Thrifting magic

I think Im an addict. Yes, yes I do have a problem. I just can't STOP THRIFTING!!!! No, I'm no hoarder or extreme couponer but I just can't help the feeling I get when I search and search and find that perfect piece for nothing. I understand some think its gross. Buying someone left over things but where do you think Antique stores get their things? They go hunting!!! They hit the thrift stores, the flea markets, estate sales, garage sales! Thats where they found that amazing china closet for $20 and sell if for $500.

Now lets start off with the shoes. The following heels were found for $4-$7 DESIGNER names at Goodwill in Baltimore

                         $5             ------------------>

How cute are those neon pink shoes!? Great for color blocking and only $5. Then white heels where super cute too! Looked up the designer retailed around $50...goodwill $4 and they look like they were NEVER WORN!!!! Along with the red and pink there wasn't a scratch on them!

These black beauties had my heart going! Again without a scratch on them designers like Nine West and Bakers for $5-$6. Love these heels? Run to goodwill ;) I didn't buy any of them. All though it was hard to pass up of classic black pumps I just couldn't bare to make my heel collection hit the 70's....I really need to give up some. IT'S JUST SO HARD!!!!

Now on to the clothing

You can REALLY find some amazing pieces! You just have to try EVERYTHING on! You think it has a glimmer of hope, try it on and remember almost everything can be altered and for little money. Or you could do it yourself. For <-------example I found this t-shirt for $1. It was big and big shirts really aren't my thing BUT you can alter it in to an off the shoulder shirt or tank!

 Then this beauty down below fit like a glove...except on my waist. I have a tiny waist and it just didn't hit the way I wanted to there. So belt it!

The sleeves made it for me. I found it unique and it's sooo softttttt

Best place to find that blazer everyone's wearing? Thrift store! They usually have them for under $6 and are way better and more structured to hit your body right then the Forever 21 ones they are selling for $30+. They look great with jeans, t-shirt, or just a tank. Again they can always be altered. I lost count of how many times I've ripped out shoulder pads. Above is a perfect velvet blazer I bought for only $3! Classic Black blazer over there--->

Jacket below is one I altered. I really wanted a studded leather but for hundreds of dollars I wasn't totally ready to shell out the money. Leather Jacket $9 + $11 studs = one kick ass grungey punk jacket

This whole outfit was under $25.....yes even with the boots ---->

Accessories!

This bag ---> $2! Helloooo How could I pass this up? Yeah I know I like my purses like a suitcase. Perfect on the inside too! Not a mark

On to my FAVORITE find!!!!!!!!! This skirt is stunning! STUNNING! The color is so vibrant and the slit is just beautiful! The whole reason why I'm begging for spring to come.

Another favorite, this leather pencil skirt. ----> Love this? I found some kind of version of this in almost every thrift store

Prada at goodwill? Not sure if its real or not? Guessing they thought it was real since it was behind glass for $18 but to write it on the front tag? Come on. I'm not a label person but if this is your thing you could be in luck one day running into on of these --------> Another great thing to look for is furniture. I loved this table ----> I love the details in it. It would of totally been mine if the coffee table wasn't as large as it was. Color doesn't fit your decor? Paint it!! Paint can be pricey but in Baltimore you can get a gallon of paint any color for $5 at the loading dock or a HUGE bucket of it for $20. You can also get other great things there for your home if you are redoing it. 

My china closet I found thrifting for only $25! I'm in love with it. I love everything about it. Eventually I may, MAY paint it but for now I love the color.

Now remember to 

DIG!

Don't get discourage 

 (it can get frustrating when you don't find something so start small. Look at shoes and purses and build yourself up to clothing.)

Things can be altered

Check for holes, stains, threading coming out

Be creative

(Some of the most unique, interesting outfits come from thrifting)

Check the sign up front. They have sales.

(for example- one place I went to had anything marked with a "y" 50% off or a green or red tag 50%. Thats where you can get the find for 50 cents or $1)

 

                              Not sure where Thrift shops are in your area?

Click here

^ put in your zip code and tons come up ^

Send me your pictures of your finds!!

Good luck

&

Happy Thrifting!

Up-cycle, Reusing candles!

If your like me and LOVE candles you have a million and one of those bad boys hiding behind picture frames, and other objects just because you have so many half empty ones.  like this one ------>

 

Wellllll!!!! Wait no longer!!!!!! You can up-cycle your old candles to new ones...the right way.

