Bring the Drama Contest Prize!

Hey!

So the latest Bring the Drama Prize is "The Best Set of October 2013". Submit up to 3 of your favorite sets to see who had the Best Set of October 2013. The winner receives this beautiful, scroll-work collar necklace from Roses Boutique located in Virginia Beach, Virginia!

You can submit your sets created in October 2013 OR feel free to create a new, amazing set to WOW the judges. Be creative and bold and, of course, BRING THE DRAMA!

Want to join the group? Visit: http://www.polyvore.com/bring_drama/group.show?id=169326 and join to participate in the fun. See you there!

Gigi xo

Where's the Justice?

Thursday is my birthday. So, Kim Kardashian gets engaged to Kanye West on her birthday for what will be her third marriage. Meanwhile, I can't get the guy I'm "not" dating (you know that place of talking to them everyday, not seeing other people, but you're not together) to come to my birthday party at The Cheesecake Factory. Where's the justice?!

Gigi xo

How to Win a Bring the Drama! Contest On Polyvore!

How to Win a Bring the Drama! Contest

If you came to my blog, you want to know how to win a BRING THE DRAMA! contest. I’m going to give you the insider information on what goes into judging the contests and how you can make your set really POP out at the judges. No, I don’t just judge by myself. I have a few people who take turns helping me sort through all of the submissions to find the best sets out there.

TIP 1: READ THE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY!

I know that the contests have a set theme but if you read the instructions carefully, you’ll usually find that the rules aren’t super tight. For example, for the current contest, “Dark Designs”, I wrote that you can submit sets with dark colors, mysterious sets, or Halloween themed sets. This means that the sets don’t just have to be dark, they can be bright and fun sets as long as they meet just 1 of the 3 requirements. I always leave enough room in the guidelines for people to be able to create their own thing. Which leads me to TIP 2…

TIP 2: CREATE WHAT YOU LOVE!
Even though there are guidelines for the contests, try to stay in a style that you love to create in. For example, I don’t do great sets with pants. I don’t know why but I can never get them to look right. So, if I am going to create a set for a contest, I make sure to create a set using a skirt, dress, or shorts. I also don’t do a lot of sets with dark colors. I just naturally prefer brights. So, I would focus on creating a mysterious or Halloween themed set using bright colors. Make sense?

 TIP 3: USE SHADOW AND LIGHT!

Part of BRING THE DRAMA! is using some special effects that give your set some flair. For example, I like to use little sparkles, shadows under shoes & clothes, and some light effects to give my sets some visual interest. This takes an average set and turns it into something special. You can look at some of my sets and see the little “extras” I use. Feel free to save them to your items and try experimenting with them in your next set!

TIP 4: ADD SOME LAYERS!

Some of the best sets are created in a way that makes the set appear to have dimension. This means that some items seem further away while others appear closer. This really increases the visual interest of your set and gives it some texture. Plain flat sets don’t POP quite as much. Adding layers is done by adjusting the size and placement of your items. You can achieve this by placing some items in front of others. Take a look at my sets on my profile for an example of what I’m referring to.
 

TIP 5: BRING THE DRAMA!

BRINGING THE DRAMA! means being unafraid to take risks and really express yourself. It doesn’t necessarily mean a crowded set with the most items in it. If you look back at past contests, I have chosen “clothes only” sets and simple sets as winners. You can BRING THE DRAMA! by selecting fierce clothing, dramatic photos, or staging your items in a bold and daring manner. After all, everyone has a drama queen inside of them just waiting to come out and play. This is your chance to explore your wild side!
 

TIP 6: HAVE FUN & KEEP SUBMITTING!

There is so much talent on Polyvore. And with over 300 members in the BRING THE DRAMA! Group, amazing sets are always being submitted. So, keep working on the tips I gave above and I’m sure you’ll win one of these contests. I pick the best sets, but I do spread the love around.

Well, I hope this has helped you all understand what the judges are looking for and, ultimately, increase your chances of placing in a contest. Still have questions? No problem! You can send me your questions by messaging me on Polyvore or email me at thegitgirl@gmail.com.

Until then….BRING THE DRAMA!

