DIY Sharpie Mug

Hi all!

I've been wanting to post up this Do-It-Yourself for a couple weeks and haven't gotten to it until now! I recently gifted this mug to someone for Christmas.  I know Christmas is well over now, but this would be a cute gift for a friend or to keep for yourself.  I'm sure people have seen DIY Sharpie mugs, but I just wanted to share the techniques I used and how it came out.

The mug I chose to make was based off of this grumpy cat one off of Amazon.  It was on my little's, wish list, but I was definitely not willing to pay $16 for it! I thought I could recreate it and personalize it with her nickname (her real name is Christina), and voilà, a cute grumpy cat mug made just for Emi! Here's how I did it!

All these materials will be needed.  You might need to print out the image in several sizes depending on how big or small you want it on your mug.  Also, if you don't have acetone (or nail polish remover), you may use rubbing alcohol or distilled vinegar!

*Side note: I used a black marker because I know that the color would not change after baking.  Make sure you do some research on your marker color in case it'll change after baking!

This first step is crucial! Make sure you clean off the surface of your mug. Use the cotton pads or cotton balls soaked in your cleaning agent. This will help get any dirt or oils off of your mug to ensure that the ink will stick!

Next, using your pencil, you will need to shade the back of that image you've printed out. This is the trick in creating a carbon copy-esque transfer.

Adhere your image exactly where you want it.  Be careful to not touch the surface of the mug with your hands, we want to avoid a dirty surface!

To do this next step, simply trace over the image with your pencil to transfer the graphite onto the surface of the mug.

Using your permanent marker, trace over the transfer copy.  If you happen to make a mistake, you can quickly go back on top of it with your acetone and wipe it off. Wait for it to completely dry and then work over that area again.  Add any other details you want! 

I copied the "Good Morning" and added her name under it.

This last step is super important!

Pop your mug into the oven and bake it at 425°F for 30 minutes. Do *NOT* pre-heat your oven! After baking, crack the oven door open until the mug has cooled, removing it beforehand can result in cracking. Lastly, wait at least 24 hours before using/washing your mug!

Enjoy! ♡

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Music Monday: Cherub

Whaddup, happy MLK day!

Today, I wanted to make a post about one of my 2013 band discoveries, Cherub.  Cherub is a two-man band consisting of Tennessee natives, Jordan Kelley and Jason Huber.  I first heard of them when I was going through the North Coast Music Festival (2013) lineup and decided to give them a listen. When I heard their music, I would've never guessed that this electro-pop band was made up of only two people. I personally think that they have a fresh sound and Jordan's falsetto is just too good.  If you're into artists like RAC and Ghostland Observatory, this will be your cup of tea!

My friend Chelsea and I got to see them live (front row!) at North Coast and they give a stellar, high-energy performance.  You can really vibe out and feel the music dancing through their veins.  Recently, I found that they created a music video for their song "Heartbreaker" while they were in Chicago.  The video is a montage clips of them performing at Lollapalooza and North Coast (which means I'm here somewhere, I'm just not sure where) this past summer.

Chelsea and I at Cherub (NCMF 2013)

Doses and Mimosas is one of there most popular songs and has a really catchy tune!  And lastly I wanted to share XOXO, because it has *fun* lyrics, haha.  From their lyrics, you can tell that this band really just likes to have a good time and doesn't really care how obscene they get. Hope you enjoyed this post and gave them a listen.  I will be spending my day off grabbing bubble tea with some friends and finishing up some readings for class, have a wonderful Monday! x

Leave a Comment Cherub, lifestyle, Music Monday, North Coast Music Festival

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What's in My Makeup Bag? { Travel Essentials }

Today, I'm going on a winter retreat with my sorority! Although I'm sad this is my last weekend of winter break, I'm super excited to see all my sisters after going weeks without them.

Tomorrow morning, we're going to be taking photos as a group, so it's probably best if I bring along some dependable makeup with me, haha. The makeup bag that I always use is this rose gold colored one by Betsey Johnson that I got eons ago, it is so convenient and fits so much stuff into it.  I will only be away for one night, and tried my best to take along only the essentials.  I more than likely will not be using all of these products, but I like to be prepared! (;

For eyes, I thought I would bring along my Lorac Pro Palette, this palette is great for every day wear while giving me a whole lot of options. I'm can be very indecisive, so having options is important to me when I'm staying somewhere overnight. As usual, I brought my eyeliner, brow pencil and gel, holy grail mascara, and a lash curler.

I am bringing with me some essential eye brushes from Sigma, an Expert Face brush by Real Techniques, and my favorite little kabuki brush from ELF (it's only $6!). Since I'll only be gone for one day, storing them with Brush Guard sleeves is an easier alternative to lugging them with me in a brush roll. I really recommend Brush Guard because the sleeves keep your brushes in great shape after cleansing them and is great for keeping them sanitary as well.

Keeping my face makeup light, I am bringing my L'Oreal BB Cream and Benefit Erase Paste.  I'm certain that we will be up late, and I'm going to have to hide those dark under eye circles with a good coverage concealer! My Nars blush in 'Madly' is also coming along with me on this trip just to add some life back into my face after a long night.

