6 Upcy Halloween Costumes

I have put together a list of {Up-cycled} Halloween Costume Ideas, that can be created using pieces of clothing that you may already have in your wardrobe. 

Or by getting a little bit creative with your cosmetics and using them in nontraditional ways, such as lipstick for eyeshadow, or eyeshadow as hair dye. 

All of the Cosmetic Looks were created using Exclusively Arbonne Cosmetics.
Halloween Is so much fun and I always love to experiment with Different Looks!
I would like to extend a Thank You to all of The Ladies who were willing victims for being transformed!  You Are All Spooktacular <3
If You Got It ~ Haunt It

1.  Miss Frizzle
   
   
   
   What You Will Need:
   ~Dark Coloured Dress (or skirt and top ~ this is what I used)
   ~White Collared Shirt
   ~Red Shoes
   ~Coloured Card Stock
   ~Scissors
   ~Needle & Thread / Hot Glue Gun
   
   
   Cut Coloured Paper Into Sun / Star / Planet Shapes
   Sew Onto Dress using large loop stitches
   (this will allow for easy removal if you wish after Halloween)
   Curl & Tease your hair to finish off the look
   If you have naturally curly hair let it be free that day!
   
   
2. Watermelon
   
   
   What You Will Need:
   
   DIY Watermelon Hat
   Watermelon Skirt was a Gift from my dear friend Kristen
   
   
   You can create your own Hat & a Skirt too by painting the pattern onto solid coloured Hat {Or Skirt} as shown in the image(s) above.
3. Alien
   
   
   
   What You Will Need:
   Makeup Look:
   White, Silver & Black Eyeshadow
   You will need a minimum of :
   3 eyeshadow colours
   at least 1 of which has a metallic finish
   Purple Mascara
   
   You are going to want to begin by moisturizing and priming your entire face!
   
   Begin with dramatic Highlighting; using A the lightest eyeshdadow { the one I used was white & had a slight translucent under tone}  applying it under the Eyes (extending this dramatically past where you would traditionally highlight) Down the center of your nose under as well as underneath it.
   Lastly over your upper lip, mouth, and chin entirely.
   Dramatic Contouring with the darkest {black} of the eyeshadows you've selected The forehead, brow bone, sides of the nose, lower jaw bone, & neck.
   Blend profusely using a Large Blush Brush!
   Add the metallic eyeshadow {silver} between the two colours & anywhere else that needs additional blending!
   Continue to blend profusely!!
   Feel Free to get creative and play around with the areas you are highlighting and contouring!
   Continue to blend profusely!!!
   Apply two coats of coloured {Purple} Mascara to both your top & bottom lashes!
   Re-Prime your lips to help the pigment really stick!
   Using an angled brush apply your metallic {silver} colour around your lip in place of a traditional liner.
   Using your finger gently dap the lightest {white} and gently blend using your finger. 
   
   
4. Jenna Lofaro as A Sugar Skull 
   
   
   
   What You Will Need:
   Makeup & Hair Look(s):
   Flowers / Flower Crown 
   White eyeshadow / Halloween face paint
   Pink eyeShadow /  lipstick / Halloween face paint
   black eyeshadow
   Black liquid eyeliner
   Rhinestones
   Feather Lashes
   Lash Glue
   
   Begin by creating an all white base using eyeshadow or halloween facepaint!
   Add the black detials using black liquid eye liner, begining at the forehead & continuing down the face to ensure you do not drag your hand over your finished work.
   A Spider web on he forhead, cycles around the eye sockets, black nose bridge, mouth stitching, cheek swirling, & chin flower. All shown in the images above.
   Using
   Use a small angled brush and black eyeshadow to soften any of the lines you have just created. As well as to add any contouring!  See Images above for details.
   'Colour In' in the eyesockets,& flower using a small with a small eyeshadow brush with pink eyeshadow or lipstick or a mix of the two to make the colour really pop!
   Finish off the look by adding the Feather Lashes  & Rhinestone details using the Lash Glue.
   
