Friday, October 25, 2013

5 ways to spice up your fall decor!

I love adding fall decor to my room, but it can be difficult, I don't ever want to put too much! Here are just some ideas, these are little changes that can be as subtle as you choose!

1) Comfy, warm colored blankets and white pillows. This gives the room a warmer vibe, and the cozy blanket is perfect since it does get cooler! You can make it yourself using fleece or there are so many places to buy nice blankets.
2) Fake leaves! Go to Michaels and buy some fake leaves. I put some on my window or my desk with my iMac. Choose one place, it gives it such a nice fall look.
3) Candles! I love buying candles, a lot of time fall candles can get too strong. But they're especially nice for decor because they give a nice little touch!
4) Halloween! It's a slippery slope, maybe a skull, some candy, spiders on the wall. Keep it simple, halloween is only one day!
5) Just decor items! I have an acorn in my room, I love having it because it funky and creative. For example a jar with fake pumpkins. Just go to the dollar store and pick things out! I've found cute random things there, as well as thrift stores.

My suggestion is to keep it simple, you don't want to add too much fall either!

5 ways to spice up your fall decor

5 ways to spice up your fall decor by riya featuring a faux fur throw pillow


Have a wonderful rest of your friday! COMMENT below with your decor fall must-haves!
Also be sure to follow me on TwitterInstagramPinterest, I update all of them on more of a daily basis. 
As always, if you enjoyed this post, please join this blog! It helps me a lot, and will enable me to do more. 
XOXO,
Riya

Friday, October 18, 2013

Top 10 Fall Fashion Must Haves

I love fall! It's definitely my favorite season. I love the sweaters, leggings, scarves & of course it being the season of my birthday! These are my top 10 fall must haves!
Fall Fashion Must Haves

Fall Fashion Must Haves by riya featuring short boots

1) Chunky cardigan sweaters! These are awesome because you can just throw them on on a lazy day that you want to look good as well. I just style them with leggings & a scarf, and of course a top bun!
2) Leather jackets! This piece looks chic & keeps you warm. It's a staple, and very versatile. You can wear leather jackets with jeans, skirts, or even dresses!
3) I actually have this sweater, and I absolutely love it! It's loose, but it fits nicely and is very comfy. I've gotten a lot of complements on it every time I wear it!
4) Leggings! I can see all of you rolling your eyes at me. But in the fall, I wear leggings with EVERYTHING, so I had to put it in there.
5) Skater dress! I love a simple skater dress to wear with cardigans, leather jackets, patterned leggings, you know, the works! They've gotten super popular this year. But the best part about skater dresses is they look so good, but they look very, very simple.
6) Skater skirt/fall colored skirt. I find myself needing to be dressed up quite a lot in the fall. I love buying simple skirts instead of dresses, because you can change up the tops and give it a completely different look in the same season.
7) Scarves! I love darker color in my scarves. It really pulls the look together, and is weather appropriate.
8) Ankle boots. I like ankle boots because they look so chic. You also have so many options depending on what you like. I love boots with buckles specifically, and a nice heel can be perfect in the fall because it's not slippery out year!
9) A large tan bag. Tan bags work all year around, but in the fall especially, it's a staple color that really looks good with fall outfits!
10) Simple rings! This is just an example, the buckle rings by MK. I love simple rings because you can't really wear bracelets with the longer sleeves. I'm not a big fan of statement rings for an everyday thing. I also like to wear my simple ring, which is my moms old ring, on my pinky everyday! It's a very easy touch that can be your signature touch. I recommend eventually investing in a good quality ring at some point.

Yes I used the word "simple" a lot in todays post. But that's what I love about fall! You can wear simple pieces, but still look stylish.

