Frankly My Dearest

LOOK WHAT I MADE

2012-02-25T16:53:00.004-06:00

+ another treat featured over at TOO MAINSTREAM

I made a new blog!

2012-01-31T13:40:00.000-06:00

TOO MAINSTREAM

I will still keep up with this blog with my DIY endeavors. But this new blog will be for my everyday happenings.

Reading Challenge!

2012-01-05T21:45:00.001-06:00

So I came across this challenge on a friend's blog... she has a 2012 Challenge to read the entire Bible, book for book.

Go to her blog to join!

I also have another person reading goal that I am trying to accomplish, but I'll mention that in another post :)

Happy Birthday Cake!

2011-10-17T14:52:00.001-05:00

I have been meaning to blog this for weeks. I saw my little post it note in my room this morning of blog ideas and decided to run with it. I mean mostly because my other option was to blog about the recent buying frenzy I went into at my local Target when they had their Missoni stock. But that is another story... one that I don't know if I'll tell, mostly because pretty much everything I purchased got returned since they were impulse purchases.

A few posts ago I mentioned my current love for Pinterest - this cake, that I made recently for my mother's birthday, was a product of my cake-spiration pinboard.

I made the cake from a white cake mix, plus my secret ingredient... LOVE! Just kidding, just a teensy bit of almond extract. The icing was just a basic buttercreme. I learned something though while making this icing, most people use milk in their buttercreme, well at least members of my extended family do, but I have never in my life added milk. I just melt/soften a stick of butter, add some powdered sugar and water to consistency, and also my secret ingredient... you know, the same one I mentioned before.

I used a large star tip in making the rosettes, the same star tip that I use to ice my cupcakes like this:

Except, instead of icing from the outside in, I went inside to out for the rosettes, and did varying sizes.

The cake was a BIG hit at the family function. I only left the party with one normal sized piece for myself. Everyone raved and wanted cake to take home with them. Which is a big confidence booster for an amateur cake maker such as my self.

Productivity

2011-10-14T11:39:00.001-05:00

So I have this fancy SmArt PhOne (put in crazy caps and italics to emphasize its smartness), which I actually sometimes call a GENIUS PHONE for the mere fact that it literally can do anything.

I have an HTC Evo 4g from Sprint. When I first got this phone, almost a year ago, I was like, this is awesome! It has so much potential! But, I have never fully used it to its greatest potential. Not until recently have I even attempted to.

Yeah, I have a calendar built in to my phone, but do I use it? Not until about a month ago! I guess I didn't realize that since it is an Android powered phone it is connected to Google, and I can use my calendar connected to my gmail. I don't know why I never thought of that.

But yeah, I recently (about 3 months ago) purchased an iPad2. I LOVE IT! And it also can sync the calendar to my google, which makes me SUPER happy!

I have also recently gotten really into task managing. So naturally since I am a Mac using, iPad owning, Android phone user (I know something there doesn't quite fit)... I went on the look for an App that I can use amongst these three devices. I found a FREE App callled Wunderlist. It can be used as a web app on google chrome (on my work computer), as an app on my iPad and Android phone, also as an app on my MacBook Pro. I love it. I HIGHLY recommend it.

Keeping a calendar, and managing my tasks has reduced stress in my life, and helped me to be more productive, AND has also allowed my devices to realize a bit more of their potential in my life.

Better Crocker Cherry Chip Cake Copycat

2011-09-26T11:02:00.004-05:00

This past weekend we celebrated September birthdays in my family. My mother's birthday was yesterday and she requested three types of cake for the birthday celebration, a white cake w/ almond flavoring, basically a wedding cake, a coca-cola cake, and cherry chip cupcakes.

From past experience with cherry chip cake we knew that these cake mixes are hard to come by. Myself along with my aunt searched multiple grocery stores, big lots, etc. multiple times, in two states and could not find the elusive cake mix. So, I went to Google. And I asked Google, "Oh wise and powerful search engine, is there anywhere I can find a Cherry Chip cake mix or any way I can make a copycat of it?" Google gave me some links to sites where I could read user reviews on this product, many who are BIG fans of the cherry chip flavor cake, but can't find them anywhere. I also found recipes of how to make this cake from scratch, but cakes from scratch make me super nervous. I have never made one, and I want to learn... but I'm still scared.

