Are You a Winner?

A big thank you to everyone who entered in our giveaways and to those vendors who participated!

Congrats to our winners!

NOELSbyNATALIE

Laura Gabriele-Enriquez

Premier Jewelry

Maria Powell

HC Boutique

Faith Markuson

Radiantly You

Susan Martin

Origami Owl

Heather King

You should be receiving an email from the sponsor if you are a winner! If you do not respond to them within 48 hours a new winner will be drawn! 

Authentic Common Scents

I dont know about you but I am a candle fanatic! 

Its nothing like the yummy aromas wafting through your house! I love the cozy feeling it creates.

I was very excited to be doing a review for Authentic Common Scents.

They asked me to choose one of there scents to review. They had some very fun and unique scents so It was pretty hard to choose! I finally decided on Kettle Corn. Interesting right?

The moment I pulled that package out of the mailbox I knew what it was! I could smell it through the box!

From the moment I first lit this candle- I was in LOVE! 

All you can smell is the yummy buttery scent drifting through the house. It just makes me wanna go pop a bag of popcorn right now! 

You will continue to smell this scent throughout your use of this candle. 

It also burns really nicely! 

Those are the two things I look at when burning a candle. Good candles keep a scent and don't burn out too quickly.

Authentic Common Scents is more than just candles!

They also carry soap, body butter, face masks, moisturizers and lip balms!

Be sure to check them out on Etsy and on Facebook :)

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Authentic-Common-Scents/235067989883664

Etsy

http://www.etsy.com/shop/AuthentiCommonScents?ref=si_shop

Conversation Pieces

Conversation Pieces is a boutique based in Los Angeles, California. 

Whether your looking for fun accessories or a new stylish outfit, they've got exactly what your looking for. Just one glance at their website and you'll be in love!

Conversation Pieces sent us two fun accessories to review.

One thing that always stands out is the packaging when I receive a product. 

When you receive an order from Conversation Pieces, you can guarantee it'll be wrapped nicely in colored paper and tied with a beautiful lace ribbon with a a yummy sucker tucked inside!

Packed snuggly inside were two adorable and stylish accessories that I couldn't wait to get my hands on!

The first item I couldn't wait to try on what the fun and colorful "Happy Tunes Scarf"

The fun thing about this scarf is how its made. Its one piece so you can easily layer it to where it however you'd like!

I looped mine around my head twice. With all the great colors in the scarf, it goes with pretty much everything! It paired nicely with a white long sleeved tee.

This beautiful scarf is available for just $12!

They also sent me this adorable "Queen of Hearts" bracelet in Blush.

I love this bracelet for numerous reasons. 

I have a very small wrist so I was ecstatic to find out it was a stretch bracelet!

It fits my wrist perfectly and doesn't slide all over my arm.

I also really really like the color of it! The color is almost a pinkish- nude color which gold around the outside of the hearts. It looks so good with my skin tone!

The stretchy band on this bracelet fits wrist sizes 6"-8"

Its also available in Black and in White.

Choosing a favorite item from their website would be next to impossible. 

They have so many fun and beautiful products!

Website:

http://www.shopconversationpieces.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/shopconversationpieces?fref=ts

DIY Glitter Cork Board

Recently I have seen the beginnings of a new fad. I have seen striped glittery canvases everywhere! I really like them, I think they are cute, bold, and super girly. I wanted to make one, but like everything else, I like for it to have more than one function. My solution? A glitter cork board! I already used mine to hang my jewelry on, but I thought this would be the perfect upgrade.

Whats the stuff?

-Glitter glitter glitter

-Framed Cork board

-Paint

-Glue, regular and spray glue

-Thin paper (computer paper works great)

-A ruler for straight lines

-Pen and marker

Step one:

Draw your stripes. Simple as that! Use a marker/sharpie to make them extra dark so that you can see them through your paper.

Step two:

Glue paper on board. Glue only the corners to avoid wrinkly paper.

Trace lines through paper.

Step three:

Paint & Glitter!

I left a white stripe in the middle for a ribbon so that I could hang my earrings on it (:

There you go! I guarantee that you will have glitter everywhere and that your house will look like fairy land, but it is all for the cause, right?

Enjoy!

-Emily

Having Faith

"Have Faith" seems like one of those things you hear others say a little too often.

Saying it is one thing, but doing it- definitely another.

Sometimes when life's got me down, I try and try to just be patient and have faith but I find myself being impatient. Ever feel like you just need a sign from above?

Its kind of amazing how God can send you your "sign" through the oddest ways.

The other day at work I was working some transactions that came thru the mail.

I open an envelope and inside was a bookmark with the following on it:

Sometimes a little assurance makes a big difference.

It reminds me that he's in charge.

NOELSbyNATALIE

I am in LOVE with NOELSbyNATALIE! They are always my #1 go to place for my holiday decor!

I've reviewed several items as well as purchased some and I've never been let down!

I love how many of her decorations have a primitive look to it :) It fits my home perfectly!

I reviewed 2 gorgeous items this week that were a perfect addition to my Valentines Decor!

I love this adorable felt heart garland! It fits my decor perfectly :)

The hearts are made of different colors and are sewn together.

I also reviewed this beautiful heart wreath with berries

I love how adorable this is! 

Its hard to pick out my favorites from her page because I just love it all!