Have a wonderful rest of your friday! COMMENT below with your fashion fall must-haves! What do you reach for everyday!
Also be sure to follow me on TwitterInstagramPinterest, I update all of them on more of a daily basis.As always, if you enjoyed this post, please join this blog! It helps me a lot, and will enable me to do more.
XOXO,
Riya

Friday, October 11, 2013

Halloween Costume Idea: Little Red Riding Hood

Hey everyone! So Halloween is right around the corner, and it is one of my favorite holidays. I've also been completely obsessed with the show Once Upon A Time. I actually had to dress up to school for a promotion thing my class council was doing. I wanted something that was very easy to wear, and this is perfect! I made my own cape, I used fabric from Jo Ann and this tutorial by Macbarbie07. Now the tutorial is really easy to follow, I did sew the hood though, I didn't use glue. 
For the rest of the outfit, I just have a black LBD, black tights, and a black cardigan. I also wore black boots with it that had a slight heel. For make up, because I was going to school, and I took off my cape after we did the promoting, I kept it super duper simple. Mascara, light eyeshadow, blush, and red lips. If I do this for Halloween, I will definitely be curling my hair as well!
I am considering this for Halloween. I think it's a really easy to do outfit, you can add a little blood if you want to make it more of a "Red" outfit from OUAT, but just have fun with it! I like to keep things simple though, so this is just my take!
Have a fantastic Friday! COMMENT below with more ideas for Halloween costumes. What have you done, or are planning on doing?
Also be sure to follow me on TwitterInstagramPinterest, I update all of them on more of a daily basis. As always, if you enjoyed this post, please join this blog! It helps me a lot, and will enable me to do more. You do not need a gmail to do this!
XOXO,
Riya

Saturday, October 5, 2013

What's On My iPad

I got an Ipad again from school this year! It's such an awesome tool to take notes, and if you use it right can be super useful in class! I've gotten it for my Physics class. A lot of my classes are almost completely online now, and others I can do all my stuff online for. Most of these apps are free, however some of the ones I use for school are not, but they were provided to me by the school.

Dropbox- I use this to transfer files. I also have all of my notes from last year on here, as well as my teachers notes from last year. I also use this to turn in labs to my Physics teacher!
Twitter- For obvious reasons. @booyahitsriya
iBooks- I love downloading books to read in my free time on here.
Notability- This is the app I use to take notes. It's actually really awesome, and I used it last year as well.
Padgram- Instagram is blocked in my school, and I have it on my phone. Padgram is nice because I can still see and like pictures. I've also found a ton of random pictures through the hashtags. 
@booyahitsriya
Pinterest- I love pinning, also it goes super slow in my school, whenever I have extra time at home, I like to go on Pinterest. I use it for this blog as well as my personal one. 
Personal: @riyarshah
Netflix- Netflix is a curse in the disguise of a blessing. I love using it to watch older movies, and sometimes shows too! I just finished One Tree Hill & Once Upon A Time, and they are sooo good! I would definitely recommend them to everyone, One Tree Hill has 9 seasons, and Once Upon a Time has 2, and I believe will begin the 3rd this fall!
Fairway HD- This is a solitaire golf game! I love it! This is not the full version, but I have the full version on my phone. It's so addicting, and a lot more creative than regular solitaire! 
Amazon- Whenever I'm bored, I go on Amazon. I also look for prices for books I need for school, it's really useful because sometimes you can get books for $4, other wise I go on half.com, abebooks, or HPB, I like to shop around!
Polyvore- I've been on Polyvore since 6th grade. I don't usually have time to create sets anymore, but I do like to go on it from time to time @riya
Rdio- This is an internet radio. It's pretty cool, I have a 3 month free subscription, so I have that right now, otherwise I usually use the app Jango. And now on the new iTunes you can get Itunes Radio, which is pretty useful too! 
Wallpapers- My favorite wallpapers app, they're all HD, and if you download them in full, I can use them on my laptop, phone and iPad!
Falldown 2- This is a pretty fun game, I used to play it a lot in the summer, but it's definitely been replaced by Fairway.
Campus Portal- This is where all of my grades are.
Dictionary- I use this mainly for english homework.
Quizlet- I make all of my flashcards on here for Spanish 4 and APUSH (Advanced Placement United States History). This way I can study them where every I am, and other people can use them too.
Calculator- This app is super cool because you write out what you want to calculate & then it does it for you!
Translate- For Spanish, whenever I'm stuck on something. I wouldn't recomend this app for when you're actually writing sentances, it's not always accurate.
Goodreads- I like to look up book reviews on here. I used it when I was picking a book for my research paper. I also use it to keep a track of books I've read! --- Riya Shah
TWC- Because Apple does not have a weather app. 
Schoology- My APUSH teacher posts all the notes, powerpoints, and homework on here. 
Violin MT- This is an violin tuner for my violin. My violin tuner actually broke, so I use this when I'm not sure.
Blogger- I use this to sometimes write out blogs or the outlines. Pictures are hard on this app, so I can't really use it a lot. But I can publish on here, which is nice, because it helps me stay on schedule better.
Xfinity player- We do have Xfinity, so some shows, I just watch on there, however I don't use it a lot. 
Jelly Splash- This is a new game I've downloaded, my friend is absolutely obsessed, but it's very limited because you have to wait for lives, or buy them.
Scarecrow- If you finish all the levels you can get a coupon for buy 1 get 1 free at Chipotle!
In the Physics folder- 
Braingenie- This is where most of my homework is for Physics. It's a web link.
S2S Mechanics- This has extra practice problems.
CoachMVideo- This is cool, because you can take a video, and then break it down, so it helps to do position vs time graphs.
Scratch Quiz- This is an online whole classroom questions thing that my teacher uses.
CamScanner- I have no idea what this is, my teacher asked us to download it, so I did, hence why it still has the new tag on it! 