My mother also got in on the search and found a copycat recipe for a cake from scratch, and I guess had seen some comments on the recipe that said to use a white cake mix and add some maraschino cherries plus a couple other things. My aunt and I were having a cake baking/decorating party the day before the big birthday bash and we figured we could handle, this concoction, so we bought the supplies and set to work.

Ingredients:
-1 White Cake Mix (or if you are feeling adventurous, go ahead and make it from scratch)
-1 tsp pure almond extract
-2 tbsp cherry syrup from maraschino cherries
-1/2 c drained, stemmed, & chopped maraschino cherries

Directions:
Empty your cake mix into a large mixing bowl.
Add your ingredients from on the cake mix box.
Add the almond extract and the cherry syrup.
Mix.
Add the chopped cherries.
Mix.

Put in your cupcake liners, make sure they're adorable.
Bake. -- we ended up having them in for about 18 min, but each oven is different.

Beauty

2011-08-13T08:23:00.006-05:00

I just wanted to make a post about a few of my favorite things... Some of my favorite beauty tools and products.

Hair:

TurboIon Wet to Dry Croc Flat Iron

Currently on Amazon for $97.38 (for Hot Pink, the Black is a little bit less, maybe closer to $75)

FHI Nano Weight Pro 1800 Hair Dryer

This one can be found on Amazon or Folica. The prices I found upon googling are not very accurate, I paid about $50 for mine, and I work for a line of salons and they sell these hair dryers and this model sells for about $80 with us, so I would try to find something in that price range. Anything more and I believe you are over paying.

The line of salons I mentioned working for is also an Aveda Lifestyle Concept Salon, meaning we only sell and use Aveda products. So, as far as my hair products go, I use solely Aveda. I have straight hair, so I use the Smooth Infusion line for my shampoo and conditioner, I have a couple of Smooth Infusion styling products that I like as well. The Smooth Infusion Style-Prep Smoother is pretty awesome. It definitely helps to lock out the humidity. I also like to use Light Elements Texturizing Creme to texturize my layers and make my straight hair not so "BLAH". And to finish my hair off, I use Air Control hairspray by Aveda. I have used this hairspray since I was in high school and I have always loved it.

[images found on Aveda.com]

Nails:
-Pure Acetone for my remover
-Cotton rounds to apply remover
-OPI polish
-Pinterest for nail decor inspiration!

Make-up:

Oh dear, this list could go on. I have a little bit of a shopping problem at Ulta Beauty. Like Seriously, this could be a blog post in itself.

But my tried and true make-up faves are,

Daily Makeup by rbecca on Polyvore.com

2011-08-11T13:28:00.005-05:00

I feel like I'm a little late to hop on the Pinterest bandwagon, or at least blogging about it, but I have been using it for several months now.

Anyhow, Pinterest is amazing! I love it. If you aren't using it, comment/email me and I'll send you an invite.

One of my favorite things about Pinterest is that it gives me a place to collect inspiration for the recipes, home decor, DIY projects, etc. I even have a pin board where I have a collection of ideas to use for my future wedding... no idea when that will happen though. But it doesn't hurt to think of ideas now, right?

Here is my PINTEREST LINK so all you fabulous followers can follow me there too. I promise I'm much more active there :P

ciao!

intro :)

2010-07-12T09:57:00.002-05:00

My blog was recently featured on Imperfectly Beautiful, by my aunt who runs it, as I'm sure many of you are aware :), But I thought that I would take this opportunity to kind of give a short little intro/bio of myself for you all so you can know just a teensy bit about me.

