Planter DIY

Hello loves! As spring approaches, I get more and more excited for the new things it brings. Especially when it comes to beautiful flowers. So today I wanted to share with you one way I’m getting excited for spring, and making a planter. So let’s jump into this!

First off, here’s what you’ll need:

No. 1: Planter.

No. 2: Rocks. (for drainage)

No. 3: Potting Soil.

No. 4: Flowers of Your Choice. (make sure they’re all the same sun vs shade ratio, it should say this on the card that is on each plant)

No. 5: Gardening Gloves.

No. 6: Small Gardening Shovel.

No. 7: Water or Watering Can. (not pictured)

  
Just for reference, here are close ups and the name of all the plants I used for my planter:

  
  
  
  
Now for the actual gardening part. First layer some of your small stones on the bottom of your planter. This helps with drainage so that all the water doesn’t immediately run out the bottom before the plants can use it.

  
Next take some of your potting soil and layer that over the stones. You’re going to want to kind of measure how much dirt your plants need under them so that they sit even with the top of the planter. So pour a little dirt in, set a plant in to measure height, poor little more dirt in and ect. For this planter, I didn’t need very much because my plants were pretty deep, and the planter wasn’t terribly tall.

  
Next, simply add in your larger plants. Arrange them to your liking and then fill in the sides with more dirt. I didn’t fill mine up with dirt all the way to the top in the places where I wanted to put my smaller white flowers. I then placed them into any empty spaces as fillers and finished filling up the planter with potting soil.

  
  
Then douse your plant with water, you want to give it a generous amount for this initial watering. Moving it around a lot and the potting soil not being at all damp, this little guy is going to need some extra help to get started with. Then simply place in either sun or shade (whichever type of flowers you picked) and water every other day to every two days.

  
And voila! Your beautiful spring planter is complete, now you can sit back and enjoy your hard work! {This would also be a great Mother’s Day gift or activity, or a great weekend project.} On that note, I hope you all have a fabulous weekend!

xoxo,

The Blonde Brunette

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Spring Nail Polish

Hello loves! Happy Tuesday! Today I wanted to bring to you my top must have spring nail polish colors from Essie. Err well top two categories I guess… Spring and summer nail Polish looks so stunning I feel like almost anything looks fantastic against the tan skin in these seasons, so let’s dive in!

No. 1: Muted Hues. I love a good baby blue and baby pink polish just about anytime of the year, but they feel so much more appropriate in spring to me. I am also a huge fan of nude nails in the summer. Yes, you read that right, nude nails. I think the contrast between the lighter polish and the darker skin looks stunning and especially elegant in the summer. I’m also a huge fan of white nails. Like I am obsessed with white nails in the summer, the only problem is you see chips right away with white polish, which kinda sucks…

{Blanc, Baby’s Breath, Romper Room, Bikini So Teeny}

No. 2: Brights. Spring is the time to have fun with your nails. I’m a huge lover of those bright, slightly audacious colors for spring. The electric blue, tomatoe red, and neon coral are among my most worn favorites.

 

{DJ Play That Song, Style Hunter, Bouncer, It’s Me!,Hip-Anema}

I hope this gives you all some fun ideas for your next spring mani-pedi! Have a fabulous day!

xoxo,

The Blonde Brunette

Challenge Monday: April 6, 2015

Hello loves! I hope you had a great weekend spending time with friends and family. It’s time for another challenge Monday! Keeping with the whole theme of this past joyous and colorful weekend, I wanted to challenge you to work pastels into your outfit this week. Now, being one who doesn’t wear pastels super often, this is a more difficult challenge for me personally, but I think it’s totally doable. Let’s break it down into 3 levels of difficulty:

No. 1: Accessories. This is doable for just about anyone. Accessories are the easiest way to try out something, because they’re smaller parts of your outfit. Now, you can make it the focus of your outfit by pairing whatever your choice accessory is with an all neutral outfit to make it the focus.

  

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No.2: One Piece. Working one piece of pastel clothing into your outfit is probably my favorite way to wear pastels. Something I’m loving for spring is pairing one or two pieces of the same shade with light neutrals to make up the rest of the outfit. Try pairing a pastel top with white or lightwash jeans, neutral shoes and bag and delicate jewlery. I’m obsessed with this look, obsessed.