Wallpaper in the background! Enjoy!

COMMENT!!! If you have any questions about the apps on here let me know, or if you have an iPad, let me know what you have on there! Any apps I should download? I can also do an What's on My iPhone post as well, just let me know!

Also be sure to follow me on TwitterInstagramPinterest and follow this blog!
Thanks!
Riya

Friday, September 27, 2013

Back To School: Gift Ideas

The school year has started again, which means for a lot of us, many birthdays! I have put together a massive list of easy birthday gift ideas. Always remember when picking out a gift, simplicity is usually the best factor, think about them, not what you want. Also I usually don't spend more than $25 on a gift. A little bit of money goes a long way. Shop around and you'll be surprised at what you can find!
  1. Put together a little gift basket for your friend. The best part about this, is you decide how much you want to spend, and what you want to put in it. There are so many ways to do this, and the whole idea is smaller gifts as opposed to one big gift. 
 Some ideas that I've done:
      • My friend was moving away, and it was her birthday, so two of us got together a got her a bunch of things to remember us by. We went to Five Below, and got this cute simple beach bag, and then we went to Charlotte Russe, Forever 21, Icing, and some other random stores throughout the mall and picked up some things we knew she'd like. To make it personal, we got her a photo frame and put a picture of the three of us from our 8th grade dance! She loved the gift bag, and all the things were handpicked, so it made it super personal. 
      • Box of Sunshine: Such a cute idea to lift someone's spirits
        Trendy Pics
      • For another friend, I got her a book, because she loves reading, a bracelet that I knew was totally her from amazon, some makeup, nail polish, colorful pens, and earrings!
    Some ideas I plan on doing: 

      • A tumbler filled with candy, and instant teas. The kind you just add water too. This is pretty inexpensive gift, but so appreciated. It's a great failsafe plan because every high school kid appreciates food!
      • A color themed box! Pick their favorite color, and buy a bunch of things that color! It's creative & you won't realize how much fun it is until you buy the most random things.
      • A movie box! Buy the latest movie, or a movie you know is a favorite buy they don't own. Pick out their favorite candy, some popcorn, and other random snacks!
      • tumbler
        Tpt-fonts4teachers
      • A cute  ice cream pack! Buy cones, bowls, sprinkles, chocolate, M&M's gummy's and chocolate syrup. On your way to their house, pick up their fave icecream.
      • A bag filled with makeup! Go to Walgreens, or Walmart, and pick out a bunch of makeup that you know is good. Then either make a makeup bag, or buy one from Forever 21!

