Aloha Collaboration!

I have been working on a really cool project lately! I was asked by Sony Pictures to create and style some photos inspired by their new movie, Aloha! They also consulted with me to create a Dedicated Board on Pinterest, and I absolutely love how it's turning out. We have been to Hawaii three times, so I have a lot of knowledge of what the island and its cultures appreciate. I also had a lot of time to take in the sights and sounds of the cities and oceans in lots of places among the 5 islands. All of Kauai was definitely my favorite, and Honolulu is my second favorite. Aloha is based on Oahu.  Check out the trailer for the movie here. Photos by myself and Bobby Samat Photography.

A VIEW OF MY ALOHA DEDICATED BOARD (BELOW)

A special thank you to Sony Pictures for sponsoring this project! Check out Aloha, in theaters May 29. 

How I Cleared Up My Skin and Got Healthy!

Welcome! I am so glad you have stopped by for a little bit of info about skin. I am here to share some advice with you that many people have struggled with for many years! I have struggled with breakouts my whole life. If you have issues with your skin, and want to clear it up, here are some tips and advice I have. 

How I Got Clear Skin - I would always hide my face in photos, because I was always broken out! Here are my tips and tricks on how to treat acne.

About 2 years ago, I decided I was completely sick of these breakouts, and finally visited a dermatologist. The doctor suggested I use 2 topical creams/ointments together, Aczone and Tretinoin Cream, 0.025%. I didn't really see any results from the Tretinoin, but WOW! The Aczone is amazing, and I still use it for occasional breakouts or just little things that pop up every few days. She had also prescribed me this great face wash, Neutrogena Pore Clear Cleanser/Mask (containing benzoyl peroxide). I didn't see any results at first, though, and I waited the 2 months, until my next appointment to tell the doctor things weren't working.  I was cleaning my face way more, taking better care of my skin, cut off all soda drinking, was eating WAY less candy and sugar, and also using the prescribed creams, and didn't see much change. I went into my second appointment a bit upset. The doctor then asked if I wanted to try adding an antibiotic as well, and I jumped at the chance to finally get things figured out. Minocycline. An antibiotic is not for everyone, but I believe it was pretty much the only thing that 100% helped clear up my face! I used it for a few months, and it worked wonders. I also use Face Pads a few times a day, and Dial soap on my face a few times a week, instead of the Cleanser. 

HEALTHY HABITS

At the same time, I thankfully stopped drinking soda (1-2 Cokes per day), started drinking tons of water, and almost completely stopped buying and consuming chocolate, candy, cupcakes, donuts, and the like. I was super careful about lowering my sugar intake, and checked the sugar content on every items I bought. I had read so many things about this practice clearing up skin from within, and although it took a while to see results, it helped immensely! 

Now, about 2 years later, I still only drink about 1 soda per YEAR, which I am so proud of! My teeth are much whiter, my nails are much stronger, my face doesn't break out very much, and I feel SO good about being able to pass up ordering an overpriced soda at dinner, or in a gas station!

Desert Series - Available For Sale!

I started a Society6 site, and would love to show you my newest items, available for purchase.

Find The Desert Series Clock Here 

Find this awesome pillow here

Or transport yourself to warmer places any time you open your laptop!

L'Oreal Advanced Haircare Pinterest Board!

Style It - Change It - Own It - Spring Hair And Style Inspirations

A little while back, I was hired by L'Oreal to create photographs and hair tutorials, showing Pinterest users how I would style my hair using their new line of hair products, Advanced Hairstyles. I scoured their website, hairstyle.com, for videos and step by step tutorials to see what I could create. 

I was also asked to put together a dedicated board (see below), that helped convey the feminine, and beautiful hairstyles that were inspired by their products and tutorial website. Bobby and I took some gorgeous photos for this project, and I think we really captured the essence of these hairstyles and products. I want to give a special thanks to the team at L'Oreal and HelloSociety, both of which made this dreamy project a reality!

 This project came at a perfect time, because we were in Cave Creek, Arizona, before it got too hot to be in the southwest. The bright sunshine made for some beautiful photos, and my wonderful step-mom called around to about 5 salons in the Cave Creek and Carefree, AZ area to find me a stylist at short notice. I knew that hiring a professional would be the absolute best way to showcase a professional look for company like L'Oreal, and we wound up at a gorgeous salon, called Studio C in Carefree, AZ - an adorable and upscale town in the desert! A wonderful stylist named Monica worked on my hair, and I couldn't be happier! I brought her ideas, but she already had so many ideas, it was a match made in Heaven. 

Here is a peek at my Dedicated Board for L'Oreal Advanced Hairstyles (below).

