamorous? It displays your jewerly perfectly! I only have my most worn pieces in it right now, but I might have to go back and snag another one. Honestly, I don't even feel like it looks like an egg crate, it looks like an expensive jewerly organizer.. no one has to really know that is was only $6 (shhh...).

xoxo

Abby

Coming Soon: Closet Essentials 

Go-To: My litte black outfit

Okay okay, I am guilty of wearing black a lot all the time! What can I say? Black is slimming, classic and never hard to find. My newest "go to" -The little black outfit:

 

I have never been fearful of mixing black and brown. Just like I will mix silver and gold jewelery.The fashion rules have changed, and I am loving every moment of it!

So here is the break down of my never failing outfit!

The Shoes:

Francesca's

I scored these amazing comfortable booties at Francesca's, best part.. there were $10 on SALE, last size left... upon checking out one sales girl "whispered" to her co worker "finally!" I guess no one else wears a size 10? Oh well, their loss.

I am not a big heal girl, I am already a foot taller then all my friends, but I could not pass up this deal... guess my friends better get taller heals!

The Jewerely:

Necklace

Watch

Bow Ring

Dainty Rings

Lets start with the necklace: Kendra Scott has amazing statement pieces. It is really hard for me to pay $80 for a necklace, even if it is gorgeous! I signed up for the e-mails and I received a 20% off coupon for a girls night sale and I also had a 15% off coupon that I got from one of my clients  (they know me so well!) and with both discounts, it made the price much more affordable.

You wouldn't know that I have several watches considering I am always wearing this one... what can I say, gold is my color! I definitely have gotten my moneys worth out of this purchase, I have worn this watch non-stop since I got it in the mail 3 years ago.. the scratches and nicks prove it. Unfortunately this particular style is no longer for sale online,  however there is a very similar one on their website.

My classic Kate Spade bow ring was the greatest score I ever found at the outlet mall.. with that said of course that sale will never happen again!!! My ring needs a little TLC, but for $12 you can't complain. 

Ever since My friend Natalie and I got together a few weeks ago and made these dainty little stone rings I have not been able to take them off. We made so many in a million different colors, there is one that matches every outfit! Check out my DIY dainty ring post to see how you can makes these rings!

The Outfit:

Jeans

Shirt

Nordstroms is probably my favorite clothing store (target is my favorite store!) and what is better then Nordstroms? NORDSTROMS RACK! If you don't have one near you then I strongly suggest that you take a road trip to the nearest one. Jolt jeans are great stretchy jeans, and who doesn't love a good stretch? Polyester has taken over my closet... I do not like fitted shirts, anything too tight and stuffy. I tend to wear my loose, flowy blouses, they are much more flattering.

This outfit looks really cute with a black fitted blazer as well, for those more chilly days. It is simple, yet always classic look that will never fail you!

xoxo

Abby

Coming soon: Egg Crate Jewelry Organizer

Classy and Chic

Buns are so classic and so chic and will never go out of style. They are perfect for any occasion.. wedding, night out, date night, or just running errands around town, you literally can not go wrong! Lets talk a little about the pictures above and then I am going to teach you how to make the perfect bun with little to no effort!
Ok the prim and proper low bun. This bun reminds me of something Coco Chanel or Jackie Kennedy would wear, this is the ultimate classy bun.
The ever so high bun is next! Coming from a girl with bangs, I love how this looks. This is defiantly a hairstyle for someone with confidence due to the fact that the bun is placed on top of your head making you appear more noticeable. This is a style I would show off at a night our with my girlfriends (I have the perfect outfit in mind too! **new blog idea!**)
The elegant and structured bun is the perfect bun to wear on your wedding day. The clean lines and the placement would look gorgeous with a lace wedding dress! I might make my future bridesmaids rock this down the aisle... it is just timeless!
Next is the wrapped look. Wrapping your bun with a braid is so trendy right now. I would need a hair piece to achieve this look, but I do want to try it out soon. I really like how the braid dresses down the bun but still looks really put together.
And last but not least is my favorite messy bun! This is a dirty hair kind of look. Throw it all up, out of your face, and go! It is okay to have wispy hair falling out, and not fitted against the head. This is a style I personally wear about 2 days a week!

