Subway Magnets DIY

Although I usually come up with my own DIY ideas, I'm still always on the lookout for cool DIY projects to try from other people. The internet is full of fantastic ideas and I found this one on Pinterest, so I now have two projects from there that I've actually completed.

I have tons of mementos from when I lived in Paris that because I don't have a purpose for them, have to be stored in a box in my closet. When I saw this idea for Subway magnets over at Cup of Delight I knew it was a perfect project for some of the maps I collected during my stay.

Because I couldn't find the exact supplies she used I had to improvise a little but regardless the magnets came out just as cute. It was a quick and extremely inexpensive project that has awesome results.


I love this idea and I love it even more because it's a great way to use mementos that would otherwise get stored away. Now I wanna try it with some of my New York City maps because I have tons of those as well.

xoxo,
Amanda

New Nailpolish

My polish colors seem to go in cycles. For a few weeks I wear really dramatic colors and then I'll wear really lights shades for a few weeks after that. It livens things up and gives me a fun change I can look forward to week to week.

Because I've had such glittery polishes lately, for this week I chose a really light feminine color. It's a gorgeous color that I've had for a while but I've just finally gotten around to using.

I used 3 coats of China Glaze's Innocence and this color is so pretty. China Glaze polish is always kind of hit or miss with me but this is one of their better polishes. It went on smoothly and looks wonderful. It's a lighter nude shade with a hint of pink and I really love the elegant and clean look.

I can't believe I haven't used this shade sooner.

xoxo,
Amanda

Post Holiday Breather

I hope you all have recovered from your turkey coma and then again from your Black Friday sleep deprived insanity.

I feel like I haven't stopped moving this weekend. Thanksgiving was a wonderful relaxing holiday with family that I thoroughly enjoyed. As usual I spent the evening planning my Black Friday shopping plans, and then at midnight I headed out into the chaos. After a few hours of shopping I came home for a much needed nap.

After the nap I went straight into getting ready for my early birthday trip to New York. My boyfriend's mom and I went on a wonderful day trip full of Broadway and Central Park. We didn't get back to Pittsburgh until 3 am Sunday morning so needless to say, I am very tired.

Because of that I am taking a breather today. I'll be back tomorrow with my new nail polish post, and then tons of details about my trip.

xoxo,
Amanda

Happy Thanksgiving

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving.

I'll be back next week full of new DIY's and thoughts.

xoxo,
Amanda

Light Up Night 2011

For some reason I feel like Pittsburgh's Light Up Night really snuck up on me. When I heard that it was Light Up weekend, I seriously couldn't believe it, it just seemed too early. Then I realized it was the end of November and Christmas was honestly right around the corner. It seems like since October the months have just sort have flown by and I've missed it.

Even though I couldn't believe it was Light Up Night, I was so excited for it I could barely get through my work day. It's one of my favorite Pittsburgh holiday traditions, so after work I rushed home to get all bundled up for the night.

I know I say this every year but walking through the PPG skyscapers to see the Christmas tree and skating rink is so exciting. It's just this magical Christmas tree in the middle of all these enormous skyscrapers and it seems so hidden and lovely. Every year I get the most excited feeling walking around the street and seeing this gorgeous Christmas tree. It gets me into the holiday spirit instantly.

One of the best parts of the night was the fireworks. Pittsburgh typically goes all out for firework occasions but this year the show was spectacular. There were so many different types that I had lots of fun picking out my favorites.

Light Up Night always puts me in the perfect holiday mood and this year did just that. I'm so excited to start putting up decorations and baking cookies that I'm already planning stuff out.

xoxo,
Amanda

DIY Pom Trim Scarf tutorial

When I saw Blake Lively in this month's Instyle magazine, her scarf caught my eye instantly. I usually think pom trims are ridiculous but she made the scarf look so chic, that I actually liked it and really wanted it.

In my ever-expanding fabric stash I had the perfect piece of similar fabric so this DIY was super quick and easy. A day project at most.

Supplies-
Square piece of fabric the size you want the scarf to be- mine was 50 x 36
Pom trim-length depends on how big your fabric is
Tacky Glue and pins

When picking your fabric, I suggest choosing something where the print is on both sides. It will look better this way and you won't be worried about whether the underside is showing all the time.

Start by pinning the trim all along the fabric.

