A Summer Boho Makeup Idea For Music Festivals #playbeautifully with e.l.f.

July 24, 2016

Summer festivals are in full swing, and I am so incredibly inspired by the makeup trends and clothing styles. I am beyond happy that the boho look has lasted this long, and I hope it's here to stay for a long time. I wanted to share a few makeup items that I would definitely recommend taking to your next music festival, or wearing to your next concert!

The Makeup Featured In This Post Includes:

C ream Eyeliner in Teal Tease

Long-Lasting Lustrous Eyeshadow in Celebration and Toast

Lip Balm with SPF 15 Sunscreen in Nude

Lip Lacquer in Purple

Hypershine Lip Gloss in Vixen

My favorite items were these three lip colors, and they're all around $3.00 - the perfect price for trying out a new color to see if it's something you are going to wear more than once.

The lip lacquer, in purple had TONS of color to it, and I know that purple lips have been so popular this summer. The middle one, the hypershine gloss, in vixen, was also very bright, in a good way, and very flattering with just about any makeup look. The SPF 15 lip sunscreen, although the color is nude, I loved the hint of color, and light shimmer (not glittery, luckily), and I also really like the fact that this has SPF. It's incredibly smooth and creamy, making me think that this would be perfect for any time you head out this summer.

I am constantly inspired by all of the amazing, boho fashion and makeup ideas I find on Pinterest on a daily basis! I created a Pinterest Board, called Music Festival & Concert Fashion, where I keep track of all of my finds!

Below, you can see how lovely the Lip Balm with SPF 15 looks! I can see this color (nude) looking great on so many skin tones. And, this won't make it look like you're wearing a ton of makeup. Just enhance your natural beauty, and also protect your lips - they're so sensitive that they deserve a bit of protection!

The Perfect Watch For Back To School & Beyond

July 22, 2016

I found my all-time favorite accessory - the Cora watch in Purpleheart and Mother of Pearl, by JORD! I know I have blogged about these beautiful watches before (here and here), but I recently received a new, smaller style and love it SO very much!

The reddish, darker color of the Purpleheart wood is absolutely stunning, and is going to be great for back to school, fall, the end of summer, and beyond. I also love the unexpected sparkle of the jewels in the watch face. The other little nod to extreme attention to detail is the fact that the back of the watch face is made of glass, so you can see the inner workings of the watch! I cannot believe how nice these watches are, they're so well-made.

"Savoring something, however small, is why your style will always be revered, and rarely replicated. You'll love how the Purpleheart wood pairs with opaline Mother of Pearl to showcase the luxe nature of natural materials. Crafted to be adored, our Cora was created for you."

Enter to win a $75 gift card - click here to learn more and to apply!

And, just for fun, enter to win $75 towards your very own Wood Watch! That is a GOOD DEAL!!!

This Cora Watch matches the boho styles so well! Whether you're pairing a cute button up 3/4 sleeve shirt with dark cropped skinnies, or wearing a cute dress, the watch will never look unflattering because its design is so streamlined. This watch is very comfortable, and really makes me smile when I wear it!

sapphire crystal glass

deployment buckle with push button

swarovski crystal markers

screw-down crown

case width: 37mm

case thickness: 12mm

lug ends: 38mm

band thickness: 18mm - 22mm

band length: 211mm (they send extra links)

These watches make amazing gifts, too! My sister is already eyeing this one :) They are such good quality watches, that whoever is lucky enough to receive one will have it for a very long time. And, like I mentioned before, JORD wood watches come with extra links, just in case. There are SO many colors of these watches, so go ahead and check out the whole collection, here.

I had so much fun styling this watch for JORD. Check out all that JORD has to offer here!

Mayil Scarves & Which Queen Are You?

June 30, 2016

Mayil reached out to me and asked for a bit of help photographing her products. The products she offers are stunning, and I had a great time capturing the beauty of these scarves, bracelets, and pendant necklaces she sent me.

Mayil Scarves are absolutely gorgeous, and you must check them out!!! Check her out on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and her website!

View All Bracelets, Here

View All Embroidered Scarves, Here

Which Queen Are You? Take the quiz, here , to find out!

