Behind the Studio

Salon pretty nails with Sally Hansen Street Style #IHeartMyNailArt

Jayna — Mon, 20 May 2013 02:28:18 +0000

If I could describe my type of style in one word, I would say – Edgy. That’s why I was super excited to hear of Sally Hansen’s line of nail polish colors that are funky and edgy for summer – it’s called #IHeartMyNailArt. I always like to venture off and sport bright colors in the summer months – like hot pink, but I also learned a cool new way to incorporate other colors too. Using some bright & fun colors from Sally Hansen’s Insta-Dri and Sally Hansen crackle overcoat, I was able to come up with an edgy, graffiti inspired mani.

Wanna know how I did it? It all began with my shopping trip to Walgreens – I went there because I heard there was a sale on Sally Hansen’s Insta-Dri polishes. I love those ones because I hate when I smudge my nails right after I do them! I even put together a little outfit of what I would wear with this cool new mani. I’m soo in love with those shoes and that amazing purse!

Street Style outfit by behindjayna featuring short sleeve t shirts

When I got inside the store, I noticed this display for street inspired nails.. I thought it would be a fun and edgy way to start the summer, I got a few bottles of insta-dri polish, and crackle overcoat. There is 1$off promo going on for Sally Hansen’s Insta-Dri polish!

1. I started with painting my nails fully with the yellow Insta-Dri

2. I added some more color with the pink…

I really liked that each coat was able to dry pretty quickly! Even for a single coat of polish, it went on fairly thick and dried glossy.

3. I added some more color with the blue, and let my nails dry for about 5 minutes before adding any more color.

4. Once my nails were dry with the color coat, I applied some black crackle overcoat to each nail.

Be sure to keep up with Sally Hansen on both Facebook and Twitter – you never know when they announce offers or contests!

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Jayna

Hi, I'm Jayna, a Wylie mom blogger living near Plano, Texas. I'm a Dessert love & recipe maker. Mom to a rowdy little boy. Coffee lover. Beloved wife and creator of Bellabyte Design Studio. Connect with me, I'd love to hear from you!

Get huge discounts on new Cooper Tires during the spring savings event #springsavings

Jayna — Mon, 20 May 2013 02:00:30 +0000

This post brought to you by Cooper Tires. All opinions are 100% mine.

As much as anyone, I really love a good sale – especially when it's for something that I need but don't really want to pony up money for.

Tires.

Yes, it's not the first on my list when it comes to shopping, but it's definitely necessary! Driving with bald tires can be a hazard to both you and the people you drive with. If you're in the market to buy some new tires this season, why not check out the Cooper Tire Spring Savings Event?

Cooper is offering an 80$ prepaid card with the purchase of certain products they sell! I could think of a pair of shoes or 2 that I could buy with that prepaid card!

Some of the Spring Savings Event eligible products include:

CS4 Touring
Discoverer CTS
Cooper Zeon RS3-S and RS3-A
Discoverer H/T
Discoverer HTP (Available only at select U.S. retailers.)
Discoverer LSX and LSX Plus (Available only at select U.S. retailers

Do you have a teen who drives your car? A brand-new baby? Regadless, it's still important to keep your loved ones safe by getting the very best tires for the car they ride in.

You have to hurry, cause the Cooper Tire Spring Savings Event is going to last until June 30th! Consumers are eligible to receive up to an $80 Visa® prepaid card when purchasing a new set of four qualifying Cooper tires through participating dealers in the U.S., Canada, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

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Jayna

Saving money with Walmart’s 40$ per month Family Mobile program

Jayna — Sun, 12 May 2013 20:00:16 +0000

Last week I was fortunate enough to get a new Android phone supplied to me by Walmart Family Mobile. It just what I needed to prompt me to decide that I maybe needed to re-think my family’s mobile plan. My husband and I don’t have an old fashioned phone line attached to our home.. Instead, we each have a respective cell phone and that’s how our family and friends know how to reach us. Since our mobile lines hold such importance in our lives, we opted for some pretty robust plans with Verizon.

