DIY: Homemade Beauty Recipes - Allergy Free Hair Mask, Face Mask, and Body Wash

Do-it-yourself beauty treatments can be a great, inexpensive way to enjoy all the benefits of a day spent at the spa without the expensive price tag. I often use homemade recipes that work wonders for skin; my favorite being a dash of table salt + olive oil as a quick exfoliator for my hands after cooking and washing dishes. Recently, I decided to expand my beauty recipe making ways and tried a few treatments that were simple yet made a noticeable difference once finished. These were my three favorites:

{Lavender recipe here. Avocado & Pumpkin recipes are a result of various ingredients from a few recipes I found}



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A Guide to Hanging Curtain Panels - Choosing Your Curtain Style, How to Measure for Curtains, and more

I had always thought hanging curtain panels would be a daunting task, that is, until I actually took the time do so and figured out they were much easier than I ever imagined. Not only do they transform a room instantly, but they're a rather inexpensive way to spruce up the designated area without going over your budget. Here is a quick guide on how to choose your look, measure for the amount of curtains needed, and hanging your curtain panels.



Step 1. Choose your style. Narrow down your search by deciding upon the color, pattern, and fabric before heading to the store to avoid being overwhelmed with the infinite amount of choices. For modern spaces you may want to choose bolder colors or patterns, while traditional spaces may call for subdue hues and fabrics like burlap or satin.

above: Ballard Designs Firenze Embroidered Panels

Step 2. Determine the function of your curtains. Will your curtains be for decorative purposes only, or will they be functional curtains in order to keep things like sun light out and enforce privacy? Knowing the function of your curtains will help you determine the amount of panels you will need in the following steps.



Step 3. Measure window and determine width of rod. Now that you've decided on style and function, the next step is to measure your window in order to calculate the amount of panels you'll need. Measure the width of your window and add 2 to 4 inches to each side to determine the length of your rod.

above: Pottery Barn Dupioni Silk Pole Pocket Drape

Step 4. Calculating the amount of panels needed (width). For functional curtains, calculate 2 to 3 times the width of your window and use that number to determine the amount of panels needed. For decorative curtains, determine amount of panels based on desired fullness.



Step 5. Calculating the length of each panel (height). Depending on your liking, place the rod anywhere from 2 to 4 inches above your window frame and measure the length from rod to floor. The higher the rod is placed, the more height will be added to your room. Standard curtains fall roughly 1/2 to 1 inch off the ground for dust purposes. Anything shorter will have look out of sorts (think high-water jeans). For a dramatic look, you can allow the curtains to "pool" by adding 6" to 10" to the length.



Quick tips:

-Rods should extend outward 2 to 4 inches on each side of the window and upward 2 to 4 (or as high 8"+) above the top of window frame

-Measure the width of the window and calculate it by 1 to 3 times to determine amount of panels needed, depending on function and desired fullness

- Standard panel curtain length stops roughly an inch above the ground; pooled curtains extend 6" to 10"

photos via Pinterest

Currently Loving: Favorite Beauty Products - Gluten Free Soy Free Make Up, Shampoo, and more

If there is one thing I'm slightly obsessed with, it's beauty products. I could spend hours on the internet researching product reviews, skin care tips, new brands...the list goes on and on. My skin care and make up routine is fairly simple, mostly due to my ultra sensitive skin which cannot tolerate any products containing wheat, dairy, and/or soy. After pinpointing said allergies last year, I became somewhat consumed with finding products that were free of such irritants yet still available at the stores I frequented most. Much to my surprise, I discovered a lot of great (and more importantly, "safe-for-me" - an allergy sufferer's favorite words!) products by brands I'd seen and used for years. Here are some of my favorite products I'm currently using and loving:



1. NARS Larger Than Life mascara

2. Jane Iredale Eye Contour brush & Handi brush

3. Urban Decay Naked palette (Every time I'm in Sephora this is sold out! The colors are gorgeous)

4. NARS Lip Gloss in Turkish Delight & Stila Lip Glaze in Watermelon

5. Jane Iredale So Bronze

6. bareMinerals original foundation

7. Aveda Rosemary Mint shampoo & Scalp Benefits conditioner (I swear by their Scalp Benefits! Ever since I started using it my hair grows extraordinarily fast)

8. Jan Marini Antioxidant Daily SPF 30

9. Aveda Rosemary Miny body bar

10. California Baby Super Sensitive lotion (gluten/dairy/nut/soy free) & Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser

kate spade new york - Ads of the Past

kate spade new york is one of the most genius brands of our time. Not only do they produce gorgeous handbags and accessories suited for all aspects of life, but they've created a complete lifestyle arena which exudes glitz, glamour, and sophistication effortlessly. One of my favorite aspects of their multifaceted company is their advertisement campaigns. They are esthetically pleasing with clean, colorful concepts, and often times strike a chord within by highlighting life's simplest pleasures: a good book, a trip to the museum, a child's derby race. These are some of their older ads I just love.

photos here, here, here

Top Tips for Beginner (and Experienced) Bloggers - Honesty in Blogging, Networking for Bloggers, and more

I'm linking up to Kelly's Show Us Your Life (SUYL) - Blogging Tips post this week because I think it's a fantastic roundup of advice for both new and experienced bloggers. I often get asked in comments or emails about any tips or advice I have for new bloggers, and while I'm not an expert on this subject in any way, I would love to share some things I've used since starting Brunch at Saks as my online inspiration board in September 2008. These are just personal tips that have worked for me, so please know I am not saying this is a 'how-to guide' to blogging, or anything of the sort. I'd love to hear your tips, too.