Embroidered & Sequined Scarf - Denim Blue

Yandy Summer Arrivals

June 22, 2016

I had such a great time photographing these summer bras, underwear, and swimsuits for Yandy.com. This time, I wanted to elevate the products even more, so I used fresh flowers, brighter backgrounds, and soft lighting.

Each time I receive anything from Yandy, I am thrilled to see how beautiful their items are. Everything I have in this blog post is generally under $15-20! I added a link and item name below each image, so you can shop for these featured items! Hope you enjoy your summer!

**Ready Or Not in Pink Lace & Matching Panty**

Top: Nothing To It Black Lace Bralette / Bottom: Just In Lace Black Bralette

**The Fabulace Floral Bra & Bikini Panty.**

**Tropical Paradise Bright Bra & Matching Panty**

**Mint Tie Dye Print Bra + Matching Panty (LOVE these!!!)**

If you love what you see here, check out Yandy.com for TONS of bathing suits, bras, underwear, bridal, lingerie, and more!

Summer Wardrobe Wish List

June 6, 2016

For some reason, this summer has inspired me to want lots and lots of new things :) Since we don't have very good shopping here in southern IL, I have to make my wish lists online, which I am totally fine with.

Below, you can shop the individual items, featured in this post! Click the images to shop.

Treat Yourself To Something Nice - Yandy.com

May 10, 2016

It's time to treat yourself to something wonderful! Whether you are the only one who sees them or not, it always feels so wonderful to get new undergarments! I especially love bright, bold colors of the newest items from yandy.com. The materials they use are soft and stretchy, and everything looks super well-made.

Their prices are also out of this world! Thongs and underwear are 5 for $20 (I've seen more expensive ones that are not nearly as well-made!!), and their bras are $15.95 each, or 3 for $33. Pretty sweet deals, so you can try a few colors of each piece!

ITEMS FEATURED IN THIS POST:

Black Floral (Hidden Agenda Bra + Thong)

Bright Pink / Fuchsia Bra + Thong + Panties

Mint (Romantic Sketched BlueRacer Back Bra + Thong)

Light Pink (Link Coming Soon)

Boho Wonders by Free People

May 1, 2016

Free People is offering up some beautifully styled eye candy. Check out these amazing Boho looks that I wish I could pull off. What are your thoughts?

Love the dress + the sandals so much in this look! And, that hat is the only accessory she really needs.

I really love this style of dress for chilling at home when it's warm out. Nothing as good as this!

An amazing hat will make summer more memorable, seriously!

Erin Pelicano Jewelry

April 29, 2016

I absolutely love photographing anything from Erin Pelicano. I was so inspired by the city of Santa Fe, because of the gorgeous architecture, and the history of the buildings and my surroundings. I absolutely LOVE the fact that so many of the doorways, doors, and other parts of the buildings are painted mint or blue. Erin's necklaces always arrive wrapped in light blue tissue paper, so I thought that the mint railing would be the perfect place to photograph her necklaces. I also utilized an adorable courtyard (that I had all to myself!), and was able to work on her photos near a fountain and lots of pretty early Spring flowers. Such a magical place to work! I had so much fun with this project, and I hope you enjoy!!

Erin Pelicano + Lily The Wandering Gypsy

And, of course, these necklaces are wonderful gifts for Mother's Day and beyond! I have given these to various women in my family, and they are wearing them every time I visit! Erin Pelicano jewelry is always made from either real silver or gold, which I think sets her work far above the rest!

Find Erin Pelican Jewelry On The Web

Learn more about Erin Pelicano Jewelry on her website.

If you are in need of product photography for your goods, please comment below, or feel free to Contact Me for quotes! I would love to help you capture the beauty of your products.

Chocolate + Cashmere - Santa Fe, NM

April 21, 2016

I was so impressed by Chocolate + Cashmere in Santa Fe. The store was a breath of fresh air, and I literally never wanted to leave :) The sign itself drew me into this boutique during my final hour of shopping time in Santa Fe, on the last day we were there. They were one of the last shops open this night, so I was very fortunate to be able to stop in, take some photos, and grab a few chocolates. Chocolate + Cashmere is located at: 109 East Palace, Santa Fe, NM 87501. They also have a location in Taos, NM.

Chocolate + Cashmere proudly offers Golightly Cashmere (learn more here).

