Soft and Sexy

Along with the planning of Valentine’s décor, treats, and treasures. There is also the planning of makeup and fashion. SO MUCH FUN! 😉

Let’s all remember that just because it’s Valentine’s Day doesn’t mean it has to be reds, pinks, or purples from head to toe. I am more the soft neutral type with a splash of colour here or there.  

I think this look is gorgeous; a sultry neutral smoky eye that is stunning and romantic paired with a bold red lip.

Source: http://pinterest.com/pin/131941464054300959/

There are so many different choices for your nails that it is hard to choose just one look. Here are a couple that caught my eye:

Source: http://pinterest.com/pin/284993482641557011/

Source: http://pinterest.com/pin/40884309088961732/

This one is cute but toned down just a touch so you can still be buisness appropriate.

Source: http://pinterest.com/pin/242701867390665056/

And of course fashion. As I said before, just because it is Valentine’s Day doesn’t mean you must dress in red or have hearts plastered to your shirt. Soft and sexy is the way to go. Here are some examples:

Source: http://pinterest.com/pin/62768988528456706/

Source: http://pinterest.com/pin/69735494201892654/

Source: http://pinterest.com/pin/62768988528456741/

What do you guys think? Is this your style or are you more bold?

Stick around, more fun to come. 😀

Deck the Porch…

FUL LA LA LA LAAAAAAAAAAAA!

Holy Cow! It’s the beginning of November and already Christmas carols are filling my head. I can’t believe that how fast the year went. All my Halloween decorations are safely tucked away until next year and JBear is chomping at the bit to get our Christmas stuff up. Alright, if we must…we must!

This year I am thinking of doing things a little different and changing up the way we decorate. It will be a combination of Christmas/Winter decorations; that way once Christmas has past we still can leave up the majority of our decorations. Smart right? Yeah, I know. 😉

Let’s begin with my plans for the great outdoors.

On either side of the front door, I think the Tipsy Top Christmas Planter would look really cute. I am going to make another Tipsy Top Christmas Present Planter similar to the one below.

However, I it looked a little bare so I’m going to add some spruce branches at the bottom and lights. I am also thinking of using a larger ribbon around the pot and bigger bows to really accentuate it.

This year I really want to embrace the magic of Christmas so I am hoping I can make this DIY sign and hang it on the porch railing. It looks easy enough to make and you can add some finishing touches to make it all your own.

Now on to the steps themselves. Since I have a plethora of clay pots in the garage, this is an easy DIY decoration to assemble and will look super cute on the porch steps.

You can also substituted the red Christmas balls with a different type of ornament like red cardinals, snowmen, candy canes, a string of lights, or what about these cute snowflakes found at Target for $3.00.

And for the front door, I am going to try and DIY a Christmas and Winter wreath so I can change it up once Christmas has passed. The possibilities are endless but here are a few that caught my eye:

As I type this post, I am filled with a mixture of excitement and panic….OMG! It is the beginning of November and I already feel like I am running out of time!! Crazy, I know. But ’tis the season. 😉

Any of you hauling out your Christmas/Winter decorations?

Note: All these images can be found on my Pintrest page. Enjoy!!

Budget: Friend or Foe?

I like to think that I am pretty smart with money. I pay all my bills on time, I get a little crazy if our “cushion” falls below what I think it should be and if at all possible, and like everyone else, I try and save a little for the future.

Sure this sounds all well and good on paper but there are a couple of slight negatives. First, I stalk our bank account. I like to account for every penny that comes in and leaves that account. I know, that can’t be healthy….but the first step is admitting you have a problem. 😉

You can also tell my mood by the balance in the account…..Pay day = HAPPY!!!! Paying bills (money go bye bye) = Sad!

Last but not least, I always get buyer’s remorse when it comes to spending money on makeup, clothes, etc. Now some may think a good way around this would be not to buy make-up, but let’s not get all crazy!! 😉

So, this new chapter in our lives = new attitude = new way of looking at things. And that means getting a budget (ON PAPER) so that we can track our finances, put aside money for planned and unplanned expenses, AND give ourselves a little allowance (if you will) so that we can buy what we want without adding guilt to the price tag.

Step one, get a budget sheet. Done and done! I found the worksheet below in excel and it looks like it may work for us.

Step two – plug in your finances and off you go.

What budget tricks do you have so that you keep more in your account while also allowing you to enjoy your hard earned money?