Fall Emerald Makeup Tutorial & OOTD

Happy Friday the 13th, ya'll! dun dun dunnnnn...

But seriously, I'm not a superstitious person at all, so to me, it's just another day!
So on this Friday the 13th, I'm bringing you all another Fall makeup tutorial. A gorgeous, pretty (LUCKY) emerald.  Emerald is THE color for Fall where fashion and accessories are concerned, so why not makeup too?
Best part? This one is super easy! I LOVE it! I hope you all do too.
Oh, and don't miss my little Fall transitional OOTD at the end of the video. Seriously, Fall... Can the weather cool off soon around here?? PLEEASE? I'm ready to bust out my new boots...

Products Used:
Nars eye shadow primer
MAC eye pencil in Landscape Green
MAC eye shadows:
Humid
Contrast
Soft Brown
Vapour
Sigma Beauty eye shadow in Define
Nars Larger than Life eye pencil in Via Veneto
L'Oreal Carbon black Lineur Intense
Chanel le Volume de Chanel mascara
Chanel Bronze Universal
Chanel Blush in Malice
Fresh Sugar lip treatment in Honey
Dior lipgloss in 157
Sigma Beauty makeup brushes


not shown in video:
Make Up For Ever Mat Velvet+ liquid foundation
Sigma Beauty brow powder in Medium

Antique dining room chair makeover...

Hey guys! So today I'm coming at you with another home post. I'm going to *try* to at least do one per week from now on to mix things up! I just think they're so fun.

Anyway, today's post involves something that made me quite nervous. If you guys know me at all by now, you probably realize that when it comes to home stuff and diy, I get my hands dirty and take chances. Painting rarely makes me nervous.  Well this project totally got me.

See, when we moved into our last house years back, my Grandma gave me her dining room hutch, table, and chairs that were in storage. She had not used them since she moved from her house years back (she's lived with my parents for years), so I jumped at the chance to use them since I always loved them growing up and have so many memories of Thanksgivings, family dinners, and game nights around it. Hey, I even used the chairs to make some killer blanket forts in her living room as a kid, just saying.

Now I was a bad blogger and didn't really take many before shots because this project came about sort of quickly and I just jumped on it.  So I came up with a serious throwback "before" shot.
WAAAAY "before" I like to call it.
Here we are circa 1992 at Thanksgiving. I'm the one stuffing my face in the background...

Classic.

At our old place, our dining room was VERY brown. I loved that dark and dramatic room. I lovingly refer to it as "cinnamon" rather than brown of course, but I always felt like the brown chairs, brown table, brown hutch, brown brown brown... was too much. So I slapped some cheap chair covers over them in white to give the room some contrast.

It was ok, but definitely not working at the new house.
Mostly because the new dining room is much lighter and brighter than the old. So the white chair covers weren't really doing the dining room's vibe any favors.

So I removed the covers for a while. Again, too much brown. Maybe if the walls were a lighter and brighter white or cream, but the walls are a really warm golden tan. So not enough contrast to do the pretty brown finish any favors. FYI... the wall color is still a mystery to me. Some of you asked about it in my "office redo" post. The painters who repainted the house before we moved in left all the paint except for this one.... Which they used in about 90% of the house. Awesome, guys. Awesome.
I'm thinking it may be Tobacco Road by Sherwin Williams. Just because they used all other SW paints and I've compared a ton of photos of it and it's pretty darn close.

Anyway, back to the chairs. I decided I wanted to repaint them a rich, glossy, onyx black.  The room has other black accents (black chandelier shades and lampshades) and a black little sideboard piece of furniture, so I knew it would look fab.

The problem?? Convincing Grandma. I know she gave them to me and all, but I still felt like I needed to ask her permission before possibly ruining the chairs she loves so much.

The initial conversation didn't go super well.  I asked. Grandma got scared. Before she could hear me out, I could hear panic in her voice at the thought that I was going to whip out a paintbrush and slap black paint all over her beloved chairs.
So I sent her some photos of similar chairs in black and she started to come around. Permission, granted.
I got started.... And it took FOREVER.

