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Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Attitude Gratitude for 2014!

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I don't know about you all, but I always get a little depressed after Christmas... every year... without fail. I'm not sure why exactly, it's not that I'm upset that I'm not getting presents anymore or anything like that. I think it's more that the whole holiday season is so exciting with the lights out, Christmas carols, baking, and shopping, and all the fun things to do. Then afterwards it's just kind of, nothing. Sad :(

So this year to combat the inevitable depressive state I wanted to turn my attitude around and focus on all the things I am grateful for that happened in 2014! So here we go!

  • First and foremost and always.... my family! I have the most amazing family in the whole world and a large one - my husband, mom, brother, grandma, aunts uncles, cousins, in-laws, and everyone! They are always there to cheer me up, support me, tease me, and love me! Thanks all!
  • I found a job this year, after my short stint of unemployment in 2013, which was a huge relief. Although I wasn't there long, I did meet some great people.
  • Then in July I started another new job that is a little more in line with my future goals, and I received a bit more money which is always welcome.
  • My new car; it's the one I've been wanting for a long time and I was so excited to be able to get it!
  • The hubs also got a new job that he loves so much more than the one before. It has made him so happy and excited which is wonderful to see :)
  • The hubs and I have also been able to re-solidify our relationship this year and really work on finding quality time to enjoy with each other.
  • Starting this blog, of course! I've really enjoyed the chance to write on a regular basis and share my opinions, thoughts, and fun with you!
These are the highlights of my year... and of course there are more things that I'm thankful for. Because once you open that door, it's really hard to shut! 

So often for the New Year we're thinking of the future, goals, and what's to come. But I think we often forget to think back. Ok, yes, there's Thanksgiving, but we can be grateful more than once a year right?

So this year, before you start setting your goals and working yourself up over all the things still to accomplish (only me?), sit down for a minute, or two, or ten, and write down whatever you're grateful for from 2014. 

I find it so much easier to write goals that are meaningful and obtainable, once I've given myself a little pat on the back for everything I've accomplished or just am thankful for from the year before. 

Happy New Year everyone! I hope you had a wonderful 2014 and wish you all the best in 2015!

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Sunday, December 28, 2014

December 2014 Favorites

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First off, sorry for being MIA the last few weeks. The holidays definitely made my life a little more hectic and the package I was waiting for to write a post on still hasn't arrived yet. But, hey, I'm here now and I have a new favorites post for you all!

This month I didn't think I really had any favorites, but when I really thought about it there were a few products that I have been using without fail and have made this month better (beauty-wise)!

The Body Shop
Shea Body Whip
I really love this brand, especially their Shea scent, mmmm... so good. The body whip is really nice and moisturizing. I also love that it soaks in so quickly, a little more so than the body butters (which I also love).

BareMinerals
READY Touch Up Veil
I use the shade Light as a finishing powder over foundation. I have never tried BareMinerals before, I was never really into mineral makeup. I'm just not a fan of loose powder getting everywhere, but I digress. This is a pressed powder and it is great to add a little more coverage to foundation. It also provides an illuminating effect (especially in the under-eye area). It provides good coverage and makes my skin look luminescent!

Too Faced
Absolutely Flawless Flexible Coverage Concealer
I have the shade Vanilla. It's taken a while for this concealer to grow on me; I guess I expect miracles. I have some serious dark circles to cover and am always hopeful that I'll find the concealer that masks them permanently. So this concealer isn't that miracle, but I found when I used less product (I mean a tiny amount) and then my Touch Up Veil I've been getting some fantastic results. Again you don't use very much product at all or it'll look cakey, but when used with a light hand.... it works wonders!

Redken (Not Cruelty-Free)
Satinwear Prepping Blow-Dry Lotion
I bought this from my hairdresser (gotta support the local businesses!) to combat all this winter dryness and the frizziness that comes with it. And I've gotta say, it's amazing! I put a dime size amount through my hair, starting with the ends first. This lotion makes my hair feel so soft and silky and continues with that even after blow drying. I have also noticed a definite decrease in frizz. But of course, this is Colorado and the dryness is a constant battle.

