How to Make a Chic Paint-Splattered Travel Case

Anjelika Temple
Aug 02, 2013

Going on an end of summer vacation? Or just like to stay organized? Then it’s probably time to create a travel case to tote around all of your essentials, from makeup to jewelry to those pesky cords you can’t leave home without. The key? Nail polish and Velcro Industries. Read on to find out how it’s done.

Materials:
– vinyl or pleather

– 2-3 clear zip cosmetic or accessory bags

– VELCRO® Brand Sticky Back™ Black Tape

– Nail polish (we used The Next CEO from Nicole by OPI)

Tools:

– scissors

For the base of our case, we used a black vinyl. You could also try teal, navy blue, or brown if you want it to match your cord roll. You made one of those, right? ;)

Cut your vinyl to 18 inches long by 9 inches wide.

Now, it’s time to get sticky with it. Cut 2 sets of VELCRO® Brand Sticky Back™ Black Tape to 6 inches long. These are what you’ll use to attach your clear zip bags.

Cut 2 more sets of tape to 7 inches long. This is how you’ll roll up your case.

Peel the backing off your first 6-inch piece of tape and attach the hook (prickly) side to your vinyl abut 4 1/2 inches from the bottom. Do the same thing with your second 6-inch piece another 4 1/2 inches up – this should be the midpoint of your vinyl.

Attach the loop (soft) side of the 6-inch pieces to each of clear bags. If your bags have a loop on the end like ours, trim that off so it doesn’t stick out of the case. Make sure to cut on the other side of the stitching so it doesn’t unravel or zip right off.

Attach your bags to the vinyl.

Close it up to make sure everything lines up properly.

Now comes the fun part. Painting it! First, put newspaper or a drop cloth down to protect your workspace. Use nail polish to splatter a Pollack-inspired design all over the front of your vinyl. We used scissors and tapped them against the handle of our nail polish. You could also use a pencil or pen. Let dry for two hours.

Attach bags to vinyl backing. Fill with makeup, jewelry or cords. Don’t forget you can also detach the bags if you need to grab one and go!

To get really organized in the tech department, you can also use VELCRO® Brand ONE-WRAP® Straps to keep your cords in check. So cute!

What cool things have you made using VELCRO® Brand products? Any ideas for projects we should try here at Brit HQ? Talk to us in the comments below.

Collaboration Hacks Every Small Business Owner Should Know

Verizon
verizon

In our Take 5 series, sponsored by Verizon, we ask women in business about unexpected challenges, their inspirations, recent wins, and how the free Verizon Small Business Digital Ready Program has helped propel their business forward. Here, we meet Therise Edwards, founder/CEO of Teshley Solutions, an education consultancy firm that helps students and families navigate the complexities of the education system K through 12.

What is an unexpected business challenge that you faced and how did you overcome it?

I wouldn't call myself a FAFSA (Free Application for Student Aid) expert, but I ended up having to know a lot more about it than I ever anticipated. FAFSA is what administers Pell Grants, which is what a lot of colleges base their financial aid on. I knew about the application changes, and some were excellent, but they made a series of critical errors and a lot of parents were scrambling. It was not my intent to have this as my area of focus; it just became a necessity.

What's a recent small win for your business?

Recent small wins are my collaborations. I formed partnerships with one organization that focuses on students with special needs. I hosted a webinar with the executive director of that organization. I formed a partnership with members from an insurance company on planning and paying for college. That was my first corporate sponsorship. And I've got a series of events coming out because others actually reached out to me. One of them I met through another networking platform, but I got to that platform from one of the sessions that I did with Verizon Small Business Digital Ready Program.

How did you start to collaborate with external partners?

Just changing my strategies and my approach, and just being more secure and more emphatic in making connections. It ends up being this continual cycle.

Is there a woman in business that you admire or that you look up to?

I have two. Leontyne Anglin, who runs a nonprofit called Beyond Expectations. She works with a small pool of students, but she just gives them enormous exposure and opportunity. She's brilliant with collaborating with individuals and businesses and really bringing the students what they need. And then the other on a bigger scale is Cate Luzio, founder and CEO of Luminary, who taught her Business Plan Bootcamp through the Verizon Small Business Digital Ready Program. She is just a dynamo. She is just so supportive of women entrepreneurs. She's awesome.

How did the Verizon Small Business Digital Ready Program help propel your business forward?

