True Beauty Files: Baubles & Tips

June 18, 2012

Okay friends, I have a few fun tips and shops for you today:) You know, just some girlfriend chat..

{Top: J.Crew, Skirt: c/o Deloom, Necklace: ebay, clutch: F21, Shoes: H&M (similar), Bracelet: c/o Crafts and Love}

1) When I first laid eyes on the original bubble necklaces in J.Crew (even before they exploaded across the blogosphere), my heart fluttered. Since I rarely have a car payments worth of cash to drop, especially on a trend, I just admired from afar. Then a friend gave me the tip to look on ebay… Score. $15 for these knockoff beauts. As promised here, I wanted to share with you where to find them. Just search “J. Crew Bubble Necklaces” and it will pull up slews of them.

2) Raise your hand if you have paid more than $8 for a bottle of nailpolish? I admit I have, and unfortunately they chip just as easily as the next. I found this brand called Essence at Ulta. They are $1 mini bottles and work better than anything else I have! No joke. (Wearing above)

3) I could spend hours on etsy. I appreciate the creativity, love discovering unique finds, and love to support small businesses. I was thrilled to be introduced to Atlanta local, Courtney’s shop, Crafts and love. The style of her work is right up my alley, and the quality is just what you hope for when you order handmade. And best of all, the prices are affordable:)

Okay that’s all for now:) Have any fun ones to share?? I have a very cool giveaway going on tomorrow so stay tuned!

The True Beauty Files:

A lookbook for the modern modeste.

“The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman is seen in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides. True beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It’s the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows & the beauty of a woman only grows with passing years.”

~ Audrey Hepburn

Real Chat: 8 Lessons for 8 Daughters

June 16, 2012

Since we had our daughter Veronica, I have gotten to see a new side of my husband. The way he interacts with her, holds her, talks to her. It fills my heart to the brim and I am so thankful that she will have a strong father in her life. My 7 sisters and I (along with our 3 brothers) were so fortunate to have our dad not only as a presence in our lives, but a strong and loving one. There are lessons he taught whether intended or not, that have carried through my life, and match up pretty well to the lessons Gabe and I hope to pass on to our children…

(my wedding day almost four years ago-whole family minus the me and my littlest sister)

8 Lessons for 8 Daughters:

1) As a daughter of God, you are a princess – a daughter of the King, and beautiful in His eyes.

2) Your spirit, your heart, and your mind are your greatest features.

3) Seek God’s plan for your life, and happiness will follow. God first, family second, and career third.

4) The way you dress should be a reflection of your dignity and grace, and in turn you will earn the respect and admiration of the right kind of men.

5) Never disrespect your mother (especially not in front of him!), in words or actions, for she is the heart of the home.

6) Love each other. Anger, resentment, or disagreements are a waste of the short time you have together.

7) Always apologize. No matter how hurt you are, if you were in the wrong, humbly practice the virtues of apology and forgiveness.

8) Open your home to all, for everyone is in need of a warm welcome.

This is coming from a man who would do anything for his daughters, and would protect them with his life (ask his son-in-laws!). Simple and lasting impressions he taught us in words and actions, that I am so grateful for. Happy Fathers Day to you dad. So much love and appreciation for you!

Style File: Ode to Stripes

June 15, 2012

Its no secret I have a crazy love for stripes. I even have a pinterest board dedicated to them.

Here were my top faves of the week.

Lands End Canvas, Les Composantes, Wit and Delight

This weekend the plan is to visit with my high school bestie, tackle the next thing on our 21 dates of summer list, and celebrate some pretty awesome fathers. What about you??

Happy weekend!

P.S. Don’t forget to check out the $100 gift card set I am giving away on the facebook page for the man in your life!

DIY: Leather ipad case or clutch

June 14, 2012

I have been searching high and low for the perfect yellow clutch for summer, and when I was at the fabric store, I found the exact color I would dream it should be. With a half yard of leatherette fabric, I made it a size that would also work as an ipad case. I hope you can use this DIY and customize it to the color you like, and maybe even gift one to a friend:)

Materials:

1/4-1/2 yard of leather or faux leather (mine cost $7)

Matching thread & Needle

Magnetic snap (found mine at Hobby Lobby)

Super glue or glue gun

Instructions:

1) If you are making an ipad case, it would be best to make sure your measurements are an inch wider on all sides. (I cut my fabric approx. 12 inches wide and measured the length 18 inches long total to fold in half + 5 inches for the flap.) Cut your shape, and use a ruler to make sure your flap will fold over half way.