Lastly, I'm going to be bringing my deodorant (for obvious reasons, haha), moisturizer, allergy relief eye drops, eye cream, lip balm, and makeup wipes. The Origins GinZing eye cream is going be a life saver and hide my tiredness after tonight's sleepover. Not pictured is face wash and my toothbrush, which would be really gross if I didn't bring it! One of the worst things in life is probably forgetting to pack your toothbrush, lol!

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! ♡

P.S. I'm going to try my best to get a DIY post up by tomorrow, before I start school again on Monday!

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Haul of Minis ♡

I've been on the hunt for one and finally found one by Color Club in the color 'Harp On It' from their Holographic Hues collection.  My sister and I decided to also buy the colors 'Blue Heaven' (blue undertone) and 'Revvvolution' (charcoal base), which are awesome holographic in different hues.  I'm a huge fan of the whole holographic trend right now and can't wait to paint my nails with this next!

My friend, Kyla, and I went out to Ulta yesterday, I accompanied her on her search for a bb cream and eyeshadow palette (she came out with much more than that, haha).  After looking around, I decided that I should put my $3.50 off of $10 coupon to good use!  I picked up a Precision makeup blending sponge and a new NYX sharpener for eye pencils and such.  I kind of bought the sponge on a whim, but thought it would be worth a try since I haven't tried any other before. When I came home, I looked online for reviews and saw that some people said it's comparable to the Beauty Blender. I really hope that is the case and it meets my expectations!

After going to Ulta, we headed over to Target (our favorite!) to grab a couple of items.  I couldn't help but pick up the miniature-sized bottle of Justin Bieber's 'Girlfriend', it was on sale and the packaging is just too cute!

Later on in the day, I went with my cousin, Becky, to Sephora to look for some very very late Christmas presents. I left with a repurchase of the Anastasia Brow Wiz and their NARS 500-point perk!

The set comes with four minis. Larger Than Life lipgloss in 'Gold Digger', Illuminator in Copacabana, Pro Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base, and blush in 'Orgasm', which I probably will not use because it's so cute and tiny! I really like how they thought it through and included something for your eyes, lips, and face.

I've been saving up my points for something good to come out and I'm glad I did.  If you've been saving up too head to Sephora soon before they're all out of this cute little set! Becky liked it so much she asked if she could redeem her points for it without purchasing anything. Fortunately, they allow it and we came out with huge smiles on our faces :P

1 comment beauty, haul, nails, sephora, ulta

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Tumblr Thursday: 01/09/14

Hello, and welcome to the first installment of a weekly blog series (let's hope I keep it up), "Tumblr Thursday."  I don't go on Tumblr that often, but when I do, I am always so amused and get inspired by photos, quotes, and music that people post.  I thought this would be a cool way to share some posts that I'm currently loving on Tumblr, and to add content outside of my own!  I'll try my best to make it so the posts are a bit of everything.  Scroll through and enjoy!

{MOMENTOUR} Fall Out Boy + Paramore on tour?! YES PLEASE.

Tumblr = smooth.

Is that Miley Cyrus I spot on Marc Jacobs' new Spring 2014 ad?! Well, yes it is! Not sure what my thoughts are on this, what are your's?

I just watched the Amazing Spiderman again last night, what a coincidence it was on my dash! And also, can I just mention how cute Andrew Garfield is in this scene?!

Her eyebrow game is always on point. #jealous

*small reminder

Thought this one was pretty cool, especially when you scroll up slowly!

I am late on the boyfriend jeans trend and still do not own a pair, must have them for spring! :X

Another gif, because my stomach was literally growling when I saw this.

Lastly, I leave you with a photo of the magnificent city of Chicago (currently referred to as Chiberia). ❄

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What's In My Bag?

Welcome to the inside of my purse!

I think it's so fun to see what's inside of other people's bags and wallets, so I wanted to share with everyone what's in mine! I usually carry smaller bags around, but when I have a large one to carry around it gets dangerously full.  This is what I keep in my bag, winter edition! (:

This Michael Kors Large Hamilton Tote was gifted to me this past Christmas by my wonderful boyfriend.  I was so surprised when I opened the box, he really did a wonderful job on picking out such a beautiful bag (and I an forever grateful)!  The navy blue color is gorgeous and changes with the light. It features two top handles and one chained shoulder strap for versatility.  It's extra roomy inside and has enough space to even my large cameras! Overall, I'm beyond happy with the quality, design, and functionality of this purse. {insert 'heart eyes' emoji here}

Lately, it's been cold, so I've had a few extra essentials with me in case of emergency situations, including knitted Urban Oufitters gloves and Lorac eyeliner (if you count runny eyeliner as an emergency, hehe).  The Sephora mirror comes in extra handy to check if any smudgy eye makeup or even checking your teeth for after meals. :X And of course my iPhone is always with me, gotta check Instagram and Twitter!  The clear case protects it while look sleek and clean.

A purse cannot be complete without your keys! My keys hold my school ID, CTA UPass, countless rewards cards, and a couple of keychains (gifted Vera Bradley anchor charm from my little and 'I <3 B' London souvenir from Vivian).  The pills you see are just Allegra allergy meds for when my allergies get out of hand, especially with Chicago's weather always changing.  And two more items to fight the cold are a hand cream (gifted from Ploy) and cute winter Forever 21 knit headband to keep my ears warm.

Hope you enjoyed taking a peek into my bag! x

Leave a Comment lifestyle, personal, What's in my bag?

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