Makeup Tips From A Pro

June 21, 2012

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A few weeks ago my friend Amber came over to share some easy makeup tips with me to update my look a bit, since I haven’t changed my eyeshadow in about 5 years.  She’s been a makeup artist for years and is my go-to lately whenever I have questions about new products.  I love that she uses so many different brands in all different price points, from very affordable to high-end.  She’s also honest enough to tell me I need to throw away old product and move on, which I appreciate quite a bit.  The main purpose of our session was to gain some quick tips for a simple, fresh, everyday look that I could achieve in 15 minutes or less, and for her to asses my current makeup situation and tell me where I had holes and needed to fill in the gap.  In this first part I’ll share some of her top tips every woman should know.   Amber was at my house for about 2 hours and while we chatted and laughed for a good portion of that time, I also learned some new tips from her, like applying foundation after the rest of my face was done.  I have always applied foundation first, so learning this new trick was quite cool and has saved me time with touch ups from eyeshadow dust and mascara smudges.  Quite brilliant if you ask me!  Also, she used this cool brush when applying my eyeshadow and created an almost triangle effect in the crease of my lid.  I had always just sort of brushed it on in a curved shape.  This completely changed the look of the shadow on my eye.  Read below for Amber’s top 5 tips she finds most important to share with all women looking for a quick lift to their makeup routine… 1) have the right tools. Invest in some decent brushes (they don’t have to cost a fortune )but by using quality tools your applications will be a lot smoother and last longer.

2) pick one feature and emphasis that. Some women love lipstick and hate eyeshadow, others make it a point to always play up their eyes. Find something you love and showcase it.

3) choose the correct foundation. If this means trying a hundred different brands so be it. It can affect the overall look in so many ways. Also- apply foundation last. If you make any mistakes with the eye area it’s easier to correct if you don’t have to worry about evening out your foundation after the fact.

4) find a mascara that compliments your eyelashes. Even if you choose not to showcase your eyes – a quick coat of mascara can spruce up any look

5) blush & highlight or bronze. All three of these will make you look refreshed and awake even when you’ve only had four or less hours of sleep. Here are some shots of the makeup session in progress.  Like I said, we talked a lot, but if I were to just apply my makeup like this, it would take me about 10-15 minutes, the perfect amount of time I can spare each day.  Next week I’ll share the AFTER pictures, as well as the products she used on me to achieve the look. If you’d like to contact Amber, you can find her on Facebook at Sweet Emotions Makeup Artistry.  She’s available for photo shoots, weddings, and any other time you want to look and feel your best.


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This & That

June 20, 2012

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Forgive me but this week I’m distracted a bit.  We’ve decided to set up a nursery for the baby, I have about 10 DIY projects bubbling and brewing, which will all be posted next week, and I just can’t think of many “style” related topics to cover today when all I can think of is baby, baby, baby. So in the mean time, I thought I’d share with you a picture of the cutest little photo bomber ever.   This picture cracks me up and makes me smile every single time I look at it.  I also wanted to share with you one of my favorite things to eat on the whole planet; the granny smith apple fries from Legoland.  Unbelievable!  If you’ve never really read my other blog, you may think my DIY’s are limited to jewelry and accessories, but I get crafty with the kids quite often as well.  Here’s the latest project I posted over at Four Flights of Fancy; Iridescent Watercolor Paper Lanterns.  The kids made all of these, but aren’t they sophisticated enough for a grown up backyard party? Lastly, today I drove down to Ikea to test out the Poang rocking chair.  I love the look of it, the price and it ended up being rather comfortable.  For $139, you can’t beat the price, especially for something that will be used every day for the next year or two.  If you have any interest on what else I’m pinning, you can find me here, username FourFlights.

I’ll be back to posting fabulousness in the next day or two.  I just need a bit of time to linger in the fact that I only have 10 weeks left in this pregnancy.  While I’m excited to meet he or she soon, I’m also really enjoying this time in my life and trying to soak it all in.  Thanks for understanding 😉

 


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Daily Style – Surviving a Day At the Park

June 19, 2012

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The family and I took a quick little trip down to Carlsbad on Father’s Day to go to Legoland and relax a bit.  Art’s work schedule is preventing him from taking a vacation during summer break so we had to make a quick getaway while we could.  Walking around an amusement park all day while 30 weeks pregnant was not the most pleasurable thing I’ve ever done, but with a few essentials and comfortable, functional clothing items, I was able to make it as enjoyable a day as possible.

