How to: Leopard Nails

I am a big lover of all things nail polish. I guess I have always been that way, but my nail polish collection has seriously evolved since I first moved to New York back in 2009. When I first came out here I am embarrassed to admit that my stash was a simple mix of reds and pinks. I think I had one blue... (were my nails always pink or red back then? or even worse... blank?!) I shivered at the thought. Since then my collection has grown into a much larger and happier family of colors. Quite possibly every color available to nails... but if you're a serious nail polish lover like me, then you know there can always be room for more.

Anyway, so nail art is obviously all the hype right now. I am always finding inspiration from Pinterest (Pinspiration, if you will) and from hellogiggles Nails of the Day to come up with cute nail art ideas that I could pull off doing on my own.

So today's inspiration: LEOPARD. Rawr.

This was my first attempt at trying this and (while not perfect), it came out really cute!

HERE IS HOW I DID IT:

First, pick your colors.

(Butter London: Cheeky Chops, Urban Outfitters: Barstool, Mattese Elite: Black)

Paint background color normally.

Make polka dots for "spots". About 3-5 per nail.

Now you want to outline the dots with black, but the outline does not have to be perfect. Leopard spots aren't perfect so try to make black outlines without fully closing all of the circles. You can make a couple of single black lines between dots if you have the space.

RAWR! You're done!

And here are a few of my inspirations that I thought also had cute color schemes:

Hope you have fun with this little nail art project (I did!) - Send me a pic of your nails after you try!

DIY Doily Purse!

You are going to die once you learn how easy and inexpensive this cute little DIY project is! It requires few materials and NO sewing is required. In fact, what attracted me to this project the most was the fact that it calls for my newest obsession: MOD PODGE! There are a million and one cool projects that call for the Podge. If you want to get inspired too, look at these other awesome Mod-Podging ideas!

Anyway, let's keep focus...

HERE IS WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

* Purse - [50 cents @ yardsale]

* Doilies - [$1.50 @ craft store]

* Mod Podge [$5.99 craft store]

* Paintbrush 

* Clips or Clothespins (optional if you are wrapping the doilies over edges, helps hold them in place while mod podge dries)

DIRECTIONS:

1. First, you always want to protect your space (especially in this case, because mod podge can get a little messy). Place newspaper down on the area where you will create your purse. 

2. Next, you want to figure out exactly where you would like to place your doilies. Once you have them in place, you can use clips to keep the doilies from moving as you podge.

3. Now begin mod-podging your doilies! You want to be pretty generous with your podge to make sure that you get the doilies onto the purse really securely. A good trick is to start in the middle of the doily so that it stays put and then work your way out to the edges.

Now take your time here...

You don't want to move the doily out of position. Be careful to also not go over the edges onto the purse too much, just enough to fully seal the teeny edges down.

4. Cover doilies entirely with mod podge and fill in any holes. If your purse has a few curves in it, make sure to apply the podge along the strands and crevices to fit the shape of each curve the doily touches.

5. Give yourself a little break between applying each doily so that they have a little time to set. Once you have applied all of your doilies, you're (almost) done!

6. Let the purse sit out to dry overnight.

And now you are left with a totally cute, lace embroidered purse that you did all by yourself! Fab.

photos by: Chelsea Ward

The XX @ Hammerstein Ballroom

Let me first start off by saying this show was INCREDIBLE. I have been a (growing) fan of the XX for a couple of years now, but this was my first time ever seeing them live. They did not disappoint! The three artists that make up this band are all so individually talented. They had me and my boyfriend totally lost in their sound from start to finish. AHH, I loved it.

The show was at the Hammerstein Ballroom in Midtown West. Also my first time there. The venue holds about four thousand people with a first-come, first-serve standing policy for the big area in front of the stage. Normally this sort of set-up can get kind of annoying when you find yourself squished between a bunch of strangers that are all trying to get as close to the stage as humanly possible. But! the XX apparently attracts a pretty decent crowd, so we were able to get fairly close to the stage without another person's body rubbing up against us.

The lights, the sound, the entire presentation - BRAVO!

I snapped a few photos at the show (even though while I was at there I was thinking, "OMG, people are so annoying with their phones out taking videos and photos just so they can upload them to FaceBook... can't people just live in the moment anymore?") Snap snap, snap.

and okay fine, I took a video too...

So there you have it folks. If you aren't already a fan... give them a listen and fall in love.

20 Surprising "Cleaning Supplies"

Lacking cleaning supplies at home and can't afford a maid? Check out some of these surprising tips with items you may already have lying around the house that can help you get spic n' span!

Onion as a Room Deodorizer

Clear the air in a dank basement or foul-smelling room in the house. Cut an onion in half, place it on a plate, and leave it out overnight. Once the initial salad-bar aroma dissipates, you will be left with a fresh (non-oniony) atmosphere.

Car Wax as Stovetop Polish

Preserve a pristine stovetop by applying a thin layer of car wax, then wiping it off. This will leave a nice clean shine and future spills will lift off easily!

