Pinterest is my Frienemy

Over the last year or so, I have extolled the virtues of Pinterest, through references in my posts. I've collected beauty tips, manicures, outfit ideas, recipes, health and fitness tips, and of course tons of wedding ideas.  I've made some great DIYs inspired by Pinterest (plus here and here). The entire menu for a party was created from Pinterest recipes. I even entered but didn't win a Pinterest contest (but I was a finalist). It's my late night fun, a way to kill time while waiting in line (thanks to the app) and a great way to bring new folks to RGR. It is also, at times, my albatross. 

Some of my Favorite Pinterest Items

There are many items that I pin with every intention of creating.  Time, life and other priorities get in the way. It can be a time sucker.  As a bride it became another form or torture. It's not enough that brides are told their weddings must fit into some mold or "the perfect wedding" but add to that the pressure of Pinterest.  I finally had to separate my wedding boards. Ideas I thought were great in general and ideas that were right for us. Wedding planning can be stressful in and of itself. Add to that the deluge of wedding websites and blogs that are now also posting to Pinterest.  Amazing photography, beautiful couples, brightly colored flowers, flowing white dresses, and on and on. It's enough to make a bride lose her mind.  There are only a handful that in addition to great stories and beautiful photos, give you the reality of wedding planning (my faves are Capitol Romance and Off Beat Bride). These great sites also show that you don't need to have a cookie cutter wedding. Also that not all of us have the $26K budget of the "average" wedding and we don't need to.

It's a great tool for saving items that I find when I'm surfing or reading. I don't have stacks of pages ripped out of magazines any more. The "To Do" section of my bookmarks is now manageable. I've found a few things that make Pinterest work for me. I separate the "nice to haves" and the dreams on from the realities and the "I can do's" into separate boards. Sometimes, I don't only use the instructions that I find via one pin. When it came to our mercury glass candle holders (for our wedding) I scoured the net looking for tips and information.  Sometimes Pinterest is just my inspiration (like the sunglasses above). A picture is my start and I come up with my own ideas. You just need to keep it all in Perspective.

My favorite way to laugh about Pinterest is via these great blogs:

Pintester

Epic Pinterest Fail

   
Even with instructions, real life doesn't always come out the way we think it will, or at least the way Pinterest says it should be.

Insprired by Pinterest - Party by Pinterest

On Sunday I hosted a Stella & Dot Trunk show.  It was a fun afternoon of jewelry, girl time, laughing and yummy food and drink.  I'll have details about the jewelry in a later post.  My Stella & Dot stylist, Kristin Biggs, advised me to go for easy finger food to make jewelry shopping and styling easy.  I decided to do some searching on Pinterest for ideas.  All but one of the recipes I made were created based on Pinterest pinned recipes or ideas.

First I cooked my own roasted red peppers to use in antipasto kabobs (see below). I knew the fresh version would taste much better than the jar version I could get at the store.

Using those peppers, I made antipasta kabobs. They were delicious and everyone loved them.  An easy, no stress recipe, for those who don't like to cook.

Just assemble the items you are going to use in your kabobs.  My choices were olives (black and green, cherry tomatoes, pepperoni (regular and turkey), mini fresh mozzarella balls, salami, and cooked tortellini marinated in Italian dressing. Then I compiled the kabobs. The great thing is that you don't need any special cooking skills to create them and they don't have to be perfect.  You can use any combination of flavors that you like. Pick your own kabob ingredients. I even created some without olives because some folks don't like olives. I also created a few kabobs without the tortellini and substituted roasted red peppers and turkey pepperoni for the tortellini, salami and regular pepperoni. I decided not to marinate all of the items in Italian dressing. The flavors of the items are great already and I didn't think they needed the dressing.

The suggestion I found to use a melon baller to create the cucumber cups was genius!  It worked great. I created my own recipe for the filling.  It was a bit watery and I will definitely use different ingredients next time.

