#TBT

Throwback Thursday! The Scratch 'N' Stef blog has been up and running for a whole year. Time has flown by and we've published nearly 150 posts. Whoa. The first post on the blog was about the Clarisonic. My love has only grown for this handy, dandy little face tool and I can't imagine my skin care routine without it! The most popular post has been my Top 5 Pop Sugar Workout videos. I've got to tell you, I still refer back to this post for the quick links to the 10-minute videos.

Thanks for reading, and here's to more helpful posts in the future!

6 Reasons I Chopped my Hair

After months of wishy-washy "chop it or keep it" internal debates, I finally took the plunge. I decided on a shoulder length cut this time, but who knows, I may get the courage to go G.I. Jane one of these days.

Some of the best advice I received when deciding to make a drastic hair change is to make a list of reasons WHY. That way, if you're having a day when you miss your long locks, you can refer to your list to remember why it was a good decision. Here's my list of reasons!

1. I was shedding like a dog. Woof.

2. It's summer. 114 degree temps + long hair don't mix. 

3. Long hair is a time commitment. My hair didn't look great unless I curled it every day.
4. Want to move your head when laying down? Sorry, think again. Your hair is stuck under your back.

5. I either needed to buy a new house, get a new job, move states, or cut my hair. Hair won. 

6. Because I wanted to! Change is good.

Instagram Inspiration

I've got a thing for following designers and businesses on Instagram that post awesome pics of apparel, projects, home decor, and just fun stuff. What can I say? Pretty things make me happy. Here are some favorites in my Instagram feed right now!

1. Brickyard Buffalo.
This company is a pop-up online market that showcases fun, unique items from clothing, to jewelry, to kids stuff, to home items. I love the variety! They only have a few items available for purchase at a time, and the sale goes until the item is sold out or until the clock runs out. #greatbusinessidea

2. Studio DIY.
This is basically a party planning website/blog with tons of cool, crafty projects. The colors and ideas are kind of amazing. She makes it seem so easy to DIY! On the home page today -- Funfetti Creamsicles. I DIE!

3. Vintage Revivals.
I love home decorating. I just wish I was better at it. I follow a few different home design Instas, but this one is unique, and super witty. Her latest post totally made me LOL. Really, out loud. I love seeing how crazy, old, 70's looking finishes can turn a place into a modern space. Such a fun blog. But more importantly, fun to see the pics on Instagram!

Flagstaff

Enjoying the cool air among the ponderosa pines is a welcome change after enduring the summer heat in Phoenix. Flagstaff provides a nice wilderness retreat that's close enough to the city for a day trip, but even better for a weekend away!

If you're heading north, try the Extreme Obstacle Course in Flagstaff. It's a ropes course at Fort Tuthill County Park where we conquered swinging ropes, zip lines, nets, and bridges all while being suspended up high among the trees.

And what better way to enjoy the outdoors than to go camping? We found a great site about an hour from the Grand Canyon that wasn't too far off the beaten path, but remote enough that during a walk through the meadow we spotted five big elk! Building a fire and roasting mallows (the size of our fist, I might add) was enough to bring us back to our country roots and help us remember how great the outdoors can be. Viva la Flagstaff!

Jamberry Nail Wraps

Have you guys ever heard of Jamberry Nail Wraps? I just learned about them 3 weeks ago. THEY ARE AWESOME. I have a thing for new products and love having my nails done so I wanted to try them out. It's kind of like a shrink wrap for your nails, and there's no chipping! There are so many fun designs to choose from, it's hard to pick just one. I ordered two sets, put them on, and I'm sold!

Here's what you need to know:

• Vinyl adhesive nail wrap, heat activated
• Last for 2 weeks on your fingers, and 4+ weeks on your toes
• Better staying power than nail polish
• They don't damage your nails like acrylic, gel, or shellac
• $15 per set
• One set will do 2+ (or more!) full manicures and pedicures
• Tons of designs to choose from (click here to browse website)
• You can create your own custom nail wraps!

After some reading, research, asking questions, and watching YouTube tutorials, I decided to sign up as a consultant because 1) I want a discount on the wraps. 2) I already work full time and enjoy my job, but I have plenty of SAHM friends who might enjoy doing this as a side business.Why not share them with my friends and family (& earn some spending money)? My dentist, CEO, and some friends have asked about them!

If you'd like to browse the style options or order CLICK ON THIS LINK. Or, if you want to host an online party or ask questions about the consultant program email me at scratchnstef@gmail.com. Have you ever tried Jamberry Nail Wraps? What do you think? Do you have questions? Comment below!

Here's a video from my sponsor's blog and she explains a little more about Jamberry Nail wraps!

GLAMGLOW

Have you heard about GlamGlow? I learned about it over a year ago, but just recently tried it out. This stuff is great! It has only been on the market since 2011 and has already won tons of awards and recognition from a variety of beauty authorities like Elle, Cosmo, Sephora, and Neiman Marcus. It's a 10-minute face mask that makes your skin "camera ready" by tightening, toning, and drawing out impurities.

The mask itself is made with sea clay, volcanic rock, and green tea leaf. It definitely has a tingling, heating sensation that's slightly uncomfortable but well worth the results. The bad part? It's pricey. The 1.7 oz. jar retails for $69. Ouch. I purchased a sample jar from Sephora for $19 and will probably get about 4-5 masks out of it. I used the original Youthmud Tinglexfoliate mask, but there are others to choose from. Read more here. Let me know if you like it!

How to make Bakery Cupcakes

I took a cake decorating class a few years ago and the biggest tip I took away was how to make a box cake mix taste like it came from a bakery. A few small changes and you end up with some pretty great results. And, who would have thought that freezing cakes actually makes them taste better? (And easier to decorate, too).

Here's What You Need:
1 box cake mix, follow the directions on the box
Add 1 more egg
Use melted butter instead of oil, double the amount
Use milk instead of water
Add 2 T of vanilla
Add a box of instant pudding mix
Follow the baking directions on the box, and freeze them if you don't want to enjoy them right away!

Ever heard of Georgetown Cupcakes? Here's a great little tutorial on how to make their Red Velvet Cupcakes, but more importantly, how to make their cream cheese frosting and getting the perfect swirl!

Picking a CC Cream

I haven't used liquid foundation as part of my skincare routine since 2009. Let me tell you, this was a welcome change for a few reasons: 1) Easy on the pocketbook. 2) Natural looking skin.  I moved away from heavy foundations to Bare Minerals original powder foundation and didn't look back. Well, not until last month.

During my makeover with Lindsey from the Painting You Pretty blog we had a little heart to heart about my skin. She helped me realize that my Bare Minerals powder foundation wasn't really helping me because I had dry skin. She suggested using a CC cream (Color Correcting) to give the powder something to hold onto, provide more coverage, give a little SPF, and moisutrize my thirsty skin. BB (Beauty Balm or Blemish Balm)  and CC creams are a great addition to my makeup routine and I've been very pleased with the results! It's not as heavy as liquid foundation and gives my skin a bit of a glow.

As far as CC creams go, I found this great post on +Sephora to help you pick out one that's best for your complexion needs (click here for list). Very helpful! I personally use the Sephora brand CC cream, but I've also tried Smashbox and it's GREAT.

Do you use a CC or BB cream? Do you like them? Tell me all about it in the comments below.