How it started: For most of us, it is now summer! Which means staying up late, sleeping in, and no school! Overall, this gives us lots and lots of free time to do what we want. Probably the worst summer days are when we spend the whole day bored and lazy. For me, this is usually a day of TV and electronics, which while this can be fun sometimes, is not how I want to spend my whole summer. My best friends and I both agreed that we wanted to make more of our summer days, so we came up with a solution, our very own "Best friends Summer Bucket-list." It would be a list of things to complete over the summer together to keep us busy. Creating the list was about as much fun as completing it would be. We started by listing some things we wanted to do together...simple things: go hiking, pull an all-nighter, get a perfect tan...etc. As we continued, the ideas became more exciting and crazy, things that would take a little more effort to complete: have a powdered paint fight, tie dye bed sheets, walk barefoot an entire day, buy t-shirts and walk around downtown letting people sign them...you get the idea! Soon, we had a long list of about 45 "tasks." We wrote them down on white paper in a checklist style, and all signed the lists, agreeing to complete them by the end of summer. Then, we hung them in our rooms, where they could be easily noticed.   

Completing it: This was the most fun part, but also it is slightly tricky, depending on the list. If you are doing a "bestfriend summer bucketlist" opposed to simply a  "summer bucketlist" then you will be completing everything obviously with other people. For every thing we completed on our list, all four of us (Tatum, Aine, Brynn, and I) had to be available to hangout. Luckily, we are all going on vacactions around the same time and have sports the same time so it wasn't a huge issue. Secondly, it can cost some money to complete the things. Since there was four of us, we all contributed to supplies we needed to buy. Overall though, its about having fun everyday! Here is a slide show of things we have completed so far. We have much more to do, but hopefully by the end of summer we will be done!

Tip 1: Find a good thrift shop- Not all thrift shops will have what you want! Look at all the thrift stores in your area to find the one that you like best. That doesn't mean you should totally avoid the other ones though because thrift shops get new things in almost every day! 

Tip 2: Search EVERYTHING- Believe me, I know, a lot of the items in the store will be ugly and pointless. But don't forget to keep an open mind about things! Just because you are finding mostly ugly clothes doesn't mean there isn't anything you will like. My biggest tip I could give you is to search everything! The best items are really hidden, so go through all the racks and all the sizes. 

Tip 3: Look for name brands- Always keep an eye out for your favorite brands. The best finds are when you see that Abercrombie dress for only a few dollars, when it is $70.00 new! Thrift shopping can be a great way to have those expensive name brand clothes without paying the name brand price!

Tip 4: Up-cycling- This might be my favorite part of thrift shopping! Up-cycling is when you buy used clothes from a thrift store and cut, sew, and redesign them into a totally new piece of clothing. For example, you could buy a used shirt and cut the sleeves off for a cute tank top, or turn some old jeans into stylish shorts! It is really up to your imagination what you create! Always keep an eye out for items you could reconstruct!

Tip 5: Think vintage- If you are one of those girls like me, who loves anything vintage, a thrift store is your best friend! Many items are from older people, and they are truly vintage! Always look for antiques and vintage pieces!

Spring is finally here, which means it's time to say hello to spring trends! One of the most popular trends has been the color mint! Here is all you need to know on styling this pretty pastel, as well as some outfit ideas!

Nail polish: Mint nail polish is super pretty and girly, and is the perfect color for spring! 
Styling it: When wearing mint polish make sure not to go too crazy with the designs, you don't want to take away from the gorgeous simplicity of the color. Need a design? Stick with simple white polk-a-dots, or a rose on your ring fi
Purchasing it: My all time favorite mint polish isApple" by Essie, but if you are looking for a cheaper alternative "Mint Sorbet" by Sally Hansen is also a great color, though it is a bit more on the green side. 