Well those were my December favorites. With the New Year coming, I'll be trying to be better about keeping my posts scheduled and consistent.

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Tuesday, December 16, 2014

December Ipsy Bag

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I am so excited, I finally got myself signed up for Ipsy and received my 1st bag on Saturday!

It came in an ostentatious pink metallic mailing envelope. I tore into that bad boy and found the Ipsy makeup bag along with all these other goodies.


The bag came with the following:
I am most excited to try out the brush. It seems like a great design; one end is flat and wide for all over shadow, and the other end is a nice small tip for the corner or smoked out liner. 

Also, I've been wanting to get an eye cream for a long time. Because let's face it I'm getting older and need to get on the whole crows feet thing :) So I'm excited to give this cruelty-free, natural, and organic brand a chance.

As my first order, I didn't really know what to expect. But I was pleasantly surprised by the products and how close Ipsy came to almost a full cruelty-free bag. Also the size of the products was fantastic, even the sample sizes are big enough for multiple uses.

I'll keep you all posted on these products and what I think.

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Thursday, December 11, 2014

Great Gift - Nail Polish Set

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I got this Gwen Stefani Mini Holiday Stars set by OPI at a Christmas fair my hair salon had late in November. 

I loved the idea of all these minis in great holiday colors. I don't know about you guys but I can never finish a bottle of nail polish before it goes all gunky. So minis are IT for me. 

I've been trying out these polishes and felt I needed to talk about them while there was still a little time to pick this up as gift. 

First, can I say I just LOVE this set, it's colors, the formula, and the staying power! Thumbs up all around!


The set comes with 4 colors Red Finger & Mistletoes, What's Your Point-settia?, I Carol About About You, and Kiss Me --or Elf!

 I have worn 3 of the colors so far... and I'm so sorry but I forgot to take pictures of the first color I tried (the dark magenta color on the right)... oops. But I did take a picture of the dark purple, and the red. I'm saving the sparkly red for Christmas because... sparkle... and red!

The formula of these is just wonderful, it's a 3 swipes and you're done kind of deal. You don't really need a second coat, the coverage is really good. I, of course am a little obsessive about nail polish so I did 2 coats.

The staying power is also really great. It lasted 4 days to me with no chips and I stretched it to 5 or 6 days (a few chips, but eh, I'm a little lazy).

. 

The purple I put tried first with my nails filed in their usually square shape This color has almost a metallic sheen to it. Yes! I put a quick drying top coat on and it was beautiful.

Then I tried the red. I decided to go with a more oval shape for the nails - y'know to class it up a bit. And then because I was feeling crazy I decided to put a matte top coat on to make it a little modern. I'm not sure if I love the matte look. But it's kind of fun and different.

Overall I think this would be a great gift for any nail polish fanatic, occasional user, or newbie.


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Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Follow My Blog on Bloglovin'

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Stocking Stuffer Gift Ideas

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Stocking Stuffer Ideas




I don't know about you all, but I always struggle with buying stocking stuffers. I spend so much time trying to pick out the perfect gifts for people, so when it comes to stockings, I just don't know. 

In my family we all get stockings and stuffers, but specifically my mom, brother, husband and I. My mom and I have a tradition where we going stocking stuffer shopping together and have a blast (and a struggle) figuring what to buy. The men are especially difficult :)

Over the last few years my mom and I have developed a list of the items we like receive and like to purchase for the men. So here it is for you all! Usually we try to keep gifts under $10, but occasionally that amount is raised a little (video games can be pricey!). 

Some are fun and silly like the scratch tickets and liquor, but hey it's an adult Christmas at my house! And then of course every year we all get a dose of reality with toothbrushes, soaps, and deodorant. Every year we joke that we're just a bunch of stinky people. 

