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. 

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!

Color scheme- the typical colors for a Paris themed room are pink, white, and black! This doesn't mean every item in your room has to be these colors but try to stick to this color scheme as much as possible! If you are painting your walls look for a light pink.

Curtains- some long curtains can really add to your room! Pick out a pattern that fit the color scheme and has a good design. These Paris curtains I have in my room are black and white and have swirly designs and chandeliers. 

Mannequin- Add the Paris love of shopping with a mannequin! You can find inexpensive mannequins like this at stores with room decorations such as TJ Maxx and Ross. 

Hair styling side table- every girl needs a spot to get ready in the morning. If you don't have your own bathroom a personal styling station could be just what you need in your room! I bought a black 3 drawer side table which I use to store make-up, hair styling tools and products, and hair accessories. You can spice up a normal black side table or stackable drawers with some pink ribbon, which can be tied into bows and hot glued on. Put your drawers next to a tall mirror!

Fragrances and Perfumes- Your room looks like Paris so why not smell like it too? Bath and Body Works has a huge variety of Paris themed scents including Paris Amour, Paris Nights, Sweet on Paris, Paris in Bloom, and even Paris for Men. You can buy perfume, lotion, shower gel, soap, glitter gel, and more in this Paris scents! And if you aren't into body things you can get candles in their Paris scents too! 

French Memo Board- ditch the boring bulletin board for a cute french memo board to display photos, notes, and more. This memo board was less than $10 at Ross and matches the room perfectly! 

Rug- for all those rooms with boring carpet, lay down a colorful inexpensive rug to add personality and color! 

Wall decorations- With Paris being an extremely popular theme lately, there is so many wall decorations available! From an Eiffel tower clock to a huge Paris wall canvas you will have no trouble finding decorations. Don't buy everything and fill every inch of your wall space, but pick a few things you love most to accent the room. 

DIY decorations- If you don't want to spend alot of money on decorations go to your local craft store to make your own room decor. I recently went to Ben Franklin's and made this magnetic board from scrapbooking paper, charms, magnets, and a antique-looking serving tray. I glued pieces of scrap booking paper to the tray and let that dry. Then I hot glued the charms to small magnets which stuck to the tray. I can use it to hang pictures or just to decorate my room alone. This is just one example of how you can make your own room decorations. Get creative and crafty!

Hi girls! As I'm sure you all know, stress is not a fun thing to deal with. If you have ever been stressed, as I'm sure you have many times, you feel angry, upset easily, or even sad. It can completely ruin your day or even week. Stress is especially common in teenage girls. Here is just a few things you can do relieve yourself next time you find you are stressed.

Listen to music (Feel-good playlist)-create a playlist with all the songs that make you feel relaxed or happy whenever you listen to them. Maybe it's that one Taylor Swift song that just makes you want to smile or a One Direction song that you are absolutely in love with. Whatever it is, you will have your "stress-reliever playlist" at hand whenever you are feeling upset. Listening to music can help you relax and calm down as your prepare yourself to deal with your everyday tasks and life challenges.

Face steams- Yes, this sounds like a funny thing to do, but at least for me, this is one of my favorite and most effective ways to relieve stress. Think personal facial spa or sauna! Start by boiling about half a pot of water (any pot  about the size of your face or bigger will work.) Cover the boiled water with tin foil to keep in the heat. Find your favorite scents, ones that make you feel relaxed, such as mint, lemon, tangerine, lavender, or vanilla. Add the scents into the water in either fresh form or scented extracts and oils. For example, a few drops of tangerine oil and a few lemon slices. My favorite combination is fresh mint leaves and lemon slices. Next, wash your face and pat it dry, then pull your hair up and out of your face. Place your pot carefully on a stool or on the ground and remove the tin foil. Put your face above the water (be careful not to touch the water or pot, it will be very hot) and drape a towel over your head to trap the steam. Relax in the scented steam as long as you want or until the steam wears off. Keep water nearby to sip on and stay hydrated. If you try this please comment what you think and let me know your favorite scent combinations!

Talk to a friend- Call your best friend up on the phone or go on a walk with buddies. Hanging out with people you love can help relax you and relieve your stress. That's not saying spend hours on the phone instead of finishing your science project...procrastination will only add to your stress later! But spending a little time to just relax and talk can really help.

Exercise- have you ever heard of going on a run when your stressed? Seems like the last thing you want to do to relax, but studies show exercise actually reduced your stress levels. So if you are feeling stressed, instead of watching TV go outside and go on a jog or play a little soccer. Whatever you love to do that can get your heart pumping.