All of the collaborations and partnerships with the exception of one all came from joining the Verizon Small Business Digital Ready Program. I’ve taken all of the free classes and the one on projections and pricing, something every entrepreneur struggles with, was very helpful. There have been so many of them. Sometimes you're completely ignorant in a category so you take the class and it's like, okay, that's good to have. But then sometimes you sign up for it and it's like, oh, yeah, I did know 90 percent of that, but this other 10 percent is going to be very, very helpful.

Learn more about the free Verizon Small Business Digital Ready Program and Teshley Solutions.

Illustration by Daniela Jordan-Villaveces


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See Chris Evans And Alba Baptista's Adorable Date Night To Celebrate His New Movie

Chris Evans is one celebrity heartthrob that just about the entire internet loves. He's kind, he's romantic, and he has one of the greatest laughs ever. If you haven't read up on how much of a romantic the actor and director is, let me tell you, it's swoon-worthy. He told ET Online he considers himself “a very romantic guy" and that he's "romantic with [his] love of music or art or nature," and told ELLE that "if you're ever fortunate enough to love someone and have them love you back, it's worth protecting that." Again I say: swoon!

Chris is a pretty private person, but over the years, he's admitted just how much he wanted to settle down. Well, a little over a month ago, he finally tied the knot with fiancée Alba Baptista! 🎉 Here's everything you need to know about the wedding and the star-studded guest list.

The latest news on Chris Evans & Alba Baptista's relationship.

  • Chris Evans is known for being "a very romantic guy."
  • He tied the knot with Alba Baptista in September 2023.
  • The couple reportedly had two "wonderful and beautiful" weddings, one in Massachusetts and one in Portugal.

Was Chris Evans at the Oscars 2024?

Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Vanity Fair

While Chris Evans and Alba Baptista might not have been at the Oscars, they did make headlines for getting cozy after the pre-Oscars party — and then made their red carpet debut at the Vanity Fair Oscars after-party! The couple looked amazing in black, white, and red (very Oscar-appropriate), and simple silhouettes & minimalist accessories gave them an overall romantic, relaxed look.

After a video speculating Alba and Chris might have separated after the actress was seen without her wedding ring, the couple showed up to the premiere of Chris Evans' new movie Red One and shared a hug on the carpet. And at the November 11 NYC premiere of the film, the couple showed up in complementary outfits and had their arms around each other. Don't worry, romantics — this couple doesn't seem to be going anywhere.

Where did Chris Evans and Alba Baptista get married?

Jason Merritt/Getty Images

Chris Evans and Alba Baptista had a small ceremony on September 9 at their home near Boston, Massachusetts. According to Page Six (who first broke the nuptial news), guests had to sign NDAs and give up their phones throughout the course of the wedding to keep everything private.

Who was at Chris Evans and Alba Baptista's wedding?

Arnold Jerocki/Getty Images for Miu Miu

Guests included family and close friends of the couple. When I saw that list included Scarlett Johansson, Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, and Jeremy Renner, who all costarred with Chris Evans in the MCU, I genuinely had to fight the tears. See a photo here!

It also appears that Jamie Chung and Bryan Greenburg, as well as John Krasinki and Emily Blunt, attended the wedding as well.

What has Chris Evans said about his marriage to Alba Baptista?

Craig Barritt/Getty Images for ReedPop

Over the weekend, Peoplereported that Chris finally opened up about his marriage during New York Comic Con! Not only did the lucky audience get to see his wedding band but they also learned Chis and Alba hadtwo weddings. The second one was in Portugal which makes perfect sense given the fact Alba is from Lisbon, Portugal.

Happily gushing about both ceremonies, Chris said they were "wonderful and beautiful." He also mentioned he and Alba have been focusing on embracing this new season in their lives while gearing up to enjoy all fall has to offer. He truly is a dreamy and romantic man.

How did Chris Evans meet Alba Baptista?

Andreas Rentz/Getty Images for European Shooting Stars

Fans have speculated that the actors met in the summer of 2021, when they were both in Europe filming (he was filming Netflix action flick The Gray Man opposite Ana de Armas and she was filming Warrior Nun). After interacting with each other on social media, People reported in November 2022 the couple had been dating "for over a year and it's serious...They are in love and Chris has never been happier. His family and friends all adore her."

Throughout 2022, Chris posted jump-scare videos on Instagram (where he would scare his family members, and then they'd scare him), and at the beginning of 2023, he made his relationship with Alba Instagram official by posting a compilation of videos where the couple scared each other!

