navinavi

March 16, 2012

A compendium of somethings: Bargain edition!

... Yep! With an exclamation mark at the end ;p.

The following post came out quite spontaneously as I bumped into a few items that were very reasonably priced. Isn't it great to find items you love that happen to suit your pocket?

Note: I haven't been paid by any of these companies to publish this post. 

Something for summer: When I opened 80's Purple's page, I was delighted by the shades I saw and even more so when I checked their prices. Not all the frames are cheap, but the following ones, which happen to be my favorites, range from $10 to $12.





Something crafty: I've seen lots of online stores which are selling scalloped heart cut-outs. I actually bought a batch myself to send to a person in Argentina. I knew there was not much science behind those cardboard hearts; they were made with a craft punch. Well, that punch happens to be available at Martha Stewart's store for $24.50; not exactly a bargain, but if you consider it will last for a long time and will let you make probably thousands of scalloped hearts ... I don't know, sounds like a great deal to me!


Something to give away: It stresses me out to think I have to buy a present to someone when I'm flat broke. And don't let me get started on massive gifts such as on, erm, Christmas? Are we on the same page? Well, I realized that if you start preparing yourself ahead of time, it doesn't have to be stressful at all. I've seen many bloggers who prepared special boxes with inexpensive objects. I love the idea of putting together a present that doesn't break my piggy bank (ha! As if I had one!) and is creative and unique. I mean, don't we all love to get a little something that was made especially for us and shows the person behind it put his/her heart on it? ;) That's what I'm talking about!










Something to get discounts on Etsy: If you register on Heartsy, you'll get lots of great deals to purchase on Etsy; it's like a Groupon for Etsy. To be quite honest, I cancelled my account there because I was never interested in the items they offered, but that was a year ago.

Something vintage: As you already know Ebay is a great source of vintage clothes and objects. You obviously have to check if the listed items are actually vintage and in good condition, but you can find amazing deals if you take your time and have the patience to bid. Hellhound Vintage is one of my most frequently visited online stores. These 3 dresses are $9.99 this moment (well, not now, but when I wrote this post).


Another online store I recommend is Pulp Vintage; especially because if you subscribe to their newsletter, you get discount codes that sometimes make a substantial difference in the final price. By the way, I'm kind of curious to try that black eye make up on pic 1, hehe.



Something to organize your shoes: Can't afford to buy a cool shoe rack? Well, you don't need to! Just grab a few hangers and tweezers and you're all set ;). Here's the tutorial.



Something you don't need but would probably like to have: Fred Flare has all sorts of novelties. The camera, for instance, is $4.99 and the toast stamper, $1.99.


Something to revamp your tees: This package of Instant Iron-ons brings 60 different decals and it costs $4.99.


Something for the kids' bedroom: Or maybe a party? 4 simple and inexpensive elements will let you make these whimsical cloud lights ;). I found this tutorial on Wedding High.


Something sweet: Not only are these treats cheap, but also low-calorie. You can find the directions to make these yogurt coated strawberries and yogurt drops right here.


Hope you're making plans for the weekend! ;D

Hugs!

March 15, 2012

Rhetorical questions

* Why do people say "I had my hair did" instead of "done" these days?

* Why do actresses now refer to themselves as "actors" instead of "actresses"?

* What the hell does ombre mean?
Btw, I know "ombre" comes from "hombre" = man, in Spanish.
But I don't get why Jessica Biel, for instance, is considered to have ombre hair.
I mean, seriously, how come the following are called "Ombre cupcakes in a jar"?


source

*  Why do they use so many people with a British accent in TV ads here in America?


* I saw Secret Outlast (deodorant) TV spot last night and got surprised when I heard it offers 48 hours of odor protection ... 48! Is it aimed at women who don't like showering?

* A lady that looked like a doctor said that a cheap way to get rid of yeast infection is to use a tampon that has been soaked in unflavored yoghurt (The Revolution is about You - abc). Why did I make it till the end of the segment? Or why did I start watching this in the first place?

I am mentally exhausted! I have been filling out job applications all day. It's time to jump on the treadmill to get physically tired, so I'm even.

Happy Thursday, guys!
We're getting closer to the weekend ;).

March 14, 2012

Some of my favorite blog headers

I love it when I find a blog that has a beautiful header. Call me shallow, but when I see an interesting banner on top, chances are I'll be curious enough to learn more about the person behind it. These are some of the ones that have caught my eye lately.


Veronica Fish
The perfect header for a talented illustrator.

 

Olivine's Charm School
What's not to love about this one, right?! ;)



I know this header is pretty simple, but I love the green leaves :p.
If you're looking for healthy recipes, don't hesitate to check out this blog ;).



From Me To You









Late Afternoon



  
Yowayowa
Check out this girl's levitating photos in Japan ;).


   

An urban cottage
A great header for a blog devoted to home decor and remodeling.




Amy Merrick
Ok, this is more a website than a blog, but I couldn't help including it here. The background is so beautiful!



What are your favorite blog headers?

Happy midweek, everyone! ;D
  

March 13, 2012

11 meme

Both Chrissy and Chantilly have tagged me in this meme. I've done it before, but I thought it would be fun to throw some randomness that will let you get to know me a little better :).

1. I don't usually care for models, but I like Coco Rocha a lot. There's something about her imagine and personality that I find very appealing. Plus, she devotes lots of her time to charity, which makes her even more delightful. If you don't know who she is, you might have seen her tap dancing in this commercial.


She's recently done this video for Facebook with Dos and Don'ts, which is kind of funny.


