Freckled Face DIY Adventures: Bow Ties

Bow ties are an item in a man's fashion repertoire that will never go out of style.  Inspired by Mr. Goodwill Hunting, I thought I would try my hand at making a couple bow ties.  Now, keep in mind that I haven't been sewing for long and have only taken one sewing class in my life.  These bow ties are based off of a McCall's menswear pattern. 

Here is the finished product!



Tell me what you think!

What's In The Box?: Birchbox (January 2012)

Can it be that Birchbox is on the come up!  And who says no one ever hears us "little people"!  The likes of YouTube and product review boards seem to be helping Birchbox get their act together in regards to the things subscribers don't like about their product.  I was on the verge of canceling my subscription (see all previous Birchbox posts), but decided to give them the opportunity to get things right, and they seem to be listening.

This month's box concentrated on items to help start 2012.  Here's what I got!

FIX Malibu Immaculate Complexion Advanced Antioxidant Serum

Juicy Couture - Juicy Couture - 3.4 oz

Zoya Feel Collection

Algenist Firming and Lifting Cream

’wichcraft Granola

I "heart" Zoya polishes!  They are so opaque and have a flawless finish.  I am all about skincare, since a girl is not getting any younger, so FIX and Algenist were right down my alley!  The Juicy Couture perfume was not my absolute fav, but I would wear it.  What I absolutely hated was the wichcraft granola; and for more reasons than one!  The taste was disgusting and I have a VERY forgiving palette.  The name was not very enticing either and actually made me feel like I was eating poison.  HATED IT!

Way to go Birchbox for listening to your customers!  I saw the spoiler for next month's box and am excited about the Eye Rock Designer Eye Liner.  Ever since I saw the Dior version in one of my mags and at Sephora I've been wanting to try them. 

Let's see if Birchbox can keep their momentum!

***Sorry for the late post!

Product Review: Revlon's ColorStay™ Makeup with SoftFlex™ Combination/Oily Skin Foundation

I've been looking for ways to curb my spending habits without losing quality and thought I would start with my makeup.  I've always been a bit of a makeup snob, thinking that nothing was better than MAC, Urban Decay, and the list goes on and on.  I recently picked up a bottle of Revlon's ColorStay™ Makeup at my local Target, after depleting my high-end foundation, and have been pleasantly surprised by the results.  This makeup essentially does all that it claims it can do!  I'm not a girl who wants to keep applying makeup throughout the day, and with this product you don't have to!  Claims are that your makeup stays put for up to 16 hours.  While I haven't timed how long I've worn the makeup, I do know that it lasts all workday with no touch-ups. 

The beauty of this formulation, besides the price tag (less than $10) is that it gives a flawless finish, that is weightless, with unbelievable shine control capabilities.  I think I was sold on that alone!  You don't even have to mattify your face with powder, it's like it is built-in!  I don't have sensitive skin and have not experienced any noticeable breakouts after using this product and have been completely satisfied with the results on my skin.

The only con I have found with this brand is that SPF 6 protection is not available for colors Golden, Caramel, Toast, Rich Ginger, Cappuccino, Mahogany, and Mocha; all of which seem to be shades for people of color.  I think that is a travesty because we all should protect our skin from the environment's harmful effects.

Besides the SPF situation, I think it is definitely curtains for high-end brands and "Hello" to drugstore makeup!  At least for now!  I have been very happy with this product, and as always, if you subscribe to the likes of Vogue or their sister magazines, there are always coupons in them that can be used to further discount this great product.

What drugstore foundations do you prefer and why?

Operation - "Mission Organization"



What do you do when you have closets and drawers that are billowing over, or in my case, collapsing under the pressure of all of your "stuff"?!?!?  You need to downsize and organize!  Part of the reason you end up with so much stuff, besides greed over-indulgence, is you can't see and don't know what you have.  That's how you end up with multiples of the same thing.  Here are a few tips to get you on your way to getting your closet organized.

Assess

Assess the clothes, shoes and accessories in your closet to determine:

1.) Is the item worth keeping?  Is it damaged?  If it is, is it salvageable?  If not, THROW IT AWAY or up cycle it into something usable!

2.) Is the item "you" or have you outgrown that look?  If the latter, donate or get rid of it! 

3.) Does the item bring you joy?  Do you feel good when you wear this item?  Do you receive compliments when you wear it?  Does the item bring value or interest to your wardrobe? 

As part of my resolution for this year, I resolved to only purchase items that bring value, uniqueness and something fresh and new to my wardrobe.  Why do I want to further clutter my space with things that are like what I already have!  Doing that only exacerbates the clutter issue and adds no spice to the wardrobe.

Get Real! 



Are you REALLY going to lose 50lbs to get into those $100 pair of jeans, with the tags still on them, you bought as inspiration to lose weight, that were waaaaay too small when you bought them; or try to squeeze your fat feet in that narrow shoe and look like you're baking bread?  Ummm, the answer is most likely NOPE! 

Just be honest with yourself and chock it up as a loss, OR try selling them to someone who can find value in them.  It really isn't the end of the world to get rid of some of your stuff!  Think of it as them finding a more suitable home because you were unfit (no pun intended) for it to remain in your care.