   Her hair was curled using a straightener & pulled to one side using a created a DIY Flower Clip!
   
   
5. Kristen Mcnish as Sandra Dee ~ Grease
   
   
   
   Photos By: KM Photography
   What You Will Need:
   A (p)leather Jacket
   Black T-shirt (pulled off the shoulders) 
   (p)leather Pants
   Black Heals
   Red Lipstick
   Curlers / Curling Iron 
   Black Eyeliner 
   Black Mascara
   
   This look is pretty self explanatory if you've ever seen the movie!
   Get dressed in your all black pleather ensemble.
   Keep it classic with curled hair, winged eye liner & Mascara on the eye, & red lipstick!
   
   
6. Brianna Foss as Harley Quinn ~ Suicide Squad 
   
   
   
   What You Will Need: 
   Makeup & Hair Look(s):
   Blue eyeshadow
   Red Blush / eyeshadow
   Red Lipstick
   Black Eyeliner
   Black Mascara
   Hair Ties
   
   Apply Red (right) & blue (left) to the eyes and sweep it quite far down your cheek(s) &Add eyeliner & mascara to finish off the Eye Look
   Apply Red Lipstick & Smear the right side down (as you did with the eyes)
   Using your eyeliner draw a heart <3 on the apple of your right cheek
   Write the word 'Rotten' down your right Jaw line.
   To finish off the entire look center part your hair & put in pig tails
    (& if your hair is blonde ~ sorry fellow dark haired ladies)
   Add Red & Blue to the tips of your Pig Tails using the same Red & Blue eyeshadow(s) & Blush you used previously.
   Using the end of a makeup brush gently loosen some of the shadow / blush.
   Dampen the ends of your hair & using the shadow brush gently dab the loose powder into your hair!
   
   DIY T-Shirt:
   White T-shirt
   Black, Red, & Blue Acrylic Paint
   Paint Brushes
   
   Using a ruler draw a line marking off the top 1/4 of the T-shirt & paint it red.
   Paint 2 Red stripes across each sleeve end.
   (use a ruler again for this step if needed)
   Smudge Blue paint across the left sleeve.
   Paint 'Daddy's Lil Monster' across the front & your done!
   
   
   If you still aren't quite sure what you want to be check for our post from Last Year with 6 Additional Last Minute Halloween Cosmetic Costume Ideas
   & Check back next week for 6 MORE Upcy Halloween Costume Ideas!

   Creep It Real

   Happy Halloween

Applesauce Recipe

In Ontario apples are pretty much everywhere during early fall! The orchards are full, and many people have them growing in their own backyards. 

We went picking in my parents back yard over Thanksgiving weekend & picked a big basket full! 

Realizing we could never eat them all before they spoiled I decided to turn some into Apple Sauce!

One of my favourite things about this Recipe is that once you have all the apples prepared you can pretty much walk away from it!

Apple Sauce Recipe 

 A variation of I found by The Pioneer Women
(Makes enough to fill two Mason Jars)

1/2 cup of light brown sugar 

1/2 cup of apple juice 

6-8 cups of chopped apples 

1tsp cinnamon / pumpkin spice (optional) 

Begin by Peeling The apples

Once Finished cut them into small chunks as shown in the photo below

(you can core them first or just cut the apples by hand avoiding the core)

Mix Apples, Brown Sugar, & Apple Juice (spices too if you choose) in a large Pot

Cook (covered) on the stove at medium heat for 30 minutes.

(will look chunkier than this I forgot to snap a picture before I started mashing!)

Depending on the consistency you prefer You can either Mash them with a potato Masher (like I did)

OR You can put them in a blender or food processor to get a smooth (chunk-less) texture!

Leave on the counter covered until it cools to room temperature - You can then transfer it into Mason Jars / containers for storage!