Hair Spray as Lipstick Stain Remover

Kiss that smudge good-bye. If the fabric is machine washable, saturate the spot with hair spray, let it sit for 10 minutes, then dab a damp cloth to remove. Launder as usual to wash out any residual stain.

Coffee Filter as Screen Cleaner

For lint-free viewing, use a coffee filter to wipe down dusty TV screens and computer monitors.

Tape as Keyboard Cleaner

Remove any dust and crumbs left in your keyboard by sliding a short strip of tape between the letters.

Lemonade Kool-Aid as Dishwasher Cleaner

Clean iron stains and lime deposits inside your dishwasher by pouring a packet of lemonade Kool-Aid (the only flavor that works) into the detergent cup and running the dishwasher. The citric acid in the mix wipes out the stains!

Newspaper as a Food-Container Deodorizer

Stuff a balled-up piece of newspaper into a plastic container that has developed "the funk",  and let it sit over night. By the next morning the paper will have fully absorbed the bad smell.

Newspaper as a Window Washer

Fun Fact: Newspapers deposit less lint than paper towels do and don't leave any messy streaks. Just spray on some glass cleaner and wipe.

Walnut as Scratch Filler

Repair hardwood floors by rubbing shelled nuts into shallow scratches. Their natural oils will help hide the flaws.

Bleach Bottle as Cat Litter Scoop

FOR THE CAT LOVERS - Cut diagonally across the middle of an empty, clean bottle. Toss the base and there you have a sturdy, large scoop to pick up soil or cat litter.

Rubbing Alcohol as Permanent Marker Remover

FOR THE MOMS - Remove permanent marker from countertops and walls. Pour a bit into a cotton ball and rub onto stain.

Baking Soda as Crayon Eraser

FOR THE MOMS - Sprinkle it on a damp sponge to erase crayon, pencil, and ink from painted surfaces! (cucumber slices will also have the same effect for crayon)

Baking Soda as a Drain Un-Clogger

Pour 1/2 cup baking soda + 1/2 cup vinegar dow a clogged drain. Cover it with a wet cloth, wait fifteen minutes, uncover and flush with boiling hot water.

Baking Soda as Pan Scrubber

Sprinkle on crusted casseroles and roasting pans, let sit for 5 minutes, scrub and rinse.

Baking Soda as Tub Scrubber

Rub your tub stains away! Create a paste made up of equal parts baking soda and cream of tartar (+ a little lemon juice). Let sit for 30 minutes, lightly scrub with sponge, then rinse.

Dryer Sheet as Scum Buster

Remove excess soap buildup from glass shower doors by sprinkling a few drops of water onto a used fabric-softener sheet and scrubbing.

Dryer Sheet as Iron Cleaner

Remove gunk from the soleplate of your iron. With the setting on low, rub the iron over the dryer sheet until the residue disappears. Your iron will be looking good as new!

Nail Polish as Rust Preventer

Coat the bottom of a shaving cream can to fend off rust rings on the ledge of the tub or shower floor.

Lemon Juice as Laundry Brightener

Skip the bleach - add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of lemon juice to the wash cycle to brighten up those fading whites.

Cornmeal as a Grease Absorber

Cornmeal absorbs grease on light colored fabric or upholstery. Pour enough to cover the soiled area and let sit for 15 to 30 minutes. Vacuum to remove the grains.

Super Bowl Sunday Snacks

With the Super Bowl right around the corner, I found myself lurking through various foodie websites to find some fun and interesting snack ideas.  Every year in the past, I have pretty much always made my infamous seven layer dip on game day. A dip that is totally mouth-watering and delicious, by the way. This year though, if you feel like pushing beyond the boundaries of a simple chip-and-dip plate, here are some ideas that I came across that I felt were share-worthy and awesome:

SNACKADIUM

I think the title and the photo speak for themselves. But if you want the fine print: A stadium-looking dip plate composed of (outer) rice krispy treats, cheetos, tortilla chips, trail mix & (inner) guacamole, salsa, queso dip, and sour cream.

You can get the full recipe along with step-by-step directions HERE.

WATERMELON FOOTBALL HELMET

I thought this idea was so cute! You can fill it with any type of fresh fruit that you like. I would go with strawberries, both green and purple grapes, kiwi, and the watermelon itself. The actual carving of the watermelon is really simple as long as you have a sharp knife.

Click this if you want to know how to make one of your own!

FOOTBALL CAKE POPS

I have been curious about making cake pops for quite some time now. Cake on a stick? Sign me up. 

Here is how to make them in football fashion!

SWEET & SPICY DEVILED FOOTBALLS

Mixed with a little ground red pepper and with chives as laces, these deviled eggs look fun and yum!

and last, but certainly not least...

CHOCOLATE COVERED STRAWBERRY FOOTBALLS

Made with melted milk chocolate morsels and white chocolate for the laces, I want them now!

Get the full set of directions HERE.

I am excited to get to try a few of these recipes this year and I hope you are too! Wishing everyone a happy, fun, and relaxing Super Bowl Sunday. Cheers!