- Top Tips for Beginner (and Experienced!) Bloggers -

Blog for yourself. Blogging is about you; a place for your likes, desires, thoughts, and feelings. Write, share, and express as if no one is reading. If you are concerned with comments and followers, they will come in time. My first few months of blogging I had 2 followers (my boyfriend and myself), about 100 visitors per month (again, probably all my boyfriend and myself) and maybe a comment every ten posts or so. I put the whole number thing out of my head and continued to focus on what my blog meant to me. After a while I looked up and noticed that people started to trickle in here and there. While it has always meant the world to me to have others visit, read, and share, I still try and focus on why I started my blog and stick to blogging for those reasons alone.



Be honest. If there is one thing blogging has taught me, it's that truth in what you write is of the utmost importance. I have been disappointed and hurt as a fan of some blogs that I realized were pulling the wool over my eyes. Stories weren't adding up; convictions in old posts didn't match those in newer posts; the list could go on. Respect your readers and visitors enough to be honest with them. They are intelligent and will always figure out if honesty is being compromised.



Communicate. Not only is blogging about sharing your own life and inspirations, but it's about connecting with others. If someone is kind enough to take time to read your post and comment on it, then if it all possible, return the gesture. If you are the one who comments first, be genuine. Saying things like "come read my blog" or "follow me and I'll follow you back" only turns people away. Read the post and comment as if you were talking with a friend. I've been surprised by the lifelong friendships formed from blogging, and I've found that having a network of blogging friends makes the experience all the more valuable and meaningful.





Too much of a good thing is never a good thing. I mean this in two different ways! First: while blogging is fun and entertaining, don't become so consumed to where it interferes with your real life relationships, as time spent with your loved ones trumps all. Secondly, and more literally, too much posting can often times turn people away. I have found a good balance is one post a day, or one every other day, with a possible break on the weekends.



Photos. Even though I love to read, I have to be honest and say that it's hard to read posts with a lot of paragraphs and no pictures. The photos don't have to be self taken, they can be from the internet or scanned from magazines or wherever really, but they do help keep readers interested.



Lastly, give credit where credit is due. If you post a photo, project, recipe, etc. that is not your own, give credit to the creator if possible, or link back to where you found the piece you are sharing. We are all creative thinkers and as bloggers, we know how much time and effort goes into creating a post, so please always keep that in mind when sharing about others' work.



Again, these are just personal things I follow that have worked for me. Every blog has it's own unique flow and style, which is what makes the blog-o-sphere such an exciting place. Most importantly: HAVE FUN.

photos here and here

DIY: Lovely Fabric Flowers

I only had navy, khaki, and red fabric left, but I think any color or pattern would look cute!

A few holiday season's ago my Nana gave me a huge bag of fabric remnants for a project I was working on, and since I've yet to use them all, I'm always on the lookout for DIY's in which fabric is the star. After seeing a tutorial by Emily at Jones Design Co. (one of my fave blogs) on how to make fabric flowers, I knew they'd be the perfect way to use up those last few pieces I had. They were really simple to assemble, and by adding a pin to the back it made them extremely versatile. I tried them out on my necklaces and a scarf, but I think I'm going to add a few to some throw pillows and possibly a cardigan once fall comes around.

- materials - fabric, small piece of felt, hot glue gun, starch, iron, scissors, crafting flat back pins like these
{one} spray fabric with starch and iron

{two} cut out 16 petals - 8 large and 8 small (I free-handed these so mine were a little uneven, but Emily has a print out template here)
{three} starting at the bottom center of each petal, cut upward 1/2 inch to create slit
{four} put a dot of glue on one side of slit. fold opposite side on top, creating the petal
{five} cut a small circle out of the felt and glue the bottom edge of four large petals onto it, creating the first layer
{six} glue the next layer of four large petals on top, continued by 2 separate layers of four small petals
{seven} create the bud by cutting three small circles of fabric. fold each into fours and glue in the center
{eight} glue the pin in back and voila!

*update to answer email q's* the necklaces above are from J.Crew Spring '10 and the white scarf is Banana Republic from last winter. Hope that helps!

Mini Strawberry Vanilla Cakes w/ Homemade Whipped "Cream" - Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Soy Free Dessert

{you can frost the entire piece, but I liked the rustic feel of seeing the cut cake}

As I walked into the grocery store the other day, I found myself completely engulfed in the sweet, intoxicating smell of fresh picked strawberries on display. My mind immediately returned to warm summer nights by our pool growing up, where my Mom would always have a bowl of fresh strawberries as a side dish at dinner. Sometimes she would sprinkle sugar atop, making the seemingly healthy fruit a bit less of the sort, but most of the time we ate them plain; establishing a lifelong palette of summer's subtle gifts. Not wanting to pass up a seasonal favorite, I bought a rather large container of them and decided to use some of the bunch to accompany this gluten free / dairy free vanilla cake recipe I've wanted to try. The top and filling is my favorite homemade dairy free whipped "cream" recipe, which is a treasure by itself as well. To be honest, the only downside of this dessert is figuring out ways to stay out of the fridge until they're gone!

{I didn't have the heart to throw away the cake trimmings, so I made a few bite sized square treats}

Click below for the dairy free whipped "cream" recipe.



Vanilla Whipped "Cream"/Frosting Recipe

In a stand mixer fitted w/ paddle attachment (or hand mixer) mix:
1/2 c. shortening (I used Spectrum Organic palm oil shortening because it's soy-free)
4 c. powdered sugar
1/2 tablespoon pure vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
Pinch of salt
Up to 1/8 cup water

-Slowly add in water until consistency is thick, smooth, and spreadable

**This is absolutely NOT healthy in any way, shape, or form, but I can promise you it tastes SO good!**