JENNA_beth

My Top 5 | May 2012

Tue, 29 May 2012 19:24:07 -0500

1 | Hawaiian Ring

I found this at a local shop in Kona when I was there a few weeks ago. “Kelly Green” is my new favorite pop of color!

2 | Maui Babe

Best tanning lotion ever? Yeah. Brandon’s mom picked this up on her trip to Hawaii last fall and asked me to pick some more up for her while I was there. I decided to get a bottle for myself too. I felt tanner the moment I put it on! It will be my new summer go-to tanning lotion. You can order it on Amazon HERE!

3 | White Nail Polish

(photo via weheartit!)

This is just so summer-chic to me. I love the classiness of having plain white nails. Also, all colors go great with white so it’s a fun color to play around with.

4 | Handwritten Notes

(learn how to do these cute DIY “merci” cards HERE!)

Even though we are in the digital age where emails, facebook wall posts, and twitter @replys help us stay in touch NOTHING beats a personal note mailed to your doorstep. I love sending and receiving these!

5 | Record Player

I am so excited about this. I had been eying this at Target for a while. It plays the radio, records, CD’s, cassette tapes and it hooks up to your iPod. After this purchase we headed to our local half priced books and searched through their records to see what they had. We left with some Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel and my husbands favorite, classical music!

Purple Hair

Thu, 24 May 2012 17:01:41 -0500

I think I’ve found my summer hair color. I came across this gem on Pinterest the other day and I just love the streak of purple with the blonde! Thank you Oscar de la Renta!

What do you think?
Should I?
Shouldn’t I?
Just chalk it?

Are you adding any fun colors to your hair for the Summer? :)

Graduation Announcement

Fri, 18 May 2012 17:47:58 -0500

I had the great honor of designing my best friends graduation announcement a few weeks ago. Ashley is a very inspiring person so I knew this was going to be really fun to do. I got to combine her love for bright colors, beautiful calligraphy, Kate Spade, and Anthropologie.

I am so proud of Ashley! Congrats on graduating all by the age of 21. Is that a record? (HA!) So Amazing! I am excited for what the “real world’ has to offer you. You will rock it!!!

Hawaii {via Instagram photos!}

Tue, 15 May 2012 19:12:10 -0500

I recently got to go to Hawaii to visit my sister who LIVES there. I thought it’d be fun to share a few of my favorite Instagrams from the week.

If you ever have an opportunity to go to Hawaii TAKE IT. This trip was such surprise and a total whirlwind experience. Everything there is so breathtaking.

{Akaka Falls}

{The peak of Mauna Kea - 4,205 m (13,796 ft) above sea level}

{I got to swim with a dolphin - SO much fun}

{Obsessed with these flowers}

{Hibiscus in my hair}

{This little guy wanted my lunch}

{Leaving…so dang gorgeous}

DIY Headband Holder

Fri, 04 May 2012 06:01:32 -0500

Last week The Beauty Department posted a DIY for a headband holder. (You can see it HERE!)

I thought that it was such a fun idea! My headbands have always been so unorganized. I loved theirs but very quickly realized that that particular headband holder would not work for the majority of the headbands I have.

I thought about the way they are displayed at Anthropolgie, which is where I get a majority of mine and I saw a necklace holder on Pinterest that quickly inspired this DIY. :)

SUPPLIES:

1x4 Lumber | This is what I used for the base. You only need about a 4in piece so check the scrap wood section and you might get lucky. It’s not imperative to get a piece of wood at 1x4. Look around the scarp section and maybe your will see something you like better!

Dowel Rod | You can sometimes find these in the scrap wood section or with the scrap trim section. I found that a 12-14in section was plenty.

Tree Branch | About a 1ft section of a straight tree branch is all you need. We found a fairly long branch (about 4ft) and cut the best section off.

TOOLS:

Saw* | Only if you want to cut the items yourself. Which we found helpful. Although Home Depot is always there to help you cut anything you buy from them.

Power Drill | Cordless or corded drill will work fine.

Wood Glue | Not necessary, but does help strengthen everything.

