Polka Dot Party

Hi guys!

Ready for manicure time? haha! :)

This past weekend, my friend Vanessa came over and we spent almost two hours doing our nails! The silvery-blue ones on the left are mine, and the orange and lime ones on the right are hers.

One thing you spot? Polka dots!
haha!

Polka dots are our new obsession, and they're very easy to do on your nails! Instructions to follow :

- First, apply your "base" color, and wait for that to dry.
- Don't apply your top coat yet! Take your secondary color, the color in which you want the polka dots in, and assemble some tools. Make sure this color stands out against the base! We chose white.
- For those of you who have steady hands, you can go ahead and start dotting your nails with the brush!   Make sure it has enough polish on the brush to make a good, solid dot. You can choose to do it in columns and rows like we did, or you can opt for the messier let's-dot-everywhere approach.
- If you don't have a nice steady hand, that's okay! I don't either, that's why you can see the messier polka dots are on my nails, haha. You can either use a Q-tip to make smudgier, bigger dots, or you can take a paper clip, unravel it so that it looks like a big line, then dip it in the polish and do dots that away. You'll get smaller dots, but they'll be neater and you can fit more on the nail.
- Wait for that to dry, then apply your top coat, and you are done! :) You don't want to accidentally swirl your dots, so waiting is essential.

That's it, guys! I hope you had a wonderful weekend and are having lovely day!

XO
Chrissy

Soft scarves

Hi guys! :)

Sometimes, we all have bad days. And today was a pretty bad day. Today was the absolute way a Monday should be! Cold, wet, and miserable. Half the things in my bag got soaked, and not to mention my (soaked) rat's nest of a ponytail.

Strange to say, but it's almost like summer turned into autumn overnight.

Anyways, I usually do love autumn, just not the cold weather, but one perk of chilly winds are..scarves! We all love scarves, they're beautiful and add such a nice touch to an outfit.

Most of us don't think of those woolen scarves when we say scarf though, do we? Truth is, these are the warmest, and in my opinion, prettiest type of scarf! A lightweight cotton scarf is adorable in warmer months, but in winter, you need something darker and more eye-popping.

Over summer, I visited some family overseas, and my wonderful grandmother taught me how to knit! Honestly, it's an amazing skill, and we turned out multiple scarves, mittens, and hats. They're hand-knit with the softest yarn, and have such beautiful geometric patterns!

Try it! Winter's best accessory, styled a different way.
Post links to photos! <3

XO
Chrissy

10 wardrobe must haves!

Hi guys!
Good afternoon, sweet readers. :)

The other day, I was being a piggy in general, and going through all the junk my closet's collected over the years. There were a few nice pieces I snagged from the bottom of the abyss, but I also noticed my wardrobe is pretty deprived! I really wanted to go out and just buy myself a whole new look, but we all have budgets, am I right? Anyways, Sydni and I started discussing this; what are some gorgeous, versatile pieces that will look different no matter how many ways you style it?

That's basically what this post is! 10 must-have pieces in every lady's wardrobe. Here's the breakdown:

1. A pair of elegant flats. The pair I used in the picture are from Ruche, click here to see, and just fantastic. They're wonderful, a classic staple. You can pair them with a cute dress in winter, a frilly skirt, or anything you want to put together. These are wonderfully delicate, and every girl should have something delicate and pretty in her closet! :)

2. Some skinny jeans. The ones featured are an adorable pair from Pinterest, click here to see, beautiful with a basic tee on a lazy day or a brisk blouse and blazer!

3. Boots! Whether just a pair of ankle booties, or shin-high lace up boots, boots are wonderful! They add a polished look, and if your pant leg is a little short or draggy, just tuck them in. Can be styled SO many different ways, it's almost crazy. Click here to see this pair, again, from Ruche.

4. A long sleeved dress. The one we chose, from Modcloth, click here to see, is super cute! Long sleeved dresses are wonderful in winter; they can be paired with a cute knit hat, boots, or flats. Don't I wish I owned this dress!

