Sephora by OPI: Mermaid to Order

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It's funny how I wrote my last post about wanting to take a break from bright colors, and then I follow it up with a color like this.  I purchased 'Mermaid to Order' from the Sephora by OPI line and it couldn't be farther from a dull color, it is a bright and reflective teal blue color with a great shine.  

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This photo is really just to show how reflective the color is in the bottle as well as on the nails.  The name is perfect because as you can see above it looks just like the color of a mermaid's tail.  

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This isn't exactly a color that I'd wear very often but it is a nice one to have in your collection when you're looking for a fun color.  My younger sisters seem to use it more often than I do which is great because we have two bottles of it.  That just goes to show how enticing this color is, I bought it twice without realizing that I already had it!

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*natural sunlight, 2 coats, Canon T3.  

Recipe: French Toast

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 I must admit, I didn't actually make this recipe, my sister made it for herself this morning.  Why she made an entire recipe for herself I'll never know, but I'm sure glad she did because the picture above looks unbelievably appetizing.

*adaptations are shown in {}. 

Fluffy French Toast
Recipe adapted from All Recipes


1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 pinch salt
3 eggs
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract {doubled}
1 tablespoon white sugar
12 thick slices bread {only used 6 slices, had leftover mix though}


-Measure flour into large mixing bowl.  Slowly whisk in the milk.  Whisk in the salt, eggs, cinnamon, vanilla, and sugar until smooth. 
-Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium heat.  
-Soak bread slices in mixture until saturated.  Cook bread on each side until golden brown.  Serve hot.
-Add fresh fruit of your choice, and powdered sugar if you want.  

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Essie: Sand Tropez

                                    

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I've been focusing on brighter colors for the summertime but I decided that I wanted to take a break for a few days and give a nude polish some love.  I'm borrowing this from a friend, but after using it I think I might have to pick up a bottle for myself.  It may not be a color that I'd reach for on a regular basis but for days like these when I don't really care, it finishes off my nails nicely.  

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Essie 'Sand Tropez' is the perfect nude for when you want a creme finish to your nails but not much color.  Back when I was dancing we weren't allowed to have anything other than clear nail polish on our nails, and I hated it.  This is a great alternative for that kind of situation, it makes your nails look clean, polished, and also makes your fingers look longer than you've ever imagined.

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 One coat of this was pretty opaque, but two coats covered up any sheer spots giving full coverage.  I can see 'Sand Tropez' being a staple in any polish collection for any sort of professional function or anytime you need more of a subdued color.

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Puppy wanted to get in the shots, so I gave her one of her own :)

*natural sunlight, 2 coats, Canon T3.

Happy Birthday Claire!

In honor of my sister's 13th birthday. 

On Trend: Statement Necklaces

On Trend: Statement Necklaces by emilychiemi featuring aldo jewelry

Even though it's summer statement necklaces are still very much on trend, their new bright colors and gold hardware have helped transition them into the summer wardrobe.  Not appropriate for beach-going purposes but perfect for nice lunches or shopping with your friends.  Here is a group of my favorite necklaces so far (with budgets ranging from J. Crew to Kate Spade to Forever 21).

1.  J. Crew Bubble Necklace ($150): This necklace is so cute, it's currently one of the things that I'm saving up for.  It comes in 4 other bright colors as well as black and white.

2.  Gerbara Garden Necklace ($149): Bright orange flowers and an elegant white ribbon tie. How perfect!

3.  Dimpled Bead Necklace ($8.80): This gold necklace is a great example of a simpler statement necklace, plus gold looks fabulous with a tan!

4.  Cactus Flower Necklace ($135): Cute teal and seafoam green flowers on a gold chain make this necklace a great addition to any collection.

5.  Lenon Necklace ($15): Long gold beaded necklace with pink accents, this necklace is great for any casual outfit.

6.  Whoops, this necklace was from Forever 21, but it's sold out on the website.  A great bright necklace that can be easily found at other stores.

7.  Azalea Necklace ($150) Super cute flower statement piece that comes in a dark blue shade and an electric orange (that's on sale for $98!)

8.  Hoffee Necklace ($20) This black paneled necklace has such a classic look that you'll surely use it any time of year.

Happy Father's Day!

In honor of Father's Day, a sweet little pic from many years ago :) 

Revlon: Popular

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Because I'm a broke college student and didn't want to shell out $20 a bottle to get the real Deborah Lippmann, I went on a search of my local drugstores to find Revlon 'Whimsical' which is the infamous dupe from Lippmann's 'Glitter in the Air'.  I had to stop at about 5 different stores to finally locate it and when I finally did I noticed this polish on the same stand.  