Below, you will see one of my favorite hairstyles, and a couple of my tutorials I created for L'Oreal. 

Check out my board on Pinterest here.  See the album on Facebook here. 

In partnership with L'Oreal to create styles that inspire you to take your look to the next level. I am beyond excited to team up with L'Oreal to show you how to use their new line of haircare products (available at most drugstores for a very reasonable price). I had an amazing time creating some of these unique hairstyles utilizing their products in so many ways. Photos by Bobby Samat Photography. 

How To Make Tassel Earrings

These prep-inspired earrings are SO cute! There are only a few steps and you will have a new, custom pair of earrings in no time. These would also make an awesome Last-Minute Mother's Day Gift! Enjoy!

WHAT YOU NEED:

- Leather Tassels (I got mine at Hobby Lobby in the scrapbooking area - by The Paper Studio / Spare Parts). You may want to check the fabric section as well! Just make sure they have a loop at the top, so you can hook them to the jump rings.

- Gold Jump Rings (6 MM or a bit larger)

- Gold Earring Hooks

- Pliers

Aren't these tassels adorable?!

IT'S SO EASY!

Now, open the jump ring, and slip on your earring hook and tassel. Close up the jump ring nice and tight, and you're set! A new pair of earrings (or 4) for summer! 

Thanks for stopping by! Check me out on Pinterest!

Patriotic Recipes

I created a few recipes - inspired by Red, White, and Blue! 

Check out this super-tasty, super-easy Patriotic Popcorn Recipe Here.

Red, White, and Blue French Toast Recipe - find it here. 

These treats are fun for summer parties. Find them here.

DIY Daily Planner Tutorial - For Under $10.00

I am the type of person who needs a daily to-do list. I looked at daily planners recently, and they ranged between $50-$100. That's absurd! When I saw that price, I knew I had to make my own. Before I made this official planner, I was using a lined, spiral journal. It was fine, and very portable, but I usually have this on my desk, so that wasn't a huge deal when making this new one. This would also make a cute Mother's Day or graduation gift! 

These mini binders were only $3.99 (only available in Target stores), but you can find them at any office store. The mini binder filler paper (also only available in Target stores), was only $1.99 per pack, and I grabbed 2. You could also use the divider sheets, if you need to organize things a bit more. 

Easy day, I just write the date at the top of each page in a thick permanent marker. I do this while looking at a calendar, so I get the dates correct :) It's that simple! Use your favorite color pens to write your daily to-do list and you're set! A fun way to spruce up your desk for under $10.00!

How To Make A Festival Ready Flower Crown!

I started making these beautiful flower crowns last year and they are so fun and easy! You can make one in about 20 minutes, and they are so customizable - just add whatever type of flower inspires you, and you have a unique, one of a kind accessory, just in time for festival season! 

GATHER YOUR MATERIALS // WHAT YOU NEED 

1 Bouquet of Silk Flowers - Make sure the flower heads are easy to remove from the stems, and that a wire can go through the enter of the flower head. 

Cloth Stem Wires - Pliers, Florist Tape, Wire Cutters, Wrapped Grapevine Wire for crown

Next, cut a length of grapevine wire that will wrap around your head plus an extra 4 inches to twist together to form a circle. Now, lay the circle on a table, and set 8 or more flower heads around the crown to see how you want them to look in the end. You can add a few smaller flowers if you want a more full look to your crown. 

PREPARE THE FLOWERS

Cut the Cloth Stem Wires into 4 equal parts with your wire cutters. And, as shown below, the steps are: 1.) fold over the top of the wire about 1/4". 2.) Start to twist the folded part around the rest of the wire. 3.) create a twisted loop in the top of the wire so the flower won't fall off. Thread these looped wires into each flower head you will use. 

Put wires through ever flower head, and get ready to attach them to your crown. 

ATTACH YOUR FLOWERS

Attach the first flower to your crown by twisting the wired stem to the crown. Twist the flower head wire onto the crown, and use a pair of pliers to secure any sharp wire ends, then use florists tape to make sure no wire ends poke you! 

ALMOST DONE!

Now, twist each flower onto the crown, and don't twist each wire all the way until you are happy with the flower placement. Cut the rest of your florists tape pieces, and get ready to wrap each flower stem with tape at the end. 

Here is the back view of the crown, before taping up wire ends. Use pliers to secure any sharp wire ends to the crown, then tape each end to the crown. Also, tape the rough ends of the crown so they don't come undone or poke you. 

And, here are a few more examples of other flower crowns I created. They're also perfect for a bride, or a little girl who loves flowers! Are you heading to any festivals this year? If so, feel free to comment below.