Have a Fabulous New Years Eve!

Image Courtesy of Polyvore

Let's ring in the new year in style! Happy 2010 Readers!

Have a Very Merry Christmas!

 

Have yourself a very Merry Christmas. I am taking the next few days to enjoy my friends and family {and a few delicious goodies too}. I hope you do the same!

Get Sleek Straight Hair for Your Holiday Party

Image Courtesy of Daily Cookie

Want super straight, sleek hair for your holiday party? Here's the secrets that you need to get it:

Image Courtesy of Your Hairstyles

Step 1: Blow dry hair with a paddle brush {upside down}. A paddle brush will help straighten strands and drying it upside down will give you just the right amount of lift at the root.

Image Courtesy of Daily Mail

Step 2: Use a bit of heat protectant throughout strands. Shine serums with a bit of heat protectant are my fave kind to use.

Image Courtesy of Unknown

Step 3: Flat iron hair in small sections. I typically clip up two-thirds of my hair and flat iron the bottom third in 2" sections. Run the flat iron slowly from root to tip {don't be one of those people who repeatedly runs the flat iron over and over the same strands - it simply scorches your hair}.

Image Courtesy of Great Hairstyle Tips

Step 4: Repeat on the middle section of hair and then on the top section of hair.

Image Courtesy of Polyvore

Step 5: Finish by running a bit of shine serum through hair {not too much - it will make your sleek straight hair look greasy and not shiny like we are trying to achieve here}

A Beautiful Gift Idea - DIY Homemade Brown Sugar Scrub

Want to make your own homemade brown sugar scrub? How about making it as a last minute gift idea? I wrote on the Will Blog for Beauty Facebook page that I was making some the other day - they turned out wonderously {my own made up word} and I wanted to share how I made them.

Here's what you will need:

Glass containers {I like using short, fat mason jars - sooo cute!}
2 cups brown sugar (lightly packed)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl - that's it! I know, super simple, right?!

Then, simply spoon the scrub into your chosen container. I like to package mine up by tying a little spoon {to scoop out the scrub} to the container using some twine. Soooo cute and such a great gift idea!

Barre3 Times a Charm Challenge 2 Weeks Left!

So folks, I only have 2 weeks left on my Barre3 Times a Charm Challenge. I feel sooo great! I don't think I would be able to say this about any other type of workout DVD. I have tried them all from the Jillian Michael's series of DVD's to Pure Barre and this is the only one that has produced these kinds of results. I know - I am touting how wonderful they are even before I am through with the challenge!

At this point, I have lost 2 3/4" from my waist, 3/4" from my bust, 1/2" from my left thigh and 3/4" from the right. WOW! The best thing is that it wasn't like I wasn't working out before...I was running or walking about 10 miles per week plus 3 hour long cardio sessions at the gym weekly plus a DVD (typically Jillian Michaels) 3 times per week. So obviously there is something about this workout that is helping me get in tip-tip shape!

And between you and me, if you have been doing the Barre3 Challenge{and even if you haven't}, Sadie Lincoln {founder of Barre3} told me that we can expect new DVD's at the beginning of 2012!

Can't wait to reveal my final results in 2 more weeks!

Blogging Award - YAY for Will Blog for Beauty!

I am so excited to receive a blogging award from 52 Social. Thanks girl! 

You can check out more of 52 Social here.

You've Got to Make These! I am whipping up a bunch tonight!

This yummy little recipe I originally posted on Thanksgiving is being revisited just because I love it so much! As a matter of fact, I am going to whip up a few to bring home to family this Friday before Christmas! These are so delicious and the perfect little serving for one! Plus they make it so I don't overindulge in a half a pie!

Have you seen these cute little Mason Jar Pies around in blogland? I love the idea of this little single serving pie:

Mason Jar Pies Makes 8 (4 oz) Pies
8 (4 oz.) glass canning jars
2 refrigerated pie crusts
4 cups frozen mixed berries {I like the Marionberry blend from Costco}
1/2 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch

- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees if you’re baking them immediately.
- Combine the ingredients and mix. Set aside.
- Roll out the dough a little bit. Using the top of one of the jars, cut out 8 dough circles and set them aside.
- Press pieces of the remaining dough into the jars to form a crust inside the jar.
- Fill the pie crust with a few tablespoons of your desired filling. Top each pie with a small pat of butter.
- From the reserved pie discs, cut a few slits to allow the pie to vent or use a small decorative cutter to cut out a small design.
- Top the pies with the discs and crimp the sides. Then you’re ready to bake or freeze!
- If baking immediately, bake at 375 for 35 minutes.
- If baking a frozen pie, place the pies in a deep baking dish and place the dish into a cold oven. Turn the oven to 375 degrees and bake for 45 minutes or until crust is golden and filling is bubbly.

Enjoy!

The original recipe I used was via Food Babbles Blog and was for apple pie - I like berry pie better so I switched up the recipe a bit ; )

Linking up to -
 

The Holiday Makeup Look You Need to Try!

Oh Em Gee! I love this holiday makeup look. A little dust of shimmer on the lids paired with a juicy berry lip equals FABULOUS!

