What's Your {HOT HOBBY} - Scrapbooking, Photography...what about FITNESS? // Loving Life (Vol. 2)

"Anyone Can Give Up!"

5.20.11

Most people have something that they like to do for fun that doesn't have anything to do with their regular "life routine." Maybe you have a passion for MUSIC, DANCE, HUNTING, ART, SHOPPING, BLOGGING, FASHION, SPORTS, COOKING, READING, KNITTING... the list could go on and on!

Some of you might have read a recent Fizzy Blog post called "My {TRANSFORMATION}Story." I wrote about my life challenges with chronic pain, weight loss and gluten intolerance. Earlier this year I decided to enter my very first Figure and Fitness Competition as something fun to do while I also worked hard on my Fizzy Glassware orders. Art and painting have always been my number one passion, but choreography and dance have been another huge love of mine. Now that I paint full-time for my career it has been so much fun to channel my creativity somewhere else to keep life vibrant and energizing.

I entered the Mr. and Ms. Natural Minnesota Competition on May 20. I competed in Figure Beginner Short and also Xtreme Fit. This was my very first competition and I truly had no idea what to expect! I went into the training, dieting and competition day with an optimistic attitude and I know that is why it turned out to be the best thing I've ever done.

My Xtreme Fit Routine was to Britney Spears' song, "Toy Soldier." So I went for an army-themed look and gave my choreography a military twist. I decided to order a custom dog tag necklace from an Etsy Seller to add to my costume. I wanted the necklace to also be a keepsake to remember my first show, so I researched some fitness quotes and found "ANYONE CAN GIVE UP!" I felt like this was a perfect mantra to live by since this had been one of the hardest things I had ever attempted to do. I love wearing the necklace post-competition and thought it would be the best theme for my Fitness Blog.

The night was full of anticipation, nerves, sticky-tanned skin, costume changes, pumping up my muscles and not forgetting to smile. I couldn't be happier having found my new fun HOT HOBBY! Read more about my experience and what I call the "Best Night of my Life!" (blog post from Fitness Blog).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Best Benefit:

Seeing where I could take my body physically

and learning how to COOK more!

Best Investment:

30-minute personal training sessions

2 to 3 times a week with Al Norby.

New Guilty Pleasure:

A SHELLAC manicure at Salon Intrigue with Lisa

Hardest Hurdle:

Having allergic reactions to certain foods

even ones that are already gluten free.

Favorite Find:

BeautiControl Skin Care products.

Best Moment:

Seeing my "family of friends" during intermission

and then hearing my number called for the

Overall Figure Beginner Title.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Check out these fun ETSY items that I

ordered to use the day of my competition!

(This very first item came all the

way from a designer in Israel!)

FITNESS ROUTINE TOP 

Butterfly Workout Bra by Underneath
$35.00

CUSTOM "DOG TAG" NECKLACE

Medium Mini Dog Tag Necklace by wsayle
$36.00

BUSINESS CARD DESIGN

Business Cards (for my Trainer) by Deidamiah
$10.80

ARMY HAT

Distressed Army Green Military Hat by IcyHats
$5.99

"LOVE YOUR JOURNEY" NECKLACE

Necklace that my girlfriend, Monica, gave me as a gift!
by sweetsimple
$20.00

FIGURE POSING SUIT

Figure Posing Suit by saleyla
$190.00

Special Mentions to my Trainers,
Fitness Instructors and Coaches!

al norby
curt dahlen
aaron callister
lenore theobald
katie haggerty
nick bez

Thank you for taking the time to
read about my NEW HOBBY!
I hope it has inspired you to take the time to find
your special hobby or get a little more FIT!

{PEEK-A-BOO} Ooh to the La..La..LACE! // Fizzy Fashion (Vol. 3)

Lace, Sheer, Cut-Outs, Low-Backs,

Off-the-Shoulder, Strapless, Corsets...

All of these styles and trends have something in common. They all give the illusion or the idea of LINGERIE so of course anyone is going to look incredibly sexy! A turtle neck or a baggy sweatshirt will give the opposite affect so throw those into the Goodwill or sick day pile. With Valentine's Day right around the corner, I thought these styling tips would be very appropriate.
(Your MAN will thank me later!)

When you layer with lace or something sheer you won't feel too covered or bulky even in warmer weather. You can feel comfy and confident with a couple of thin layers rather than putting it all out there with one simple blouse.

Lace is a new thriving trend that can be used to compliment your wardrobe in many ways. A lace top, jacket, skirt, or vest are great options. Partner a lace top with denim or a bold color to off-set the sweet look of the delicate lace. I love to wear this lace cardigan from Charlotte Russe with skinny jeans and a saucy strapless top.

A combination of sweet and spicy
is the best kind of FLAVOR!

An off-the-shoulder top or a boat neck blouse will show off a little shoulder or arm without exposing all of the goods.

