Fabulous Foundation

 As you know, the whole reason for this blog and my design company is to provide you all with as much information as I can so you can live the most stylish life on a wise budget! Hence the name Style with Wisdom. This week I want to share with you a new makeup product that I have come to LOVE! Now, the photo below is a terrible photo of myself without any makeup on so brace yourself...lol. But, I do feel that it is important for women to see each other in a not-so-glamorous state. At least 3 days out of the week I am in sweat pants, no makeup, and my hair in a bun.

We strive to look like the models in magazines, but we all know that those women have a team of makeup artists, professional photographers, and PHOTO SHOP!! I promise you that the photo below was NOT touched with photo shop except to split the 2 images and add the product on the side. This is a true before and after.

I have my parents to thank for my blemish-free skin and I feel so blessed to have never had to deal with acne problems or scarring. But, I am a girly-girl down to my core and I love to play with makeup. I have worn all kinds of foundation since I was in my young teens. I am always striving for that poreless, smooth, even tone. I have tried creams, liquids, pressed foundations, and tinted moisturizers. Brand names from Cover Girl at only $5 per bottle to Bobbi Brown at $50 a bottle and everything in between.

I recently saw an episode of Nate Berkus where celebrity makeup artist, Carmindy (makeup artist for What Not to Wear), took an audience member into a drug store to prove that there are the same ingredients in the $5 products and the $50 department store products. I have been waiting to hear someone say this for years!

I finally felt like I could stop worrying about the cost and the brand name and just focus on what worked best.

About a month ago I came across a pressed foundation at ULTA. The brand is ULTA Fabulous Face Oil Free Pressed Foundation. The cost was only $12. Most of the time ULTA brand products are buy one get one free so I also purchased ULTA Foundation Primer. It was normally $12 as well. Plus, I had signed up for their free points program and I get a coupon in the mail every few weeks where you get $3.50 off a $10 or more purchase. This means that I get my 2 foundation products for ONLY $8.50!!!

Ok, ok, cost aside....this stuff is AMAZING! It is fairly thick so it really is a full coverage product. It gives my skin such a smooth, even tone, poreless base. I use a foundation brush to apply it and that way I can control how thick I want it to be. It does not feel heavy, or cakey on my face. After putting it on, the rest of my makeup is so easy! Bronzer, blush, liner, and i'm out the door!

This is the foundation primer. I put this on after my moisturizer and before the actual foundation. It only takes a small pea size drop to cover the entire face. It feels like silk on your face and really preps your face for the foundation.

Ok here it is. Now you know what I look like most of the week sitting here writing my blog...lol. But isn't the transformation incredible!? I always suggest sweeping the left over makeup on your brush down your neck and jaw line so you don't have a line there.

I really felt compelled to share this with you so you can try it too! My sister has now begun using it and she swears by it! Please let me know if you do try it and what your thoughts are, good or bad! I hope you love it as much as I do!!

The Office is Finally Finished!

Well, it's official! We have finally finished decorating my office. It feels like we have been working on this room for years! Oh, wait, that's because it has been years! Those of you who have been following some of my projects for the office know that when we first moved into our home, this room was a formal dining room. It was completely decorated as a dining room for the first 2 years until recently we decided to turn it into our home office. We literally used the dining room twice in 3 years. I think it is important for every room in your house to be fully functional and now this room really is! Here are some of the before and after photos as well as some more detailed photos. I will explain each photo including design tips and cost info!

This is the best shot I could get of the entire room.

This is the bookcase that my husband and I built together from IKEA Billy bookcases. Read my post here on how we made it for under $300!

This was a $24 lamp from Home Goods. I just used some $2 navy ribbon and hot glue to trim the edges. Now it looks like it was made for the room!

I am so in love with these curtains! The white part was a premade panel (with grommets at the top) from Big Lots. They were only $12 each!! But of course not long enough, so I found this beautiful patterned fabric by Waverly an purchased 1 yard to add to the bottom. 

I just ripped out the hem on the premade panel and then sewed a small section of the patterned fabric to the bottom. This is a new service my company is now offering to those of you really looking to save money on curtains. You can have a custom look for less. I have been making these like crazy ever since! Check out my website for more information!

