I’ve found over the years that you can’t judge something completely just by how it looks on the hanger, you have to try things on to really know if something will work for you or not.

I paired the skinny trousers {sold out online, check your local Target} with a smocked bottom green top from F21 that I’ve had for years.  I added a feather necklace I found at Kohl’s a few weeks ago and layered my peacock feather pendant {similar here} with it.  I completed the look with my leopard pumps from Sole Society and new satchel I found at TJ Maxx on Saturday.

PS:  Kohl’s has informed me you can use the code BLOGGER10 through June 23 and stack your savings with one other code as well.  So if you’re interested in the feather necklace it’ll be even cheaper for you   Enjoy!

Erica at Mineral Hygienics offered to send me some of their mineral makeup to try and I was excited to test it.  I wanted to give it enough time before I reviewed it and it’s been almost two months since I started using it.

Not having used mineral makeup before it did take some getting used to.  The swirling and tapping was very different than the pump and spread I’d been doing and it did take extra time.  At first I wasn’t so sure it was going to be worth it.  I used it for a few days and then one morning when I was running really late I used my liquid foundation to save a few minutes.  However, it just wasn’t the same and needless to say I haven’t used my liquid foundation since.  {And it was a brand new bottle! haha}

I did run into a few things which is why it took me several weeks to be ready to write this review.  The first brush I received shed horrifically.  At first I thought maybe that was normal…like I said I was totally new to using a mineral brush.  I told my mom about it and she said that it was in fact NOT normal for a mineral brush to shed that much.  After using it for a week or so I contacted Erica and she offered to ship another one to me.  Three days later it was on my doorstep.  I’ve had no problems with the second brush.

Also I was having trouble with some caking and after contacting Erica again she helped me narrow the problem down to the sticky serum I was using before applying the minerals.  So now I use my serums at night and apply the minerals over moisturizer.  No more caking.

Ok so the nitty gritty of what makes these minerals so awesome…here are just a few reasons:

• They are 100% natural.
• They are made from only 4 ingredients: Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides, Mica and Zinc Oxide.  Compare that to the tens, some times dozens, listed in some major mineral brands.
• Provides complete coverage that feels as light as air.
• Deflects light to minimize the appearance of fine lines, large pores, and other imperfections.  My smile lines were definitely less noticeable.  I noticed that because I obsess about them.
• Chemical-free SPF sun protection – zinc oxide and titanium dioxide offer natural, broad-spectrum sun protection effectively blocking harmful UVA and UVB rays.
• Ingredients adhere to the skin’s surface and are not absorbed – so you can have full day coverage without it clogging your pores or building up within your body.
• Made in the USA.

I’ve really enjoyed using these minerals and I’m officially a convert.  No more liquid foundation for me.  These minerals make my skin look and feel velvety.  I love it.  What do you think?

These photos are untouched and SOOC {straight out of the camera} except for some cropping.  As you can tell the minerals completely even out my splotchy red skin.

Mineral Hygienics has offered a discount code to readers of this lil ole blog for 10% off purchases made with code “xoxotrina”.  This offer is good through June 01, 2012.

April 15 – Spontaneous baptisms at our church.  1,109 people!

April 16 – I’m doing the Photo A Day thing on Instagram, now that I finally got it!  Monday’s prompt was flower.  If you’re on Instagram, find me under xotrina!

April 17 – Wearing my new dark royal blue pants and new tan sandals.

April 18 – Rayna started getting sick and running a fever.  We found out on Saturday {her birthday} that she had/has strep.

April 19 – The leopard print/peacock combo obsession continues.  I paired it with a red tank and a mustard cardi {which you can’t see}.

April 20 – Playing more with color.  Hot pink blouse, white tank and blue skinnies.  And my outfit matched my breakfast of pink raspberries, blueberries and white Greek yogurt.  It’s always fun to coordinate

April 21 – HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my girl.  She turned 9 and we had the best day together.

How was your week?

This month there is MAGNETIC polish!  How fun is that?!  I remember when I first heard about magnetic polish through my friend Jenn but at the time it was expensive and not readily available.  I wanted to try it but didn’t take the leap so I’m excited that I’m finally going to get my hands on some!

