Happy Halloween!

Saturday night we had a little Halloween Party with friends {and watched Hocus Pocus} and it was awesome!!
Everyone got so creative with their costumes because we're in Grenada with not many resources! 
We did a little "fashion show" before voting for the awards.  It was one of the funniest things I've ever seen in my life.  Everyone acted out their roles perfectly!  I was laughing hysterically the entire time!  I'm so glad I've made such nice friends in Grenada.  It was a wonderful, drama free night... and with about 25 women in one room that is an accomplishment!


As for my costume....
I was............
a......

Mermaid!!
what else would I be?!

 My pictures are all dependent upon my friends (and sadly I didn't get a picture of my awesome make-up job if I do say so myself... I had a cool design coming from one eye. but whatever) So thank you everyone  for taking a couple shots for me!! 

 My hair piece was sea shells and the packaging from my fruits and vegetables from the grocery!  Thanks Grenada for using bright colors to sell your limes :)

My tail! I painted several sheets of paper with water colors in lots of different colors and then cut it out in the shape of a scale & glued it down on cardboard!
and the shoes I made!

And this is a pretty good shot of my bra, haha!  It is a regular bra with sea shells glued all over!!

Thanks everyone who came!! It was so much fun!!!

Saturday {late night} Picnik

I don't know what has been wrong with me lately.
Ok actually I do.
Lets just say this wasn't a great week for me... and not just because of the camera incident.  Lots of little things adding up and piling on me and making me not feel up to blogging or being creative or peppy.
I would share my Halloween costume with you, but the whole lack of a camera thing put a damper on that.
I'll have to wait to get some pictures from my friends.

I decided to make the best out of the situation and make some pictures of our beach trip this week (you know the one where both my friends and I got our cameras stolen)
It was my friend Stephanie's Birthday!  We were out on the beach exploring and celebrating and then BAM! THIEVES!
Stephanie and Sarah had never been to these beaches before (they're an hour and half away) but luckily I had and had some pictures of the beaches from this summer.

These are what the picture would have looked like had we not gotten our camera's stolen.  Good ole picnik.

A photo of Stephanie and I taken about a month ago at another beach.

A little use of the cloning tool & there we are on Bathway Beach!

Steph sitting by a pool...

Steph in the boat on Levera Beach!!

These pictures aren't anywhere close to how awesome the real thigns would have been... I took some darn good pictures that day... but I know these made us smile and feel slightly less horrible about the situation. 
Happy Birthday again to my sweet friends Stephanie!

another day with out a post.
my camera was stolen yesterday.
long story.
I'm so sad.

I have something awesome to show you along with my Halloween costume, but it'll have to wait till after the party this weekend and I can get a friend to take some pictures for me.

I'm trying not to feel too sad, but it's not working.  And I've had a particularly stressful couple of days.
booooooooooooooo

but you know what? it's just a camera....

Source: None via Kelsey on Pinterest

Saturday Afternoon Picnik

Have you checked out Picnik's Halloween features??
They are so cool!!

These are two that I made last year (Picnik still has the same effects this year, with a few additions)

I was going for that romantic, glamorous vampire look... because I admittedly am a completely sap for the Twilight saga...

 My husband hates this picture because he looks girly... but vampires are a tad feminine wouldn't you say?? That's obviously blood on his lips and not lipstick after all...
This photo of me below actually almost scares me.  I'm a pretty convincing vampire, huh? 

This one is new.  I used the "ghostify" effect.  Pretty creepy.

If you're the type who likes frames and stickers on your pictures they have an awesome selection of those as well!!

Go make yourself an extra creepy (or silly) Facebook profile picture for Halloween!

felt flowers galore

I can't believe I'm sitting in 100degree heat making felt flowers.... but I am.
They are so easy and so cute!!

I had some felt given to me and I decided to try my hand at making some flowers and it turned into lots of flowers!
I hope all 9 of my nieces are prepared to get felt flower hair clips for Christmas :)
Once I'm in colder weather I'm going to wear them too... on my coat, sweaters, scarfs, in my hair, on my purse, on my shoes. EVERYWHERE!

