i haven't given up on my goal of reducing the amount of waste i produce, even though its been ages since i first brought up the subject. i have been busy testing out homemade alternatives to all the products i used to buy, use then throw in the trash (or recycling)! soooo, one of my biggest waste creating products - the oh so convenient make-up remover towelettes. you know, they come in a plastic package (waste), you pull one out, clean your face, and throw it away (more waste). did i mention that these things cost at least $8 dollars a pack (before adding tax)? did i also mention that the number one ingredient is water? followed by other things i can't pronounce. yes ladies, we have been paying close to $10 for paper towels soaked in water. yup. so i did a little internet research and found some recipes for homemade make-up removers. and then i felt awful because for years i'd been wasting my money on those towelettes when the whole time i had everything in my house to make a make-up remover. think of all the clothes i could have bought with that saved money!!!
ultimately, i decided to use the measurements from one recipe i found but different ingredients. this is literally the easiest diy ever and i'm almost embarrassed to even call it that, but i'm sure someone out there will be amazed at this. i decided to use coconut oil instead of olive oil - i don't know if you've heard, and its not scientifically proven, but coconut oil has magical powers. you can use it for everything. i'm pretty sure that when you use coconut oil in a homemade make-up remover it actually makes you more beautiful. like i said, its not scientifically proven but i'm like 90% sure its true. i also used dr. bronner's liquid soap instead of johnson's baby shampoo. dr. bronners is made from vegetables, completely biodegradable and yeah, i also think there might be some kind of magical powers in this soap (the website even says that its magic). homemade make-up remover instructions: grab a jar with a lid. heat one cup of water, you should probably do this on the stove and not in the microwave. pour hot water into the jar, and add one table spoon coconut oil and one tablespoon the soap of your choice. screw the lid onto the jar and shake to combine. that is it. homemade make-up remover. you should wait for it to cool down before using it. and if you are sitting here thinking "zero waste? what about the cotton pads that you will use to apply the make-up remover?" i've got a solution for that too. i made some flannel make-up remover squares like these. you could also just use an old t-shirt that you cut into squares, but the flannel squares are cuter. a few tips - do not use the peppermint dr. bronners, it will burn your eyes. i'd suggest the lavender, rose or the unscented mild baby soap. will you try the homemade make-up remover? i've been using it for months and i works just as well as the expensive, throw away towelettes. let me know what you think in the comments!
i'm super excited about this post because: 1. i feel like i haven't done a really cool diy in a looong time & 2. i'm debuting my first video! that i shot & edited all by myself!! so, you may have noticed my nails in this post and thought "what is that & how do i do it?" the answer is: water marble nails. and this post will show you how to do it!
this is not an easy diy. in fact, i didn't even do my own nails. the first time my friends and i tried this technique we spent 4 hours doing it, and i got so frustrated after i did my first nail that i gave up. luckily my bff anjelica has mastered the technique, so she did my nails for me (twice now)! and this time she let me film her doing her own nails for a video tutorial! although, sooner or later i'm going to have to figure out how to do this myself!
tools:
cup - choose one that was cheap & you don't like. you won't want to drink from it ever again.
room temp. water - must be the perfect temp otherwise it doesn't work. see tips below.
nail polish
nail polish remover
clear top coat
cotton balls
tape - doesn't have to be medical tape, that is just what we used.
toothpicks - a straight pin will work too
old paint brush - or a q-tip if you don't have a brush
patience!!
step 1: choose your colors. two colors is easiest, but you can use more if you like. apply a base coat of the lightest color.
step 2: tape your fingers, leaving the nail exposed. if you don't do this you'll spend hours cleaning nail polish off your fingers!
step 3: start adding the drops of nail polish to your water, alternating the colors. a photo doesn't do this step justice, so check out the video:
a few tips:
- if the water is too cold, the polish will not spread as easily and will dry too quickly.
- if the water is too hot, the polish with drop the the bottom of the cup.
- unscrew the brushes from the bottles before you add the first drop.
- move as quickly as possible when adding the polish drops! if you take too long the polish dries and you have to start over.
- some polish brands work better than others. we had the best luck when at least one of the polishes was lili brand polish. china glaze is supposed to work good too. use cheap polish, you will waste a lot of it (no chanel!).
repeat step 3 until you've done all your nails
step 4: once you've let your nails dry, remove the tape. use the brush dipped in nail polish remover to get any polish off your skin. apply a clear top coat. and you're done!
wow, this sounds a lot easier than it actually is. i would suggest watching at least 3 more video tutorials (there are TONS on youtube). even though its not easy, i love the way this technique looks! each nail had a different pattern, and no one will have the exact same pattern! has anyone tried out this technique? any tips to add? let me know in the comments!
