{Valentine's Week} DIY Glitter Heart Pins & Shoe Clips...

Valentine's day is nothing without a little glitter and a whole lot of hearts, so when Kassie and I found ourselves having an impromptu glitter heart pin and shoe clip DIY session last weekend, it felt completely natural to us. I mean, why wouldn't you sit around gluing sparkly bits to the girliest of girlie motifs with your bestie? Exactly.

Want to make some festive hair pins, brooches and shoe clips of your own? Check out my shrinky dinks DIY for a how-to guide when making your heart base, as well as this glitter watch DIY for Mod Podge instructions. Then simply super glue a pin or clip to the back of your heart (avoiding contact with your skin, unlike Kassie!) and you're ready to rock... Happy Valentine's week, friends! xx

On me: feather dress- Forever 21; striped blazer- H&M; necklace- Ily Couture; pumps & tights- Joe Fresh // On Kassie: top- Anthropologie; skirt- Jason Wu for Target; coat- Old Navy; pumps- vintage; necklaces- Joe Fresh

{Glitter Week} The Collar...

As promised, here's a look at how I styled yesterday's DIY glitter collar. A few of you already commented about the whole washing situation (which believe me, I already thought about), but I don't mind— I'll spot wash this bad boy if I have to! To be honest, I was planning on getting rid of this shirt anyway, but a little sprinkle of glitter has made it seem (both literally AND figuratively) all shiny and new again. Who knew a few sparkles could have that kind of effect? xx

Outfit details: blouse- vintage; bubble skirt- Joe Fresh; polka dot tights- Forever 21; cheetah pumps- Calvin Klein; clutch- vintage YSL; gold watch- Michael Kors

{Glitter Week} Glitter Collar DIY...

So I kind of have a thing for Mod Podge (evidenced here and here), and since I barely ever wear this vintage blouse, I figured I may as well smear glitter all over the collar eliminating my ability to ever again wash it. Sound like something you might be interested in? Of course it does, because you guys are awesome.

Here's what you need to do:



1. Gather the goods: Mod Podge, glitter, a paint brush and, last but not least, an unsuspecting blouse.
2. Start by ironing a crease onto the collar so you know exactly were the glue should go (I wanted a little white to stay visible, but you can cover the entire collar if you prefer). Once that's done, start painting even coats of Mod Podge onto the collar, working in small sections.
3. Sprinkle a generous helping of glitter onto the wet glue. Repeat steps 2 & 3 until the collar is entirely covered.
4. After the glitter dries (and your glue-related headache subsides), paint a final layer of Mod Podge onto the glitter to cure it. Dry overnight (and get some fresh air— you'll need it) for best results.



Is this the easiest DIY in the world, you ask? Why yes, yes it is. Stay tuned to see how I styled this bad boy tomorrow... xx

{DIY} Clay Geometric Necklace...

I was recently turned on to the idea of making jewelry from clay, and now that I've tried it a couple of times, I seriously can't stop. Naturally I wanted to share this DIY with you guys, because not only is it super easy and inexpensive, but it's fun to boot. Want to give it a try? Here's what you've got to do!



1. Pick up a pack of clay at your local craft store. I chose FIMO (about $4) but any kind will do.
2. Roll out the clay and smooth the surface as much as possible.
3. Using a knife, carefully cut your desired shape from the clay.
4. Work the edges of your shape to make it as smooth and symmetrical as possible.
5. Poke a whole through the top of your shape to later attach a jump ring.
6. Bake your new pendant at 230F for about 30 minutes. If your pendant is thicker, you'll have to adjust your bake time accordingly.

After the piece cools fully, paint it any way you please. I chose to use nail polish (like here and here) because I had the colours I wanted in that form, but use whatever medium you prefer. When you're done, simply add a jump ring and some chain, and you've got yourself a brand new necklace... Easy peasy.



Hope you guys like this DIY... If you decide to give it a try, let me know how it goes! xx

{Nailed It} Metallic Sharpie Mani...

I love painting my nails as much as the next girl, so when I saw this metallic Sharpie mani on The Beauty Department a while back, I couldn't wait to try it myself. It's probably the easiest manicure I've ever done, and so long as you have a decently steady(ish) hand, I'm sure you'll agree. The best part? There's no limit to what you can do! Chevrons? Sure! Polka dots? OK! Hearts? Why not! Just do yourself a favor and don't skimp on the top coat — Believe me, that marker will fade right off. xx

Details: Essie nail polish in Turquoise & Caicos; Sharpie in metallic gold

{Details} DIY Glitter Watch...