This process was pretty tedious just because the chairs have so many spindles. I began by cleaning them super well and then sanding the finish to remove any of the glossy texture they had so the new paint would adhere.
We had such great luck with the Glidden Interior/Exterior high gloss paint in Black Onyx on our banisters (check out that transformation here), that I knew it would work great on the chairs.

Well, it totally did!
...and Grandma's diggin' it too.

I used an angled brush (one typically used for "cutting in" around trim) to paint all the spindles and edges. For the flat "ladder" pieces on the back, I used a small foam roller to get super smooth results since those reflect the most light and would show the most brush strokes.
I used a tiny brush to get around the areas where the wood meets the woven seats. I covered the seats with aluminum foil (hey, it worked) to avoid any drips or splatters. Only once did I drip paint onto one of the seats on an exposed area. Which almost gave me a heart attack. I saw my Grandma fainting in my mind.  I decided to just let it dry and peel it off later rather than smear it around.  I was shocked that it actually worked!

The trick was being patient between coats. I let each coat fully dry before starting the next. Which wasn't usually a problem because there are 7 of these bad boys and it took quite a while to make it through each one.

After painting them, even when the final coat had dried for hours, they were still a bit "tacky" to the touch. High gloss paint typically does that until it's fully cured for several days. So we were really careful with them for a few weeks and didn't touch them or sit on them for a long time. Which wasn't difficult because we don't use that table every single day.

I painted them about a month ago and they're perfect now! The paint is super hard and durable. I thought about maybe adding some clear lacquer to them to help them hold up better over the years, but I'm not sure that I need to.

I also added 2 of our new "Kubu" chairs I purchased from Pier 1 a few months ago to the ends. I talked all about them in this recent post about some home updates. They're so unique... I. LOVE. them!

I think the black added so much contrast.  At our last house, we always had such dramatic dining room walls... From super deep red to the dark and dramatic cinnamon-brown.  So I'm LOVING this brighter space that still feels cozy.

Oh and I'm also literally loving the SPACE. Seriously this dining room is huge. At the last house, I always had one of the leaf inserts out and had it set up for 6 place settings. Just last week it totally hit me that I could use the extra leaf section all the time and have it set up for 8.

Still with PLENTY of room... I told you this room was huge! Look how tiny the table still looks even extended for 8!

So I'm really loving this room now. Can't wait to host Thanksgiving this year!  The new look even inspired us to make it a point to actually use this room more often. We use our kitchen table every day for most meals, but it's fun to actually use this space when we want to, rather than feeling like it has to be so "formal" all the time. 

So what do you guys think?? Have you guys done any big diy projects? Painted antique furniture that made you super nervous? Any upset grandmas?  

Some new drugstore beauty goodies...

The drugstore got me again, guys.
I go for just a few "necessities" (you know, body lotion and blue mascara), and come out with a bag full o' goodies.

But seriously, some of my all-time favorite products can be found at the drugstore (proof here). So it tempts me every single time. Hey, you never know when you're going to find the next great thing there!
So check out my new video below for all the goods on the... goods.
Hope you enjoy it!

Have you guys found any gems at the drugstore lately?? 

Fall Trends Vol. 1: Fashion, Haul, Wishlist, & OOTD

So if you've seen my last few posts, you've probably picked up on the fact that the whole yearly "Fall transition" is in full swing around casa de Brad and Tiffany.  At least where preparing for Fall is concerned. I haven't gone as far as to start pulling out any Fall decor or anything like that (we'll save that for another part to this series), but I'm in full-on Fall FASHION prep.

So I recently picked up a few items to kick off the season.
...Which technically doesn't begin until late September, but who's keeping up??
Ok, I am.

In this first "Fall Trends" series video, I show you all some of my new Fall fashion finds and a pretty major splurge.  I also mention a few of my favorite trends where Fall clothing is concerned, as well as some tips on how to transition your wardrobe in a smart way.  Also, since the season is just getting underway (again, almost underway for those of you who like to get technical), I'm sharing with you all my Fall Fashion Wishlist in the video as well.


I LOVE lists. Love. Them. I keep a ton of them on my iPhone. Constantly updating. Constantly crossing things off. I LIVE for crossing things off.
So I go into much more detail in the video and mention a few more things, but here are the main things on my Fall Fashion Wishlist...