Local Santa Fe chocolates available, in so many amazing flavors.

I absolutely loved the necklaces. They were a bit out of my price range, at about $300 each, but they were locally handmade, and stunning!

Chocolate + Cashmere displays all of the available colors of cashmere on a wall display (below).

And, the chocolate again!

Isn't this store just beautiful!

Mother's Day Gift Basket with Erin Pelicano Necklaces

April 19, 2016

I am so honored to be able to share another gorgeous necklace by Erin Pelicano. She has an incredibly wonderful sense of style, and I just love everything she creates! A few (or more) of her pieces are absolutely perfect for Mother's Day! In fact, they say Mother & Daughter right on them :)

Erin Pelicano Jewelry + Lily The Wandering Gypsy

I thought a fun way to show off her beautiful necklaces would be in a cute, Mother's Day Gift Basket. Indulge Mom this Mother's Day (or any other time of the year), and give her thoughtful gifts, elegantly arranged in a gift basket. Stay tuned for a second blog post with another idea, coming soon!!

The items featured in this gift basket were partially provided by my goodie bag that I received at Create + Cultivate Dallas! Both the Seaweed Bath Co. Detox Cellulite Soap and the Black and White Striped Nora Socks from Richer Poorer Inc. were from C+C! The Poco Dolce Olive Oil Chocolate Bar was purchased in Santa Fe at Chocolate + Cashmere (which I will soon post photos of), and of course, the main attraction is this gorgeous necklace from Erin Pelicano!

Let's Make A Gift Basket!

I found this shallow basket to be perfect for a gift basket, featuring Erin's beautiful Mother & Daughter Necklace.

MATERIALS:

- Shallow Wicker Basket

- Tissue Paper

- Moss

- Gerber Daisy Heads

- Various Items To Fill Basket That Mom Will Love

Lightly crumple up a piece of tissue paper and form it to the basket. This will ensure that the moss won't fall out.

Add some moss to your gift basket for a rustic and Earthy look.

Use wire cutters to easily remove flower heads from their stems.

Now, gather your gifts, and begin to place them in the basket in a cute way. I first added the striped socks in back, and the chocolate next to them. Next, I centered the necklace, and placed the detox soap behind it. Lastly, I added the flowers in front left, and the center back. Just play around with the placement to ensure everything can be seen well.

A Gift Basket Tip: You can use Shrink Plastic (found at Dollar Tree) around this gift basket to hold everything in place. Stay tuned, as I will likely shrink wrap this basket, to keep it safe so I can send it to my mom!

Nike Internationalists

April 13, 2016

I am in dire need of some cute, new sneakers, and I think I have found the ones! The Nike Internationalists are adorable, and would look cute with so many outfits.

SPOTTED PAIR // LILAC PAIR // BLACK PAIR

Show Me Your Mumu

April 10, 2016

I have been following the brand, Show Me Your Mumu for a while now. I just love their aesthetic, and the overall boho vibe I get from their line of clothing. Check out Mumu on Pinterest!

They feature lots of these beautiful Tunic Tops, one of which I wanted to share with you today!!! I got SO many compliments on this top. The Peta Tunic In Popsicle Python will definitely be my summer go-to, worn over a black tank top and cropped leggings, over a bathing suit, on a road trip, or at a music festival!

Shown in this post, is the Peta Tunic, The Mumu Gold Bull Ring, and The Mucho Love Medium Notebook. This notebook has to be seen in person to understand just how detailed and beautiful it is. It looks completely hand painted, with lots of texture and even a bit of gold glitter paint mixed it.

We shot these photos in Cave Creek, AZ, and also in Sedona, AZ. This tunic top is also great for warm weather, because it's breathable and lightweight, but not see-through. It does not wrinkle either!

A very special thanks to Show Me Your Mumu for sending these products to me so I could share them with the world!

This notebook is absolutely incredible! It would make an incredible gift for someone who loves to journal, or is an infinite list-maker :)

Toad&Co And Our Road Trip Through Joshua Tree

April 3, 2016

Joshua Tree National park was one of the most incredible parks we have ever visited. We have been to National Parks, and this one takes the cake! We also got incredibly wonderful light the day we drove through, so that was even more perfect than I could have ever imagined.