My name is Becca. I live in south Louisiana, and it is really hot and humid here. I am 23 years old, and single ;) , so send the eligible bachelors my way!! I graduated from college about a year and a half ago in Marketing, and I want to get into the advertising field or do something with graphic design as a career but this dang economy... anyway, I made my blog layout, and you may come by and visit it and see little tweaks here and there. I am a tweaker. I am never 100% satisfied with things so I play around with them until I am more like 99.99% satisfied.

anyway, I think that is all I can think of to tell about me... I'm sure there's more it's just I have the day off and I kind of just woke up, so my brain is not all the way running.

ciao

Tutorial

2010-07-05T16:51:00.003-05:00

I had a few people ask me how i did things when i made my fabric button hair ties (among other things) so I thought that I would make up a nice little tutorial and post it here for your viewing pleasure.

I am currently trying to figure out how to block people from taking pictures off my blog, so if you know please send me an email at franklybecca@gmail.com, but if you want to use this tutorial on your blog or anywhere else, please let me know and link back and give me credit. It may be the graphic designer in me that is super paranoid about this but just humor me, kay?

SMOOCHES!

Repurposing at its Finest

2010-07-05T14:05:00.003-05:00

I wanted to feature a little something that I think is super cute today on my blog.

This FABULOUS soap dispenser!

This one featured above is an old glass coke bottle, purchased at an antique store, filled with dawn dish soap with a pourer inserted in the top of the bottle. My dad is the one who makes these. He'll send one of his little dish soap dispensers with me or my mother whenever we go to a wedding shower or housewarming party, and they are always met with rave reviews.

These are some other bottles turned dispensers we have in our kitchen. There is one for different kinds of oils we need when cooking, I think there is a vinegar one. I just love the way they look together, and I'm all for repurposing!

buttons. buttons. & more buttons!

2010-07-04T17:24:00.004-05:00

Oh my!

Two posts in one day, how could you all get so lucky. Fact of the matter is, I have been working on a few little projects this past week(end) & I wanted to share them with you all but I just can't wait a day to space them out. I have the time and desire to post now so that's just how it's gonna be, peeps.

I wanted to show off a little something I have been obsessed with making. Button jewelry and hair accessories! I have to give my credit to this etsy store, button of hope. I love this concept & when I saw this etsy store featured on the Imperfectly Beautiful blog I wanted to order one of everything seriously. I restrained. I didn't think that my bank account would appreciate me doing such a thing. I just loved the buttons though so I mentioned them to my mother, a very talented seamstress. She said "Oh, yeah, I used to make buttons to match every dress I made you." That's when the crafty girl in me went "wait! I can so do this myself!" I went to Hobby Lobby and found my supplies.

At first I was thinking the fabric was the most costly part of this proj ect, but have since discovered that if you buy 1/4 of a yard of fabric, even 1/8 of a yard would work, you just need an itty bitty circle, maybe 2 inches across. The fabric button making kits have a little pattern for you to use on the back of the package.

I am somewhat addicted to making fabric covered buttons and seeing what I can attach them to. Here are some ideas of things you can make with the fabric covered buttons in large and small sizes.

A decorative hair tie:

I used the larger sized button for this, covered it in this fabric, and used the loop on the back to do a little twisty knot (not sure of the technical term) with the elastic hair tie, and there you go!

Next up is a pair of earrings:
The earring backs are posts and can be found in the jewelry making section of Hobby Lobby or Michaels or really probably any craft store. On this particular earring, I used 2 layers of fabric, a solid brown cotton fabric underneath a bit of lace. (*hint* if you are going to make earrings, or really any of the things like I created here besides the hair ties, use pliers or wire cutters to cut off the loop from the back of the button before assembling the button.)

Another pair of earrings:

These are pretty basic, but they are one of the more recent creations, I think I've gotten better at making earrings look more uniform. Go me :)!!

& here is a picture of the hair tie, earrings, a cute little bobby pin, and a necklace.