The cotton crossbody bag I’m carrying around was picked up 2 years ago at Old Navy and has been great for summer day trips like this.  It’s lightweight, holds a ton and allows me to be hands free at all times.  Packed inside are all the essentials you need to survive a day at the park:

Sunglasses, hand cream because all the hand washing will leave your hands feeling dry, wallet and a kindle.  The kindle saved me many bored hours since I couldn’t get on any rides.  My Gussy Sews zipper pouch is the perfect size to hold just a few odds and ends including lipgloss, lipstick, chapstick, and extra rubber bands.  You burn a lot of energy with all that walking, which leaves you in a constant state of hunger.  Packing a few snacks to get you and the kids through the day will save you some money and help you avoid cranky episodes.

In terms of what to wear, I try to strike the balance between feeling stylish, yet still looking like I’m dressed appropriately for the occasion, which means no wedge platforms.  For this trip I chose an on-trend pair of colored denim shorts, a simple white tank top and a lightweight layering shirt to help protect my shoulders and arms from the sun, and to keep my warm if it was chilly.  Although we’re deep in June already, it is still rather overcast on most days in Southern California, so it doesn’t get much above 70-75 degrees.  A hat is essential to protect my face from UV rays, and a cute pair of trainers complete the look in a casual, yet still current way.  My New Balance have pops of neon on them, perfectly suited for me. How do you survive a day at the park, looking put together yet still feeling functional and comfortable?  Do you relax and let style go for one day, or do you try to strike a balance?  And what are your essentials you pack along for the day?


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DIY Anthropologie Inspired Statement Necklace

June 15, 2012

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My friend Mary has started DIY’ing her own jewelry too, and it’s been fun to have someone else to get creative with.  She saw this Orinoco Necklace from Anthropologie and fell in love, but knew she could make something similar for less than $68.  The necklace on the right is her interpretation, and one she actually made for me, as seen here and here.  I love it so, and think it turned out fab.  All supplies are from Michael’s and you can make your own too by following the simple beading steps I lay out in my jewelry DIY’s, using jump rings, crimp beads and a closure.  Simple and easy peasy.

Have a great weekend everyone!  Any fun DIY projects you’re working on?


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Louis Vuitton Fall Campaign

June 15, 2012

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I don’t normally post many ad campaigns and collections on here, especially in the designer realm, but I did have to share this peek into the upcoming Louis Vuitton campaign, set to launch in August. 
From the brand:

GOING PLACES: Making good use of the extravagant train-station set for its fall fashion show, Louis Vuitton made a locomotive the backdrop for its next campaign — and is dispatching it to Shanghai for a gala taking place next month. “We wanted to continue the journey we started with the fashion show,” said Vuitton’s artistic director Marc Jacobs, adding the ads are meant to evoke “the glamour of travel and the romance of going somewhere.”

Steven Meisel photographed 10 female models and four male porters in the reconstructed interior of the Louis Vuitton Express in a New York studio. It’s the first time the brand has sought to evoke the exact ambiance of its Paris show. Ads are slated to break in August magazines worldwide.

A dedicated Web site — louisvuittonexpress.com — is to document the train’s journey from Paris from July 5. When it chugs into the show site on Shanghai’s famous Bund at 9 p.m. on the 19th, models are to disembark in the fall collection and circle the train, just as they did in Paris. The event coincides with an exhibition of travel articles and the opening of Vuitton’s first maison in China — a four-level unit at the Plaza 66 complex.

Sounds very romantic, and very costly.  Well done Mr. Jacobs.  But what I like most about this ad campaign, and why I had to share it, was because of its slight resemblance to the attire Lady Mary or Lady Edith might wear in Downton Abbey.  Anyone else see it?  Perhaps I’m just reaching and grasping for straws, in part due to my utter sadness over having to wait until 2013 to watch Season 3.  You decide. 

 



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To the One That Makes Me Laugh

June 14, 2012

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This is my husband, making fun of me and all the other geeks that take pictures of their food before eating it to post on Instagram.  He was working on perfecting his composition.

Today my husband turns 38 and I’d like to take this opportunity since I have a blog, to tell him the things I wouldn’t normally tell him in person, sitting right in front of him.  I mean, how embarrassing to actually have to sit down in front of someone and say nice things to them, tell them all the ways you admire and respect them.  Makes me feel flush just thinking about it.  What did people do before the internet and email and all that jazz?  I guess write letters.  At any rate, here goes.