Great Alone with Oatmeal, On Toast or in baking baking to replace eggs, butter & Oil!
Gratitude Is The Best Attitude 

Thankful & Grateful ~ Two DIY projects perfect for Thanksgiving Weekend

Last year I created a Print and wrote a Mini Blog with an idea of how we could be louder with what we are thankful about.
Depending on who you are,Thanksgiving can mean a million different things to you, but what it means to me - personally - is a chance to get together with my loved ones and celebrate all the things we have to be Grateful or Thankful about that year! Gratitude is something that I practice consciously on a daily biases, & love the idea of a Holiday that celebrates exactly that!

I decided to adapt that Idea this year & incorporate the Wax Preserved Leaves I also shared a tutorial for last week!

Place a waxed Leaf at every place setting

Before dinner, pass around a few paint markers & have everyone write down something that they are Thankful for in their life!

You can leave them at the table as place settings OR tuck them into a frame to keep the Gratitude going the rest of the reason!

Something else I added to the fall decor this year was this 'Thankful And Grateful' Quote from the top of the Blog.

Step 1. Rip a piece of peeling Birch Bark off of a Tree (it is very thin just like paper or card stock)

Step 2. Store it in an envelope for weeks between books because you forgot about it to flatten it.

Step 3. Using a black Sharpie, I wrote out the quote "Thankful & Grateful"

Step 4. I had originally framed it with some burlap edging, but I wasn't really happy with how it turned out until I saw a tutorial posted by The Party Parade on Instagram (@thepartyparade) where they had used a branch to hang a craft paper sign & decided to give that a try & now I do love how it turned out!

I hope that you are having so much fun with your Loved ones however you intend on spending this coming Monday do it with An Attitude of Gratitude <3

Gratitude Is The Best Attitude

Fall In My Bag

In honour of Fall & letting things go I am dumping my bag out on the Blog & sharing what I can't go a second without carry with me.
I'd try and call it "Real Life" but  I'm really just showing how much of slob I am...

From Right to Left To the Left

Pilot FriXion Ball Pen(s)/ -these are essentially every kid that grew up in the 90's dream come true Erasable markers ... that actually erase & they come in a wide range of colours so you'll never need another pen again!

Birthday Cake Birthday Gum - Because it's my Birthday week ;)

The Willow & Water scent of this Crema from CocoAndDuckie smells so good I can't get enough of it partialy because of how much my boyfriend loves it!

My Agenda It is so pretty, and has so much space for writing in everything you need to remember & organized. I actually can 't leave the house without or nothing will get done!which is why it is in such horrible shape from being crammed into the bottom of my bag the past year!

I got this Arbonne wallet a few years back at GTC

Left over candy from a Parade I attend
Smoothed Over lipstick  that is infused with fruit extracts for plumpness & hydration to avoid my lips drying up with the leaves also plumpness. 

How cute is this Marshmallow Makeup Bag - I've come to realize things that look like other things are always my favourite !

Scotch Lint Wipes because I love my cat but I don't love all of my black clothes covered in hair & I generally don't realize I am covered in hair until arrival!

Wet Wipes - Because I make a mess when eating & sometimes need to wash my hands on the go...

Feel Free to Leaf a comment below if any of these are in your bag too or if there is something else you can't leave the house without?

Gratitude Is The Best Attitude

DIY Wax Leaf Wreath

Fall is one of my favourite seasons; while it marks the end of summer
which always breaks my heart,
it is also the start of all of the Holidays and my most inspired seasons! 

My mom wanted a New fall wreath which inspired me to bring in a bunch of leaves and preserve them with wax ~ which you can find the tutorial for HERE. 

& have been going a bit crazy creating with them 

What You Will Need :

~ Waxed Leaves
~ Hot Glue & Glue Sticks
~ Burlap Ribbon / Bow (optional)
~ Berry Branches (optional)
~ Vine Wreath ~ I have to give credit to my Dad for saving this wreath despite the fact that everyone in the Family thought it belonged in the trash!

How To :
Step 1. If you will be choosing to add a bow it is best to place it on the wreath where you want in (without attaching it) as a reference.