Gigi xo

Bring the Drama! Logo

Hey! This is my new set I created as the logo for my Polyvore Group called "Bring the Drama!". I'm very excited about how it came out :-) I wanted to do something colorful and fun, yet grounded. So used pinks, blues, yellows while using black as my base color.

If you haven't tried Polyvore yet...you are dead, right?! It's an amazing site to learn about fashion, exercise your creativity, AND find great buys! Try it. Visit me on Polyvore at http://giginicole.polyvore.com/ and join the fun at http://www.polyvore.com/bring_drama/group.show?id=169326

Gigi xo

Bring the Drama! Logo by giginicole featuring nearly natural plants

Nail Products Review

Hey!
I just bought some new nail products that I'd like to share with you: cuticle oil and a clear nail polish.

I've never been a product junkie but ever since I began experimenting with nail art, I've been hoarding things like emery boards, nail polish in every color, nail art brushes, and nail decorations. It's been a lot of fun and also contributes to refining my look as I attempt to GET IT TOGETHER. So, let's get to it!

Sally Hanson Maximum Growth Cuticle & Nail Treatment

I was first attracted to this cuticle oil because of the price. At just $6.59 at my local Rite Aide, it was priced to sell to a GIT Girl on a budget like me. It's compact and portable design was also a big plus as I decided between several cuticle oils. It comes in a pretty pink tube with a see through cap.

You begin by removing the cap and twisting the base to extract the oil and coat the brush. Then, with the built in brush, you simply sweep the oil on your cuticle and nail. Repeat these steps on each nail.

The instructions did not indicate how long to leave the oil on. But I'd recommend letting it fully absorb, or about 15 to 20 minutes. Another option is to leave the oil on over night. Just be sure to wash the oil off prior to painting your nails or else your polish will not adhere to your nail properly.

After using the product, I have to say that my cuticles were soft and moisturized. It made it super easy to push back my cuticles and made my hang nails a lot softer and less noticeable. I think they will completely disappear after repeated use! The GIT GIRL Rating...

Sally Hanson Double Duty Strengthening Base & Top Coat

I've been searching for a clear nail polish that can be used as both a base coat and a top coat. Lo and behold, I've found it! Sally Hansen makes a dual functioning polish that cuts out the need for two different polishes. It's reasonably priced at $7.99 at my local Rite Aide. And since there's no need to shell out more money on an additional polish, the price is just about right.

At .45 fluid ounces, this concentrated formula really goes a long way.As a base coat, it glides on easily and dries quickly while leaving your nails even with a slight shine. As a top coat, it covers well and seals in the color nicely. My only lament is that I would have liked my nails to be a tad shinier. All in all, it's a very good product and the GIT GIRL Rating is...

I would recommend these products for budget conscious Git Girls who appreciate multitasking products with solid performance.

Let me know what you think of my review. If you have any questions or comments or if you'd like me to review an item, let me know. Leave a comment below or email me at thegitgirl@gmail.com.

Until then...GET IT TOGETHER, GIRL!

Gigi xo

Bring the Drama! Winner - dragonrescuer

Hey!
We have another Polyvore winner! This gorgeous set was the winner of my "Bring the Drama!" contest. This competition was to see who could create the most dramatic, yet artful set. The winner was Keely, better known by her handle dragonrescuer on Polyvore.  Below is our informative interview with her as we take the time to appreciate her set and get to know her better. Enjoy!

Bring the Drama: Where are you from?
Dragonrescuer: I'm from California's Central Valley. I was born in Sacramento and grew up in a small town called Galt.

BTD: What are you hobbies?
DR: I enjoy reading, writing (mostly poetry), playing board games (especially chess), badminton, listening to podcasts, watching movies, city exploration (history museums are my current addiction), and of course Polyvore.

BTD: Who is your style inspiration?
DR: Felicia Day's nerd chic style is a huge inspiration.

BTD: What are your favorite brand names?
DR: I can't get enough of the designs produced by the brilliant artists at Threadless.com. I also really love "We Love Fine" and Tokidoki t-shirt designs and have also been known to drool over some of the wares at ThinkGeek.com. I'm also a big fan of browsing Etsy and thrift shops for unique and spiffy duds. I really love Lane Bryant jeans. They fit amazingly on my curvy hips. I get most of my boring work clothes at Target and JCPenney.

