iridescent clutch: how to

half moon necklace: how to

my jewelry style is usually bold and colorful so i thought that i’d opt for a more simple and delicate design for this necklace. have a nice weekend! xo

tacklebox earrings: how to

i hope you’ve enjoyed this little diy tutorial! please take a moment to read the safety disclaimer below.

* please keep in mind that safety is your responsibility. these tools are not meant for children and should be used with the appropriate precautions. keep all parts and tools out of reach of children and pets. beancakes and it’s authors and contributors take no responsibility for results, bodily harm or environmental issues that may arise from using our craft instructions.

piglet charm necklace + earrings: how to

need a really quick and easy update on a simple gold chain? enter these tiny plastic pigs! i found them at the origami store the other day and thought they would make for a quirky cute charm necklace and a fun pair of earrings. pigs also happen to be one of my favorite animals. hope you like my new jewelry box additions! x

emerald city

it could also make for a fun jewelry box, what do you guys think? i think that this lucite tackle box has diy written all over it! it’s amazing where one can find inspiration, i was in a sporting goods store the other day and found myself in diy inspirational heaven. who would’ve ever thought that fishing lures and bobbers could be considered eye candy? if they attract fish then why not people right? and with emerald being the color of the season i just couldn’t resist. have a wonderful and inspirational weekend ahead everyone! xxx

half moon glitter manicure: how to

love it or hate it, this trend looks to be sticking around for quite a little while. i’m going to pair the glitter with nude next time, understated-glitzy is a good name for it i think.

you will need:
• a good high-density glitter polish in silver
• a nail polish is a pretty pastel color {i used revlon 211 charming}
• half moon manicure sticker adhesives
• a shiny clear top coat

instructions:
1. trim and buff nails
2. apply the sticker adhesives to the base of each nail following the natural half moon shape
3. apply a few coats of the glitter polish onto the exposed half moon shape area only
4. allow to dry completely
5. gently remove the sticker adhesives from the nails
6. apply a few coats of the pastel polish to each nail, starting where the glitter line ends
7. allow to dry completely
8. apply the top coat to seal in, protect and add shine

and there you have it, pretty pastel + glitter nails = a perfect spring 2013 manicure! xoxo

v.day heart manicure: how to

do you guys remember those heart link patterns that we used to draw back in grade school? you know, the right-side-up heart, right-side-down heart, and so forth? well since valentine’s day is fast-approaching, i thought that i create a fun little nail design inspired by those little heart sketches! so simple, so easy right? <3 <3 <3

storing jewelry: how to

i’ve finally mustered the time and energy to find practical ways in which to store my jewelry. it’s always taken a back seat to all of the other more pressing things in my life. this marble bust from my grandfather is now being used to hang necklaces. as for bracelets, watches and rings, my collection of bowls, again, all of which are courtesy of my grandfather, serve well as decorative containers.

i still have yet to sort through more, including earrings and brooches, but that will happen in time. other great things that can be used to store jewelry are wine tumblers, cocktail glasses, ashtrays, and pretty cups and saucers from antique tea sets. i would love to hear about how you guys store your gems!

favorite flats: how to

you know that favorite pair of shoes that are not necessarily the best of quality but for some reason you find yourself wearing them over and over again? yeah, well these are those flats, and they had been looking pretty beat down i must say. i tried to donate them to goodwill but decided to make them over because the back of the heel had a water stain, not to mention a few scuff marks. i’d say that i can probably get a few more wears out of them now, thanks to some puffy paint and decorative duct tape which i added at the last minute because it was just too pretty.

you will need:
• a pair of gently used basic flats
• fabric paint in black
• mini sponge pouncer
• pretty duct tape

to do:
1. tape off the areas that you don’t want to paint
2. squeeze a little paint onto a palette surface
3. paint the surface of the shoe with the paint
4. allow to completely dry and remove duct tape

* optional:
apply duct tape strips to the fronts of the shoes, they are also easily removable for a more simple look.

holiday pinstripe mani: how to

here’s a really simple-chic mani for the holidays! i start with a nice rich red hue for a base coat + finish it off with a clean and simple glittery stripe down the center, giving it just the right amount of sparkle! oh and btw.. do any of you especially enjoy
a pretty mani for when getting behind the wheel? i admit, i love admiring my nails whilst sitting in traffic ;)

you will need:
• a nail polish in a festive red or wine hue {i am wearing revlon in ruby}
• a nail polish in a sparkly gold or silver {i am wearing revlon street wear in slip 02, one that is slightly translucent}
• a clear, high sheen top coat

to do:
1. paint 1 to 2 coats of the red nail polish + allow to dry completely
2. paint 1 to 2 coats of the sparkly nail polish in a single line down the center of each nail + allow to dry completely
3. finish off with the clear top coat
ready.. set.. go!!

