Trend Alert: BAR CARTS

The rest of the week I'll be blogging everyday about something that I'm noticing that is currently trending, or a trend that won't go a way or a trend that's on the cusp of trending!

Today's trend is BAR CARTS!  They are EVERYWHERE!  One of the first times I noticed them in design was in a post by the FABULOUS EDDIE ROSS.  I think it was in a window display but I'm not sure.  Here are a couple posts of his using bar carts, A country living Christmas, here's one that's 3 years old in the New York Times (I'm telling you this guys a trend SETTER!) New York Times, the entire article is about bar carts! A post in 2008 One Flea Market, two bloggers!  Shopping the Rose bowl and coming across a fabulous black and gold Bar Cart.  And this is the one that sticks out in my mind, a window display with a bar cart for the Carleton V.

Lately as I'm perusing my PINTEREST and flipping through decor mags and decorating blogs, repeatedly I'm picking out bar carts here and there.  So here are a few you might want to check out!

The carts can go from LUXE like the ones above all brass and glass or more transitional like this one,

There are also some that will fit more into a casual room like these...

So whether you like your portable party on the glam side.

or a little bit more laid back, there are many carts to suit your needs!

August BIRCHBOX subscription A REVIEW of this beauty box and comparison to BEAUTY ARMY August

I don't know if I mentioned it in my Beauty Army review but my girls and I LOVE makeup.  I'm totally the type that if I'm having a bad day, a new tube of lipstick will cure it quick!  Considering Birchbox was on a waiting list I really didn't expect to get an August box so this was a pleasant surprise!  Let's open it up!

I have to say I'm tickled with this box!  4 nice size samples of eye shadow a coordinating VERY fine line liquid liner in navy blue.  It's a fabulous liner, my daughter Callie and I have both used it and loved it!  The company is called EYEKO London and it's called the Skinny Mini but it's a full size liner.  The lipstick is equally TDF! It smells scrumptious, goes on like a dream and it's a GREAT semi darker NUDE shade called Dusk till Dawn by a company called Modelcosmetics.com.  It's the Party Proof Matte lipstick and I have to say it does have very nice staying power!
We are both trying the shadows tomorrow but I did a swatch test and the pigmentation seems fine.  We also received a self tanner towelette that covers your face and upper body.  That's probably something my teenager might use but I probably wouldn't.  We also received two products from a company called Miss Jessie's.  One is Super Sweetback Treatment that is a deep conditioning treatment for growing out hair. And the other is called Rapid Recovery Treatment, it's a deep treatment for repairing dry brittle curly hair. I'll be sure to use that. It also came with a little fashion pamplet for fall including some very generous Ann Taylor coupons.

Comparing this Birchbox to the Beauty Army box is sort of a no brainer.  I'd say I like the Birchbox much better, more product and 2 full size products.  I might give both of them one more month but if I had to decide today I'd say Birchbox and it's only $10 not $12 like the Beauty Army.

If you are thinking about a subscription box, I'd say for a little money it sure is nice getting a surprise in the mail once a month with some products you very well could fall in love with!

Beauty Army Subscription Box, my first one! A review

I don't know if it just a freaky thing with me but I expect most girls are the same way.  WE LOVE SURPRISES!  Seemingly in the past year and especially the past few months subscription box companies have been popping up all over the place.  There are beauty boxes, lifestyle boxes, nail boxes, men's boxes (there is even a monthly tackle box!), perfume boxes, food boxes, organic boxes and jewelry only boxes.  You name it and there is a box company willing to send you a surprise box every month for a fee.  Sometime the fee is small, like $10!  Sometimes it's big like $35-50.  Of course the quality and size of materials in those boxes is directly related to how much you want to spend.

Sure, I'd love getting luxurious full size containers of makeup like Urban Decay and Oh La la la French stuff I can't pronounce but this chick is on a budget but I still want a happy little surprise each month.  Luckily there are plenty of companies in the $10-18 dollar range.  Finally this month I bit the bullet, did a bit of research and decided to order Beauty Army for $12.  September I'm going to try the very popular $10 Birchbox (there is a waiting list) and then my girls decided to pitch in and order the POP SUGAR box in October for $35.  The cool thing about these is most of them can be cancelled at any time.  Some even have a skip a month feature.

