Tuesday, December 9, 2014
Sunday, December 7, 2014
Sunday, January 5, 2014
Best Ever Trail Mix
Trail mix. Peanuts. M&Ms, raisins. Boring, right?
Wrong.
Trail mix can be healthy and delicious. Here's my no fail recipe...
No-Fail Trail Mix
Ingredients:
● 1/4 cup plain almonds
● 1/4 cup dried cranberries
● 1/4 cup dried apricots
● 1/4 cup raisins
● Optional: 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
Instructions:
1. Chop apricots into thirds.
2. Pour almonds, apricots, cranberries, raisins, and, if you are using them, the chocolate chips into a plastic bag or a container.
3. Let sit for 1 hour before consuming. This allows the apricots to soak the fruit and nuts in its juices.
~ You may substitute other nuts, I just enjoy almonds more.
~ For the raisins, I like to use regular, golden raisins, or a combination of both.
~ The last step may be skipped, but I find that the longer it sits, the better it tastes! This is why I often store a bag in my purse for quick snacking on the go.
~FashionistaGirl
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Haircare Tips
I love to style my hair. Braids, buns, ponytails, bouffants, you name it! I can't imagine not having long hair, so it is really important that I keep it healthy. Here are my tips for long, strong, healthy hair.
1. Don't wash your hair everyday. Don't roll your eyes. It's true! I wash my hair every other day. If you are worried about greasy hair, that is what the "messy bun" was invented for! Use this as an advantage to throw on all the sparkly headbands and bows you can find!
2. Use swim conditioner. I used to swim and used special hydrating swim conditioner to heal my brittle locks. After the season was over, I still had some left and just finished the bottle. My hair is so smooth and silky now because of it!
3. Don't use heat. Except for special occasions, I never curl or straighten my hair. If you must, use a heat protectant. The heat dries out your hair, leaving it brittle and breaking.
4. This goes along with #3, but don't blowdry your hair either. With the exception of when I'm sick, I never blowdry my hair. If you must, use the lowest, coolest setting. Even a quick blowdry builds up brittleness over time.
5. Use metal-less hair ties. The metal snags and breaks your hair. The softer, glued together ones are softer and stretchier.
Friday, October 11, 2013
Falling For Fall
Brisk wind. Colorful leaves. Boots. Sweaters. Fall has to be my favorite season! That said, this has to be one of my favorite outfits! A knit cardigan, accented tank top, skinny jeans, boots! So many combinations! Oh, and those lovely blue and brown knit boot cuffs? I made them! So can you! Simply K1 P1 ribbing for 1 inch, then stockinette (K1 row, P1 row) 3 inches, then end with K1 P1 ribbing for 1 inch! Use worsted weight yarn and US Size 8 needles.
Happy Fall! XOXO
~ FashionistaGirl
Saturday, September 21, 2013
Mismatched Nails
I love doing my nails, but the reality is that beyond simple stripes and dots, I'm hopeless. These mismatched nails, though, are super easy but look complex!
You will need:
- Three colors of nail polish. These look best with black, white, and an accent color. Here I chose blue.
- Striping tape
- Dotting tools or a bobby pin
- A sheet of stickers, I used stars.
- Chunky glitter polish to match the accent color. I liked the use of silver with the blue.
How to:
Thumb:
1. Paint the nail white.
2. Peel off the sticker and set aside. Now cut around the sticker sheet where the sticker was. Peel this off. Now you have a template! When the nail is dry, place the empty sticker template on the nail where you wish the design to be.
3. Paint over the template in your accent color. Wait a couple seconds for the polish to dry a bit, and then peel of the sticker. Voila!
Index:
1. Paint the nail white.
2. Using a dotting tool or bobby pin, dip in a bit of black polish and create a dotty design on the nail.
Middle:
1. Paint the nail in your accent color.
2. When it is dry, place four strips of striping tape across the nail.
3. Paint over in black and then carefully peel off the striping tape.
Ring:
1. Paint the nail in your accent color.
2. Take your glitter polish and paint over the nail.
Pinky:
1. Paint the nail white.
2. Take the black polish and color half the nail black. If you want to get the line very clean, place a piece of striping tape halfway and carefully paint below it.
And there you have it! Each nail has three steps or less!
These would look great with these accent colors as well:
- Coral
- Baby Pink
- Purple
- Light Green
- Teal
Polish it up! XOXO
~ FashionistaGirl
Nail polishes I used:
- Sinful Colors Snow Me White
- Sally Hansen Black Out
- Sinful Colors Midnight Blue
- Claire's Disco Glitter Polish
Saturday, September 14, 2013
Wonderful Warm Wristwarmers
Recently I knit these amazing wristwarmers and I couldn't resist sharing how to make them! This is a customizable pattern, so sorry for not having exact measurements! Also, I will be referencing the glove diagram below, just so you can visualize this. It is not my image. Find it here.