The National Parks We Have Visited Include:

Saguaro, Joshua Tree, Redwood, Great Sand Dunes, Mesa Verde, Rocky Mountain, Hawaii Volcanoes, Yellowstone, Glacier, Badlands, Arches, Bryce, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands, Zion, Shenandoah, Mt. Rainier, North Cascades, Olympic, Grand Teton!!!

Aah, memories!! I was also super happy that I could bring along some new items from Toad&Co. The Gemma Dress is beyond amazing! Perfect for the warmer weather we experienced while in the southwest in March. It fits like a dream, has a stretchy drawstring waist, perfect pockets, and is made from a stretchy material that I just love. Learn more about the Gemma Dress here. This dress is amazing because the length is perfect. And, this is the only dress that I have worn on a windy day that stays put! Couldn't believe it, but it's completely amazing.

I was so happy when I spotted the first Joshua Tree (in the first photo in this post)!!! Definitely the most unique and quite beautiful trees I have ever seen, and I love the look of them so much. Around that time, I also saw some of the first rock formations, which looked very smooth from far away, but were actually very rough, and very grippy - which is probably perfect for climbing. The rock shapes also seemed very conducive for climbing.

I also brought along these Jetlite Pants, which were comfortable to wear for hours and hours! They were amazingly comfortable, and a bit of a higher waisted design, which has soft elastic. I could not believe how well these fit! And, if you wear them with a shorter cropped shirt, you can show off your cute silhouette in these whether you're road tripping, hiking, lounging, in the office, or shopping.

We entered Joshua Tree from the entrance east of Coachella (by about 20 miles), and at first, all we saw were smaller yucca style plants, which looked like what I would assume Joshua Trees look like when they are young. No rock formations, and not much of anything, just desert. Then, we drove a little more, and the road started to snake around a bit more, and it was surprisingly 45 mph through most of the park. We began to see tons and tons of Jumping Cholla, which are all over Arizona, so that was pretty cool.

Bobby had backpacked in the park before I even knew him, and he told me about the amazing campgrounds, rock formations, climbers, and these mysteriously strange looking trees...Joshua Trees, but I still hadn't seen either of these things. We could begin to see mountains all around us and I was beginning to get super excited, because mountains make me happy :)

The Joshua Trees began to get thicker, and they basically took over the landscape, amongst these awesome rock formations, all at a bit of a distance, but very majestic. Like I said, the light was incredible this day, and we were in the park just before sunset. Stunning!!!

Thanks for checking out my road trip, and these awesome clothes from Toad&Co. Perfect for a road trip to just about anywhere! Have you ever been to Joshua Tree?

The Tame Flat Iron by Vanity Planet - LOVE this!!!

March 26, 2016

I absolutely love my new Tame Flat Iron by Vanity Planet. If you will remember, I created a post for VP earlier this year, talking all about their Pure Spin Facial Brush, and love it too. Their products are extremely well-made, and I am so lucky that I have been able to upgrade a few of my beauty tools lately, thanks to Vanity Planet!

VP was kind enough to send me this Tame Flat Iron so I could share it on my blog. As soon as I opened the Tame, I practically did a happy dance! I am so impressed by the wonderful quality of this tool. It heats up in a minute or so, which is about 15 minutes less than my old (and soon to be donated) flat iron. I am so thankful to have a new, reliable tool that treats my hair very gently, it has Titanium plates.

The Tame Flat Iron heats up from 150 degrees - 450 degrees with a push of the up and down buttons. So easy!

I also wanted to share my current favorite heat protect product, by Salon Grafix - the Protein Shaping Styling Mist. It's great because I don't really like a lot of scent in my hair products. This one literally has no scent and works really well!

To Use...

Hold the power button for 3-5 seconds, and you will see the temp appear. Use the up arrow button to turn the tool up as high as you might normally set it. I have natural hair that is only lightly color treated. I found that 300-320 degrees worked best for my hair while in California with humidity, and here in Arizona (with NO humidity) I used about 280-300 degrees, and it worked like a dream! So glad to have this amazing Flat Iron, check it out for yourself here. This flat iron was absolutely perfect to bring on our road trip!

