Muted marble.

Let me start by saying that due to Irene, I was not able to post on Monday and Tuesday. Now that she is finally gone; although so many people are still suffering from her impact, some of us are finally able to go back to our everyday life. Because I was stranded at home, I had nothing better to do than my nails. Since I learned the technique of water marble, I have been wanting to use neutral muted colors to make a beautiful design. So, I gathered some of my favorite polishes and started the steps for water mark nails. Below are the polishes I used in order from left to right: Essie "Merino Cool", Essie "Playa del Platinum", Essie "Smokin' Hot" and Essie "Case Study" (which I used for all my nails as the base coat).

Essie polishes.

Left hand.

Right hand.

As you can see, for some strange reason - or my lack of technique - the left hand came out more stripy while the right hand had a pretty design. I did my ring fingers first, therefore you can see how the designs are simpler. However, I loved the color combination so much that I decided to do my thumbs as well. On those nails, I went all out and got much more polish on them making the designs more intricate. In this case, practice definitely makes it perfect!

Pearls

Aside from your classic pearl earrings and necklace, there are various ways you can incorporate pearls into your outfit to give it that sophisticated classic look. I personally have loved pearls since I was a little girl. There is something about them that when you look at them they make you melt inside. Their off-white color plus the incredible shine and romantic feel, makes any outfit a bit cuter. Besides, they go with almost everything, so if you just want to wear your simple pearl earrings with every outfit, go ahead!

1. Dorothy Perkins Nude Pearl Collar Dress - $41

2. Valentine Glass Pearl Embellished D Merino Wool-Blend Cardigan - $1,890

3. Pearl Texture Clutch - $98

4. Valentino Crystal Bow Satin D'Orsay Pump - $995

5. Lagos Pearl & 18k Gold Stud Earrings - $394

6. Guerlain Kiss Kiss Crystal Pearl Gloss - $30.50

7. Kate Spade New York Pearl Bib Necklace - $258

8. Dogeared Pearls of Friendship Necklace - $40

9. Debenhams Pearl and Crystal Flower Headband - $57

10. David Yurman Pearl, Sterling Silver & 14k Gold Bracelet - $495

11. Kate Spade New York Pearl Drop Earrings - $68

12. Worthington Pearl Stretch Bracelet - $13



Fall trends.

While looking through Vogue's September edition, I saw this Maybelline Runway Trend. Composed of 3 pages, this advertisement shows what colors and trends are appearing on fall's runways. Since I really enjoyed reading this, I thought I would share it here for those who did not see it. (I had to take pictures of the pages so it is hard to read; therefore, I will write under each picture what it says on the page.)

* Runway Look book - Fall 2011: Color lovers, rejoice. Fall's unexpected new shades (and combinations) call for reinvention, whether you're after the season's head-to-toe polish or a more whimsical look. Maybelline New York, official makeup sponsor of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York, brings you three of the hottest trends you'll see everywhere this fall.

* Sophisticated Shine: This fall's runways proved that a little shine is no longer precious, but a statement of understated glamour. Sleek and luxurious, everything from polished pink handbags to slick patent pumps glistened in lustrous shades of champagne, rose, and soft coral. When worn head to toe, this look is one of burnished elegance with an of-the-moment, shimmering twist.

Backstage Beauty: Keeping with reflective looks seen on the runway, makeup artists revealed a fresh-faced glow highlighted by shiny lips.

* Jeweled Hues: While bold color has become a go-to for punching up any ensemble, this season's favored jewel tones painted the runway with saturated sparkle like we'd never seen before. Designers suggested stacking up several graphic colors in one look, like rich reds, purples, oranges, and greens, for a seriously sophisticated flair that's anything but precious. Don't stop there - a vibrant accessory completes the look with a touch of luxury.

Backstage Beauty: To complement high-impact color, makeup artists elevated the drama with rich jewel-toned shadows swept over the lids.

