How I did my "Floating Shelves Photo Wall"

Two "how-to's" in a row, I'm on a roll!  I first talked about my vision for a photo wall in my living room here. 

And as I mention in my original post, the first time I knew I wanted to do a floating shelves photo wall in my living room "entry way" was from watching my fave non-reality show, Parenthood.  Then I stumbled across Kristen's floating photo wall she copied from this lovely lady and I knew exactly what I wanted to do. 

It only took me, ohhhhh, 2 months to finally finish, but hey ... it's done, I absolutely LOVE it and that's all that matters.  Not kidding, I kick back on my couch and stare at it every day:

HERE IS HOW I DID IT:

1. Gather Supplies

Priority one was buying the shelves.  I got mine at Garden Ridge for $24.99/shelf and they are 3 feet long in an Espresso color.   I found a very similar shelf at Hobby Lobby for $44.99 half off last week ($22.99/shelf), but I wasn't going to mess with returning and re buying just to save $6.  Although I should have, gas prices are too high and I'm too lazy to mess with that. 

I'm not going to lie to you and tell you the shelves were easy to hang.  They were anything but.  I was sweating and cursing trying to get those biatches hung.  It literally took me 2 days to finish hanging them because I quit half way in.  I needed a break.

Priority 2 was getting everything to put on the shelves. 
While I was at Garden Ridge, I bought 2 picture frames.  One was $2.99 and the other was on clearance for $3.99.  The rest of the picture frames I bought at Burlington Coat Factory of all places.  Super random, I know.  I got them in a package that was 10 frames for $9.99.  They were a hideous gold, but I knew I could easily paint them. 

I already owned the candle + candle sticks (from Target) and 2 of the picture frames that I used (Kohl's).

I bought the round mirror and large "L" at the Hob Lob for $9.99 and $3.50 ish.  They were both half off.

2. Once I got the shelves hung (FML), I "staged" them so I could figure out which frames were going where before I painted them. 

3. Next, I painted the tacky gold frames.
I bought acrylic paint and a paint brush from Michael's.  As y'all saw here, my living room is mostly deep brown with red accents, so that's what I painted the frames.

It's currently around 100 degrees in Dallas, so I just put them on my balcony to dry and it took less than hour to dry even with 3 coats of paint.   

4. The last thing I did was print pictures @ CVS. 
I converted each picture to a Sepia color using Picnik.  I had a hard time deciding if I wanted the photos in color, black and white or sepia, but eventually decided on sepia.  Sepia has a brownish tint to it, and since my living room is mostly browns, I thought it would match best.

I saved this fortune that I got when I was in a really sad place after the break-up with Lucifer.  I've always had it on my fridge, but I decided to mat it (used gold wrapping paper from Christmas) and frame it.  It means something to me because the fortune was so true for me, so I love it.

Once everything was painted and framed, I decorated the shelves.  This is the finished product, I hope this "how-to" helps you if you are looking to recreate something similar!  If you still have questions (I hope I didn't leave anything out), just email  me or comment this post and I will be happy to answer!

How-to: Easy fake lash application

Before I get to the main event, I had to show my chi curled baby poof.  I watched Pink Lou Lou's "how-to poof" instructional "booze bag" video (Her sis calling her a booze bag in the vid was my fave part)  last night.  You may not know this, but PLL is THE best hair poofer this side of the Mason-Dixon line ... just a little FYI.

So this is my attempt at recreating her magical poof. Mine is a baby poof.

 What's with my hand looking like a creeper claw?

OK, enough about my sucky poof skills, In yesterday's post I said I would try to put together a step-by-step "how-to" for my false lash application trick if i could figure out how to explain it.  Well, I'm still not sure I've figured it out, but here's my best effort.  You can't say I didn't try.

You need these three things: lash strips, lash glue and tweezers.

Please excuse my haggard MAC lashes, they have been used and abused.  They're just a prop.

