Inexpensive, Unique, & Homemade Valentine Gift Ideas!

February 12, 2013 by 8 Comments

Inexpensive, Unique, & Homemade Valentine Gift Ideas!

 

Chocolate, flowers, and diamonds are all great gifts.  Not many people will disagree with that.  Showing your love how much you care doesn’t have to be expensive with a little thought, time, and creativity.  Here are 5 inexpensive unique homemade valentine gift ideas to help get your creative juices flowing.

 

Before we get started, I just want to throw out a quick reminder to everyone to think about what your significant other’s love language is. For help with figuring that out see the book, The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts or take the online Love Language quiz.  If you know how they “hear” you say I love you then you’ll be able to find the perfect gift for them!  For instance, if your husband loves to hear words of affirmation you could do #3 the Celtic Heart Knot and frame it with a backdrop of a list of the reasons you love him. {You like the way he smiles, the way he cooks pancakes perfectly, etc.}.  If your wife’s love language is gifts of service then you could plan a relaxing evening for her with say #1’s Homemade Bath Bombs, a soothing CD, and a few hours to herself while you and the kids straighten up and clean the house for her.  Once you know you’re loved one’s love language you can find the perfect gift for them!  Now for our 5 gift ideas…

 

 

Homemade Bath Bombs

  •  Homemade Bath Bombs – These fizzy bombs delight kids and adults alike and leave your skin silky smooth.  They often are a rare luxury in our house because they cost a pretty penny however, I have found a DIY bath bomb recipe on WikiTalks.com and you can check out that recipe here.  I can’t wait to try this out myself!

 

 

Paper Fortune Cookie Pattern

  •  Paper Fortune Cookies – These fortune cookies are adorable and perfect for the last minute gifter.  These are so simple to make!  Visit Design. Wash. Rinse. Repeat. for all the details.

 

 

Celtic Heart Knot

  • Celtic Heart Knot – Fusion Knots has a video to guide you step by step to help you make your own Celtic heart knot.  You could use a number of different types of string or rope to make a beautiful necklace or bracelet with this beautiful heart design.  I think my favorite would be to have a thick white rope, like the one shown above, and have it framed with a dark colored backing.  Maybe a hunter green or deep red.  I think that would be lovely!   

 

 

Love Letters

  • Love Letters – These “love letters” aren’t a stack of handwritten notes where you’ve poured out your heart and soul and undying devotion to the one you love.  Although, I highly recommend those as a homemade Valentine gift too!  These are the beautifully designed letters from a fellow blogger, Liz from Hoosier Homemade.  Aren’t they darling?  While I adore over the top pink, frilly, and girlieness you could also make these in colors that coordinate with your home decor so that you could keep them up and enjoy them year-round.    

 

 

Free Love Coupons

 

  • Free Love Coupons – I Heart Nap Time has free printable love coupons for you to print and assemble your own love coupon book.  This is a simple gift but a thoughtful one too!  If you do this don’t forget to choose coupons that are perfect for your sweetheart’s love language.

 

Whatever you give this Valentine’s Day make sure it’s from the heart and that the recipient is 100% confident of your love.  If you do that, you can’t go wrong!

 

Happy Valentine’s Day!

 

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How to Get Katy Perry’s Grammy Nails

February 10, 2013 by 4 Comments

Katy Perry's Grammy Nails

 

Did you watch the Grammy’s tonight?  This was the 55th annual Grammy Awards and the biggest trend this year was smokin’ hot nails.  Katy Perry looked to celebrity manicurist, Kimmie Keyes, for help completing her red carpet look.  While I wasn’t a big fan of her dress {I can’t help it, I like modesty!}, I did love her nails.  Kimmie  created her nail design with an affordable brand we all know and love, Sally Hansen.

 

To get this dreamy nail design at home, use Sally Hansen’s Complete Salon Manicure in Pink Pong on the nail and Gem Crush Nail Color in Big Money under the tips.