STEPS:

1. Drill a hole 3/4s of the way into the 1x4, this will be your base. Drill another hole 3/4s of the way through the tree branch. The drilled holes should be proportional to the dowel rod you choose.

2. Put the Dowel Rod in the block of wood. This is where a little wood glue will help make it sturdy!

3. Now attach the tree branch to the dowel rod. Again, wood glue helps…

4. Do a little Dance! Because you are done!! See how easy that was?! Now you can enjoy your new headband holder!

My Top 5 | April 2012

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 19:42:00 -0500

1 | Green Layered Necklaces

I don’t normally wear big statement necklaces but something about the three of these together just called my name! Or maybe my style is changing? Haha.

I’ve been loving Kelly Green as of lately. Probably because I’ve been hunting for the perfect shade of paint in that color. [See #2 :)]

I found these necklaces at Charming Charlies. I never find anything there so it was a really exciting day for me!!

2 | Buffet

(this is the picture from the craigslist ad. Her light is much better than what I have in my dining room right now.)

I am so excited about this buffet! I got it off of craigslist a few weekends ago and it currently sits in our dining room. I am picking out a shade of “Kelly Green” to paint it. There are so many different options! I can’t wait to share the final look with you!

3 | Le Pen

My best friends first job was working in a stationary store. I would always get such beautiful personalized stationary from her on special occasions. In case you didn’t know this…a stationary set is not complete without the right pen! I love Le Pens. I wish I could show you via the internet just how wonderful they are to write with so you’re just going to have to trust me and go get one. :)

4 | NAKED by Urban Decay

I got the Urban Decay NAKED Palette for Christmas and recently I have been having so much FUN playing with all of the colors on it. My favorite colors in the pack are “Sidecar” “Half Baked” “Darkhorse” and “Gunmetal”.

PS - I kinda hate posting a picture of my makeup but in case you can’t tell, I’m trying to get better at taking my own photos! I am in NO WAY trying to say I am a professional. Just a girly girl that is having fun. :)

5 | Elf Nail Polish Pack

I got this pack of nail polish at Target for $5!!! I didn’t have any orange colors so I was really excited to find these to add them to my collection. I really like the white caps on the bottle and the shape. They are surprisingly comfortable and easy to hold while you paint.

BHLDN Inspired Nail Tutorial

Sun, 15 Apr 2012 22:19:00 -0500

I haven’t posted nails in a while and I’ve been kinda stuck on what to do lately. Bummer!
BUT while you wait, I thought I’d share the more detailed instructions of what I did for NEET Magazine this last winter. An oldie but still a goody.

You can have fun and change the colors to make this look for springy for you. :)

This was inspired by BHLDN’s “Fairy Song Gown” from their winter collection. Enjoy!

TOOLS:

Base Nail Polish
Matte pearl colored Nail Polish
Gold Glittery Nail Polish
Toothpick

STEPS:

1. Start with bare nails shaped and ready for your manicure and apply a base coat.

2. Once the base coat has dried, apply 1-2 coats of your matte pearl colored nail polish. If you don’t have or can’t find a pearl color that comes in matte, then use any nail polish you like and apply a matte top coat to all of your nails. Be sure to let the color dry before you apply the matte top coat.

3. Apply a thin layer of your glittery gold to a toothpick.

4. Create lines on all your nails while skipping your ring fingers.

5. Once you complete your lines apply 1-2 coats of your glittery gold to your ring finger and your manicure is complete!!

Coffee Table Book of the Year goes to...

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 00:01:23 -0500

The New York Times 36 Hours: 150 Weekends In The USA & Canada

I am slightly obsessed with this book.

“A compilation of updated and new versions of the Gray Lady’s weekly travel column, which offers jam-packed yet practical itineraries for spending two nights and half a day in varied destinations, from the great urban centers on everyone’s travel list to surprising locales with undiscovered character and charm.”

My husband and I have this five year plan that includes us traveling as much as our budget and free time will allow. When I came across this book at Anthropologie a few weeks ago I was probably way too happy and bouncy about going home to explore it.

