New project! Terrarium supply shopping

I've always loved the way terrariums look. I think it's such a neat combination of art and nature, two of my favorite things. A few weeks ago, I went over to my aunt's house and noticed she had a new piece of decor... a giant pear-shaped "vase" filled with soil, moss, tropical plants, and little ornaments (she had fairies and a lady bug, chairs, etc.) She told me that it was her first attempt at a terrarium!  was so excited; I immediately wanted to make one of my own.

We made a date to go to her favorite garden store, Buchanan's in the Houston Heights. She needed to pick up some supplies for her next terrarium and I tagged along to get what I needed for my first one.

Buchanan's is a big, wonderful garden center. There are three "sections" of the store, if you will, one completely outdoors, one indoor conservatory-type thing, and a small shop indoors where you will find a vast array of plants, succulents, flowers, soil, garden accessories, etc. 

I walked around in awe trying to think of a concept for my terrarium. I gravitated towards a section of tropical plants and picked five or six of my favorites, trying to choose ones that were pretty and complimented each other. 

These were the plants I decided on. Unfortunately, I don't know what they're called. But they were all in the "tropical plants" section and all cost less than $5. You'll see in the back left corner of my tray I also picked up some cute little heart-shaped Valentine's cacti...

Such a cute, inexpensive and unique Valentine's gift. 

And look at these two little lovebirds...

If you enjoyed this post and you're in the Houston area, check out:

Buchanan's Native Plants

611 E. 11th Street

Houston, TX 77008

Check back soon for my next post where I'll show you my first terrarium featuring the plants pictured above. If you have made a terrarium of your own or want to show off your green thumby skills, feel free to leave a comment and show me what you've got!

What to wear: Valentine's Night out

Whether you are planning a romantic evening with your significant other, or you're planning a night out with your single friends, Valentine's day is a great excuse to get dolled up. Here are two Valentine-inspired outfits that work for a nice dinner, date, or night out!

I made this set on Polyvore and money was not an object when I was choosing these items. This is more like what I would buy/wear if I had unlimited funds and could go crazy in Neiman Marcus. However similar items can be found at more affordable shops, the set is just to get outfit inspiration.

Short black cocktail dress / RED Valentino white long sleeve top / Gucci black velvet pants / Diane Von Furstenberg buckle booties / Jimmy Choo peep toe platform pumps / Alexander mcqueen handbag / Lulu Guinness plastic handbag/ David Yurman wide ring / Laser cut jewelry / Renee Lewis heart shaped diamond pendant / Round cut diamond ring

The dress on the left is definitely edgier, with leather detail on the cuffs which is why I included dark accessories like the skull ring & clutch and the peep toe buckle booties. The outfit on the right is sweeter, if you will, with a long sleeved peplum top and some black velvet pants. The floral lace detail on these peep toe pumps is feminine and appropriate for spring. This is a good option if you want to stay warm while you're out and about.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Valentine's day! Like I've said before, whether or not you have a date it's just a good time to treat yourself and the ones you love. Enjoy.

Flashback Friday

I haven't had much time to update this week as I've been busy at work, but my mom sent me some pictures today that make for a good #flashbackfriday.

 My mom & me in Egypt, probably 1991.

 I know, I know. I'm adorable.

 So girly with the pink stripes & floral patterns.

Mommy and me in Colombia.

What is going on?

Dancing around in my nightie.

 Riding a horse in Colombia on the finca.

I've always been an avid reader.

1st grade school picture from Alice Smith School in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Happy.

My arms look like chubby little nubs. But I'm still adorable. 

Am I melting your heart yet?

Making bold fashion choices at a young age. 

I'm working on a post about my latest project which happens to be... a terrarium! I'm super excited about it and have a ton of cool pictures to show, but I want to get all the information in there and as many visual aids as possible. Basically I'm just perfecting that post before I publish it for anyone who may stumble upon this blog and read it :)

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. Stay safe & warm.

PS. There's another cute baby picture of me in the "About Me" section of this blog. Just in case you wanted more!

Clarisonic Plus Review

As my makeup collection has been growing recently, it's seems right for me to try out new skincare products as well. A few weeks ago at Sephora, I had my makeup done by an artist named Brooke (in the Houston Galleria). She started off by removing my makeup with a wipe, then after she asked if she could cleanse my face with a Clarisonic. 

The Clarisonic is a professional sonic skincare brush that leaves skin looking younger, smoother, healthier, and more beautiful. The Plus has three speeds (delicate, universal, and powerful) and an adjustable timer. It can be used all over the face and body, even in the shower as it is waterproof. 

Keep in mind I am sitting at a counter in Sephora, and this lady wants to wash my face. I had been wanting to try a Clarisonic for a while now and was interested to see how it worked, so I told her to go ahead. I was so impressed with the way it felt on my face-it was actually enjoyable! It was almost like a face massage that left me feeling pampered, fresh and clean. When she showed me how much makeup came off onto the brush (even after having cleaned my face with a wipe), I couldn't believe it! I was practically sold.  BUT- I ended up buying a ton of makeup that day and decided to wait a couple of weeks before purchasing the Clarisonic. 

 Fast forward a couple of weeks... I went and bought the Clarisonic Plus Skincare Brush Kit from Nordstrom. (There's really no reason I bought it at Nordstrom over Sephora other than the fact that I parked in front of Nordstrom and didn't feel like walking to Sephora which in hind sight was silly, because I could have got a ton of Sephora VIB points for it.) 

The brush claims to remove six times more makeup than a regular face wash with your hands. I have to say, my skin has never felt smoother than after using the Clarisonic Plus. Not only does it feel great to use the machine all over your face (the vibration from the bristles is soothing), but you can see how effective it is at makeup removal by the dirt that comes off onto the brush. Because it is such a deep cleanse for your skin, it actually helps your skin absorb products better. It also helps reduce oiliness, dry patches, blemishes, the appearance of visible pores and wrinkles! Although it is gentle enough to use twice a day, I have just been using it as part of my night time skincare routine. 

Clarisonic 'Plus' Skincare Brush Kit, $225.

Buy it here at Nordstrom. 

The Clarisonic Plus comes in white and pink (mine is pink, of course), and as I mentioned it comes with a matching charging cradle. It also comes with a replaceable brush head (one for the face and one for the body), as well as trial-size samples of the refreshing gel cleanser and the refining skin polish. Clarisonic recommends the brush head be replaced every three months for best results.

I have used the gel cleanser on my face and the skin polish on my body in the shower, and both products are fine. They're nothing to write home about, but they work just fine. The cleanser is a clear, liquidy gel that foams on the face. The body polish is a thicker, creamier wash with exfoliating beads and perhaps a bit of shimmer? You can probably use just about any cleanser with the Clarisonic, but I have been using Philosophy's 'Purity Made Simple' Facial Cleansing Gel & Eye Makeup Remover (that is a long product name). It has a foaming gel formula and it has a light foam. I find that it works for me as a gentle, everyday cleanser. I bought the cleanser as part of a set from Philosophy that also came with their 'Take a Breath' Oil-Free Energizing Oxygen Gel Cream Moisturizer. I do like the moisturizer, and it is an interesting texture (gel cream). It looks and feels like a light cream, but it does have a slight "gel-ish" consistency as well and is sort of light blue in color like you would think a gel might be.

If you're looking for a cleanser & moisturizer to use as part of your everyday routine, check out this set.

'Purity & Refresh' Skincare Set ($55 Value), $43.
Buy it here at Nordstrom.

Bottom line- Love the Clarisonic. Makes my face feel so clean & soft. If you want to take your skincare routine to the next level, get it.