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Winter Blues – Nail Polish Trend

February 6, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Winter Blues

 

Here are the perfect hues to wipe away those winter blues!  That’s a pretty catchy phrase, huh?  I made that up myself; feel free to quote me.

 

I’ll be honest, I’ve never been a fan of blue nail polish.  To me it’s always been too bold and even a little child-like.  However these new richer blue shades have won me over.  Aren’t they elegant?  You can choose any shade from a deep cornflower to a midnight blue and still being in style this season.  Just be careful to not use this bold trend if your nails are too long because you don’t want to veer into tacky territory.

 

If you’re interested in any of the polishes above you can buy them at these locations:

 

Please note that these prices could change at any time; this is just what they are listed at today when I wrote the post.

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Blue Heart Nail Art – For Valentine’s Day!

February 5, 2013 by 10 Comments

Blue Heart Nail Art

 

I wanted to do a little nail art for Valentine’s Day but I didn’t want it to be too girly.  I know that everyone doesn’t live in the pink, frilly, lacy, sparkly world that I do.  These nails have a beautiful subdued blue polish with a small shimmery heart — It’s like a mini Valentine to yourself!

I applied Julep Nail Polish in Julianne and painted the heart off to the side with Revlon in Silver Dollar.  I’m sure you could recreate this look using any polish in your stash and it would look just as good.  I love how the heart isn’t perfectly even; I think it adds to the charm and makes this nail art less intimidating to copy.

Would you do an easy heart manicure like this?  If so, what colors do you think you’d use?

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E-cigarette Reviews – Do they work?

February 2, 2013 by 8 Comments

I don’t usually post about such “hot topic” issues as this but it seems that I’m hearing more and more about people trying to quit smoking.  That is probably due to new years resolutions but I’m sure the economy doesn’t help either. E-cigarettes, do they work?

Over the past couple of years electronic cigarettes have been gaining popularity among people looking to quit smoking.  These products haven’t came without heavy controversy though.  I’ve been in the presence of a few different friends discussing the use of them lately so I was curious and wanted to do some research of my own.

I’ve found that some electronic cigarettes contain tobacco and some don’t.  Some may have potential risks and safety concerns and some don’t.  I still don’t know everything there is to know {far from it really!} but I found a website that has a ton of helpful electronic cigarette reviews, ecigarettes365.com.  To make an educated decision on electronic cigarettes you can check out their site and quickly compare more than 50 different e-cigarette brands and benefit from over 1,900 electronic cigarette reviews & ratings.  They even have a thorough review of the blu cig brand which I’ve heard is gaining a lot of popularity lately.  I’m not telling you what to do but if you’re looking to quit smoking, I wouldn’t pass up electronic cigarettes without first taking a close look at them.

Tobacco use still remains the single largest preventable cause of disease and premature death in the US but still more than 45 MILLION Americans smoke cigarettes.  I read that, as of 2010, there were also 13.2 million cigar smokers in the US, and 2.2 million who smoke tobacco in pipes.  That’s a lot of tobacco!

Do you or a loved one need to get serious about kicking this habit?  If you choose an electronic cigarette that doesn’t have health and safety problems, think of how great that would be.  You won’t be exposing yourself or anyone around you to any of the unhealthy components found in traditional cigarettes, such as carbon monoxide, carcinogens, tobacco, tar or ash.  Bleh!  Plus, I’m assuming that e-cigarettes would be cheaper…although don’t quote me on that!  Think how great it would be to say goodbye to yellow teeth, bad breath, and potentially smoking all together.

My dad chewed snuff when I was younger.  Ugh, the thought of that still grosses me out to this day.  When the dentist told him he had better quit or he was going to lose his teeth, he listened.  He tried to quit cold turkey but that didn’t work.  Instead he used a substitute chew to take it’s place as he slowly weaned himself off it.  Sometimes habits are hard to break.  Who am I kidding?  All habits are hard to break, aren’t they?

