And The Winner Is...

wishing you all a Merry Christmas today! here are the winners for the headband giveaway. please contact me to claim your prize (a quick thank you to random.org for selecting the four winning numbers):

Headband #1- Joni

Headband #2 - JuicyVogue04

Headband #3 - Annie

Headband #4 - Cheeks

thanks everyone for entering and check back because we will be doing another giveaway in January!

xo
kristie

Happy Holidays!

we just returned from spending a week in Connecticut with family, and although my intent was to pre-post the items for this week, the season has run away with me. while i won't be following my usual schedule for the next few days, know i am thinking of you and wishing you the happiest of holidays!

don't forget to stay posted for the giveaway...only 4 days left! and if you wouldn't mind sharing, blogging, tweeting, facebooking, texting, youtubing, or talking about the giveaway, i would really appreciate it. :)

enjoying Christmas in New York

xo,
kristie

Neutrogena Mineral Makeup Foundation {Grail or Fail}

this week's grail or fail is courtesy of the original makeup guru, my SIL. we've spent a lot of time in the car together this week and one of our conversations was discussing the cost of department store brands vs. drugstore brands and whether or not they were comparable products.

one of Lindsay's favorite product that comes from the drugstore is Neutrogena Mineral Sheers. now this is the woman who introduced me to Bare Minerals several years ago and has a MAC collection that would make anyone drool. so when she recommends a product, i take it seriously.

the Neutrogena Mineral Sheers is a comparable product to the Bare Minerals loose powder foundation at a fraction of the cost. the coverage is not equal, but close enough to make it worth it. one suggestion she made to me was mixing it with your Bare Minerals foundation to make the product go a little bit further. pretty brilliant. if you are in the market for a new foundation that is fuss free, i would give this one a try. according to Lindsay, it's a Grail.

xo
kristie

Headbands Galore {Fashion Friday} + Giveaway!!

i have this friend who is INCREDIBLY creative. in fact, she could take a garbage can and turn it into something gorgeous. the two of us have been talking about ways to work together on a fun post and this is the brilliant idea she came up with. my dear friend kiki has created some adorable headbands and will be posting tutorials here on how to make them yourself. (great idea with the holidays, right?)

to highlight these headbands i have put together a few outfits. for a chance to win these gems, stay tuned to the end of the post for details.

#1 Silver Braided Headband

i thought braided beauty would be so great paired with your casual chic...

Casual Friday by krispieleigh featuring graphic tees

Bling Athletic Tee, $30
dELiAs > Kara Varsity Cardigan > apparel > sweaters, $35
AE Women's Skinny Jeans, $50
dELiAs > r2 Divan Ankle Boot > shoes > boots, $42
ASOS Leather Boyfriend Belt, $31

#2 Purple Love Headband

what a great headband to pair with your dressy chic...

Dressy Chic by krispieleigh featuring teardrop jewelry

Jersey Knot Dress

Formal Dresses
ASDA direct
Buckle.com, 16 GBP
Living Doll Jacquard Jacket : Women's Outerwear , $40
Gathered Ankle Boot, $33
Long Pave Bow Pendant Necklace, $48

 
#3 Black Feathered Headband 
 

i LOVE this headband. since i love it so much i have splurged in what to pair it with...

Winter Work by auds78 featuring python bags

Chloé Pleated silk blouse, $819
Boucle Double Breasted Bow Coat by Moschino Cheap & Chic, 850 GBP
Chloé Straight-leg wool pants, $585
Pedro Garcia Susan patent-leather pumps, $248
Chlo, $3,795
Causse Ivanna glove with chain, 355 GBP
picture by Kagura_Nakamura - Photobucket

#4 White Banded Love

this headband is so sweet i couldn't help but give it an edge...

Sweet Edge by krispieleigh featuring a distressed jacket

Take A Trip Tee - White, $121
J.Crew Aberdeen distressed leather jacket, $417
Multi Tier Side Zip Skirt, $44
Wild Diva Timberly-02 Lace Up Military Combat Boot, $27

coming up with these outfits was fun but i realize i have an unhealthy obsession with the color gray. sorry. i would love to see what each of you would pair these cute headbands with. you can purchase one of these beauties here or you can enter for a chance to win one. here's how:

1. become a follower of both Blushing Basics and KikiCreates

2. leave me a comment letting me know

3. giveaway ends Friday, December 24th 2010

4. four headbands = four winners!

good luck!

xo

kristie

MAC Pro Urban Chic Style

last weekend i was able to attend a MAC Pro makeup seminar. here's a video tutorial of one of the looks we were taught. hope you like it.



xo
kristie

Makeup Tip {Applying Lipstick}

sometimes when i apply my lipstick or lip liner i accidentally make a weird bump or squiggle on my lip that looks unnatural. cleaning up that error can be a little difficult if you have already applied your foundation. or, have you ever tried to wipe away RED lipstick? let's just say it's not easy.

this weekend i was able to attend a MAC Pro seminar and i learned the coolest trick for applying lipstick. if you smudge, do not fear. just use an angled brush like the MAC 266

wipe the tip on a moist towel, such as a makeup remover towelette or baby wipe. it's just enough moisture to remove the lipstick without being messy. take your angled brush and just brush over the offending smudge. it should wipe right off. when finished your lips should look perfectly lined.

xo
kristie

E.L.F. Eyeshadow {Grail or Fail}

last week i helped a friend with makeup for her Holiday party. i was excited to help because she had just purchased the new E.L.F. Smoky Eye Beauty Book.

included in the book are twelve eyeshadows, an eyeliner and an applicator. i have been interested in testing out the E.L.F. eyeshadows but hadn't had a chance to purchase them yet. after having tried them, here are my thoughts.

