FRI"DIY - Illuminating Candle Holder

Good afternoon and happy Friday! I know everyone is in a great mood today because, who doesn't love Friday? The reason I do is because I get to blog about DIY projects which happen to be one of my favorite down time hobbies. Today's DIY is very quick and easy but awesome! Anyone who knows me, knows I love candles; especially fall scented ones :-). Which is why you'll probably be seeing a lot of candle-based DIYs on my blog. Anywho, this blog is really simple and fun, only took about 15-20 minutes and I can show you in three short steps!

What you'll need:

A candle holder (of your choice) I purchased this one from The Christmas Tree Shops - $4.00

A glue gun, I purchased this one from A.C Moore and it was around $3.99. I would also grab extra glue sticks, too!

Mosaic Stones, I purchased the mini bags above from The Christmas Tree Shoppes, they were $1.99 each. I didn't need as many stones as I bought, I just figured it's better to buy more and have some left over than to be short stones. You can choose whichever colors you want *HOWEVER* they must be transparent (see through) or the light will not shine through them. I chose red, orange, yellow and clear because they're fall colors and I love fall!

Time to start!

Back to School Backpacks! (On A Budget)

Now that September is rolling around, I'm totally in the school spirit. I recently wrote a post called Back to School Bags (On A Budget) and typically after every post I write, I ask my friends for opinions. After the Back to School Bags blog all of my friends were surprised at how inexpensive each bag was that I listed; but the post couldn't help but make us all feel nostalgic for our grade school back pack days. Each bag I posted in the Back to School Bags blog was either a tote bag or a handbag big enough to carry your school necessities. While my friends and I fell in love with each bag I posted, we all miss the days where you looked forward to picking up your funky colored JanSport backpack; which all of your books and pencil cases fit into perfectly.

JanSport "Overexposed" - $35.00

 

I love JanSport! However, now a days, JanSport isn't as popular for the high school and college crowd.. But I'm here to show you some backpacks that are! Who doesn't love a good backpack?

For men:

Tilly's "MI-PAC Nordic Backpack" - $31.99

(Available in different colors and patterns) 

Transition Trends From Summer to Fall!

One of my favorite things to do during my downtime is create sets on Polyvore! Polyvore is an app (based off of Polyvore.com) that is loaded with merchandise that allows you to create different "sets." They have a bunch of categories that you get to choose from and you select which items you like and they get put on a blank canvas; then you get to arrange it however you want. Sometimes I sit there for hours and scroll through the many many pages of items and find current trends that I'm into at the moment and create my own mini scene. I'm really into it and I want you to check out a few Polyvore "sets" that I have created revolving around some trends that I am gushing over! The trends listed below are ones that can be worn during summer and throughout fall, allowing you to easily transition your wardrobe from season to season. Check them out!

This fall is going to revolve around pastels! They're very flattering and versatile. They're perfect for the transition from the summer season into fall. I paired the pastel color-blocked dress with some mesh heels and a tan cross-body bag; very simple yet it still makes a statement! I also chose to go with neutral make up colors to give the colors in the dress more room to pop!

Looking to shop for some pastels?

 Forever 21 "High Waist Ankle Pants" - originally $17.80 ON SALE $11.99

Forever 21 "Cutout Chiffon Shirt" - originally $19.80 ON SALE $15.90


 Forever 21 "Faux Leather Peplum Jacket" - originally $27.80 ON SALE $25.99 

From pretty pastels to dark and grunge! Another trend prediction for fall is cut off flannels! I feel like they're going to be HUGE. A cutoff flannel won't be as hot as you would be in a long sleeve flannel but they also warm you up more than a tank top. Don't forget to pair the outfit with your favorite pair of Toms! And of course, you could never go wrong with a cross-body bag, a bowler hat, some electronics and your favorite pair of circle sunglasses!

 Looking to shop for some items like the ones above?