  

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No. 3: Pastel Everywhere. Now, wearing lots of pastels at once can go very right, or make you look like you let the Easter Bunny dress you. So let’s go over a few guidelines with this. Even if you wear multiple pastels, you still need to balance out your outfit with neutrals to avoid going overboard. It’s also important to make sure the pastel pieces in your outfit are super chic silhouettes. This will make sure you still look grown up and sophisticated, since pastel colors are sometimes reminiscent of youthful dressing.

 

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I hope you’ve picked up a some helpful tips to try working pastels into your wardrobe! Have a fabulous day!

xoxo,

The Blonde Brunette

Challenge Monday: Black and White

Hello loves! Happy Monday! For today’s Challenge Monday, I wanted to challenge you all to try one of the spring trends that is prominent this season: black and white. I love this as a trend for spring, it’s definitely a great transition from winter into spring, so we can all ease our way out of our black obsessed winter looks. For this trend, there aren’t really “rules” for pulling this off, it’s pretty simple. So for my tips and tricks today, I wanted to share with you some different things to consider when picking out your outfit. Pick whichever one feels best for you!

No.1 Spring Textures. To make any black and white outfit more spring appropriate, focus on picking pieces that have lighter or more lady-like elements, such as lace, floral or geometric patterns. This gives your outfit some interest and makes your two-tone look stand out even more.

  

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No.2 Keep It Classic. I am a huge fan of an effortless outfit of classics. So pull out your tried and true black jeans, and your classic white button down, maybe a boyfriend fit one if you have it. Throw on some delicate jewelry and a stack of rings. Then just grab some flats or heels and your purse and you’re good to go, looking effortlessly chic.

  

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No. 3 Keep it Casual. All our basics are in black and white, tshirts, jeans, you name it! I love the effortless look that black and white can give when paired together, it looks like you didn’t have to try hard yet still look incredibly we’ll put together. Here is my favorite causal look from Pintrest.

  

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No. 4 Keep It Simple. Mixing plain black and white together and keeping it simple also makes a great impression. I love this outfit because it’s so easy! I’m sure all of you have a LBD or a LWD that you can pair with the opposite color shoes, and bam. Outfit complete.

  

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I know this is a super easy Challenge Monday, but all that means is you have no excuses this week! Share your outfits using the hashtag: #ChallengeMonday so I can see your outfits! Have a fabulous day!

xoxo,

The Blonde Brunette

Spring Beauty Trends

Hello loves! Today I wanted to share with you some of the new trends in beauty that are straight off the runways. I’m actually pretty excited about these trends because they’re 100% doable, and most of them are pretty easily accomplished. No 3 hour hairstyles included, thank goodness.

No. 1: Plum. Normally, this is a fall or winter color, but brighter plums are a new spring trend, and I kind of love it. It gives a flushed “just worked out” kind of flush and for the lips, it’s a nice change from the typical neon pink we see every year. This pop also looks amazing with a simple makeup look to really accent the color.

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No. 2: Strong Dark Liner. This I’m not so sure how I feel about for spring. It’s a little dark for my taste, but I think it can definitely be a beautiful look. Definitely let this be the only standout in your makeup look, we don’t want super heavy makeup. Lilly Colins does it just right in this shot.

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No. 3: Bold Red Lips. As the classic clothing trends are coming back, naturally the makeup is coming back with it. Personally, I love a good red lip. To update this for spring, go for bright cherry red or something a little more punchy. Think the opposite of your perfect holiday red.

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No. 4: Negative Space Maincures. This is a cool new trend that I’m a fan of. Negative space manicures are basically when you leave part of your nail bare, so you’re raw nail is part of the design. It looks incredibly high fashion and gives you an instant cool girl vibe. (Also, so much less chipping!)

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No. 5: Baby Soft Nails. I am super pumped that this is a trend, this kind of sections off the best and brightest of the pastel shades one can choose. Think baby blue, and baby pink. Those are by far the two best pastel nail shades in my opinion, so I’m glad they’re getting their time in the spotlight.

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No. 6: Undone Hair. Yes. The lazy girl in me rejoices. Anytime my naturally curly and unruly hair is made socially acceptable, and even fashion forward I rejoice. Loose falling out hairstyles are all the rage going into spring, so it’s a happy time.

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No. 7: Reinvented Braids. You thought we were done with braids, didn’t you? We’re not. They’ve been reimagined, fishtails are one of the new fads. So continue to throw your hair up in a braid, maybe try a new style or placement to keep updated.

