{Nailed It} 4 Must-Try Holiday Manicures

I love a good manicure, and since there's no better time to fancy-up those fingertips than the holidays, here are four lovely lacquer looks to try... And if all else fails, you can always give this glitzed-up half moon mani a whirl. So throw on your favourite holiday movie (here's a great round-up of what to watch) and get your polish on. xx

{Summer Week} The Nails...

 

{ SCRATCH Watermelon nail wraps, $12 }   

{ Revlon "Minted" nail polish, $5.99 }   

{ Joe Fresh "Amethyst" nail polish, $4 }    

{ American Apparel "T-Shirt" nail polish, $6 }   

{ American Apparel "Parakeet" nail polish, $6 }   

{ Urban Outfitters "Hot Tub" nail polish, $5 }

It's no secret I love nail polish, and even if you spent three seconds on my Instagram, you would know that I have a serious sweet tooth as well... Luckily for me the two go together like nobody's business, and I certainly can't complain about having edible props for a change!

Above are my favourite shades/wraps for summer in the digit-department � And believe me when I tell you it was nearly impossible to narrow it down to just six. From sizzling shades of hot pink and neon green, to softer pallets brimming with mints and lilacs, I'm always down for a fun summer mani... Oh the possibilities.

So tell me friends, what are your favourite shades for summer? Spill! xx

{Nailed It} Manicure DIY Roundup...

I love nail polish as much as the next girl, but lately it seems like there are more nail trends and jazzy Pins out there than I can keep up with... Man it's tough being a girl. Because I need constant reminders of things I want to try or need to do (believe me, it's a never-ending list), I decided to put together a roundup of my top five nail trends to try (helloooooo, watermelon wraps!). Hopefully this inspires you to jazz up those digits of yours, but if nothing more, it'll help keep me accountable when I deviate back to my standard red, black or neon polish... You guys keep me so honest.

1. Watermelon wraps by Scratch, $12
2. Vintage-inspired florals via The Beauty Department
3. Geometric pastels via Pshiiit
4. Nautical nails via The Beauty Department
5. NCLA Ikat nail wraps via Pshiiit, $16

{DIY} Neon Rope Bangle with Pendant...

I've been sitting on this DIY for weeks now because I haven't had any spare time to craft... I know, I know, tisk tisk. Anyway, I thought it would be fun to bring life to an old, thrifted bangle, so after picking up some neon thread and a pretty little pendant from Michael's, I was in business. This project was super easy and inexpensive to make, and I'm obsessed with the result... Hey, anything neon is fine by me!

Want to make a bracelet of your own? Here's what you've got to do:



1. Start by securing the rope to your bangle with some glue to hold it in place while you work. The nature of the materials make them hard to adhere, but it will help to have the end temporarily secured.
2. Start wrapping the rope around the bangle, pulling tight as you go around.
3. Continue to tightly wrap the bangle until you get about three quarters of the way around the bracelet.
4/5. Weave the end of the rope through the pendant and out the other side, pulling it through and positioning it on the bangle.
6. Keep wrapping the bangle until the base is no longer visible.



7. Release the glued end and tie a double knot to secure the rope in place.
8. Cut the ends off closely.
9. Singe the ends of rope slightly to avoid fraying.
10/11. Paint the pendant with nail polish in colours of your choosing. Add two or three coats depending on the thickness of the polish used.
12. While your bracelet dries, use the leftover rope to play with your cat or any other willing participant... How cute is Meows?!

And that's it! Thanks for reading, lovelies! xx

{Glitter Week} Glitter Half Moon Manicure...

No theme week is complete without a manicure, and since I've been meaning to try a glitter half moon mani after seeing one on Emily last month, I figured there was no time like the present. The verdict? It's pretty much the greatest manicure known to man. The end result is just so chic and fun, and the glitter really takes it up a notch. I think I'll have to try it again with pastel base, perhaps a nice mint... Oh the possibilities.

Happy Thursday, friends! xx

Get the look: Deborah Lippmann 'Boom Pow' glitter polish // OPI 'Chick Flick Cherry' polish

{DIY} Clay Geometric Necklace...