* Graphic Contrast: The classic combination of black and white provides a powerfully minimal fashion statement this fall. Frame the canvas of your look with the lines and angles of two-toned accessories, like a chic black and white clutch, or crisp, two-toned booties. The season's best graphic accessories add some edge and heighten impact, making them indispensably chic additions to your fall wardrobe.
Backstage Beauty: Makeup artists kept the look sharp and drew in dramatic, eye-enhancing definition in black as well as deep blues, charcoals and plums.

Marble Nails.

Here I am again with another nail post. I cannot help it but always have nail posts since I do them every week and am always trying to experiment with new things. This week I did the water marble nails. My dear friend Britney sent me a link with a step-by-step explanation on how to do them and I could not wait to try. I had previously purchased a color that I had been wanting for a while but could never find it in stores. I am very picky with blues and greens when it comes to nail polishes because I always feel like blues make me look like an alien; however, this polish, called "Turquoise & Caicos" by Essie, is the perfect light turquoise and has become one of my favorites.

I followed the exact link Brit sent me and watched a few videos before starting it.

Click here for Brit's link.
Click here if you want to watch a video on how to do marble watermark nails.

A mistake I realized I made too late was that I only used one drop of each polish. I noticed after watching some more movies that the end result looks better if you repeat the color a few times or you might not get some colors on your nail. Also, I wish I had made a better pattern, I was not too worried about what it would look like and did not want to mess up the polish so I only ran the stick through the water about two times. Next time I plan on mixing the colors perfectly so that when I dip my nail in a particular area, it will obtain all the colors.

These are the colors I used in this order: a regular black from ELF, a white from L.A. Colors, Essie Turquoise and Caicos, Essie Lapis of Luxury and OPI Suzi skis in the pyrenees.

I was a little too lazy to repeat the steps on all my nails so I decided to try on just one and see how I like it.

My left hand.

My right hand.

As you can see the black was almost nonexistent. On my left hand, you can barely see the white, and on both hands, the blue is also very subtle. The patterns turned out very different which was due to me not making similar patterns on the water and also by not dipping the finger on the same spot. Regardless of these "accidents" I still loved the end result. It does not bother me that they look different because I think it gives a unique interesting look to each. They look great and I cannot wait to try them in all my fingers (although I do like the idea of just on one, otherwise I think it might be too much for my taste!). Next, I plan on trying this water marble technique again but with muted colors!!!

Toe Caps.

(Picture of a quote I found on September's issue of Vogue last night.)

Today I had no intentions to post about shoes. However, while sitting on the train, I realized my shoes were making my outfit. I am wearing black slacks and a purple silky button down shirt and I almost slipped on regular black flats when I spotted my beige with gold toe cap Zara flats. These flats are very simple, yet they make any outfit look better. Since I looked so blend, I wore them along with a gold watch and transformed my outfit entirely.

My Zara flats.

Toe caps give a flat an unique look and turn them into a much more expensive looking shoe. Here are some affordable simple toe cap flats that will look cute with any outfit, from jeans and a white T, to a black work dress.

1. Oasis Amber Flats - $64.03 at Asos.

2. Halogen Cassandra Flats - $49.90 at Nordstroms.

3. Me Too Lucca Flats - $59.90 at Nordstroms.

4. Sam Edelman Belatrix Flats - $130 at Nordstroms.

5. Lula Glitter Ballet Flats - $135 at J.Crew.

6. Roberto Festa Metallic Flats - $99 at National Jean Company.

7. Valentine Leopard Print Flats - $40 at Top Shop.

8. Miss KG Lynchee Flats - $41 at Kurt Geiger.

9. Kelsi Dagger Jordi Flats - $89.50 at Endless.



Plan your life.

