Home Sweet Home: Part 2

The only room I really have left to share is bedroom. I am a little spoiled by how big of a room I got, but I did have plenty to fill it with! I wanted my room to be my own little escape after a long day at work.

  

My room has somewhat of an entry way, which is unique. When you walk in you are greeted by some of my favorite pictures and prints. Across from it, I have somewhat of a command center. A bulletin and magnet board help remind me of upcoming events (like a good friends wedding!) and a calendar keeps me up to date on my {sometimes} crazy life.

   

Also, as I unpacked it became clear that I desperately needed storage and display help. I had so many knick-knacks and things, but no where to put them. I got a very inexpensive shelf at Walmart which helped me to display some of my pictures and such. I also have been trying hard to be healthy and workout, so I needed a cute way to store my gear. This chicken-wire basket was the perfect solution. It houses everything, yet it blends in to the decor in my room.

   

My other storage helpers were this chest and set of drawers (both of which I refinished). The set of drawers acts as my home office area. It is stocked to the gills with my stationary, note pads, pens, and more. It also was the perfect printer holder {which was a bonus}. The sign above is also a great little reminder to do what you love. The chest has been in my family for a super long time, so I was excited to refinish it. I am pretty proud of how it turned out.

I started with an off white base and then I used a stencil and some champagne paint to get this look. A crystal knob helped to really dress it up. This chest is part make shift dresser, part decoration holder. It fit perfectly into my room, though, and I really love how it turned out.

I took a lot of the art work I had at my college apartment, and a couple of new pieces, to create this collage wall around my TV. It really is a great focal point in my room. It also helps me think I am escaping off to Paris at night...

    

My bed has been upgraded with a headboard since college. This headboard was a STEAL on Amazon. I would definitely check out Amazon next time you are hunting for some new home items. I also have probably too many throw pillows, but what can I say, I love them. Above my bed, I have a sweet phrase to wake up and go to bed to. Yes the frame I painted is a little crooked, but this is because it fell the first time I hung it {oops} and I haven't quite fixed it since then.

The last little nook I have is my big window. I framed it with some sheer black ruffled curtains. Under it is this adorable tufted bench that pretty closely matches my headboard. It was perfect for stashing my extra throw blankets. I was also proud that I assembled it a) correctly and b) sturdy-ly.

Well I hope you enjoyed seeing how I decorated my new big-girl home. If you have any questions on where things are from, just let us know in the comments below!

~Madison

Home Sweet Home Pt. 1

So now that everything is calming down and//or I am finally getting into a routine, I have the time to finally share some of the personal touches of my new home. Even though this place is temporary, I still wanted to make sure it felt like a real home (plus I watch way to much HGTV and felt the need to decorate). For part 1 of my "home" tour, I thought I'd share how I've dressed up the living areas of our little town home.

Note: Please disregard the Valentine's decorations...I clearly meant to write this post sooner...

I am currently sharing this place with two of my great friends, so that allowed me to be as girly as I pleased in regards to the decor. That of course meant that floral prints and Tiffany blue kitchen accessories were a must. Since the living areas are where we spend a big portion of our time at home, I wanted it to feel welcoming and home-y. It's also the first areas guest see when they come over, so I wanted to make sure that it came off like we were adults who had our live's together (even though that's a giant no LOL). The dining area is nothing to crazy, but I wanted it to feel bright and open. I refinished this kitchen table all by myself (if you can't tell, I am extremely proud of this). This table was in our old lake house and has to be at least 15 years old. I sanded the whole thing down and used spray paint and some non-traditional techniques to refinish it.

The wood was a little beat up and stained, so straight sanding and staining was not my best option. Instead I used a chocolate brown spray paint and a wet cloth to get the weathered look. I was shocked that it actually turned out semi-decent. I used the same technique on the chair seats. I cleaned up the rest of the table and coated in in an ivory paint to freshen it up. I finished it off with some fun floral place mats, gold accents, and fresh flowers.