The cheesecake stuffed strawberries were the hit of the party. I used a melon baller to scoop out the strawberries and it worked just as well as the cukes.  The recipe suggested using a pastry bag and star tip to pipe in the filling. I couldn't be bothered with that so I just filled a zip lock bag, sealed it and cut off one of the corners. It worked like a charm.

I served champagne punch that was inspired by Pinterest as well. The recipe I found called for champagne and vodka, which I loved.  I used a mixed berry juice as the main flavor instead of pomegranate. There you have it, you too can throw a party using recipes found on Pinterest.  Everyone loved the food. I didn't have any leftovers and a good time was had by all.

This post is installment number two for Saw Pinned Conquered.  Be sure to check out all of the other posts on Amy's blog, At the Pink of Perfection.

Inspiration - Pinterest and My Pins

Have you heard of Pinterest yet?  In case you haven't heard, Pinterest is an online, bulletin board.  Have  you ever been surfing the web and found something you love?  Then you have to stop and book mark it or print in out, or write down the URL.  Pinterest saves you those steps.  You can create boards where you "pin" things you find. Your boards and pins can be grouped in any way your choose.  I've created boards for my style inspirations, ideas for my office redo, sayings that I love, beauty ideas and items, wedding ideas, DIY inspiration and lots more. 

Any one can join Pinterest.  Just create an account and start pinning.  There is even an app that allows you to pin on the go. You can follow other members and "repin"  or "like" their finds.  You can search for other users via facebook or twitter using your list of friends.  I love it because it helps me keep ideas sorted and gives me inspiration for my blog and upcoming DIY projects. You can follow me on Pinterest.  Here are a few of my recent pins.

A full leather skirt is on my list of Wants

Great idea for a DIY project

Great storage idea for my office! I might use mine for bead supplies.

Maybe this will finally help me master the cat eye.

A pretty wedding updo that isn't too stiff or stuffy.

You can spend lots of time on Pinterest looking at other people's board and pins. I think it's fun to see what others find and get inspiration from them.  It's not just about fashion there are recipes, party ideas, home decorating inspiration, health and fitness pins, and so much more. The sky is the limit.  You should check it out, even if you just go to look.  I bet you'll get hooked and open an account soon, if you don't already have one.

If you already have a Pinterest account, tell me how you like it and leave me link to your boards in the comments section below.  I'd love to follow you.

Inspired By Pinterest - Saw Pinned Conquered Link Up

I love a good DIY and get inspiration from all sorts of places. Last week I got an email from Amy of At the Pink of Perfection and fellow CapFABB member. She said she was going to be hosting a new link up for folks who make things from Pinterest called Saw Pinned Conquered. Well you know I had to join in.  This week I thought I'd show a recap of the items inspired by Pinterest, that I have created. To be honest, I didn't have time for a new project this week. In the coming weeks, I'll show you new items during the link up.

Minty Shades - Made using nail polish

A Gold Cup/Derby Hat - Inspired by British fascinators from Pinterest

Glitter Mani

Mercury Glass Candle Holders for Our Wedding - Using spray paint and thrift store glass

Metallic Skull - dupe for a $349 skull

I'm constantly finding new items to create and fun ideas on Pinterest. Pinning is addictive and my idea wish list far outweighs the items I've created.  I'm sure I'll be making more soon.  Be sure to check out the items that Amy and the other ladies have created on At the Pink of Perfection.

Have you Voted? - Project Dress Me Finalist

If you haven't seen the good news, I am one of twelve finalists in the Project Dress Me contest!  The contest was sponsored by David's Bridal, White by Vera Wang and Colin Cowie Weddings. To enter, I had to create Pinterest board using pins from select sources. If I win, I will receive a White by Vera Wang wedding gown from David's Bridal and {msL} and I will receive a consultation with Colin Cowie!!

I'd love it if you could vote for me.  You can vote once a day until the contest ends at midnight on July 8, even on your smart phone.  Thanks in advance for your support!  Here is the link to the contest entry.  You don't have to register or be a Pinterest user to vote or see my board.


Click the link or picture below to view my Project Dress Me Pinterest board. 

 Thanks again for your support and help to win!

