My favorite artist at the moment

Up until now, I really didn't have a favorite singer. But recently, I was introduced to this lovely lady: Brooke Fraser. The New Zealander sings so beautifully, and her songs are so meaningful and have such a pretty sound! Her style is everything I adore -- vintage, simple, and oh-so charming. She really does have a unique voice, and I currently have her song "May Waltz" on repeat. (In fact, I'm listening to it right now as I type!) 

Have a great Tuesday!

julep maven box: October

October's Julep Maven theme was "simply bewitching", and it couldn't be more true! This month's box was fun and I'm thrilled to have had received it. I received the usual two polishes, quick dry drops, and some freebie nail glitter compacts thrown in. See below for my full review of each product in a 1-5 star rating:

Rating: 4 stars

This month's polish colors were kind of "meh", but they worked well and didn't streak. Despite that, I really liked the black crackle polish. It actually crackled, unlike most nail polishes, and I loved the name (Ursula). How funny is that? I wonder if that was intentional -- I am such a Little Mermaid fan.

Rating: 4 stars

These compacts were freebies, so I wasn't sure whether to include them in the review or not, but I did after all. The colors are so Autumn-inspired and I can't wait to wear them Halloween night! My only issue with this was that the glitter had mostly came off within half way through the day. But then again, it could have been because I didn't put clear polish over it afterwards... But if I did, it would easily have been 5 stars.

Rating: 6 stars!

I definitely saved the best for last! This was so far, the best thing I have ever received in my Julep Maven Box. Seriously! I really can't stop raving about this product, which is a first for me when it comes to nail products. So basically, you put on your nail polish -- wait 30 seconds, put 2-3 drops over it after 30 seconds or so, and then shazzam! Your nails are dry! I know it sounds super cheesy, but these drops are so far, the best nail product I've ever had. Did I mention that the smell of these quick dry drops is divine? Like lavender.

So to sum it up, this month's box was a good 4.75. Not nearly a 5, but not nearly a 4 either. I'm thrilled for upcoming months, and hope it's as good as October's! If you want to try out Julep Maven and their awesome products, try it out for only a penny using the coupon code: PENNY

Join in on the fun and become a Maven!

Lovely Letters: a giveaway for you!

 It's giveaway time! And just perfect for those of you participating in the Lovely Letters swap! Zie from It's Paper, Dear has generously decided to give away 2 lovely items to 1 lucky winner:
a pretty sticker pack, including 33 stickers all dedicated to making your letters, notebooks, journals, planners, smashbooks, scrapbooks, etc. pretty! And a tall and slim pretty vintage paper pack, filled with anything from vintage adverts, photographs, travel tickets, receipts and other goodies, all assembled in a darling "grab-bag" style bundle. 

Mandatory Entry: To enter the giveaway and have your entries count, you have to be a follower of Modern Buttercup! Make sure to leave a comment for each entry! 1 per entry please.

Additional Entries:

+ Follow Zie on Twitter (1 entry)

+ Follow on Facebook (1 entry)

+ Follow Shell's blog (2 entries)

+ Follow her blog  (2 entries)

+ Tweet about the giveaway (1 entry)

+ Pin the giveaway (2 entries)

This giveaway ends on November 3rd. So enter as soon as you can!

friday favorites

It's been a crazy week, and I couldn't be more excited than to finish it off with a laid-back weekend and a good popsicle... 

Baby Chipmunk

Isn't this fella seriously the cutest? Little baby animals just make me melt.

Black Kitty Lights

How cute are these DIY kitty lights? They look so much like Ella and I love them so much!

Funnies

This was truly hilarious! Never thought of it like that before.

Daisy Lollipops

These are so cute! I love the little flower-esque touch. How clever and unique! See the recipe here.

DIY fruit balloons

Balloons like these are tropical and a sure way to make any party festive! They are a pretty sight to behold...

Want to sponsor Modern Buttercup in November?

Sponsor Modern Buttercup in November! Sponsoring next month is the perfect way to promote your blog, shop, or business with the best readers ever! And another big perk? I'm offering holiday sponsorship packages! See below for more info...

With the holiday season coming up, it means more shoppers! And more shoppers = more traffic! The holiday sponsorship packages are a great way to showcase your shop and let it shine, but at a bargain.

If you're ready to book your spot, email me! I'd love to have you on the team!

a splash of color: rosette

How pretty is this rose bloom? I love the way it looks: soft and dreamy with a hint of vintage charm. And lucky for me, I actually remembered to bring my camera along with me, which explains why I even have this photo. I figured I'd add to this post a bit by adding some poetic flair:

A bit cheesy, I know. But I thought it would mix things up a bit...

friday favorites

It's the end of another week and I couldn't be more excited! I have plans for an up-and-about weekend and I have to take Ella in to get her shots taken care of. In the meantime though, take a peek at some of this week's showcase:

DIY Ballerina Dancer
This was just so simple and so cute, I couldn't pass it up! Perfect for any kid who needs something to keep them busy-- or for your desk! See the tutorial here.