I am NOT sharing this post to sound better than anyone or to tell anyone what to do.  I’ve just had quite a few friends discussing this lately and after I’ve done my research I’ve found that some of their information wasn’t correct.  All I’m saying is that if you’re looking to quit smoking, this might be a good option for you.  I hope you can see my heart in this.  I think the world of you guys!

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49ers Football Fashion

January 28, 2013 by 5 Comments

This post contains affiliate links.

49ers Super Bowl Fashion

 

Who says football and fashion don’t mix? This is a beautiful set perfectly portraying the love one has for the 49ers and their sense of style!  While most of these items are modestly priced there are a few that are a little more extravagant.  If you’re a die hard 49ers fan you’ll wear these long after the Super Bowl so think of it as a football fashion investment.

 

  • Red Rose Stud Earrings – $4 at DixieLandDelight on Etsy. {I want these!}
  • Women’s Sweetheart Boot Cut Jeans – $29.50 at OldNavy.com.
  • Nike Women’s 49ers Tee Shirt – $28 at FinishLine.com.
  • Wing Tote Bag – $24 at NewLook.com.
  • Women’s 49ers Wedge Shoes – $65 at NFLShop.com.
  • Tom Ford Nail Lacquer in Smoke Red – $30 at Bloomingdales.com.
  • Women’s 49ers Leather Strap Watch – $40 at Macys.com.
  • 49ers Sterling Silver Crystal Logo Y Necklace – $125, on sale Buy One, Get One Half Off at Kohls.com.
  • 49ers Legend Silver Tone Red Glass Logo Charm Bracelet – $150, on sale Buy One, Get One Half Off at Kohls.com.

Don’t forget to check out our cute Big Game Nail Art too!

Not a 49ers fan?  Check out our Ravens Football Fashion instead!

How do you plan to show your team spirit on game day?

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Ravens Football Fashion

January 28, 2013 by 5 Comments

This post contains affiliate links.

Ravens Super Bowl Fashion

If you’re a Ravens fan through and through then come time for the Super Bowl you’re probably going to be dressed head to toe in purple. Here are a few ideas I came up with to help  you show your devotion to your team while keeping your fashion sense in check. Most of these fashions are pretty affordable too!

  • Essie’s Sexy Divide nail polish – $4.56 at Amazon.com.
  • Revlon 16-Hour Eye Shadow Quad – $5.62 at Amazon.com.
  • Nike Baltimore Ravens Women’s Fleece Pants – $55, on sale for $38.50 at FinishLine.com.
  • Nike Baltimore Ravens Women’s Super Bowl XLVII Tee – $28 at FinishLine.com.
  • Nike Air Max 2013 Shoe – $220 at Nike.com.
  • Ravens Sterling Silver Script Pendant & Necklace – $200, on sale Buy One, Get One Half Off at Kohls.com.
  • Ravens Sterling Silver Crystal Linear Drop Earrings – $200, on sale Buy One, Get One Half Off at Kohls.com.
  • Baltimore Ravens Cap – $27.99 at CraniumsFitted.com.

Don’t forget to check out our cute The Big Game Nail Art too!

Not a Ravens fan?  Check out our 49ers Football Fashion instead!

In what ways do you plan to show your support on game day?  

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The Big Game Nails

January 24, 2013 by 14 Comments

This post contains affiliate links.

Football Nails

 

With the Super Bowl just around the corner I’m celebrating with a little nail art!  I don’t know why but I just get in these nail design moods from time to time.  I hope you enjoy my Big Game nails!  I included both teams because I don’t have a favorite in this game.  Actually, I only watch the Super Bowl for the commercials and the fun snacks {check out my favorite The Big Game dip recipe!}.

 

Here’s what I used to make this manicure happen:

If you like this manicure feel free to pin it on Pinterest.  If you give this manicure a try yourself I would love to see your pictures!

Are you excited for the Super Bowl?  If so, what teams are you cheering for?