Inspiration - This Week's Pinspiration

You all know my love of Pinterest. It's been a great tool for wedding planning and I collect everything from style ideas to recipes on the site. For years I've torn pages out of magazines and shoved them in a folder. The favorites link on my Internet browser could use its own Dewey Decimal system. I save ideas, sites, thoughts and everything that inspires me. Pinterest is a dream come true. I thought I'd share with you, some of my latest inspiration.

Five fashion editors wore the same rock t-shirt, five different ways. I love the way it shows individual style but you all know I love mixing rock t-shirts all sorts of ways.

Great tip on accenting your eyes.  I love the step by step that you could use with any eye color and liner.

Cherry lime popsicles made fresh from real fruit.  These scream summer to me. I definitely need to make them pronto!

Four easy braided hairstyles.  With this crazy hot weather and my struggle to keep from cutting my hair off, I've been loving braids lately.

What's not to love about an ombre glitter manicure?  It's already on my list of, must try, manis this summer. The color options are endless.

This outfit is simple, fun and a great way to try neon without looking like an 80's flashback. Did I mention that I used to own a neon ski jacket?  Mixing neon with neutrals is a perfect way to try the trend.

This saying spoke to me as soon as I saw it.  I've been in relationships and had supposed friends who dulled my sparkle but not anymore.  Growing as a person has taught me to never let anyone dull my sparkle.

Do you have a Pinterest account?  If you don't, be sure to request an account. It's fun and a great way to collect your ideas.  Once you have an account don't forget to show me some love and follow me.  I'm in the process of  following all of you lovely folks who are following me.

Project Dress Me Finalist!

Yesterday I was thrilled and excited to be notified that I am one of twelve finalists in the Project Dress Me contest!  The contest was sponsored by David's Bridal, White by Vera Wang and Colin Cowie Weddings. To enter, I had to create Pinterest board using pins from select sources. If I win, I will receive a White by Vera Wang wedding gown from David's Bridal and {msL} and I will receive a consultation with Colin Cowie!!  I'm asking for your help with the contest.  I'd love for you to vote for me.  You can vote once a day until the contest ends at midnight on July 8.  Thanks in advance for your support!  Here is the link to the contest entry.

Click the link or picture below to view my Project Dress Me Pinterest board. 

 Thanks again for your support and help to win! 

Happy Friday Real Girls!

Eureka! - Find the Original Source of an Image

Have you ever been surfing around the net or Pinterest and spied an image you love? The entry promises instructions or a recipe or you'd love to see a larger photo or more images. Then you click on it and DRAT! instead of the image going to the original source, it goes to an image page. All you have is that same image in another window. It's so frustrating. As a blogger, if I use an image that isn't my own, I cite the original source with a name and link. It's just good blogging and keeps you from being a thief. Sometimes I see an image on another blog and I know that blogger isn't the photographer. If I still want to use the image, I need to find the source.

1. Spy the image you want to use or find. You can use this same method with Pinterest.

2. Right click on the image and open a new window. 

 
3. Open Google Images and click on the camera icon.

4. Copy the URL from the open window of your image, paste it into the URL slot and click the Search by Image button.

5. Google will return your results.

 

 

6. Click on the results links to find your original source. It make take a few clicks to find the source but this method has never failed me. 

 

 

 

blog example: Cocktail de Mariposa

photo credit: The Sartorialist

 

It's a great way to give credit where credit is due and to get the information you really want to find.

 

 



Halloween Fun 2014

One of my favorite holidays has now come and gone. Our annual Halloween party was a blast. We finally decided on our costumes (thank goodness) and I love how they turned out. Our friends had a fun, which is really all I care about. There was great food, good drinks and all around craziness. I was so busy having fun that I didn't get photos of all of our guests. I think next year I'm going to set up a little photo booth to make sure I get shots of everyone. Now on to the fun.

I created this skull cake for my friend Kris' birthday, which happened to fall on the day of the party.