"Tame has an Additional Negative Ions Generator that keeps your hair healthy as you style. Designed for all hair types...To enhance your experience, the Tame includes a 360° Swivel Cord for tangle-free styling as well as a Handle Lock Mechanism for easy storage. It also comes with an auto shut-off mechanism that kicks in after 60 minutes of use. Every aspect of this iron’s design was constructed with convenience in mind. The soft touch coating prevents slippage and makes the iron comfortable to hold. Whether you want a sleek, straight look, or bouncy curls, the Tame consistently provides professional-caliber results that will make you want to show off every new hairdo."

Overall impressions are really wonderful for this Tame Flat Iron! Thanks to Vanity Planet for the wonderful tool!

DAILYLOOK - Your New Personal Stylist

March 4, 2016

I am super excited to share some wonderful fashion goodness with you! DailyLook is an amazing source for clothing for just about any style. I have loved their company for many years. With DailyLook Elite, you can have the help of a personal stylist, and look like a million bucks for only a teeny fraction of that!

In fact, you only keep the items you absolutely love, and send back the rest. I just love trying clothes on at home rather than in-store, you always get a way more realistic look at the clothes that way. In your natural environment, real-life lighting, and when you're comfortable!

Check out these wonderful outfits they can send you. Each box, filled with 7-11 items each, is sent to your door each month. This is going to be a great way to try outfits and silhouettes that you may have never even dreamed of, and find out that they become your new personal style. So great!

In addition to being a wonderful shopping destination, they have something amazing to offer you. You can fill out your style profile, and they will send you outfits based on a few fun and easy questions, that helps them get a closer look at your personal style.

CREATE YOUR STYLE PROFILE

Just tell them your size, body type, and preferred fit of each clothing item. My favorite part of this survey is where you choose your personal style, based on the outfits below. I love how visual this part is, and it even gives me so many outfit ideas!

After you choose your favorite silhouettes, you can answer a few more questions about your lifestyle, and which types of outfits and clothing you feel most comfortable in. You can even create a Pinterest board that reflects your personal style, and I am sure that would help your new stylist quite a bit!

DailyLook will help you look your best and costs way less than an average trip to the mall, or even just one piece of clothing! Learn more here, and here's to a new and elevated personal style and confidence boost!

Get Cozy! Fashions To Keep You Warm This Winter

January 24, 2016

It's THAT time of year again, when it's more fun to stay inside than to go outside! Let's spend our extra time inside just being comfy and cuddling puppies :)

Ready For Winter! Patagonia Synchilla Fleece (Similar Here)

Fashion & Beauty Finds For Valentine's Day

January 18, 2016

Whether you are wanting to get all cute and festive for Valentine's Day, or just want to give your sister, mom, or friend something cute for Valentine's Day, here are some awesome finds! Click the items to shop!

Help your girl keep her nails looking good!

And make sure she has the reddest lips of anyone in the room

help her keep her paycheck safe in a new wallet

make sure her hands aren't freezing this winter

2015 Year In Review

January 17, 2016

I had an incredible year, last year, and I think it will be great to share all of the fun things with you. Sometimes, I think I am never doing enough, completing enough, scratching a line through enough items on my endless to-do list. Do you ever feel that way? I think this post will also be an amazing way to look back at all of the wonderful places we went, and things I accomplished throughout 2015. It is so important to share the things you are thankful for, and I am thankful for health, happiness, and all of the fun opportunities I had last year. Here's to another circle around the sun!!!

JANUARY

In late January of 2015, I decided it was a good idea for me to move over to a .com from my long-standing blogspot blog. I am still very happy that I chose to go to a .com! My previous blog was - http://lily-the-wandering-gypsy.blogspot.com/. Throughout the whole year of 2015, I had over 150,000 Page Views on lily-the-wandering-gypsy.com, and I am so happy about that!!! I also started my super popular Group Pinterest Board, called Inspire Me.

I also created some pretty awesome things, like my Mixed Berry and Banana Smoothie Recipe, and this Beautiful Fleece Cowl Scarf.

FEBRUARY

I had the experience of a lifetime in February when I went to Laguna Niguel, CA to speak at The Re/Code Media conference at THE RITZ (!!!) on a panel of "New Influencers". This was a monumental trip that you can read all about here.