A little while ago, during a walk through Target, I found a planner that caught my eyes immediately. Once I got home, I look for them online and figured out they were Erin Condren planners. Since then I have been wanting one but they are a little expensive for a simple daily planner. A few weeks ago I finally ordered my first one. Last week, I received it on the mail and it was exactly what I wanted it to be. On the website they allow you to personalize your planner by picking a cover from a large variety of options. You can also choose different colors and a picture to include on your cover. I chose the initial option and picked the colors purple and navy blue. I wished I had picked navy and a lighter color because the purple was very similar to the blue but I still love the end result anyway. This planner comes with quotes inside, a cute pouch to hold your stuff, paper clips, and some personalized tags for gifts and etc. Erin Condren includes these little details and gifts which makes your purchase more special. Here are some pictures of my planner, and if you want to check out the site click here.

Front cover with my name and initials.

Cute quotes throughout the entire planner.

Keep it together pocket.

Pouch for storage and personalized cards.

Stickers.

If you are planning on purchasing one, message me here and I will give you a coupon code.

Ps. If you order now, you receive the remaining months of 2011 for free!

Neo Whimsical

Last week, I purchased a few new nail polishes that I absolutely love! I invested on some pastel colors that I was missing amongst my collection. One example, is this light but creamy pink by Essie called "Neo Whimsical". This turned out to be the perfect easter pink. Although I love dark and fun colors, I also love basic clean looking pastels because they do not look as bad when chipped and they are basic while not interfering with whatever you want to wear. So, I painted my nails with two coats of "Neo Whimsical" and on my accent nail I tried this silver glitter by L.A. Colors which has tiny silver sparkles mixed with bigger glitter pieces called "Sparkly Diamonds". The result was absolutely perfect! Keep in mind that the lighting changed the pink a tiny bit, so my nails look just like the pictures, but a little more pink than the purplish pink it looks like. Click here to see a better picture of "Neo Whimsical".

** I would like to take a moment here to tank some of my followers and friends for all the support. I love receiving messages with tips and suggestions on what to post next. Thanks so much! :o)

Printables.

I have recently purchased a very cute planner (which I will post here once I receive it on the mail) and since then I have been looking for cute things to add to my planner and organization routine. I look around the internet by doing searches and looking at other people's blogs and here are some adorable things I have found from printables to blogs:

This list is from the blog Mom and Wife where you can find other cute things to print for free!

Another blog I have found is I Heart Organizing, where you can find tons of tips on how to organize. They also have a store on the Etsy website with various printables you can purchase to make your life a bit easier and personalized. Click here if you wanna check it out.

A Stolen Life.

At the age of eleven, Jaycee Dugard was kidnapped on her way to a school bus stop near her home in South Lake Tahoe, California. June 10th 1991, was the day that changed the Dugard's life. Finally, 18 years later, Jaycee was found and kidnappers Phillip and Nancy Garrido arrested. This story became very popular amongst our society due to the duration of the event. Most people thought this little girl was by now dead, but little did they know that she was being held captive only 2 hours away from her home. After watching her interview on ABC channel, Jaycee captivated me and I could not stop thinking about her story. Consequently, I decided to pick up her book and give it a chance. Although the reviews said that the book was very graphic, I thought it was not so bad. It was very sad and there were a few parts where I felt disgusted, but overall it was a great book that showed how a little girl, who turned into a woman and mother, survived incredible circumstances. For those who are interested in cases like this one, this book is good for knowledge and to be more attentive to what happens in real life. One can only hope that Jaycee is able to reconstruct her life and live without fear while enjoying the good things that will come her way.

If you would like to watch Jaycee Dugard's interview on ABC click here.

Eggplant.

Aubergine, or better known as eggplant, is a shade of purple that has a small hint of brown to it. I absolutely love this color because it is different than your simple purple and looks very expensive when added to any outfit. Here are some items that I found in this beautiful color:

1. Top Shop Purple Colour Block Shell Top.

2. Dior Brown and Aubergine Frame Sunglasses.

3. Halston Velour PLatform Sandals.

4. 7 For All Mankind Roxanne Low-Rise Corduroy Skinny Jeans.