Who is Alba Baptista?

Manolo Pavón/Netflix

Alba Baptista is an award-winning actress who we've seen in titles like Warrior Nun and Mrs. Harris Goes To Paris. She won the Berlin Film Festival's European Shooting Star Award and the award for Best Actress at the Festival Iberico de Cine, and on top her awards, she was also named one of IMDb’s Top 10 Breakout Stars of 2020!

We hope we get to see Chris Evans and Alba Baptista together in a movie soon ;).

This post has been updated.

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How To Build A Local Community When You’re A Digital Creator

Verizon
verizon

In our Take 5 series, sponsored by Verizon, we ask women in business about unexpected challenges, their inspirations, recent wins, and how the free Verizon Small Business Digital Ready Program has helped propel their business forward. Here, we meet Rita Suzanne, a marketing strategist for health and wellness businesses who learned to network, connect with other entrepreneurs, and build her business online and IRL.

What's an unexpected business challenge that you've had to face and how did you overcome it?

The hardest thing for me was my sister passed away and I ended up taking custody of my nieces. I ended up being a single mom of four kids. This is the thing that transitioned my whole entire life. I stopped doing web design and started my podcast Mom Owned and Operated. I wanted to reconnect with other moms and figure out how they were able to run their businesses and raise a family and take care of themselves because I wasn't able to do all three at the same time. Through that journey, I realized that I really needed to connect with other people and how important it was for my business. It helped me to create that community that I was yearning for that I didn't realize that I needed.

What's a recent small win for your business?

For me, the win was just pivoting back to something that I actually wanted to do. Also, I’ve started to say no to things that I no longer want to do.

Who is a woman in business that you look up to and why?

I have always admired and looked up to Amy Porterfield [author of Two Weeks Notice]. I listened to her all the time when I was starting out. I think that she's amazing and I love her stuff. She just seems like a very genuine person.

Is there a resource that has made an impact on you as an entrepreneur?

I listen to a lot of audio books. One of my favorites that has been huge for me is You Are A Badass by Jen Sincero. I was told when I first started my business, by a friend who was a business coach, that I have a mindset problem. Ten years ago, I had no idea even what “mindset” was. Sincero’s book helped me to see what she meant by “mindset” and helped me adjust that mindset and fix some of the things that I didn't realize were broken.

How has the Verizon Small Business Digital Ready Program helped propel your business forward?

There are a lot of things that I have loved about it. There are local networking and training opportunities, and that has been great, and the online training is very valuable. It's a great resource. I find that marketing needs a three-tiered approach, meaning you need to network it locally, socially, and then also have a very comprehensive online approach to your marketing. One of the Verizon Small Business trainings that I took was all about taking advantage of your local resources. I found that to be extremely valuable because often people think they need to just focus on social media. I don't think that people focus enough on their local community.

Learn more about the free Verizon Small Business Digital Ready Program and Rita Suzanne.

Illustration by Daniela Jordan-Villaveces

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Your First Look At 'The Handmaid’s Tale' Season 6, Plus When You Can Watch New Episodes

There are a few dystopian stories that feel so relevant, they almost feel like nonfiction, and readers have always considered Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale to be one of those stories. The book was published in 1985 to rave reviews, and when Hulu adapted the novel into a TV show in 2017, it became the first streaming series to win the Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series. No big deal!

Fans have been waiting for news on the show ever since the season 5 finale aired in November of 2022, and after a nearly two-year wait, The Handmaid's Tale season 6 is finally in production. Here's everything you need to know about the final installment of the hit series, including a sneak peek from the upcoming season.

Is there a season 6 of Handmaid's Tale release date?

Elisabeth Moss/Instagram

We don't have an exact release date for The Handmaid's Tale season 6 yet, but we do know it'll premiere in the spring of 2025, according to Disney+'s first look in their Coming In 2025 teaser video. That ideally means we could see it anywhere from March to May!

The eligibility period for the Emmys ends in May, meaning the show will be eligible for 2025 Emmys consideration! The Handmaid's Tale season 6 was scheduled to film in 2023 but was delayed due to last summer's Hollywood strikes.

On September 7, actress Elisabeth Moss posted an image from set. "Guess who's back? Production on the final season has officially started," the caption reads. In addition to starring as June, Moss will direct the first episode of season 6.