Dear Art,

Thank you for making me laugh.  Every day, whether I want to stay grumpy or not, you always find a way to make me smile and laugh.  Thank you for being the positive person that you are.  I love and admire your faith in God, and that you are always there to talk to me about my doubts and questions.  Thank you for always believing in me and our children, for always seeing the best in us no matter what.  Thank you for your continual support in all my hair brained ideas, and for believing in me, and for working hard so I can follow those ideas and dreams.  Thank you for being ambitious, while at the same time a little lazy.  The mix of the two makes you in my view, the perfect family man.  You work hard enough to succeed and provide for your family, but you can easily be cajoled into stepping away from work for a bit to take your son to the Pediatrician or to grab a donut with us.  I love that you realize that in life, there needs to be a balance.  Some men don’t know that, and I’m so grateful you do.  Thank you for allowing me to be lazy sometimes and always getting up to fetch me some water or ice cream when we’re sitting on the couch at night, and never ever complaining about it.  As I write this at 6 am, after going to bed early and leaving you with all the dishes, I realize that I could go on and on.  Tell you how wonderful you are with the kids, and tell you I appreciate the fact that after 13 years of marriage, you still try to get fresh any chance you get (even though I act annoyed, I’m glad you still find me attractive).  But I think I’ll leave some stuff for the card.  And maybe actually tell you some things in person 😉

Happy Birthday Art!  I love you more than I could ever put into words!

All joking aside, I really do tell my husband nice things to his face 😉  Maybe just not as often as I should, but on someone’s birthday I firmly believe you should take any opportunity you have to tell someone just how special they are, however unconventional that may be!


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Daily Style – Sheer Layers

June 13, 2012

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Dress – Old Navy; Blouse – American Apparel; Hat – Target; Shoes – Red Valentino; Jewelry – Premier Designs Jewelry (and there’s a giveaway for these pieces on my other blog today!)

Some days I wonder why we style bloggers do what we do.  I mean, if pressed, I can of course tell you why I post outfit pics on a weekly basis.  But sometimes when I just think about it at a glance, I realize how silly it must seem to those that don’t blog and get it.  And to continue to post outfit pictures while pregnant seems even stranger at times.  It’s not like in my condition I can try much that’s ground breaking; my outfits are pretty standard after all.

But then I stop and realize that while this outfit may not be ground breaking, the addition of a sheer blouse over it as a layering piece, instead of a cardigan, is something new for me, and in turn may give someone else an idea they may have never thought of, give them another option to get more use out of a blouse in their closet.  Or topping off my look with a hat reminds me that I feel good in hats and I should wear them more often.

I’m not really sure where I’m going with this and I realize that I may be rambling a bit, but I guess my point is that I don’t post these outfit pics just to fetch compliments and “oh you look so cute!” comments (although let me tell you compliments are amazing while pregnant).  I post outfit pictures to give myself ideas, to give you ideas, whether you like it or not I guess 😉  To brainstorm out loud if you will, and figure out ways to restyle tired pieces and make them look new (this dress is 4 years old after all), to realize what looks good on you (like hats perhaps), and what looks wrong on you (like maybe just too much stuff).  It’s like one big Mensa think tank, only we are trying to figure out ways to incorporate neon into our wardrobe, not solve math equations.  Works for me!  Happy Wednesday friends, and thanks for allowing me the rambly post.  I’m obviously tired and must go to bed!


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Daily Style – Crimson & Stripes

June 12, 2012

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Skirt – ASOS Maternity; Top – local boutique Tullemoss; Layering Tank – James Perse; Shoes – Dolce Vita; Necklace – DIY by my friend Mary

Sunday, two of my closest friends Miranda and Sarah threw an intimate baby shower luncheon with just a few of our mutual friends for my friend Ali and I.  Ali is expecting her 4th girl on June 18th, with me 10 weeks behind her.  We were quite honestly a bit nervous that Ali wouldn’t make it to the shower, but baby girl decided to keep cooking away and let momma enjoy an afternoon to herself.  It was a lovely afternoon, made even better by cake pops and ginormous balloons.

My dressier clothing options are getting more and more limited.  Neither of these dresses fit me anymore, which I was counting on lasting me through the end of the pregnancy, so I had to get a little creative.  Long layering tanks have been my fall back staple item because I can just layer it underneath a too-short shirt and feel okay.  I sleep in them and wear them virtually every day.