But the question is… Do we need what we’re paying for?

I picked up an activation starter kit for my Family Mobile Phone while I was shopping the other day and signed up quickly and easily later on that evening. I was able to set up monthly service for as little as 40$/month using my driver’s license and sim card obtained from the starter kit. My goal was to test out this new service and see if it was any better or worse than my current service. Truthfully, we are paying 75$ per phone per month with Verizon – so of course having 2 phones with Walmart Family Mobile would set us back 80$ a month instead. That’s nearly what I’m paying for ONE phone with Verizon! Plus, I’m not getting unlimited anything from Verizon – although I never reach the limits of my web allowance and texts, it’s still nice to know that I get more for less with Walmart Family Mobile!

I’m not trying to knock my current service with Verizon, because they are very good. I’ve not really looked into anything else because we signed a 2 year contract back in August. Seriously though, Who can resist a two for one deal?! Maybe I’ll have to see if I can get out of this contract!

So in light of this new tidbit of info, I felt like it was maybe time to re-think if I really need the plan I’m currently using with Verizon. I really love my iPhone – I keep up with so much on it! Learning a new device like an android might have a bit of a learning curve – so thankfully there is a special activation card that’s meant just for iPhones!

I was just looking to test out the service, so I got the regular card meant for the T-Mobile Concord. I wanted to see what all the hype about android was since I’ve been exclusively an iPhone user since the birth of smart phones. The verdict? The service with Walmart Family Mobile is awesome – and I love the fact that there’s no contract. Also, the online account management tools are super simple to keep up with your payments and account usage. But the truth is, I still love my iPhone. It’s seriously making wonder if I can get out of my contract with Verizon.

I’ll be sure to follow up and let you know all about how my month of service went!

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Jayna

Win a chance to visit exotic Brasil and stay in a Dream House with CB2

Jayna — Fri, 10 May 2013 10:00:34 +0000

This post brought to you by CB2. All opinions are 100% mine.

Modern design coupled with pops of bright color is some of my favorite design for home decor – but it's not always easy to find great modern pieces of furniture. Thankfully, there is CB2 for the rest of us that prefer sleekness and clean lines, as opposed to 'traditional looking' or 'bronzy tones'.

I've always been a huge fan of CB2's furniture because of their bright colors. It's no big surprise that they have paired together with husband and wife design duo Robert and Cortney Novogratz who are known for their popular design TV show. Since they have collaborated, they have come up with the CB2 and Novogratz Collection - and it's all gorgeous bright colors that have been inspired by their home in Brasil. In that collection, which has been live to the public since May 2, you will find the design esthetics from both Robert and Cortney and CB2's well known clean lines and bright colors. One of my favorite pieces from the collection is this awesome pink table, made especially for spicing up your space with color.

How would you like the opportunity to visit and stay at Robert and Cortney's gorgeous home in Brasil? Sounds, exotic, no? Well you can certainly try by entering the CB2 and Novogratz Brasil Sweepstakes! The grand prize winner will get to experience the trip of a lifetime with 3 of your friends to come along with you to gorgeous, exotic Trancoso, Brasil. Even if you don't win that, there's still going to be 10 lucky winners who will receive a 100$ gift card to CB2 with a personally signed copy of "Home by Novogratz". This sweepstakes will run from May 2nd through June 3rd, 2013.

Be sure to check out CB2 on Facebook or follow them on Twitter!

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Jayna

Transforming my kitchen from drab to fab when we first moved in

Jayna — Thu, 09 May 2013 13:00:34 +0000

Today I am sharing something I have yet to share, and the reason is because I’ve never fully finished it, so I never wanted to show it until it was done to my satisfaction. I gave my kitchen a slight makeover back when we moved in, and after nearly 3 years, I’ve realized one thing – it will always be a work in progress, so I might as well show you what I did to it when we first moved into our home in November 2010. Above was my mood and inspiration board behind all my design choices – I wanted a sleek & elegant kitchen with inviting neutral tones and a splash of color.