1. taller shaft boots (maybe over the knee boots?) Similar to the Stuart Weitzman 50/50 (minus the $600 price tag...)  Looking for an affordable option since I have so. many. boots.
2. suede ankle boots in taupe or light brown
3. bright handbag (I explain this in the video...)
4. flat, more casual ankle boots in black
5. anything "emerald" (I don't mention this trend in the video, although it may pop up in an upcoming Fall Trends video in this series!)

So that's what I'm trying to stick to. For more on my choices, some trends to look for for Fall, OOTD, and a haul of new Fall items (and so much more!), check out my Fall Trends Vol. 1 video below!

Any other shameless iPhone list-makers out there?? What is on YOUR Fall Fashion Wishlist??

Fall Makeup Tutorial (Lorac Pro Palette) & OOTD

I am SO ready for Fall. With all the recent little tastes of cooler weather, all the Fall fashion begging to get into my closet, and college football (oh yeah, and HELLO, it's September!), all the little reminders that Fall is upon us are all around.
I couldn't resist busting out my newest (and much-loved) eye shadow palette for a little Fall fun. The Lorac Pro Palette is seriously one of my favorite beauty purchases of late. Maybe for the entire year.
It's awesome, people.  Proof here.
So today I put together a little video showing you guys one of my favorite Fall looks you can create with the palette (I'll be doing more soon!) as well as a little Fall "transitional" OOTD at the end.
Hope you guys love it!

To see how I create the look step-by-step, more OOTD details, and a Waylon-bomb at the end, check out my newest video for all the goods!




Products used:
*Sigma Beauty Eye Shadow Base in Strike
Lorac Pro Palette
Inglot liquid liner in #29
Nars Larger Than Life Eye Pencil in Via Veneto
Chanel le Volume de Chanel Mascara
MAC Viva Glam V Lipstick
Chanel Bronze Universal
Benefit Rockateur Blush
*Sigma Brushes

not shown in video:
*Sigma Beauty Brow Powder in Medium
Chanel Perfection Lumiere liquid foundation

*Save 10% off your entire purchase at Sigma Beauty with code "LJW2013" through September 30th!

...and some goofy OOTD stills from the video. Didn't photograph this one because, well, it's in the video! ;) Check out the video for more details!

Zara, J. Crew, 7 For All Mankind

...apparently, I'm joining the Rockettes.

Post contains my safe affiliate links to Sigma Beauty

NEW Sigma Beauty Creme de Couture Collection Swatches! GET YOURS FIRST!

Yes, this is an extra sweet and special weekend post... So the Creme de Couture collection literally just hit my doorstep earlier today. I have no self-control and HAD to play!

So this super sweet Sigma Beauty collection is completely inspired by yummy confections. Seriously, all the names, packaging, even the colors make me hungry.  

Let's dig in...

So this collection contains 3 blushes and an eye shadow palette containing 16 colors.  I LOVE the packaging. Reminiscent of a box you'd find yummy little confections inside of...

Here are the blushes...

I seriously cannot handle all this cuteness. Do you see the little inserts inside describing the color? Presh, right?

swatched left to right below: Blackberry Essence, Strawberry Ambrosia, and Cherry Apple 

$12. each

And finally, this beauty. 

Perfect eye shadow-y goodness.

Seriously, my heart can't take it.

swatched in order by rows below

$32.

You can get your hands on this new, yummy collection HERE.

Get yours now, as this collection is limited and selling fast!

Oh, and don't forget to use code "LJW2013" to save 10% off your entire purchase through September 30th!

What are YOUR favorites?? 

I honestly can't pick. But I'm especially craving the Strawberry Ambrosia blush and obviously, the eye shadow palette is a must! This baby will be showing up in lots of future tutorials so stay tuned! ;)

Products provided for my consideration by Sigma Beauty with no agreements or obligations to feature or review. Post contains my safe affiliate links.

OOTD's that didn't make the blog...

Let's just be honest... have ANY OOTD's made the blog lately?? haha ;)

So I've been majorly slacking with OOTD's for the blog lately. Most of the time, I'm running out the door snapping a quick photo for my Instagram with my iPhone rather than setting up the camera outside and doing a full-on photo shoot.  Hey, that's life.

