Beauty Secrets No. 16, 34, 58, 72, and 87

We all know that every girl has a few beauty secrets up her sleeve, and I've decided that it's time to share a few of mine. Let me know if you have any as well!

Creaseless Cream Eyeshadow in RSVP by Benefit

I get so many compliments on this! The color gives the effect of two different shades of neutral and has just the right amount of shimmer. Also, it is the first cream shadow I have used that doesn't crease. I use it just about daily.

10 by Benefit: the perfect blush/bronzer for a year-round summery glow.

Benefit products are available at Macy's and Sephora.

Healthy Hoof Lacquer: a great nail-strengthening product.

Use it over nail polish as a top coat or alone for a slight shine. Pick it up at your local CVS in the nail care section.

Hollywood Fashion Tape: a "do-everything" adhesive that will replace your safety pins!

This is definitely a miracle product! It is perfect for fixing hems and bust lines, hiding bra straps, preventing buttons from poking out, and countless other things! Available at Victoria's Secret stores or online at Beauty.com.

 

Jergens Natural Glow Firming Moisturizer: a gradual tanner/moisturizer

I realized after I returned from the beach that I look a bit better with a sun-kissed glow, so I decided to give the Jergens lotion a try. I was quite impressed! The firming lotion doesn't have that self-tanner smell that often accompanies products of this sort. Just make sure to apply evenly on areas such as ankles/elbows/knees to avoid splotches! Find it at your local drug store.

Fall Trends: Neckline Embellishment

Many designers are jumping on the overly-embellished neckline bandwagon with their fall lines, and I could not be more excited! I love the idea of the overly-done collars in part because I absolutely love scarves and chunky, multi-layer necklaces. Here are some pieces I found on Style.com.

Brian Reyes

Valentino

Yigal Azrouël

BCBG

I especially love the BCBG dress. Here are a few slightly (may have to wait till the Anthro pieces go on sale) more realistic options for indulging in the neckline embellishment trend. 

Free People Bubble Sleeve Sweater from Urban Outfitters

Chloe Schempf Customized Tee from Urban Outfitters

Dove's Flight Sweatercoat from Anthropologie

Pas De Deux Cardigan from Anthropologie

Adrianne Cardigan from Anthropologie

A Little Something Pretty No. 633

On my way to Style.com for the daily perusing of fall collections, I stopped to see Ms. Spinach and found a sneak peak at the Dior Couture line for fall 08... lovely! I found the images below when I continued my journey onto Style.com, and I was certainly not disappointed!

Although these dresses are not at all practical outside of the runway (hence the name Couture Collection), I love the 50s inspired design and the muted pastels. I also really love the hats, tres chic!

HAPPY JULY FOURTH!

A Night of Nintendo Frivolities

When the marketing firm Brand About Town contacted me a few months ago to become a "Brand Enthusiast", I was extremely skeptical and shrugged off the email as spam. After meeting with one of the firm's representatives, Justine, however, I changed my mind. Justine was everything that I had not expected... completely at ease, honest, laid back, and genuinely interesting and interested in Hiking in Stilettos. Here's the gist of it... Nintendo is trying to reach the young, professional female market. Let's face it, most of us wouldn't think twice about video games of any kind. (I know that I definitely didn't. In fact, I often rolled my eyes at the mention of an X-box or Play Station.) Also, much like my fellow bloggers the AsianCajuns, I wasn't drawn in by the celebrity commercials, although they are quite cute. Like the AC said, you don't get this market just because Liv Tyler stars in your ads. However, after playing games like Brain Age 2, Mariokart, and Guitar Hero, the Nintendo DS has changed my mind.  

So, last month I hosted a "Girlfriends Guide to Gaming" party in Atlanta, and we had such a great time! The GGG party was sponsored by Nintendo, and came complete with delicious (veggie-friendly) snacks, yummy desserts, bubbly drinks, wonderful ambience, and very helpful Nintendo "Girlfriends" dressed in adorable black mini dresses and heels. Also, every lovely lady that attended the party received a free Nintendo DS, the game Brain Age 2, and a really cute charm bracelet! Basically, we talked, hung out, played Mariokart, Guitar Hero, Brain Age 2, and Crosswords, snacked and sipped for three hours. (Honestly though, it seemed like only a few minutes!) 

I love the adorable charm bracelets that we received.. a charm for each game that we played! Plus, the vintage tee shirt pillows were cute enough to steal! Just kidding, although you can expect a DYI post sometime in the future about those....

One half of the Asian Cajuns, Lauren, and Becca writing wonderful notes on my chalkboard!

Lovely ladies deep in thought at the Brain Age station.

Yours truly, Becca, Kat, Catherine and Lauren of AC, and a Nintendo Girlfriend as they were receiving their own DS's!

My blackboard with sweet things that my lovely friends had written.

Playing Guitar Hero with my beautiful boss! (You would never believe that she has two children and survived radiation and a double mastectomy from stage 3 breast cancer... talk about an inspiration.)

Me, Becca, Kat, Catherine, and Lauren... Agnes Scott alumnae group!

