Randolph Street Market Festival Recap

Hello Lovelies! I hope you all enjoyed your extended weekend (here in the U.S.)! I certainly did! One of the highlights of my weekend was hanging out at the Randolph Street Market Festival on Saturday morning! There were tons of vendors selling everything from jewelry to furniture! I always enjoy looking at vintage items, but there were pieces from many amazing local designers at this event, too! Here are some photos I snapped while looking around.

I loved these necklaces by local jewelery artist, Broad Street. Check out the website, or if you're interested in buying, visit the etsy store. 

This fabulous trench was created by local fashion designer, Anna Fong. Anna is a rising star in the fashion industry, which came as no surprise after browsing her latest collection. Check out her website for more lovely selections.

Another Anna Fong design. I love the elegant simplicity of this dress. The ever so slight train in the back also won my heart.

My friend, Rebecca, modeling a ring made of the back of a watch face. Unfortunately, I can't remember the designer.

Some fun necklaces also made of old watch parts.

This was the largest assortment of beads I've ever seen in one place! I was hoping to find a necklace like the one I was drooling over at the Chicago Modern Vintage event, but no such luck.

Although the idea of biking in Chicago has always sent chills down my spine (I know several people who have been hit by cars while riding), I couldn't get enough of these brightly colored, vintage inspired bicycles! I wanted to take one home in every color!

Since I'm still on a tight budget, the only thing I bought was this beaded bracelet for $8. I love the colors and definitely have several outfits that this will go with perfectly!

I really enjoyed this market, and am looking forward to attending again in June! I also met several fun, local bloggers which I will tell you about very soon! If you live near Chicago or plan to visit sometime between now and November, be sure to check out the Randolph Street Market schedule and plan your trip accordingly. This really is an amazing festival, so if you ever have the chance, I highly recommend you attend. Have a happy Tuesday!

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Weekly Preview: Beauty & Fashion Sales

Hello Beauties! Did you have a good weekend? I've definitely had a fun couple days, but have also been very busy. My fiancé and I just got back from his parents' this morning, so this preview is a bit later than I would prefer, but here it is none the less! Check back soon for a recap of my fun weekend!

Monday, May 30th:

Featured Sale: Martine Wester Jewelry - 10:00am CST on HauteLook

Neil George Haircare - 10:00am CST on HauteLook

Kenneth Jay Lane - 10:00am CST on RueLaLa

Dolce & Gabbana D&G - 11:00am CST on Gilt Groupe

Memorial Day Steals - 8:00am CST on 

Swirl

Coupe - 11:00am CST on Ideeli

Kier + J & Jaden - 11:00am CST on Ideeli

Tuesday, May 31st:

Featured Sale: 

Bettye Muller - 11:00am CST on Gilt Groupe

Crown Brush - 10:00am CST on HauteLook

Decades Denim Blowout - 10:00am CST on HauteLook

NYLA Star Jewelry - 10:00am CST on HauteLook

Herve Chapelier - 10:00am CST on RueLaLa

Burberry Fragraces - 10:00am CST on Biva

Amika - 10:00am CST on Beyond the Rack

E.V.A. Haircare - 11:00am CST on Ideeli

Guess - 11:00am CST on Ideeli

JB by Julie Brown - 11:00am CST on Ideeli

Wednesday, June 1st:

Featured Sale: 

Rock & Republic Sunglasses - 11:00am CST on Ideeli

Matty M - 10:00am CST on HauteLook

American Vintage - 10:00am CST on HauteLook

Akribos XXIV - 10:00am CST on HauteLook

Father's Day Gifts - 10:00am CST on RueLaLa

$89 for $155 of Custom Jeans - 8:00am CST on Enviius

Thursday, June 2nd:

Featured Sale: 

Versace Fragraces - 10:00am CST on Biva

Harajuku Lovers - 10:00am CST on HauteLook

Seven7 - 10:00am CST on HauteLook

Elie Tahari - 10:00am CST on RueLaLa

Friday, June 3rd:

Featured Sale: 

Improvd

 - 11:00am CST on MyHabit

Koolaburra Footwear

 - 11:00am CST on MyHabit

MICHAEL Michael Kors - 10:00am CST on RueLaLa

I hope you all have a wonderful Memorial Day (here in the U.S.)! We're going to grill out later and enjoy the long awaited sunny weather! What are you doing today?

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How to Sanitize Your Makeup

Hello Gorgeous! Today is the last day to enter the Benefit Eyeshadow giveaway on my Facebook page, so be sure to enter if you haven't done so already!


A couple months ago I answered a question regarding the shelf life of different types of makeup (read it here). One way to increase the shelf life of your products is to keep your makeup and brushes clean and sanitary. This will also help prevent breakouts and possible infections. Sanitizing your products is quick and easy, and I recommend doing it at least once or twice a month. All you need is some Isopropyl alcohol, a small spray bottle, paper towel, and a little soap and water.

Pour some of the alcohol into your clean spray bottle. I use Isopropyl instead of regular rubbing alcohol because it has a higher percentage of alcohol, which means it evaporates faster (this will be important when sanitizing eyeshadows, blushes, etc). I picked up this bottle at CVS for $2.


