How-To // Inspiration Board

Hello!

 

As my blog grows, I’m excited to introduce some new content! Today, I thought I would start off with a craft. An inspiration board is like the physical form of Pinterest :) There’s so many fabulous tutorials out there, but here’s my take.

 

materials

• Magazines {pretty please make sure you won’t mind cutting them up. the three shown are all mine, so I went ahead, okay with the fact that there was going to be some articles and pages missing.}
• Scissors
• Push-pins and/or tape
• Some music to listen to while you work
• And, obviously, a bulletin board :)

directions

[1] Cut out images that inspire you or make you happy. For example, I loved the mood and vintage feel of that Louis Vuitton advertisement, I was totally digging both model’s outfits, and the collection of sparkly clothing was something I was willing to try out. See? All things that make me happy :)

[2] Plan out how you want your bulletin board to look. Do you want the focus on one certain image, or do you want them all in random positions? It’s up to you, so go all out!

[3] Finally, pin you images down with the push-pins, using tape if necessary.

Of course, your finished result will look different from mine, but here’s some close-ups to give you the idea…

You can go so many different routes with this, like using a canvas and some mod podge, but I like how I can change this up each month when a new round of magazines come.

Have a lovely Monday!

Bella :)

 

Belles: A Book Review

Hi!

Belles by Jen Calonita

Summary: This book focuses on two main characters, so I am going to divide the summary up into two parts.

isabelle

Isabelle Scott loves her life in Harborside, a cozy, yet rather poor and looked down upon town. She lives with her grandmother because her mom died and her dad is nowhere to be found, and she spends her summers at the boardwalk with her friends, Brayden and Kylie. If her grandmother’s health wasn’t declining, everything would be fine! But, alas, that’s not the case, so Isabelle is made to live with distant relatives, while Gram moves into a nursing home. However, moving into Emerald Cove is a bit of a culture shock to Isabelle. Instead of cut-off denim shorts and a tank, girls have designer bags on their shoulders and are wearing one thousand dollar dresses just for fun. They spend their parent’s money like there is no tomorrow, and, in just a few days, Isabelle already has her own laptop, phone, and a complete wardrobe! With the catty girls, Isabelle is in for a tough start at her new home.

mira

One minute, Mira was at the country club with her best friend, Savannah, worrying about her boyfriends. The next? Mira learns that a girl from Harborside is coming to live with them. Harborside. With them. Mira is shocked. What would her friends think of the new girl? What if she stole something of Mira’s? Mira soon learns that the girl is Isabelle Scott, a distant relative of her dad’s. With no time to spare, Mira meets her a few hours after the big announcement, and, immediately, Mira knows that Isabelle is nothing like her. With her beat-up flip-flops and Old Navy clothing, Mira knows that Iz will never fit in. Even worse? Savannah wants nothing more to bring Isabelle down. And Mira wants NOTHING to do with it.

My Thoughts: {Spoilers} First off, isn’t that a beautiful cover?! I fell in love with the Southern feel the moment I saw it, and I couldn’t wait to actually read the book. The front flap comes off so that you can see the girl underneath, which hints at all the secrets inside. So, kudos to the cover designer! :) Anyhoo, Belles may look like just another young adult book, but the thing is, it is a GOOD young adult book. The plot is well-developed, the writing is solid, and the characters are fleshed out. Isabelle had the tough girl personality. I think that she just wanted to fit in, and when almost every girl is trying to bully you, its hard. On top of that, she had to deal with the move {can you say culture shock?!} and learning the ways of the Emerald Cove community. I liked Isabelle’s determination and courage, and I thought that the author did a great job with her development as a main character. Thinking about it, I can’t remember anything that i didn’t really mind about Isabelle. She was just kind of boring, I guess. I preferred to read from Mira’s perspective more, although I liked Isabelle as a person better. The drama in Mira’s life made it very entertaining to read :) If I am going to be honest, I hated Mira in the beginning. She was just like Savannah - mean, snotty, and selfish. I couldn’t stand how fake she was to Isabelle, and I really wanted to smack her. Gosh! It was like drop the act, and actually get to know Isabelle first! By the end, however, I admired how Mira changed her life for what she wanted to do. She sounded really happy with Kellan, and she made the right decision to take the art classes. What I am truly happy about is that she stood up for Isabelle. Family bond! :) Hayden, Mira’s older brother, was my favorite character and I wish I had him as an older brother. He was down-to-earth, and was so welcoming to Isabelle. Loved him! There were two bullies in this story, and I could.not.stand.them. Lucas, Mira’s dad’s campaign manager {her dad is a senator} was so mean to everyone, and was just plain creepy. I did not like him at ALL. He blackmailed Isabelle, spoke to kids is a harsh tone, and definitely deserved to be fired. Savannah was even worse. Gosh, I hated her. The plot twist at the end was something I suspected, but it wasn’t too obvious. I don’t want to give it away, but if you think hard enough, you’ll think of it when you start reading. I have to say that I almost quit reading this book. {so thankful I didn’t} The first one hundred pages were kind of a drag, but then something clicked, and I read nonstop last night to finish it. {even when the power went out!} My advice? Don’t quit. Please.