BTD: How long have you been on Polyvore?
DR: My profile page says 8 months. Guess time flies when you're having fun. :-)

BTD: What do you like most about Polyvore?

DR: I like Polyvore because it allows me to explore fashion on my own terms. Being super nerdy, it took me a while to warm up to fashion as an interest because it seemed to me like just another tool for ostracizing and bullying those who don't conform to mainstream societal standards. Polyvore is remarkable in that it's this entire community devoted to fashion and essentially to consumerism, but also intensely invested in promoting self-expression and community building based on the fascinating ways in which we're all different and view and express even our common interests from our own distinctive points of view.

BTD: What was the title of your winning set and what was your inspiration for creating it?

DR: My set was titled "Still homesick even after the weekly phone call." It's a reference to the film E.T. in which the title character expresses his homesickness by repeating the request, "E.T. phone home?" Lately I've really been enjoying entering contests and allowing their topics to serve as a sort of prompt or restraint for creating interesting sets. The contest I initially created this set for was simply titled "Black and Yellow." I had recently found the image of the yellow alien girl and when I searched through my items for more yellow images I found the old-fashioned phone and it all just sort of came together from there.

BTD: Was this your first time winning 1^st place in a contest? If not, how many times have you won?
DR: I went to my profile page and counted the number of wins. I've apparently placed 1st in a contest 23 times including this one, although given that I've only received 3 trophies in my time on Polyvore the participation in some of those contests was quite modest.
 
What's something cool about you that our readers don't know?
What a self-consciousness inducing question! :-) Hmm... I published my first poetry book a couple years ago. My friends think that's pretty cool. I also do a really mean karaoke rendition of "Mother" by Danzig, which is not so much cool as epic. Thanks for taking the time to interview me.

 DTB: The pleasure was all ours, dragonrescuer!
  

Still homesick even after the weekly phone call. by dragonrescuer featuring black jeans

Tuxedo Nails

Hey!
Well, I'm back after the Hair Debacle 2013 (Read my "Unauthorized Haircut" post to be brought up to date). And after all the stress, I decided to try a tuxedo design on my nails. I love the way they turned out!

Black and cream is one of the most elegant color combos right now. But it could easily be just as stunning in black and white. The choice is yours, ladies! So, I did my usual step-by-step break down of how to recreate my look. I hope you like it.

Feel free to leave me a comment with any questions, suggestions or even critiques :-)

Gigi xo

STEP 1: Paint your thumb, index, middle and pinkie fingers with 2 coats of a neutral cream nail polish. I used "Easy Going" by Sinful Colors Professional.

STEP 2: Paint your ring finger with 2 coats of black nail polish. *I used "Black on Black" by Sinful Colors Professional.

 

STEP 3: Using the edge of a piece of tape, lightly press the tape on your thumb nail in a diamond formation.

STEP 4: Paint 1 coat of black nail polish on the exposed tip of the nail. *I used "Black on Black" by Sinful Colors Professional.

STEP 5: Repeat this process on your index, middle, and pinkie fingers.

STEP 6: Using a medium sized dotting tool, create dots on your ring finger with the cream color *I used "Easy Going" by Sinful Colors Professional.

STEP 7: After allowing time for the designs to dry, finish with a clear topcoat, AND......

VOILA!

Unauthorized Haircut

Hey :-(
So, I wrote a previous post about the trials of motherhood and how I've been feeling overwhelmed at times. Do me a favor, re-read that post then multiply my frustration by 10. Then maybe you'll reach the level of irritation I'm currently at.

On Monday, my daughter had a minor surgery on her mouth to correct an issue with her tongue. I was told that kids recovery from this type of surgery and are back to school and life in 1 to 2 days. We are now on Day 3 of Motrin, popsicles and NO SCHOOL.

It's been a lot between my other responsibilities and taking care of a sick child and I needed a little time out. I put on Disney Channel in her room, left the door open so I could hear her, sat on the couch for 10 minutes to myself. WRONG ANSWER.

Parents, you know that kind of quiet your kids do and you KNOW in your soul that something bad is happening? Yeah, it was that kinda quiet. But I was so weary and tired and told myself that she was just engrossed in the latest episode of Jessie (love that show, btw!)