But hey! The guys always enjoy their gifts and my mom and I sure enjoy ours. 

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season and enjoy your shopping! Please let me know if you have some stocking stuffer ideas that you love to give or receive :)

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Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Decorating for Christmas

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Nothing better than spending Sunday watching Christmas movies and putting up decorations. I truly love when my house is all decorated and colorful!

I took some before and after pictures so you can see just how plain and empty my living room is before decorations. And then how beautiful everything looks afterword.


Oh my house is just that boring... I really need to do something about that... but now for Christmas it looks awesome, so that'll be for another day!





I love it! Now I really feel that the Christmas season is upon us!

I definitely be busting out the Christmas movies, listening to Christmas music, continue shopping for presents, baking cookies, and all the other holiday activities I love so much.

I don't know about you all but this is absolutely my favorite time of year. There's just something about it that makes me ever so happy and excited!

I hope you all have fun decorating and enjoy everything this season has to offer :) Merry Christmas!

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Monday, November 24, 2014

Night of Music Makeup

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Sorry this is late all, I unfortunately got sick this last week and didn't feel focused enough to write this post. But I'm here now... finally!

This is a follow-up to my last post where I posted what I wore to see Trans-Siberian Orchestra on November 15th. I also tried a new makeup look for my Night Out that I wanted to show you all! I was going for a dramatic smokey eye and I thought it turned out pretty well.

First, just so you all know... in reality I was trying to use a navy blue on the outer half of my lid, but it ended up looking weird and like I had a black eye, so most of this look is me trying to correct that. But all in all I really like how it turned out.


On my face I used my Urban Decay Complexion Primer Potion to ensure that my makeup stayed in place and then I used the Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion to keep my eye makeup set (I do get the greasy eyelids).

For my face I used It Cosmetics CC+ Cream which has been my goto foundation lately. And to correct those little blemishes I used the Too Faced Concealer in Vanilla. And then I contoured with some bronzer from The Body Shop and this Blush from Estee Lauder (I know this is not cruelty-free, but it was a gift and I don't believe in wasting).


Next, for the eyes (the most important) I used the It Cosmetics Naturally Pretty Eye Palette for my shadow. I used quite a few colors to correct the blue, but here's the rundown of what I did :)

On the outside half of my eyelid I used a flat brush to pat in the navy (which I later covered with dark brown). Next I used the same brush but the other side with a lighter pink/beige shade for the inner half of the lid. Then I would pat the line where they met with that same brush but flipping it to each side to blend. 

To blend everything out and make it smokey I took a tan color on a fluffy brush and went around the edges. Finally, I put the shimmery shade in the palette in the inner corner and on my brow bone.

Then I finished off the eye look with my liquid liner (see tutorial here) and Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes mascara.

And that's the final look. It just goes to show that sometimes a mistake can turn out to be a good thing.


Glad to be feeling better and I'm really excited for Thanksgiving coming up this week! Happy Holidays to you all!



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Thursday, November 20, 2014

5 Fave Bloggers

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Since I didn't really have any favorites this month I thought I'd do a post about my favorite beauty bloggers.
The whole reason I started blogging was due to my constant reading of other blogs. I really got into reading blogs last year while I was unemployed (hey something had to fill the empty hours!). I really enjoyed seeing others' opinions on beauty and fashion as well as a glimpse into their lives.
So I wanted to show you all 5 of these blogs that I really enjoy reading.

A Beautiful Mess
Lots of DIYs, decorating, beauty, and fashion. I just love the mix of topics and that the posts are written by a staff of people. This brings an eclectic view within the blog that keeps it fresh.

Cupcakes & Cashmere
This is a lifestyle blog with some fashion and beauty included. I really enjoy the weekly outfits posts and all the tips for home decorating and life after 30.

Essie Button
This blog is great, I just love Estee's style and her quirky personality. Always fun to read and I enjoy checking to see what she's up to.