thanksgiving is old news by now. its all about christmas now which actually means its about getting giving presents, and eating lots of treats. and decorating your house with little santas and reindeer and crap like that. in my family we have a tradition of making decorations out of cranberries - an idea my mom got from martha stewart magazine like 15 years ago!
its super easy and cheap! kids can do it! adults can do it! i even had my dog helping me (kinda, not really)! plus, everyone will think you spent money on some fancy wreath and will be oh so impressed when you say you made it your self! this year we decided to add a cone to the cranberry decorations - i guess its supposed to look like a cranberry christmas tree.
materials:
stryofoam wreath or cone. cone takes about half the time (or less).
toothpicks - lots of 'em
cranberries - we had 4 bags you'll have extra when you are done. better too many than not enough!
scissors
step 1: cut the toothpicks in half. i used about three times the amount in the photo below. i definitely suggest using scissors versus breaking the toothpicks by hand. breaking them hurts your fingers and creates splinters. be careful when cutting with scissors, as one half of the toothpick might shoot across the room!
step 2: stick the cut side of the toothpick into the side of the cranberry, about a 1/4" into the cranberry. more than half of the toothpick should be sticking out of the cranberry.
step 3: place your finger over the opposite side of the cranberry and gently push the cranberry down into the styrofoam. try to avoid the toothpick poking through the other side of the cranberry.
step 4: work in a circular pattern around the wreath or cone.
carlos is wondering if he can eat the cranberries
step 5: once the first row is finished, start the second row and fit the cranberries together to avoid too much empty space. this is why its good to buy an extra bag (we started with 3 bags and then ran out for a 4th), you might not get enough small berries to fill in smaller spaces!
step 6: keep on working...
and working....
and working...
note the little santa in the background...
until the entire outside of the wreath is covered in! leave the back of the wreath as is if it the wreath will be hanging on a wall. i've thought about maybe painting the styrofoam wreath red before adding the cranberries since the white spots kinda bother me, but honestly the entire thing takes about 4 hours already...
now i've just got to get some lights put up and i'm ready for my holiday taco party! what kind of decorations do you all put up for the holidays? any special DIYs?
halloween is tomorrow, and even though i'm too old to go trick or treating i still get a kick out of dressing up and deciding who i'm going to be for a night! as a kid my mom would usually make my costume - we would go to the fabric store and pick a pattern & fabric - so it seems pretty normal to make my costume rather than buy one. only i don't really have the time to put in to making an elaborate costume, so i like to try to use my own clothes. this year it came down to minnie mouse (polka dot dress) or dorothy (blue gingham dress). i finally decided on dorothy, since i can incorporate carlos into the costume!
there was just one thing i needed: the ruby slippers. obviously a diy project!
materials:
pumps
glue
glitter
sandpaper
paint brush
step 1: sand down the pumps - since i am using a patent leather pump i sanded them down a bit before applying the glue & glitter. if i had suede pumps i could probably have skipped this step.
step 2: mix glue & glitter - i got the best coverage when the mixture was pretty thick.
step 3: apply the glue & glitter mixture with the paint brush. don't put it on too thick or it will drip and look gross! let it dry.
step 4: inspect for missed spots when the first coat is completely dry.
step 5: apply the second coat. let dry.
and then - ruby slippers:
i'm pretty happy with how the shoes turned out. i even had people asking me where i had bought them! check out my post tomorrow for the full costume. happy halloween!
4th of july has come and gone - it seems like it was over so quickly and we spent way more time preparing for the pig roast at my mom's house than we had expected. it was all worth it though. the party was so, so, soooo much fun! probably one of my favorite 4th of julys in a while. we had lots of quick diy's - fabric garlands, painted signs, jar lanterns, and we even used an old bathtub as a cooler! my sister (and future baker) made a awesome 3 layer cake - red velvet, vanilla, blue velvet with a cream cheese frosting.
and then of course, there was the PIG - the star of the party really.
carving and shredding the pig - a man's job for sure
yummy
i don't usually eat pig/pork (mostly just bacon) but since my mom was having the party i decided i'd eat some. even my sister, who recently started eating meat again, ate some. we all agreed that it was the BEST. the pig was raised, butchered, and cooked by my mom's friend - free range AND organic - but my mom did give the instructions that she did not want to see it alive and that the head was to be removed.
my favorite boys
my sister is laughing - i literally just poured half a beer on my head/back. i don't know how it happened.
my sister broke my mom's lifelong rule (not the first time for either of us) and got some sparklers and then there was a thunderstorm and it rained twice, so we weren't scared of causing a major fire with the sparklers since all the brush was damp. we also had a bonfire and smores (i was too full to participate) and these hoodlums (sisters friends + my bf) decided to throw like 10 sparklers in the fire. not as exciting as it sounds. but like i said before the party was so fun. like really fun. like so much fun i hope my mom does it every year! hope you all had as much fun as i did this july 4th!