10 minutes later, I walk into the bathroom that adjoins to her room and see one perfect little lock of hair on the floor. My spidey senses were tingling like crazy but I figured it was just shedding from brushing her hair. I bent down, picked up the hair, and opened the cabinet under the sink to put the hair in the trash can. And that's when I saw it:

Large clumps of her dark brown hair neatly thrown away in the can. I flipped my lid, folks. I really did. I ran to her and to my dismay, the entire section of the front of her hair is now 2 inches long (or short -_-).

So, what can we learn from this? Well, I think we can all agree that mommy gets no "me time" while she's home. I think we can also agree that she needs to learn her lesson about appropriate scissor use while an adult is present. But the main lesson here, people, is when life gives you lemons...paint your nails.

Gigi xo

"Tempest" by Sinful Colors Professional
"Starfish" by Sinful Colors Professional

 

 

 

Instagram & Twitter

Hey!
I'm now on Instagram and Twitter. Now, you must bear with me as this is all new to me (I know I'm behind the times). I'm trying to think if fun and interesting things to post to both. Any suggestions? I think one thing I'll begin is taking posting pics of my outfits. As you know, I'm tying to GET IT TOGETHER in every aspect of my life. Fashion is a major part of that. I just wonder if I go anywhere interesting enough to warrant dressing up?? We'll see! Follow me:
Gigi xo

Instagram: gigi_nic

Twitter: giginicole@thegitgirl

Body Candy: Necklaces

Hey!
I'm all into this statement necklace phenom that is happening right now. If you look at my Pinboard titled "Body Candy" (http://www.pinterest.com/giginicolexo/boards/ ), you'll see so many necklaces of different styles and colors. But the one thing they all have in common is that they're statement necklaces.
So, I recently went on a mini jewelry shopping spree to update my collection. I was really lucky to find some beautiful pieces that were super affordable! I mainly focused on updating my silver and gold pieces, although I did grab this really pretty purple necklace. I'm going to have to figure our how to wear it because I don't think I've worn purple in years!

So, take a look at my new babies and let me know what you think and which one is your favorite! Also, follow me on Pinterest at: http://www.pinterest.com/giginicolexo/boards/ . I'll be sure to return the love :-)

Gigi xo

A. Gold Filigree
thegitgirl.blogspot.com

 



B. Silver Tribal Print
thegitgirl.blogspot.com

C. Purple Stones
thegitgirl.blogspot.com

 

 

D. Silver Bands
thegitgirl.blogspot.com

 

 

E. Gold Bands
thegitgirl.blogspot.com

Pink with White Daisies!

Hey!
Thanks for visiting my page! Today, I'd like to share my latest nail art design which is "Pink with White Daisies". Let me say that I LOVE how this one came out. It's fun and really pretty. The ultimate design for the girly girls out there :-) Let me know what you think!//

STEP 1: Paint 2 coats of a soft but saturated pink on all 5 fingers. *I used "Beautiful Girl" by Sinful Colors Professional.


"Beautiful Girl" by Sinful Colors Professional
"Snow Me White" by Sinful Colors Professional
"Black on Black" by Sinful Colors Professional
"224C The Wonder Yellow" by Wet n Wild

STEP 2: Using a medium tipped dotting tool, create 5 dots in a tight circle. (This will create the shape of the flower)


5 dots in a tight circle to create a "flower"

STEP 3: Using the same size dotting tool, make a tiny yellow dot in the center of the 5 dots. (This will create the inner part of the flower). *I used "224C The Wonder Yellow" by Wet n Wild.

5 tight dots with a yellow center.
 

STEP 4: Repeat steps 2 and 3 until you have as many flowers as you desire on your nails. I created 3 flowers per finger.

STEO 5: Using a small dotting tool, create 5 dots in an arc formation. Start in the center and extend out. I created 3 arcs. *I used "Black on Black" by Sinful Colors Professional.

 

STEP 6: After the nails dry, finish by applying a clear topcoat.
....and

VOILA!

 

 

Thanks for stopping by. If you have any questions, suggestions, or requests, feel free to leave a comment or email me at thegitgirl@gmail.com.

Gigi xo