GaptoothDiva - Dollar Store Makeup Haul for Beginners

I decided to help a few of my friends out, who aren't really into makeup only because of the price and cost associated with most products. Everyone doesn't have a budget for cosmetics, so they choose to opt out of participating in wearing them. I totally understand. So in an effort to cater to my Recessionistas and Budget-Friendly Divas, I put together a video of some cool makeup finds that I snagged from my local Dollar Tree in RVA.

The Motivation: No one should be trying to decipher your beauty regimen, unless you want to explain that. Use whatever products fit your budget and your style intent. :-)

**Check out www.FYourStyle.blogspot.com for more of my DIY, fashion, and Finds**

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$1.00 Earrings from Blah to Cheetah Print



BEFORE: Purchased for only $1.00, hot pink and plain on both sides

I recently decided to purchase a seriously cheap pair of earrings in a bright color for the spring (well before it actually got cold again, LOL) and shortly after, I realized I didn't like them. They were a basic design and just didn't stand out to me, the way I wanted them to. So I took matters into my own hands...

AFTER: Decorated with GaptoothDiva Hand Painted Cheetah Using Permenant Marker and Nail Polish

Now... I can rock these!

A Cool Way To Organize Your Earring Collection Using An Old Picture Frame

I recently moved to a smaller space and without all the vertical room I had been used to, it became harder and harder to find places to put my makeup, accessories, and glam must-haves. I already kicked the Hubs out, so his stuff his being stored in another bedroom (sorry). However, I still find myself desperate to find space. I decided to make some wall art with my accessories, so that I'm not only filling an empty wall, but also organizing some of my earrings and creating a display.

I took an old picture frame, with the picture still inside. I chose this frame because its basic and black, but the picture is cohesive with my bedroom decor. Through all the earrings, I think it would be sort of cool to see the silhouette of this African styled vase.

To add some more drama, I decided to take an old scarf that I no longer wear and wrap the photo into it. This will make it easier to hang all the earrings without putting holes in the picture. Before I could do that, I have to break apart the frame, glass, and picture from each other.

I wrapped the old scarf around the perimeter of the picture and cardboard before I placed the frame back on. I made sure the scarf was tightly wrapped, so that it didn't sag, making my earrings hang low. You can tie it into a know in the back or staple it. I chose to do both, because I don't plan to take this down for a while, so it needs to be secure. Also, take into consideration how many earrings you plan to put on there. I have quite a few, so I need to be sure this baby will stay up.



After securing the scarf, I placed the frame back on and careful ensured that no extra fabric or material was hanging off. Notice there are different layers. That's OK, it makes it easier for you to see your earrings and where they are hung, once you place them on the frame.

This is what it looks like hung up without any earrings on it. I can still see the picture behind the scarf material. Pretty cool so far.

 Step back and admire it... alrighty then, LOL.

This is what it looks like once you add your earrings to it. I chose to put the heavier ones towards the bottom, so they wouldn't get tangled. I also like to seperate my earrings by color and tone. The more I place on there the less distinct the pattern is, but you get the idea. Make sure not to overlap them too much, because you don't want to tangle the earrings or pull the scarf too much.

I enjoy looking at this everyday. I decided to put my clip-on and small earrings in the organizer to the right of the frame, so I wouldn't waste space. The more larger and artistic earrings are reserved for the frame.

If you have a organization trick for your accessories, please share in the comments, so I can check it out.

My Spring Low Priced Nail Picks

So Spring is finally here and it's time for us to turn up the volume on our go to colors and hues. I don't know about you, but in the winter black and gray reign supreme in my wardrobe. I can't help but fall back on loud colors, no matter what the trend is, because the weather just puts me in that mood. However, Spring is my time to bust out of that shell and step into brighter more "girly" territory.

In my quest to share beauty tips and tricks for those of us who don't have mountains of money in the bank, I found some really cool and trendy nail colors at a local tween store. Yes, I said TWEEN... only because they sell mostly merchandise that I would have wanted at 12 - 15 years old, LOL. However, if you want to save money, often you have to step outside of the box.

I recently visited FiveBelow in Chesterfield Virginia and checked out their beauty section. In their #5BNailshop, they had Funky Fingers nail polish 3 for $5.00 and Fresh Paint nail polish for $2.00 each.

The current trend is dipping your fingers in pastels and cool hues, such as the ones above in the pic

(from left to right: Funky Fingers in Mrs. Mint, Fresh Paint in Papaya,

and Fresh Paint in Bashful)

If you are like me and many girls I know and you prefer to go for the safe hues or french manicures, try these cute colors out today and tell me what you think. They are some long lasting and very fresh looking polishes. I love them and I know you will, too. 

Nicka K. Lipstick Review

For the spring season, I decided to step my lipstick/lip gloss game up and try my hand at different colors and shades. I've always been the typical pink, clear, and skin tone chick when it came to my lips. I guess I was cautious about playing with different colors. I'm more into eyeshadow, anyway. However, last fall & during the winter I tried the bold red lip trend and I absolutely loved it. So, on my quest to being frugal and fabulous, I purchased five lipsticks by Nicka K for $0.99 each at Regina's Beauty Supply in Richmond, Virginia. It was a steal! Here is the review of my latest purchase of what I experienced. Of course I should have took pictures of the shades on my lips, but once I forgot three out of five, I just called it a day.

These are the shades from left to right

• Vibrant Orange - Probably the safest out of all of them and my 2nd favorite new shade to try. I loved it. I got a couple of compliments on it and a few references to a M.A.C lip shade of the same hue. No, ladies, this was less than a buck. *snap*

• Moody Blue - My dumb a** thought this shade was actually blue. Could you believe how excited I was to find blue lipstick for $0.99?? To my surprise, it's actually a mood lipstick that changes colors depending on your mood (or the temperature of your lips). Needless to say I'm always in a dark purple-like mood. A bummer, but not a complete loss. I bought a blue lip-liner and smudged it in.... instant blue. Yeah, I'm bad.

• Bubble Gum - I'm used to this shade and it's nothing new. I should have known better but I actually was expecting more pink than an icy tone. Blah... boring.

• Brilliant Fuchsia - I love it, but I was expecting a brighter shade of actual fuchsia. It comes on very burgundy, which for my taste is too damn serious of a lip color for my face.

• Honey Buff - This by far is my favorite of all of them. I love the creamy nude look on my chocolate face. It really pops with a smoky eye application, which I really like.

I can't wait to share more of my finds with you. Remember it doesn't always have to cost a lot or be the latest and greatest for you to at least try it out. This is great way to try something new, without wasting a whole lot of money. If anyone says anything negative about it, tell 'em "F" you style!