5. M. Flynn Pink Flower Earrings.

6. Modcloth Aubergine Wings Dress.

7. Michele Watches Tahitian Jelly Bean Chronograph Watch.

8. Carmel's Large Purple Stone Cocktail Ring.

9. Women's Hedgehog Belt.

10. Mulberry Bayswater Eggplant.

11. Ritona Necklace.

Some celebrities in Aubergine:

 

 

Braziliant.

I had been wanting to purchase Essie "Braziliant" for a while now. It seemed like a different orange and the fact that the name comes from Brazil also pushed me to have it. Luckily, after work I took a walk to a Walgreens and found it there (although it was the last bottle!!!). Once I got home, I decided to start by doing my toe nails. The result was a very bright, almost neon, orange with a bit of shimmer. Since I was not in the mood to have such a bright color on my finger nails, I decided to paint a beige color and add some orange glitter to still resemble my toes' color. Consequently, for my fingers, I did OPI's Samoan Sand, which is a perfect beige with a hint of pink that is exactly my skin tone, which I love! On the accent nail, I painted one hand of Braziliant and dipped the nail on this "Fire Opal" glitter by Martha Stewart.

Essie - Braziliant on my toes.

OPI Samoan Sand + Orange glitter.

Emma Watson.

Best known as Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter series, Emma Watson is a gorgeous talented young lady who has more money than a lot of people out there.
I wanted to share with you, her recent photo shoot with Andrea Carter-Bowman, which I found on Watson's website. She looks absolutely incredible and beautiful, I could not help it but want to post this here on my blog.

http://www.emmawatson.com/Slideshow/Emma/Picture-Book/Andrea-Carter-Bowman/

Alex Woo.

I have been obsessed with these necklaces for a while now, but have never purchased one because of their high prices. Alex Woo necklaces come in silver and white, yellow and rose gold, and are super cute to wear all the time. With a large variety of collections, these pendants can be stacked up for a more unique look. The "Little Letters" and "Little Numbers" are the most popular categories. They also have charms representing horoscopes, luck, animals, seasons and etc. You can wear a letter with a number, more than one letter or number, just numbers, or add a mini pendant to complement your necklace. Any combination is allowed, all you have to do is use your creativity. For example, the gold #4 + silver heart necklace on the picture bellow is Heidi Klum's, which she wears to represent her family. I have been eyeing the gold letter A with a rose gold heart (even though I do not love hearts that much, I want to combine yellow gold with something rose gold because I think it would come out adorable).

Here are some examples of these adorable pieces of jewelry:

Buy them here.

The Help.

I first heard about "The Help" on the Amazon website while looking for some new books to read and purchase for my Kindle. Upon reading the description, I did not really like it. It seemed like a slow story for women readers, and when it comes to books, I am more of an action, tears, violent reader. Although this is hard to admit, because no girl wants to have this manly side - hehehe. Anyway, while going to the movies to watch Harry Potter, I came across a poster for a movie inspired on this novel. I had no idea they were making a movie out of it, and after this incident, I saw many previews on television for it. These along with my girlfriend Anto, who told me she was reading it and it was really good, encouraged me to finally purchase "The Help". I can finally say that I am so glad I made that decision because this novel quickly went to my list of best books I have ever read. This story was just as I predicted, but it was entertaining, funny, and touching, at the same time. This novel tells the story of 3 characters: Skeeter, who is a white recent graduate young woman who dreams to be a writer. Minny, an African-American maid with a big mouth and feisty personality. And Aibileen, also an African-American maid, who raises white children and has recently lost her son. These three women come together to tell us their tales and explain the life of house maids in the 1960's in Jackson, Mississippi. I would definitely recommend this book, and I cannot wait to watch the movie, which comes out today. However, I do not have too many hopes, since movies always seem to disappoint, but the book was so great that it does not really matter to me if the movie will stay up to standards. This novel leaves you wondering how painful life must have been for the African-American people back in the day. It is hard to read some parts, but in the end, it is all worth it.

Grey is the new black.