For the bobby pin: make sure that the loop is cut off of the back of the button. I bought these bobby pins at Hobby Lobby in the jewelry making section, they have a little circle on the end that makes attaching things to them super easy. For my bobby pin, you may notice that it has a different texture than the other creations, that is because I used a grosgrain ribbon. Now, the grosgrain ribbon I got is only wide enough to do the smaller buttons. I cut out my circle and after some trial and error I figured that I needed to do something about fraying. I was scared to burn it because I didn't want to burn my fingers, so I tried something else. I painted the edges of my cut out ribbon circle with clear nail polish. I let it dry for a couple minutes and then followed the same button making process as I have for all the others.

For the necklace: I just made the button (I removed the loop from the back) and attached a silver bail to the back, so it has a loop where you can string a chain or whatever you want to make a neclace out of. you can also leave the loop on the back attached and string your necklace through that. I didn't quite like how that laid on my neck so that's why I chose to do the bail.

Making these button jewelry and hair accessories is a lot of fun. And I feel like a lot of it is playing around with different things and seeing what does and doesn't work for you :)

Rescue Mission

2010-07-04T16:59:00.006-05:00

It all started with this a cute little retro coffee cart that was found at a garage sale... $3:

& after a little Rust-Oleum primer and some Krylon Blue Ocean Breeze spray paint we have this:

Now, the chrome handles were a bit harder to work with... I wanted to try to preserve the chrome finish so I had taped off where I didn't want paint. Then, my lovely father introduced me to this product, Brasso. I hadn't ever heard of such a thing. I think it is made out of ammonia because it smelled like hair dye to me. we started out with rusty chrome like this:

We scrubbed the Brasso on the rusty handles with all our might & ended up with this:

Amazing transformation eh? But you haven't seen anything yet... Here she is in her natural habitat :)

(i decided to try to be artsy. I think with some editing this could look awesome)

whats this?

2010-04-09T12:28:00.002-05:00

a new post from your old buddy becca?!

yep, its me.

i just have to say, that i have missed the blogging world. i haven't done so well keeping up with blogs i have always loved and finding new blogs to follow. I have decided that now is the time to get back into several online things that I used to do often and that i really enjoyed.

1 - polyvore

I adore making "sets" and getting feedback on them. it's so much fun, and for all you little fashonistas or maxxinistas out there ;) i say you check this little gem out if you havent already.

2 - BLOGGING

I need to keep up with this blog (& craft more) and my personal blog.

really those are the only two online activities i havent done so well keeping up with. im turning over a new leaf. simplifying life. who says you cant start a new years resolution in April? probably the people that say you have to start a diet on a Monday. silly gooses err geese :P

i know this post isn't much, but i dont want ya'll to give up hope on me. i will blog more. even if once a month is more :P haha... i dont think that is going to be the case though.

heart you

becca

Bird To The Wise

2009-09-27T14:11:00.003-05:00

Good day friends :)

You may have noticed that my site has had a bit of a makeover since you last visited. I just finished this snazzy little design made possible from the use of a digital scrapbooking kit from Shabby Princess. But that's not what this post is about dear friends!

I wanted to share with you a little something I made a week or so ago, I found my inspiration randomly on Etsy. So I took a trip to my local Hobby Lobby (like always) along with my trusty 40% off coupon and bought some Sculpey. Sculpey is a very useful modeling clay. You form it, and then bake it in the oven, no need for a kiln here people!

As you can see below these were my supplies, Sculpey and my diamond glaze, which have I mentioned that I seriously LOVE this stuff?

I took my pics waaayyy after the fact of making this birdy so I have no pre baking pics to show ya'll. But as you can see in the picture below, my birdy ended up super shiny. This my dear friends is why I adore the diamond glaze. My original plan was to mix paint with my glaze to give it more of a glazed (duh..) look, however, me and my toaster oven had issues and apparently Sculpey can "burn". Who knew? He was really only a tiny bit singed, so I just painted with an acrylic paint let that dry and then went over it with the glaze & VIOLA! I have an oven baked clay birdy that looks like he's been fire glazed.

tHaNkS for ViSiTiNg!!!

flab to FAB coasters!

