Saturday, June 29, 2013

365, 6/23 - 6/29


lilac, cream, and gold makes for the perfect new england country side bedroom.

a bit of a walk on the wild side. lots of patterns and vibrant colors. while it's a bit bold for my taste, i would love this look in a guest room. just that little bit of fushia makes the whole room complete.


this DIY i found over on confetti pop is perfect for summer barbecues and backyard parties. it's nice because sometimes those wooden utensils aren't so comfortable to hold, so by wrapping a crucial part of the handle, it makes it a little more comfortable. plus the great pop of color.

i was feeling a bit whimsical and romantic today so i made this cute little graphic. it's cute as a phone background and a nice little reminder to enjoy every moment you get. :)

if i were as awesome as this chick, i'd rock these lovely locks too. sometimes unexpected, gorgeous hair colors make my day. this photo inspired the first palette.


i've become fairly convinced throughout this month that purple goes best with rustic. i just love it every time. this photo inspired my second color palette. 




deep, dark, vibrant casework. the perfect background for a daring girl cave office, paired with creams and golds. it's perfect inspiration for a color palette.


there will be one more purple post, but you will see it next saturday; when i also reveal the color for JULY!


*all paint colors are Sherwin Williams colors. this is not a sponsored post, i just really love their color selections.

Friday, June 28, 2013

boston!

tonight after work we are heading to the bay state! well, with a quick stop over at niagara falls on the way. we will be there for a week and i'm excited to explore this fun, history city.

have you been to boston? what places and restaurants are must-gos?!

Thursday, June 27, 2013

get ready for the 4th

sunnies / frock / studs / bangle / gold polish / blue polish / red polish / sandles

now that you know what to wear for the holiday, here's a kid-friendly drink to try too! i've always loved the look of layered drinks, and the 4th is the perfect holiday to try it. you can try it with any drink you already have in your fridge too!




choose three beverages that have different sugar contents. fill your glass to the top with ice and pour the beverage with the most amount of sugar in until it's about a third full. slowly pour the second highest drink over the ice until the glass is two-thirds full. then top it off with the liquid with the least amount of sugar. keeping your glass full of ice and pouring slowly are the key tricks!

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

June Ipsy goodies

at the end of May i decided to sign up for ipsy, a monthly subscription of beauty products. the company was founded by Michelle Phan, a well-known YouTube beauty guru. (something you may not know about me is that i'm a bit addicted to beauty videos on YouTube.) several of the guru's i'm subscribed to had raved about the products and i wanted in on the action.

my bag arrived the second week of june.

my eyes landed on this product first and i was thrilled. NYX is one of my favorite brands. this pretty, cooled toned pink is great for a natural look. cream blush was foreign to me but i've been using this pretty much every day since i got it. i'm pretty sure this is a full size product, not a sample size, and it retails for $6.


another full sized product, this bright peachy pink lip liner. it slides on silky smooth and feels extra creamy.  i don't have a lipstick that goes with this shade, but i've been wearing it filled in on my lips with a bit of gloss. love the color. this retails for $12, which alone is worth the $10 i spent on the entire monthly bag.

this chella highlighter isn't full sized but it is a really good sample size. this color and finish has been perfect to go just under my eyebrow and on the cupids bow just above my lip. and it blends really nicely. a full size retails for $18.

by far my favorite product from the bag is the cailyn linefix gel liner. it's a gorgeous gray color that i've grown to prefer over black liner. it lasts all day and takes some serious eye makeup remover to take off. the convenient brush handle makes me love it even more. i've worn this every day since i got it. it retails for a whopping $21 which is a lot for this size, but we will see how long it lasts me.

the dud in this bag was this glitter mess. the colors are lovely, but these are straight glitter. there is no cream to it and i was able to wipe it off fairly easily - well, as easily as you can wipe off glitter. i thought about keeping it around for Halloween makeup or a craft project, but the glitter isn't dense enough to look pretty. if you're still interested, it retails for $4.49.


are you subscribed to any beauty bags? let me know if i'm missing out on a good one!

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Liebster Award!

Liebster is German and means lovely or dearest and this award is given by bloggers to bloggers. It provides a nice way for fellow bloggers to meet and publicize their site to the general public. I was honored to see that Hannah from Joyful Life (please go give her a follow if you don't already) was sharing the "award" with me!
So now, I'm going to pass it along to some of my favorite bloggers!



The rules that apply when receiving the Liebster Award are...
-Link back to the blog that nominated you
-Nominate 5-11 bloggers who have less than 200 followers (I'm basing mine on bloglovin' because that's how i follow blogs. I realize many of you have more than 200 followers in other sources.)
-Answer questions posted by you from your nominator
-Share 11 random facts about yourself
-Create 11 Questions for your nominees to answer
-Contact your nominees and let them know!