This book literally PLANS a weekend getaway for you. It shows you where you can stay, what you eat, and the history a single city holds. Reading this and looking through it is almost as good as traveling itself.

One of the things I loved when I first saw and skimmed the the book in the store was the artwork and layout. So fun right?! I love the colorful book marks and the tabs that separate the different regions of the USA & Canada.

What are some of your favorite coffee table books?

TREND LOVE: Side Cutout Dress

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 20:18:11 -0500

I am such a fan of this trend.

Watching the ACM Awards last night I just lovedddd Taylor Swift’s dress. Also, with all the press about Hunger Games there have been so many pictures of Jennifer Lawrence from the premier and I loved her dress too!

I’ve seen this on prom dresses before but they just don’t have the same affect that these two dresses do. This look can go two ways but I think both of these girls pulled it off in such a classy/elegant way.

I think one of the best way to pull this look off in the “real world” would be in a Maxi Cutout Dress. I have found a few on ShopBop that are super cute. You can check them out HERE.

What do you think? Would you wear this trend?

NEON NEON NEON

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 19:16:06 -0500

If you don’t know it by now…NEON is the it color of spring. If it looks good on a highlighter, it will look good on you!

I don’t usually like to dress to stand out like a highlighter though. I’ve been enjoying these bright colors by making them more subtle in my wardrobe.

Here are some great examples I found thanks to Pinterest on how to wear bright colors without being over the top! :)

1 | One Neon Nail! 2 | Necklace with Neon Nails 3 | Beautiful neon iPhone case 4 | Neon Strip Clutch

1 | Skirt 2 | Geo Ring 3 | La Mer Wrap Watch 4 | Jacket

I really like the look of putting a neon with a neutral color. Whether it be brown, black, gray or navy. It adds that extra POP to your outfit.

How are you wearing NEONS??

PS - check out this neon door. Isn’t that fun???

How To | Nail Polish Rings

Sat, 17 Mar 2012 10:54:35 -0500

I am so excited to post my first video tutorial. I thought this would be a fun and simple tutorial to start off with.

I hope you enjoy these instructions on how to make a Nail Polish Ring. :)

I was inspired by some rings I found on Pinterest that had a piece of marble over them so I thought this would be so fun to do with some of my own favorite nail polishes.

I love the roughness of just leaving it as the nail polish. What do you think? Will you be trying this?

My Top 5 | March 2012

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 22:09:44 -0500

1 | Bright Skinny Jeans

(photo via pinterest)

This is such a fun way to add color to your outfit! I have been seeing these everywhere and I love love love them! Since I’m so tall though, I’ve been on the hunt for jeans that are long enough for me.

If you know of any places feel free to let me know! For my shorter friends, Target has a great selection if you’ve been looking. :)

2 | Did you ‘ear about Van Gogh? by OPI

I’ve been really liking neutral colors on my nails lately. I was “randomly” (ha!) at ULTA checking out and I spotted the new OPI Holland collection and I couldn’t stop looking at this one specific color. When I wore it last week I added gold diagonal stripes. So fun! Definitely one of the best neutrals I own.

3 | Star Necklace

I got this necklace at Forever 21 last fall and it’s just now starting to make appearances in my wardrobe. It’s festive but delicate at the same time.

4 | TV Frame

My amazing, oh-so-talented husband made this! We were inspired by HGTV about a month ago when we saw some TV show’s carpenter make something similar. Brandon did such a great job building this and staining the wood to match our furniture. It’s fabulous!!

5 | Bunny Cupcake Stand

I think this is the cutest thing ever! I am so excited about Easter and having a house that I can decorate for it. When I went to Pottery Barn to get this I ended up buying 2 because I couldn’t handle the adorableness.

My Top 5 | Everything Pink and Valentines

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 06:00:00 -0600

1 | Stilla Lip Stain

This is the easiest way for me to get color on my lips. Lipstick drives me crazy on a day-to-day basis. I like this color because it’s kind of daring for me. I don’t usually put bright colors on my lips but this color pushes me but keeps me in my comfortable pink lip color zone. :)

2 | PINK Wii Remote

Is this the dumbest thing ever to put on a Top 5 favorite things? Probably. But I just really love my pink Wii remote!! Brandon has a blue one so now it’s like we have “His & Hers” Wii remotes. Freakishly adorable right?!