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No. 8: Low Ponytails and Buns. Hallelujah. As a girl with thick long hair, piling it all on top of my head has induced many headaches in my young life, and I’ve always preferred low buns and ponies anyway. They give off a more effortless romantic vibe, which seems to be a theme here.

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No. 9: Air-Dried Hair. Again, YES. This spring the hair is going to be effortless and super boho. Also, air drying your hair equals tons of texture and less heat damage to your hair, which is never a bad thing.

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I hope this post has inspired you to try some of these new spring trends this season. And hopefully you’re just excited about them as I am. Have a fabulous weekend!

xoxo,

The Blonde Brunette

Easy Updates: Spring Wardrobe

Hello loves! To continue the spring theme, I wanted to go over my must haves for updating your spring wardrobe. These are the items I feel are key to having a versatile and functional spring wardrobe. I’m including links for this post so that if you’re missing a few of these items, there are options of some of my current favorites. For me, most of these items are classics that I’ve had for years, so they’re my tried and true picks. Let’s get started!

No. 1: Classic Trench Coat. This easily dresses up a casual outfit of jeans and a T-shirt, and makes you look put together. It’s also a staple coat to pair with your work wear and pairs perfectly with those beautiful spring dresses. I know the classic color is a dark kaki color, but I’m more of a fan of a lighter shade of off white or stone color. My pick is from Banana Republic, and I might have to replace my current trench with this one.

No. 2: Utility Jacket. This is the yin to the yang of the Trench. This coat dresses down an outfit, and gives off an effortless vibe. My utility jacket is my go to in both spring and fall, and it’s one of my top 3 favorite coats. (I have a lot of coats… Cold climate problems.) My pick is once again from Banana Republic, they do classics so well and they last forever, so it’s worth the investment.

No. 3: Striped Shirt. Whether this means a button down, a T-Shirt or a silk blouse is up to you. For me, I love a crew neck striped T-Shirt. The stripes add interest without being the focal point of the outfit. It’s a perfect basic for layering and ideal for statement necklaces and scarves. Basically, you just really need a striped shirt in your life for spring. My pick is a loose and slightly oversized T from Daily Look. (I love loose T-Shirts, so this one is my jam.)

No. 4: Feminine Top. Spring is the time when floral, brighter colors and lace come out to play, so take advantage! Again, this is definitely something to tweak to fit your personal style. For me personally, I love wearing lace and chiffon tops in the spring. So naturally, my pick is one of those two. I already own this top in navy and it is honestly my favorite shirt that I own, so I may have to pick it up in white as well, which I’m recommending as a more Spring-y option.

No. 5: White or Light Wash Jeans. Is it just me, or is everyone else getting a little sick of all the dark washes and black jeans that literally everyone wears all winter long? White jeans give a fresh crisp look that fully embodies what spring is all about. They can be a bit unflattering if they don’t fit quite right though, so be wary when picking up a pair. If you’re not feeling the white or can’t find a pair that fit just right, opt for a light wash pair instead. They still give you a nice light clean look and tend to be a lot more flattering than straight up white. For my pick, I’m including both a white pair and a light wash pair in the same fit. (Which are both currently on sale!)

No. 6: Colorful Skirt. This is a definite must have for me, mainly because we’re not allowed to wear shorts that are more than 4 fingers above our knees at school. So that means skirts, lots and lots of skirts when the weather warms up. I also think a colorful skirt is a staple for any work environment in the spring. Obviously go a bit more conservative for your office look than for your chill weekend skirt pick. My pick is from Loft, and I just purchased this myself actually and I love it!

No. 7: The Perfect Spring Dress. This is kind of a no-brainer, but it has to be said. Spring is known for it’s beautiful lady-like dresses, and I am so excited to see all the new ones that come out this year. Now, like I said before, I don’t wear a ton of color, so my pick is black and white. My apologies if that’s not acceptable to your Spring expectations, but you can add color in with accessories for sure. But I am in love with this dress. Oh my goodness.

No. 8: Statement Jewelry. If you haven’t noticed already, I have a slight obsession with statement jewelry, so naturally it has to transition into spring with us. I love using pops of colorful statement jewelry with a neutral outfit, or a crystal statement with the vibrant spring colors. For my picks for this category I’m going to send you to my last Store Spotlight on J.Crew Factory, because they have some killer statement pieces right now.

No. 9: Sunglasses. These are essential for protecting your eyes form the harsh rays that have been hidden for most of winter.Try on different shapes and colors to see what looks best with your face shape and your coloring. Although my tried and true sunnies are my Raybans, I recently got a pair at Loft that I’ve been loving.  My pick are these incredibly chic tortoise shell glasses.

