Currently Drooling Over: Closets with Chandeliers

I share a just-barely-walk-in closet with my husband. It's hardly the ideal situation for either one of us, but we're doing our best to make it work--I was kind enough to give him one shelf and one rack, and he is kind enough to keep his complaints to himself. Still, I can't wait to have my dream closet, inspired by these closets with chandeliers. 

 
  This is apparently Mariah Carey's closet...a girl after my own heart! 

 I love the girly pink chandelier here.  

 A chic closet/bathroom combo. How fabulous is that claw foot tub?

The black chandelier really stands out in this space. 

I love how clean and bright this closet is.  


 
It's not the biggest space, but the wallpaper really gives this closet character.

images via 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Happy Friday

I hope you all have a dreamy, sparkling, shining weekend! God bless!

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Be More Confident

Swag, verve, moxie--whatever you call it, there's confidence at the heart of it. It's about being friendly, energetic, assertive, and comfortable. Since it's not always easy to pull this off, here are some tricks to put into practice that will instantly make you appear and feel more confident.    

Smile
Even if you're not happy, smiling a genuine smile can actually help to boost your mood. And when you're in a good mood, your body language changes, thus making you appear more confident and more attractive. 

Correct your posture
Again, it's all about body language. Hunching over with your head down tells the world that you are small and shy, uncomfortable with yourself. But walking with your head held high and your shoulders back screams that you are a woman who is sure of herself, who loves her body, and knows how to work it. 

Get chatty
Greet your barista with a smile, say hello to the clerk at the checkout and ask her how she's doing, have a friendly exchange with a receptionist--do this without fishing for something out of your purse or looking down at your phone. Make eye contact, offer a smile, and be courteous. And when you meet eyes with someone on the street, say hello or good morning or whatever is appropriate. 

Make and maintain eye contact
For some reason making and maintaining eye contact is viewed as a bit aggressive, and most people become uncomfortable and look away. There's actually nothing aggressive about it if you do it right. It's not a staring contest (please don't stare or you'll look totally creepy!!), just keep a natural, relaxed look on your face, smile and nod occasionally. People will think you're friendly, attentive, and most of all, confident. 

Play up your strengths
If you're funny, be funny. If you can dance your butt off, take every opportunity to bust a move. History buff? Work it into the conversation.  Your talents and skills are what make you special and unique--don't hide or downplay them. And no matter what, never apologize for the things that you're good at or that interest you.

Laugh at yourself 
Remember in Legally Blonde when Elle Woods showed up at a party in a sexy bunny costume while everyone else was in jeans and tees? She should have been mortified, but instead she smiled and played the whole thing off. We've all tripped on a crack in the sidewalk, spilled some portion, if not all, of a meal down our blouse,  or worn the wrong outfit to a party, but instead of getting flustered, learn to laugh it off.

Fake it 'til you make it 
Having confidence is like playing a musical instrument; if you want to be good at it, it'll take practice. There will most certainly be times when you don't feel so confident, and those are the moments when you must plant a smile on your face, give your hair a playful toss and act the part. Keep it up, and eventually being more confident will start to come naturally to you.



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Make Your Moisturizer a Multi-Tasker

Your face moisturizer can do so much more than just hydrate your skin; you can also mix it with vitamins or other cosmetics to create custom beauty products. Here are four brilliant ways to make your moisturizer do double duty.

YOUR FAVORITE FACE MOISTURIZER +

Vitamin E = A vitamin-enriched night cream and eye cream

Blush = Cream blush

Shimmer powder or eyeshadow = Liquid illuminator

Foundation = Tinted moisturizer

photo by Angelica Golden

Happy Friday

Wishing you a sparkling weekend! God bless!

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