 Scarves: Ah, yes. One of my favorite accessories all year round...scarves! Why not incorporate the lovely mint color into our scarves?
Styling it: Light-weight scarves can add alot to any outfit! Pair a lacey mint scarf with a simple white tee for an instant casual spring look! There is really no wrong way to wear a scarf in the spring. My biggest tip would be to avoid wearing a mint tshirt or tank top with a scarf of the same shade! You want to wear mint, not have it wear you!
Purchasing it:  I got the lighter mint scarf on the left from Maurices! It is a lighter mint, and is super delicate and pretty with lace detailing. The one on the right, I recieved as a birthday gift from a friend. It is a darker, more green minty shade, and is perfect for a more casual look. If you don't have a Maurices (or a friend who buys you clothes) you can find minty scarves at lots of other stores too! Your best bets are Macy's, Target, and Forever 21, but more and more stores are starting to sell them! 

Jewelry: Mint-colored jewlery such as bracelets,rings,necklaces, and earrings are all great ways to spice up an outfit for spring!
Styling it: In the picture to the right I am wearing a mint gemstone bracelet and a minty ring, paired with rose ring. Make sure your mint isn't too overpowering;jewelry with mint accents can keep your color theme together, without looking like your painted in the color. You can also tone it down by mixing silver, white, or gold colored jewelry with your mint jewelry.
Purchasing it: My bracelet is from Maurices and the rings are from Claire's, but as I said with the scarfs, so many stores are selling mint accessories now! Just keep an eye out for a good deal! Claire's is a good place to start since there new spring line of jewelry includes a bunch of mint! 




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Clothing: Probably the most common, and my favorite way to wear mint, is simply your clothing! 
Styling it: How to wear mint clothes, depends on clothing piece. One of the most popular pieces is mint pants! Style some mint shorts or pants with a white tank top or tee for a simple look. If you are feeling more daring, add a bright pink blazer! Wear it right, mint and pink look great together! Another way to style mint clothes is by pairing it with anything floral! A mint dress and floral cardigan or sweater gives a cute spring outfit for a date, or day out. A casual everyday outfit is to wear a mint cami with a dainty lace tank top on top, like I showed in the picture to the left. 

Recently, I had my birthday party with 5 of my closest friends! We had a scavenger hunt downtown at my town's walking mall. It was a blast and I knew as soon as I got home I had to share this inexpensive and fun party idea!
Party Summary:When guests arrived (we met at a park downtown) we split everyone into 2 teams with 3 people on each team. We gave each team the scavenger hunt list and a pen. Each team also had a camera and video camera (which wasn't hard since almost every teen has an Ipod, Iphone, or something of that sort with a camera.) We had one hour to complete as many items as we could off the list, video taping or taking a picture of each thing we did. Some of the things on the list included... hug a stranger, shake hands with a bearded man, find a Justin Bieber look-alike, sing "Call Me Maybe" in public, and other crazy tasks. We also had things on the list to find and take a picture of, such as a price tag with digits that add to 14, something with feathers, and a take-out menu. The final things on the list were themes such as love, something that changes everyday, something that never changes, something essiential but seldom noticed, and something where you wouldn't expect it to be. These final ones allowed the teams to be creative and interpret them in different ways. We were given an hour to complete as much of the list as we could, and we were told to meet up at the icecream parlor when our time was up. My team had a blast running all around downtown taking pictures and interacting with people! Everyone downtown had fun helping us complete the list, and we were suprised how quickly an hour went by! When we met up at the icecream parlor, we had icecream and opened gifts while my mom tallied up the scores. We all were cracking up watching the videos and pictures! The winning team won little gift bags with small prizes (candy, EOS lipbalm, nailpolish...etc.) Overall, it was a great party that barely cost anything! 
Tips to hosting: Location is key for this party! A mall is a very convient place because there is lots of people, stores, and its pretty safe. If you are having it at a mall, make sure video taping is allowed ( I know some malls don't allow cameras or video cameras.) If you don't have a mall, downtown areas can be a nice place too! You can even have several locations, or have a chaperone driver (if you can't drive) bring you around to different stores and places. 
Some pictures from my party... (Blue team)

Step 1: Find some jeans or capris you don't wear anymore or you don't mind cutting up. Put on your jeans and use chalk or a pencil to mark where you want to cut them. Keep in mind, we will be fringing them later, so they will get a little shorter.