No. 10: Festive Flats. Flats are back in action! Time to put the boots away, thank goodness. I love flats for their comfort, but also for their style as well. For Spring and Summer I love a good espadrilles. And I’m being nice and not picking the Chanel pair as my favorite. (Also not picking those, because who wants to spend that much on a pair of flats made out of rope? Were they washed in holy water, Chanel? Why are they so expensive?) Anyway, here is my pick for festive flats.

That wraps up my list of Spring must-haves, and an easy way to update your Spring wardrobe. I hope this was helpful to you, I had a lot of fun coming up with this list! Have a fabulous day!

xoxo,

The Blonde Brunette

Easy Updates: Springtime Home

Hello loves! This week all my posts are themed around the idea of transitioning into spring, because I am so ready for spring to be here! So today I wanted to talk about how to update your home for spring!

No. 1: Throw Pillows. This is one of my favorite ways to quickly transition a space. Hopefully you have relatively neutral furniture to work with, aside from a few accent pieces. If you have accent pieces, pull your favorite colors from them that remind you of spring. I’m not going to tell you what colors are representative of spring or not. For me, my favorites are bright red, royal blue, and kelly green. If you have all neutral pieces, this is super easy for you! Go shopping and pick out a few items to inspire the color scheme for your room. Here are some of my favorite examples of throw pillows that liven up a room:

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No. 2: Lighter Textures. It’s time to pack up the faux fur and the heavy knits for the season. Let’s bring out the linens and canvas. By taking out heavier fabrics from a room, it instantly makes the room feel more open and less like a cozy little nook. (Which is great in the winter, don’t get me wrong, but you don’t want to be sweltering in the heat this spring and summer.) This one is pretty simple, but I found a few examples for ya anyway:

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No. 3: Natural Elements. Living greenery is what I mean by this, ladies and gentleman. We all think of the new life that comes with spring, and while the grass probably hasn’t quite caught up with our enthusiasm, indoor plants will. Greenery gives a more a live and fresh feeling to any space. And there are easy solutions for those of you (like me) who do not have a green thumb. Bamboo plants or succulents are for you my fellow plant killers. Both of these two plants don’t require daily care, which is awesome. I’m pretty sure I’ve killer and resurrected my bamboo plant twice now, and it’s still doing its thing! Another great way to add life, is simply with fresh flowers. I LOVE fresh flowers, to the point where I prefer them more than chocolate as a gift. So I love them a lot. Here are some of my favorite example of fresh greens:

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{image: chiconashoestringdecorating.blogspot.com}

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Bonus: here are some of my absolute favorite spring decorating picks from the on and only Pintrest.

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I hope this has inspired you and given you some ideas on how to give your home a little update for the upcoming season! I love doing home posts, so let me know what you thought of this in the comments below. Also, if you want to see where I get all these, follow me on Pintrest: Annalies Richmond. Have a fabulous day!

xoxo,

The Blonde Brunette

Challenge Monday: Transition Into Spring

Hello loves! I’m sure getting up an hour earlier this morning was not the happiest occasion, but it does mean one thing: spring is upon us. Which means, it’s time to bring spring fashion into our wardrobes (if you haven’t done so already.) This week’s challenge is to start transitioning your looks into spring. Maybe this is just mean, but if I see someone out and about in bright white and florals and pastels while there’s still snow on the ground, I think they’re a little bit crazy. So I would recommend transitioning into spring, instead of just jumping in head first. Plus, does anyone have enough spring clothes to be that bright and peppy everyday? I know I definitely don’t. So without further-a-do, let’s jump into my tips for transitioning into spring gracefully.

No. 1: Layering. Layering is like the robin of spring fashion. Once we put away all our heavy one and done coats we bring out the lighter weight jackets and layer up underneath. The key to this is not adding too many bulky layers; that can make you look bigger than you really are. So think thin when going for more than two pieces. This way, you can wear multiple thin layers, like a thin blouse, a light cardigan and a jacket on top. If you want to wear a thicker sweater, try layering a light blouse underneath or a thin utility jacket ontop. Both of those layers are thin enough that they won’t add more ontop of a thick sweater, but will still keep you warm. Here are some examples of my favorite layering looks via Pintrest:



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No. 2: Light Colors. It’s time to stop dressing in head to toe shades of burgundy and emerald and start trying shades of light gray and cream. These shades scream warmer weather in any form, which is great because this means that your favorite white sweater is totally acceptable for those chilly spring days. Lighter wash denim is also something I’d suggest trying out with the new season. I know your dark wash skinnies are super flattering, but if you can find the perfect pair of light wash jeans I promise they’ll do the same.