Around the corners I just kind of folded the trim back upon itself to make a nice corner. Kind of like hospital corners on a bed.

Once all the trim is pinned on I went ahead and started gluing the trim on. The fabric I used is like a chiffon and I'm not good at sewing that type of fabric so I chose to use glue instead. If my fabric would have been a cotton I most definitely would have sewed it instead.

Gluing the trim was really easy. I just worked in small sections, removing the pins and using a thin line of glue working slowly around the entire piece of fabric.

Because I wasn't sewing the scarf I didn't hem the raw edge, so when I glued the fabric to the trim I had to make sure the edge was sealed within the glue so that it didn't fray.

I glued all the straight edges first saving the corners for last. They take a little work but I just made sure the trim was glued into a nice corner first and then I glued the fabric to the already glued corner. To make sure the glue held, I put a pin or two through the corner and the fabric to keep it together as it dried.

Once the trim is all glued I let the scarf dry overnight.

I checked it in the morning to make sure everything was attached well and trimmed up any loose strings from the fabric that may have been frayed a bit before I glued it.

Voila!!!

I think this scarf is fabulous. I love that it's fun while still being very chic.
xoxo,
Amanda

New Nailpolish Monday

This week I decided to do another retake on an old favorite. I wasn't sure how I was going to like it before I started but I love the look I ended up with.

For this awesome purple sparkle, I used two coats of Sally Hansen's Grey Area and a few coats of Sally Hansen's Twinkle Twinkle as well. I love the sparkles so much. Last week I had a really bold glitter polish but this week the glitter is so much more subtle and I really love it. The glitter is so small and light that my nails remind me of how stars look at night. The purple-ish gray shade and the sparkles remind me of the night sky and I think that's why I love it so much.

I love this combo and I think it's going to work perfectly for Thanksgiving. Festive but still very stylish. Love!

xoxo,
Amanda

Inspiration: Blake Lively on the set of Gossip Girl

Stay Tuned!!!

Happy Friday everyone!!!

xoxo,
Amanda

Glee-wind: Mash-Off

After last week's stellar episode I wasn't sure how this week's Glee was going to match up, but this week's episode was great even if it wasn't as amazing as I thought last week's was. I loved the storyline and I loved the music even more. Glee does mash-ups so well and I think these are some of the best ones they've ever done. The storylines were spread around the cast and I really enjoyed it all.

I honestly wasn't too excited for Hot for Teacher but the scene that accompanied it was too hilarious not to like. All the boys involved were hilarious. The dancing was ridiculously funny and Finn's parts were just adorable. Then at the end when Rachel said how the drumming was particularly excellent was so cute. I love these small Finchel moments we get, they are the cute, sweet, couple moments I was dying for so long ago.

Overall though, the episode was really funny I thought. The Congressional ads were HILARIOUS. I was seriously laughing out loud. Sue's parts of the episode were great and I'm remembering now why she is such an awesome and funny character.

By far the most hilarious part of the episode was the outfits for the I Can't Go For That/You Make My Dreams Come True performance. Finn looked absolutely adorably ridiculous and it was so awesome to hear him sing lead on a song again. I also just really loved the song, it's been on repeat for days now. Overall the whole performance was just great, the girls were so cute in their 80's dresses, the dancing was fun, and it was one of those group performances that really reminded me of season one.

Before that though, I was so happy we got to see Rachel stand up for Finn when Santana was putting him down. I'll get to the whole Finn/Santana thing later on. Also-how cute was Rachel's excitement when Finn won rock, paper, scissors?! It totally reminded me of him during the coin toss in Asian F. Seriously they are the cutest T.V. couple ever. Then their kiss! It was totally unexpected but such a great moment in an otherwise Finchel-lite episode. One of the other small moments we got was the look of love from Finn while Rachel was giving her election speech. He was so proud of her and you could read it all over his face.

We also got Hit Me With Your Best Shot/One Way or Another which featured Finn pretty heavily and again I really loved it. He just sounded so good on all of his songs this week and I just really want to hear him more. I miss how much he used to sing in the previous seasons.