christmas candy crate: how to

christmas is just around the corner so i’m sure you’ll be needing some personalized and inexpensive gift ideas! and even more so, some do-it-yourself gift ideas like my christmas candy crate here. once again i have incorporated my favorite little teal fruit container from the farmers’ markets and this one really is quite simple, so please give it a go!

tools needed:
• 1 small to medium-sized cardboard container {you can get these from farmers’ markets + some grocery stores}
• metallic gold spray paint
• spray glitter glue
• fine gold craft glitter {i like martha stewart’s}
• pretty ribbon
• cellophane gift wrap or even a large zip-loc bag like i used
• a sharp pair of scissors {fiskars is my favorite brand}
• an assortment of colorful christmas hard candies
• newspaper

to do:
1. lay newspaper out in a well-ventilated area such as your garage
2. spray the container w. the gold spray paint in nice even layers + allow to dry completely
3. spray the container w. the spray glue + shake the glitter onto the wet glue surface – do this until the entire outer part of the container is covered in glitter
4. allow to dry completely + gently tap the container on a hard surface to get rid of any excess loose glitter
5. now fill the clear wrap w. the candies + place inside the container
6. with the container + contents inverted, arrange the decorative ribbon like how you would a present
7. now with the container right-side-up, finish off by tying into a pretty bow
8. add slight curls to the ribbon ends by firmly sliding one of the scissor blades down + against the ribbon ends
9. add name tags if you’d like
yay! gift idea #1 done + done!

freeform french mani: how to

why don’t you try a fun alternative to the conventional french manicure? as much as i love + appreciate a traditional french, this one’s different, a bit more relaxed + much easier! in other words, it’s a lazy girl’s answer to a french mani!

you will need:
• two nail colors of your choice
• clear top coat
• nail polish remover + q-tips

to do:
1. prep nails by clipping, filing + buffing
2. paint nails with one of the colors + allow to dry
3. paint the tips of your nails w. the other color, in freestyle strokes {no worrying about making the arcs perfect w. this mani!}
4. allow to dry + finish w. a clear top coat
5. clean up imperfections on the skin w. q-tips dipped in remover

** i like to only paint color tips on my finger nails leaving the thumb nails w. out
* i am wearing: berry berry broadway + do you lilac it? x opi

golden pumpkins + gourds: how to

spruce up mini pumpkins and vegetables with gold paint + pearl necklaces. it may be one of the simplest diy’s ever! leave the carved orange pumpkins outside and keep these little gems for your indoor decorations.

tools needed:
• a various assortment of mini pumpkins + gourds
• gold spray paint from the craft store
• craft beads such as pearls or gemstones
• newspaper
• paper towels

to do:
1. start by cleaning off any excess debris from the surfaces of the pumpkins and gourds
2. dry off the surfaces completely with paper towels
3. lay the pumpkins and gourds on newspaper outside in a well-ventilated area
4. spray paint in even coats and allow surfaces to dry
5. rotate the pumpkins and gourds, spray and allow to dry
6. repeat step five until all angles are covered in paint
7. adorn w. jewelry

everyday cat eye: how to

i love a great cat eye, but it usually looks too severe for everyday looks. i’m more of a subtle girl with my makeup and this is how i do it! all you need is an inexpensive eyeliner from the drugstore. i like to go with brown in keeping with the natural look, but whatever you decide upon, just be sure to choose an eyeliner that glides onto the skin easily and effortlessly.

instructions:
1. gently hold taut the outer corner of your eyelid.
2. following the top eyelash rim and using the tip of your brow bone as a guide, feel your way and apply in a light sweeping motion, one stroke, and one that is slightly turned outward and upward. you will only be applying pencil to the outer corner of the top eyelid here.
3. repeat step on the other eye making sure that they are even with one another.
4. refine the lines a bit with slightly dampened q-tips.
5. add a subtle shading of the same pencil to the bottom lids to finish the look.
6. brush eyebrows with a spooly.
7. set with a bit of translucent powder.
8. curl lashes if you’d like, i’ve not been doing this lately.

you may have to practice a number of times before this technique is mastered. you’re now ready for the office, to run errands or any other activity that calls for subtle makeup!

wine lip: how to

fall has made it’s presence so it only makes sense that wine lips should too. this idea came out of this fun lip tutorial, but because of the change in seasons, i thought it appropriate to use red wine in lieu of kool-aid. the result is quite subtle and natural making it perfect for all-day occasions. you can also choose to go straight to the wine drinking which will also yield similar results, except with burgundy-stained teeth which isn’t cute. but you know why i made this into a tutorial don’t you? to have an excuse to drink wine of course.. just kidding.. sort of..

you will need:
• red wine
• a dish or glass
• a couple of q-tips
• clear gloss

to do:
1. add a bit of the wine to the glass
2. dip your finger into the wine and rub your top and bottom lip
3. continue doing this now with a wine-soaked q-tip
4. apply gloss
5. the results will be subtle but visible
cin cin!