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No. 3: Patterns. Spring style is all about colors and prints, so obviously spring reminiscent prints are a must. This doesn’t mean it’s time to break out your dress with the neon abstract floral just yet though, we don’t want to look too eager. Subtlety working in more stripes, florals, gingams, and plaids into your daily wear is something I highly recommend. This gives your outfit a punch, and also shows that you’re ready for all the upcoming season brings.



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Now you may have noticed in my examples, that not every outfit is layered, light colored and a spring pattern. By following every rule at once will probably make you look like you’re a bit over zealous for the spring weather that’s not quite here yet (or is for some of you lucky ducks.) So my suggestion is to pick one of the three, layering, light colors, or pattern, to focus on for your outfit of the day. I hope this has helped you transition into spring, and has made you a bit more excited for the new season. Have a fabulous day!

xoxo,

The Blonde Brunette

Store Spotlight: J.Crew Factory

Hello loves! Today I wanted to do another store spotlight, because I don’t know about you, but I am so ready for spring. J.Crew Factory gets the spotlight today, because in my opinion, they are totally prepared for all of us agree shoppers. I recently did some shopping there myself when there was a 40% off with an additional 20% off on woman’s apparel, which was an amazing sale that I couldn’t pass up. Here are some of the things I bought and my top picks from their new line. Let’s jump in!

My first pick is this color blocked crepe tank. I love how sporty this tank looks, without being ready for the gym. This top hangs really nicely as well. It also comes in solid colors, and a printed version. There’s a highlighter yellow and neon pink. I picked up the color blocked one and the neon pink for myself, and I’m eyeing up the blue one. That’s how obsessed I am with this tank.

I saw this printed embroidered top online, and it is summer in a shirt. This would be perfect poolside or paired with white jeans. This is a little out of my usual comfort zone because of the busy print, but I might just have to give it a try!

My last pick for tops is a graphic T-shirt, that is the perfect spring T. I love the watercolor look of the flowers, and the sportiness of the stripes on the sleeves. (Can you tell I’m into the sporty look for spring and summer this year?)

Ok, I need these shorts. They are beautiful. The tuxedo look is gorgeous and super classy. These would look great dressed down with a loose tank and some boho style necklaces, or dressed up with a fitted shirt and statement necklace. Bottom line: I’m obsessed.

My next pick is one that was in J.Crew’s line last year, and has moved down to the Factory this year. Which I’m slightly upset about since I paid double for these same shorts last year… But that’s great news for you guys! I wore these floral shorts to death last summer. The fit is incredibly flattering and there are so many ways to dress up or dress down these shorts, and if the print isn’t your thing, these shorts also come in black and white.

To kick off the accessories, I wanted to start with the perfect transitional scarf. When the weather is changing, scarves are your best friend. This navy striped scarf is perfect to transition, and light enough that you won’t die of heat stroke.

Don’t judge me for the fact that these are yet another J.Crew Loafer, and the fact that they are the same print as the shorts I already own, but how cute are these? I am only withholding from buying them because of those two reasons, so if neither applies to you, but them for me. (I honestly might end up buying them anyway… We’ll see how much self control I have.)

And my last three picks are all jewelry, of course we’ll start off with a statement necklace. This is another item I purchased this weekend. I am seriously obsessed with the boldness of the crisp white and crystal on this necklace. It’s a little less expected than the typical neon statement necklaces we see in summer.

My second statement necklace pick is this bright blue and turquoise necklace that I am in love with. The colors in this necklace are to die for and give off great warm weather vibes, which we could all use right about now. I also love the corded detail instead of the typical chain, it gives it nice structure. (If there’s one thing I can guarantee I will be purchasing from this post, this is it.)

My very last pick is this set of rings. I love this set! The chevron detail makes them unique and perfectly graphic for an easy summer accessory. And since they’re from J.Crew, we can put our faith in them that they won’t turn our fingers a lovely green color.

And with that, I conclude my spring store spotlight of J.Crew Factory. I hope you enjoyed my picks and are inspired and excited for the spring fashion to come this year! Have a fabulous day!

xoxo,

The Blonde Brunette