Before you do anything, apply your eye make-up as your normally would including eyeliner and mascara if you wear it.  Read about my eyeliner obsession here and my fave mascara here.

So once you've applied your make-up and are looking gorge, follow these steps:

1. Put a generous dab of eye lash glue on the back of your hand. 

2. This next step may sound weird, but just go with it ...

3. Transfer the glue from the tube to the lash line.

4. Wait about 30 seconds for the glue to become tacky. 

Use tweezers to apply the lashes to your natural lash line, getting as close to the base as possible.  Tweezers make it much easier to manage the placement of the lashes as opposed to trying to use your fingers.

Do as I say, not as i do.  I had already washed my face when I remembered i was going to do this how-to for y'all. 
You want your make-up done before applying lashes. 

5. Use your fingers to press and hold the lashes in place until they are completely dry.  

Here's the finished product.

(I'm wearing MAC lashes in this pic because this was taken 

prior to me discovering the bomb $1 elf natural lashes.)

[SOME FINAL WORDS OF BLONDE WISDOM]

• If this is your first time ever wearing lashes you should know they are going to feel weird when you first put them on, but you'll get used to it and it's totally normal.  Just trust me.

• To remove the lashes, use a warm wet wash cloth.   Let's be honest here ... I'm normally stumbling into my bathroom after a night out, seeing double and just rip those hoes off.  Totally kidding No I'm not.

• I've come to the conclusion that I  have larger than normal eyes.  Lash strips are never long enough for my eyes,  but a lot of people have to cut their falsies down to fit their eyes.  If you are one of those people, just cut them to fit.

It's time!  Get to glamming your eyes up ladies!  I wanna see pics of your lush lashes if you try this how-to.  I hope it helps.  Do you have any additional tips I didn't cover?

Mamma Likey: $1 false lashes

I still don't understand how me of all people, THE "Bargain Blonde", had never ever heard of the e.l.f. beauty line before I started blogging.  Please don't revoke my bargain blogging privileges! 

If you are out of the loop like I was, e.l.f. (stands for "Eyes Lips Face") is a cosmetics line that sells products at $1, $3 and $5 price points.  I recently boasted about my love for this $3 e.l.f. eye shadow brush, and since I had such a strong love connection with the brush, I decided to test out their falsies. 

I mean, I had nothing to lose since they were only $1.  I didn't have high expectations because you just never know, so I tried them randomly recently just for kicks and guess what??  Mamma likey!!  This is the exact kit I used:

e.l.f. Essential Natural Lash Kit

The lashes are REUSABLE. The set includes: Contour tray, lashes and a tube of lash adhesive gel

The e.l.f. Web site claims these falsies will help "achieve those batty lashes that will make any guy swoon."  I don't know about all that because no dudes were "swooning", but they are definitely pretty amaze.  And cheap.  One dollar make ya holla! 

I only wear falsies for special events and until a few years ago, I didn't know how to apply them myself so I only wore them when I got my make-up done at MAC (only place that does my make-up how I like).  So here I am in MAC lashes, which used to be my fave:

My friend taught me a trick, which has completely simplified the fake eye lash application process.  They are fairly easy to apply once you know what you are doing.  I'll do a step-by-step tutorial on applying lashes using the trick IF I can figure out how to properly describe it.  We'll see, so don't get your hopes up. 

HOWEVER, if I'm "keepin' it real" as my girl Raven says...

I do have one complaint about the e.l.f. lashes and I don't know if I was having a blonde moment, but I could not get ANY glue to come out of the tube that came with the kit.  I had eye lash glue on hand from Sally's, so I just used that.  Maybe I just got a faulty tube?  Anyway, the glue I use is Adell LashGrip Adhesive for Strip Lashes in dark (dries clear).

So I'm sure you're scrolling down waiting to see these bad boys in action, but I've got some bad, truly tragic news ... I am an idiot and forgot to take a picture of me wearing them that night, so just close your eyes and imagine that my eyes looked like they did in the pictures above. They really make my eyes pop, right?