(Ha funny story when I was about 12 I tried this..TOTALLY WRONG I heated it up, not sure how, poured it into a PLASTIC CONTAINER. 0.o THEN when it melted I freaked out and threw it into the sink.....needless to say it looked like shredded carrots was coming out of the pipes for weeks....Sorry Mom and Dad)

Anyways...older and wiser I try this again...(and without a drop on the counter!) 

To begin you will need

• Empty jar ( or a candle that's in a almost empty jar) I used a salsa jar!
• Wick ---> At Micheals for $2 for 9
• pan
• water
• stove
• sticks or knife

TO start

1. Boil the water in a pan 
2. Take half used candle and place into pot (turn to low)
3. Wait for it to turn to liquid (it will take about 5 mins) Don't heat up to fast you don't want the glass to get hot
4. Place wick in jar and hold wick up with sticks or knifes. * I started of with the sticks but it didnt hold it straight up sometimes so I put knifes in between them to hold it up better
5. Pick up jar with the wax in it and pour it into the new jar.  (If done right you can pick the jar out of the pan with your hands)
6. Wait for wax to harder ALL the way
7. Repeat with another scent or color
8. Wha la! You're done! Once all hard you have a beautiful new candle and about 75% less jars laying around! I got to throw out 10!

Have a bunch of candles that didn't come in a jar? Save one of the jars you melted the candle out of already and place it into the jar to melt it.


REMEMBER! After finishing do not, DO NOT put ANYTHING in the sink. Wait for it to cool and trash it. Make sure you DO EVERYTHING ON THE COUNTER! It will scrap off if you drip! Do NOT place in sink ..............you'll regret it later


Happy candle making!

Perfect BUNNNSSSS

Always wanted the celebrity styles hair but you don't have celeb hair? Don't worry you can fake it.... just like them! All those beautiful styles you see in magazines and on tv are fake. Yup, fake. 99% of celebs have fake hair. Those perfect "no hair is out of place updos" Yea a lot of those have fake hair in them and they also photoshop the little hairs out and cut...CUT the hairs out.


Anywayyyyysss... Today we are going to work on the BUN. Its everywhere and this how you can FAKE that THICK FULL BUN

If you have hair down to your booty you'll have no problem with creating this without all the tricks but if youre like me and dont have hair half way down your back this is what you do

 What you need
-Rubber Band
-bobby pins
-Brush
-bandanna (get color as close to your hair color as you can)
-hairspray

(The pictures shown in this blog was used without hairspray or brush, sorry I to lazy to find those two things 0.o) Oh oh and sorry for the crazy faces, my phone was on a picture timer and I was trying to fit it all into 5 frames in 10 sec each

NOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWW to start

1-Pull your hair in a ponytail                 ------>
2- fold bandanna into a 2 inch band, tie ends, wrap twice ( you want it to be loose) --->

3- Put the looped bandanna around your pony tail. Remember you want this LOOSE
<-----------like this


4- Fold over hair and pin over bandanna
--->




5- DONE
You'll then have a full round bun

 

So this honestly took about 2 minutes

and a perfected bun 

maybe 4 minutes with a brush ;)

Now pretty ladies switch those messy buns with this chic thick bun.

Dressing it up -              Oh heyyyy that me today   Feb 8 ---->

<-------Dressing it down and this was yesterday! Feb 7

Teasing crazy

Symantha~ 

I want big hair, like Dolly Parton/Fran Fine hair. I just cant seem to figure out how to get it. I've tried teasing it-just looks nappy and not big, and I've tried the round brush with a blow dryer-ended up with a brush stuck in my hair -__- Any ideas on how to get the full "Big" hair look?

I get it every time you try to do your hair it turns into some crazy mess. Alot of people say that.  So you're not alone

Let me guess every time you tease it turns out like this

<----

Not this -->

 Well before we start most styles you envy on the red carpet, movies, ads, etc are all fake......yes, fake :( I knoowwww its so disappointing but not everyone is blessed with amazing hair, actually hardly anyone.

Most have hair extensions, wigs, or pieces of "things" put in there hair to add volume.
For example in the 50's women would save their hair, put it into a stocking, tie it up and place it to fill their hair. Today we have the "bump it".

Updo's and big volume hair has been filled with everything from foam rollers to newspaper.

                                                     ------------>
This beauty added hair into her volume

<----------- and Ms. Dolly wears wigs.......Yes wigsssss!!! Her hair is pretty thin underneath all that.