Check out her beautiful Yarn Wreaths! LOVE

Love the bowl fillers! I have a set of my own ragball fillers and I LOVE them :)

Be sure to visit NOELSbyNATALIE online!

https://www.facebook.com/4NOELSbyNATALIE

http://www.etsy.com/shop/NOELSbyNATALIE

DIY Ruffly Apron

A few months ago, I found an adorable apron on Pinterest. It was a typical type of apron, but it had ruffles..and that makes a huge difference. After staring at the picture for a while, I decided to make my own, without a pattern (I like to do things like that way sometimes, it's like a small adventure). My apron turned out good, surprisingly! Since then, I have made several different aprons using the same technique, but they are all so different. The number of ruffles can vary, the pattern and print of the fabrics can change the look of one dramatically, I even changed fabrics in the apron that I will use as an example. But, as always, be creative, daring, and spontaneous with your own...it turns out to be much more fun that way!

So here's the stuff:

-At least 2 yards of fabric, any fabric...really, any. (unless, of course, you want to wash your apron over and over again, then you may want to stick to washable fabrics)

-Thread to match your fabric, or not. It's your choice.

-A measuring tape used to...well...measure. Unless you think you are awesome and don't need one.

-A sewing machine is nice to use also.

Step One:

Choose the order that you want to use your fabrics. You need one as the base of your apron, one or more to use for ruffles, and then one to use for ties and straps. A solid or more neutral color looks nice as a base with more detailed fabrics for the ruffles.

Step Two:

Measure your base fabric. To do this you will need to decide how long you want your apron to be. Measure on yourself so that you will have an accurate measurement and add two inches to that number*.

*You will need that extra fabric so that when you sew the hem you will not lose your length.

Measure around your hips (not waist) for the width and add two inches again. Now subtract 10 inches so that you will not have an apron that will wrap around your entire body...unless you somehow manage to get THAT messy when you cook and need it(:

Next measure your bust. No, not all the way around, but you will want your apron to fit you all the way across across your chest.

Measure exactly how wide you want that portion of your apron. This time you will add 4 inches.

Finally, measure how long you will want your top section to be. This will be the length between the top of your apron and your first ruffle and waist ties. This time add one inch.

Step Three:

Time to start cutting fabric!

First cut your base, I find it easiest to make the entire base one piece instead of cutting top and bottom separate.

(The photo shows the back of the apron already finished, but notice how the base fabric is one piece.)

Next, cut out those pretty ruffles. Use the width that you had to do all the silly math for and now add 6* more inches (that's all the math, I promise) and 12 inches long.

*Add 6, 8, or 10 inches. It depends on how ruffly you want your apron. The wider you make it, the more ruffly it will be, but be sure to add in multiples of 2.

You can do more than one ruffle if you would like, I will guide you through what you would need to do with more if that is what you choose.

Time to cut out those straps! You will need to cut three straps.

1&2 will be identical. They need to be 4 inches wide and about 35 inches long.

The third also needs to be 4 inches wide, but only about 23 inches long. This is the strap that will be at the top of the apron.

Step 4:

Put away the scissors; get out the machine! It's sewing time.

The next few steps will be old news to experienced sewers (which I am not, but I pretend to be).

Base and ruffles- Sew all edges so that the fabric will not start coming apart. You may want to pin the edges down so that it will stay together, but I find it just as easy to iron them down so that I will not have to worry about the pins.

Fold every side down about 1/2 inch and then again 1/2 inch so that the raw edge is inside a "pocket".

***In the picture, I have folded the fabric over much farther than 1/2 inch; this is so that you will understand how to do the folds.

Straps- Fold every strap in half (Width-wise). Fold them inside out so that the back side of the fabric is on the outside.

Sew one end and the length of the strap. Leave one end unsewn.

This step is always my least favorite, but it must be done. We will prevail! Pull the strap from inside out to right side out.

Don't worry about sewing the open end, you will do this when you put the pieces together.

Step 5:

Before we start assembling everything together, we need to sew a few pleats into the top of the apron so that it fits nice.

I find that two 1-inch pleats sewn down make the apron fit perfect.

Fold about 1 inch of the fabric back and sew a few stitches to hold it. Do this to both sides of the top.

Straps & Ties-  Sew the top strap to the apron making sure not to let it twist anywhere.

Sew on each of the ties. Make sure that you place the unsewn ends on the apron.

Ruffles- Line up your ruffle evenly with the apron (you will need to pin the ruffles down). Turn the top side in so that the stitch will not be seen. Make 1-inch folds across the ruffle so that it ends up the same length as the apron. Always make the fold toward the outside of the apron (halfway through, you will switch directions).

*If you have made more ruffles, do the exact same things but move the next ruffle about 5 inches down the apron.

That's it! I hope that you were able to read this easily and that you understand it! I must note that I definitely do not call myself a sewer, I don't know the technical words for things, or the "right" way to do things. I have taken what I already know, and taught myself a lot about sewing. Sometimes, that is the best way to learn!

If you have any questions at all, feel free to ask! I will try my best to answer them(:

Here is a little extra-

My fabric was from Schoolhouse Fabrics in Floyd, Va.

My camera has a scratch on the lens, so there is a blurry blob in every picture:(

My sparkly nails are OPI(:

My necklace is from Origami Owl. (Ashley sells them, so talk to her about getting one!)

Thanks so much for reading!

-xoxo Emily