A spooky cocktail was in order. I found this vampire blood cocktail idea on Pinterest and modified it to my taste a bit. The original idea and recipe came from The Self Proclaimed Foodie. It turned out great and everyone loved it.

I attempted to create another Pinterest find, mini caramel apples. As you can see in the photo, they were a huge fail. When I first created them they looked great. After about an hour, they looked like this. The juice from the apples caused the caramel to slide off and created this watery, mushy mess. These ended up in the trash.

We ended up dressing as the Mad Hatter and Alice (a punk rock version). I think {msL's} costume and make-up turned out great! I decided on a rocker version of Alice, complete with a paint splatered dress, ripped hi-low tutu, floral Doc Martens, and tattoos. I already owned the dress and until last week it was destined for the trash. It has some stains and I hadn't been able to remove them. Instead I took Sharpies in shades of blue and created a paint splatter effect.

The Mad Hatter and our friend Kevin, the Prince.

Gaby and Mia look great as the women of Sons of Anarchy. No biker chick costume would be complete without attitude!

Kris (the birthday girl) and Lauren (her girlfriend), look amazing as Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf. Kris did that make-up herself (including Lauren's scarred cheek). Kris is a scary and impressive Bid Bad and Lauren is a beautiful Red. Incredible!

It was such a great time. I'm a bit sad that I didn't get more photos. There were so many good costumes. I also missed getting a photo of our newest outdoor decoration, a posable skeleton (like this one). I hope you all had as much fun at your Halloween gatherings as I did.

Don't forget to come out and see me next Saturday at the Shopaholics Suite in Silver Spring, Maryland (DETAILS and TICKETS HERE). It's going to be a fab afternoon of fashion and bargains. I hope you'll be there.

photo credits: @peacfulsafira, @_gabillionairee, @daisybee45

Last Day to Vote - Project Dress Me

Today (Sunday, July 8) is the last day you can vote for me in the Project Dress Me contest.  Even if you've already voted, you can vote again. You are allowed to vote once a day.  I'd really appreciate your help and vote. The winner will be announced on July 10.  If I win, I'll win a White by Vera Wang dress from David's Bridal and {msL} and I will win a consultation with Colin Cowie!  Thanks so much for your votes and support!  Click HERE to vote. Scroll down and you'll see me (Deb Vaughan) on the bottom row.

Click here to add your vote. You don't have to register or a be a Pinterest user.

If you'd like to take a look at my black and mercury glass inspired pin board, click here.  We are planning a rock n' roll inspired wedding with low lighting and fancy club vibe. 

Click here to see my Project Dress Me Pinterest board.

Thanks again for all of your support and for your votes!!!

DIY - Metallic Skull

Oh Pinterest, what did I ever do before you came along?  About two weeks ago I pinned a brass skull to my DIY Pinterest board.  I love skulls to wear, for decoration, in photos, and on and on.  I just love them.  When I spied the brass skull I just knew it would be my next DIY.  As luck would have it, I bought a bunch of plastic skulls from Target after Halloween last year. I wanted the skull to be silver instead of brass.  So I grabbed one plastic skull and the can of Krylon Chrome spray paint and went to work. 

Inspiration - HomeMint Brass Skull $349.99

At $349.99 I would not be buying this skull.  It looks amazing, but not for that price.  I knew I could get a similar look with my plastic skull and a little spray paint. Check out all the details after the jump.

Inspiration - Tuxedo Pants

During a recent sale I snagged these tuxedo pants from Old Navy. I've found that their Pixie ankle pants fit my curvy lower half very well. I usually have to take the waist in on my pants and these are a little large but still wearable without the alteration. I love the fit and stripe is flattering and elongating. Before wearing them, I went in search of some style inspiration.

Old Navy Pixie Tuxedo-Stripe Pants (Women's Plus and Women)



I love this combo with a flowy shirt and a leather jacket!

These are my pants styled by Old Navy! I love the red pumps.

I will post some photos of my outfit so follow me on Instagram and my Facebook page, once I decide how to style these beauties.  Stay tuned...

photo credits: various, tumblr via pinterest, Elle, pinterest, Old Navy