On a more serious note...

Today began as any other day off would... early morning run, then breakfast with my mom, sister, and nephews. My day changed drastically, however, when I listened to an unopened voicemail from 11pm the previous night. The message was to tell me that a good friend of mine had been in a serious car accident and was currently in ICU at Grady Hospital (a well-known trauma center for you non-Atlantans.) 

It is now the end of the day, and I am writing to remind all of you to take a look at your lives and the people in them that really matter. I had seen Harrison three days ago, and how he's laying in a hospital bed with a broken pelvic bone, broken ribs, and internal damage. (Don't fret. Everything is okay now.. just some intense physical therapy in the immediate future.) I know it sounds so cliche, but we never know how much time we have left, so make the most of what you have. Take a minute today to hug the ones you love and remind them just how much they mean to you.

summertime outdoors

Here are some lovely outdoor spaces from the designer portfolios on the HGTV website. They all leave me longing for a similar space... a place to entertain, to unwind at the end of the day... with many flowers, cozy chairs and lounges, a gorgeous pool, a fire pit for cool summer nights (for places sans the humidity of the south). Can't you just imagine having a few friends over for a cookout? or curling up in one of those oversized chaises with a good book and a glass of wine?  sigh...

I love the gazebo in this image. It's a very vintage, romantic piece. 

I really like the strand of lights on the inside of the umbrella. It makes for some great ambience, don't you think?

I looove the fire pit idea. It would make a really great place to sit and read or  just hang out and talk.

images courtesy of  hgtv.com

And if I had a backyard, I would definitely invest in one of these double chaise lounges from Pottery Barn... perfect for  cuddling with that one special person or just lounging around with a good book.

Stephenie Meyer

For the last few months I have been in a bit of a book rut. I go through phases where I just can't find anything captivating enough to merit my attention. When I checked in on homemade grits the other day, however, my luck drastically changed. Inspired by the post on the "Twilight" series by Stephenie Meyer, I drove to my local Target to pick up my copy of the first book in the series.

"About three things I was absolutely positive. 

First, Edward was a vampire. 

Second, there was a part of him -- and I didn't know how dominant that part might be -- that thirsted for my blood.

And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him."

The back cover grabbed my attention with the snippet above, so I read the preface standing in the store and immediately made my way to check out.  By the next day, I was finished with the book and am now about to head back to Tarjay for the next book in the series. The fluidity of Meyers' writing and her ability to create images so real that you feel like the character of the story have made her one of my new favorite authors. Call me a sci-fi nerd, but I am definitely in love with "Twilight" and plan to read the remaining books in the series, "New Moon," "Eclipse," and "Breaking Dawn." The final book "Breaking Dawn" is due to be released on August 2nd which gives me just enough time to catch up.  So, if you are looking for a good book to get lost in and aren't deterred by the vampire references, I would definitely suggest "Twilight." 

images courtesy of StephenieMeyer.com

cheap, chic, and eco-friendly!

Here are some inexpensive, DYI projects to spruce up your homes for the summer from the Martha Stewart website. Enjoy!

Make napkins or dish towels out of old gingham shirts! Really, you could use any cotton shirt, but, in my opinion, the more patterns, the better! (You can go the extra mile here by using recycled glass dishes as well.)

Create a one of a kind tiered serving tray with mismatched cups and saucers by gluing them together (ceramic epoxy would be ideal.) You can also use this adorable piece for keys, small kitchen items, or jewelry!

Use various glass bottles together to make a centerpiece or fill a table. (Options include old bud vases, apothecary jars, Mason jars, lotion and perfume bottles, etc.)

Collect wine corks and pull them together to make trivets for the kitchen. 

(To make: arrange corks in a tight circle and surround them with a metal hose clamp from the pluming section of your local hardware store. Tighten the clamp and trim the excess! For a medium sized trivet, collect about 50 corks.)

Melt down bits of old candles in a saucer or on a hotplate and pour into old flower pots to create new, rustic-inspired candles. Make sure to cover the hole in the bottom of the pot with an old coin and to tie the wick (found at your local craft store) to a pencil laid horizontally across the top of the pot.

Sew old scarves together to make a unique throw. Don't worry if you are like me and aren't the best seamstress in the world. All this project needs is a straight line on a sewing machine. If you have the skills, however, a solid color backing would make this blanket look extra special.

Make a plastic bag drier from a pretty toothbrush holder and some chopsticks. Although we normally use and discard our Ziplocks, they are actually durable enough to withstand multiple uses and washings. Not only is this project eco-friendly, it is wallet-friendly as well!

For those seasonal allergies or that pesky summer cold, hang a bunch of eucalyptus (from a craft or flower store) from your shower curtain rod for a few weeks. Make sure to hang the eucalyptus in an area that isn't directly in the water and to use garden twine which is moisture resistant. It is an inexpensive and natural way to get rid of congestion. 

If you decide to take on any of these projects, let me know! I would love to hear and see about the outcomes. I plan on trying a few of these (as well as some others) myself, so look for those posts in the near future!

all photos courtesy of  MarthaStewart.com