Makeup By Tiffany D
Tiffany's blog is what sparked my interest in beauty blogs. She does some great reviews, tutorials, and I absolutely love her home decor posts.

So these are some blogs I would definitely recommend checking out as they have inspired me to start writing and have given me inspiration in beauty, style, home, and life!

Also, using Bloglovin' is a great way to follow these blogs and more! You can choose who to follow and get notifications when they post.

Thank you all and have a Happy Thanksgiving!

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Thursday, November 13, 2014

What I Wore - Night of Music

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On Saturday I went (despite the snow and cold!) with my family and husband to see Trans-Siberian Orchestra play at the Pepsi Center!

I was so excited to watch the orchestra, hear my favorite songs and start the Christmas season off right. I really enjoy these events as they help me get into the spirit of the holidays and get to spend time with my loved ones.

Now the show was a little (ok a lot) more rock n' roll and a lot less Christmas than I hoped. But I still enjoyed the lights, lasers, fire, and showmanship of the show.

Of course, I love to dress up. I'm a little embarrassed to say that I had been planning my outfit for weeks. Sad, I know... but it's true and it makes shopping fun because I know it's for something special.

As you probably know from a few posts ago, I have been struggling with my body image recently and so at first I really reluctant to go out and buy new clothes. But I have been trying to eat better and have started to workout again (hello yoga!) so I decided, what the hell I deserve to look nice.

So below is the outfit I ended up going with - a soft black peplum top, great for covering what needs to be covered, a jacket, because baby, it's cold outside, leggings and some boots.

Although it was extremely cold outside and snowing, I was quite comfortable during the show and really enjoyed the entertainment!



Jacket - Thrifted
Top - TJ Maxx
Leggings - Marshalls
Boots - Me Too Artic Riding Boot (DSW)

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Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Meet the Animals

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I was taking some haul pictures the other day and kept finding myself bombarded by animals. I realized that although my pets are an extremely important part of my life, I hadn't introduced them properly. Yes, they've starred in some social media photos, but this here is a real introduction.

I have a busy household with 1 dog and 2 cats, they each have such distinct personalities and they each bring me joy every day. So, without further ado, here are my pets!


Name: Styx (like the band, not the river)
Age: Almost 8
Gender: Male
Breed: Mix - medium length hair

Styx is like a dog-cat; as a youngster he played fetch, he comes to his name, and greets you every time at the door. He's even better at telling when your home than the dog is. He's the oldest and therefore can be a little grumpy sometimes around the other animals. But he's also sweet and loves to cuddle and will head butt for love!

Most enjoys - being petted, playing in boxes, and constantly trying to get outside.
Doesn't like - when I catch him and bring him back in the house, or the dog.
Drives us crazy when - he goes into a meowing fit because he saw something cool outside.
Favorite toy is - A box or milk jug plastic ring
Sleeps - In our bed or on any blanket that's been left out.
Cutest when - he sees food he wants or he's in a good mood; he gets all fluffy!


Name: Jack (as a kitten she had just 1 eye open and I called her a 1 eyed Jack, so the name stuck)
Age: 7
Gender: Female
Breed: Mix - short hair

Jack is more of a cat's cat. She loves water (obsessed is more the word), if you turn on a faucet she is there. She loves to hop in the tub after you've gotten out and drink any leftover water. She also loves to be petted and gets super into it. She is more playful than her brother and likes to chase strings and feathers. She's also learned that if she's friends with the dog she gets more attention so now they're besties!

Most enjoys - being petted, playing in boxes, playing with feathery cat toys, snuggling under the covers or blankets.
Doesn't like - when she's not fed exactly on time or strangers.
Drives us crazy when -  she goes into a meowing fit, just cuz!
Favorite toy is - a feather cat toy or hands under a blanket.
Sleeps - in the guest room on the bed.
Cutest when - she is playing or turns on her back.