Nail Designs

I love these nail tutorials for designs! So creative, yet so simple. Click here for the DIY.

Black Cats

Did I mention that I love black cats? This just makes my heart melt.

Botanical-inspired Illustrations

This Etsy shop is an amazing find! Beautiful art prints and colors that pop. The flowers make it whimsical and I just adore this style. 

Embroidery Hoop

Another awesome etsy product! This is so lovely and has a vintage feel to it. Check it out here.

Lovely Letters: Task 2

Partners have been paired up and now it's time to begin the real fun! Here's your opportunity to get to know your partner better. Write to your partner asking them 10 questions, make them as fun as you'd like. That's all! Once you receive the 10 questions from your partner, just answer them and send your answers back. If you'd prefer not to send an extra letter, feel free to enclose your answers in Task #3 when it's assigned. Have fun and make sure to get as creative as you'd like with your 10 questions!

It would be amazing if you can have the letter sent and posted by the 23rd of October (next Tuesday). That way, hopefully your partner will receive your first letter before they begin Task #3. We'll be announcing Task #3 on/around 30th October.

Thanks again for taking part, I look forward to seeing your letters! (you can leave links below once you receive your letter!) - Please cover up people's addresses if you are posting the image online, for privacy reasons, OK?

We now have a Flickr group where you can share your Lovely Letters images. Also, if you're sharing on Twitter or Instagram, you can use/search the hashtag #lovelyletters 

pretty fonts: cursive

I'm a sucker for pretty fonts, and today I have 4 to share with you! They work well with any design and oh so fancy. I highly recommend them, and the best part? They're all free! You don't need to pay a penny to add some flair to your blog. So simple with a sprinkle of sophistication.... 

My favorite pick out of the four was Channel, and below I have a lovely example from the blog Shannon Hearts, which uses this font.

Here are the links to these lovely fonts:
Little Days // Stars from Our Eyes // Cursive Standard // Channel

friday favorites

Hello again lovelies! This week has been pretty busy which explains why my last post was on Sunday. I have things planned for the upcoming week that are pretty exciting!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake
I love these cookies and this idea is genius! Now that I've discovered it, I'm just dying to try it now! See the how-to and recipe for the cake here.

Custom Stuffed Dog
How cute is this? You send in a picture of your dog, pay up and get a cute little replica in return. It's positively adorable and I can't wait until they make ones of cats :) I don't know why I love this pet replica stuff so much -- but really, how can you resist?

Waterfall Braid

This is so pretty and looks oh so unique! See the tutorial by the Letter 4 here.

2013 Calendar

Can you believe that I'm already on the lookout for a new calendar?  I think this one is pretty darn close to the one I'm looking for.

Have a fantastic friday and enjoy your weekend! I'll be inside sipping a cup of hot cocoa...

5 of my all time favorite e-courses

Online e-courses are delightful, and also a bit thrilling. I love to learn new things, and this is an easy way to do so. I've put together a list of my golden top 5, the ones truly worth buying. I've purchased quite a few in the past, so these are definitely tried-and-true winners!

Indie Blogger E-course: this was the first e-course I'd ever purchased and an amazing one, with lots and lots of important and useful info! It was well written and had loads of advice. Worth it!

The M: A truly amazing photography e-course. As long as you have a good functioning camera, you'll be set! Tons of great photo-taking advice and how-to's with steps on how to create that perfect photo shine! Kara outdid herself with this e-course, and this is truly a must have.

Blog Love: This blogging e-course was really helpful, and written by Elsie from A Beautiful Mess. I really enjoyed reading it, and it gave a lot of insightful tips! I loved the way everything was said, and it was also lovely learning the back story on her blog.

DIY dress-up: This e-course is no longer available, but it was a real gem! Easy to follow tutorials and lots of helpful tips made sewing your own clothes look so simple (and it was). I hope the Red Velvet team decides to bring back a new edition of this e-course soon!

Blog Wonderful: Another fabulous e-course! This one was put together by Dana of The Wonder Forest, and I really really liked it. It was beautifully put together and the private blog is so pretty! I loved her honest advice and tips. The e-course was super helpful and perfect for anyone who loves to blog or new on the scene!

That wraps up my list. I hope you enjoyed it! I loved these e-courses and think their perfect for any person who loves to blog, take photos, and/or try new things.

Do you have any favorite e-courses? Feel free to drop a note, I'd love to check them out!

Friday Favorites: Fall edition

I still can't believe it's Autumn already, and have put together a little "Friday Favorites" themed edition to celebrate!

Playlists
I do love a good playlist. Mandy's Autumn Playlist is lovely and very Fall-like -- I love it! See the song choices here. You won't be disappointed.

Plushies

Just when I thought things couldn't get any cuter... this little bear plush came along. I found this little fella on Etsy, and I now officially know what I want for Christmas.

Geometric Paper Weights DIY

I really really like this idea. So simple, but yet so pretty. I have yet to make something like this, and would love to have it in a mint color!

Vintage Stamps

I'm in the middle of an obsession with stamps at the moment. Especially this one.