Fresh Fruit Tart

I cannot believe it is already Memorial Day! While it is an important holiday to honor those we lost while serving our country, it is also the ceremonial start of Summer. It’s the time of the year when Summer is approaching, the weather is warming up, and all you want to do is be outside. I especially love going to BBQs. This year, I decided to make a desert to bring with to a family BBQ. I wanted to make something summery and patriotic. I decided to try a few recipes beforehand and instantly fell in love with this fresh fruit tart! It has a shortbread style crust which is buttery and full of flavor. The cream layer is deliciously creamy with a hint of vanilla, which tastes so good when combined with the berries. This tart is also great because you can use whatever fruit you like. I went with raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries to give the tart a more patriotic look, but you can use your own creativity when decorating. I would definitely recommend this delicious tart recipe, you won’t be sorry and neither will those who are lucky enough to get a piece. 

DIY Seasonal Wreaths

When I moved out of my parent's house and into my own place, one piece of decor I wanted first was a door wreath. I went out to Homegoods and Target to look for one. I found one that I liked at Homegoods, but even for their prices being so low, they were all so over priced!  I started to think about how I would want a wreath for each season and I really didn't want to spend $30 or more dollars for each one. So that's when I decided to make my own. I went to Michael's craft store and bought a 18" wreath which was only $4.99. Since it was autumn I bought some leaves, and other fall accents to create my wreath. My total spent was no more than $20.00 dollars! I didn't use any hot glue since I planned on using the same grapevine wreath again. This is what I came up with:  

 When the holidays approached, surprisingly I didn't make one as much as I wanted to. I used some type of garland wreath I already had. When spring rolled around I jumped right on the project. I chose colors that are versatile for spring and summer. I even reused my cute little bird!

Now that it's May and summer is approaching, I was in the mood to make a patriotic wreath. Here is picture of the spring one taken apart. 

Now let's get started.  First you'll need to go to any craft store to buy a wreath and any things you want to attach to it. When I did my first one, I placed things onto the wreath in the store to get an idea of how I wanted it to look and how much stuff that I would need for it.  Most of the time everything is on sale which is awesome!

After you have everything you need, lay everything out. Like I said earlier, I don't use any glue, just scissors. Use hot glue if you want to make your wreath permanent.

 Next, I trimmed the long picks/stems from the flowers. I didn't cut any from the spring wreath because everything slid right into the wreath without any crazy sticks popping out.

             

After I trim the flowers I start to map out where I am going to insert everything into the wreath. I like to make the left and right sides have the bulk of the flowers. 

I had a flag and a flower left over.

I probably take a good 5-10 minutes laying everything onto the wreath in a variety of ways until I like how everything is arraanged. Then voila!

XO Tres Chic Lifestyle

DIY Painted Mugs

I don’t know if I’m alone in this, but I am obsessed with mugs. I have an unhealthy amount of mugs and can never resist the urge of buying a new one. Though I own plenty of mugs, I thought it would be fun to decorate some myself. I began experimenting with different mediums for decorating that won’t wash away. After much practice, I have discovered the best way to create DIY painted mugs. 

Materials

To make these mugs you only need a few simple materials. You will need oil based paint pens, I used Sharpie brand. Most crafts stores should have them in a wide variety of colors. It is probably best to decide on your designs beforehand so you know what colors to purchase. You will also need mugs. I used plain white mugs, but the paint pens will work on different colored mugs as well. You definitely don’t need to spend a lot on mugs, most dollar stores carry a variety of mugs. Finally, you will need a bowl of water, cotton swabs, and paper towels in case of any mistakes. When working with the Sharpie pain pens, it was easy to wipe away mistakes with just water. 

                                        

Creating The Design

I would recommend testing your design on paper before going directly for the mug. The pens are super easy to draw with. You can even use them to write names or phrases on your mug. Make sure you don’t paint too close to the rim or inside the mug. I made my own templates for some designs in order to make sure they looked uniform. It’s fun to make several at a time especially if you need a gift for family or friends. 

                         

Finishing The Mug

In order to make sure your design won’t wash away, there are a few more important steps to complete. After you are happy with your mug, let it sit for at least 8hrs in order to let the paint dry fully. After it has dried, arrange all of your mugs on a baking pan and stick them right in the oven. After they are in the oven, preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. It is important to put the mugs in the oven before you preheat it in order to allow the paint to bake on properly. After your oven has warmed up, you can set your oven for 35-40 minutes. As soon as your timer goes off, turn off the oven and open the door. Let the mugs cool completely in the oven. That’s it! You are now the proud owner of some pretty cool DIY mugs!

                                         

The Results

As you can see, after baking, the mugs look just as good as before, except now they can be washed, which is obviously super important. I think that these make perfect gifts, especially since they can be personalized. I created a few simple examples, but you can pretty much create anything you like. You could add your favorite team to the baseball themed mug or even your favorite quote to the heart themed mug. They can easily be filled with candy or other small items and given as a gift for a variety of occasions. They would even make a great end of the year gift for a teacher. I hope these mugs work as well for you as they did for me! Happy crafting!