This month’s American Beauty box comes with:

What I’m loving also is Jane has done videos talking about the products in each box.  Here is the American Beauty video where she explains how to apply the magnetic polish and use the wand.

You can check out the rest of the May videos here for the scoop on the Classic with a Twist, Bombshell, It Girl and Boho Glam boxes.

If you still haven’t tried Julep, my $5 code is still active.  To get your first box for $5, take the style quiz here and then use code XOXOTRINA at checkout.

Happy polishing!

Blue blouse and green ankle pants from Express, medallion necklace from Charming Charlie, Jessica Simpson tan peep toe pumps {similar}, assorted gold bangles.

Here are some “closer ups”.

{Please excuse the HAY all over our backyard.  Our grass in the back had gotten extremely bare so we {and by “we” I mean my stepdad } spread some grass seed and had to cover it with hay to keep the moisture in.}

I am clearly really into green/blue combos right now.  And I noticed after my shopping spree that I bought a lot of blue stuff.

Blue is apparently my new black.  Oops.

This look is also featured at All Things Chic this week for Everyday Style.  Head over there to check out some more fashionable ladies.

A lot of times inspiration just strikes me and I don’t even think about taking photos before or during the process because I’m in the zone.  This was one of those times.

I started with a shapeless turtleneck I found on the clearance rack at Target last year for $3.  It hung in my closet all year until I finally decided what I wanted to do with it.  Since I didn’t take a before pic, here’s something to give you an idea of what it looked like:

What made this so easy was the fact that it’s knit and knit doesn’t ravel so the edges can be left unfinished.  Basically all I did was cut the neck off right above the seam {so the neck didn’t loose it’s shape} and then cut it up the middle.

Then I cut the bottom off where I wanted it.  I took the part that I cut off the bottom and cut it in half width wise and then sewed those two together to form one long strip.  The strip was then twice as long as the bottom of my {now} cardi.  I sewed a basting stitch on the very top and gathered the strip until it was the same length as the bottom of the cardi.  Finally I attached the two using my serger.  Easy peasy.

Also, I’m pattern mixing!  It’s nothing out of this world, but I kinda dig it.

Here’s a few more shots:

Anyway, I hope you all had a great week.  Here’s a look at some of mine.

April 8 – Easter Sunday.  We typically go visit my mom’s family for Easter but some things came up and changed our plans so we just hang out at my mom’s for a bit.  And of course the kids hunted eggs.

April 9 – Xander had begged and begged me for weeks to buy a watermelon.  I finally broke down and bought one for a whopping $6.49 {and it was a mini mind you!}.  Turns out, Xander doesn’t like watermelon.  Needless to say that’s the last time I buy one.

April 10 – Got my April Birchbox!  Was excited to find a cuticle and hand salve in a light lemon scent.  I’ve been applying before bed.  Love it.  {On my nails, Renee by Julep.}

April 11 – Black+red+white.  I will always love this color combo even though I am trying not to wear so much black.  {Stay tuned on that note…I went shopping this weekend!}

April 12 – Bunco night…or if you’re with my group it’s BONKO night haha.  I started out doing great, got 4 Bonkos in a row on the first round!  My luck ended there, went home a loser haha.  Do you play Bunco/Bonko?

April 13 – Friday the THIRTEENTH!  I got a fun package in the mail…Julep’s Spring Mystery Box.  Nail polish makes even Friday the 13th a good day.

April 14 – Had the house to myself for a few hours.  Ahhhh…. quiet time!  I played around with the flat iron and did some waves in my hair.  Then I got ready and went shopping!  More on that in a later post…or I might show you what I got gradually through outfit posts.  But if you follow me on Twitter or Instagram, you’ve seen most of what I got.  In a crappy cell phone pic anyway.  I do have two of the pieces I purchased coming up on Wednesday for WIWW though so stay tuned.

I meant to post this last night but time got away from me.  Not that any of you were hanging on the edge of your seats waiting for it or anything

Here’s how my week looked:

April 1 – My hubs is a fool for love.  He gladly helped me take off my polish so I didn’t ruin the other hand I’d just painted

April 2 – Relaxing after a long Monday…Xander asked if he could put his head on my tummy.