3 | Pink jewelry holder

I got this pink jewelry holder at my favorite antique shop. I’m not really sure what it originally was. To me it kind of looks like an old piece of a light fixture that someone spray painted pink…and I’m glad they did! This sits on my nightstand and when ever I get into bed and forget to take my jewelry off I have a safe place to put it. (No more earrings falling onto the floor, YAY!)

4 | “Mrs” Kate Spade Necklace

I know this isn’t pink but I thought it did fall under the category of “Valentines”…

My sweet sweet wonderful girlfriends got this for me for my birthday! They know how much I love Kate Spade and I guess somehow knew how much I secretly wanted this necklace. It has the perfect gold glimmer and it sits perfectly around my neck. :)

5 | French Affair by Essie

Best. Pink. EVER. I promise you!! This is the color I used on my Valentine Nails Post for my “Light Pink” and I want to share it with one of YOU!

Leave a comment below and share with me something you love about Valentines day! Traditions? Food? Chocolate? Favorite flower?

Or if you’re anti valentines day but you want the nail polish…what is your favorite nail polish??

Giveaway ends at midnight tonight and I will announce a winner tomorrow. HAPPY VALENTINES DAY! :)

*Giveaway has ended. Congrats Jamie Forsberg!! :)

Valentine/Chevron/Ombre Nails

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:50:00 -0600

What you will need:

Base & Top Coat
Dark Pink
Medium Pink
Light Pink
Reinforcement stickers

Steps

1. Start with either your darkest pink or lightest pink. (I will do both for you!) Try to use colors that have good coverage with just one coat, you want this layer to dry completely before the next step.

2. Put 2 reinforcement stickers together (should look like an “8”) and place them towards the bottom of your nails. You are going to do this twice so look at your nail and cover 1/3 of each. We want to make room for all 3 of the colors for the final look!

3. Paint your medium color. If possible just paint 1 coat, you will also want this to dry completely before placing stickers on your nails again. I personally like to use quick drying nail polish for the first and middle layers. (Sally Hansen has a bunch of great colors that are “Insta Dry”!!)

4. Remove the stickers when the paint has dried with your medium shade. Waiting for it to dry is important because removing the sticker too soon will cause the nail polish to smear and not have clean lines. TRUST me. :)

5. Now repeat steps 2 & 3 this time using either your darkest pink or lightest pink. (I was able to reuse my stickers so I used 20 stickers total.)

6. Remove the stickers once that layer has dried and check out those nails!!! At first they may look choppy and layered but once your apply your top coat it will even out and complete the look on your nails. Plus putting stickers on your nails can dull your color some so this also helps your colors be bright and shiny again.

Home Inspiration

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 21:59:34 -0600

Once upon a time I made a commitment to blog more…and then my husband and I got a house. (YAYY!!) Therefore, all of my extra time and energy has gone into organizing, furniture shopping(AKA stalking Craigslist for the best deals), getting rid of old things, staring at that big mess in the kitchen of too many dishes I need to wash before I find a place for them. ZERO time to have fun and be creative.

We’ve been in our home for 3 weeks now so things are starting to settle and that is just the nicest feeling in the World! Brandon and I finally have a couch and I am amazed at the peace it gave our little home. Sometimes you just need a place to sit and be still. SO NICE. Also, watching movies on hard word floor isn’t as fun as it sounds. Which now that I think about it, that has never really sounded like fun.

SO…! All that to say, I would love to share with you some things that have inspired me for our home. We are still decorating, but as rooms come together I want to share our finished product in the months to come. :)

Here are some pictures from my “For the Home” Pinterest board. You can follow it HERE to see more of what inspires me for my home!

These are my DREAM WALLS. I am such a sucker for black and white stripes in homes. Since we are renting I wont be able to do this quite yet but I am currently hunting for curtains to do the job for now. So if any of you know place I can look…feel free to share with me! :)

I really love the symmetry of this. Also, that mirror is just gorgeous!!!