Step 2: Take off the shorts and cut them. Cut longer rather than shorter, because you don't want to accidently cut them too short. I recommend cutting them in a slanted line, making the back longer than the front.  To make them even, cut one side and fold them in half to cut along the first cut (showed in the picture.) Once you have cut them, try them on again. Mark where you want to cut off more and repeat as before until you have your jeans cut to your liking.

Step 3: Time to distress these bad boys! Grab your sissors and open them up slightly to use the pointy part. Start dragging it across the shorts anywhere you want it to be slightly distressed. Scuff up your shorts as much as you want! Remember, this will be much more noticeable after you wash and dry them.

Step 4: If you want your shorts to make holes in them fold the fabric of the front part of the shorts in half and cut a tiny slit. Slide your sissors into the slit and cut as much as you want. Make sure to avoid cutting the pockets, or cutting big holes in the back of the shorts. You wouldn't want you underwear showing through! Unless you want huge holes, don't get too crazy cutting. The dryer will make them bigger and much more frayed.

Step 5: (If you want to leave your shorts their natural color then skip to step 7!) Now it's time to wash out the color! Fill an empty spray bottle half way full with bleach and add a little water.

Step 6: We want a slightly ombre effect, where the jeans are lighter near the legs and get darker up to the waist. To achieve this, spray your shorts with the bleach focusing mainly on the bottom part where your legs would come out. Once the bottom is soaking start spraying upwards. Spray your shorts less as you work upwards. Repeat this on the backside and lay them in the sun to dry.

Step 7: I layed my shorts out for about 5 hours.Once your shorts are dry, bring them in. As you can see, they are lighter near the bottom from the bleach and get darker as they go up. Now, put your shorts in the wash, and wash them with cold water. Once you wash them, put them in the dryer.

Step 8: After you have washed and dried your shorts they should be frayed and more distressed. You can trim extra fray that you don't want, or go back with your sissors and fray them more. Overall, these are your completed DIY distressed cut-off shorts! I think they are super cute and you can personalize them as much as you want by adding studs or whatever you want! I hope you enjoyed this tutorial! Leave suggestions for other DIY crafts you want me to post on!

Mascara- My favorite mascaras this month are Maybelliene The Colossal Volume Express mascara and Maybelliene Mega Plush Volume Express mascara. I have been using both this month and I can't choose one over the other. Colossal gives your lashes lots of volume and gives the illusion of fake eyelashes. Mega Plush is better for an everyday look because it looks more natural. It gives length and seperates your lashes but unless you do more than one coat, it doesn't look very dramatic.

Face Product- My favorite face product for February is Maybelliene Dream Fresh BB Cream. BB Creams are great because they are moisturizers, sunscreen, and have light coverage. This BB Cream feels super light on your skin and looks really natural. My only complaint is that it doesn't come with alot of product.

Scent- My favorite scent this month would definately be Carried Away from Bath and Body Works. I have worn this almost everyday this month and I am in love with this scent! It has a subtle fruity smell of raspberries and lemons mixed with floral scent of jasmine. Overall it is a very girly and fun scent, and the packaging is adorable! 

Nail Polish- I have painted my nails so many times this month, and I've been really into designs. But, my favorite solid nail color has been E.L.F. Blushing Beauty nail polish, which is a shimmery rose-gold and copper nail polish that almost looks like foil on your nails. It is gorgeous!

Hair Product/Accessory- February I have been absoutley obsessed with hair bows! I have gotten a ton of requests for a tutorial on how to make these so I will be sure to post one soon! Anyways, I have been wearing hair bows with anything from dresses to sweatshirts to give my outfit a very girly look (which is totally me!) 

Clothing Item- My most worn and favorite clothing item this month has by far been oversized sweaters! Since it has been cold outside, I have been in love with big sweaters because they are so cozy, warm, and soft! I just can't get enough of them! 

Step 1: Paint your nails a dark blue or black. I'm using Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure nail polish in the color "Navy Baby."  Black will work better, but I don't own a black nail polish right now. This is going to be your "sky" or base color. 

Step 2: Apply a sparkly pink to the smaller end of a makeup sponge. I'm using Claire's flying saucer pink from the Starstruck collection. It is a pretty bright pink that is very shiny and sparkly. Make sure the polish doesn't have actual glitter pieces in it.