This is what I started with… The walls were painted a deep mustard hue with brown sponge paint, Ugh! The one thing I did love, was the faux granite countertops. That really helped steer my descison in painting the cabinet doors – I wanted some contrast!

The floors were a standard vinyl – typical of the homes in the neighborhood, and the cabinets were natural colored. I really wanted the cabinets to pop against the walls, so I chose a grey color for the walls and painted the cabinets white. At first, I was scared to jump off and paint the cabinets, but I really wanted a big change… So here’s what it looked like in progress!

The tile flooring was another thing that I decided to change because the grey tones work better with the countertops and white cabinets. I was so pleased when I saw how it was coming along – and relieved that I didn’t make a huge mistake by doing it.

2 Years later….

I’m still as happy as can be with my choices. I only didn’t officially reveal it because I don’t have a dining set that matches the modern style, I need a new fridge to match my other appliances and I need to put the hardware on the cabinet doors. I even managed to keep my turquoise splash of color that I was going for when I first envisioned my kitchen with some accessories from target.

Having the right appliances can really make or break the whole kitchen. Part of the reason we don’t have a fridge yet, is because we are still saving up for the right one. It’s all about #SuiteDesign and making sure you have the best functionality for your space. I’ve been eyeing all the new counter-depth varieties that are out there, which lies flush with the counter and don’t stick out past it, like the ones from Electrolux’s suite of cleverly designed appliances. Having the right tools in your kitchen gives you the ability to be super mom for your family! I’d really love to have one of those french door refrigerators with the perfect temp drawer – sleek and beautiful appliances are key to putting together a stylish and functional kitchen.

Electrolux even has a complete line of cooktops and dishwashers, streamlined and sleek for the modern mom’s kitchen. did you know that you can fit as many as 180 items into the Electrolux dishwasher?! Sign me up!!

Be sure to check out Electrolux on Facebook to get sneek peeks!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

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Jayna

Stocking up on Scott Bathroom Tissue and getting a 4$ Vudu credit in the process

Jayna — Wed, 08 May 2013 13:00:13 +0000

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias® and Scott Shared Values #cbias #SocialFabric

There’s some things in life that you can go without and there’s some that you never run out of needing on a constant basis. Toilet paper and paper towels are that ‘thing‘ for our family, so it never hurts to buy the ginormous bulk pack if need be. I did just that the other day when shopping for some household items.

I was really excited to accept this opportunity to tell you about the 4$ Vudu coupon, not only for the great offer they are having, but because Scott paper towels are the best in value for their price on the shelf. I really, really hate buying overpriced paper towels at the rate in which we use them in our house. I’m always on the lookout for good coupons and offers for them, because the next worst thing next to overpriced paper towels are cheap, useless ones. By useless, I mean the fact that they don’t absorb messes when they occur – isn’t that the whole reason behind a paper towel? This is why I choose Scott paper towels for our house, they offer the lowest price for quality paper towels! Similar to when I’m buying trash bags, quality goes a long way.

The Vudu coupon was a huge bonus too! Usually, I notice these types of coupons because it’s always so apparent on the front of the package. I almost missed it, but luckily I managed to find it !

Redeeming was really easy – all I did was followed the instructions on the back of the coupon, and done! 4$ towards your next movie purchase or rental at Vudu.com. At first I was tempted to get a cartoon for JP, but instead I thought a nice, funny movie for the hubby and I would be perfect. I’ve wanted to see this movie since it came out in the theater – only we’re parents who don’t get out very much, so this brings light as to why we think this movie is so funny!

Be sure to check out Scott Shared Value on Facebook for more great offers!