Before you get started, make sure your work surface is clean. You'll also want to choose a work surface that won't be damaged by the alcohol (i.e. don't do this on wood or a painted surface). Next, lay out everything you want to sanitize so you can work quickly and easily.

These are the types of items you will want to/can sanitize: brushes, powder, blush, eyeshadow, lip sticks, lip balms, tube lip glosses, pencils, eyelash curlers, etc.

First, use paper towel to wipe off any dirt or makeup from the outside of the items. If it doesn't come off easily, you can use a damp towel with a little soap on it. Next, using a clean, dry paper towel, wipe off the top layer of your powder products (e.g. pressed powder, blush, eyeshadow). You will also want to wipe off the tops of your lip sticks, eye/lip pencils, lip balms, and products that come in a tube. For brushes or other beauty tools, use a mild soap (hand soap will work fine) to wash the bristles and handles (Sigma Beauty has a good video tutorial if you're not sure how to wash your brushes). Once you have done a preliminary cleaning of all your products and tools, you should begin spraying them with the alcohol. If you have sensitive skin, you may want to wear gloves because the alcohol can dry out your skin very easily.


When spraying your products with alcohol, start with the outside container, then open them up and spray the entire inner surface (including lids, mirrors, etc). I usually spray the product itself a couple times, which will completely cover the top layer of the product in alcohol. Once you have sprayed all your products and tools with alcohol, let them air dry, which will only take a few minutes. Using a sanitizing product with a high alcohol content (such as Isopropyl alcohol) will ensure none of your products are damaged or altered in any way due to the fast drying/evaporation time.


Keep in mind, some products cannot be sanitized, in which case, you should not keep them longer than the recommend shelf life. Such items include loose powders, mascaras, liquid eye liners, and any product that you reinsert the applicator after use.

These types of items cannot be sanitized.

By following this simple routine, you can extend the life of your products, avoid breakouts, and save money! If you have any other questions regarding makeup care, please feel free to leave a comment or email me! I love to hear from you!

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Thirsty Thursday: Sangria

Hello Lovelies! It's Thursday, and you know what that means- it's cocktail time! This week I'm going to show you how to make some delicious sangria, which is perfect for summer! 


By the way, this is my 100th post! Can you believe it?! I know it's a little shocking to me. However, it's just one more reason to celebrate with a delicious glass of sangria tonight! I want to thank all my fabulous blogging friends for being so supportive. I am thrilled to have met so many wonderful people since I started this blog back in February, and I look forward to getting to know you all better in the future! I'm also looking forward to meeting even more fabulous folks via Haute Lunch, so please don't hesitate to leave a comment and say hello! You can also catch me on Twitter or Facebook!


Ok, now onto the main event: Sangria! Here's (basically) everything you'll need:

Pitcher, Red Wine, Brandy, Orange Liqueur, Cranberry Juice, Apples (& Pears), and Strawberries (or oranges for garnish).

I say "basically" because I would also normally use pears in this recipe, but I ate the last one yesterday.  :)


Step 1. Dice two small (or one large) apples and two small (or one large) pears.

Step 2. Put the diced fruit in the bottom of the pitcher and pour in the entire bottle of red wine (I prefer to use a shiraz/syrah or other red wine with fruity/jammy characteristics (beaujolais, zinfandel, etc). 

 

Step 3. Pour in approximately 2oz of brandy, 2oz of orange liqueur (about a 4-5 second count of each), and a cup of cranberry juice. You can add more or less of each of these ingredients depending on how strong you prefer your sangria to be, but this recipe makes a nice blend that is just right for most. Stir with a long spoon.

Step 4. Add ice to a large red wine glass, pour in the sangria, and serve! Make sure you get a good amount of fruit in each glass, and never leave your glass naked. You can cut a slit in a strawberry or orange wedge to garnish the glass. And don't forget, bendy straws are ALWAYS a good idea! Drinking should never be taken too seriously.

I hope you all have a fabulous day, and thanks again for being such wonderful supporters of me and my blog! Cheers!

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Wednesday Wants

Hello Lovelies! Today I thought I'd share with you a few things I've been longing for since I first laid eyes on them. While I'm still doing my best to maintain a "spending freeze" I can't help but do some online window shopping. If I weren't on a budget, these would be the first things I'd buy:

Marc by Marc Jacobs ZaZa Chevron Bangle - $62.40 at Zappos

Sultra Clip In Feather Hair Accents - $25 at Sephora 

Embellished Smock Dress - $59.50 at Victoria's Secret

OPI Brights Nail Lacquer in No Room for Blues - $5.51 at Amazon

L.A.M.B. Etta Platform Wedge Sandals - $325 at Zappos

Lanvin Pillow Lambskin Coral Shopper - $1,390 at Nordstrom

Unfortunately the last two wants are well out of my price range, but that doesn't mean I can't continue to lust after them! What have you been longing for lately? If you can share links in your comments, I would love to take a look!

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