Step 3: Dab the sponge onto your nails in random spots. Don't cover the entire nail, just splotch the pink on randomly. 

Step 4: Likewise to the pink paint a sparkly bright blue onto your sponge. I'm using Claire's nail polish in "Fresh Water."  Again, you don't want actual glitter pieces in the polish. If your blue is not sparkly, it will still work, but it won't stand out quite as much. 

Step 5: Again, similar to the pink, dab the sponge with the blue polish onto your nails in random spots. You shouldn't need to repaint the sponge, because you don't want the polish to be too thick on your nail. You should splotch on thin layers. 

Step 6: Now time to add some stars to your sky! Use a clear polish with small glitter and swipe it on top of your nail. The glitter really looks like stars! I'm using L.A. Colors Color Craze BCC557 nail polish. 

Step 7: To finish off the galaxy add some planets! Any glitter polish with big pieces of glitter will work. When applying the glitter don't swipe it onto your nail! You only want two or three pieces of glitter or "planets" on each nail, so carefully dab the glitter onto your nails in random spots. I used two different glitter nail polishes for this step: Elf Chic Confetti and Elf Gold Star.

Step 8: Finish your nails off with a clear top coat and you are done! Comment what you think, or post a picture on instagram and tag me (@livetolove_321) to show me your nails! Thanks for reading! I will see you all next Saturday for new posts!

Valentine's Day is just around the corner! Try out this cute and simple nail design!

Start by painting your nails a bright pink base. If you want a more subtle girly look, use a lighter pink. I'm using bright pink by L.A. Colors.

Using a white nail polish make a small oval to the left

Paint another to the right and connect them to make a heart.

Paint small hearts on all your fingers except for your thumb

On your thumb paint a bigger heart that takes up most of the nail. Finish with a clear top coat and let dry.

Step 1: Find an old makeup tin or small container to use. This was an old powder compact that I am using. If you still have a little powder or product left scrape it out and clean out your container.

Step 2: Grab a lipstick you don't use or and old one. You can also buy a cheap one to use from the dollar store. I'm using the lipstick side from an L.A. Colors Lipgloss and Lipstick Duo I bought at the dollar store, in the shade "Twinkle."

Step 3: Cut off the "bullet" of the lipstick. (If you want to continue using the lipstick after the project then set the bullet aside and see step 4.) Scrape the contents out from inside the tube. Place the bullet and all product into your container.

Step 4 (optional) : If you are wanting to continue using your lipstick then after scraping out the product from the tube, replace the bullet into the tube. It should be good as new, and you can use your lipstick again.

Step 5: Smush your product into your container, and add a small scoop of pertoleum jelly in with it.

Step 6: Mix the ingrediants together and spread it evenly into your container. Heat the mixture in the microwave for 10 seconds at a time, until it is softer. (If you have a container with metal skip this step or transfer your product into a microwaveable container.) When the product or soft or liquid, pour it and smooth it into your container.

Step 7: Freeze your blush for 3-6 minutes, to set it. After that, you have your completed cream blush! To apply it just warm some up on your fingers, dab it onto your cheeks, and blend it. *Additional products can be added to your blush. You can mix lipsticks, scrape in eyeshadow, add face powder, or primer to make it longer lasting!

Step 1: Gather and print out all the pictures you want to display. Depending on how big you make the collage, you will need about 40-45 pictures. It works best if your pictures are all horizontal, but obviously I included some vertical ones too. Use pictures of friends, family, and things you love. Your collage should show off your personality and life. I got some pictures off of my Instagram, camera, ipod, and some old pictures from when I was young. 

Step 2: Lay out your pictures on the ground in the shape of a heart. Rearrage the pictures in the order you liketh best. Keep in mind, the collage is going to be pretty big, so your favorite pictures will be seen best in the middle of the heart. 

Step 3: Find an empty wall to hang your collage. Use masking tape to hang the photos into your heart. Once they are all on the wall how you want them, remove the masking tape one by one, and use glue dots or double-sided tape to hang your photos. You now have a cute, girly, and unique collage on your wall!