Forever 21 "Self-Tie Plaid Shirt" - originally $14.80 ON SALE $9.99

Forever 21 "Sleeveless Plaid Shirt" - $14.80

Forever 21 "F3328 Round Sunglasses" - $5.80

The upcoming trend portrayed in this Polyvore set is POPS OF COLOR! Just because summer is ending doesn't mean that neon can't stick around for a little while longer. I love the neon paired with basic neutral colors; it allows you to stand out without over-doing it. And isn't this background just adorable? Fall is the time where basic shades are really accentuated; which is why I love the neon, it's a new spin on an old trick!

Looking for some pops of color?

Forever 21 "Cool-Girl Colorblocked Crossbody" - $24.80

Forever 21 "Two-Tone Scarf" - $7.80

Forever 21 "Neon Pop Maxi Dress" - $27.80

Unfortunately you will not see any of the sets above on my Polyvore account because I had to make them on my work computer in order to get a screen shot of them. I have many other great sets, though! If you already have a Polyvore or if you plan on making one, you can follow me (briannaonabudget) and I would love to look at some of your sets! 

In other news, I got a new CAMERA! Thanks to my, wonderful, boyfriend Cody. Starting (most likely) this Sunday I will be posting video blogs each week! It's something that I've wanted to do for a while and definitely something I'm looking forward to. So, keep an eye out for tomorrow's blog post as well as an upcoming VIDDDEOO!

PS (to those who watch Pretty Little Liars) - I'm looking forward to tonight's episode! Who do you think pushed Jenna into the lake?

What're some things you'd like to see me talk about/do during my videos? Comment below to share!

Back to School Bags! (On A Budget)

Good morning! It's been raining non-stop in New Jersey but it looks like it may clear up today! I hope it does because I really have to start squeezing in those beach days before school starts again! Although I love the summer and the beach, I really enjoy school, too. I love getting dressed for class, meeting new friends and professors and learning things that broaden your knowledge beyond belief. Think about it, each little thing, or topic, that you learn something about is one more thing that you know. If you pay very close attention in every class, you will be filled with so much knowledge that you won't know what to do with it! Every year before school starts, I go shopping for a "School Bag;" which is a bag I could use for some of the semester and one I can cram all of the stuff I need to use for class in. These days, most people just carry a handbag and call it quits because they think backpacks aren't the most stylish things; however I'm going to show you some greatly priced bags that can accommodate your love for fashion as well as those troublesome textbooks!

 Joyce Leslie "Into the Wild Fringe Tote" - Originally $19.99 ON SALE: $10.00

Fringe is great for the fall! As well as the black color with golden accents.

Joyce Leslie "Day in the City Spiked Mint Tote" - Originally $19.99 ON SALE: $10.00

Mint is the most popular color this season and so are the spiked appliques on this fashionable tote!

Wet Seal "Geek Canvas Tote" - $9.90

Steal Hayley Willams' style with this adorable geek tote bag!

Graphic Tee Tuesday (On A Budget)

Hello and thanks for stopping by! I have discovered a new obsession of mine that seems to increase daily: graphic tees. My favorite kind of graphic tees tend to be the ones with quotes printed on them. I mean, what's not to love about tees? They're extremely comfy and versatile. You can wear them lounging around the house, at the gym, or even at a casual event. If I could live in t-shirts I would and the fact that they have ones with pictures and eye catching quotes just increases my interest more and more!

Some graphic tees can run high in price. One of my favorite designers, Jac Vanek, has the most AMAZING graphic tees; however the price tag can be a little high but, sometimes it's worth it.

If you feel like splurging.. listed below are my favorite Jac Vanek graphic tees and their prices!

The "Your Blog" half tee - $49.00

"Sorry for Being Perfect" half tee - $49.00

"Pizza Boyfriend" tee - $64.00

Aren't they adorable? If you're interested in purchasing one of the t-shirts above, just click on the title of each t-shirt and it will lead you to the tee's page. Also, Jac has her tumblr blog located on the home page. She's awesome and her blog is, too.

If you're looking for some moderately priced graphic tee's we can move on to another one of my favorite designers - Brandy Melville. 

The "Stay Weird" tank - $18.00

This has also been seen on T.V star Lucy Hale from the hit show Pretty Little Liars!

Here's the t-shirt pictured on Lucy's official instagram - @LucyHale