Fab Fatale

December 17, 2012

Gift Wrap Ideas – Kraft Paper and Baker’s Twine

Gift Wrap Ideas - Kraft Paper, Red and White Baker's Twine

Are all of your presents wrapped and under the Christmas tree? Mine either lol. If you’re looking for some easy holiday gift wrap ideas, then you may like my crafty Christmas themed gift wrap. Usually when I diy, I go for a look that is professional and store bought, but this year, I wanted my gift wrap to have a diy homemade appeal.

Gift Wrap Ideas - Kraft Paper, Red and White Baker's Twine

To get the look, I found some brown kraft gift wrap paper at Target for only $5 a roll. Each roll was big enough to cover several presents. I picked up some red and white baker’s twine from Etsy to get the look of candy cane ribbon, 40 yards for only $3.

After rounding up these two items, I hit Pinterest to find some free DIY printable Christmas gift tags and the ones I liked best, origami Christmas trees, hearts, stars and birds, were showcased on kraft paper with red and white bakers twine. It was meant to be lol. I customized the gift tags in Photoshop to add in the “To” and “From” for each gift {so that my recipients would know they were homemade}, cut off the corners, added in white eyelets, and tied each tag to my gifts with the baker’s twine.

Some of the items I needed to wrap were awkwardly shaped or didn’t come in boxes, so I hit Michael’s and picked up some kraft colored gift bags and kraft Chinese take-out boxes. I even picked up tiny kraft gift bags for gift cards. The only other supply I needed was white tissue paper.

Are you going with a theme for your holiday gift wrapping this year? I’d love to hear your ideas or see pics if you have any to share!

2 Comments
DIY, Holiday

December 16, 2012

Manicure Mondays – New Year’s Eve Nails

New Years Eve Nails

Maybelline asked me to try out their new limited edition Color Show Nail Stickers and I have to admit, I wasn’t too excited about trying out another press on nail applique… until they arrived! I unwrapped the package and my first thought was, this manicure will be PERFECT for New Year’s Eve nails!

New Year’s Eve nails should be fun and sexy, and I think black lace over nude nails with gold and silver crystals will have you ringing in the new year in style! In fact, the name of the fashion prints I tried out are appropriately named Midnight Lace! Maybelline has introduced 8 runway ready prints, just in time for the holidays.

There’s two things I look for in nail stickers, beyond style – I like the sticker to be firm enough that it’s not flopping around as I try to line it up on my nail, but still pliable enough that it doesn’t wrinkle as I smooth it on. This was probably the easiest nail sticker I’ve ever applied, including stickers and nail polish strips. The only complaint I have is that the nail file they sent really roughs up the tips of the stickers. This is easily fixable by using your own nail file.

So what are you wearing on your fingertips to ring in 2013? Do you have your New Year’s Eve nails planned out already?

The products mentioned in this post were sent to me by the merchant or their PR company. All opinions are 100% my own. For more info, please view my full disclosure policy.

December 13, 2012

Fab Fatale’s Holiday Recipes

Holiday Recipes Christmas - Hot Chocolate Truffles, Peppermint Bark, Eggnog French Toast, Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti, Homemade Apple Cider

Christmas is right around the corner, so I thought I’d put together my favorite holiday recipes for this edition of Friday’s Fab Five. I’ve made all of these recipes so many times, and will make them again this Christmas.

This homemade apple cider recipe takes a little time, but it’s so worth it. I became obsessed with the smell of fall/winter as the apples and spices were slow simmering on the stove for hours.
If you follow me on Instagram, then you may have noticed that my husband made this eggnog french toast recipe for me the past two weekends in a row and we’ll definitely be having it again on Christmas morning.
Take the time to roll up these ganache hot chocolate truffles, wrap individually, and fill a mug to give as a gift {I gave them to my boss last year}, or just scoop it out of the saucepan for an evening of homemade hot chocolate with the family. You’ll never go back to the powdered stuff again.
This peppermint bark recipe is another great gift for friends, family and co-workers.
I love this cranberry pistachio biscotti and it’s especially festive for Christmas with the red cranberry and green pistachios.

What do you all plan on making, baking and drinking this holiday season?

December 13, 2012

Benefit Fine One One

I am challenged when it comes to applying cheek cosmetics. I’m never sure what goes where – above the cheekbone, on the cheekbone, under the cheekbone – and I’m certainly not good at blending. I just heard about Benefit’s Fine One One cream highlighter, blush, and bronzer stick and I can’t wait to try it. You simply glide the stick across your cheek, with the highlighter end across the top of your cheekbone, and then gently blend with your finger. Sounds pretty easy, right?

A Fine One One description from Benefit – This sheer brightening cheek & lip color gives your look instant LIFT, SHAPE and POP. Glide on the three shades – pink champagne, sheer watermelon and soft coral—for a sheer coral pink flush that builds from soft & natural to bright & cheery.

Benefit’s Fine One One is now available for pre-order at Birchbox.com for $30 and will start shipping {ships free} on December 19th! I’m all over this deal!