Pros: Developed characters and plot.

Cons: The beginning was kind of boring.

Heads Up: I can’t remember much language and there is some romance, but nothing too big, if you know what I mean?

Overall: I give it 4 1/2 stars {**** 1/2} and I recommend it for ages 13 and up.

The next book, Winter White, comes out on October 9, 2012. Yay!

That’s Savannah right there.

Have a lovely night!
Bella :)

loving >> week 35

Don’t know what happened for a minute there. If you received two of these emails, delete the wacky one please! Thanks a bunch everyone.

Hello!

I’m loving…

the spicys

The Spicys are one of my favorite doll blogs! Not only do they have just about everything {reviews, crafts, photos, and recipes} their posts are top-quality and I look forward to them every day. It is practically impossible to pick a favorite post out of them all, but I have really enjoyed their recent Summer Shirt Project. The creative girls came up with three different {and easy!} ways to jazz up a plain, white t-shirt for your doll. They taught you how to make an ombre t-shirt {I’m seriously considering making this one}, how to make an adorable appliqué tee {I love the chili pepper detail} and, just this morning, they posted how to add a glittery shape to any doll shirt! Anyhoo, the Spicys will be added to my blogroll soon :)

my PINK doggy!

I received a bunch of PINK clothing for my birthday, but what I love the most would have to be the cute little doggy that was a promotion. It is just so darn cute! The dog, {who I think I am going to call Bailey} is currently next to my doll Zoey, but it will be later brought upstairs to sit on my nightstand. Besides the dog, my new cropped yoga pants and shorts will be perfect for gym and soccer in the fall, and the tees will be great for hanging out in. My pants have this pretty floral pattern that I was hoping to share with you, but a) I couldn’t find a photo on the internet, and b) I am too lazy to take a photo. Just imagine a navy waistband with little oink roses on it, and you’ll be all set :)

{via}

the olympics

 Who doesn’t watch at least a few moments of The Olympics?! This event has so much coverage, on TV and the internet, that it would be hard to miss. I am actually excited to see what is in store this year at London. I like to watch the track events, soccer and gymnastics, with the occasional swimming, but it may be time to see a few other sports as well. But what I’m really happy about? The amount of young women competing this year. I’m all for girl power :) Jordyn Wieber and Gabby Douglas are sure to win a few medals in gymnastics, Claressa Shields will be competing in women’s boxing {the first time as an event!} and Melissa Franklin will be a winner in swimming. Want to watch too? Catch coverage until August 12th on NBC.

oh happy day!

I. LOVE. THIS. BLOG. With all my heart. Oh Happy Day is the ultimate guides to style, home, parties, and crafts, and I have just heard of it a few days ago! Where was I?! There is so much to read and love, but, so far, I think the best articles would have to be The Summer Movie Night Series, {hoping to host one this summer} the DIY S’mores Kit {don’t you just <3 the darling labels?} and The Inspiration Stations. {Little bursts of inspiration. What could be better than that?} Oh Happy Day has been bookmarked and now has a permanent place on my blogroll :)

this braided headband tutorial

Finally, I have been totally digging this braided headband tutorial. It is super easy to complete, is perfect for any length of hair, and it is a great way to keep hair off your face. Thankfully, this braided style will transition nicely from summer to fall.

Happy Friday!

Bella :)

a birthday celebration

Hi!

I love birthdays. Like loooove birthdays :) The cake, the presents, and spending time with family and friends all to celebrate one person’s special day is something I look forward to all year.

Yesterday was my birthday. After two months a few days of counting down, the day arrived. Laid back and stress free, I went to the library, played Scrabble, and, of course, had cake.