Grey is my favorite color right now. It replaces my basic black without having too many colors in my wardrobe or outfit for the day. I love to pair it up with different colors giving a chic look to an outfit. I believe grey is just as basic as black and white, but much more subtle than black while a little more fun and sophisticated than white.

Here are some amazing grey items to add to your closet or use as ideas for what to purchase in this great color:

1. Tory Burch "Logo" translucent sunglasses.

2. Bows and Bandits long sleeve bow blouse.

3. Chloe "See - Funny Love Bow Mini" crossbody bag.

4. My Label "Motel" womens ethel print short.

5. Diana Von Furstenberg "Sol" dress.

6. Tasha "Stained Glass" headband.

7. Miu Miu suede peep-toe platform pump.

8. Michael Kors "Runway" 2 tone chronograph watch.

9. Miriam Salat "Nugget" statement necklace.

10. Gorjana "Graham" leather triple strand wrap bracelet.

11. Marc by Marc Jacobs "Industrial Facets" stud earrings.

Longchamp.

These handbags are far from new and unique. During my commute every morning, I must see around twenty women wearing these, mind you I do not even have a long commute. They are everywhere! Longchamp "Le Pliage" line comes in many different models, sizes and colors and you can even chose to customize your own Le Pliage on their website (Longchamp). They are known for their versatility due to their ability of getting wet and to be folded. The purse itself is made of a waterproof material that dries quickly with leather handles and flap. When folded, they pretty much disappear, which is great for travelling.

This past weekend, I went to my family's house. I had to take a train from work on Friday night, which resulted in me carrying much more than I would like to on my commute. In order to not bring a weekend bag or duffel to work, I decided to fill my large Longchamp with all my weekend necessities and use my small Longchamp to bring my wallet, sunglasses, keys, cell phone and all things you carry in your purse at all times. I thought I would have a hard time carrying both these bags but I was wrong. I have realized that, there are certain things in a purse that you do not notice until it either bothers you or you do not have to deal with it anymore (for example, when the handles keep sliding off of your shoulder). My large Longchamp has a longer handle than most of my other purses, even my small Longchamp. Consequently, the purse sits right on my hip and does not slip off of my shoulder, which prevents from causing back pains and the annoying feeling of having to keep your handles in place at all times. With my small purse, I sometimes have the problem of it sliding off, but that is because the small purse's handle is not as long as the large's. Another thing I really like about these bags is the folding option. A lot of times, I am wearing a large bag and need to carry a smaller one in case I go out somewhere. So, I fold my small Longchamp and carry it inside my other bag. The opposite can also happen, where you are carrying a small bag and end up needing a larger one (due to some shopping or other reasons).

 

In order to make your Lonchamp more unique, you can select all the details by customizing a bag on the website. They let you chose all the components of the bag you desire. For example, first, you select the model and size of your bag. Then, you can choose the drop measurements of your purse's handles. After, you are able to pick the color of your Le Pliage amongst a vast variety of colors. They also allow you to chose a differenc color for the middle (as seen bellow), and the finishing of the metallic details, such as button and zipper, from nickel, bronze or golden. But the most unique detail is being able to embroid or emboss your bag where you can chose to emboss on the flap or embroid on the pocket and pick out the font you want and the color of it.

Here is an example of a custom Le Pliage where the color red was chosen for the bag with brown as the accent strip and a white name "Kelly" on the pocket:

Keeping it neat.