Here are my questions to answer...
1. What is the best gift you have ever received?
A crocheted blanket my Nannie made for me.
2. What is the most adventurous thing you have ever done?
Ridden in a bus on Nassau... don't think it's adventurous? Don't knock it til you've experienced it.
3. What is your favourite blog post you have ever written?
Either this one here or any of these.
4. What is your favourite meal to make?
stir-fry. rice, veggies, chicken. easy peezy.
5. What are your hopes for your blog?
this is a funny question to me because i've honestly never really thought about it. i hope my blog can be a place where people are inspired to try things, whether that's a recipe, a craft, a design theme, an outfit idea... i like to share things that i love and inspire me and i hope Splendid Actually is that for others.
6. What is your favourite accessory right now?
 this headband here.
7. Favourite book?
of all time? little women.
8. What essential do you always have on hand, or in your purse?
some sort of lip product, whether it's chapstick, lipgloss, or lipstick
9. Where is your favourite spot to vacation?
anywhere that has soft sand, sun, and waves
10. What inspires you most these days?
the weather. when the sun is shining i just have to get out and do something in it.
11. What is your favourite season and why?
a tie between summer and fall. summer has great sunshine, my birthday, and the pool. fall has my favorite fashion, great camping weather, and the beginning of holiday season - which i love!

11 Random facts...
1. i hate painting my nails but i love when they are painted
2. i tend to paint my nails in the car and KJB loves me for it ;) (note the sarcasm there?)
3. my collection of notebooks and stationary is ridiculously large
4. so is my collection of pens and pencils
5. q-tips weird me the heck out
6. it takes me exactly one hour to get ready in the morning if i shower the night before
7. i'm horrible at applying sunless tanner
8. starting my day by listening to klove has changed my life
9. i dream all night, every night. and most of the time i can remember them. sometimes it makes me feel like i never sleep.
10. no soda for me. i gave up drinking soda (except for the very rare jack & diet coke and the even more rare frozen coke at movies) in july of 2011.
11. i get giggly at the thought of a chia latte. so that happens a good three times a week.

11 questions for my nominees...
1. think like a kid again... you could be anything in the world. what would you be?
2. what animal are you most like?
3. what is your favourite song?
4. i love colors. what is your favourite color combination right now?
5. what do you have a lot of?
6. ice cream is my treat of choice all year round. what's yours?
7. what diy project are you most excited to try? share a link.
8. what is your favourite blog post you've ever written?
9. where do you like to shop the most?
10. what are your favourite types of blog posts to read?
11. tell me i'm not the only one. are you bad at applying self-tanner? or are you a pro? share your tips ;)

My nominees...
-Courtney from Notably Neurotic
-Amy from Sweet Home Santa Barbara
-Julie from An Anchor for the Soul
-Hannah from Little Words & Little Pictures
-Mary from The Sauers
-the ladies from Pure & Simple
-Amy from Five Kinds of Happy

Monday, June 24, 2013

celebrated

because every 27 year old should eat smiley face potatoes. lets not take life too seriously folks.

my birthday was wonderful. thank you to everyone who tweeted and text me birthday wishes. i got to enjoy the sunshine on my lunch break. KJB made me a huge breakfast of butterscotch pancakes that i couldn't eat half of. he gave me a pretty bouquet of pink roses and a stunning necklace that i've been pining over for more than a year. unfortunately the clasp off while trying to put it on so a new one is coming from the jeweler. it will debut soon :).

friday night a few friends surprised me by showing up at our favorite bar, where we ended up sitting for hours. i didn't take one photo... too busy enjoying the moment.

all day saturday was spent getting ready for and attending my cousins graduation open house. the weather got a bit crazy so we all crowded inside their garage but still had a blast. my brother and sister were there and since the three of us are rarely ever in the same place at the same time, i dragged them over to take a photo.




how was your weekend, friends?

i'm linking up with Blair from Wild and Precious for Life Lately.

weekly truth, week 25


Sunday, June 23, 2013

365, 6/16 - 6/22

the combination of gray, violet, and aqua has been popular for a few years now, but in  this room it still manages to look trendy. the teal chandelier adds a bit of unexpected eye candy as well.

this lilac is perfection in this room. it completes the rustic feel along side the table and vintage prints on the wall.

shades of dusty lavendar with bits of orange-toned red, chartruse, and denim makes this bedroom perfectly eclectic. graphic mats in the frames and the old clock on the nightstand adds even more personality.

plum overload in this hotel room, but it actually works. the mix of patterns and fabrics makes the rooms flow together. the pale blue-green on the ceiling contrast perfectly.


for a day of shopping or going to the pool. romper / earrings / bag / polish / shoes
possibly because it's my birthday as i do this post, i had to go for a sparkly headand. it has a purple cast to it but is actually made up of pink, blue, yellow, and silver gitters. when the light hits it the headband comes of a pretty magenta color. get you one here on the bando site.

i love the color combination of this phone case. since my phone is basically permanetly attached to my hand, i like fun phone cases. the two shades of purple with the powder blue and gold is fun and perfect for summer.