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Jayna

Making springtime flowers with Tyson Chicken Nuggets

Jayna — Tue, 07 May 2013 16:20:35 +0000

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias® and Tyson. #cbias #SocialFabric #SpringtimeNuggets

One of my little picky eater’s favorites are chicken nuggets – and even sometimes that’s a fight to get him to choke one down. The best way to get him to be interested in his dinner plate is to make it fun, and that’s exactly what I’ve done with Tyson Chicken Nuggets I recently purchased from Walmart.

These are always as fun for me to make as they are for him to eat – I do this type of stuff more often than I’d like to admit! I love preparing fun foods for him, that I even have a full set of small cookie cutters that are suited for making bento box style lunches. In this case, I used the flower cutter to punch out some flowers out of the nuggets, and some clouds made from cheese.

I even went as far as dying some ranch dip with a little food coloring, so I could use it as paint! I know – I get a little carried away sometimes, but JP loved the end result!

So what did I come up with? I decided to keep it simple with a simple springtime scene. Those smiley faces made a perfect sun! I covered all the favorites – chicken nuggets, ranch, ketchup and cheese.. ohh and pickles too.

I loved how excited he was when I told him I made him a special lunch. He couldn’t wait to dig in and try it all!

Overall, I really loved that Tyson Chicken Nuggets are all natural and did I mention how tasty they are? It’s the perfect quick lunch for both kids and adults alike – Be sure to check out Tyson on Facebook and Twitter, they always have some great meal ideas and let you in on offers there too.

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias® and Tyson. #cbias #SocialFabric #SpringtimeNuggets

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Jayna

Quick and easy rosemary potatoes with Tyson Crispy Bites make the perfect family meal

Jayna — Mon, 06 May 2013 04:05:52 +0000

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias® and Tyson. #cbias #SocialFabric #MealsTogether

This weekend, We had the privilege of trying the new Tyson Crispy Bites chicken. I was so impressed with how tasty our dinner turned out, despite its simplicity. I made my favorite quick rosemary potatoes with them, and they made a wholesome, quick dinner I felt good about feeding my family. Sam’s club is a great place to go shopping at when you’re buying bulk items for the family. We have a large freezer chest in our garage, so it makes it nice to be able to store frozen items.

I served my Tyson Crispy Bites with honey and barbecue sauce and a side of rosemary potatoes. Here’s how I make them – they are sooo easy!

Quick Roasted Rosemary Potatoes

Author: Jayna Denbow

Recipe type: Side

Serves: 4

Ingredients

about 20 small gold or red potatoes
olive oil
salt
fresh rosemary

Instructions

Wash as many potatoes as you think you will need
Cut each potato in half and put it in a large bowl
Steam the cut potatoes in the microwave for 3 minutes or in a stovetop steamer.
Pour about 1 tsp of olive oil, and toss with salt and rosemary.
Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes at 400F, or until golden wash as many potatoes as I think I will need

Wash as many potatoes as you think you will us

Cut each potato in half and put it in a large bowl

Steam the cut potatoes in the microwave for 3 minutes or in a stovetop steamer, then pour about 1 tsp of olive oil, and toss with salt and rosemary.

Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes, or until golden at 400F

One of the things I loved about serving this meal, is not only how quick and simple it was to prepare, but the fact that it was real, plump chicken chunks is what sold it for me. They are my family’s new favorite! These all-natural bite-sized chicken pieces are lightly breaded and pressure cooked in peanut oil – which is what makes it so incredibly deelish! It also packs some good nutrition with 16g of protein per serving. It’s a great value for the price!

Be sure to watch your local Sam’s club in early May – they will be a featured in-store sample. I love getting to sample in store! Follow Tyson on both Facebook and Twitter to find out exclusive news.

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Jayna

A strong preschool = a strong foundation for life

Jayna — Thu, 02 May 2013 16:49:31 +0000

As a mom looking out for my son’s personal development, one of the most important things that I’ve considered is his preschool. After so many open houses, interviews and cross checks with the state’s CPS compliance, we have settled on a small preschool run by our local catholic church. Yes, I’m that #nervousmom. I love my adorable little school boy!