CHEVRON. Of course. This rug is just…AHH…wonderful. Yup. I also really like pops of color. I’m a big fan of the primary colors but I also love gray scales.

Even though I really like symmetry I also realllllyyy like asymmetry. (I like EVERYTHING, okay…sorry! You will notice if you look at my pinterest board.) I am such a fan of picture frames. BIG ONES. I can’t wait to fill up our walls!

Also, isn’t that pink couch the best?? Our couch right now is khaki, so pink pillows…hmm. It could happen. :)

PS!! - I will be blogging more now. Good things to come. I hope you like it. :)

BIRTHDAY SURPRISE!!!!

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 21:24:00 -0600

This past weekend my husband whisked me away to celebrate my birthday! Sooo…I thought I’d share it with you. :)

We started the weekend off with our favorite Hibachi restaurant and then he surprised me with a night at the Hilton. One of my favorite hotels. LOVE their pillows.

The next day we went to the Galleria Mall in Dallas to go shopping and ice skating for the day. SO FUN. I discovered a new store, Arden B. Who knew?! I couldn’t stop looking at their formal dresses. GORGEOUS.

After some shopping we got our Ice Skates on and joined the crazy crowds. Turns out my husband is a pro so I just let him pull me around since I have a brand new fear of trampling small children on ice.

After about 15-20 minutes of skating we decided to head home…because I’m old now…and I was getting hungry. HA!

We ate at one of my favorites…Chick-fil-a! Then headed home…as soon as we pulled into our neighborhood Brandon handed me my sleeping mask that had been in his jacket all day and had me put it on. (WHY I didn’t expect a party…I’ll never know. Probably because my husband is good to me all the time…and I was thinking there might be a new couch at our new home? haha. See, I’m old?!)

So…we pulled up to our house and he guided me to the front door. As soon as I opened the door, TADAA! All of my lovely friends were there. Ahh what a moment of shock and happiness all in one! One of my favorite feelings. :)

My friend Jordan is super creative and she decorated our house for the party. She did such and amazing job!!! If you ever need a decorator, she is your girl!! SO much talent.

Doughnuts…because I LOVE them wayyy too much.

Jordan and my best friend, Ashley!! My party planners. (Brandon planned too, he just couldn’t do too much since we happen to be around each other so much. :))

And, oh yeah! A party isn’t complete without a gold spray painted piñata! My friends know me so well. I love me some gold spray paint.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to all of my friends who came. You are all amazing and you are so special to Brandon and I. I will never forget this night. You all made it so fun! :)

My Top 5 | January 2012

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 21:16:20 -0600

1 | Kate Spade Signature Spade Crystal Ring

Kate Spades Signature Spade ring is so fun. I like how it sparkles and adds a subtle hint of fun to any outfit. When I ordered my ring online I ordered a size to big because apparently I do not know ring finger size. (What girl doesn’t know her ring size?! This one.) So…it goes on my index finger and I am such a fan of wearing it there. It’s different from how I normally wear my rings. I’m liking different!

2 | Happ & Stahns 1842 Rosa Alba Eau De Parfum

This is the perfume I have always put on when I go to visit Anthropologie. I am so happy to finally have it! I get complements every time I wear it. I also collect perfume bottles and this bottle is is definitely my favorite!

3 | Curvy Chrysanthemum Vase

I got this vase for Christmas. I think it is so pretty!! It’s a fun pop of color in my living room too. I like to keep the vase by itself with nothing else around it. The uniqueness of it is just fabulous on it’s own!

4 | Shine of The Times by Essie

“Shine of The Times” by Essie is from their new luxeffects nail polish line. It is such a fun shine and sparkle to add to any color you already have.

5 | Bow Headband

This. Bow. Headband. Yup. It can make anyone look like a princess. My wonderful husband got this for me for Christmas!! You can order one HERE. :)

DIY | Ban.do inspired Hair Clips

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 20:26:57 -0600

I have loved the ban.do “Jumbo Party Bobbi” ever since I laid eyes on it. I loved the simplicity of it. However, I couldn’t ever bring myself to spend $15 (which really isn’t THAT bad) on something I could make myself and get more than just 1 clip.