Our August BEAUTY ARMY box came in with much fan fare.  Trumpets blaring, confetti, balloons dropping from the sky etc.  Well none of that really happened but as excited as my girls and I were you wouldn't have been surprised.  With out further ado..the reveal!

Okay I have to admit, I seriously thought the mystery sample was a tampon.  It looked just like one!  Luckily it was this pretty shade of  raspberry pink lip gloss from a company I haven't heard of.  That's okay though because this is all about TRYING new things!  I've used YES TO CARROTS before and it's a go to product for makeup removal.  We are Tea girls so that was pleasant surprise.  I'm also literally the driest person you will probably ever meet so a moisturizer is always a plus.  The little bottle of gel nails is kinda disappointing because you have to have gel nails to use it and we don't but oh well.  Pony tail holders....YEAH!  We go through those like water! Is it just us or do those things do a disappearing act on everyone?

I'd have to say we were pleased with our box.  There were some unknown products but that's kinda the point so that's okay.  We might try this one more month to see what September beholds!  Overall 3 1/2 stars out of 5.

Some of the other companies I've heard of are:
Glossy Box USA  a beauty box
Petite Vour   a beauty box
Boxy Charm
Goody Gorilla a snack food subscription box
Blush    a beauty box
Julep    a nail box
Blue Box  a jewelry box
FABFITFUN  a women's box
BEAUTYBOX 5  a beauty box
GLAM BAG    a beauty box
Nail Art Society    a nail box
Juniper   a beauty box
The Bride Box     a box for brides
Her FAB BOX    a women's box
Dottie Box    a box of handmade items

Trend Alert: Go LUXE with mirrors, crystal, lucite and glass!

As I mentioned I'm doing a slight makeover on my family room.  I promise when it's done I'll do a reveal!  Might be awhile though!  I'm not a total GLAM girl but I like a few pieces here and there. I'm more of a rustic luxe girl I guess.  I'll post about that sometime too.  After the Pantone Emerald post I've decided to do a Trend Alert series.  Should be fun!  I've been noticing in design that GLAM/LUXE is becoming quite a movement! I really like that some of these photos show that you can mix it in and be cozy too!

All of these originals can be found at my decor board or my living room inspiration board. 

Below please find some items in VARIOUS price ranges that suit this style!
side table from lampsplus 499.99 stacked glass table lamp from lampsplus 59.99

faux leather storage cube 149.99

99.00 wall sconce from lamps plus      Mirror from HomeDecorators $229.00

home decorators $259

IKEA Ofelia 29.99

lamps plus 104.98

Ghost chairs from Lamps Plus

brushed aluminum side table 69.99home decorators $949

Home decorators $199.00

ZGallerie 599.00

Faux throw I'm in LOVE with $59.99

lampsplus lucite table 349.99

Directors Chair To Side Table DIY

While at the beach a few weeks ago for a girls weekend I happened to spot a set of 6 directors chairs for $10 each.  I didn't need 6 but 1 sounded good!  I remember seeing in a magazine how they they changed a directors chair into an end table.  I figured I could wing that without the directions!

Yes, yes I know she was beautiful as a beat up old directors chair but I couldn't resist!  I really needed an end table so...OFF with her arms!  ...And back!  

A couple coats of Rustoleums Heirloom White and she was a new woman.  Actually a little bit too much of a NEW woman so out came the sanding block.

 I measured her top and ordered a piece of tempered glass.  It took about 2 weeks of torture to come in.  But today I was able to slide her on top of it's new home.  Off to Target to get a little lamp.  I wanted to get a small one that was glass but there wasn't any and glass probably wouldn't make sense since it could fall off.  I did get one for $9.99 that had a shade that matched the shade on the lamp that's on the chest directly across from it.  A new end table and the fresh pops of new pillows and a blanket from this POST and I have a totally fresh family room! OHHHH and we are in the process of painting the wood floor in there are charcoal grey.  Plus for my birthday I ordered a grey and white chevron pouf.  We took back the multicolored one because it was loosing all of it's fabric.  So anyway, what do you think for a $10 chair?

As I said we are in the process of painting the old wood floor a medium to dark grey and that will look so much better! So don't mind the ugly flooring!

This will all look so much better when the floor is painted grey!

Viola!