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'Popular' is a pale baby pink based glitter polish with hexagonal, square, and circular silver glitters.  Colors like this make it so easy to achieve that shiny look, you don't need an extra glitter top coat because it's already included!  I did use about 3 coats of this color, not because of the sheerness, but because I wanted to get the glitters spread evenly on each nail and I wanted to make sure that I had massive amounts of shimmer.  

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Keep in mind though that this is like any other glitter polish, it can be a bit of a pain to take off.  I personally suggest the foil method, I kept it on my nails for about 10 minutes and this polish wiped off cleanly.  The trouble is worth it though, I love all the different shaped glitters in this polish because it gives it so much dimension and creates a lot of interest, and as for the color we all know I love my baby pinks.  

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*natural sunlight, 3 coats, Canon T3.

Recipe: Peanut Butter Nutella Cookies

Peanut butter? Love.  Nutella? Love.  Cookies? Love.  I came across this recipe on Erica's Sweet Tooth and I knew I had to give it a go.  The end result was absolute perfection though if you are looking for a distinct Nutella taste I would suggest adding a little extra.  These cookies tasted like my favorite peanut butter cookies with the faintest taste of chocolate, YUM.  I've been baking like a fiend lately so I decided to half this recipe, I have a feeling that if I made the whole recipe they'd all be gone within a few days.  Just trying to save my family a few calories ;) 

*The recipe shown below is one that Erica adapted from another blog, my tweaks are shown in {}.  

Peanut Butter Nutella Swirl Cookies

Recipe adapted from Delightful Bitefuls

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup smooth peanut butter {spoonful extra} 

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla extract {doubled}

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1-3/4 cups all purpose flour

1/4 cup Nutella {added an extra 1/4 of what is called for}

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together butter, peanut butter, and sugars until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.

- Add in the egg and vanilla and beat until well combined.

- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. With mixer on low, slowly incorporate the dry ingredients into the butter mixture until just combined.

- Microwave Nutella for 20 seconds and then drizzle over the dough. Fold in Nutella with a spatula until well-distributed throughout the dough.

- Chill the dough in the fridge for 15 minutes and then roll small balls by hand.

- Place about an inch apart on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet and use a fork to press down the balls slightly.

- Bake until the edges are lightly browned, about 8-10 minutes.

- Allow cookies to cool on the pan for 2 minutes, and then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Essie: Lovie Dovie

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I originally saw this color when I was looking at a blog, sorry can't remember which one :( and I forgot about it for a while.  Then when I was searching the Essie display the name jumped out at me and I realized I had never purchased it.  Not only is this a beautiful pink but the name 'Lovie Dovie' is just too impossible to resist.  

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 With so many pinks in my collection it's hard to find new ones that stand out as being something different.  This is where 'Lovie Dovie' comes in, it is a muted hot pink that has a tinge of pastel to it creating this uncommon pink shade that could go either way.  In 2 coats it was opaque and while I wouldn't say this pink creme is a necessity for every collection it's a bit different enough that it is a welcomed addition in mine.  Come on, you can't say no to that name ;)

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*natural sunlight, 2 coats, Canon T3.  

Style: Perfect Summer Outfit

Perfect Summer Outfit by emilychiemi featuring j crew shorts

We're right in the swing of summertime now and the weather is lookin' good.  I put together this outfit as everything I would choose for a day out in the sun.  Wearing a cute bikini under your outfits ensure that you'll be ready to head to the beach in a moment's notice while the cute crossbody by Rebecca Minkoff classes the entire outfit up a bit.

I've been lusting after this pair of Sam Edelman 'Gigi' sandals for as long as I can remember, they are the perfect summer sandal that will literally go with any outfit.  On top of the bikini, any loose flowy tank tops are great to wear during the summer when you have the opportunity to show off your tan.  To top it all off (literally, get it ;) haha) this Panama hat by J.Crew sets the summertime mood.

To sign off on this post here's a little jam that's great to rock out to on the way to the beach:

Sally Hansen: Mint Sprint

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I was a bit shy at first to try out the mint green trend so I figured I'd go with a safer option.  I figured that this darker minty green would be better suited for my skin tone.  Of course, now I am completely in love with colors like 'Mint Candy Apple' and 'Minted'.  

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If you're like me and you're a bit wary about the whited out mint colors, this is the perfect transitional shade for you.  It comes off as more of a green color but there are definite tinges of mint in the base.  This polish (along with the other Sally Hansen ones that I've tried) goes on really nicely and is practically opaque in one coat. 