Let’s see what I got, shall we?

emma

I have been dying to read this, so why not enjoy it with a lovely cover? It’s stunning in person.

smart girls get what they want

This is supposed to be good, so I hope it doesn’t let me down.

second chance summer

Morgan Matson is one of my favorite authors. This is huge honor because you all know how much I read ;) Anyhoo, I can.not.wait to begin Second Chance Summer!

hyperactivitytypography from a to z

I am obsessed with typography, and this book is all about FONTS! This will be so fun to take out on long afternoons.

a history of graphic design for rainy days

By the same people who made Hyperactivitytypography from A to Z, this one focuses on graphic design. I am about 50% the way through!

florence and the machine concert tickets

I am SO excited to see Florence and the Machine in concert! Her songs are some of the most played on my iPod.

minnetonka moccasins

Don’t these look comfortable? I think they will make perfect footwear for the fall.

doll moccasins

 And, of course, the dolls needed some too :)

the sweet savannah dress

I have to say that AG is stepping out of their comfort zone a little. The dress is currently on Ruthie, and it is gorgeous on her!

the weekend fun outfit

Quite possibly my favorite outfit from American Girl. It looks so cute on my doll, Hannah! {MyAG #38?}

That was my present round-up, with a few more on the way :)

Have a delightful day!

Bella :)

Psst. A few items of note.

[1] Thanks to all of the lovely family members who gave me these! Love you all :)

[2] So, Danielle won Design Star. Interesting.

[3] And Felix left Master Chef. {which, in my opinion, she did not deserve to go.}

[4] I just realized that I never posted this month’s Style Snapshot! My apologies. I will start back up again in August.

Remarkable: A Book Review

Hello!

Remarkable by Lizzie K. Foley

Summary: In the town of Remarkable, everyone and everything there is outstanding. It has the world’s best dentist, the best architect, the biggest sea monster {yes, even bigger than the Loch Ness Sea Monster} and the best detective. There is a young genius, a world-renowned author, and the best artist. However, there is one person who has no remarkable talents or abilities. Jane Doe comes from a family of child prodigies and famous parents, yet she has none. She is remarkable at just being ordinary! Everyone seems to forget about her, especially because she is the only student at the public school. {Everyone else attends Remarkable’s School for the Remarkably Gifted} You could say that her life is rather dull. That is, until the Grimlet Twins get expelled from the gifted school and are now part of Jane’s fifth grade class. Remarkable at creating mischief, the twins shake up Jane’s life quite a bit. Enter a weather machine, a handful of pirates, and a jelly controversy, and, maybe, just maybe, Jane’s life might not be so boring anymore.

My Thoughts: *Spoilers! How could you not pick up Remarkable with that bright cover!? I just love how it weaves the title in with a little information about the story. I truly would base the book solely on the cover, but I don’t think that would be fair :) The cover aside, this was a quick read that I think middle grade readers will LOVE! Right off the bat, Lizzie K. Foley had me hooked. The entire town and cast of characters are over-the-top and so ridiculous, but because she writes in such a whimsical and almost “cartoonish” way, it all fits. Foley described Remarkable vividly and it was easy to see where the story was going. Our main character, Jane, is someone you cheer for the entire time. An underdog, Jane may seem ordinary, but I preferred her over the other wacky citizens of the town. Her family ignored her, which made me sad :( They talk so highly amongst themselves, but when they talk to Jane, it carries over in a different tone. However, her mother’s plan of action {Her to-list consisted of items like “Engage in Jane’s life by asking her about her day.} made me laugh! I didn’t *really* like her brother because he whined and complained too much, but I also felt bad for him. The girl Anderson wants doesn’t care for him, but he does everything he can to try to change her mind. Even singing. Really bad singing. I <3 Jane’s grandparents. They were so supportive of her, and, unlike her other family members, they actually talked with her! Her grandma was a tad uptight and had some high standards, but you could tell she cared about the ones she loved. I adored the relationship between Jane’s grandfather and Lucky, the sea monster. Didn’t you love how he shook up for her, and how he would even stay a night in jail if it meant Lucky would be protected? Captain Rojo Herring was hilarious, and I actually suspected that he was the music composer all along. {Captain Red Herring. Hehe :) Because it’s not really him. *sigh* Read the book and you’ll get it.} The thing with Remarkable is that there is SO MUCH going on. I do believe there is close to seven different story lines going on at once, and it is just too confusing for the reader. I feel that the author kept adding and adding when it wasn’t necessary, and it kind of distracted from what could have been an amazing book. It was good, but it could have been much better with a little more development to the core characters and subtracting some of the lesser ones. Whew. I think I am done.

Pros: Some of the characters were developed and entertaining to read about, and the plot had a few good points.

Cons: There was too much going on, and I wished Jane was fleshed out more.

Heads Up: A pretty kid-friendly book!

Overall: I give it 3 1/2 stars {*** 1/2} and I recommend it for ages 9 and up.

Doesn’t Master Chef look fun tonight?! I’m totally rooting for Josh, Stacey, or Anna to make it back.

Bella :)