My other proud piece in this room was the bar cart I refinished as well. Bar carts seem to be all the rage in every home magazine and Pinterest, but they can be pretty pricey. Clearly since I am a new college grad with a tight budget, I didn't want to blow $150+ on a bar cart at Target. Instead, my mom found an old school solid wood one at a flea market for around $20. $10 or so worth of paint later, and I am pretty happy with the results. I used a glossy black spray paint to coat the frame of the cart. I then used a gold paint on the shelves to dress it up a bit. It fit perfectly in the corner of our dining room and is great for holding our booze, wine glasses, and bar tools. It really has come in handy.

The kitchen in this place is way nicer than we could have ever asked for. I am OBSESSED with the color Tiffany Blue//Light Teal, and was pleased to find kitchen accessories galore in this color. My Frenchie cookie jar was also an awesome find my mom I must say. I also have touches of mason jars scattered throughout since I am clearly super rustic chic.

Our kitchen also has a cute little bay window that housed a patio chair and table set quite well. It's a nice place to sit and enjoy my morning coffee and breakfast.

Lastly, is our adorable little living room. It isn't the biggest room ever, but it does house my new furniture (thanks mom & dad!) quite well. The furniture fit the room perfectly which was a relief considering I picked it out without measuring the room...It is from Rooms To Go in case you're on the hunt for a new set yourself.

My DIY skills came in again with refinishing the TV stand. This is another momma Conway flea market find (she is quite skilled). This steal was around $60 (or less maybe?) and is a super solid piece of furniture. It is an old unit meant for holding dishes or such. I repainted in a dark cherry red//maroon to accent the area rug and furniture.

 

I dressed this room up with lots of gold accents (if you can't tell yet, I am really in to gold right now) as well as some vintage finds. The cool lamp was a random Ross find. It was too unique to pass up. My mom also got me some cool pieces, like the tray, from Hobby Lobby.

 

My favorite decor, though, has to be the floating shelves displaying my vintage cameras. I have been gifted these beauties over the last couple of years, and I absolutely love them. They created a really unique decor piece on a otherwise wasted wall. Overall, I have been extremely happy with our little home. It has been a great place to live in as my first "adult" abode. Stay tuned to see my room tour and other posts from the Everything Glitters Girls. Questions or comments? Leave them below! Until next time, ~Madi

Almay Smart Shade Butter Kiss Lipstick Review & Swatches

I should preface this post by saying I am a makeup junkie.  More specifically, I am a lip product junkie.  I have tried so many products it's unreal.  I love trying new things and trying new colors!  I saw these Almay lip butters at my local Bed, Bath & Beyond and thought I would give them a try.  I absolutely love lip butters as they are easy to put on without really needing a mirror and they provide moisture to the lips.  Here is my review on the colors I picked up (yes, I picked up a lot) and I hope you enjoy!

What I've done is swatched all of the colors on my arm together and then I have swatched them on my lips so you can see what they look like on.  I did not use a lip liner - I just applied them directly to my lips.  Below is a picture of my bare lips so you can see what I started with.

First I will start off with the nude colors.  I picked up two of them.  Here they are side by side.

1. Nude-Light

2. Nude Light-Medium

Next up are the pink shades.  The Pink Light-Medium is the shade Carrie Underwood is wearing in the ad in stores.  The picture doesn't do the color justice as it is much brighter in person!

1. Pink-Light

2. Pink-Light Medium

I really thought I had picked up more than one of the berry shades, but it looks like I only grabbed one.  I really like this shade and might have to look at the other berry options.  Again, the pictures don't do these justice as this is more pigmented in person.

Berry-Light Medium

Last but not least are the red shades.  These are probably the most pigmented out of the bunch.  If you want a red lip, but you don't want something too intense then these might be a great pick for you.

1. Red-Light

2. Red-Light Medium

Overall, I really like these balms.  They have a decent color payoff and and are quite moisturizing.  I like that they have different color options and it makes it very easy to find shades for your skin tone.  They do have some shimmer to them, so if you don't like shimmer I would stay away.  Out of all of them I like the nudes the best.  These could easily be thrown into your purse to apply throughout the day.  I think the Pink-Light Medium will be a great choice for the summer!  These retail for around $5-$6 depending on where you buy them.  I would keep an eye out for when Walgreens or CVS does their BOGO on Almay.  You can find more information about them on Almay's site here: Almay, Butter Kiss Lipsticks- Almay

Have a great week!

Danielle