2009-09-27T12:32:00.005-05:00

I am a blog FAILURE! Ok, that's all say about my hiatus.

I want to thank Amanda at Imperfectly Beautiful for giving me a shout out on her blog about the pumpkins. They really did turn out fabulous didn't they? I only wish my everyday life were filled with creating wonderful things like that.

I get so many ideas but I never finish them. I need motivation.

Today I want to share with y'all some coasters that I am in the process of finishing.

I bought these not very adorable fourth of july coasters at the dollar tree. I don't know how I saw potential in them they are seriously hideous. But not after I modge podge'd some of my favorite K & Company paper on them [pictured below].

[is this not great? it's called Urban Rhapsody and it's a paper pack by K&Company I found it at the Hobby Lobby where my parent's live. I think I got it half off too. $12.99 + 1/2 off = LOVE]

Anywho, These are the supplies I began with:

Decoupage/Modge Podge
Diamond Glaze [that's the triple thick thing i <3>
Paper
Paper Trimmer
Cheap-o foam brush [these were recently on sale at Michael's for 20/$1]
The lovely Fourth of July coasters from the Dollar Tree
Scrapbook paper of your choosing [I chose Urban Rhapsody paper by K&Co.]

I'm not going to go through all the steps of what I did, If you have questions feel free to email me.

This is the almost final project:

[I still need to seal them with the diamond glaze so that putting a drink on them doesn't ruin them, because that's kind of the point of a coaster.]

It's good to be back and blogging, I have so many more ideas to share with you all. Don't forget to check back!

Tweet tweet!

2009-04-20T10:39:00.002-05:00

I am obsessed with Twitter. I love stalking my favorite celebrities and seeing what they have to say. I like writing random things like "rebeccajessene thinks you're super delicious." As I've made my twitter obsession public by posting it on my facebook, I've learned that I know people who tweet, and it's made my life that much more exciting.

Tweeting is like mini blogging. Which is PERFECT for me, a person who never knows what to write a blog about. I come up with random thoughts constantly though and they never come to blog fruition, though they totally could be blog-worthy. So, thats what I love about Twitter, I can write these random thoughts there as a mini blog. are you understanding me? probably not. I don't think I can properly express my thoughts here.

Anyway, if you have twitter, follow me. I linked you there on the above link.

Oh also, my lovely aunt is having a give away on her blog (Imperfectly Beautiful). She just revealed her lovely Etsy store & has TONS of fabulous prezzies (aka. presents) you can fight for the death for. I recommend going to check her out.

NEXT TIME: a review on the strap perfect & a possible strap perfect give away... TELL YOUR FRIENDS!

Collections

2009-04-16T10:51:00.004-05:00

Throughout my life I have had many collections of things, my parents have had collections, grandparents, aunts, uncles, everyone I know. My family has inherited collections of a variety of things, which is why my parent's home is filled with antiques, glass ware, fancy china, silver ware, the works. You want to have a fancy dinner, call my parents, they'll hook you up.

I wanted to blog to share a collection that I have started recently, and that would be candid photos of interesting people, signs, and other things. They are all kept in my cell phone, where I can send a random picture mail to an unsuspecting friend at any moment.

(due to technical difficulties, I cannot post the pictures from my phone right now, so hold tight, but as soon as i am able to get a few examples of pictures from my collection, they will be posted! so check back! - bookmark me, follow my blog, follow me on twitter @ rebeccajessene, etc.)

EDIT

Here are a few examples of photos that I've collected.

first off, we have the lovely zebra printed truck. Don't you gals just adore this?
Next, we have this classy man carrying a keg over his head. But wait ladies, it gets better... I hear he's single!
You may not find this one funny, but I on the other had giggle every single time I hear someone say "big daddy."
OH NO! an anorexic mannequin!

Last, but certainly not least, we have this sign which was located out in front of a car wash.

Fave Websites

2009-03-26T14:09:00.002-05:00

Where have I been? It's like I quit blogging and stepped into the 21st century where I started to be a Facebook/Myspace/Twitter addict. When in reality, I was already a Facebook addict.