Now that I've talked about my favorite parts of the episode I guess I should really get into my thoughts on the Finn and Santana discussion that I see going on all over the internet. I'm going to preface my thoughts by saying that I honestly do feel bad that Santana was outed before she was really ready. I do not however feel it was Finn's fault or that in any way he should have gotten slapped. For about 3/4 of the episode Santana was continuously tearing Finn down. Not one bit of it was in fun, honestly every jab was incredibly hurtful and mean. Then when she made the comment about Finn riding Rachel's coattails it was just too far. Just last week Finn had a massive breakdown about the worries surrounding his future and that comment hit a nerve that was still very raw from last week. Now I know what Finn said was wrong but so was what Santana said and you can only push a person so far until they lash out. He wasn't the one to go and tell everyone, it was a nasty comment he made to her in response to comments she had been making to him for days. Yes it was in a hallway where other people were and Finn probably should have thought before he spoke but in all honesty it was a mistake that someone else heard and decided to tell everyone.

No one is perfect in this situation and both Santana and Finn screwed up. In no way did Santana deserve to be outed like this but at the same time Finn was pushed into lashing out at her. Both parties were wrong and this time it seems like Santana is suffering the consequences.

Regardless of my opinions, I thought the episode handled the story wonderfully and I was literally riveted until the very end. Too bad we have to wait 2 weeks for a new episode.

xoxo,
Amanda

What I'm Loving-Lea Michele in Allure December 2011

The December issue of Allure magazine hit stands today and Lea Michele is gracing the cover looking so retro-sexy and very alluring, coincidentally.

In a wonderful juxtaposition to her Glee character, this shoot really showcased Lea's sexuality and sensuality. Shot by Norman Jean Roy, the whole shoot has an overall retro feeling and the pictures are just stunning.

Image credit: Allure.com

I love the retro feeling of this shoot, Lea Michele just looks gorgeous as ever in this style. Her voluminous hair combined with the cat-eye make-up and vintage style lingerie is just so effortlessly sexy.  The whole shoot is sexy but still very classy which I really admire in her. Every time I see her on a red carpet she is always gorgeous and when she wears a sexier look it's always classy and never distasteful. It's so refreshing to see in Hollywood.

I just can't get over how gorgeous this shoot is.....

xoxo,
Amanda

Weekend Spending Spree

Please don't let the title confuse you. I had one of the worst weekends ever. My paycheck didn't get to me until 4:00 Saturday so half my weekend was shot just waiting for it. Then a bunch of other smaller things happened which just ended up piling one after another making my weekend terrible. I didn't get any crafting done- that's how bad it was. I just wanted to lay in bed all weekend.

Finally on Sunday before the Steeler game I ran into Kohl's looking for some work clothes and I ended up finding some really cute things which made me very happy.

First I grabbed these gorgeous nude pumps. Nude pumps are huge right now and these are a perfect and classic pair to have in your closet. They're simple but sexy and they remind me so much of something Kate Middleton would wear, she loves wearing flesh colored pumps.

While I was there I also picked up two dresses that I have had my eye on for a while.

I know they are both the same dress but I love them so much I don't care. I had spotted these in store when they first came out but for some reason I can't remember I didn't buy them, but I knew when I saw them Sunday I had to get them, and I'm so glad I did. These dresses are so cute on, and flattering too-oh my goodness. I love that the blue one is really fun and the black one is more classic, because even though they are the same, they really do give two different looks.

Nothing like a good shopping trip to brighten an otherwise cruddy weekend. Well that an a delicious lunch at Panera didn't hurt either. That chipotle chicken is just too good.

xoxo,
Amanda

New Nailpolish Monday

This week is going to be more of an addition than a full on color change. My black polish last week has held up surprisingly well. I've made it through a full week with only very minor chips. I'm so surprised and very pleased as well.

Because the polish lasted so long I decided to keep it on and just make a fun addition. I decided to give one of my new glitters a try.

For this I used Wet n' Wild's Party of Five glitters and I don't have an exact number of coats because I put on so many I can't honestly remember. I just put on enough to get the amount of glitter I wanted. The glitter went on pretty easy and I love the fun and glittery my nails look now.

This is one of those products you can save on. Because it's a glitter filled clear polish I feel you honestly don't need to shell out the money for an expensive brand. I went with an inexpensive kind and I love it. For this type of polish I think it's fine to just get a cute inexpensive glitter and save the money for a more expensive color polish.

xoxo,
Amanda

Recent Shopping Redux

I haven't posted about my shopping scores lately mainly because there haven't been that many. I've been trying to save money so I've been avoiding stores basically at all costs, lol. There are some things from a few weeks ago that I forgot to post so I guess I'll relive that shopping trip right now.