Okay so now that you have picked out your style of Bun its time to gather your supplies.

 

1. Bobby Pins- found at any grocery or beauty store (or bottom of bathroom drawer)

2.Bun shaper/Tube sock

3. Teasing Comb (personally I like the one with the metal pick so you can re lift the teased hair)

4. 1-2 Hair ties

5. Hairspray (personal favorite)  

Step one:

Tease your hair to give it some texture and grip. Spray hair spray throughout and back comb as much or as little as desired.

Step two:

Smooth out your hair and put it in a ponytail. Remember: where you put your pony tail will be the middle of the bun.

Step three:

Place the bun shaper or tube sock around your pony tail. 

Step four: (with 2nd runner band)

Place your hair over the bun shaper or sock and smooth it out until you can no longer see the shaper. Then place the rubber band over the smoothed out hair to keep it in place.

Step five:

Warp the excess hair around the bun and tuck it under so the ends are hidden. Use bobby pins to secure the bun and spray with hair spray to ensure the bun does not loosen.

Step four: (without rubber band)

Take a small section of hair (1/2-1") and back come the side closest to the scalp. Then smooth out and tuck the piece of hair over the shaper and pin in place. Do this all the way around until you have no hair left and the bun shaper is completely invisible. This method is going to require a lot of bobby pins.

Step five:

Hair spray your hair like crazy!

And that is it! That is how you get the perfect bun!! Here are a few pictures of a big and fabulous bun I did for my girl friend when she went out to grab some drinks with a friend (man it pays to have a best friend as a hairstylist!)

xoxo

Abby

Fashion Friday!!

So I have decided..and don't hold me to it... But to do a Fashion Friday EVERY FRIDAY! So what is "Fashion Friday?" you ask.... WELL, it is just a peek into my closet and a taste of my style, what fashion trends I am following and how I wear them! I will show you one outfit from head to toe and tell you how to can re-create the look without emptying your pocketbook!

The theme this week will be..........POKA DOTS!

I am obsessed with poka dots, I am so glad this is a hot pattern for Spring! I am also not afraid to mix texture and patterns. I just try not to put too many patterns on top of each other. Sometimes I will do a poka dot top, with a stripped scarf. Today I've decided to do a poka dot top with leopard shoes and keeping it pretty neutral in between. Here is how I wear my poka dots and leopard!

Shirt-Target

Jeans- Jolt

Shoes- Anna (similar here)

Earrings- Kara Ross

Necklace- Etsy

Ring- Kate Spade

Watch- Michael Kors

Bracelet- Juicy

So there it is, my fashion Friday obsession, POKA DOTS! Let me know how you wear your favorite poka dot pieces! HAPPY SHOPPING!!!

xoxo

Abby 

Statement Piece for Spring

Being stuck in black all day (as a hairstylist) I am really drawn to statement necklaces, especially white necklaces. White is the perfect statement color for spring!  I used the above necklaces as inspiration while I set out to find a few quality pieces to add to my collection. 

The first piece I found was this beauty:

I was first attracted to this necklace because of the beading! I thought it was unique and stunning. It is the perfect fit and just adds a lot of detailing to a plain outfit. Similar here. This particular one is from Francesca's $18!!

The second Piece I picked up was this:

A little more on the simple side. The white stone really stands out and has more personality than just a simple necklace, however it is not over the top. Sometimes I will layer this necklace with a longer necklace for different textures. You can find a necklace like this here however this one was ON SALE (woo hoo) at Kendra Scott.

The third necklace I fell head over heals for was this:

How beautiful is this piece? It is a chain link statement piece! This is one of those necklaces that anywhere I go everyone always asks "can I touch your necklace?" OF COURSE! It is fun, different and a must have for the Spring collection. You can pick up your chain necklace here!

So there is it, my three favorite white statement necklaces for the Spring! Best part about all of this... they are all AFFORDABLE, that is a rarity but a MUST! So now, go out and get you some, and as always... Happy Shopping!!

xoxo

Abby