5. A nice cardigan is a must. These are so flexible! I must about five of these little guys at home, hanging up in cute little hooks. If it's cold? Grab one! If it might be cold..grab one, just in case. Haha!
You can pair this with a tee, a dress, a blouse, really anything you like! See the adorable one used in the  graphic.

6. Pencil in a pencil skirt! I just adore the shape and cut of pencil skirts. You can pair it with so many things, and it gives a great professional vibe. Click here to see the one featured, from Anthropologie.

7. A cute denim jacket. Snug and stylish, a denim jacket is perfect for your more playful moods. See the one used in the picture here. Click here to check it out.

8. A flexible top. A cute blouse can go a long way, and you'll look fabulous either in a classy situation, or just shopping with friends. This one comes from H&M, isn't it fabulous? Click here to see it! You really want to make sure you have at least one semi-fancy shirt. Here's a tip : match up the tops you're looking to buy at the store with multiple bottoms.

9. A basic white tee. Most people overlook this, and I'm not even sure if I own this, but it's pretty essential. A simple shirt is your go-to for all outfits if you're not sure what to wear! It can be paired with some neutral skinnies and an abstract jacket, and you can really play with color schemes if you have this simple staple. Click here to see the one used in the picture.

10. Sandals! Every girl should have a pair of these! These are perfect for your warmer days, when you want to show off your cute nail polish, and honestly, why wouldn't anybody want a pair? :) Clickies!

Must have, want to have, what's the difference? Haha, these pieces are mostly simple chic things that can be styled many different ways, and I know we all appreciate a versatile piece!

XO,
Chrissy + Sydni

Ruche artist contest

Hi guys!
This is Chrissy, and I just wanted to post the results of the Ruche artist contest for my beautiful readers.
Unfortunately, my procrastinated attempt that I submitted at the last minute did not win, haha, but it did make honorable mentions! (probably everybody did, but who cares?)

Click here to see my art!

If you will kindly scroll down to "Animals and Fashion", my entry is the cute little girl surrounded by multiple owl plushies and is wearing an adorable flannel shirt.
Hint : It's under the bear!

Well, if you can't win, you still might as well be proud. :) Congrats to those who won 1st, 2nd, and 3rd!

XO
Chrissy

Facebook Covers

Hi guys!
If you have a Facebook account, chances are you probably have Timeline! :)
I really love Timeline, mostly because there's a gigantic space at the top to showcase your creativity! I think I update my cover almost every week.

It's quite easy to find a site which offers free covers, and if you're familiar at all with graphics, you can quickly throw something together on any program, even Paint! That's totally fine, the internet has a wonderful library of adorable facebook covers, but what if you want to make your own?

A-ha! That's very easy, actually! All you need to know is condensed into these simple steps :

1. I'm pretty sure despite what size computer you may have, the cover size is still the same. I'm not sure. If I'm mistaken, my apologies! Anyhow, I use these proportions : 846 x 308 pixels

2. Choose a cute texture, crop it to the size of the cover background I provided, and find some other pictures and/or pngs and mash them up into a collage, blend, or just arrange them in an order that you like for no particular reason. :)
Here are some examples of mine :

3. They're not that professional, I know, but they're cute, don't take much time, and make a very sweet sight when somebody visits your profile! Tada! Don't forget to leave a little space in the bottom left corner for where your avatar comes up, and make sure you give credit to the places you got your graphic resources from. 

Best of luck! Comment with links to your personalized Facebook covers, if you like. :)

- If anybody has a question or comment on this, go ahead! Ask away.

- I might add some pre-made covers in the future. Keep watch for that if you decide you don't want to design your own.

XO

Chrissy

Welcome, lovelies

Hi everybody! Welcome to A Cup of Lovely.
This is a brand new blog by myself and my good friend Sydni, and we really hope we can share some nice things with you!

Our blog is a work in progress, always. I myself am an beginner at graphics design, so if any of you knowledgeable readers have any tips or comments, we're always happy for constructive criticism.

Happy exploring, and we look forward to getting to know you all better! :)

XO,
Chrissy