Name: Sage
Age: Almost 6
Gender: Male
Breed: Golden Retriever

Sage is our baby and our first dog together. He is so well behaved! He does have a lot of energy, especially when people come over to the house. But he loves to snuggle and relax too. Although he often gets mistaken for a girl (he's just too pretty for his own good) he is all boy! He loves to rough house, play fetch, run, and goof off! He makes me laugh all the time.

Most enjoys - snuggling up with mom or dad, playing fetch, going to the park and running, running, running, ripping stuffing out of his toys.
Doesn't like - squirrels, skunks (don't ask!), or bully dogs... he just bullies them back.
Drives us crazy when -  people come over and he gets a little too excited
Favorite toy is - a ball on a rope! The only toy that's lasted and he loves more than anything.
Sleeps - in bed with us (I know, I know, but you say no to that face).
Cutest when - he's snuggling or when he tries to get all cute so you'll feed him something.

And of course they're even more adorable when they're sleeping together (an unusual sight)!



Well thank you all for taking the time to get to know my animals! I just love them so much and they bring so much joy into my life... I had to gush for a bit! Have a great weekend everyone!

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Thursday, November 6, 2014

Nails - Grey Sparkle

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Let's be honest for a sec here... I don't paint my nails very often. I am just more of a natural nail person with some clear top coat. Just FYI, I used to be way different; there was a time in my life when I had to have my nails painted all the time. I couldn't have them NOT painted :)

It's just funny how we change. Ok, back to business! I did make an effort and painted them this light grey color. And then just for fun, I had to add a stripe of glitter on the thumbs. 
Maybe not the the fall-est of colors but I thought this was fun and different without being too wacky!
What do you think?

Also please comment below if you have any videos you'd like to see in the coming months. I'm putting together the schedule now :)

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Thursday, October 30, 2014

Baby Shower Fun!

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This weekend was my cousin's baby shower, she is due in less than a month!

Somehow (I'm not sure how) I was put in charge of the games. I have designed paper games and signs in the past so maybe that's why. But for the last baby shower I was supposed to make a certain game and I ran out of time.  But this time I knew I had to do it... I know the suspense is killing you! I made...

Pin the Sperm on the Egg!

 Yes I know... a little vulgar, but to make it all more presentable the sperms have googly eyes and smiley faces and the egg is looking a little shocked to be so bombarded (you have to have a little humor right?)



For the sperm, I eyeballed the shaped and drew it on some poster board. Once I was happy with the shape I cut out that one sperm and then traced it about 30 times on the poster board. Then to help myself out a little with cutting I cut all the sperms out into squares. Then my husband (nice as he is) cut them all out for me. I have to give him a little shout out because the poor guy's hands were numb after cutting them all out :( Then he glued on the googly eyes and I added smiley faces and bowties with the help of my cousins. Thanks you 3!

Then for the uterus I wanted it to be pink on a dark background. At Hobby Lobby I found this dark blue poster board that I thought would work. And although I do like the color I don't think I would go this route again because the poster had texture to it and it didn't allow the glue to grip very well. I did find some nice board paper (for school bulletin boards) for the uterus that I laid over the blue poster and cut to size, then I taped down the edges and drew in the uterus to fit. I just looked up other "Pin the Sperm on the Egg" games on Pinterest and sketched out a shape that I thought would look nice. Then I cut out the shape with an X Acto Knife. Then I glued it down but left the Fallopian tubes dangling.

I stuck some pink cardstock under the ends of each side of the Fallopian tube to draw in the ovaries and glued it all down.

Then I drew an egg onto white and pink cardstock for dimension and drew in his surprised face!

At the party we use Sticky Tac to hang the poster and attach the sperm during the game so it would all come down easily.

Then because this was a lot of work, I wanted to be able to use the game again so I didn't want to write people's name on the sperm itself. So I numbered the back of each one and made corresponding tickets so we'd know who was where!

And that's it a homemade party game!

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October 2014 Favorites!