Step 2. Using your Hot Glue Gun very sparingly begin attaching the leaves to your wreath.

Step 3. Continue on with this process overlapping them slightly to ensure the wreath is covered.
Step 4. Continue until you are happy, whether you want the entire wreath covered or just a portion.
Step 5. Attach the Bow again using your Hot Glue Gun.

Step 5. You can gently tuck Berry Branches in between the leaves for more dimension.

Gratitude Is The Best Attitude 

Preserving Leaves with Wax Paper DIY

 

This is a super old traditional way of preserving leaves, 

flowers & other plant life. 

It is by no means my tutorial but it is a skill that will come in handy
for the next #FriDIY project I intend on sharing later this week!

First things first ~ Get out there & collect some goodies to wax preserve!

What you Will Need :

~ Leaves , Flowers, other Plant Life

~ Wax Paper

~ Iron & Ironing Board 

How To :

Step 1. Insure that your leaves are thoroughly dreid - the fall mornings can get pretty muggy, leaving the ground & leaves very damp - make sure you leave them long enough to air dry OR dry them with a towel!

Step 2. Cut out strips of wax paper ~ to whatever length you feel comfortable working with!

 I suggest you do this as you go to avoid any waste

Step 3. Lay out a sheet of your wax paper on your ironing board.

Step 4. Carefully lay down your leaves etc.being sure not to overlap them.

Step 5. Place another sheet of wax paper over top (creating a leaf sandwich). 

Step 6. Using your Iron at a medium heat (No Steam)
Begin carefully ironing the top (of the sandwich)
Flip it over & Repeat this process on the other side!

Step 7. Leave to cool .
If you intend on storing them for an extended period of time OR maybe you don't quite have the exact project in mind for them yet - You can leave them between the sheets of wax paper to store.

Step 8. When you are ready .. Gently separate the two pieces of wax paper & remove the leaves. 

They may get stuck in between the leaves but they will pull apart very easily. 

Gratitude Is The Best Attitude

'It's Just A Phase' DIY Moon T-Shirt Tutorial

This is the last weekend of Summer, which means that next week is fall. This also means many of us (especially those of us who live in places like Canada where the weather changes so drastically from season to season).
This summer I have been focusing on minimizing - in all aspects of my life, but the closet... clothes has with out a doubt been one of my biggest challenges. and this is not new for me to put it into perspective -  I have been talking about creating a capsule wardrobe since newly starting this blog... I think this may be the year it finally happens - Try and hold me to it!
So on that note ~ switching up your wardrobe does not have to mean going out and buying new pieces - the truth is most of us have more clothing than we actually wear!
So instead of adding to the problem why not solve it with a purposeful DIY, & remake something that we already have making it look fun & new! 

Supplies Needed:

~   Plain Black shirt

~   11 x 16 sheet of sketch paper 

~   Scissors 

~   White Acrylic Paint

~   Protractor / mason jar 

How To:

Creating your Stencil

Step 1. Depending on how many moon phases you want can fit on your T-shirt You will want to fold your paper into that many equal portions - this will make spacing your 'moons' much simpler! I wen with a 12 moon template - which required me to fold my 11 x 16 inch paper into 3 x 4 equal sections. 

Step 2. Using a protractor (or Mini Mason Jar) begin tracing a circle in the center of each section. 

Step 3. Once all circles are completed carefully cut out each one.

Creating your T-Shirt

Step 4. I recommend placing a board or piece of cardboard in between the front and back layers of the shirt to protect from any bleed through that may occur.

Step 5. Lay your stencil / template down centered onto your T-shirt (The grid should help with placement as well). You may want to tape down your stencil to secure it into place!

Step 6 & Above. Using a foam brush or loose paint brush you will want to gently dab on your white paint starting with a thin crescent moon shape and gradually increasing the portion of the circle you are covering with paint until you have covered the entire circle - Full Moon - and then gradually decrease the portion of the circle being painted in the apposing direction

Gratitude is the Best Attitude