I'm not going to post a tutorial because there are already a billion out there, like these! 
Dahlia - http://news.holidash.com
Super cute, simple sewn flower here -http://www.foodwineandmodpodge.com
Simple "generic" flowers - http://www.creativejewishmom.com
Rosettes - http://alililly.blogspot.com
Super cute bows, I will be trying these soon! (and please check out how cute her layout is! This may be one of my new favorite blogs!) - http://iloverosemarywatson.blogspot.com


These are the only colors I have... I can't wait to get home where everything is cheap cheap cheap and get a rainbow of colors!

Do you have a favorite flower tutorial to share?
What do you like to do with felt?
Please share!

Polishing Sea Glass

My stockpile of sea glass was looking a little cloudy so I went to the internet to find out how to "polish" it and found that it's pretty darn simple.
Vegetable oil and an old rag is all you need!
It turns white-ish because of the salt that is still on the glass, but the oil removes it and lets the true color show!
I think sea glass is more and more beautiful every single day.

Before

After!

These are all the colors I've found so far... still on the hunt for something red or pink!

Here are a few projects I've done lately with my sea glass, the easiest being my new ring.
I found out that my finger is exactly the size of a pop or beer bottle top.  amazing!

A necklace!

And a new wind chime!

it sounds so beautiful! 
I'm thinking about doubling the size of it... and I'm searching for an awesome piece of driftwood to attach it to!


Are you guys sick of my beachy/summery posts??
I only have 2 months left on this gorgeous island... and then I'll be posting all about winter and snow. trust.

Sparkly shoe makeover

I have this pair of sandals from Forever21 that I've had for almost 2 years and if you've ever had Forever21 shoes you know they don't really last.  These were on their last leg.  If I wasn't in Grenada they'd probably be in the trash, but keeping with the make-do attitude I decided to turn them into part of my Halloween costume!

before. You can't tell but the white was pretty dingy and cracking.

Add a little sequins and glitter...

Do you have a guess as to what I'm going to be??
guessing is not open to my friends here in Grenada who already know!
or my Mom, she knows too. haha.

The Boots of Walmart

I was recently greatly impressed by the selection of boots on Walmart.com.

I landed on Walmart's website because Target's site said something like "Woof!  We are suddenly very popular, please wait while we fit you in" hmmmmm no thanks Target, you took way too long.

Here are are a few of my favorites

 $30! here

Only $18! here

$29 here

Not exactly boots, but I WANT these!! $18 here

Do you ever buy shoes at Walmart?? I do!  I'd rather have lots of shoes rather than a few more expensive pairs even if the quality isn't the same.  If I have 4 pair of boots as opposed to 1 they'll get even wear and probably last just as long :)

New Year's Dress

Too early to be thinking about New Year's Eve?
I think not.
Especially since I have a big shin-dig to attend this year!
Like I mentioned on Saturday my sister is having a 10 year anniversary / vow renewal on New Year's Eve!
I'm so exited for a big party!!
I will share my decorating ideas sometime, but today I am thinking dresses!

My sister is wearing blue, so I'm probably going with silver.
Will I actually be able to buy a new dress? Probably not, unless my Mom is feeling sorry enough for me to take me shopping... or something awesome shows up at the Grandview Outlet or Goodwill ;)

I do have a silver dress I wore a few years ago on a dinner cruise on Lake Erie with our college that I could wear. if I must.  I got this dress at JC Penny's for $10!  4 years ago though, is it still cute? or does it look too much like lingerie?  That was my fear even when I wore it then.

some of my best friends from college! miss you girls!

and of course my shoes matched Lee's tie.

Another idea is to "dress up" something I already own. I have lots of dresses... so maybe one could do with a little sequins?  I'm thinking I could make a sequins belt or sash pretty easily.

Kate Moss for Topshop - but no longer in stock

{via }

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You know who loves to wear an awesome silver, sparkly dress?
Taylor Swift!

Source: peoplestylewatch.com via Haley on Pinterest

Source: google.com via Maggie on Pinterest

I'll take any of the above please!