You will need:
US 8 knitting needles/ 5mm
1 skein of worsted weight yarn
Instructions:
Cast on 30 stitches.
Knit until you have about 1 inch of knitting. Hold it up to the area right above your thumb. Knit more rows if you feel it is too short. This is areas 7 and 5 together. If it is to your liking, now it is time to make the thumbhole!
The thumbhole takes 3 rows to complete:
1. Knit 6 stitches. Now cast off 6 stitches. Knit to the end of the row.
2. Knit 6 stitches. Cast on 5 stitches. Knit to the end of the row. You now have 29 stitches.
3. Knit the entire row.
After the thumbhole is complete, knit until the piece is as long as you desire. Mine is about 8 inches.
When long enough, cast off. Leave a long tail. Now fold over and sew up using the tail. Flip inside out.
Repeat!
Note: When you are sewing it up, keep in mind the direction you fold it. With the thumbhole in the top left, if you fold it to the right and sew it will be the left wristwarmer. With the thumbhole in the top right, if you fold it to the right and sew it will be the right wristwarmer.
Stay warm! XOXO
~ FashionistaGirl
Nail Art Secret!
So you just painted your nails and now you have to eat or knit or do something! I don't know about you, but I just don't want to wait 45 minutes! The quick fix?
Place your hands in a cold bowl of water for about 1-2 minutes. Then dry carefully and spray them with cooking spray! Wipe off and voila! Dry, shiny, gorgeous nails!
Spread the word! XOXO
~ FashionistaGirl
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Garden Veggie "Pizza"
You'll need...
- 2 tortillas, white or wheat
- 2 handfuls of shredded cheese (I'm using Mexican because it melts nicely, any shredded cheese will do!)
- 1 medium tomato, preferably fresh from the garden
- about 1/4 -1/2 cup fresh spinach
- a pinch of oregano (optional)
Instructions:
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Chop the tomato into medium thick slices. Chop the spinach up as well into small pieces.
3. Sprinkle the cheese onto the tortillas, leaving out a little bit of the cheese. Sprinkle on the oregano now, if using.
4. Bake in the oven for 3 minutes or until the cheese is slightly melting.
5. Sprinkle the spinach on the tortillas along with two or three tomato slices on each. Add on the remaining cheese.
6. Bake for 3 minutes again.
7. Let cool slightly then cut and enjoy!
Serves 1-2 people
You can use other vegetables too! Spinach and mushroom, tomato and basil, green pepper, onions, or whatever you have on hand!
This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled and is perfect for a lunch with friends because it's so quick, easy, and delicious!
Please be careful when using the oven!
Stay healthy! XOXO
~ FashionistaGirl
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Bohemian Bold
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| I chose this bright blue maxi from Aeropostale! It's carefree and flutters out behind you in the prettiest way. On top, I chose this yellow striped shirt for contrast! The outcome, easy breezy boho. |
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| I always accessorize! The key is to add pieces that complement each other. Play with textures. For example, I paired a plain chunky jersey bracelet with a beaded bracelet and a thin colorful knotted bracelet! You could also do this with necklaces and play with metals, thicknesses, ribbon, and stone! |
For hair, go with an updo. Wearing your hair down distracts from the outfit. Brush it up and away into a high bun or a slick ponytail. Colorful hair ties and barrettes are key to make a simple hairstyle look complex!
As for makeup, natural is best! Show off your summer tan with a peachy blush! As for the eyes, line your waterline with white eyeliner and highlight your inner corners and brow bone with a light champagne color to open up your eyes! Fresh lips is key, so swipe on a berry shade!
Shoes are important for completing the look, so throw on some strappy sandals or flats with a jewel or floral accent!