So today, I'm putting together all of my recent OOTD's (that may have made Instagram, but not the blog) with a ton more info on each outfit and where I wore it, done Instagram-style complete with iPhone camera awesomeness.... no.

Toward the bottom, some of these go way back! Seriously did not realize I hadn't done this in so long!
Hope you guys enjoy it :)

This is my "hanging on to Summer" look. With last week's cooler weather (and hello, college football starts this weekend!!), it's reminding me that Summer is coming to a close. So I thought I'd wear this fun, Summery outfit while I still could!

details:

Forever 21 top, J. Crew shorts, necklace from shopdressup.com, Tory Burch shoes, thecurrentcustom.com cuff bracelets, clear studded bracelet from Forever 21

This is what I like to call a "cooler weather" outfit (for this time of year, at least). It's been hotter than you-know-where around here lately, so the little "chill" we had in the air last week was very welcome. And called for my favorite skinny jeans, obviously.  May have to invest in a new pair of these this season!

details:

top: PacSun, 7 For All Mankind "The Skinny" skinny jeans, Tory Burch wedges, Louis Vuitton Lumineuse PM, Tom Ford Sunglasses, cuff bracelets from thecurrentcustom.com

This was a fun and comfortable little outfit. My friend came into town to stay with us so I wore this to the airport to pick her up and then out for a fun day of shopping around the city.

details:

Forever 21 top, Club Monaco scalloped shorts, Forever 21 shoes, Louis Vuitton Lumineuse PM, Stella & Dot pendant, Michael Kors watch

LOVE. THESE. PANTS. I scored these on a major end of season sale at Club Monaco last year. I also got them in another fun print that I can't wait to wear. Perfect for Fall.

details:

Express tanks, Club Monaco pants, Forever 21 shoes, Louis Vuitton Lumineuse PM, Michael Kors Watch, thecurrentcustom.com cuff bracelets, Henri Bendel sparkle bracelet, Jennifer Zeuner monogram pendant

 This outfit is so easy and comfortable. Yet looks so put-together. Love outfits like these...

details:

dress from shopdressup.com, LV Lumineuse PM, BCBG necklace, Michael Kors Watch, Henri Bendel bracelet

Another super-easy, comfortable look. Gotta love a good maxi dress.

details:

J. Crew dress, Sam Edelman leopard Gigi sandals, LV Lumineuse PM (can you tell I love this bag?), Jennifer Zeuner monogram pendant, Michael Kors watch, Tom Ford sunglasses

This outfit was the most perfect and easy "shopping day" look. Comfortable, put-together, and easy. Love it.

details:

LNA top, Club Monaco shorts, Forever 21 shoes, LV Lumineuse PM, Stella & Dot necklace

hmm... I really must love these shorts too! ;)

 details:

Michael Stars top, Club Monaco shorts, Forever 21 shoes, Nashelle initial pendant

This picture freaks me out. Maybe its the hands coming together...  Most of the time, I'll edit photos together like this on Instagram because they crop it into a square and it's hard to see the whole outfit. If you do it side-by-side like this, you can see more of it, closer-up. It makes sense, I swear. ;)

details:

Lucca Couture romper, Henri Bendel earrings

I love this top. It's so soft and comfy and perfect for traveling! I was headed to New York that particular morning.

details:

Club Monaco top, 7 For All Mankind zip-ankle skinnies, Forever 21 shoes, LV Lumineuse PM

I LOVED this look. Besides wearing one of my very favorite tops, the skull belt gave it something extra.

details:

Zara top, 7 For All Mankind skinny jeans, Tory Burch wedges, LV Neverfull GM, belt from shopdressup.com, Stella & Dot necklace

And finally, this look proves that an awesome pair of shoes can make the most basic look look fabulous.

details:

Club Monaco top, 7 For All Mankind zip-ankle skinnies, Steve Madden shoes, Jennifer Zeuner pendant

So especially with Fall coming up around the corner (and lots of new looks to try), I'll definitely make it a point to do more OOTD posts for the blog! I miss them ;)  If you're a fan of OOTD's, don't miss my current videos where I'm starting to throw them in at the end!

Have a fabulous weekend!!