So then began my trip to Hobby Lobby…I got everything I needed for just a little over $4*!!! I was able to make 5 hair clips. So here is how YOU can make your own:

*(Glue and scissors not included. I already had those at home.)

What you will need:

Scissors
Sequined ribbon
Hair clip
Fabric Glue
Epoxy Glue (or hot glue, or you can use the same fabric glue. Epoxy just has a super strong hold that I like. But be warned it’s super smelly at first!!)

STEPS:

1 | Cut your ribbon to the length of your hair clip. Mine was about 2 inches.

2 | Using the fabric glue, glue down the loose strings at at the ends of your sequins so they will not fly away. (I’m sure normal people would sew but I just find fabric glue so much easier!) Wait about 3-5 minutes for the edges to dry.

3 | Put a line of glue down your hair clip. Make sure not to put too much, you don’t want to glue your clip shut. :)

4 | Place the sequined ribbon on your clip and hold it for about 30 seconds to make sure it stays in the correct place. The epoxy I used says it takes 5 minutes for it to dry completely so wait at LEAST 5 minutes.

5 | &&Voilà!!! The hair clip is complete! Simple right? You can make as many of these as your heart desires in whatever color you want. They are so fun and they can dress up any outfit.

New Years Resolutions | 2012

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 17:36:56 -0600

Happy New Year my friends!! I am so looking forward to 2012!

I made a list of resolutions for my blog and I wanted to share them with you. Thanks to your comments on my Christmas giveaway I have a better idea of what you are wanting to see. So THANK YOU for participating!!!

Blog more (3-4 times a week - keep me accountable!!!)

Be better at responding and joining the conversations in the comment section

Take my own pictures. With the help of my husband of course. :) (Sorry Pinterest!)

Outfit of the week

Product Reviews

How to stay on budget/how to wear what you already have and turn it into something current. (That makes sense right?!)

Do a make up tutorial. (Just to forewarn you I am not claiming to be a make up pro, but if you ever see something and want to know how to do it I can show you!)

More DIY posts. (nails, hair, decorations, accessories..etc.)

More GIVEAWAYS. Aren’t those so fun??

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

I hope this gets you excited about what’s to come. I know I am!! Thank you for reading! Happy New Year!!! :)

My Top 5 | December 2011

Sun, 18 Dec 2011 13:34:31 -0600

1 | Mini Ban.do Heart

I am so excited about all of the different things I will be able to do with this little sparkly heart. So far it’s been a fun hair accessory! I look forward to discovering ways to incorporate it into my jewelry and clothing too.

2 | Nivea’s A KISS OF SMOOTHNESS

I have found that this is the best chap stick for me in the wintertime. Especially in Texas where the weather can never make up it’s mind! I’ve always had a bad habit of licking my lips so with all the weather changes my lips get so dry! As soon as I put this on I can feel my lips instantly getting the moisture they need. It’s wonderful! I have this on me at all times.

(I’ve found I can’t use my mint EOS lip balm because my lips aren’t responding to it the same as it they did in the summer time. :( So now I have a winter balm and a summer balm. Fun!)

3 | Red Nails

Photo via Pinterest

I always known red nails are a classic, but recently when I had to paint my nails in a hurry for a weekend full of Christmas parties I picked up an old red I had that would be festive and quick. I was going to throw some gold glitter on top of it but then I was so obsessed with the look of my nails just being red.

4 | Velvet

I’ve found that velvet is a fun way to accessorize in the winter time. I especially love velvet pencil skirts. It adds a warmth to your outfit even it it is a bright pink. It’s also fun to get velvet ribbon and wrap it in your hair or around your wrist as a bracelet. (Cheap too!!)

5 | Cable-Knit Throw

This is my baby I don’t have yet! I love this cable-knit throw from Pottery Barn. I put it on my Christmas list and I cannot wait to get it! Shame on me for knowing…sorry Mom! :)