High Fidelity Friday-Top Five Songs for an Indie Rock Dance Party

Music is probably one of my all-time favorite things.  Hands down.  I love going to shows and discovering new bands.  During my junior year of high school, I discovered a little known duo known as the White Stripes and from that day forward I was an Indie Rock lover.  So, to celebrate my deep love for all things music, I bring you, "High Fidelity Fridays," where I'll go all Rob Gordon and share my top five songs in certain genres.  I'll kick this off with the first group of five songs that make me want to dance!

Top Five Songs for an Indie Rock Dance Party

*All songs can be purchased on iTunes!

A Few Favorites...

We all have our guilty pleasures and one of mine is reading reviews of beauty products.  Sure, it sounds boring, but there's something so exciting reading about how a product changed someone's life or how it's become a product they've relied upon for years.  Through my addiction of hoarding beauty products, I've come across a few gems of my own...

Macadamia Natural Oil Deep Repair Masque

Every now and then I would see a pin pop up on Pinterest of this hair mask that fellow Pinners claimed was a "game changer."  I immediately felt the need to deep condition my hair, but at $34 for an 8.5 oz jar, I was reluctant to invest in this so-called magical mask, but then I found that Target.com was selling this product for only $17.49 for the same 8.5 oz jar!  A few days later, the magical mask arrived at my doorstep and I was ready to test it out!  I'm pleased to say that this product definitely lives up to the hype.  My hair was noticeably softer and smoother.  This also has a fresh, natural scent that will linger at least a full day after using it.  I would suggest using this once a week.

Jolie MD Skin Metamorphosis

It was my lucky day when I won this two-step skin care through a giveaway from Maskcara.  This is a two-step system consisting of a softening serum and an enlightening serum.  Used nightly, this product claims to reveal brighter, healthier, younger looking skin.  The softening serum contains acne fighting ingredients such as salicylic acid and the enlightening serum contains ingredients to repair discoloration.  While I didn't suffer much from acne as a teenager, I have struggled in my adult years.  I've tried every product under the sun and never experienced successful results.  Not the case with Jolie MD!  I could go on and on about how great this product is for adult skin, but to sum it up, I've experienced less breakouts, old acne scars have started to fade, and my overall skin tone appears brighter.  While I was lucky enough to win this product, the one downfall is the price of $96.  If you're willing to take the plunge, take a browse on the Jolie MD website and view some of the before and after photos.

LORAC Blush & Bronzer Duo

The time is coming for bright and bronzed cheeks!  I was running low on my current bronzer and was looking to try something new.  This blush and bronzer duo is the perfect item for the upcoming summer months.  I purchased this duo in, "Hot Flash," which includes a bright, cheery pink blush and a darker bronzer which can also be used for contouring.  The compact also has a secret compartment for storing the brush.  You can purchase this little gem at Ulta.

Mario Badescu Drying Lotion

So if a lovely new zit has appeared the night before a big event, don't fret, this drying lotion from Mario Badescu is your new best friend.  This spot treatment is formulated with salicylic acid and calamine to drastically shrink large zits and reduce redness overnight.  Dab on at night using a Q-tip and rinse off in the morning.  While you may be tempted to shake the bottle, please refrain as the product will not work as effectively.  Find this at your local Ulta.

Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupte Silky Sensual Lipstick

Last, but certainly not least is this beautifully packaged lipstick from YSL.  This lipstick was actually a Valentine's Day gift from my husband who was strongly encouraged by a J. Crew employee to go buy me, "something French."  My husband saved the receipt from Sephora worried that I wouldn't like the color he chose; however, this might be my favorite color amongst the many lipsticks I own.  The color is Nude Beige and is the most perfect everyday shade.  It is a creamy, neutral pink-beige that will instantly brighten your complexion.  Not only is this lipstick beautiful to look at, but it also contains SPF15.  Venture to Sephora to own this little slice of heaven.

Perhaps one of my favorite things will become one of your favorite things! 

The Closet That Love Built

Four years ago my husband and I bought our first house.  For most people, building a walk-in closet is not on the top of the list of home improvements, but I was bound and determined to make this happen and on a small budget.  Since our home was built in the 1950s, the available closet space was pretty sparse.  Luckily, we were able to find a home with four bedrooms, plenty of space for two people...and a DIY walk-in closet.  Since our house is the traditional Cape Cod style with sloped ceilings, we needed to get creative.  Here's how we turned a lonely spare bedroom into a style getaway...

 Most importantly..."Where will I hang my clothes?"

This piece has evolved over the years and began with a single metal rod that ran the entire length of the room.  Later, we added the white shelves above for purse storage, drawer units below and the white cabinet.  Below are the key pieces used.

From top left: These storage drawers from Target are great for storing belts, tights, or smaller accessories.  We used one of these brackets from Lowe's every few feet along the wall to support the metal closet rod.  It's also a good idea to use plastic anchors to support the weight before drilling into the wall.  This simple metal rod can also be found in the closet organization area of Lowe's.  These rods come in a variety of lengths.  While this is not the exact storage shelf we used, it is very similar and can found at Target.  This is a nice addition as it can be used to display your favorite pieces and for storage purposes.

How do we make this pretty?

 

Having a vanity where I could get ready for the day or for a fancy night out was a necessity.  This vanity was found at a local flea market for only $25.00.  After some elbow grease and a few coats of chalk paint, I had a personalized vanity and a pretty place to store my make-up.  I feel as if my vanity is the place where I showcase some of my prized possessions.  It's the place I display my wedding bouquet, a cherished music box, and one of my favorite wedding photos.  The vanity also came with a stool; however, it was beyond repair.  While wandering TJ Maxx, I noticed the turquoise chair from across the store and it was fate.  The turquoise in the chair was a perfect match for the turquoise painted walls. 

The shoes needed a home, too... 

Since the bedroom itself had been transformed into a closet space, the actual closet in the bedroom was open.  Clearly, this was where the shoes were meant to be!  Luckily, I came across these shoe racks on clearance for about $3.00 at Lowe's and bought every one they had left.  Similar shoe racks can be found here.  They ended up being a perfect fit...no pun intended...

The framed shopping bags were something I had re-pinned on Pinterest.  I had a few bags stowed away from special occasions and vacations and this was the perfect way to showcase them.  I found that these shadow box frames work very well for framing shopping bags.

This space turned out lovely and is a nice retreat after a long day.  While I had the dream of a larger closet, I can't take 100% of the credit, it was my very understanding husband who did most of the dirty work.