April 3 – New mani.  Penelope from my April Julep Maven box.  {And I’m still wearing it a week later! haha}

April 4 – Daddy/Daughter and Mommy/Little Man date night.  Hubs and Rayna went to eat Chinese and Xander and I headed for Mexican.

April 5 – We had some crazy weather and some dark storm clouds moved in.  After it rained the sky turned orange on one side and on the other there was a double rainbow but this was the best I could catch of it with my cell phone.  Later the sky turned hot pink.  It was incredible.

April 6 – It’d been a LONG week, I was waiting for my mom outside work.  This was the only pic I took that day, I was beat.

April 7 – My kids’ first time getting ice cream from the ice cream truck.  I thought I was the only mom that avoided these but some people on Twitter said they told their kids it was the “music truck”.  Haha!

We also went to Easter services on Saturday night and I’ll be dog gone if I didn’t forget to get a pic of all of us. 

Hope you had a fabulous week and blessed Easter weekend!

While I was playing dress up in my closet over the weekend I came up with this look.  Click to enlarge.

{And yes, I know, my feet are veiny…so are my hands.  haha  I guess that means I’m well hydrated. *shrugs*}

I’m looking at leopard print more and more as a neutral.  And if I’m wrong I don’t wanna be right.  Because I love it so.

What do you think?

Teal shrug from NY&Co 2 years ago {similar}, green micro rib tank from Target recently, black knit skirt from Wet Seal clearance rack {similar}, really old chunky belt with gold medallion buckle, brand new leopard pumps from Sole Society.  Necklace is the Pin Up necklace from Jewelmint with an added peacock feather charm, chunky two tone ring I picked up at my hair salon, and assorted gold, silver and peacock bangles {similar and similar}.  Polish is my DIY Caviar Fruit Themed manicure.

Linking up with TransAtlantic Blonde for WIWW.

As soon as I saw it on Pinterest, I knew it would be an easy DIY if I could find the right beads.  I found some at Michael’s and although it didn’t include black like the original Caviar mani, there were lots of yummy spring and summer colors to play with.

I messaged my mani obsessed friend Jenn and we decided to do a link up to show you how fun and easy these little microbead manis can be.  We thought a fruit theme would be fun so Jenn decided to do a Lemon Lime mani.  After much hemming and hawing {and lots of polish changes!} I finally chose Raspberry Orange.  We also decided to keep it low key and just add the beads on an accent nail.  Although if you are so inclined you can totally go full throttle on this

I just love these colors!  They are so fresh and vibrant.

Since there is already a how to out there from the original Caviar mani, I didn’t take step by step photos.  However, this mani is super easy so I’ll give you a quick how to.

You’ll need:

• Microbeads  {Either this Martha Stewart set from Michael’s, or these from Born Pretty.  Jenn said Hobby Lobby nor Joann’s had these kinds of beads.}
• Base coat
• Top coat
• Polish color of your choice {I used Make an Entrance {pink} and Sun Worshiper {orange} both by China Glaze}

Simple How To:

1. Brush on a base coat.  Once dry apply your polish color of choice, as many coats as it takes to be opaque.  {I had to use 4 with Sun Worshiper!}
2. Next, apply another coat of polish color to the nail you want to bead and while the polish is still wet sprinkle the beads over your nail.  {I used a Birchbox lid to catch my extra beads in }  Sprinkle until the entire nail is covered.
3. Lightly press the beads into the wet polish and allow to dry.
4. Add a top coat to any plain polished nails.

Some tips:

It’s up to you whether or not you want to add a top coat on the beads.  I found that adding one over the beads didn’t look as good, but the downside is it won’t last long without one.  In that case these are good manis for special occasions or a fun night out on the town.  {The clear ones look AMAZING over black polish!}

Like I mentioned above, I used a Birchbox lid to catch my extra beads in.  Any small rigid container should work, maybe even some Rubbermaid plastic wear.  That will keep things neat and you’ll be able to pour your beads back into your bottle afterward.  Don’t want to waste any!

So what do you think?  Would you wear this new nail trend?

Don’t forget to hop over to Jenn’s and check out her adorable Lemon Lime Caviar Mani, it turned out so cute!