Home Tour Week 3: Living Room!

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It's Week 3 of my "Home Tour" series, and this week I'm featuring my living room, which is where I spend the majority of my time lounging and being a certified bum.

When I got the keys to my first apartment after I graduated (Umm, just realized that was almost 5 years ago ... barf.), I basically owned nothing because all of the apartments I lived in during college were fully furnished.  I had my clothes and bedding, but I didn't even have a bed.  It was a pitiful sight.

I had to be extremely patient because I'm the kind of person that when I want something done I want it done yesterday.  I still haven't done everything I've wanted to do with my place, but I've gotten as far as I have by furnishing and decorating ONE piece at a time.

My one decorating goal has always been to make my apt cozy and "homey".  I hope I've somewhat accomplished my goal.  You'll have to let me know what you think:

[FYI] I've had a few comments about my curtains and the window.  I know it's hard to tell from the pic, but the top of the window is supposed to be showing.  Their are 2 "French Doors" that my curtains cover and then above the doors are the uncovered windows meant to let light in.  Make sense?

I literally just finished this project Sunday afternoon and will post an entire blog about it later this week. 
I'm obsessed with how it turned out!

The lamp, mirror and vases are all from Kirklands. 
To the right of the hallway is my bathroom and to the left is my guest room/office and my bedroom.

A little unknown fact about me: I was editor-in-chief of my university's yearbook my junior and senior year.  Hence, why I have them displayed.  They are my little pride and joys, and I totally don't blame you for being jealous.

There you have it, now you've creeped my living room.  Next week you can show us your guest room, office or both (mine are the same room).

If you want everyone to creep your living room too, link up below:

These are my confessions ...

I haven't confessed in a while, so this should be good.  Well, we'll see.  I haven't really thought about what I'm going to confess so it could be really lame. 

Forgive me blog world, for I have sinned ...

I confess that I love compliments especially when they involve people telling me how much they love my hair like 3 times already this morning.  I'm totally kidding, but not really.  As y'all know I got my hair cut yesterday (LOVE it) and I'm sure everyone thinks they have the best hair stylist ever, but I really do.  I mean, he is the hair stylist for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.  Enough said. 

Too bad I don't walk out of the salon with their bodies too.  If you live in Dallas and want the best hair ever, let me know and I'll give you his information. 

All right, so I tried to take this really quick this morning in the work restroom.  So SKEEZEY, I know.  I didn't want anyone popping in on me as I took a self-portrait, so this is the best I could do.  Ugh, why am I so creepy?  I look weird, like a major chester.  p.s. this is slept on hair.

I confess that I always use handicap restrooms and handicap changing rooms because I like that they are roomier.  So rude, I know.

I confess that I'm secretly nervous a crew from Hoarders is going to bust into my apartment any day now.  I am living in squalor, and I have to clean my apartment this weekend if it's the last thing I do.  Yes, that's a Miller Lite can on my bathroom counter. 


Grandma and Mom, I swear this is not normal.

 I confess that I have wanted a gay husband for the longest and I FINALLY found mine.  His name is Robert (hi, Robert), he's amazing and we met the night of my friend Kristi's bachelorette party.  My BFF Liz is so jealous it's not even funny.  Any available gay hubs out there?  She's taking applications. 

I confess that as a child, I was an aspiring cat mystery writer.  My mom dug these up for me and I'm pretty sure you're going to want to order copies of both ASAP.

I confess that I am not Betty Crocker.  I had a slight issue baking a Memorial Day cake for the river.  Who can't properly bake a boxed cake?  Apparently me. I think the issue was that I tried to take it out of the pan before it had cooled off all the way.  It was nothing a little icing and sprinkles couldn't fix:

All right ladies, I confessed and now it's your turn. What secrets are you keeping? Spill.