Earth Month: Kiss My Face

I've been a fan of Kiss My Face since high school when I tried out one of their lip balms, solely because of the name. (I totally cheated on Lip Smackers at the time!!) Since then, I have been converted and always have one of the SPF lip balms on hand for my beach days. I live for SPF products, just because I'll burn to a crisp without them, but tend to be a bit lazy with sunscreen application because it takes so long to apply. This girl is a whole lotta fair skin! So, the spray versions of sunscreens have become my more recent go-to over the past few years. Kiss My Face has this rad "bare naked body mist" which is SPF 30, filled with natural mineral sun blocking agents and "Antioxidant Defenders" (Vitamin C/E, Green Tea, Goji Berry Extract, Aloe, Olive Oil, Shea Butter), plus is free of parabens and other artificial fragrances.

The best part is spraying it on because it's so light. It reminds me of the consistency of an aerosol hair spray because the particles are so small.

I keep it in my tote for on-the-go application when I'm outside at the farmers' market or hiking in the hills. It also gives a pretty sheen right after application without feeling thick, goopy, or super greasy. If Kiss My Face was a person, I'd totally kiss their face.

Kiss My Face www.kissmyface.com Price – $1+ Varieties – lip balms, sunscreen, moisturizer, deodorant, and olive oil soaps.

Bali Week: Miu Miu Starfish Sandals DIY

This was one of my favorite projects that I worked on while I was away! Because the weather was hot and humid (oh, how I miss that humidity now that I'm back...) I knew that I was going to be in sandals and flip flops the entire time and wanted to craft a snazzy pair for the beach. I've been obsessed with these fab Miu Miu sandals since seeing them a few years ago...

...and got all the supplies to DIY my own!

Supplies:

- A pair of metallic Old Navy sandals (they're on sale for $15 now!!)

- A vial of gold glitter I grabbed at Joann's

- Red felt

- Mod Podge

- A paper starfish pattern (I grabbed mine online, here)

- Rhinestones (This assortment is from Darice's Big Bag of Bling, aka the best name ever!)

- E6000 (I used a travel size version)

I started out by tracing the starfish pattern onto the red felt. I pinned it to the felt to make it easier to trace.

With my felt cut out...

...it was time to glitter bomb the starfish!!

I painted a layer of Mod Podge to the felt piece, trying to leave a bit of red trim free from the adhesive to match the trim on the original pair. Then I poured on the glitter and "painted" it to the top of the felt.

I made three layers of the glittery/Mod Podge mixture (letting them dry a smidge in-between, just so I could see the spots where more glitter needed to be put) on the starfish and then let them sit overnight to fully dry.

Not such a bad view from the drying spot!

PS, I was crafting on that little cushion right outside my door. Kind of a dreamy little spot to be creative!

Once the glitter/Mod Podge was completely dry, it was time to affix the rhinestones! I pulled a stash of big and little oval and circle shapes from my bag o'bling...

...and figured out a pattern that would cover the starfish best. I started to glue down my stones one by one until they were all attached.

Not too shabby!! It's getting there!!

I let my stones dry for a few hours and then stitched the starfish to the top of the sandals. I stitched the top point of the starfish to where the "T" strap begins at the ankle (in photo below) and then connected the two bottom points to the strap by the toes.

After my sandals were complete, it was time to take them for a spin!

I think the essence of the original sandals are totally there. And quite a refreshing cost difference too, as the Miu Miu's were priced at $585.

I took these to the beach in Jimburon where a BBQ feast of grand proportions was en route.

While waiting, I had to get an ear of grilled corn from a dude peddling them on the beach.

That corn was legit. Like so legit I want the beaches in Southern California to pick up this trend :)

Dinner arrived and included fish and the biggest prawns I've ever seen and calamari and veggies and rice and more veggies and dipping sauce and watermelon and Bintangs (Indonesian beer). It seemed to be never-ending yet so amazingly delicious. I was the best kind of full after this meal.

The sunset was golden and magical...

...and so were my new shoes!!

Earth Month: Paddywax Candles

Paddywax was a brand that I found out about after one of my strolls through Anthropologie. Yeah, I treat Anthro like a little park of sorts. I walk through the entrance and then over to the home goods area to check out the gorgeous plates, then over to the jewelry racks to try on necklaces, then a quick perusal through the books, and then back around to the scents section where I sniff and spritz. I get a little workout walking through the store while getting tons of inspiration at the same time. Win-win. I just saw that Paddywax has the coolest ECO Green collection and the packaging comes from...wait for it...upcycled wine bottles! (Now question, who's the one sipping the vino from all those bottles?? Totally kidding...kind of.)

I love that the candles are soy and hand poured but the best part is the sustainability of the containers. Once you're through burning, you've got a new jewelry holder, a little vase to grow herbs in, or in my case a container to hold all my safety pins in!

The scents also make you feel like you're at the Farmers' Market as they include Basil + Cucumber, Rosemary + Citrus, and Thyme + Olive Leaf. Super cool concept from a super earth friendly brand!

Paddywax www.paddywax.com Price – $9+ Varieties – candles, diffuser oil, handwash, and triple milled soap.