These were brown leather chairs from Garden Ridge. They were on clearance for $50 and then I had them recovered with this Waverly fabric called Hidden Treasures Lakeside. There is a local company in the Dallas area called Texas Susannie's and she can get fabric cheaper than anywhere I have seen. Here is a link to this particular fabric on her site! The mirror is from IKEA for $20. It was black and I spray painted it white to go with the room.  

This drum shade pendant is from Lowe's and was only $149!! It really helps to complete the space!

This was an old cabinet I purchased on craigslist for $100. I then painted it white, rubbed down the front shutter style doors with sand paper to give it an older worn look, and changed out the hardware. These knobs were only $2ea. at Hobby Lobby. Changing out the knobs on your furniture is one of the easiest things you can do to update the look of the piece!

These were frames from some old art I had, that no longer fit my decor style. I removed the art, typed up one of my favorite quotes and printed it!

I always think it is important to have lots of family photos around your home. This is one of my favorite photos. I think placing the first  letter of your last name next to a wedding photo can be such a cute way to display your marriage!

I made these pillow cases from left over fabric and used them to cover some old pillows. I love mixing and matching patterns in a space. It really helps pull the room together!

I really love the way the room turned out! It has such a calming feeling to it. I used to take the laptop out of the office and use it in the living room on the couch, but now I have such a great excuse to use it in my office!



DIY Mouse Pad

As I am ALMOST finished decorating my office, I found myself in need of a new mouse pad. Of course I scoured the internet searching for a cute mouse pad that would match my decor, but found nothing. I started thinking how hard could making my own mouse pad be? I just needed to find a soft, stable base and then I thought I could add some of the left over fabric I had from when I made the curtains for the room.

So I was off to JoAnn's to see what I could find. It is amazing what you can find if you just walk the isles of a craft store and keep an open mind. Think about using items for things that they weren't necessarily made for. I came across a section with a product called  "foamies". They are foam pads that come in a few different sizes and colors. I spotted a small 5x7 pad that was the perfect size for a mouse pad.  

After I had my supplies, putting the pad together literally took all but 5 minutes. I cut down my fabric to a size slightly larger than the foam pad and turned the edges under and ironed them down for a finished look. Then I applied adhesive (you can use just about anything; spray glue, clear drying glue, etc.) and layed my fabric on top. DONE!

It looks to cute! I love adding small touches to a space that makes it look as though you really thought of everything when decorating. And this project cost me about a dollar! Hopefully you can create your own mouse pad to match your space. Think of all the possibilities; so many different fabrics, colors, and shapes you could use! 

Bananaberry Bread

I am always looking for new healthy snack recipes. I get bored with snacks easily and when that happens I find myself reaching for those comforting fatty snacks. My husband sent me a link to an article on Prevention.com which had recipes for 14 healthy snacks (http://www.prevention.com/weight-loss/weight-loss-tips/diet-foods-weight-loss-snacks). The first one that caught my eye was this Bananaberry Bread. It had great ingredients and they even suggested topping it with a little peanut butter and I LOVE peanut butter. This snack packs in fruit, protein, and whole grains! Not only does it taste incredible, but it's great for you so you can feel good eating it!

Bananaberry Bread

3 ripe bananas

1/2t baking soda

3 tablespoons margarine (I used a reduced fat olive oil spread)

1/4C mashed avocado

3/4C sugar

3 eggs

2C whole wheat flour (the recipe suggests using part white flour, but I wanted all whole grain)

1t salt

1t baking powder

3T cold water

1t vanilla extract (I always over pour when using vanilla extract...it's just too good!)

1C fresh blueberries (you can use frozen too)

Pre-heat oven to 350. Mash bananas and baking soda together in a bowl and set aside. With a mixer; cream together margarine, avocado, and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time while continuing to mix. Add flour, salt, and baking powder. Mix. Add water and vanilla and mix until all is well combined. Now add the banana/baking soda from earlier and mix. Then fold in the blueberries carefully so they do not pop open.

Pour evenly into 2- 8" loaf bread pans. Bake 40-50 minutes. Test with toothpick in the center; if it comes clean, it's done! Allow to cool and then remove loaf from pan.

This was so quick and easy to make. You can even freeze one of the loafs for later. That didn't happen in my house though. It was gone in just a few days lol!

