French Manicure - Nailene Pen Review

I have never had the patience or the steady hand to take on a French manicure myself, but after spotting the Nailene Skinny French Tip Pen, I decided to give it a shot. There have been many interpretations of a French manicure popping up all over Pinterest lately, but I opted for the classic sheer pink - Essie Mademoiselle. I also used my new favorite top coat - Seche Vite. I highly recommend it!

This is Essie Mademoiselle on its own. 

The Nailene Pen is intended to help you draw on the white tips as opposed to painting them on with a brush as that can be quite finicky. The tip looks just like a felt tipped pen.

I have used a black design pen on my nails before with a very similar tip, so I thought this would be as easy to use as that one. (I'll have a post using the design pen soon!) To begin, just shake the pen (with the cap on) and then take a tissue or cotton pad and press down until the product saturates the pen tip. From there, paint on the white tips following the natural white of your nails.

This seems easy, right? Well, it's not as easy as it looks. The nail paint comes out quite fast and runs a bit if you use even light pressure when applying. Additionally, when you apply the color it is totally white and bright, but once dry, it fades to a dull looking off white, so you'll want to apply a second coat.  

After a bit of touching up and messing around with the pen, I ended up with a French manicure that looks pretty good from a distance, but not so much close up. I think that with practice, the pen can actually work quite well, but it's definitely not as easy as it seems initially.

As far as lasting power goes, I am more than unimpressed. I applied this on a Friday evening and by Saturday evening it needed a touch up. More than one of my white tips was chipped and a few were just looking worn off as if I'd had them done 4-5 days prior.

Overall - a great concept, but I wouldn't rush out to buy this. On the plus side - do rush out to buy Mademoiselle as it makes your nails look super healthy, glowing, and natural. Again, +1 to Essie!

My Top 5 Beauty Products

December and the holidays have come and gone and with it brought an absence of blog posts. I took a much needed break, went home for a while, and planned a very exciting upcoming trip! After all of that, I made a few New Years Resolutions - one of those being Lace & Dinosaurs. This year, I want to throw myself into this blog and hopefully churn out some great posts and try some new things.  

To jump back into blogging, I decided to determine my Top 5 Beauty Products that I could not live without. Now, obviously this whole "live without" thing qualifies that I have everything that I need, but only got the chance to pick 5 beauty products I can use. Also, I bent the rules a little... 

1. Celestial Facial Moisturizer from Lush 

I've learned that investing in a nice facial moisturizer is worth the money. I wouldn't say that about all products, but totally worth it for your face. I found Celestial when I was looking for a lightly scented, semi-thick lotion that wouldn't break me out. It's great for sensitive skin. I have tried other moisturizers and they work well, but this is still my all time favorite. It smells like almonds when you first put it on (which I love), but the scent fades quickly (which I also love) leaving your skin silky smooth and ready for bed or to start the day. My ONLY complaint with this is a common complaint I have with many Lush products. They come in these cute little black pots, but damn they get messy. 

2. Full 'N Soft Mascara & The Falsies Volume Express Mascara - both by Mabybelline 

Yep, bending the rules for these products. I honestly could not pick between either of these and since they are the same brand, I figured it's like one thing :) As opposed to moisturizer, I think that drug store mascara is totally awesome and there is no need to spend money on high end brands. These two are my ultimate favorites for two different purposes. I use Full 'N Soft on a day-to-day basis to get long, natural lashes. Then, when I want a little extra oomph, I use The Falsies Volume Express. It really thickens your lashes and gives you that wide-eyed look for a night out. 

3. One 'n Only Argan Oil 

The ends of my hair get very dry and I get split ends easily as I use quite a bit of heat on my locks. I was recommended to try either Argan oil or Moroccan oil about two years ago to help this problem and discovered this spray treatment that is a blend of both! It smells AMAZING and leaves your hair super soft...like baby soft. They also make this product in an oil you can pour into your hands and apply to your hair, but since mine is very, very fine, I prefer the spray. I spritz a little bit into my wet hair right after I wash it and bam - soft. 

