DIY: Step-By-Step Basic Acrylic Painting

I started this for a girlfriend of mine and she had asked me to do a few alphabet letters for her little girls room. The canvas' will vary in size so this one might seem a little large but it will be places on a gallery wall with other framed letters.

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DIY: Mini Herb Garden Cage

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DIY Etched Wooden Spoons

I recently purchased a Dremel VersaTip 1550 T2 which a pretty unusual thing for me to buy. It actually reminds me of my Dad working on his at home projects either soldering or wood burning...never thought I would be using the same tool!

The Dremel VersaTip has many different uses - all you need to do it switch the tips and you can use it for wood burning, leather crafting, stencil cutting, soldering or hot-knife cutting of foam, plastics and rope.

I decided to first use my Dremel on wooden spoons to spruce them up a bit...however, if you are don't already have some at home they are very inexpensive. I would recommend your local IKEA for some fresh wooden spoons.

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Daily Beauty Must-Haves

A few of my family and friends have been asking me what I use for my skin and hair regimen. I always love to share what new beauty products I am using but keep in mind what I use may work differently for you. I would suggest trying each of these products at different times so you can see what truly works best for you. 

Here is a list of my five favorite products I can't live without...well, I can but I don't want to. 

1. Balance Me Wonder Eye Cream: this was a birchbox find and now I would consider myself a loyal customer of the Wonder Eye Cream brand. 
2. No. 7 Pore Refining Serum: perfect for giving you that flawless skin. Rub into trouble areas of your face before putting on your make up...you can find this brand at your local Target store. 
3. Peter Thomas Camu Camu Power C x 30 Serum: Packed with more vitamin C than a crate of oranges...pretty badass, right?
4. Leven Rose Jojoba Oil: Perfect for right after you get out of the shower or before you go to bed. Warning...don't use more than a dime size because too much can make you look very greasy!
5. Bumble and Bumble Pret-a-Powder: When I use this I can literally go 7 days without washing my hair and still get compliments on day 7...this little guy is a HUGE time saver.  

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DIY Banana, Honey, and Coconut Oil Repair Hair Mask

I have been shedding like a golden retreiver for the past couple of months and it's driving me crazy!! After investing in a new vacuum and dry shampoo (temporary fixes), I decided to do a little more research on what I can do to prevent the shedding and hair breaking... turns out stress and diet are huge indicators...grrr! Since stress and diet are not things I can immediately change I found out bananas, honey, and coconut oils are great ingredients for quick healthy hair results. 

This banana, honey, and coconut oil hair mask is the easiest hair mask to make and it works the best with a hot towel. Your hair cuticles will open and absorb all the nutrients to make your hair silky smooth! 

So you are probably thinking why bananas? Here are a few facts about bananas that are worthy of sharing.

• Great for dry hair itchy, flaky scalp because it keeps hair hydrated and healthy. With regular use, banana hair masks can increase the moisture content of your hair.
• Bananas contains vitamins A, B, C, natural oils and carbohydrates which all help prevent split ends, breakage by improving your hair’s elasticity. Most importantly, if you apply heat to your hair a lot as well.
• Bananas also decreases hair loss because it helps nourish your scalp which leads to minimal hair loss. 

Now finally for the hair mask ingredients and directions...follow below for awesome hair!

Ingredients:
1 super ripe banana

1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon of coconut oil

Directions:

• Mix in a blender until mixture is smooth and creamy. 
• Start with the ends of your hair and work your way up to your scalp. Once entire mixture is in your hair, place a shower cap or plastic grocery bag to trap in heat for ultimate silky hair results. I also threw a towel in the dryer to heat up and twist over the plastic bag. 
• Leave in your hair for 20-30 minutes. Rinse well and follow by washing with shampoo and conditioner. Style as usual.

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Balcony Decor for Less

Hanging out on a patio (or in this case a balcony) with a yummy cocktail is by far one of my summertime favorites. 

Its been since November 15th that I moved into my new place and it's finally time to decorate the good ole balcony. A cute little 4x7 patio doesn't need much so its important to get a few useful pieces. 

My total spend was $92 but I had a couple good finds at the local Salvation Army plus coupons at World Market. 

You can easily replicate this look:

1. Rug
2. Pillow
3. Black chair
4. Yellow table

Snap a photo of your patio or balcony and tag the picture with #breakfastatcarols ... can't wait to see it!

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Creative Resume Templates

For my day job I work at a company that is a global leader in human capital solutions, helping companies target and attract their most important asset - their people. I occasionally look at resumes for my clients and needless to say I cannot imagine doing it for a living - so many of the resumes look the identical and it must make it difficult to look at the same thing day after day.

To change things up a bit I found a few unique templates for you to use when recreating your resume...check out 4 of my favorite designs below. 

1. Annabel Sotherby Beautiful Resume Template

2. Infographic Resume created by Bathilda Hsu

3. Resume Boutique

4. Itsprintable

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Jalapeno Infused Vodka

This concoction is perfectly paired with fresh lemonade or a bloody mary drink - it's the perfect mix of spice on a hot summer day. Throw in some ice cubes in a pitcher with lemonade or bloody mary mix and BAM! you have a summer drink for all your friends. 

Read this next part carefully...the directions can get tricky.

You will need vodka (your choice) and sliced jalapenos...then throw the two ingredients in your favorite bottle or mason jar. 

And you're all finished...I was kidding about the tricky part ;)

Store in a cool dark place for one to two weeks. The longer the jalapeno stays in the vodka the spicier the vodka gets. For a less spicy flavor, drink or remove the jalapenos after one week. For a spicier flavor, drink or remove jalapenos after two weeks.

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DIY Door Good Luck Charm

This DIY door good luck charm makes a great gift for kids or friends...something about horseshoes really excites them!

You can find the horseshoes on Etsy or on a farm...you think I am kidding but I found one of mine on a farm. For the yarn I found an ombre one which was a huge time saver because I did not have to switch out the yarns to get the different color effect. 

Materials needed:

• Horseshoe
• Yarn (I used an ombre one so I didn't have to switch out the colors)
• Leather strap for handle or I used the handles from a gift bag. 
• Quote tag - you don't have to add this but I like to write a little note. 

Instructions:

• Tie one end of the handle with yarn (picture below) and start wrapping tightly around the horseshoe. 
• Once you get close to the other side, slide quote tag onto handle, and wrap other side of handle tightly with yarn. Tie a double knot and tuck in end of yarn or cut off. 

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