This month, I also ramped up my holiday-inspired posts by making a few Valentine's Day Posts. I had lots of traffic from my post about Beautiful Bacon Roses and still love them so much! Another super popular post was my Candy Heart Tutorial. I photographed some beautiful goodies from Brightly Twisted, too! I also started a blog called Bisque This! (which I later turned into Bisque-This.com). This definitely marked a point where I began creating some really nice recipes and posting them.

MARCH

Some of the posts I made in March were these Bacon Wrapped Pineapple Rings, and the Tater Tot Horseshoe. We also created some gorgeous styled photos for Alice & Marie! We got out of the cold Illinois weather this month and headed out to Arizona!!! For some reason, I was silly and didn't post much about it on my blog...probably because of the complete lack of good internet while we were galavanting around in the desert? Who knows, but we had such an incredibly time, we are going back in March of 2016! I promise I will post more along the way this time around...PROMISE!

The places we visited in March on our Southwest Road Trip include: Truth or Consequences, NM, Saguaro National Park, Cave Creek, AZ. Read about Utah Below...

Screen Shot 2016-01-16 at 12.16.10 PM.png

AND ANOTHER THING...

Bobby and I also got to work on an amazing project for L'Oreal Advanced Hairstyles while we were in Arizona. I could not think of a more gorgeous place/backdrop for photos! View my portfolio here. I also created a Dedicated Pinterest Board, called Style It - Change It - Own It, which I had a lot of fun with!

OFF TO UTAH

We had an amazing time doing each and every National Park in Utah - so glad we had a National Parks Pass. Zion National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, Escalante, Canyonlands, Kodachrome Basin, Bryce Canyon National Park, and Moab, UT. What an unforgettable time!

Bryce Canyon National Park - Click To See Larger

APRIL

In April, the weather finally started to warm up here in Illinois, and I was creating even more content. I also started (another) blog for fashion-only, called She's So Chic (which I need to revisit pretty badly...).

Bobby and I also created some more content and a Dedicated Pinterest Board for L'Oreal Infalliable Makeup. Another incredible and honorable projects that I was so happy to create.

I also created this DIY Daily Planner post, which remains my most popular post to date! I also created this Festival Ready Flower Crown, in honor of Coachella and Bonnaroo.

I visited the Nashville Country Living fair with my mom and sister, and had a great time!

MAY

Another fun month! I collaborated with Sony Pictures to help promote their movie, Aloha! We have been to Hawaii three times, so I thought this was a really fun and inspiring project. Check out the Dedicated Pinterest Board and Blog Post talking more about the project. I was also named in the Top 100 Pinners of 2015 by Daily Tekk. I also created this Tassel Earrings Tutorial, and photographed Emblem Eyewear Sunnies.

JUNE

In June, I created a great post for HelloSociety about my Top 5 Pinterest Tips! It was shared quite a few times!!! I also created another boho tutorial, showing how to embellish the cutest boots ever! I also created some adorable onesies, and took some photos at our amazing Farmer's Market, one of which was featured on the VSCO blog!

Speaking of Farmer's Markets, Carbondale gained a new Farmer's Market this past summer, and they had a great selection of local veggies. And, check out my favorite Bloody Mary Recipe ever!

JULY

This month, I worked with Nordstrom Rack to help promote their clothing on Pinterest! I created a new Tumblr site, called Wandering Gypsy Fashion Blog, to focus one site on fashion-only. I also photographed this organic lotion line from Ayushi Woods. We also gave a $100 Gift Certificate To one lucky winner! I also created this fun Raspberry Mint Spritzer Recipe.

AUGUST - OUR BIG ROAD TRIP + MORE

Things heated up this month with an amazing collaboration with Ulta Beauty Hair & Cosmetics. I also created an amazingly delicious No-Bake Cheesecake Recipe, perfect as individual servings!

The second week of August, we took the biggest road trip we have EVER taken!!! Again, I did not really post much about this on my blog, but I promise to blog more on upcoming road trips, promise!

OUR ROAD TRIP...