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Well now that November has began (and here in Colorado so has the rain!) I thought it'd be nice to look back at October and the items I enjoyed most that month.



Lights, Camera, Lashes 4-in-1 Mascara
My newest mascara from Tarte has blown me away (find here). It has a wet formula that is buildable and gives fantastic volume and length. Also, I haven't had any clump trouble with this mascara!

Express Rings
It's sad but true, I have tiny fingers (wrists, ankles, and head too, but that's another story) and I rarely find rings that are ready-to-wear. But this new fad of midi-rings has given me new hope! I found these gold rings at Express (similar here) and I love to mix and stack them on both my ring fingers. I think they're good quality and fit wonderfully!

Honey Bronze Bronzing Poweder
I received this bronzer as a gift with purchase at The Body Shop (find here).  I have the shade 01 - Light Matte and at first, I'll admit I thought it was too light to be of any use as a bronzer. But now, especially during the cooler months I find that I'm loving this lighter cooler, it gives my skin a subtle glow and definition without screaming BRONZER HERE! I've also been wearing as an eyeshadow on those morning when I just want something quick and simple and it lasts all day on my greasy lids!

Eye Shadow Brush
I purchased this Bdellium Tapered Blending Brush #785 on Amazon (find here) after seeing a recommendation from blogger, Killer Colours on the brand. It's a high quality fluffy blending brush. It makes easy work of blending out eyeshadows for the smokey look I love so much. And it's so soft and fluffy!

Happify App
Finally, this app (only available at the iTunes store as of now) has been a wonderful discovery. It's basically a little daily reminder to be happy. There are missions on the app for you to complete weekly. Some of this comes in forms of games, some are lists (what made you happy this morning, what are you grateful for, etc...), and then there are some relaxation and mediation exercises. I really love that right on my phone I have the ability to take a moment out of my day and focus on being more positive.

Well that's October in a nutshell! Now that November is here I'm excited for hot chocolate and cider, warm night's with a blanket and book, and of course Thanksgiving!

Please comment below with some of your October favorites!


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Wednesday, October 22, 2014

I'm a Hair Model

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This past weekend I was asked to be a model for my hairdresser, Laura's, new salon. Of course I said yes because it sounded like so much fun! I've never had my makeup done by anyone before, so I jumped at the chance.

I showed up at 8 o'clock in the morning to start on my hair color. Laura decided to darken my slightly ombred hair with some light brown with some silver blonde. Which was scary at first, but Laura's been doing my hair for years so I put my trust in her. 

Then things got hectic. The photographer took pictures during the get-ready process and in his nicely lighted setup. I felt like I had to be "on" the whole time... and if you've read this blog before, you've probably seen that I'm big on smiling in pictures. So the whole time I was holding this half smile that made me look a little odd. 

She did my makeup and hair for an everyday look and a bridal look with heavier makeup. Unfortunately, I missed getting a picture of the bridal hair in all the confusion. But you'll get to see the after effects of that look (very big and voluminous hair!). 

Also, a new one for me... red lipstick. I almost never put anything on my lips, because I feel like they're already pretty dark and big and I've never really felt the need to add to it. But it was fun to try something new and see how it looked on me. 

And finally, Laura uses Glo Minerals, which are cruelty-free. Awesome!

Well, without further ado, here is what my Saturday looked like. I'm really excited to see how the professional photos turned out!




And that was my day! It was such fun, Laura and her whole team are great and very talented. If you're in the Denver Metro area, you should definitely check them out!

Truly You Salon & Spa
9021 N. Harlan Street
Westminster, CO 80031



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Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Style Pin-speration and Confidence

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,
Follow Amber V's board Fall/Winter Style on Pinterest.

Yesterday I was reviewing my Fall/Winter Style board on Pinterest and I realized there's a real theme there!

This whole blog is about me finding my personal style and low-and-behold it was glaringly obvious on Pinterest!