Filed Under: Life Lately, Tips

Shaklee 180 Healthy Blogger Competition Application

January 23, 2013 by 16 Comments

Shaklee 180 Blogger

 

 

Do you remember the Shaklee Cinch program that I just completed 6 months of?  If not check out my 6 month Shaklee wrap up post and my Shaklee 180 Ambassador application video.  Well, Shaklee has launched a new blogger program to go along with their new line!  Cinch is no more but Shaklee’s new program is called Shaklee 180.  Isn’t that a great name?  I just love the imagery it creates.  It makes me visualize the back of an overweight person as they turn around and are magically transformed into a more fit person.  Shaklee 180 isn’t magic but it does work!  If you’re a blogger and would love to join Shaklee on a weight loss/inch loss journey then come and sign up.  You’ll get six months worth of product  in exchange for you sharing your experience  with your readers.  The products you receive will include two meals a day, snacks, and a supplement.  Plus, you’ll have opportunities to win great prizes just for participating!

 

Do you want to be healthier, lose those stubborn pounds, and have blogging friends to encourage you along the way?  Are you ready to do a 180?  Take your shape in a whole new direction™ and apply to the Shaklee 180 Healthy Blogger Competition program! At the bottom of the application don’t forget to fill in that Embracing Beauty referred you.

 

Here’s a look at the great prizes you could win:

  • A grand prize that includes a $2,500 Visa Card, an all-expense paid trip for you and a friend for a weekend trip away, including airfare and travel to Lake Austin Spa and Resort rated as the #1 spa destination in North America, according to Conde’ Nast Traveler Magazine,for a 3 night stay that includes meals, fitness classes, activities, make-over and full-photo shoot for the winner
  • An opportunity to be chosen for a Shaklee 180™ video promotion and a trip to Shaklee HQ in California.
  • For selected bloggers who participate monthly incentives, including paid Facebook advertising for your blog, workout gear, shoes, equipment, and more.

 

If you get accepted I promise you won’t regret it.  Being apart of the Shaklee blogger team was incredible.  I’ve met a lot of tremendous women along the way and one of them will be a regular blogger pretty soon so keep your eyes peeled for more information on that!  I’m sure you’ll just love this program.  Please, please, please let me know if you’re accepted so I can celebrate with you!!!

 

So what are you waiting for?  Go here to see the Shaklee 180 Blogger Application with all the details!  Oh, and don’t forget to mention at the bottom of the application that Embracing Beauty referred you!

 

You can “Like” Shaklee 180 on Facebook, and follow Shaklee 180 on Twitter to stay on top of their latest news.

 

Disclaimer: Results and experiences from the Shaklee 180 Program are unique for each person, so results may vary. People following the weight loss portion of the Shaklee 180 program can expect to lose 1-2 pounds a week.  This post is on behalf of the Shaklee Corporation.  For more information please see my disclosure policy.

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Primp and Prep with Hpnotiq

January 17, 2013 by 10 Comments

This post brought to you by Hpnotiq. All opinions are 100% mine.

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I was asked to check out the new Primp & Prep site from Hpnotiq and it’s pretty unique!  It’s a site that’s full of information and advice for a great time out on the town.  They have fashion tips, beauty advice, music, celeb gossip, and more!

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This site is nice for those who don’t always have time to stay on top of the hottest trends.  Fashion trends change fast and when you finally get a night off for a fun girl’s night on the town the last thing you want is to run around worrying about what to wear.  All you have to do is go to this site and check out the hottest trends and find the ones that fit your style.

 

You know that I like all things related to beauty so it’s no surprise that my favorite part of the site is the articles related to beauty.  They select the best articles from top beauty sites, like Glamour, and add them to their site so you can access them all in one easy place!

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This site also has fun music for you to listen to while you’re getting ready to go to town and party with your hair down music up!  Of course you can still listen to it while you’re getting ready to go out for a romantic dinner too.  If you’re interested, go and check our the site for yourself.  It’s a one of a kind!

 

If you chose to go out around alcohol don’t forget that you must be 21 years or older to drink alcoholic beverages and as always, please remember to drink responsibly…if you chose to drink at all.
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