  

XO Tres Chic Lifestyle

LUSH Face Products

The first time I walked into a Lush store, I was overwhelmed.  I really just wanted to touch everything without being asked any questions! The shop is small, yet packed with an array of product and  impressive, colorful displays. ( that's where they get ya! )  If you're not familiar with Lush, they are a cosmetic brand that produces 100% vegetarian products for the face, hair, and body. For me, it all started with Angels On Bare Skin.

1 down- many more to go!

On this particular day at Lush, I was looking for a face cleanser. I told the sales associate that my forehead tends to be dry, and that I have redness around my nose . She recommended AOBS, and it's now a staple in my cleansing routine. AOBS is a kaolin clay base with ground almonds and lavender flowers. I've seen a huge improvement in my skin since using this. My forehead has less dryness and the redness in my face is more calm. I use it every morning, and night after removing my makeup.

I've always used makeup remover wipes to remove makeup, but I wanted  something better. I still use them for quick removal, but I like to use Ultrabland on days I know my face needs a little more TLC when removing my makeup. Ultrabland is a cleanser  made up of essential oils, honey, and beeswax. After using it, my face feels lovely! That's the only way I can put it! It does have a thick, greasy consistency, but it has to be used a specific way. You put it all over your dry face, if it's wet it will be a mess! Once it is applied all over your face, take a dampened wash cloth and wipe it off. That's it, your face will feel fresh, clean, and nourished!

Almost gone!

Another cleanser I use is Herbalism. I use this one particularly on my chin. (damn hormones! ) Herbalism has rice bran which helps with excess oil, a blend of rosemary, nettle, and chamomile. My chin usually takes long to heal from breakouts, but this cleanser helps soothe the area. 

Now let's talk moisturizer. I was always enticed by Lush's moisturizers, but the price of them stopped me from buying one. They range from $24.95-$87.95. Say what!? Fast forward to a day at Lush when I was picking up more cleanser, I caved in. I went with the Vanishing Cream. It contains lavender to balance oil production, witch hazel for pore-tightening and eliminating blemishes, and grape seed oil to soften. A little goes a long way, so I make sure to use a small dab. I use it after cleansing with AOBS. After using this cream for 7 months, it's kept my skin conditioned and feeling fresh. 

Finally, there's the Lush fresh face masks. I'm talking about this one because its the last one that I had, but I honestly love every single one I've tried. This one is called Don't Look At Me.It contains lemon juice which helps break down dead skin cells. This mask definitely made my face feel bright and smoother where I have dry skin. Since the masks are fresh, they need to be kept refrigerated. When I have a fresh face mask, I use it after cleansing.

Image from Lushusa.com

One more thing, Lush recycles and remolds their black pots. Bring back 5 clean Lush pots with the logo and you get a fresh face mask free! Can't beat that :)  If you haven't checked out Lush yet, I highly recommend you do. There's so much more to the company than just cosmetics. LUSH

Xo Tres Chic Lifestyle

Favorite MAC Lipsticks

 MAC lipsticks are seen as a beauty essential for any makeup lover. Many people have their favorite lipstick shades. Although preferences in makeup can be subjective, there are some MAC shades that I believe have a great color and formula and some that do not. MAC lipsticks come in a variety of formulas. Though I have many favorite lipstick brands, I find MAC lipsticks, in general, have good consistency, color payoff, and packaging. Below, are some of my favorite mac shades. The ones mentioned are still widely available on the MAC website or other retailers.

                        

MAC Cremesheen in Creme Cup

 I love this shade! It is a beautiful light pink. This is a perfect spring shade that, I believe, would look great on many different skin tones. Though this is more of a neutral shade, it is not so light that it looks odd on pale skin. It has a slightly sheerer formula, but has a creamier texture that makes it comfortable to wear. The only negative that I have found, is that it is not as long lasting as I would have liked.

MAC Glaze in Hue
 
My original reason for purchasing this particular shade was to find a lipstick similar to the one Audrey Hepburn wore in Breakfast at Tiffany's. This was the shade that was recommended to me. It is a pretty good match to the lipstick worn in the movie. It is a neutral peachy-pink toned lipstick. The Glaze formula allows it to glide on well. It is not as creaming or hydrating as the Cremesheen formula, but it is not drying either. I love this lipstick with Spring and Summer looks, but also for a chic nighttime makeup look.

MAC Matte in Please Me

 This shade is a deeper mauve-pink that is very matte. Though I love a good matte lipstick, the formula is slightly drying. It is important to have well exfoliated and moisturized lips for this shade. This color is worth the extra work. It is a shade that can be worn both day and night. It also has a great color payoff and great lasting power.

MAC Viva Glam Matte in Ariana Grande

 This is by far the most dramatic shade of MAC lipstick I own. I love deep berry lipsticks, and this fits the mark. It is a matte shade, and like Please Me can be drying if the lips are not prepped properly. This shade is perfect for fall and winter or evenings. I would recommend using this shade with a lipliner to make the color last longer.

Let me know which MAC lipsticks you love!

XO Tre Chic Lifestyle