Friday, June 21, 2013

wishin & hopin & plannin & dreamin

with handy links and everything!

today is the day i turn 27. i'm feeling fine about this, in case you were wondering. 27 seems old, 28 seems old, 29 seems really old, but 30 doesn't. so actually, i wouldn't mind skipping right to that part. 

with this new age i have a list of wishes, along with those up there ^. but i've decided not to share them here, although i'd originally planned to. the year of 27 for me is going to be a bit more personal and i'm going to think long and hard before i share everything with the world.

so instead of sharing wishes, i've decided to make 27 goals for this next year of life.

1. learn how to save money so i can buy something big. (something big is not yet determined and does not have to be purchased in 27th year.)
2. serve more.
3. give more compliments.
4. travel somewhere new.
5. taste a food i really don't want to try.
6. read more.
7. experience more.
8. "watch" less.
9. set a fitness goal and work on it.
10. learn to be an efficient cook.
11. learn to be an efficient cleaner.
12. spend more time with my sister.
13. spend more time with my brother.
14. spend more time praying.
15. spend more time doing what i love.
16. be less jealous.
17. feel less obligated.
18. master time-management. (ha!)
19. find some go-to, never fail me products.
20. set monthly goals that help me succeed at this list.
21. be more intentional.
22. be less afraid.
23. learn how to use one new tool/instrument.
24. learn one new technique.
25. cherish more moments.
26. touch a fish.
27. love harder.

are you a list-maker/goal-setter like i am? what's something you hope to achieve in the next year? any advice on how to achieve any of these goals? (especially number 26.)

xoxo, Courtney

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Gumball Machine Makeover


I've been wanting to make over this gumball machine of KJB's since we moved in together. So I gave her a little facelift!



First take the machine apart and rough up the metal with the sand paper. I wasn't sure which brush would work best but it ended up that they performed basically the same. Three coats of the white paint was needed to cover the red, then I let it dry for 2 hours. I didn't paint any of the interior because I don't want paint chipping off on to the gumballs. So it stays red. 


I sprayed a quick thin coat of the polyurethane as an adhesive for the glitter, covered her in glitter and let that dry for 15 minutes. Then I did a final coat of the poly.

Instead of using gumballs, I filled the globe with left over wedding favors, which were flower seeds. Obvs you can't use the machine to dispense the packs but they look cute inside.




What color would you choose for a gumball machine? 

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

my favorite posts


this post is just what it says, a round up of my favorite posts for the past year-ish. some of them are life posts, some DIY's, some just pretty pictures. but they were my favorite posts to work on and write this past year.



a / lighting for your backyard party
b / finding my career
c / cocktails and crafts
d / his + her valentines q&a
e / meet our door, erik
f / our love story
g / what happened when i did 26 acts
h / learning about being a wife
i / clearing my thoughts
j / DIY wallflower art
k / things to do for daily happiness

did you see yesterday's giveaway?! make sure to check it out for some goodies!

Monday, June 17, 2013

B L O G I V E R S A R Y + G I V E A W A Y ! *closed*


ever look back at the beginning of a journey and laugh? because no matter how long the adventure, you know more where you are now than you did back then. all journeys have trials and triumphs. you cringe at the things you failed and smile at the things you succeeded.

that's how i feel about this blogging adventure i'm on. today i'm celebrating my blogiversary - a total of 5 years of blogging! my personal blog started in october of 2008 and my design blog started in june of 2010, and over time the two morphed into this blog you're reading.

regardless of the failed posts, this blog has brought me more joy than i could ever imagine. it has helped me to grow as an artist and a designer. it has introduced me to new ideas and products. but most importantly, it has led me to some awesome people.

so to show my gratitude, i'm hosting a giveaway! these are some of my very favorite things from handmade shops, many from awesome members of the Influence Network.


... from Kerrie. {the williams post}


... from Allison {little gypsie}


... from Mandy {hooplahoopla}


... from Jessie {naptime diaries shop}


... from Brooke {lemon drop shop}

...and maybe a few other little treats that i want to be a surprise!

how to enter:
it's super simple; there are a few ways to enter. use this handy-dandy widget below. a few of these items let you enter multiple days, so make sure to come back to maximize your chances. just sign in with your Facebook account or email address!

a Rafflecopter giveaway