    DIY's: Diy's can be tricky, because you never want it too look too cheap, and sometimes they just don't work! A lot of people don't really like recieiving DIY's either. Most of the time, I add my DIY's as a part of a bigger gift, like a part of my gift bags.
    DIY Easy Summer Bracelet DIY Easy Summer Bracelet
    UsefulDIY
      Booyahitsriya
      • Bracelets! I love getting bracelets. You can give friendship bracelets (maybe with their name), one or two from Forever 21, DIY a beaded one (COMING SOON), and this gorogeous bangle! I love this bangle, and it's super easy to make. I'm definitely going to be making one soon.
      • Collages! I love making them for my room, but I also make them for friends. Keep all your magazines and put one together. It's time consuming though, so do these during breaks or when you have no homework and put on some Netflix to catch up on TV
      • A DIY brush roll with a bunch of brushes from ELF, or Real Techniques, depending on how much you want to spend. The Real Techniques start kits are perfect and together will cost around $30. 
      • Rainbow cake in a jar!, recipe is byCrystalBeauty9 on youtube. I cannot wait to try this. You can obviously use store bought cake mix! But either way it's super easy. It's the perfect gift to give someone when you're at school, because they have something to munch on all day, but it's not messy and won't get everywhere, plus it's much easier to store!

    Also be sure to follow me on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and follow this blog! If you have any ideas on back to school gifts you've done, comment, so we can all help each other out! 

    Friday, August 16, 2013

    What's In My Week Roadtrip Make-Up Bag

    These are the items I would take to a road trip for a week! I love these products and recommend them to everyone!

    Everyday Items: 
    1) Lotion!!! I have here a travel sized version of Be Enchanted lotion by Bath and Body Works. This is my favorite scent ever by B&BW.
    2) Eyedrops- Whenever I wear my contacts for an extended time, my eyes tend to get really dry, these eye drops work great.
    3) Spray hand sanitizer- This works so well because it's not that messy, and it's very easy to use!


    4) Got 2B Styling Oil- This is my holy grail hair product. This is an oil, so a little goes a long way. I have a travel sized bottle from a promotional period they had. I love taking it with me when i go somewhere, because whenever I feel my hair getting too frizzy, this just flattens it a little more, defines the curls, and adds shine!
    5) Burt's Bees lip balm- This is my favorite lip balm, so I love using it, whenever I can get it on sale!
    6) A little hair clip- This one I cannot link, because it's the only one I have, & I have not been able to find any replacement, but I love this size, and I have very crazy hair, so this is a big must have for when I just want my hair out of my face, but I still want it down!
    7) Mini white shoulders perfume- I love this perfume, it's mature, but not too much, it just works for us!
    8) ELF blotting sheets- These are just oil absorbing sheets, they work pretty okay, don't take off the makeup, and for a dollar, these work super well!
    9) Floss- I know this is embarrassing, but I always have floss with me, I hate having something stuck in my teeth, and you can't imagine the difference a little floss can do to your smile!
    10) A first aid ointment- I get hurt a lot. So I have this with me recently, just so the wound doesn't get infected, I'm not going to link this either, because I have absolutely no idea where this is from!
    11) Tjing Liang Yu balm- I love this balm for when my head hurts a lot!
    12) Nail clipper/filer.
    Big Makeup Bag:
    1) The black profusion bag in the bag holds cotton balls!
    2) Neutrogena oil free face wash- I love this stuff, it's good because it doesn't dry out my skin!
    3) Secret Deodorant- It's a gel deodorant, I really like this, because I feel like I can control it, and it won't break. It's not perfect, but I like it!
    4) Herbal Essences Smoothing Serum- This is for wet hair, so it's perfect for when you're on the go! I love to use it as a mousse, but mousse is just way to big to carry! So this is nice to have because it give shine and curl!
    5) Body spray & Shower gel- Makes me smell good!
    6) The black container contains Ponds Cold Cream Cleanser- I use to remove my eye make up.
    7) Ponds mini bottle contains my Neutrogena Moisturizer- I love this moisturizer, it works great & it's too heavy on my skin!
    8) The two Tresemme bottles contain my own shampoo & conditioner, I love these bottles because I can actually squeeze out the shampoo & conditioner!  
    Make-up bag