Your First Look At Season 6

Disney+/YouTube

Of the clips shown in Disney+'s sneak peek of The Handmaid's Tale in their Coming In 2025 teaser video, the first shows Serena saying: "Something big is about to happen." 👀

Disney+/YouTube

The next clip shows a wide shot of June walking with a backpack down a long dirt road.

Disney+/YouTube

The final clip from the most recent season 6 sneak peek shows June with a look of stern determination on her face, saying: "Let's bring them home." Oh, we are so pumped.

What is The Handmaid's Tale season 6 about?

Sophie Giraud/Hulu

The Handmaid's Tale season 6 is sure to pick up right where season 5 left off: June and Nichole board a train for Vancouver (to later transfer to a boat bound for Hawaii), while Luke stays behind at the train station and is arrested for the death of a truck driver who attempted to assassinate June. On the train, June is reunited with Serena and Noah.

Who's in the cast of The Handmaid's Tale season 6?

Sophie Giraud/Hulu

The Handmaid's Tale stars Elisabeth Moss, Bradley Whitford, Yvonne Strahovski, Max Minghella, O-T Fagbenle, Samira Wiley, Ann Dowd, Madeline Brewer, Amanda Brugel, and Sam Jaeger. Sydney Sweeney, Alexis Bledel, and McKenna Grace have also had roles on the show.

Alexis Bledel won the Emmy for Best Supporting Actress in 2018!

Is The Handmaid's Tale done?

Sophie Giraud/Hulu

The show is almost done! The Handmaid's Tale season 6 will be the last installment of the series.

Is The Testaments going to be a series?

Amazon

Yes, Margaret Atwood's 2019 novel The Testamentswill be a Hulu TV show. The book revolves around Aunt Lydia from The Handmaid's Tale (played by Ann Dowd in both series), Agnes, who lives in Gilead, and Daisy, who lives in Canada. Bruce Miller, who was the showrunner for the first five seasons of The Handmaid's Tale, will be showrunner for The Testaments.

Are you excited for The Handmaid's Tale season 6? Check back here for the latest news on the series.

Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.

This post has been updated.

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We Just Got A Major 'White Lotus' Season 3 Update

I'll never stop daydreaming about the sunny, all-inclusive resorts popping up on Instagram (including Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's dreamy Bahamas vacation). And now that The White Lotus season 3 is officially on its way, I'm daydreaming about a beach vacay even more! (Well, just without the drama, please.)

Even though we won't be getting season 3 until 2025, there's still plenty to be excited about. Keep checking back here for all the most important White Lotus theories, plot, cast, and release date details. Until then, check out our best new TV shows of 2024!

Keep reading for the latest news on HBO's The White Lotus season 3.

  • The White Lotus season 3 is coming to HBO and Max in 2025.
  • This year, we're headed to Thailand.
  • The cast includes Leslie Bibb, Carrie Coon, Walton Goggins, Dom Hetrakul, Sarah Catherine Hook, Jason Isaacs, Parker Posey, Natasha Rothwell, Patrick Schwarzenegger, and Aimee Lou Wood.

Check Out The First Look At 'The White Lotus' Season 3

Max

Max's latest preview for the 2024-2025 season gives us a look at Dune: Prophecy, The Last of Us season 2, and The White Lotus season 3. This season, we're headed to Thailand and this first look is beautiful. However, if past seasons are any indication these carefree vacation vibes won't last long...but we'll enjoy them while they're here.

Max

We also get a look at Natasha Rothwell's return as Belinda, who's the character we've been waiting to see! I need this floral 'fit for my next vacation.

When can I watch The White Lotus season 3?

Fabio Lovino/HBO

Max confirmed on August 5 that we'd see The White Lotus season 3 in 2025. Stay tuned for an official release date!

Your First Look At The White Lotus Season 3

Sam Nivola/Instagram

Cast member Sam Nivola shared some photos from the set of The White Lotus season 3 set featuring Sarah Catherine Hook and Patrick Schwarzenegger (along with their friend Iris Apatow) hanging out on a boat together. Talk about a dreamy work day!

"The pookinator is looking absolutely FIRE tonight," Sam says on Instagram. "LOML," Sarah Catherine commented, while Patrick added a bunch of heart-eye smiles.

Who's in The White Lotus season 3 cast?