4. Benefit Erase Paste Concealer & Maybelline Dream Lumi Touche Concealer/Highlighter 

I know, two products again and this time they aren't even the same brand. Oops. But, I use them in combination with each other, so, rules schmools. I am paranoid about my under eyes and rightly so. By having a great concealer & highlighter you can almost forgo all other make up and look wide awake and ready for the day. I use Erase Paste under my eyes only (as it is slightly peachy tinted to help contrast dark circles) and then do the rest of my make up. After I've finished, I top off with the Dream Lumi Touche (I promise, the 'e' is really there, but didn't show up in the photos for some reason) under my eyes and along my cheek bones right above my blush. I think it's that extra little brightness that really finishes it all off. 

5. Vaseline 

This is my cure-all product and by far the item I use most, especially in the winter. You literally can use vaseline anywhere you want and for so many different purposes. I put it on my lips, on my dry elbows, and sometimes all over my face before bed if I'm feeling the need for a little bit more moisture. Aside from it being a great all-over moisturizer and first aide supply, you can put a little bit on your eye lashes before bed each night and it helps them grow thicker and longer! I promise, you won't end up clogging your tear ducts or anything. It's great. 

What would you pick if you could only pick 5? It is SO much harder to decide than it seems! 

The Purple Potato Project

In an attempt to broaden my blog topics, I'm taking a note from the food bloggers I know and sharing a recipe I made this week. Here goes nothing! 

After the excitement from our party died down, I finally went grocery shopping for normal food. Feeling lazy & hungry, I decided to make stuffed peppers. 

Here's what you'll need:  

You can use whatever veggies you'd like, but I opted for broccoli and baby zucchini because, well, baby zucchini are so much cuter than regular size. 

I started by pre-heating the oven to 350 degrees and cooking my quinoa in the microwave according to the instructions on the box. Next, I cleaned out the peppers and chopped up the broccoli & zucchini into bit sized pieces. I put everything in a bowl and added some goat cheese to blend it all together. 

After you have your filling ready, stuff the peppers. They should look something like this: 

I was feeling adventurous, so I also whipped up some potatoes to go with my peppers. I got a small bag of mini potatoes (again, cute factor matters to me), washed them, cut them into quarters, placed them on a cookie sheet, and seasoned simply with olive oil, salt, and pepper. 

I placed everything in the oven and took the peppers out after about 25 minutes. I let the potatoes cook for an extra 10 minutes on their own. When everything came out of the oven nice & hot, it looked like this:

My apologies for the blurry-ness of this potato photo - I was apparently very excited when they looked so pretty. I mean, really, purple potatoes are just awesome. 

To finish off the dish, I added a little bit more goat cheese. Because when you think about it, more goat cheese is always the answer. 

Kicking off December Right

This weekend, the girls of 3A hosted our very first Christmas party. We called it '3A Presents: A Classy Christmas" with all of our food & drinks falling in line with theme. Our apartment was covered in Christmas lights & candles with a little Charlie Brown Christmas tree to top things off.  

We had a spread of homemade appetizers and desserts that I assisted with, but it was largely executed by my wonderful roommates. I did, however, whip up some peppermint bark. It's easy & delicious and always a winner at parties. 

All you need is chocolate of your choice - I used white chocolate - and candy canes. Crush up the candy canes into bite sized pieces and put them aside. 

Next, melt the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl for 15-20 seconds at a time, stirring often. Once the chocolate is melted, pour it into a cookie sheet covered in wax and sprinkle the candy cane pieces over the chocolate, mixing them together. Finally, spread the chocolate evenly and put it in the fridge for about 45 minutes. After it has hardened, just break the bark into pieces and you're done!

If you'd like to see some amazing food pictures & more yummy recipes, check out my roommate's blogs - Tess @ Food for Your Heart  and Aravinda @ Linguini & Colette. 

Now, it wouldn't be a holiday party (for me) without a themed nail tutorial. I opted for a design I saw on Pinterest, but put my own twist on it. 

I used Butter London's British Racing Green, O.P.I.'s Designer...De Better! and Milani's Gold to achieve this look. All of these polishes were in my Holiday Favorites post & they're proving to be amazing so far. 

I started out by painting all of my nails with two even coats of British Racing Green leaving my ring finger on each hand bare. Once the green polish dried, I painted my ring fingers with Designer...de Better! using two thin coats. Finally, I topped of my ring fingers with Milani's Gold, being careful to place the glitter quite strategically, emphasizing the center of my nail. 