Dress to impress! XOXO
~ FashionistaGirl
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
DIY: Craft Stick Bracelets
What You'll Need:
- Scrapbook paper
- Large craft sticks
- An assortment of drinking glasses
- A pot of boiling water
- Mod Podge
- Foam brushes
- Craft chain or cord
- Hot glue
- Scissors
Instructions:
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| 1: Pick out your scrapbook paper. I'd recommend a mixture of patterns and plain colors that fit with your wardrobe. |
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| 2: Cut strips of scrapbook paper out. Mine were about 2-3" by 6". 3. Place the craft stick on the paper and draw around it, mimicking the shape. It needs to be bigger than the stick itself, about 1/4 to a 1/2 inch bigger. They don't have to be exact. When finished, cut them out and put aside. |
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| 4. Boil a pot of water. Once boiling, place in craft sticks and "cook" for 15 minutes. When done, take off the heat and drain the sticks. Keep some of the water in a small bowl. 5. Once the sticks are cool enough to handle, curve them into a circle shape and fit them into the cups. While you are doing this, keep the remaining sticks in the remaining boiled water to keep them flexible. Leave about an inch of space between the two ends. Let dry overnight. |
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| 6. In the morning, check to see if they are dry. If not, keep them in the cups until they are. Otherwise they will lose their shape. I got impatient and finished them by heating them with a blow dryer on the warm temperature at the low setting for a couple seconds. |
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| 7. Dip the foam brush into the Mod Podge and lightly brush it onto the the stick in a thin coat. Place on the paper from earlier, making sure that the edges are hanging off. |
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| 8. Using the scissors, cut out small triangles like in the picture. This is so that when you fold in the edges, you don't get creases. |
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| 9. Starting with the ends, fold in the tabs you just created. Brush on some Mod Podge before you fold them down and afterwards to seal them in. Do this with every single one. When all the tabs are in, brush the Mod Podge onto the outside, brushing in horizontal motions. Use very thin coats. If it looks like a white mess, brush some of it off, but keep in mind it will dry clear. |
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| 10. Once it dries, trim your chain or cord to fit the space between the sides. Hot glue it in place. |
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| Now you are done! Voila! |
1. I used Matte Mod Podge, but you can use the glossy kind if you prefer it to look shinier.
2. When using the boiling water and hot glue, please be careful!
3. To get Mod Podge off your fingers, place hands in warm, soapy water and scrub.
4. Boil more sticks than you need. I can guarantee that at least one or two will refuse to curl or just break.
5. Remember these are made of paper, so keep them out of the way of water! You could use fabric too.
Well, there you have it! Now you can flaunt that DIY style! When people ask you where you got them, you can just say with a smile, "I made these." How cool is that? Plus they make awesome gifts and craft fair items.
Follow me on Pinterest!(Linked at top) XOXO
~FashionistaGirl
Saturday, July 6, 2013
Check Out My Tattoos!
You'll need;
1. A cotton ball
2. A small dish of water
3. A sheet of temporary tattoos (Designs and lines look best. Avoid characters and words)
4. White nail polish
5. Top coat
6. Scissors
Instructions:
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| Step 1: Cut out your tattoos to the size of your nail. They should be slightly bigger. Keep in mind that everything will be backwards. To keep them straight, I'd recommend labeling them. Ex: L Thumb |
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| 2: Place the desired tattoo on nails that are already painted white. The nail must be completely dry. I watched a bit of America's Next Top Model to pass the time! : ) It will stick a bit to the nail, so when you place it, place it carefully. The place you put it is its final position pretty much. |
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| 3: Place a damp cotton ball on the tattoo, just like you would do on regular skin. Make sure the cotton ball isn't soaking, squeeze off the excess if you must. Apply equal pressure and roll the cotton ball over the nail, being careful not to smudge the design. After about 10-15 seconds, carefully remove the cotton ball and peek under the tattoo. If it has transferred, gently peel it off. If not, apply more pressure and re-wet if needs be. |
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| 4: Once removed, seal with a topcoat and admire your handiwork. |
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| Here's the finished product! Sorry it's a bit blurry, but you get the idea! |
Saturday, June 29, 2013
Keeping Your Cool
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| The navy embroidery gives it a bohemian look along with the cuffed shorts. For shoes, go with some cute strappy sandals or some flats. |
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| Don't forget the cute mani! This floral and spotty design is easy to do and looks chic! Just put polka dots on all except the ring fingers. For the flower, make a straight line and a "v" halfway up. Then make five dots in a pentagon shape on top. With a toothpick or bobby pin, pull the corners in towards the middle. End with a dot in the middle. |
Don't Sweat Your Style! XOXO
~ FashionistaGirl
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Simple Nail Designs
1. French tips: Simply paint your nails one color, then let them dry. After that, paint a quick stripe across the tip in another color and you're done. If you're worried you won't get it straight, make a diagonal french tip. It looks perfect every time.
2. Polka dots: Paint your nails one color, then take the end of a sewing pin or the tip of an [empty] ballpoint pen and dip it into a separate color. After that, simply press the pin or pen onto your dry nail and voila!
3. Glitter: Paint your nails a single color. Then go over with any glitter polish. Mix it up with different sized glitter pieces or with different shapes or different colors. Either way, it's quick, easy, and totally cute.
4. Crackle: For this, you'll need Crackle nail polish. To do this design, paint your nails with one coat of regular nail polish. Let it dry, then paint one coat of Crackle. Wait a minute, the nail polish will "crackle" and reveal some of the polish underneath.
5.Saran-wrap nails: Paint you nails one color and let dry. Take a piece of saran wrap and ball it up. Paint your nails another color and BEFORE they dry, dab the nail with the saran wrap. It will leave you with a cool design.
May Your Nails Be As Beautiful As You! XOXO
~ FashionistaGirl