I spread a little chunky peanut butter on top of 1 slice and had a small glass of non-fat milk for breakfast. Such a yummy breakfast and even adding the peanut butter and milk was still all under 300 calories! If you are a fan of banana bread you have to try this and if you have never baked with whole wheat flour, you will be pleasantly surprised that it tastes just as good as enriched white flour, but so much better for you! Enjoy!

Secrets to Making Your Home Sparkle!

Every girl needs a little sparkle in her life right? Well unfortunately I'm not talking about diamonds...but, having a home that sparkles can make you feel almost as good...right? lol

I have come across a few cleaning tips over the past few weeks from watching TV at all kinds of crazy hours. Mom's you know what I mean. I have tested them all and have found them to work brilliantly! I just had to share!

Now some of you might be reading trough this saying, "um, those tricks have been around forever", so to you I say, "WHY DIDN'T YOU SHARE THEM WITH ME!!!" j/k. But as a "new" stay home mom, I am always looking for tips on how to make my house a home. Before when I worked the dreadful 9-5, I cleaned on the weekends and did the BARE minimum. While watching GMA the other morning I learned that there are 2 areas to check to make sure your home is clean or if your house keeper is doing a good job. 1. The base of your toilet and 2. The top of your refrigerator. Well, I failed that one! You better believe those are on my list this week. lol. Here are 7 tips that will make having a home that sparkles SO much easier!

1. Place a little water and baking soda in a small microwave safe glass dish in your microwave. Turn your microwave on for a few minutes. Now all of that stuck on food that has been splattered all over your microwave can be easily wiped down!

2. Place 1 denture tablet into your toilet, wait 30 minutes, scrub and flush! It will leave your toilet grime free and minty fresh! Although I wonder what the cashier checking me out at the grocery store is thinking..."why is this 20 some year old woman buying denture tablets"...hmmmmm

3. When cleaning your mirrored and glass surfaces, use coffee filters instead of paper towels or a cloth towel. It leaves your glass squeaky clean with no residue or fuzz left behind!

4. I know that cleaning blinds is such a daunting task. I rarely get around to doing it because it can be very time consuming, especially if you have a lot of windows in your home like I do. Every once and a while I will run the "swiffer" over them but I feel like that just pushes the dust around. I found that using a dryer sheet works like a charm! All of the dust clings to it! And you can even use a used one right out of the dryer!

5. Want a clean shower? Combine vinegar and water in a spray bottle (you can get them at the dollar store) and spray down all surfaces of your shower. Tile, glass, etc. Allow it to sit for a few minutes and then wipe it clean. It breaks down all that dirt and grime and it DOES NOT leave a vinegar smell behind.

6. I am constantly dealing with how to reach those nasty cobwebs and I have 12 ft ceilings in my home! So grab a broom, a yard stick, pole, whatever you have lying around and put a tube sock over it. I bet all of us women can find an old holey sock in our husbands sock drawer! The cobwebs stick right to it and then you can just throw it in the wash!

7. I hate those sticky price tags that come on home decor, picture frames, etc. I have used 'Goof Off" in the past and it does work really well, but it is a chemical, has a very strong odor, and can even eat away color. I now use a little baby oil. Rub it into the sticker until it wipes right off! Genius!

So I know it's only 7 tips, but they have changed my cleaning routine for the better! If you have any cleaning tips of your own you would like to share, please do so on my FB page 'Style with Wisdom'! I would love to hear them! And if you missed my post on how to make cleaning your home less overwhelming you can read it here! http://www.stylewithwisdom.blogspot.com/2011/11/keeping-things-organized-on-busy.html. Now make that home SPARKLE!

Jute Wrapped Vases

Hey guys! I know its Friday and I am just now putting up a new post, but I have been pretty busy all week with new clients! I have been working on all kinds of small projects. Check out my Facebook page for some of the latest! http://www.facebook.com/pages/Style-with-Wisdom/220093114716695 and even more to come next week!

So today I wanted to share another tip for re-using the decor you have and turning it into something you love! I am all about recycling decor. Remember just because it is not the right style or color, doesn't mean you have to throw it out. If it has good lines or a good shape, you can change it to make it perfect for your space!

Last week while my little man was napping, I worked on this project of turning 2 green metal vases into gorgeous jute wrapped vases! I used a lot of green while decorating our last home and when we moved into this house, I kept it all hoping that I could use it someday. Unfortunately green just wasn't a part of the new color pallet, so now I have all of this perfectly good decor stashed away for decor refinishing projects!