Apparently and truthfully I am into big cozy sweaters, layering, skinny pants, and pretty neutral and/or dark colors. I think overall it's a chic, effortless kind of look I like something that's classic and current at the same time.

Although, it makes me immensely happy to know that I do have a cohesive style (I really thought it was all over the place), it also makes me sad that I'm not the size to wear these kinds of clothes right now.

For the last few years I have had some serious confidence issues as I was at my heaviest weight. Then I finally decided to get myself in gear 2 years ago and started to go to the gym at work every morning. Doing this I lost 26 pounds! I was so happy and full of confidence and loved buying and wearing clothes.

Then over the last year I have really fallen back into bad habits and have gained 15 pounds back. Now my clothes are tight and uncomfortable and all my pants are painful to wear. This has really made my confidence plummet. This is one of the reasons I haven't posted an What I Wore posts recently. I'm just not happy with my body anymore.

I know this is a depressing post and I'm sorry for that... I didn't mean it to go this way. But, you know, we can't always be happy and up beat, sometimes shit gets real. And I think many women feel or have felt this way about themselves.

As I learned before, the key to my successful weight loss was finding a routine. I think that's my biggest struggle now is that A) I don't have a free gym at work, B) I work early hours so I don't have time in the mornings, C) When I get home, after driving in traffic I have little motivation.

The previous few weeks I have been doing P90X3 Yoga and Pilates 3 times each week... so I'm making head way, but I have to keep it up.

Ok... on a positive note, people are getting healthy and losing weight all the time which means I can too!

If you have any motivational tips for working out after work, please comment below. And if (by some miracle) you'd like more posts like this, please let me know!

Thank you for listening!

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Saturday, October 18, 2014

Recent Ulta Haul

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I recently decided to spend a little time on the Ulta website and well of course I had to some things!



First, I recently ran out of my Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara (which I love) and I had purchased a cheaper Jordana option. I don't like the cheaper option as it's just too wet and it tends to clump. So of course I had to find some new mascara to take care of this.

I had heard really good things about the Tarte Lights, Cameras, Lashes so I thought I'd give it a try. I have been using this for the last week and oooh do I like it. It's a similar formula to the Too Faced one in that it's not too wet or too dry, it's just right (apparently, I'm the Goldilocks of masacaras!). It give me big feathery lashes - oh yeah!

Next, I always have liked the liquid eyeliner look, but A) I'm not very good at the flick as I have slightly hooded eyes B) I can never find one that doesn't run or sting or something else crazy. So I thought I'd give this Physician's Formula Eyeliner Pen a shot as it wasn't very expensive. So far (and I've only worn it twice) it has worked well. It stays all day and doesn't run and it's pretty easy to use. I will need more practice but I like it. You can checkout my second attempt on social media as I posted a picture.

Finally, I really wanted to pick up a new Fall-ish lip colors. So I both a lip gloss and lipstick from NYX in this nice brown/coral/mauve color. They are really nice colors, I really like them. I will have to do a post with them on so you can see.

Well that's it for this haul. Let me know if you've tried any of these products! Happy Friday!



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Thursday, October 16, 2014

Style Trials: r2 Booties

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Style Trials: r2 Bootie




I have had these boots or booties for a few years now and have only wore then a handful of times. I really struggle with what to wear them with and not looking too "country".

Also my pair, unfortunately, laid flat for a long time and have a seam kind of down the front which makes them look a little weird with pants tucked in. But here is my attempt with 2 outfits I would like to try with these boots.

Outfit 1 - With the jeans rolled slightly and a cute comfy sweatshirt, I think this outfit would be cozy in the fall/winter!

Outfit 2 - I've always thought these shorter boots look good with dresses. So here I did a nice sweater dress with black leggings. And then, I couldn't decide which scarf I liked more so I left them both up there. I think the scarves add something extra to the outfit with a pop of color or pattern to keep it from being too boring.

So what do you think of these boots and/or which outfit is your favorite? Let me know :)

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