New styles in stores are incorporating the cut-out trend or a sheer low-back. I've seen a number of cute cardigans with a crocheted pattern on just the back for added interest. Matching a look like this with a basic tee will instantly pull your look together. The outfit will say that you thought about your style without having to try too hard.

Going strapless or wearing a corset style can be intimidating sometimes. But you can get the same look with a fitted and flowy strapless cotton top like the one I'm wearing.

Check out my grey strapless look: 1). It's fitted on the bust, so it stays up. 2). It has gatherings and pleats for some visual interest. 3). It flows away from the body and hits me right at the hip. 4). It gives a little more viewing of the cleavage, so it's only an evening top!

These are some of the best tricks in looking sweetly smokin'!

(Click for Larger View)

Snakeskin Kitten Heels from KOHL'S under $30 (3 years old)

(Click for Larger View)

I wore this outfit for a fun Girls Night Out in
Nashville, TN with my sister, Heather, and her friends!

 Great "PEEK-A-BOO" looks for SPRING!

Discovered on etsy.com



{a sexy lace top tucked into a bold colored skirt}

Black Lace Shirt by kerenii
(on sale, $50)

{look sexy with a cut-out accent in your kitten heels}

Vintage 80's Pleated Cutout Stilettos (sz 8) by pineapplemint
$37

{Wow your on-lookers with a beautiful

crocheted mini dress. This would be great with leggings!}

Doily Crochet Mini Dress by dollybirdsvintage
(sold)

{Vintage lace at it's best. what a fun

bold color for spring AND it's figure flattering.}

Royal Blue Lace Minidress by hotvintage
(sold)

{Use this look in your jewelry and accessories too.}

Nile Necklace Crochet Gold Filled Wire and Pearls by galit
$150

{Soft, sweet and a little sexy. Comfortable too!}

Cream Cold Shoulder Top by MoonHalo
$65

{Great look for a night out on the town with jeans

and a simple top, as shown below}

Vintage 80's Black Lace Bolero by madgirlvintage
$32

{Own a fitted top that can be strapless,
one-shoulder or off-the-shoulder}

10 or more ways to wear Wrap Top by VenniCaprice
$50

 

"Let's wish the
SNOW away

so we can dress
in lace and PLAY!"

Thank you for
following the FIZZ!

xoxo - The FizzyArtist


HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!



Do Your {BRIDESMAIDS} like to Wine? // Wedding Day Prep (Vol. 2)

Working for a bride is very rewarding because all they care about is making everyone feel special. I've found that one of their favorite things to do is to research and find the best thank you gifts to give to their bridesmaids. I know, because I have the brides sending me e-mails saying how excited they have found my fizzy glassware to be and can't wait to give their custom, one-of-a-kind gifts to their maids!

As the bride, you select your bridesmaids for sentimental and other specific reasons. Usually these women have been your closest confidants throughout your entire life. They might be sisters, best friends, college roommates or childhood friends. Having your bridesmaids stand up with you at your wedding is like having a special support team for one of the best days of your life. Below is a picture of my sister, myself and the bridesmaids at her New York City wedding in 2006. I was blessed to be her Maid of Honor.

Heather (the bride), two sisters,
a sister-in-law, and three best friends.

With that said, your bridesmaids are a special part of the wedding

experience. They're the ones that freaked out the most (in a good way) when you announced your engagement and made sure that you had the appropriate celebration.

They're the ones that with when you tried on wedding gowns and  helped you decide which one was THE ONE. The bridesmaids set up and attend several bridal showers, group gifts, and most of all, the bachelorette party. What would you do without these fabulous women?

Heather and I with two of her best friends at the
(yes, you guessed it) Bachelorette Party in NYC!

One of my buyers, Nicole, had a wedding last fall. She purchased FizzyArtist wine glasses and water goblets for all of her bridesmaids. They were able to use their custom glasses for the bridal shower and again for the wedding day. The color wine was one of the most popular colors for weddings in October and November this year. I painted the bases of each glass using this color to coordinate with the wedding colors and bridesmaid's dresses.

The Bride "Nicole" gifted her "Ladies" with their custom
wine galsses at the bridal shower a month before the wedding!



Nicole came back to my Etsy Shop during the holiday season to buy a christmas gift for a friend. In her e-mail with custom details she included these fun photos of her and the "girls" at the shower and wedding. She also wrote...

"I wanted to pass along a few pictures that I have of me and my bridesmaids with our glasses. Everyone was so amazed by how great the glasses are! They were shocked and excited to receive them at my shower in September.  I received soooo many compliments on how cute they were." 

"...we have the glasses to keep forever as a memory! Thanks a million for all the hard work you put into
the 13 glasses that I ordered for my wedding.
 I really enjoyed giving them as gifts, and having everyone oooo and awww over them! Thanks so much!" 
--Nicole Emery

 I love it when my Fizzy Brides send me a note with photos. It just makes my day!