I originally hadn't planned on using a base under the glitter polish, but quickly discovered that the silver/rose gold base coat made the glitter stand out even more as the gold glitter floats in clear polish. These nails are perfect for the holiday season and are so much fun to wear! I have a feeling I'll be painting them like this again for Christmas in just a few weeks. 

Overall - a wonderful party and I couldn't think of a better way to kick off December! 

My beautiful roommates - Tess & Aravinda :) 

November Favorites '12

It's that time again! I cannot believe how fast this month flew by. Not only has this month gone by in a flash, but this week marks the end of my first full year at work - something that totally crept up on me. It feels like quite an accomplishment that I have been out of school for about a year and a half and working a job I love for most of my "adult" life so far. 

Moving on to the real reason you're here...my favorites this month! Completely unintentionally, they are mostly beauty items. Enjoy! 

Philosophy "Fresh Cream" body lotion 

I picked up this lotion a few weeks ago as I was suffering with dry, winter skin and my regular lotion just wasn't cutting it. This, however, does cut it. Not only does it smell fresh, it leaves your skin feeling super soft. 

Tokyo Milk "French Kiss" hand lotion 

Staying on theme, I received this lotion last year as a gift from my roommate, Aravinda. This has become my new favorite for my purse and I have been using it constantly. It's think & creamy, but not heavy. Perfect for these chilly days when you need a little pick-me-up. 

Maybelline Color Tattoo in "Bad to the Bronze" 

Bad to the Bronze is a cream eye shadow that is a great fall/winter color. It's really build-able, as shown on my hand, and gives your eye make up just a little bit of pizazz (yep, pizazz). 

Twistbands 

I discovered these through Youtube on a video I was watching a few months ago. They claim to keep your hair where you put it without leaving those "rude" kinks when you take them out. I was very skeptical, but got one anyway, and I can say I am a true believer! They absolutely work (not really the headbands, but who cares). The little knot helps to keep them in place so you don't have to make your pony tail super tight. You can find them here: http://www.thetwistband.com/. 

Twisted Peppermint Candle

I have had this candle since last Christmas and I have been savoring it ever since. It makes our whole apartment smell like baked goods and burns beautifully. Highly recommended! 

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Foundation

This foundation was a bit of a splurge for me, but after having used it for a few weeks, I have found that it is completely worth it. It's super light (a water-based foundation) and acts more like a tinted moisturizer than a true foundation, although the coverage is a bit better than most tinted moisturizers. It feels like you're not even wearing makeup and stays on all day. The best part - you barely need any to cover your entire face so it will last you quite some time! 

Being home with my family for Thanksgiving 

I was able to take about 5 days to go home for Thanksgiving this year and it was wonderful to spend that time with my family. I snapped this photo of our smaller dog, Sadie, while she was taking a snooze on a pillow like the little princess she pretends to be.  

With December just around the corner, the girls of 3A are prepping for our very first Christmas party. I'm sure I'll have some great photos and recipes to share after this weekend :) 

Happy November! 

Holiday Favorites - Nail Polish Edition

A large part of the holiday season for me is color. You see it in the Thanksgiving meal you'll be munching down on in a few days - cranberry reds, golden browns, and bright whites. It pops up again as we enter winter in the twinkling lights strung up on the trees outside, the warm colors in the house as you cozy up by the fire with a cup of tea, and the bangles and glow of New Years Eve.

Being me, one of my favorite ways to see holiday color is on the nails. Here are my top 10 holiday nail polishes broken down evenly into base colors and glitter polishes. I'm not a huge fan of glitter polish during the year, but the holiday season is when you should pull out all the stops.

Bring in the Base...

 Sinful Colors - Under 18 

 Perfect for the Christmas season, this is a shimmery red-orange color. It is the only base color that I'd recommend three solid coats, but is totally worth it once dry. The best part - you can find it at Walgreens for $1.99!

 O.P.I. - Casino Royale 

 From the new Skyfall collection, Casino Royale reminds me of cozy sweaters. It falls somewhere between cranberry and merlot and is perfectly flat (no shimmer, glitter, or any of that jazz).

Butter London - British Racing Green

 This is by far my ultimate favorite color this season. This deep green has the tiniest flecks of shimmer that show up in the bottle as silver, but when applied to then nail only reflect the light - it's pretty awesome. Stay tuned for a holiday nail tutorial with this color coming soon!