First I scored this adorable polka dot dress at Forever 21. It's classic black and white polka dots so it's a versatile and really fun piece. I also scored it for $14.00 which I was super excited about. It's a great deal for a really pretty dress.

My other score was this fantastic black floppy hat from H&M. I know I picked up another one at Marshall's last month but this one was more floppy and I love it so much more. I can move the hat in so many ways that the folds change and being able to change up the shape is so fun.

I know I thought that going over this shopping trip would quell my shopping desire but it kinda made me wanna shop more. Whoops! At least tomorrow is pay day!

HAPPY FRIDAY!!!

xoxo,
Amanda

Glee-wind: The First Time

I am going to try my best to coherently describe my thoughts on "The First Time" but if I'm being honest my thoughts are still somewhat a jumble of happiness and excitement. I couldn't have asked for a better episode in regards to the Finn and Rachel dynamic and I'm including such episodes as Journey and New York in my comparisons. It was just perfect in so many ways which I'm going to thoroughly write about so let's jump in!
 
Mere moments into the episode we got to see just fantastically in love Finn happily putting up poster's for Rachel's campaign. I won't lie but my mind drifted back to when he was so unhappy with Quinn for her Prom King and Queen race and it was such a stark contrast which I loved seeing. I also really enjoyed seeing Rachel no longer being such young girl, here she was being flirty and enticing Finn with her kiss and it played wonderfully into the idea of Rachel becoming a woman and comfortable in her sexuality. Seeing how happy Rachel was for Finn to meet the recruiter and then her referring to "our" dreams was just so sweet, and gave a great glimpse into how their relationship has grown. In that scene we were also spoiled again with two kisses that now have much more heat behind them than any other kisses we've really seen from Finchel before. The sexual tension was palpable and was just plain hott. Finn's final remark of "Oh man" as Rachel walked away was hilarious and was the beginning of a whole new dynamic being added to the Finchel relationship.

I couldn't have laughed more when I saw Blaine dancing around his room. It was so funny and his and Kurt's kiss was so cute with the way Blaine grabbed Kurt's face. As much as Blaine/Darren catches a lot of crap for how many songs he sings, I wanted to hear him sing Uptown Girl so badly, and I was honestly disappointed when I found out it wasn't going to be him singing it. I still liked it though, just not as much.

Never did I think I could fall in love with Finn anymore than I already was, but the dinner date he planned for Rachel just made me love him infinitely more. He planned her this amazing romantic evening, with a special song playlist, sparkling cider, and a romantic fire. Even though he accidentally fed her meat, it was the perfect date. Then when they were finished eating, he was all ready to go and make them dessert, it was adorable. His face though when she said she would rather snuggle by the fire was so sweet. It honestly melted my heart. Then when they finally getting ready to have sex he keeps stopping to make sure that this is everything that Rachel wants. He wants to be sure she is ready and he even goes further to let her know he had more planned, like them going to a nice hotel. He had been saving up for a while all to make their first time special. He loves her that much that he actively spent time and money to give her the best experience possible. In that moment you saw as crystal clear as it's ever been that he loves Rachel immensely.

I was just so disappointed in Rachel ruining that moment but you could tell that even then that she knew she was screwing things up, but that she didn't know how to fix it and she couldn't take it back. 

The scenes with Coach Bieste and the recruiter was so cute. She's just so kind that I'm so happy she's finding someone that cares about her. She deserves it.

I have to say thank god for Tina being the voice of reason during Rachel's girl meeting. I'm just so tired of Santana's attitude and all of the others girls were yet again unhelpful but thankfully Tina was there to tell her story. Hearing about Tina's first time was so heart-warming and was the perfect sentiment to show Rachel that your first time can be perfect, if you're doing if for the right reasons and with someone you love. Then when we saw her picturing Finn in the hall my heart started melting again. I mean the way Finn looks at her kills me every time. I can't get over it.

The gay bar scene was fantastically ridiculous-I loved every minute of it. I loved getting to see Drunk!Blaine again- he's hilarious.

I was thoroughly heartbroken during the scene of Finn in the shower. It felt like my heart was being ripped in two, I just hurt so badly. All he wants is to be good at something and get himself out of Lima and seeing him have this huge setback just broke my heart. I can't wait to see how this compels him to find new dreams though, and I can't wait for more Finn story lines either.