I love Facebook, I hate Myspace. Twitter is just weird to me. I don't even understand it, so if someone could enlighten me as to what the beauty of this site is, please email me! I think that Facebook is one of the best websites ever. In fact I would say that my top ten favorite websites would be:

Google
Facebook
Blogger (do i really need to link this one?? I mean come on!)
Polyvore (go there and check out my sets!)
Urban Dictionary
Wikipedia
Twitter (I admit, though I don't understand it, I'm intriqued)
Apple
YouTube
Myspace (I would directly link you to me, but I'm not going to... You're welcome.)

Enjoy.

--Hiatus--

2009-03-06T13:48:00.002-06:00

I am going to be on hiatus most likely through the weekend, unless I feel the need to photograph things at the conference I'm going to.

On a funny note, we went to a car wash today and when we were leaving, the sign said "our vacuums really suck"

On a sad note, a guy that I went to high school with was driving drunk last night and hit a group of 5 pedestrians who were walking back home, on the side of the street from a big night club here in my hometown. 3 of the people died even before police were able to make it to the scene, one is in critical condition, and the other left with minor injuries. I feel awful for the families of the victims of this horrific accident, and also for the guy that I know who caused the pain on these families. He was a really nice guy who would never intentionally injure another person. I just think that it is really sad, but still hope that justice will be served.

a giveaway?!

2009-03-05T10:34:00.002-06:00

My new bloggy friend Amanda from My Domestic Disaster is hosting a giveaway, and has some fabulous monogrammed items that you can win (but I don't want you to win, because I want to win the fabulous pillowcase... just kidding)

If you go visit her blog about the giveaway here, you too can enter!

;)

writers block

2009-03-02T09:51:00.000-06:00

Though it may appear that I am new to the blogging world, that is not true. I have another blog of which I have a few loyal fans (close friends and family, who love me dearly). As I mentioned, Amanda @ Imperfectly Beautiful is my relative, she is my aunt, and we live in the same town. We do a lot of things together, like go to movies, craft, shop, and various church activities. I made the resolution for Lent (though I am definitely LDS, not Catholic) to blog regularly for the 40 days of Lent. So far I've done fairly well, except for missing one day, granted it was the first day, and having someone call me on it.

I currently have a block on what to write about, I could blog about my brand new snuggie, but Amanda has covered that and linked me, how sweet of her! Or I could just look up and write about the first thing I see, be it my Apple MacBook Pro, Tiffany & Co. Sterling Silver ring, Aviator sunglasses, Fuze fruit juice in the Tangerine Grapefruit variety, or my amazing deal on an 8GB flashdrive ($14.99). I could write about these things, however, none of these things seems quite blogworthy.

I really do hope that I can blog and be heard by women/men in the blogosphere. I have a sinking feeling in the pit of my gut that I am going to be a failure.

Welcome to the new space!

2009-02-28T23:41:00.000-06:00

I would like to introduce myself. My name is Becca, and I am a southern girl, through and through. I was born in Louisiana, and after graduating from college with a degree in Marketing, I decided to try out something new and move into a little flat, behind my grandparents house, in Mississippi. I was originally planning to live here and go to graduate school here in Mississippi, but certain life situations arose, which put off the graduate school. I'm actually glad that these things happened, because now, I am planning to possibly go on to attend an art school, which is really something that I've always wanted to do. The title of my blog playes off of a line in the movie Gone With the Wind (also a great book -- as if I've had the time to read it... ha!), but has been edited to fit with a cleaner vocab ;).

A certain family member of mine (Amanda @ Imperfectly Beautiful) started her own "alias blog" as I liked to call it, and it made me yearn to start one myself, so here I am to try out this whole bloggernacle/crafty/thrifty blogging thing. I'd like to make some bloggy friends, and share insights, and inspire young single LDS women to live life and not feel spinstery. I know I sure don't!

I hope that I can go on to become a successful blogger & look forward to making TONS of new friends!!