Here are some wine-colored items from Etsy that you could also use for your bridesmaids on your big day!

Plum and Fern Peacock Feather Fascinator Headband
by midnightboudoir



Fairy Tale- Ruffle Wristlet Clutch
by murwati

 

Bordeaux Garnet Earrings
by EmmaBond

WINE/BURGANDY AND GOLD SATIN AND TULLE BOUQUET
by JILLIANS

Cheers!

The FizzyArtist

Make your next {celebration} a MUSTACHE SMASH! + Coupon Code

MUSTACHES and LIPS have been popping up everywhere all year! Who knew that facial hair could be so popular? I wonder who kicked off this fascinating trend and how it got to be so huge on Etsy. I've seen this trend on t-shirts, key-chains, jewelry, pillows, mugs and more. People seem to love these items for gifts, parties and wedding receptions.

Photobooth Party on a Stick
by LittleRetreats

Lots of couples love the idea of adding in some humor and fun to their beautiful wedding photos. Having a set of mustache and lip props handy at the reception allows for dress-up time for grown-ups! Some couples like to have them out by a photo booth for their guests to play with. A funny mustache has a way of making a formal photo look magical.

For my holiday season this year, I decided to make a simple glassware design that I could whip up in a shorter amount of time and have at a lower price point than my custom designs.

I decided the mustache trend would be a great place to start. I made a Mr. Mustache design for the men and a Mrs. Lips design for the ladies. Within a week or two of having the designs in my shop I had buyers select the listing and customize their glassware types. Some wanted all mustaches on beer mugs and some couples chose to have a mustache and lips set on red wine glasses. I can't wait to see if this design is popular throughout the next year. Here's a look into my studio while I worked on my holiday orders.

I start each glass with a bold black outline so it
will also look good from the back!

Busy painting Holiday Orders in my studio apartment.

Next, I paint on the color to fill in the lips or the mustache.

For the last step, I paint the black outline again on the top,
to polish off the look. I bake each glass for durability
and then ship them to you! Get ready to PARTY!

 Check out these other great mustache and lips prop kits for your next celebration!


The Double Date - Party Props
by whiskerworks

Men's Mustache and Women's Lips Handkerchief Set
by CHRISSY'S CREATIONS

I have also featured more items in my latest treasury!

It's a MUSTACHE-SMASH

 For a limited time I am offering a 10% discount on my entire shop for those who read this blog :)

Use this coupon code at your etsy checkout:
MUSTACHESMASH10
(coupon discontinued)

Happy New Year,
The FizzyArtist

Rock it like RIHANNA - Fizzy Fashion Vol.1

Over the years, I have found that in my free time, my favorite thing to do is to shop! This mostly consists of clothing, jewelry, shoes and makeup: the female essentials. You might be wondering, "Why does the FizzyArtist want to blog about her shopping ventures?" 

Now that I am a full-time painter, I would consider ART to be my career and life-passion instead of a hobby. This year I decided that my hobby is definitely FASHION and STYLING! Part of this decision was to justify my spending habits... and the other part was to just put a name to my love for shopping. Why not blog about my other fun passion!? 

If I had to describe my style in a few words I would use: classic, retro, edgy and sweet.

I love mixing hard and soft looks together because I consider myself to be a strong and feminine woman. I enjoy putting together entire outfits from the shoes to the accessories. I also love finding that signature, classic piece that will work with multiple looks and dressed up or down. I find inspiration from Rihanna, Eva Mendes, Lauren Conrad, and I hate to admit it ... the Kardashians! I am not a slave to labels at all. I am obsessed with getting the best deal for the value! My favorite go-to stores are H&M, Forever 21, TJMaxx and vintage finds on Etsy.

Below is a going-out look that I am considering wearing for New Year's Eve this year!

(click on image for larger view)

Grey Leather Jacket - $49.95 H&M

Purple/Gold Tunic - $35 Etsy Find

Black Leather Leggings - $20 (unknown)

Gold Necklace - $24 Etsy Find

Gold Chain Bracelet - $8 Etsy Find

Black Pumps - $55 Etsy Find

Here are examples of my Etsy finds and other pieces for your Rock it like Rihanna look!

Black Pumps With Spotted Feathers

by LaPlumeEthere

Multi-Chain Bracelet

by WhatTheFunk

Vintage 80's Black Leather Jacket

by Bows and Arrows Vintage

(This shop has a MAJOR rocker edge!)

 Vintage Necklace Antique Silver

by kiamichi7

Miss Placid Blouse Winter Dream

by SpicyToast

For more rock-inspired looks, visit my latest
Etsy Treasury: Oh, Na, Na, What's My Name? - Rock it like RIHANNA (It has been viewed more than 700 times!)

Happy New Year!

The FizzyArtist