I turn 30 weeks on Thursday and at my check up yesterday, I had gained 29 lbs already.  I was disappointed for a brief moment, but then I snapped out of it and got myself a muffin.  Really, despite what the scale says, I feel good about my body right now.  I’m going to the gym 2 days a week and staying active almost ever other day.  Sure, I could be doing more, but I’m also really enjoying myself and feeling pretty stress-free when it comes to this pregnancy.  I’ll take a relaxed pregnancy over a 25 lb weight gain any day, thank you very much.


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DIY Neon & Nude Asymmetrical Manicure

June 11, 2012

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Nail art isn’t usually part of my manicure routine.  It’s pretty impressive and all, I just usually stick to the classics.  But when I saw Love Meagan’s reinterpretation of this neon and nude manicure, I wanted to give it a try since I love the color combination so much.  Since I’m a nail art novice I was a bit intimated to try any fancy art brushes or anything, so I opted for a simple asymmetrical french tip manicure instead. All you need is a neutral base coat – I love Essie’s Sand Tropez, as previously stated here, a NEON color for the tips, a clear top coat and some painter’s tape or artist’s tape like I used here.  I would think standard tape might easily peel off your bottom coat. Apply your neutral base coats, and let dry completely – don’t rush it!  Then tape off at an angle the tips of each finger and apply your coats of neon color.  Let dry again, peel off tape, and then apply your clear top coat.  That’s it! A fun and easy way to get your toes wet in the DIY world of nail art.  Let me know if you have any questions or any tips for me, since I’m hardly the nail art expert! 😉 Linking up with the Heathers for Mani Monday


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For the Love Of – Happy Weekends

June 9, 2012

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Good morning friends. It’s almost 8 am and my husband is still asleep, in an Umami Burger coma. The kids spent the night at my parent’s house last night, and while our original plan was to go to the movies, the pregnant girl’s belly had other plans. And so we skipped a movie and decided to go for a culinary adventure instead, and tried Umami Burger for the first time. I went with the Hatch burger and he went with the classic Umami burger. It was nice to be out just the two of us after an emotional week. Things we were pulling our hair out at just a couple of days prior, we were able to laugh off. Always a good thing to get grounded and remember what’s important right? We came home and watched an episode of Downton Abbey. Not since Mad Men has a show captured my attention. It’s our new obsession and I love that it’s as good as the hype. We have big plans before the kids come home at 1 pm; go get coffee and donuts and sit outside on the patio and read, hang our new lighting fixtures, finish a DIY project for the blog next week and fold all the laundry I didn’t get to yesterday.  Slightly ambitious I think?  At any rate, while he sleeps, I browse and came across these gorgeous modern B/Perrino Quilts from a tweet from Kathy.  My taste is pretty traditional, but I love and appreciate a touch of modern and think one of these quilts would be perfect for the new baby, especially since we’re not planning on setting up a proper nursery like we did with the first 2, and it’s pretty gender neutral.  Poor kid, already getting the shaft and Shim isn’t even born (Shim = She/Him since we don’t know the sex.  Mandy coined the name).  More beautiful pieces on her shop pictured below.

Other things I found interesting, pretty, funny and hilarious this week include:

The Neon & Nude manicure that inspired Love Maegan’s – I think I’ll give it a try for my baby shower tomorrow.

28 Ways Sex & The City Would Be Different If It Were On TV Now – so spot on.

Pinterest You Are Drunk made me laugh for about an hour this week, but this naked pregnant giraffe body painting takes the cake.  Forgetting that my Pinterest activity shows up on my Facebook wall, I horrified my friends this week when I commented that I was “totally doing this all over my naked pregnant belly.”  Of course I’m joking…or am I?

Miranda and I are studding a pair of high top sneakers for our girls this summer and I have to admit I’m a bit jealous of them.  But I found this article on How to Wear High Top Sneakers Without Looking Like a 12 Year Old, so maybe I’ll try?

A different, yet equally talented Miranda posted a picture of herself that I’ve wanted to post as well, but have been too chicken to try.  She interviewed a Dermatologist friend and she recommended some skin care products to help fight/combat signs of aging so I’m all over it, of course 😉

My good friend Jules, who writes Pancakes & French Fries (read her blog, you won’t regret it. She is witty and smart and funny and dry, all things I love in a woman).  Anyhow, she has a book club that you can participate in.  I personally never get into the commentary because I’m a terrible book critic, but I love to read and stalk the book club’s Pinterest page and give my two cents on what they all should read.  So if you’re looking for an online book club, The Phenomenally Indecisive Book Club is where it’s at.

Adios for now my friends.  Off to wake up the mister.  I want a donut!  You guys have any fun plans this weekend?

all images via B/Perrino Quilts via Etsy


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