A few things...

Phew!  It's been a minute.  The past few weeks have been a complete zoo.  

I graduated high school! (ignore the cheesy "hell yes, I'm done" smile and cap hair)  Oh, and the other two with me are my lovely little sister and my mother.

I had my graduation party.  My godmother/favorite aunt got me these amazing Burberry rainboots.  These will be PERFECT in the wet Evanston/Chicago weather.  I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but I'll be attending Northwestern University next year! Yay!  

I've been coaching synchronized swimming non-stop, it seems.  Nationals are this weekend (AH! Can it really be this close?)  and everyone is stressed out, trying to get the routines ready.  I'm quite excited to see how the girls do, as two of the girls in our 11-12 age group are on the 11-12 National Team.  Plus, this is only the 2nd year of our team's existence, and we're already one of the strongest teams in the Nation.  Check out www.ohiosynchro.org if you're in the Columbus, Ohio area and are interested in synchronized swimming (ages 5-19)!

And I've been getting crafty.

I painted the soles of an old pair of black lace heels  blue with nailpolish!  Two coats of white nail polish, two coats of light blue, and this is the result!  I think they turned out nicely.  I may clean up the edges with a Q-tip in nail polish remover later, though.

And I made a chalkboard with a hunk of wood and chalkboard paint for my roommate and I!  Can't wait to start decorating the dorm.  I've been going crazy on pinterest looking for dorm ideas!

But this morning was a lazy morning.  My boss/friend/former coach came over with her daughter to use our pool for a private lesson, and brought her 7 month old daughter with her.  So, I had to be on baby duty!  Not that I minded....:)  I love babies.  Especially this baby.  She can be so snuggly.  So I watched "Randy to the Rescue" (basically "Say Yes to the Dress" with only Randy) with a sleeping baby on me.  It was so peaceful.

And I recently visited a local vintage store for a party!  I played dress up:)  But more on that later!

xx, Alaura

DIY Home Pampering:)

I love makeup.  I spend a LOT of money on makeup.  Probably too much.  But do you know what I don't spend money on?  Face and bath products.  Why spend money on something that you can make yourself, with ingredients you already have at home?

Here are some of my favorite at-home recipes:

1. Lip scrub.

My lips get SO dry in the winter, which is a problem when I wear red lipstick (red flakes, yuck!)

This recipe exfoliates my lips, and keeps them super-moisturized.  

Mix equal parts extra-virgin olive oil and granulated sugar, and add a touch of vaseline.  Rub it all over your lips and scrub, scrub, scrub!  Rinse off and voila!

2. Lavender bath

I LOVE LAVENDER ESSENTIAL OIL.  LOVE IT.  I put drops on my pillow to help me sleep, and I put some in my bath for aroma therapy and muscle relaxation.  I add extra-virgin olive oil to my bath, too, to moisturize my skin.

Add 8 drops of lavender essential oil in a capful of milk (milk disperses the oil) and then add in a few drops of the olive oil (it won't blend, that's okay)  Toss under a running faucet and enjoy!

3. Sugar face scrub

This is similar to the lip scrub, but for the face.  Mix equal parts extra-virgin olive oil, honey, and sugar.  Mix 'er up and you're set!

4. Rice water toner

Rice water is really good for purifying the skin!  Put a cup or so of rice in a bowl, and pour water in the bowl until the water is covering the rice a little less than an inch.  Mix the rice and water, making sure the water becomes cloudy.  Strain the water into a jar.  There's your toner!  Put some on a cotton pad and use it like normal toner.

5. De-puffing spoons.

This one is really easy!  To combat puffy eyes in the morning, put a spoon in the freezer.  When it's really cold, press the backside of the spoon against your eyes and wait for a few minutes (or until it's not cold anymore).  

Try them out!  Super cheap and very effective! :)

~Alaura