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While the shape of the bottle might be a little odd, I LOVE the Sally Hansen brushes.  All of the brushes are the same no matter what collection or line the colors are from and I couldn't be happier.  They remind me a lot of the wider OPI brushes and while they might be too wide for some people I personally think that these wider, stiffer, denser brushes make for easier application.  

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*natural sunlight, 2 coats, Canon T3.  

Recipe: Red Velvet Cheesecake Bites

My mom needed me to make some sort of dessert for her to take to a work function so I took the opportunity to try out this red velvet cheesecake bite recipe.  Let me warn you, this recipe makes a TON, so if you don't have a big function coming up I'd suggest cutting it in half.  The outcome is beautiful to look at, the marbling result of the cake and cream cheese layers is great.  I would also suggest baking this a day or two before you want to eat it, I thought it was a bit dry at first when I ate a piece right after I baked it, but the next day I couldn't stop eating them!  Not too sure why, but I think a day or so gives the cream cheese a little more time to settle in.  Nevertheless a great recipe, so enjoy!

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Ingredients:

Red Velvet Layer: 

2 sticks unsalted butter, melted

2 c. sugar

2 t. vanilla extract

1/2 c. cocoa powder

1/4 t. salt

1 T. red food coloring

2 t. vinegar

4 eggs 

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

Cheesecake Layer:

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 c. sugar

2 eggs

1/4 t. vanilla extract 

Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Grease a 10×15-inch jelly roll pan, and set aside. Add melted butter to a large bowl then add the following ingredients, in this order, stirring after each addition: sugar, vanilla, cocoa powder, salt, food coloring and vinegar. Whisk the eggs in a small bowl and then stir into the cocoa mixture. Fold in the flour just until combined. (Don’t overmix!) Set aside at least 1/2 cup of the batter for the top; pour the rest of the batter in the baking pan, spreading evenly across the bottom.

For the cheesecake layer, beat the cream cheese, sugar, eggs, and vanilla in a medium bowl until smooth. Carefully spread the cream cheese mixture on top of the brownie batter in the pan, then plop spoonfuls of the remaining brownie batter over the cream cheese. Drag the tip of a knife through the red velvet and the cream cheese to create swirls. Bake for 30 minutes or just until the center of the cheesecake part is set. Let cool completely on a wire rack before cutting.  

Source: 

http://ourshareoftheharvest.com/2011/02/21/dessert-buffet-red-velvet-cheesecake-bites/

OPI: Hoodoo Voodoo?!

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This is one of my younger sister's polishes that I stole, and I admit I've only worn it two or three times since.  I thought that I was going to love this color and while I do like it, I think that there are other OPI shades that are more flattering on my skin tone.  

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'Hoodoo Voodoo?!' is a mid-tone berry pink color with a tinge of coral.  For some reason it reminds me a bit of strawberries, and when I picked up the bottle I half expected the word strawberry to be in the name somewhere.  I took this color from my sister about a year ago, but it originally came out a while back.  I did a bit of research online and it looks like this was a color that OPI discontinued but decided to repromote for a while a few years ago.  

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If this color was indeed brought back by OPI I can definitely see why, there were probably a ton of fans.  While it may not be my all-time favorite shade for my skin tone I do love it and the application couldn't have been any easier.  'Hoodoo Voodoo?!' was so creamy and pleasant to apply I'd venture to say that it was practically opaque in one coat!  

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I'll leave you with these two pictures of my doggie while I was trying to get a good shot of this color, looks like she loves it too :) 

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*natural sunlight, 2 coats, Canon T3.

On Trend: Chunky Gold Bracelets

On Trend: Chunky Gold Bracelets by emilychiemi featuring gold bangles

I bought my gold Michael Kors watch last summer and have honestly worn it everyday since it arrived in the mail. At first I thought that I would have a few links removed so that it fit my wrist correctly but I decided against it because I really liked the oversized look of it. I like how it looks chunky around my wrist but can also fall down my arm towards my elbow. 

Anyway, something that is extremely popular now is stacking. You can really stack anything from bracelets to watches to chains but I especially love the way these chunky chain bracelets look against my watch. Along with my watch I wear a J. Crew bracelet practically daily.

These chunky gold chain bracelets have been seen everywhere on everyone from fashion bloggers to celebrities. My set ranges from around $15 to over $100 so you'll surely find one that fits your budget!


Here are the links to my watch & bracelet: 
Michael Kors Watch
J. Crew Bracelet