See the pic below ~

Isn't that gorgeous?! See the subtle shimmer on the inner corners of her eyes? Here is a close up ~

Here are some additional berry lips in case you need a bit more inspiration ~

Drey Barrymore does berry just right!

Amanda Seyfried pairs a berry lip with a subtle smokey eye

Taraji P Henson's berry lip is an ultra deep and dark hue

Megan Fox pairs a subtle berry lip with gold shimmer - perfect for daytime!

 Here's how to get the perfect shimmery lid ~

Step 1 ~ Apply a base such as foundation or an eye primer all over lid and allow to dry for about a minute.
Step 2 ~ Use a fluffy eye brush to apply the shimmer all over lids, blending it outward almost to the cheekbones. {You can also smudge a bit underneath your bottom lash for a glow-y effect.
Step 3 ~ That's it! Sooo simple, isn't it?!


Here's how to get the perfect berry lip ~

Step 1 ~ Apply a lip balm first so that your pout is nice and prepped - it will be moisturized and ready to go.

Step 2 ~ Use a pencil {nude or in the same color as your berry lip color} to outline your lips.

Step 3 ~ Use a lip brush to apply your color evenly all over lips. The lip brush is key for getting the perfect berry lip.

Step 4 ~ Smack your lips together a few times and say 'FABULOUS' because that is how you look right now!

Loving Those Doodle Bags!

Have any of you seen Doodle Bags? I just came across them {they are the sister company
Doodle Bag is run by the Award Winning 'Bag It Don't Bin It' Team in Sheffield, England. We make bags, we print bags and we love bags!} and think they are absolutely adorable. They sure beat my generic supermarket totes that I lug around now. Check out some of these Doodle Bag's -

My Other Bag is a Marc Jacobs Doodle Bag

Queen Bag by Doodle Bags

Mini Reindeer Tote by Doodle Bag

They have several of these premade tote options but what I love is that you can design your own bag too! So that means I can take my kiddos art work and make it into a cute, functional and very eco-friendly bag! {PS - You can also create your own eco-friendly t-shirts, aprons, baby clothes and even underwear too!} Finally, if you want to make a few extra bucks, you can sell your own design to Doodle Bag.

Want to do your own printing? That works too! Doodle Bag has a ton of plain bags that you can customize at home. Check out their website here to see which one you like? I am thinking of buying the "Colour Me" Eco-Bags" that allow kids to create their own custom tote bag - wouldn't they make the cutest little craft/party favor for a kids bash?!

Fashion Lovers...This is For You!

Do you ever come across a website or a blog that just has everything that you need {ahem, except this one of course}? I have been coming across so many new and exciting blogs and websites that I just have to share another with you.

StyledOn is a fun fashion community that covers everything from home decor to gift guides and seemingly everything in between {as long as it pertains to fashion, of course}. If you are a style lover, then you should definitely head over to StyledOn because I think you will LOVE it as much as I do.

Happy Fabulous Friday!

Happy Fabulous Friday readers! We are only 9 days away from my favorite holiday - CHRISTMAS! So to say Merry Christmas to you, I am giving you a coupon for $2 off Sally Hansen Nail Polish Strips. Remember those fun little polish strips I told you about before? If not, you can see the post here.

Anyway, without further ado, here is your coupon -

http://lm.logicalmedia.com/z/28320/CD10713/cid=16610053

Curves Ahead...

Shariece, writer and creator of the Beauty or Swaag blog is sharing her self-esteem boosting blog post with us today. Thank you Shariece for guest writing for Will Blog for Beauty. If you want to hear more of what Shariece has to say, check her blog out at http://beautyorswaag.blogspot.com/

Living in this judgemental world, we all know it's hard to dismiss what is said about you and to be completely comfortable in the skin you're in. I'm not talking about the people who are over confident to hide their insecurities, but the ones who are truly happy with themselves.

The media and our peers are a tough crowd. It doesn't matter whether you're skinny, big, tall, short, black, or white. Most people have their image of what everyone should look like and if you don't fit that image, they can try to bring you down.

So that leaves me with the inspiration I have for everyone:



Plus Size Models;

photos via google images

I happen to find plus size models extremely sexy. It's hard enough being tall, thin, and everything the model/fashion industry are looking for. That comes with enough in itself. So for all the plus size models to go out there and show that there isn't a damn thing wrong with having a little more than others, I love it!

Plus size woman who are happy with who they are inside and out are a great inspiration. And for the plus size models to show that curves are just as sexy as being tall and thin, it's great. A good percentage looks down on the plus size women of this world. I love that there are women out there who are saying, "who cares what everyone thinks, I'm sexy".  I can honestly say that plus size women who aren't afraid to be who they are, are at the top of the list for people that I look up to.

Plenty Lovee & Swaag

xoxo, Shariece

: )

Wanna Look Like a Victoria's Secret Supermodel?