We spent about 6 weeks on the road throughout August and September. We visited places in Colorado like Glenwood Springs, Crested Butte, Silverton, Ouray, and Silverton. I got a few photos, but this was when Lily was having a really hard time, so it's very hard to even go back and look at photos from this time...We lost one of our very best friends on the trip, though, and I have still never felt the same without her. Lily the AmStaff will always be loved and I am happy she had such an adventurous life.

OFF TO CALIFORNIA

Lake Tahoe

San Francisco

Westport

OREGON

Waldport

Cannon Beach + Portland

WASHINGTON

Olympic Peninsula - Kalaloch Lodge

Whidbey Island

MONTANA + IDAHO

On the way back home, we drove through Ketchum, Idaho, and Missoula, Montana.

SEPTEMBER

Some of the photos from August actually took place in September, but this month, I wanted to feature the projects we completed in August and September. We worked with Bacardi (!!!), Missouri Department of Tourism, Emma Stine, and the FYI Network for their show Style: Unzipped.

OCTOBER

Another pretty incredible month. While working on Halloween projects, I got an email from HelloSociety and Skype, asking me if I wanted to visit New York City (in a few days...), and help with a Skype Halloween Party for The Lower East Side Girls' Club! They flew me out, and then put me up in a (hotel). i had an amazing time and learned so many new things. Check out my tips for a great Halloween Party With Skype, and my trip to New York City! (Thanks, Skype!!!!)

I also created some amazing photos for Sony Pictures' movie, Burnt. This was one of the hardest projects I have ever done and loved learning so much from it.

I also created a few photos for Toad&Co.

NOVEMBER

Going back to loving to cook, I created a great Stuffed Squash Recipe, a 7 Can Soup Recipe, took photos of Fall Ice Cream Treats at Cold Stone Creamery, and also shot some gorgeous photos for Erin Pelicano Jewelry. Her work is beautiful! I also created this gift guide, and also shot a few photos inspired by e.l.f. cosmetics for their #PlayBeautifully project.

DECEMBER

Wow, I did quite a bit this month! Christmas and the holidays were such a great inspiration for me, and I actually worked with Harley-Davidson! I think we got some great photos and I also made them a Dedicated Board. I also styled up a beautiful watch by JORD Wood Watches, made in St. Louis, just 2 hours from here.

I also created some awesome DIY Gift Bags, an Ugly Christmas Sweater Dog Bandana, Pumpkin Oat Dog Treats, Holiday Decor with Nature Hills Nursery, Red Cocktail Recipes, Frozen Hot Chocolate Pie (YUM!!), Soft Gingerbread Cookies, Sugar Cookies From Scratch, styled up some more e.l.f. makeup, and also styled a cute New Year's Eve Party, which was featured here on Kara's Party Ideas.

Whew! So, that's my last year in a big gigantic nutshell! I hope this inspires you, I know it will help me keep motivated to continue to create new things and travel to new places!

This post was inspired by This Post from Inspired By Charm!

Check Out My DIY Page!

January 2, 2016

I just created a new page that helps you find all of my DIY projects in one place. I had so much fun going back through all of the fun projects I had created in 2015, and thinking about all of the great things I want to make, design, and share in 2016. If you have any requests, or ideas for me, just comment below! Happy Crafting!!

e.l.f. #PlayBeautifully - December Makeup Finds

December 31, 2015

I hope you got a chance to check out my November post for e.l.f. - Now, I have a few more awesome products to show you!

#PlayBeautifully with e.l.f. and Lily The Wandering Gypsy

The most interesting items in this post would have to be the Eye Liner and the Sculpting Face Brush. The Eye Liner looks a bit like a marker at first glance, but it will definitely give you a couple of options. Either a more polished every day look, or a more dramatic cat-eye for a more glam look. The Eye Liner would be perfect for a road trip, or a flight, because it's super compact, and would not be messy at all. The Sculpting Face Brush has more compact bristles, so I think it would be perfect for bronzer to sculpt your makeup look.

I thought that a glittery background would be perfect for this makeup, because a little glitter and glam never hurt anybody! I love the way our studio lights make the products pop. The e.l.f. packaging has always appealed to me. Love that chic black and white look to it all.

I think the New Year is a perfect time to take a look at our makeup bags, and refresh them! Add a few of these e.l.f. products to your daily or night-out routine, and you can try out all the new looks you've been seeing on Pinterest for under $10!