I am working on decorating my office right now and I knew I wanted some tall vases to sit in the corner of the room. While rummaging through all of my 'green' decor, I found these 2 matching green metal vases. I started to brainstorm what I could do to change them to work in my new space. Painting them was an obvious choice, but I wanted something more than that. I was inspired by an episode of Nate Berkus where they were covering all kinds of things with fabric, lace, rope, etc. That is when I got the idea to wrap them in Jute.

I went to my local Hobby Lobby store and found a 900ft spool of jute for $16.99 and I had a 40% off coupon! (BTW: you can sign up for free weekly coupon e-mails on Hobby Lobby's website and you don't even have to print them out. Show them the coupon on your phone during checkout and you'll have instant savings!)

I knew I wanted to start wrapping the vase with the jute from the top of the vase. This way if I ended up with any imperfections, they would be at the bottom of the vase where no one would see them! So I flipped the vase upside down since it was easier to work from the bottom up. I just ran a small line of hot glue around the top of the vase and then layed the jute right on top. I continued this over, and over, and over, and over again until I got to the bottom.

Let me tell you that this part takes a lot of time. Remember above where I mentioned that I did this while my little man was napping? Well, make that 2 days worth of naps lol! It went a lot faster on the second vase because by that time I knew what I was doing and I had a really good rhythm down. It also takes a ton of hot glue. I have a small hot glue gun and I even had to make a run to the craft store for more hot glue because I ran out halfway through the first vase. It probably took over 30 mini glue sticks to finish both vases.

Overall, this was a fun project and although time consuming, it was a little therapeutic. Every once and a while I love a project that is almost mind numbing. Simple, yet you have to focus so hard that it takes your mind off everything! This is the final product and I am really happy with the way they turned out! They work perfectly in my new space! Another decoration recycled! What item in your home can you recycle today??

Chicken, Artichoke, and Cannellini Bean Spezzatino...aka the BEST stew I have ever had!!!

Ok this is for those of you who heard me mention the best stew I've ever had while talking about the Cranberry-Lime Sangria I made for Christmas Eve. I know I mentioned that I would blog about it and provide the recipe during that post so here it is! It is called Chicken, Artichoke, and Cannellini Bean Spezzatino and there are three things I know for sure about this recipe... 1. A Spezzatino is just a fancy Italian word for Stew 2. It tastes AMAZING and 3. It only takes about 30 min to cook!

This is one of those great recipe's that you can make to feed a large group of people and totally impress them with your Italian cooking skills. I found this recipe while watching an episode of Giada at Home on the Food Network. I have tried many of her recipe's and she is a fantastic Italian cook!

Ingredients:

2T Olive Oil

6 strips of bacon (Giada uses Pancetta, but I prefer good 'ol fashion American Bacon lol)

2 Medium size Carrots-sliced thin

2 Medium size Celery Stalks-sliced thin

1 Onion

3 Cloves Garlic

1t Salt

1t Pepper

2-14oz cans low sodium Chicken Broth (TIP: I always buy low-sodium broth, it tastes just as good as the regular and so much better for you!)

1T Basil

2T Tomato Paste

2t Dried Thyme

1 Bay Leaf

3 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts with Rib Meat

12 oz. Artichoke Hearts-Chopped small

1-15oz. can Cannellini Beans (rinsed and drained)

Start by heating the oil in a large saucepan (large enough to hold the entire stew) over med-high heat. Chop the bacon into small bite size pieces and add to pan. Cook about 6-8 min or until nice and crispy. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon and place on a paper towel to drain. Now we have that nice fatty bacon grease to saute our vegetables in!

Add the carrots, celery, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper and cook until the onion is translucent (5min or so). Stir in the chicken broth, basil, tomato paste, thyme, and bay leaf. Add the chicken whole and submerge into liquid. Reduce the heat to med-low and simmer for 20min. Then add artichokes and beans and turn the chicken breasts over. Cook for 10 more min. Remove the chicken and shred or chop into bite size pieces and return to the stew and cook 5 more min. Remove the bay leaf and spoon the stew into bowls. Top with the bacon and serve!!

This is such a warm, hearty, comforting meal that is so easy to make and your family or guests will love it! I want to make it again just talking about it!