A few weeks ago I started to have some space issues with my closet. Although I have a walk-in closet, the space never seems enough since nothing goes out and things just keep on coming in. I realized that, in order to be able to fit everything, I needed to purchase some organization and storage pieces. My first decision was to switch all my plastic hangers to velvet non-slip ones. They are much thinner and allow me to fit many more pieces of clothing in my closet. I went to TJ Maxx and purchased a few packs of 18 hangers for around $9.99. This store has the best prices when it comes to these velvet hangers.. After this change, I was able to hang many more things and not have my clothes wrinkle because they are so clustered together. Also, I decided to fold my sweaters instead of hanging them like I used to (heard it was bad for sweaters to be hung). So i purchased a few plastic dresses from Wal-Mart and used them to storage my folded sweaters and with the extra space, I folded my scarves. From TJ Maxx, I also purchased a few drawer organizers. They help to keep your jewelry neat and separated into categories. I also have a spinning necklace holder where I hang all my necklaces (similar to #10) and a dish where I keep all my basic daily jewelry available for easy reach (similar to #12). I also bought some hooks and hung all my belts because I was starting to get upset at them having marks for being in containers. And finally, for my shoes, I purchased a shoe rack (similar to #9) where i keep my heels and flats, and a few baskets (similar to #5) to storage all my flip flops. After all these changes, I now have a much more organized closet where everything is within convenient reach. It also helps to color coordinate things, such as your clothes. I have found that this simple task keeps things neat in our eyes.

Here are some cute things and ideas you can use to keep your things organized.

1. Anthopologie Letter Hooks.

2. TJ Maxx Drawer Organizers.

3. Rain Cosmetics Organizer from Bed Bath and Beyond.

4. Erin Condren Lucite Trays.

5. Wicker Baskets from Target.

6. Urban Outfitters Iron Scholl Coat Rack.

7. Neu Home Recharge Station from Target.

8. Velvet Hangers from TJ Maxx.

9. Seville Classics 3-Tier Shoe Rack from Wal-Mart.

10. Urban Outfitters Spinning Keys Jewelry Stand.

11. Storage Boxes from TJ Maxx.

12. Urban Outfitters Glass Facet Ring Dish.



Follow the yellow brick road.

This week I decided to do my nails yellow. I have been wanting to use this color for a while but was having trouble finding one that pleased me. When it comes to yellow nail polish, I feel the same exact way as the white. I have a difficult time finding one that suits me, and am not sure about the end result. Although I came to love white, I am still trying to find that love for the yellow. Usually, I prefer to do my toes in a bright or dark color. However, while walking through the Wal-Mart isles during a quick shopping trip for some things that were missing at home, I came across the perfect yellow for my toes. It's bright and pretty but it does not have that neon effect, which works perfectly for me. I purchased this Sally Hansen "Mellow Yellow" and used it on my toes. On the other hand, for my fingers, I picked this Revlon "Sunshine Sparkle" which is much more subtle and lighter color.

This picture came out a little too bright, especially on my fingers, but I just wanted to be able to show the difference between the yellows.

Here you can see what my finger nails really look like:

Room.

Usually I make a book post right after I finish reading a book. Since I am always reading, there is always a post to be made. Right now, I am reading a very good book and I will be posting about it as soon as I finish. However, a little while before opening my blog I finished reading "Room". Even though this would break my book post rule, I could not help it but share this incredible book here. "Room" was one of the best books I have ever read. This novel is told by 5 year old Jack who has been held captive in a room with his mother since his born day. The author mentioned that this novel is based on the famous Fritzl case, which makes it more real to the eye of the reader. These violent psycho incidents happen much more often than we would like to point out, but it is very good for us to be well informed of what happens in these situations. I am a firm believer that, if you have knowledge on these stories, you might be able to help someone one day if ever faced with the circumstance. This particular book is unique because Jack is not very sure of what the world really is. His world constitutes of his mother and this room. I would recommend this novel to anyone, even people who do not like to read about violence. It is not very violent and it is really interesting to see how a 5 year old would think and react. I already want to read this again!

Look for tips.

My mother is one of the smartest people I have ever met. I am not saying that because she is who she is, but everyone who knows her would agree with me. She always has an answer for every question and the wisest advices on any subject. Recently, she decided to start a blog where she provides tips to people. Her database is incredibly large and everyday a few tips are updated to her blog. If you need help with anything, you can also email her and she is willing to help you out with your problems. So, if you are looking for tips on how to do things, what to do in certain occasions, how to fix beauty disasters and etc, visit http://www.lookfortips.blogspot.com/