I was recently turned on to the idea of making jewelry from clay, and now that I've tried it a couple of times, I seriously can't stop. Naturally I wanted to share this DIY with you guys, because not only is it super easy and inexpensive, but it's fun to boot. Want to give it a try? Here's what you've got to do!



1. Pick up a pack of clay at your local craft store. I chose FIMO (about $4) but any kind will do.
2. Roll out the clay and smooth the surface as much as possible.
3. Using a knife, carefully cut your desired shape from the clay.
4. Work the edges of your shape to make it as smooth and symmetrical as possible.
5. Poke a whole through the top of your shape to later attach a jump ring.
6. Bake your new pendant at 230F for about 30 minutes. If your pendant is thicker, you'll have to adjust your bake time accordingly.

After the piece cools fully, paint it any way you please. I chose to use nail polish (like here and here) because I had the colours I wanted in that form, but use whatever medium you prefer. When you're done, simply add a jump ring and some chain, and you've got yourself a brand new necklace... Easy peasy.



Hope you guys like this DIY... If you decide to give it a try, let me know how it goes! xx

{Nailed It} Metallic Sharpie Mani...

I love painting my nails as much as the next girl, so when I saw this metallic Sharpie mani on The Beauty Department a while back, I couldn't wait to try it myself. It's probably the easiest manicure I've ever done, and so long as you have a decently steady(ish) hand, I'm sure you'll agree. The best part? There's no limit to what you can do! Chevrons? Sure! Polka dots? OK! Hearts? Why not! Just do yourself a favor and don't skimp on the top coat � Believe me, that marker will fade right off. xx

Details: Essie nail polish in Turquoise & Caicos; Sharpie in metallic gold

{Oxblood Week} The Makeup...

Insta-Moments...

What better way to end the week than with pretty pictures, am I right? So with that in mind, I'll leave you with a few of my favourite recent images from Instagram... I hope you like them, and more importantly, I hope you all have a lovely weekend! Muuuuah!

Caviar Manicure DIY...

Wardrobe Wednesday // Instagram Edition

I love shopping as much as the next girl, but I've been trying to cutback a bit this month as a bit of a personal challenge... Now I know you must be thinking 'Wow, she must really hate herself,' but I assure you, I do not... I just wanted to try my hand at reducing my clothing consumption while making more out of what I already have. And although I've picked up a couple things here and there (see my Forever 21 jewelry haul above!), it feels pretty darn good saving money for a change... Go figure.

So for this week's Wardrobe Wednesday I thought it best to focus on some cherished accessories and my new favourite store, with only minimal attention paid (no pun!) to new purchases... I must be turning a new leaf or something! xx

Clockwise from top: Clothing & amazing oxfords from Loft 82; skull bracelet from H&M Against AIDS (so cute!); a few of my fave lip colours from Joe Fresh, Revlon & Sephora; a super old nail polish DIY on old H&M rings; my House of Harlow bangle and new Forever 21 bracelet; my latest jewelry haul from Forever 21; a nail polish DIY I did for the Edmonton Journal

Get Your Craft On...

Coldish

Last week it got cold-ish for a couple of days, so I pulled my winter items out from storage. These leather pants haven't seen the light of day for quite some time, and frankly I'm starting to worry that this might be one of the only wears they get this winter. I thought they went beautifully with the blazer and boots.

I tried out some of the new shatter nail polish from OPI, and I quite like the effect. It was remarkably easy to do; you just apply it over any regular nail polish and within a few seconds it starts to crack. It doesn't even have to be applied evenly or very thick, because when the polish cracks it clumps together and becomes more opaque. Recently I read that gold nails are big for spring, and this is one trend I can certainly get on board with. It's not a huge investment, it looks good on everyone, and it's a great way to mix metals if most of your jewelry happens to be silver, as mine is. 

Blazer: Helmut Lang
Shirt: All Saints
Necklace: Manu Lizarralde
Pants: Firetrap
Boots: Brako