    1) This is the Lancome palette in Taupe craze. I love using this for everyday looks. It's nice cause there's a matte brown shade as well. It's good for everyday looks, as well as night looks. The only thing is that the shimmer all over lid shade isn't very long lasting, so it's a must to put on a primer with this.
     2) Wet N Wild Blush in Mellow Wine-  Love, love, love this blush. It's pigmented, lasts long, and is super duper cheap.
    3) The Covergirl Professional mascara in clear- I like using this with my eyebrow filler! It sets it and looks great! That pencil is from Germany I believe!
    4) Eyeliners- I have just a couple of brown and black eyeliners, as well as my Jordana fabu-liner.
    5) Soo, I know I'm a bit crazy for having 4 mascaras... but what can I say, I just love them!
    I can do a whole mascara routine, but I basically use The Color Workshop Extra Length Mascara first it separates really well, then I use the Great lash , I do not like this at all alone, but it works super well with the Benefit They're Real. I also use the ELF mascara, non waterproof on my lower lashes.
    6) Loreal True Match Concealer- Concealer for my undereyes.
    7) L'oreal True Match Crayon Corrector- I like using the dark shade all over my face, well where ever there are blemishes. And I use the lighter shade as a primer or highlighter!
    8) Benefit Watts Up- Best highlighter there is!
     9) Loreal true match powder- I love using this straight over my concealer, it makes my makeup look so natural, and light yet flawless!
    10) ELF tinted moisturizer- This is so great because it has SPF, & the color is perfect on my skin tone!
    11) Maybelline colorsensational lipstain in touch of toffee. It's my lip color but better!
    12) ELF Tinted lip balm- It's in Rose, it has SPF 15, it's just beautiful!
    13) Covergirl Wetslicks Amazemint in Tickled Pink- I love this lip gloss, it's not sticky, but it's got great color pay off!

    Brushes:
    I brought brushes from the Real Techniques Core & Starter collections. A couple of eye shadow brushes, and the Ecotools eyeshadow brush! I'm going to be doing a brush collection soon, so for now I'm just going to leave it as that.

    I hope this was helpful! Thank you for reading! Be sure to comment, share and react!
    <3
    Riya 

    Friday, August 9, 2013

    Back To School: Organization, Supplies, & Tips

    I am not a big fan of taking around a ton of notebooks & binders individual to every class, I like to downsize... A LOT. Here's what I do to remain organized throughout the year!!!

    Textbooks: I don't take all of my text books back and forth everyday. Many of my teachers don't even require you to bring it, so I either leave it at home, or in my locker. There are some I have to take back and forth, but with online text book codes available, I can choose not to bring them to and from home.
    Binders: I only have binders for classes that require me to get them. I hate carrying around the bulk of them, and find that unnecessary with these other tips.

    Notebooks: 
    Mead Five Star Hybrid Notebinder
    I only use notebooks for the classes that need them, I use one subject notebooks in the college ruled. I've tried to use 5 subject notebooks, but I usually end up with a lot of extra paper in one subject, while running out in another. I also keep a lot of loose paper with me, so if I ever do run out, I have some.
    I use notebooks to actually take notes, I use loose paper from homework, it's much easier because I have to turn it in a lot.
    I also like to use graph paper notebooks for math & science, those are the two classes I get a lot of homework in & it's turned it usually, so it keeps it organized.

    Folders: I don't use individual folders, I use the Mead Five Star Hybrid Note Binder in 1 1/2 in. Although it's expensive, it lasts years, and truly fits everything in it. An alternative would be to get a 1 1/2 inch binder, and put in folders for each subject, or sheet protectors. I did the sheet protectors last year.
    TIP:: Keep all the papers you don't need anymore (you've already had the test for this unit) in an expanding file folder. They're super affordable, around $2 at Target, Walmart, or Walgreens. This way you have all the materials organized and ready for when you have to study for finals, and since you're not carrying it with you, you're less likely to lose it! **Make sure that your teacher is truly done with this topic before you put it away, I suggest waiting a couple of days after the test**

    Planner: I've tried to make my own planners, using my own calendars, so I have enough space, however it just doesn't work. Last year, what I ended up doing was keeping a print out of all the months in my everything binder, and loose paper for daily to do's. This is a very disorganized method for most people, while I liked being able to make a busy to do list, I bought a planner this year from Walmart.
    TIP:: Walmart has the cheapest, and biggest varieties for planners. I don't like getting super busy planners because I find that I get tired of them after a while. I also go for a bigger planner to get more space to write.
    Other Supplies:


    Dixon Ticonderoga Pencils- These are the best old school pencils I've come across, they're most expensive than the average, but they are worth every penny. I use these occasionally, but I mainly use them for standardized testing, they have such a great eraser too!
    TIP:: Buy random pencils too. The ones that are like $.25 for a pack of 12. Whenever someone asks you for a pencil, give them those, so that if they don't give them back, you haven't lost anything.
    Post-its- I suggest getting three kinds: The regular sized ones, for bigger notes, and reminders, the flags, for text books, and highlighting, and the mini ones for annotating. These help you stay organized so you know exactly what to study.
    TIP:: Also buy some Index cards for studying, they go hand in hand with the post its, best way to study vocabulary.
    Highlighters- Honestly, any kind will do. I like to get a pack with lots of colors, but just buy the cheapest ones you can find. I use them to high light my notes when I'm studying.
    Colorful Pens- Again, buy whatever brand you want. I don't go crazy with the color, but I like to have some variation for my notes. Now my favorite brand is Paper Mate, so that's what I've linked, I find that their pens write the smoothest.
    TIP:: Don't go crazy with the color, it's makes it harder to study. Use black and blue pens and then use the colored pens to emphasize words or sentences, or to separate things.
    Mechanical Pencils- I refuse to use regular pencils throughout the year. I find that the expensive mechanical pencils are definitely worth the investment. These are my favorite, they are the Pental Energize pencils. They last longer than a year, and retail for around $3 in staples, but buy the two pack in store for more color selections.
    TIP:: Also stock up on extra lead right now, it's usually on sale somewhere, so you save money buying it now than later.
    Erasers: These are the best erasers I've come across. They erase the most, are smooth, and last the whole year.

    Biggest Tips::

    • Buy all your school supplies now, they're all on sale, even the pretty ones. Stock up!! & SAVE THE RECEIPTS. After you get your list, supplies will no longer be on sale, buy binders and extra notebooks for now, and then if you find that you don't need them, save for next year, or return them! 
    • Shop around, Staples, Walgreens, and Walmart are my favorite places. They have the best deals and the largest selection. I find Amazon, Target, & online sites to be over priced. They don't have the same jaw dropping deals. 
    • Sometimes the prettier supplies sacrifice quality. Look for materials that will last you all year. At the same time, the quality sometimes costs a lot more. IT'S WORTH IT. 
    Purse? Tote? or Backpack?:
    Personally, I use a large crossbody bag. Last year I got mine from Forever 21. I'm still searching for a new one. I like to have one that fits my lunch and planner. 
    I also have a back pack though, I use it on days I have lots of things to bring to school or from school. I use the Jansport Big Student Backpack. I got it for $25 from Marshalls, it's such great quality, and an amazing value. 


    Wednesday, August 7, 2013

    Mom's Got Mail: Giveaway Prizes!!! YAY




    Plantain Chips
    Nutrition Facts
    Hi Fashionistas!
    Thank you to Jennifer from Mom's Got Mail for sending me these goodies! I won her July Giveaway, and it came at the perfect time!

    I am so excited to style the Bauble Bar necklace for the fall! I will also be doing a makeup look with the Benetint, Elizabeth Arden bronzer and the Sephora eyeliner, so stay tuned!

    Also check out Mom's Got Mail, she's got a great blog! Posts a lot of great deals, giveaways, and monthly subscription boxes!
    ~~~~
    I did not purchase any of these items. This post is an irregular surprise haul post. 

    Friday, August 2, 2013

    Summer Playlist 2013

    Blurred Lines- Robin Thicke 
    I Want Crazy- Hunter Hayes 
    Here's To Never Growing Up- Avril Lavigne 
    Clarity ft. Foxes- Zedd
    Ready for anything- Landon Austin 
    Young Blood- The Naked And Famous 
    Lovesick Fool- The Cab
    Downtown GIrl- Hot Chelle Rae 
    Classic- Cisco Adler 
    The Mango Tree- Gareth Bush
    WaterWeight- Gareth Bush
    Grow- Gareth Bush
    Upside- Gareth Bush
    Big Parade- The Lumineers