Last week while scouring Pinterest, I came across this adorable Sparkle Strap watch from DKNY. My first thought was, "Oh em gee, I can do that!" while my second thought was, "Do I have any watches I totally hate?" The answer, sadly, was no, so off I went to Value Village to see what I could find. After much sifting, I came across a black leather watch ($5.99) that fit the bill, so I mad-dashed home to get my Modpodge on... Ooooh yeah.

Wanna make a glitter watch of your own? It's easy! Peep the following DIY instructions:



 

{Nailed It} Blood-Drop Mani DIY...

Halloween is nearly here, and what better way to spread some ghoulish cheer than with a blood-drop DIY mani a la Prabal Gurung? This was beyond easy to do, and it took no time at all... So basically all you vampire-loving, Dexter-obsessed peeps have no excuse not to try this one. Here's what you need to do!

Step 1: Paint your nails with a nude base coat to give them a clean, polished look. Alternatively, leave nails completely bare— it's up to you!

Step 2: Dip a toothpick or bobby pin into a deep red polish and apply small dots at random to the bottom third of your nail (2 or 3 dots per nail looks best).

Step 3: Drag the nail polish from the dots you just created down to the tip of the nail.

Step 4: Repeat for all nails, finishing with a uneven horizontal line at the tip of each nail.

And that's it! For a mere 10 minutes of work, you've got yourself a creepy, yet surprisingly chic manicure... How's that for doing it yourself? xx

{Style} SOHO

I'm back from New York, and although my heart is heavy (Edmonton just doesn't quite compare!), I'm energized by my time there. All that hustle and pumped-up energy really inspired me to work twice as hard to achieve my goals (of which there are many), and I suddenly feel like the impossible is within reach... Talk to me in a few weeks when my NYC-high has faded, but for now let's just roll with it, shall we?

So here's to all of us making our dreams come true, no matter how big or small they happen to be! xx

Outfit details: blouse- Forever 21; faux leather shorts- H&M; bag- Michael Kors; booties- Aldo; polka dot tights- Hue; necklace- Forever 21; bracelets- House of Harlow & the Bay; rings- J.Crew & DIY; watch- Michael Kors

Life Lately...

Here's a glimpse at life lately, including some serious DIY'ing (nothing's safe from my spray paint addiction), birthday cheer, baubles galore and some quality magazine time — Oh what a glamorous life... Now please fill me in on what you've been up to before I put you guys to sleep!

Happy weekending, lovelies! xx

Caviar Manicure DIY...

Wardrobe Wednesday // Instagram Edition

I love shopping as much as the next girl, but I've been trying to cutback a bit this month as a bit of a personal challenge... Now I know you must be thinking 'Wow, she must really hate herself,' but I assure you, I do not... I just wanted to try my hand at reducing my clothing consumption while making more out of what I already have. And although I've picked up a couple things here and there (see my Forever 21 jewelry haul above!), it feels pretty darn good saving money for a change... Go figure.

So for this week's Wardrobe Wednesday I thought it best to focus on some cherished accessories and my new favourite store, with only minimal attention paid (no pun!) to new purchases... I must be turning a new leaf or something! xx

Clockwise from top: Clothing & amazing oxfords from Loft 82; skull bracelet from H&M Against AIDS (so cute!); a few of my fave lip colours from Joe Fresh, Revlon & Sephora; a super old nail polish DIY on old H&M rings; my House of Harlow bangle and new Forever 21 bracelet; my latest jewelry haul from Forever 21; a nail polish DIY I did for the Edmonton Journal

The Golden Hour...

Last night Kastles and I took a little trip to Ikea (fun!) to pick up a couple things and grab a quick dinner... The light was perfect, so we stopped to snap some pics before loading up on furniture and decorative bits (I'll explain why later). This woman stopped to stare and make awkward comments, but we didn't care —I think we're pretty much immune to it by now! ;)

In other news, I just realized that I'm pretty much head to toe Forever 21 in this look... How does this keep happening to me?! I think I need to tone it down and shop local for a while — this F21 business is getting out of control!

Happy Tuesday, lovelies! xx

Outfit details: dress, vest & loafers- Forever 21; necklace- Mascarpone; bag &watch- Michael Kors; bracelet- H&M (painted by me)