Fabio Lovino/HBO

The White Lotus season 3 cast is slowly rolling in, with characters which range from 18 years old to 80-something, and include a patriarch, a corporate executive, an actress, two mothers, a misfit, and a yogi. Naturally, the internet immediately started fan casting who'd get to be in the new season. Fans have tagged everyone from Dianna Agron (by far the most popular fan cast) to Keke Palmer and Harry Styles. I feel like it's only a matter of time before we see Madelyn Cline. 👀

So far, The White Lotus season 3 cast includes Leslie Bibb, Miloš Biković, Carrie Coon, Christian Friedel, Walton Goggins, Dom Hetrakul, Sarah Catherine Hook, Jason Isaacs, Michelle Monaghan, Sam Nivola, Morgana O’Reilly, Lek Patravadi, Shalini Peiris, Parker Posey, Natasha Rothwell, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Tayme Thapthimthong, and Aimee Lou Wood.

On February 12, it was announced the BLACKPINK's Lisa would join The White Lotus season 3, but her role has yet to be disclosed. It will be the singer's acting debut, and she'll be credited under her given name Lalisa Manobal. Since the season begins filming this month, we're sure to get updates soon! Jennie from BLACKPINK also made her acting debut recently in HBO's The Idol!

What is The White Lotus season 3 about?

Mario Perez/HBO

“It’s going to be a supersized White Lotus,” creator Mike White told EW. “It’s going to be longer, bigger, crazier. I don’t know what people will think, but I am super excited, so at least for my own barometer, that’s a good thing…I’m super excited about the content of the season.”

While the first season provided commentary on money, and the second season highlighted sex, Mike says at the end of the second season finale featurette, “The White Lotus: Unpacking S2 E7,” that he hoped at the time to move to something resembling even more of a black comedy: “I think the third season would be maybe a satirical and funny look at death and Eastern religion and spirituality. It feels like it could be a rich tapestry to do another round at White Lotus.”

Who is the recurring character in White Lotus season 3?

Mario Perez/HBO

Natasha Rothwell, who we all loved in season one as spa manager Belinda Lindsey, will return for The White Lotus season 3. No other cast members have been announced just yet.

“I've just finished the season 3 scripts, and I'm going to have to say White Lotus is going to give you a run for your money,” Natasha tells PEOPLE. While she “can’t confirm or deny” just how much we'll see her in season 3, Natasha does promise "it's an excellent season and people are going to be very pleased.” We can't wait!

Where is season 3 of White Lotus going to be?

Mario Perez/HBO

The White Lotus season 3 will take place in Thailand. The show will be filming in and around Koh Samui, Phuket, and Bangkok, Thailand (via Variety).

Does Daphne sleep with Ethan?

HBO

There was a lot to process at the end of The White Lotus season 2, but one detail that wasn't confirmed at the time was whether Daphne (played by Meghann Fahy) and Ethan (Will Sharpe) ended up sleeping together. However, Meghann pretty much confirmed it when she talked about the season with Variety.

"I definitely think something happened," she says. "I don't know what exactly happened, but I do know that it was something. Honestly, in that moment, I think Daphne just saw this broken man and wanted to do something to make him feel more empowered in her own strange way. I really don’t think that she led him there to get back at Cameron or Harper."

Will Jennifer Coolidge be in season 3 of White Lotus?

Mario Perez/HBO

No, sadly Jennifer Coolidge is not coming back for The White Lotus season 3. “I’m jealous of everyone that’s going," she tells TODAY.com. "I just want to stress I’m not a good sport about it, but there’s nothing I can do. When they kill you, you have to accept it. Because it means they’re not calling for your costume sizes or anything."

But Jennifer is just as sad as we are that she's not in the new installment! "I just want to say in all honesty, I’m very sad I’m not in it," she continues. “I think it’s going to be good. There’s going to be all sorts of good stuff in it, probably great sex stuff. You know how Mike White writes — it’s never, never a dull moment. I think he’s going to slay with this one.”

Will Meghann Fahy reprise her role as Daphne?

HBO

So far an actual confirmation is TBD, but we could see Daphne and other stars from The White Lotus grace our screens at a point during Season 3. She told Deadline, "He [Mike White] did once say that he would love to do like an episode with Theo and me and the couple from the first season, Alex and Jake."

We're imagining how chaotic that episode will be if it comes to fruition!

What's your biggest theory for The White Lotus season 3? Until the new installment drops on Max and HBO, read up on the Fall Movies you won't want to miss in 2024!

This post has been updated.

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