I must say, that I love the place that he goes to – and it’s not how fancy or state of the art the facility is, it’s about the teachers, and how they teach your child with all the love and patience they deserve. We need more dedicated individuals like these in the world! Did you know that the average teacher spends 1000$ out of pocket each school year in supplies? For 92 percent of them, that money came out of their personal funds – now that’s dedication on a whole different level. I loved how attentive his teacher was here in this photo taken at the Christmas pajama party.

So why am I telling you all this? Because you can help raise awareness by adopting a classroom! Office Depot is supporting real change for education by helping our teachers make it possible. Teachers, register your class with adoptaclassroom.org to participate in the REAL Change Project and be eligible for funding from donors nationwide.

JP is barely four years old, and he surprises me everyday with new things he learned – and its all stuff I never expected from him because I thought they were too complex of a subject. Now that he has mastered writing his own name, he feels compelled to autograph everything he thinks he can get away with – I owe that one to his wonderful teachers! Then what really floored me was the other day he came home with a complete solar system of the planets, and proceeded to tell me all about it. Yes, that kind of stuff is what I’m getting at… For teachers to be awesome like that, it takes parents like us to help support them so they can do an outstanding job with our kids. They are undoubtedly worth it, after all – they are the future generation of tomorrow!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

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Jayna

Making Daiquiris and Pina Coladas with Fruti Frozen treat bars

Jayna — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 02:01:59 +0000

Who would have ever thought of using Fruti Frozen Fruit Bars as a base for making delightful frozen alcoholic beverages?! That’s what’s happened here, and yes, I must say – these worked out to be AMAZING!

Now I remember why Pina Coladas are my signature drink! I love the taste and smell of coconut, and the tropical blend of flavors always keep me coming back for more. I picked up some of these awesome Fruti Frozen Treat bars while I was shopping at Sam’s Club the other day, and I am so glad that I did. With summer on the horizon, it’s nice to have something that’s healthier than frozen sugar water to offer JP. He wanted one as soon as I broke open the box!

Fruti is 100% Natural, and they use premium actual fruit to actually make these bars with. They are also manufactured with ‘Fruit First Verification’ Meaning that they contain more real fruit than any other ingredient . They are also NON-GMO verified, which means that their wonderful wholesomeness is verified.

I really love how the box came with 4 smaller boxes inside the package. It can be difficult sometimes when you buy frozen goods in bulk, because freezer space in a conventional fridge can be limited. Luckily for us since I own a deep freezer, I just stick the whole box in there.

Frozen cocktails can be so easy to make as long as you have a blender. I made my 2 favorite varieties – Strawberry Daiquiri and Pina Colada. Add a dash of Bacardi Rum, and you got yourself a party!

I started with 2 bars of strawberry, and I used a knife to slide it off the wooden stick.

I added 2 cups of strawberry lemonade…

About 5 or 6 plump red strawberries…

Depending on how strong you like to make these – add anywhere from 1/2 cup to 1 cup of Bacardi rum. you can even leave the alcohol out, if you want to make these for teens, or if you’re a lightweight!

Add a good scoop or 2 of ice, and blend for a few minutes, until it looks like strawberry slush.

It turned out awesome!!

Last but not least, Here’s how to make a killer Pina Colada… Start with 2 bars of Pina Colada flavored bars in the blender…

I added a cup of pineapple juice, 1 cup of O.J and my secret Pina Colada ingredient… About 1/2 cup of cream of coconut. Add your Bacardi rum (1/2 cup to 1 cup), a couple of scoops of ice, and blend!

So, with these two painfully simple drinks you can be the star of your neighborhood this summer! Leave some comment love and let me know how they turned out, if you tried making these! Enjoy!

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Jayna