2) Hand stitch or sew along both sides of your piece and trip anywhere necessary.

3) Cut small slits where you would like to insert your magnetic snap fasteners on clutch and underneath flap. I cut a small triangle to insert top clasp and glued to the top flap so there would be no prongs showing on the front.

4) Insert your magnetic clasps and fold down prongs with pliers.

It actually took about 25 minutes to make this DIY ipad case & clutch I will be using all summer long:) Please let me know if you have any questions!

*arrow brushes via Creature Comforts

21 Dates of Summer

June 13, 2012

My husband Gabe and I were talking over the weekend about all the things we wanted to do this summer. Little things and big things. Outdoors and indoors. So instead of talking about it and maybe only doing a quarter of it, we decided to make it a challenge. 21 dates of summer. This challenge is going to stretch all the way till Labor Day weekend (I am all for making summer as long as possible). Since he is a teacher, the summer gives us more time to spend together. I can’t tell you enough how valuable it is to even get a few hours alone together now that we have little ones (I am sure you mamas can relate!). We really try to set aside the time each week for just us, since it helps keep our marriage strong, and in turn, helps us to be better spouses and parents. We will share the fun adventures we have here on IHOD, and hope you will follow along! Maybe it can provide some fun ideas to do with your lovah. ;)….

Date 1: Tennis. When we first started dating, Gabe found out that I loved to play tennis, so despite the fact that he had only played a few times in his life (he is more of a rugby guy), he showed lots of interest in learning. He wanted to find out ways to spend time with me that I enjoyed. One of the first signs I knew he was a keeper. Tennis continues to be a fun thing we enjoy and don’t get to do often, so we called our lovely sitter and snuck out for tennis and post-match smoothies:)

Date 2: Farmer’s Markets. (Gabe on the far left getting our brown bag full of peaches that are nothing but a memory now..) There are some pretty amazing farmers markets around Atlanta. We wanted to explore a few new ones. Lucky for us, this spot had the best peaches I had the grace of ~~gobbling~~ tasting.

(Market tote via Fabric & Handle)

What are some of your summer date ideas? We would love to hear!!

P.S. $100 Gift set giveaway for the men in your life on the facebook page today. Head on over!

Earning Amazon.com Gift Cards through e-Miles.com:

June 12, 2012

This is a sponsored post from e-Miles.com that is 100% my own opinion!
Hi friends! I feel like I have a cool secret to share today:D I was introduced to e-miles through a friend, and simply have to pass it along. e-Miles® is a company allows you to earn *Amazon.com Gift Cards through reviewing advertisements such as watching a tv commercial or taking a survey. I signed up last week, and already have some miles under my belt! Very excited about it:) Its kind of like getting paid for your time and simple feedback. Here’s a little infographic:

ALSO, you can do your normal shopping through the site (ie: Nordstrom, Groupon, iTunes and Fossil) and earn extra miles! Every time you earn 500 e-Miles miles, you can redeem for a $10 Gift Card. The good thing is that you set your profile so that you can choose the topics and interests to leave feedback on! Hope this is helpful and that you can earn lots of cool rewards!

You can Sign up here🙂

P.S. We have a winner for the Stitched + Adorned Giveaway! #99, Danielle! Congrats! If you did not win, remember you can use your discount with code IHOD10 for 10% off your order:)

Currently, membership in the e-Miles program is only available to residents of the United States and its territories who are age 18 years or older. Other restrictions may apply.

*Amazon.com is not a sponsor of this promotion. Except as required by law, GCs cannot be transferred for value or redeemed for cash. GCs may be used only for purchases of eligible goods on Amazon.com or certain of its affiliated websites. For complete terms and conditions, see www.amazon.com/gc-legal. GCs are issued by ACI Gift Cards, Inc., a Washington corporation. ©, ®, ™ Amazon.com Inc. and/or its affiliates, 2012

True Beauty Files: Pink + Green

June 11, 2012

{Jacket: J.Crew, Top: Old Navy, Necklace: c/o Loren Hope, Jeans: Banana Republic, Shoes: H&M, Watch: Aldo, Bracelet: c/o Loren Hope, Ring: c/o LYLIF}

How was your weekend? We explored Atlanta, hit up the market, caught up with friends, soaked up the summer evenings, and worked on a new summer series coming up for IHOD. (Excited to share it with you!)

P.S. Last day to enter the Stitched + Adorned Giveaway! Stay tuned for tomorrow’s post….an awesome company to introduce you too involving amazon gift cards:D

The True Beauty Files:

A lookbook for the modern modeste.

~ Audrey Hepburn