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

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.

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

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

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

Garden Veggie "Pizza"

So, it's nearly lunch time and my stomach has become a tornado siren. Watch out! Take cover! Generally now I'd eat, so I thought I might share my lunch with you today! I'm making garden veggie pizzas!

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

 



Note:
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