Organize



As you begin to organize your closet, start by taking items out of your closet by type only, (Ex. all shirts or all pants).  This will keep you from becoming overwhelmed by the enormity of what's in your closet.  Once all of your shirts are layed out, only put the ones that follow the assessment rules above back into your closet.  I particularly like to organize my wardrobe by color.  It helps the eye to quickly scan through the sea of clothing if you are looking for something in particular; plus, it just looks so nice! 



Once you've gone through all of the shirts, move on to pants and so on and so forth.  Here are a few of my personal tips for making your organized closet look professionally organized and aesthetically pleasing.  Aesthetics go a long way, and as such, I prefer that all of my hangers match.  Wooden hangers or, slim-line felt or velvet covered hangers help to define a well organized closet.  I prefer the felt or velvet covered hanger because they take up less space than wooden and or plastic and have a no slip grip that allow your clothes to stay put. 

These days felt and velvet hangers come in a variety of colors, so personalize your hangers by matching them to your decor or choosing your favorite color.  The cons to these hangers are that the ones I have seen and purchased do not have a swivel neck, which can be annoying if you put an item on the hanger backwards and have to take it off, then put it back on; which leads to my next tip.  Turn all like items facing in the same direction.  Nothing looks junkier than clothes facing every which way!  Think of how that looks when you go to a department store.  Presentation, is one of many things that set high-end department stores apart from, say, Ross.  It is the difference between looking like a boutique and a rummage sale! 



Another tip that makes for a great looking closet are clear shoe boxes.  Over a matter of time I have transferred my shoes from the cardboard boxes they came in to clear boxes with lids.  The beauty and functional aspect of this is to allow you to see what you have.  The boxes also stack nicely, one on top of the other, and allow you to utilize vertical space more efficiently.  I took it a step further and used my label maker to label each box with the shoe name or description, which made it look professionally executed!  Some people may prefer to put a picture of the shoe on the box, but I felt that was a little more than I wanted to do, but to each their own.

Get That Stuff Outta Here!!!



Now that you have assessed your closet, gotten real with yourself about what to keep or get rid of and color coordinated all of the keepers, it is time to do something with all of the stuff that you no longer have any use for.  There are many people in need who could use the things you are getting rid of, so if you are feeling charitable, take your stuff to your local Goodwill, Salvation Army, Clothes Pantry, Church or give them to someone who could appreciate it; you can even get a tax write-off.  Otherwise, take those $100 jeans and designer duds to a consignment shop and make some moolah to pay off that credit card debt you amassed trying to keep up with the Joneses!  This will help reconcile the feelings you might have about having wasted $100 on jeans you never wore.  If you are feeling particularly creative, you could turn those jeans with the stain on the bottom into some cute cut-off jean shorts or remove the zippers to make earrings (see my zipper earrings post).  You have options!

So, What Next?!

Now it is up to you to take the first step and get started.  Being able to see all that you have in your arsenal will help you to shop more wisely and show you what you have to work with.  Since I have begun my resolution I have not worn the same outfit twice because I have made the conscious decision to look at my wardrobe in a different light.  Since I have conquered mission organization, I am on to the next, which is to "Shop my closet".

Stay tuned on how to work with what you've got!

On My Soapbox: Too Much Stuff!

I have to admit that God has blessed me exceedingly and abundantly, and I am sincerely appreciative and grateful for his many blessings, however, there comes a point when a person has entirely too much stuff!  What a blessing it is to even be able to say that, but if I am honest with myself, I am only expressing the truth.  We live in a very capitalistic and materialistic society and I am definitely an offender who needs to “pump tha brakes,” which is why I am proclaiming to the world my plan for 2012.  EVERYONE, I have resolved to stop shopping in 2012!  I know that it is hard to believe, for those who know me, but that means no more shoes, clothes, house wares and unnecessary shopping!!!  YES, I've said it to the world and it’s gotta stop!

While this is my resolution come, January 1, I do have some exceptions (Of Course)!  Here are my seven rules to stop the madness.  First, I can repurchase any white or black items (ex. tanks, tees, jeans, …).  I am a firm believer that those types of items should be replaced yearly, as they become faded, dingy, easily stained, etc.  Second, I can purchase items for events and activities that REQUIRE particular items (ex. wedding I am in (not attending), an organized sport I am playing,…).  Third, I can purchase an item for someone else (ex. gift for someone, item(s) for a person in need, charity event,…). Fourth, I can make a purchase for myself on my birthday - "Can a girl get a break"!  Fifth, I can purchase an item if it is insanely affordable (ex. A Coco Chanel coat worn by Coco herself for $10 - "Yea Right, but you never know"!).  Sixth, I can make a purchase of a reasonably established amount every quarter (Yes- that's every 3 months).  Last, I can make a purchase if I am on vacation "Come on people, what's a vacation without a souvenir"!

This is a quest to not only stop accumulating a ridiculous amount of material things, but an opportunity to curb bad spending habits and save more money. In the end I will be forced to focus my attention on things and people who really matter.  I think this will be good for me and I am actually looking forward to the challenge because all of this "stuff" is sucking up all of my energy! 

So, how do I begin to change poor habits?  My first plan of action is Operation - "Mission Organization".  More to come on that!

What New Year’s resolutions have you been considering and what will you do to try to achieve them?