• the book includes a tutorial on how to apply the eye color but i found the tutorial to be a bit confusing.
• i liked the shades of shadow colors but the payoff was poor. i really had to layer to get the color to show.
• another problem was that the eyeshadow has A LOT of fallout when applying. did i say it has a lot of fallout? because it does.
• the eyeliner was nice and creamy, very easy to apply. probably my favorite product in the book.

overall, i would give this product a fail. for $5, it's not a bad investment. you can find eyeshadows for a similar cost that give better results. loved the eyeliner but you can purchase that product on its own for $1. the book worked for what we needed but i think i would find the color fallout too annoying. i like to apply my foundation first and if you use this product, you are best to apply your foundation last. that way you can wipe away all the color the falls to your lower lid and cheekbones.

xo
kristie

Fashion Friday {Winter Coats}

oh the weather outside is frightful. with temperatures below freezing all week i have spent A LOT of time in my winter coat. the thing is, when it's really cold, does anyone look good? i did a little investigating to find out how to help. here are some suggestions you may want to follow when choosing your winter coat.

• long puffy coat. if you are a petite don't shy away from those long coats! with a belted middle it accents your waist as well as gives you an illusion of length. for an affordable style, try Old Navy for $60

• the structured coat. this is a great decision for the curvy girl. the structure provides a flattering shape, and if you are bustier up top, go for a shorter length. this will show of your gorgeous gams. if you hurry you can pick up this beauty on sale at Nordstrom for $50.

• the trendy coat. the cape coat is this seasons trendy coat. a flattering style for all body types and if purchased in the right color, could be a timeless piece. pick one up at H&M for $75.

• the multi-purpose coat. need a coat you can wear to work, school, church, parties and more? check out this winter coat. the ruffles give it the flair to transform from casual to formal, and the length and style allow for versatility. pick this one up at Nordstrom on sale for $27.

hope this was helpful in styling up your winter wardrobe. if you have any more suggestions, please let us know.

xo,

kristie

Plain Snowflake Nail Tutorial

it's been a while since i posted a nail tutorial so i thought it would be fun to have some fresh ideas for the winter season.  thank you to YouTube user 5mireya5 for the great video.



xo,
kristie

Makeup Tip {Mascara}

how to find the right mascara. i'm sure if you took a survey of ten friends and asked them which mascara was their favorite, each answer would probably be different. with so many products out there on the market, it can be a bit confusing deciding which one is right for you. here are some suggestions for how to choose a mascara:

• you want more volume. if you have sparse thin eyelashes then you should look for a mascara that is going to volumize your lashes. i'm sure i've praised L'Oreal Voluminous mascara to death, but another mascara you could try is Maybelline Falsies. both mascaras provide a spoon like brush that cups your lashes and thickly coats them.

• you want more length. maybe your lashes aren't sparse but are short. look for a formula that is going to lengthen your lashes. new products, that have entered the market for this specific purpose, are packed with vitamins and proteins that should help to strengthen and lengthen lashes. Rimmel London Lash Accelerator is a product that claims to do just that.

• you want bright eyes. perhaps you'd like a mascara that is going to brighten up the natural color of your eyes? mascaras that are infused with purples, blues, pinks etc. are designed to bring out the color of your irises. one mascara that does that well is Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips. it has two shades of color, one black and one pink. apply the black shade first, then apply the pink to just to the lash tips. the difference will be subtle, but pretty.

i hope this is helpful on your search for the perfect mascara. if you think you have already found, please let me know. i love to hear raves for different products.

xo
kristie

Holiday Style Tip {Fashion Friday}

my husband is involved with a program that combines two genres together. which means, every year we have three Christmas parties to attend for his work alone. each individual program has their own party, and then the combined program celebrates on it's own as well.

with all these holiday parties it can be tricky coming up with outfits without purchasing a new Holiday wardrobe. to me, a Holiday outfit is a little flashier than your typical cocktail attire. here are some ideas to stretch your clothing budget, and still look good.

1. instead of buying a new dress, how about buying a new cardigan? throwing a new cardigan over an old dress refreshes the outfit. some of my favorite holiday cardis are the ones with sequins. while J. Crew has this cardigan for $189

i picked up this cardigan for $24 from Forever 21. (please ignore the flannel underneath and the Erkel glasses...ew)

i know i know it doesn't touch the J.Crew cardi in quality, but for a holiday look, it's perfect. i'll be pairing it with a pink lace top and a black pencil skirt.

my next party i have a little black dress that i plan on throwing this sequined vest over. thank you again Forever21 but could you please leave the glasses at home?

2. purchase a few pieces of costume statement jewelry. finesse that simple dress with this necklace from Charlotte Russe $12

3. raid your friend's closet. this is something i had no problem doing at 16 but why not at 29? in fact, i just had a girlfriend come over and borrow a cute silver dress i wore last year. just because i don't want to wear it two years in a row, doesn't mean it shouldn't be worn.

4. experiment. you probably have a great outfit just waiting to be discovered. look through your favorite clothing brand websites and then go back through your closet with a fresh eye. there is sure to be an outfit that you hadn't considered pairing together until now.

xo,

kristie

Recent Projects

here's a picture from a recent shoot i worked on with Melissa Jones Photography. together we worked with this amazing girl who you might see on television in the near future. she's a star.

xo

kristie