Adriana Lima prepping for the 2011 Victoria's Secret Show

Who doesn't? Well, Adriana Lima, VS model, shared her secrets to slimming down before the big runway show with People magazine and now I am sharing her secrets to being skinny in a short amount of time with you! I should put a disclaimer out there that Adriana even notes that she doesn't recommend you go and do her diet at home, but nonetheless, here are her secrets:

Adriana Lima strutting her skinny self on the runway.

"In the run-up to the annual shows, I work out twice a day and drink only protein shakes for nine days. I indulge in "no solids" for those days, then, for 12 hours before the show, no liquids at all so you dry out - sometimes you can lose up to eight pounds just from that."

Yikes! Seems like kind of an extreme way to lose weight, but if you are anything like me, you've probably tried a few extreme diets {remember my Dukan obsession?} from time to time.

What do you think of this diet? Does it  make you feel better that she literally has to eat nothing to look like that on the runway? I have to say that it makes me feel just a teensy bit better that she isn't stuffing her face with donuts and Pepsi in the days before a shoot and still looking like that. She has to diet just like the rest of us!

Flush Me Review

In an effort to curb my cookie cravings and get a little boost at my Barre3 Challenge halfway point, I tried out the CANFO Flush Me 2 Day Cleanse Supplements.

I may not have told you this before but I am a HUGE fan of vitamins and supplements. I always prefer to use a natural options versus chemical-laden prescriptions. Anyhow, I detoxified my body getting rid of all the "build up" so that I would be ready to continue to eat clean and stay lean despite my late-night cookie baking sessions and upcoming events and outings this season.

I began the cleanse on a Monday and ended last Wednesday. I have to say that besides going to the loo a bit more than usual, there weren't any crazy side effects like stomach irritability or diarrhea {sorry - there is no prettier way to put that one}.

Although I was hungrier than normal during the cleanse {and gave into my carb craving more than once}, I ate pretty normal. I was left feeling lighter {although I don't weigh myself, I cheated and stepped on my scale at the club and was down 10 lbs}. Now, I can't say that the cleanse made me lose 10 pounds in a matter of days - I think it came along with the hard work I've been doing on the elliptical and with my Barre3 Challenge. HOWEVER, I definitely think the CANFO Flush Me 2 Day Cleanse gave me a little boost to get to those numbers.

I would definitely recommend the CANFO Flush Me 2 Day Cleanse to anyone who wanted to jump start their diet or fitness regimen.

Up next, I am trying the brand's Beautify Me supplement. Will it make me more beautiful? Stay tuned to find out : D

Loving this new blog...

Every once in a while I stumble upon a new blog that is so fabulous that I have to share. How Does She is just that blog. If you haven't gone to check her out - you can here. I loved the 30 Christmas Neighbor Gift Ideas Post - it was chock full of ideas I am sooo going to use!

Fabulous Friday!

Happy Fabulous Friday! Here's a little Christmas freebie for all of you!

This Christmas, stuff stockings with personalized photo calendars. Help loved ones stay organized in the new year while reminding them of fond and special moments from the previous years. Place a photo on the cover and add one for every month of the year, customize with captions and use icons to highlight special dates and important events. Do it all for free!  Just pay the shipping.  Shipping starts at $5.67. Click Here

Got Long Hair? Try These!

I have spent the past two years growing my hair out of the cutest little short haircut that looked horrendous on me. Anyhoo, I was parousing the Glamour website when I found these ideas for long hair. {Side note - I think that they would look equally cute on shorter strands too!}

~Ginormous Hair Bow~

I put these humongous hair bows on my girls all the time and I think they look adorable - but I never thought to try one for me! {Ok, I lied - I always think that I want to wear one - and now I will}

~Side Braid~

I love the look of this simple yet chic side braid. So easy to do and it looks great on virtually anybody!

~Go Brown!~

Duchess Catherine brown is the new blonde. So head to the salon and do a brunette hue switcheroo today!

~High Hair Bun~

Forgo the ponytail when dealing with day-old hair and sweep hair up into a high hair bun a la Jessica Simpson.

Which is your favorite long hair style?

 

Like Tinted Moisturizer? Then You Will Love This!

If you have been reading my blog for awhile, you know how much I love tinted moisturizer! The lightweight moisture quenches your skin just enough while providing a sheer coverage so your skin looks naturally flawless.

What if I told you that I had found a product that works like a tinted moisturizer for your body? I know, kind of weird, right?! But it is FABULOUS! Stretch marks are concealed, skin tone is left nice and even and your body will feel ultra moisturized but never greasy.

Miracle Skin Transformer does exactly that and comes in three color choices {no color, glow and bronze}. Massage it in anywhere on your body that you need to improve. Bikini season? No problem - rub this baby on your belly and your skin will transform. I am going to get some of this for any dimply reminiscence that may be on my thighs during the summer months. The best part is that it doesn't rub off onto clothes {hurray - your secret will be safe}. The Miracle Skin Transformer doesn't cover as much as say, a full coverage foundation would on your face, it simply evens out your skin tone and makes everything look a bit better - the same as a tinted moisturizer does on your face {this brand also has a tinted moisturizer for your face FYI}.


PS ~ Right now, if you order $25 worth of goodies from Sephora.com, you can pick a mini version up of this to try for yoruself FOR FREE!