Warning: long post with oodles of tips that I learned while at the Breathing Space Blogger Retreat at Daybreak.
Warning #2: Many of these pics were taken using Instagram so sorry if they are dark or grainy or you get the picture.
So, what is Breathing Space you say? Well, it was…cute bloggers, fun classes, awesome sponsors, theme dinners, salon trip, swag galore and a GNO sleepover in Daybreak‘s model homes. Fun? YES! Educational? Yes sirree.
The very first day I started out with class from a little someone you may have seen on Cupcake Wars.
Baking Tips from The Sweet Tooth Fairy {Megan Faulkner Brown}
I just love it when someone as successful as her is so down to earth and humble!
-Line measuring cups with plastic wrap when measuring things like shortening, peanut butter, syrup, etc to avoid sticky/messy cups
-Substitute: Graham Cracker Crust: crushed corn flakes in place of graham cracker crumbs.
Recipe for crust: 2 cups crushed, non-sugared corn flakes, 1/3 cup melted butter, 2 Tbs Sugar. Gradually add the melted butter to the corn flaked and sugar. Mix well and press into pie plate. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. (add 1/8 cup cocoa to substitute for Oreo crust)
-Equipment: Use ice cream scoops to scoop cake batter and cookie dough. Use the end of a big frosting tip to core out a cupcake so you can fill it.
She also taught us how they frost the cupcakes in the shop. Hold the bag perpendicular to the cupcake. Pretend it is a clock. Start frosting at 12, then do a circle moving in for a second circle at 11, then move in for a third circle. Ta da!
Then it was on to…
Make-up and Hair Tips by Deidra
-For dry hair, put 2 Tbs Olive Oil in hair once a week.
-For DIY stick curling iron, take off the rest foot and unscrew the clamp arm on a regular curling iron
-To make lip gloss stay, wear nude liner under
-Shiny hair smoothie recipe: 1 Avocado, 1 Banana, 1 egg, 2-3 Tbs Olive Oil
Mix in blender until smooth. Put in hair for 10 minutes then wash like usual.
Store excess in fridge.
Watch for a video tutorial on No Heat Curls!
That night we had a Stepford Wives themed dinner. Here are my roomies and I in front of our adorable model home. Don’t you just love the big porch with the rockers?!
My roomies and I even did a group post involving polka dot plates inspired by a late night snack run.
At the dinner, they had a big announcement about a DIY blogger house at Daybreak! Cool huh?! I’ll let one of the featured bloggers (and one of my favorite people ever) Ms. Char tell you more about it!
Isn’t Amanda so cute on that bike with the basket.
After dinner it was home to get cozy.
Anyone else feel like bursting in to “The hills are alive with the sound of music.”
And wearing that shirt is about as close as I will ever get to a 5k. I am not a runner. Though if I were going to run, it would have to be the Dirty Dash or Color Me Rad because let’s face it if I must run it may as well be with some spectacular mess making theme.
Morning came early considering we gabby girls had gone to bed oh, a good four hours prior. I had an exciting shower in our model home with no blinds. 😉 Luckily, there was a surprisingly scrumptious breakfast provided by Chick-fil-a. Who knew they had such good breakfast?! We’re talking biscuits, breakfast burritos, fruit, cinnamon clusters, yogurt parfaits and Simply Orange Juice. Num.
First class of the day…
Interior Design with Brian Clark
-The secret of design is that it means something to you.
-Design using your past, present, and future
- Bring your past in to your home ex: use family stories as themes, project handwriting from grandma’s journal on the wall
- What do you want to be reminded of today? ex: family, big family photo surrounded by antique frames that you will fill one by one with memories
- Future goals: what do you want to accomplish? ex: you want money so you can help people. Put a crystal chandelier in your room for a touch of glamour.
-We shape our dwellings and our dwellings shape us. -Winston Churchill
Interior Design was sponsored by Soelberg Industries and you will die when you see why. They create the most amazing 3d textures for screens, headboards, wall art and more. Oh how I would love to have some of this in my house!!
A little manicure, a lovely lunch from my friends at San Gelato Cafe (Hi Robert!), a little surprise delivery from Plum District…
And then on to…
Style with Becki From Whippycake
{even her coke has style}
Becki gave awesome tips on how to figure out your style, dress your body type and skin tone. It was quite eye opening for many of us. I found that my style is romantic which means that I love girly things like ruffles, lace, basically anything with feminine detail. Pair it with a pair of jeans and that sounds about right.
Speaking of jeans, I was through the moon that I won a drawing for a pair of jeans from Vault Denim from the style class. Rocked the cute shorts for date night on Friday!
Then on to…
Photography with Emilie from Photo by Emilie.
She is brilliant and can explain things so even the babies in the photography world like me can understand. I think she convinced me to splurge for a big girl camera for my birthday coming up so let me know if you have any recommendations.
Isn’t that collection of cameras behind her awesome?
Our last theme dinner was to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. Aly and I were really in the spirit of things.
All in all, it was a great time and I would totally do it again!
Thanks for making it all the way to the bottom of this monologue.
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