When Rachel was speaking about knowing what's it's like to find your soulmate against all odds, I honestly thought that was the moment when she realized she was ready to have sex with Finn. Just those few words were able to cement the idea in her head that she was ready and she was ready to do it with Finn. I also really loved hearing her call Finn her soulmate-I just made me so happy.

Even though we didn't see them, knowing that Finn sent Rachel flowers was another moment when I loved him even more. I also loved when we saw him watching her perform, he just looked in awe of her and it was so sweet. When Finn finally lost it, I was just so sad for him. I was sad because he still doesn't believe how special he is and that's what breaks my heart. It was just amazing how supportive Rachel was. She was there for him, willing to tell him how special he is and that he will find new dreams, and no matter what she will be there beside him to help him.

In regards to the final, actual sex scene, I couldn't be happier with how it played out. We got glimpses of this special and romantic moment between them that fans have been waiting for for 3 years. Seeing that first kiss and then the way Finn lightly clutched Rachel's back was wonderful. Then seeing them laying down and just looking at each other trying to remember every moment. When their hands interlaced it the perfect metaphor of them becoming one and it was so lovely. My favorite part of that montage was when Rachel's head was sitting on Finn's chest and he stroked her hair and they just sat gazing at each other in this perfect moment. It wasn't overtly sexual but it was immensely romantic and just demonstrated how special their love for one another is.

Overall, it was just an amazing episode that is already one of my favorites and will become a favorite of many others I suppose. I can't say enough about how much I loved this episode, it was just wonderful.

xoxo,
Amanda

Delicious and easy smores pie via Pinterest

After thousands of pins on Pinterest I have actually accomplished a huge feat, I've finally made something I pinned!

 Smore's Pie

My mouth started watering the moment I saw this smores pie recipe on Pinterest. The recipe sounded delicious and I couldn't resist my love of melted chocolate and gooey marshmallows.

The recipe called for melting chocolate for the pie filling but when I decided to make this I was feeling lazy. It was a Sunday and I just couldn't get myself to stand over a stove melting chocolate. Instead, I used chocolate fudge pudding as the filling, it was still incredibly tasty.

I do plan on making it the way the recipe calls for, but for a quick and still delicious desert this shortcut was perfect. The warm gooey marshmallows were so delicious with the smooth pudding. All anyone could say when they tried it was yum...yum...yum. We were all too focused on eating to say anything else. It was that good.

xoxo,
Amanda

DIY Lace and Chain necklace

I am always up for new accessory DIY's. Accessories are the easiest way to jazz up a simple outfit and to make yourself look more put together, instantly. As I was flipping through this month's InStyle magazine, I spotted this necklace I really liked.

The idea to DIY it was kind of immediate and I knew making it wouldn't be difficult at all, so I was all over this idea.

Supplies:
1 yard of gold chain
1 yard of small black lace
needle and thread

First I attached the end of the chain to one end of lace. Since the lace is thin in some parts try and put the stitches in a sturdy section. I put in few extra stitches just to be safe.

Continue stitching the chain on top of the lace every few links until you reach the end.

At the end I had some extra chain so I just pulled open a link and closed the necklace that way. A jump ring would work just as well.

Voila!

This is one of those DIY's when I really liked the idea but once I completed it, I was totally in love. It was such an easy project, and it took barely any time at all. I actually did this while watching tv!

If you want to add just a touch of lace to your outfit this is a perfect option for you. I can think of so many outfits that this necklace would work perfectly with. It's such a versatile accessory, I can't wait to wear it.

xoxo,
Amanda

New Nailpolish Monday

My girly nail polish kick is o-v-e-r. I decided to go with a polish this week that is way not what I usually go for.

This week I decided to go with Sally Hansen's Complete Salon Manicure in Midnight in NY. It's kind of hard to tell but it has really small flecks of glitter in it. You can tell when you look up close and it's so cute. It gives the usual black some personality. I also really love it because of the name-I love NY and this is just fab.

I really like this color but just like any black polish it's really hard to apply it perfectly. There are always gonna be a few imperfections and it drives me nuts. I also had to trim my nails short because I didn't think long nails with black polish would good- a little too witch-y for me.

Overall I really like the polish and with some practice I would definitely use it more.

xoxo,
Amanda