2.- I love mellow music (Belle & Sebastian, Kings of Convenience, Camera Obscura ...), but I also enjoy some more rock n' roll/violent songs such as Never Wanted to Dance by Mindless Self Indulgence. My favorite part is when the singer says, "But you wouldn't take No for an answer, you fucking bitch" Haha, so not me!

3.- I'm obsessed with taking yawning photos of our cats.


4.- I still haven't tried a bear claw, a real Cinnabon or funnel cake.

5.- I can't tell whether I hate or like peanut butter, marshmallows and bubble tea.

6.- I think being jobless is rotting me inside :(.

7.- I miss tea houses and restaurants from Argentina.

8.- My mom is always very creepy and mean in my dreams. She was such a sweet person!

9.- I suck at dieting and exercising. America doesn't help much in this respect, hehe. I mean, you can get junk food for cheap and here in California, people are always driving. It's totally my fault, though; I wish I had stronger willpower and weren't so lazy.

10.- These are some expressions in English I find funny: fanny pack, hump day, leap day, cankers.

11.- I accidentally forgot to return this pencil when we went to Ikea. It's one of those pencils they give you to take down notes when you visit the store.


Since I got tagged by 2 people, I chose 5 questions from each.
5 questions from Chrissy:
a. Name your favorite movie of all times.
I can't pick just one! I love Garden State, Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amelie Poulain, Trainspotting, Lars and the Real Girl ... I can watch them over and over.

b. Is there someone that inspires you to be a better version of yourself?
David. He brings out the best in me and pushes me to try to better myself. 

c. What is your favorite kind of food?
I'll have to say Argentine and Japanese, haha.

d. Smartphone or cellphone and what kind?
David bought this phone for me before I arrived in California. It's a Palm Pixie and it's my first smartphone. At first, I thought it was too much technology for me, but it's really nice to be able to check e-mails, take photos and record videos wherever I am.

e. Do you like reality TV? Which show is your guilty pleasure?
I recently discovered CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund and I love it. I've only watched the 2011 edition. If you're a fashion/jewelry designer, I totally recommend it. It's only about 6 episodes and it's on Hulu Plus. 
But I guess my guilty pleasure is America's Next Top Model. I think I've watched most of their seasons :/.

5 questions from Chantilly
f. Where are you sitting and what are you doing right now?
I'm sitting on a couch in the living room and I'm answering these questions and listening to music.

g. What's your favorite fruit? Least favorite?
I love banana and hate mango, I guess.

h. Are you a dog or cat person?
Definitely a cat person! I've never owned a dog.

i. Name you top 5 bands/music artists.
I love Belle & Sebastian, Camera Obscura, Kula Shaker, Pulp, Entre Rios (with Isol as a singer). Meiko and Chantilly are also among my favorite musicians ;).

j. On your fantasy trip to the world, where would you go?
I dream of going to Prague, Glasgow and Budapest.

I've tagged people the last time I did this, but not many wanted to get involved, so I'll skip the tagging this time. I'm sorry if I've bored you.

Hope you're having a great week! ;D

March 12, 2012

A bunch of photography how-tos

If you have read this, this and this, you probably know that whenever I stumble upon a photography tutorial, I save it in my computer and once I've gathered a few, I post them here in my little blog. 
Guess what? It's time for another compilation!
So without further ado, here are some more photography how-tos for photography aficionados ;).

How to make a circle and create patterned text using Photoshop
I've said it before and I'll say it once again, to me Photoshop is not user-friendly. But luckily, there are many bloggers like Lexy who post very helpful tutorials :). Learn how to make a circle and how to create patterned text.




  
How to write with light on pictures
Ever wondered how you can draw or write with light? Well, you can use this product.
Pss! It comes with letter stencils :p! 


How to add your own handwriting to pictures
Elsie has recently posted this tutorial which explains what you need and how to do it.


How to take studio quality product photos
Here you can learn how to take product pictures like a pro by means of very simple objects.



How to add digital washi tape
I've always wanted to try this but have never got round to it. If you want to learn how to do it, read this tutorial.


How to keep your lens lid handy
You can buy a lens cap strap holder, available here.


Hope you've all started the week with a smile! ;D

March 11, 2012

Any given Sunday

Not in reference to the movie, which I have not seen ... Unless the movie is about 2 folks who happen to have very relaxed Sundays at home. Then, it might have something to do with this post.

On Sundays, we usually stay in and do house related chores. Today, we went to The Home Depot to buy dirt, seeds and paint; and I happened to come across these adorable Disney paint chips :p.


We've killed all of our plants, except for our succulents, but we're willing to give gardening another try. David bought some tomato seeds and I chose these flowers.


Oh, and I should mention that we used the GPS even though we knew how to get to Home Depot, only because David downloaded a Darth Vader voice and we wanted to listen to his directions, haha.


Our weekends also usually involve family related activities, this Saturday we had a little birthday party and it was a cow themed one!





On Saturday or Friday nights (preferably very late at night),  we always go to a 24hs Walmart to do our grocery shopping. I always have my phone camera ready to go, because there's always something worth snapping. Here are some things I'd never seen before.


Weird name for a pizza ...


Cupcake Vineyards, Red Velvet??? Haha!




Religious chocolate, once again!



Miedo!


Right now, we're watching Bob's Burgers, which is back, yay :p. I'm not really into cartoons, but I enjoy this one.

Oh, before I go, here's a very silly stop motion video I made with some Peeps David brought home the other day. I'd seen them online and was willing to know what they're all about. It's super silly and cheesy, you're allowed to laugh, haha.


Hope you had a nice weekend, too! ;D