Essie - Bobbing for Baubles 

 Bobbing for Baubles is from the Essie 2011 Winter Collection and is a deep navy blue - almost black. It's a great flat neutral with a little hint of fun. Perfect for any winter day.

O.P.I. - Moonraker 

Moonraker shows up much darker in the bottle than it does on the nail. It's a great silvery-gray with little specs of silver shimmer making it look metallic. My only problem with this color is that it can be a bit watery and needs a little bit of a careful application to make sure it doesn't come out streaky. That being said, the color payoff is totally worth the extra time. 

And onto the Glitter! 

 Milani - Jewel FX Lavender 

This glitter polish, like the rest of the Milani glitters to follow, are a colored glitter floating in a clear base making them a perfect top coat or a blinged out accent nail when built up. Lavender is made up of larger hexagonal glitter pieces and smaller round pieces, but all reflect the light brilliantly.

Milani - Red 

Like its friend above, Red's glitter floats in clear polish making it very multi-purpose. Unlike its friend above, Red is only made up of large, hexagonal pieces of glitter that are much easier to build up on their own and can cover your nail almost completely in three coats. Awesome.

Milani - Gold

Not much more to say about Milani polishes at this point, but this gold color is amazing. It is my favorite glitter polish this season as I am loving metallics in general. This will also be showing up in a tutorial soon - stay tuned!

Orly - Mermaid Tale 

Mermaid Tale comes from the new Orly Flash Glam FX collection that they are beginning to release. It's a mix of different sized pieces of glitter that are green, silver, and slightly blue-toned making the color very multi-dimensional.

O.P.I. - Designer...de Better! 

This O.P.I. color comes from last year's holiday Muppet collection. It caught my eye as it falls somewhere between glitter and shimmer. It can totally hold its own as the glitter is suspended in a gold polish. The glitter itself is silver, gold, and rose gold making the overall color of the polish change depending on the lighting. I absolutely love this color!


Although these are my favorite holiday colors for the 2012 season, I have yet to fully explore the individual holiday collections released by each of the brands. So far, the China Glaze Holiday Joy collection seems to be the most interesting I've seen. 

Homemade Trivet

While browsing Pinterest last week, I came across a river stone trivet from vivaterra.com. With crafts on the mind, I decided to try and make my own. So, off I went to Michael's Craft Store to purchase the necessary items. 

You will need: felt in a color of your choosing (I got two colors, just because), stones of your chosen size, needle & thread, scissors, craft glue, and a pen - and obviously a glass of wine. 

I traced the outline of a standard pot onto both colors of felt to create an outline for the design and cut them out. You want to use two pieces of felt even if you use two of the same color. The glue comes through the first layer just a bit so the second layer helps it look a little nicer.

I sewed the two pieces of felt together with thread that matched the cranberry color felt, as that was going to be my top side, and cut off the extra felt around the edges. In this step, I found out just how lacking my sewing skills were. So, if you think you can't do this because you don't know how to sew - I promise you it will be okay! 

Next, I picked out all of the flat (or relatively flat) stones from the bag I purchased. I ended up getting two bags just in case and I'm glad I did. There were not enough in the first bag so I had to dig a few extras out of the second. I set aside some of the smaller stones for places that needed to be filled in after all of the larger stones were used. 

I started by creating an edge with the largest of the stones and worked my way in using a circular pattern, but you can use whatever pattern or lack of pattern that you'd like. It's okay if a little bit of the glue is showing because once it dries, it is clear. 

Just a note on the glue situation: 

As I have never done something like this before, there was quite a bit of trial and error - especially when it came to the glue. I ended up getting hot glue, rubber cement, and super glue before settling on the standard "craft" glue. All types of glue before the craft glue were wildly unsuccessful in getting the stones to stick to the felt. I did manage to get my fingers stuck together for a hot minute with the super glue though - I'd advise using gloves or something of the like when you are an amateur glue-er like myself.

Once you have finished gluing all of the stones to the felt, let it dry overnight before moving it. Your finished product will look like this: 

After the trivet had dried, I decided that I should have placed a piece of cardboard or something similar between the two pieces of felt. The trivet is quite top heavy, as you can imagine, and I think the cardboard will help it last longer. I will be cutting mine open and sliding a piece of cardboard inside. 

Overall, this is a really cheap and easy craft that produces something quite useful. Thumbs up for trying something new :)