Ok now to get the most out of YOUR hair without adding all this extra stuff

1- Have a game plan. Do you want volume all over? Or just in the crown?

2- Style your hair and make sure it isn't hot anymore.  (Teasing your hair while hot will tangle it up so bad it will break)

3-Get your tools out. Hairspray, a nice med-firm hold will be good. Don't get too strong of one it will just be a mess. Grab your comb.  My favorite is the "updo brush" The updo brush -------->

teases then smooths afterward. Biggest thing to remember- IT WILL NEVER BE PERFECT. You will have little fly away. Look back up at Drews hair, not perfect. Pictures are photoshoped and in updo books hair is CUT off. CUT!!! They actually cut the little hairs off the models hair to make it look smoother. Ohhhhhhhh the liesssss (It defiantly makes my job harder with all these lies and people thinking these things are realistic) 

(if you dont have a brush like that a comb will do just fine

4-Pick up section you want to tease, spray

5-Pick of section of hair you sprayed and start teasing. You dont want to tease the very front of your hair. Leave it out. Later you will lay it over your teased part.

Go from middle of the section down with your comb

TIP- The faster you go the WORSE it gets. 

You don't have to go crazy. Going slow works best with medium pressure. Teasing shouldn't hurt.

6-Spray again. Lay section out of way (usually laying forward is best to get out of way)

7- repeat all sections you want to tease

8- Once you tease it all spray again and lay the hair in the direction you want it to go

9-Smooth hair. DONT BRUSH. Lightly take comb and smooth hair

10- Spray

You should have volume without a mess :)

The updo brush I use EVERY day....EVERY day and I used it on you last time you came in Symantha lol

I got the brush at the beauty store for about $3-$4. 

I'm sure if you go to Sallys you can find one just like it!

Run, don't walk!

Run! Don't walk to the nearest drug store! 

I have never......never done any facial things on my face and it shows. So what better time to start really, REALLY taking care of yourself? Right before one of the biggest day of your life...your wedding day!!

A new product came out and its been all over the net. FREEMEN PEEL OFF MASK!!!! I have been itching to get my hands on it so a late night trip to the store after my girlfriend left last night was in order!

So running to Walmart (where they said they had it) mine only had the trial packets and that just wasnt going to cut it for me BUT when going there they had $1 off coupons. Wooo hoooooooooo!!!!!!

Next stop CVS. Being more then happy finding a stocked up shelf of Freemen products.....I cleared them out. Walmart said they were $8 and so did the Freeman website. CVS regular price, $3.99 and with the coupon $2.99!

I was so excited it was hard not to start putting it on in the car! 

First up- Detoxifying Clay Mask

The smell was amazing (I'm a fruity kinda girl)

Steps

Wash your face

Put on clay mask

Let sit till dry

Wash off with warm water

Ohhhhh my taking this off I noticed a BIG difference already in my skin

It was hydrated, less red, pores were smaller and I just felt refreshed

Clay Mask with Avocado and Oatmeal was also applied the same way, felt the same way afterwards, and did the same thing.

If I had to choose in only buying one of the Clay Mask I would get the Detoxifying Clay Mask.

hehhehehe ^

Now! My favorite one!!!! The reason why I was dying to buy Freemen products!!!

Cucumber Peel Off Mask!!! AhhhhhHH!!!!!!!!!

I love this! 

My skin was smooth, less red, smaller pores, and I just felt like all my dead skin and dirt was completely off my face. Afterwards I felt like I could go out without face make up.

Start with a clean face

Apply

Let dry (about 5-10 minutes)

Start peelinngg!!!

Ahhhh! Ahhh! Ahhhhh! <---See my excitement? I was so freakin' happy. My skin was glowing!!!

With mask on your face is shiny and looks like plastic

This stuff felt amazing! I even got my Fiance' to try it! On him I put it just on his nose and half his forehead. After taking it off him, his skin was amazing! It was brighter, it was amazing. It just took all the dead nasty skin right off! The peel off mask is comparable to the Biore' strips.

If you do buy more then one Freemen product and want to use it as a system I would use the Peel off Mask first then the Clay Mask.

After the Peel Off Mask your face is refreshed but getting all the mask off can be kind of hard so washing it with the Clay Mask afterwards works better. 

Now Run, Run to your nearest drug store and find Freemen clay mask and Peel off mask!