A Few of My Favorite Things: August 2014

A Few of My Favorite Things for August have been:


1. The Killing:
UH-mazing show. I recently started watching this on the Netflix.
Gunna be honest the first episode was not very exciting but Husband and I
kept watching. Now we are hooked & we want to move to Seattle.
If you are into murder/mystery thriller types then this is a show for you.

2. Makeup Geek's Mermaid Eyeshadow:
This eyeshadow is freaking gorgeous and has been making me feel like a
well….a mermaid! Its a lovely smoothy shimmery aqua. I'll do a brown smokey eye
and use MUG Mermaid as a lower lash line pop of color.

3. MAC Coppering Eyeshadow:
Ugh. This shadow is one I had in my mind to purchase for awhile.
I finally did. It truly is beautiful. Such a rich shimmery copper.
Just Coppering on the lid (applied with finger) with a black winged liner is stunning!

4. The Harry Potter Movies
I was stunned to hear that my beautiful, amazing husband
had not seen or even READ the Harry Potter series.
So I made it our mission to at least watch all the movies this month.
Its been wonderful re-watching all the films & revisiting the joys of my youth.
Next we are going to read the whole series because he can't go on
without reading such amazingness or….Avada Kedavra!

5. Benefit Cosmetics Coralista
I had some Ulta points and a coupon I was dying to use
so I finally got my first Benefit Cosmetics product. I swatched a few of
their blushes and ended up taking Coralista home.
Its nothing new for many beauty freaks but I'm loving my new blush in a box.

6. Too Faced Cosmetics Melted Lipstick in Fig
I kept seeing beauty gurus wear this and talk about this new product.
The Melted lipsticks come in many outstanding colors, but Fig
caught my eye. Its a muted purple, mauve tone.
Applies like a lipgloss, but has major amped up color power.

7. MAC lipstick in Sushi Kiss
gorgeous. I did a cute little post on this lipstick so you can check it out
here for details: Sushi Kiss
Basically, this has been my fun summer orangey color. love it!

8. Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in Rush
I don't know or really give a hoot who Kylie Jenner is, but I have been digging
all the "inspired" looks beauty YouTubers have been doing. Being a 90's kid
I totally get. This lip color, Rush is the perfect brown/mauvey nude for my skin tone.

9. Roxy Shoes
Just got these suckers from a Sport Chalet Tent Event sale thing.
Normally $64 I stole them for $14.95. BOOM!
They are so comfy and absolutely adorable. I love the rustic grey and inside floral print.

10. Frida Khalo T-Shirt
I walked into a Forever 21 and had a moment when I saw this shirt.
I literally saw it, pointed up to the wall across the store at it, grabbed, bought it
and its been my favorite shirt this month ever since.
Frida is amazing. One of my favorite artists.

11. The Sims 3
And here has been my obsession this month.
I used to play the original Sims and then played Sims 2 for
awhile, but then my piece of poo PC gave out.
So I was very excite to discover they finally mad Sims 3 compatible
for Mac. I downloaded it lickity split. And well golly
its better than ever and so much fun!!



I hope this will help discover new favorites of your own!

Adventures in Ventura, Ca

First stop:

Sandbox Coffeehouse

My Husband, Steve, knew of this cool little beachy coffee shop and 

I was dying for something to sip on, so we went here.

The Sandbox Coffeehouse

Now, I am picky coffee drinker (meaning I like a lota creama with my coffee) so I'm  used to making coffee to my own specification at home or going to Starbucks (which is sugar & cream. yum)

But Ive been trying to expand my horizons and explore some neat little coffee shops

Here are some goofy photos. Me doing the "I'm really excited I have chai tea" dance.

We took our chai teas down to the docks and wonder around the drizzle. I was so freaking excited that it was
all overcast and drizzley. Our favorite kind of weather. It was beautiful! And a lovely break from all this
horrible summer heat.

We took some time to soak up what little precipitation there was and then decided to pop on over to the county fair.

Second stop:

Ventura County Fair

Let me tell you that sometimes I get really anxious and panicky, especially in rowdy & crowdy spaces.
But I was super excited about the fair and we ended up having a blast.

It was only a $12 entry fee so that wasn't too bad. We got something to nibble on: some delicious garlic french fries!
I really wanted a funnel cake (honorary fair food) but the line was outrageous.

Husband and I bounced around the booths full of hats, t-shirts, arts & crafts, and other various things to purchase.
We lingered around some hats for awhile but Steve's head is too large for most fedoras.

I said, "one day sweetheart you will find THE one. The one special hat that fits your big head."

My favorite part is when we walked around to see all the farm animals. I'll admit it was sad to see them in small cages but still it was nice to admire their beauty.

We took tons of photos and gawked at the pretty and outrageously loud roosters and hens.
There were bunnies and guinea pigs. Big honking geese. Yes! A GAGGLE OF GEESE.

We paid $7 and with 2 "feeds" in hand we enter the petting zoo/farm pen thing. Immediately the goats and sheep attacked us and ate all our feed. Steven and I have been talking about one day having our own cute little farm so we really enjoyed the petting zoo.

We even made a couple of friends.

Third stop:

Ventura Main Street:

Iron & Resin Garage


   

There is a new store to the main street shops and it is one stellar man store!

They do have some rustic girly things but mostly its a man shop. Stevie, husband man, was loving all the classy, rustic man gear. Now it is quite pricey, and by that I mean $195 man bags and such. 

The items are gorgeous and all have a sort of theme:

grunge man, motorhead, mountain main, dark candle, boot wearing, camping

with my pomade tin and old fashion comb

sort of theme :)

Personally, I think that sort of style is super sexy. I guess its sort of like my husband!

Class, Eclectic and Stylish.

Iron & Resin: The Garage is one cool shop.

Its worth a look and if you have the dough its a good place to find classy man gifts!

http://www.ironandresin.com

Last Stop:

Francisco's Fruits

Of course on the way back home, Steve wanted to stop for some fruits and veggies! So we pulled over and got a few items for Francisco's off the 126. They are definitely our go-to fruits and veggies stand. Francisco's  always has fresh produce and fun little snacks inside.

I like to see what interesting fruit or vegetable they may have. Its always the usual grocery store stock!

This time around the husband and I snagged some

-Grapefruit
-Onions
-Dragon fruit
-Teriyaki Beef Jerky
-Sour Strawberry Belts (my weakness)
-Mini potatoes

Not much, but its nice to support local farmers and pick up some tasty snacks.
If you happen to be traveling up or down the 126,
make a quick stop at Francisco's Fruits!



Here are some shots of the stand:

Overall, this sunday funday was amazing. 

Sometimes its nice to just adventure

with no set plan and just do the things you like

with someone you love.

Its great to find new things and also enjoy the old favorites.

xoxo

MAC Lipstick: Sushi Kiss

Yes.

It has happened again;

I bought another lipstick from MAC

Oh the infamous MAC!

This new addition to my collection is called Sushi Kiss

Apparently, its back from the "All About Orange" Collection

so it was nice to find this little gem.

A. the name is adorable 

(I could just imagine a little kissing sushi like ABOVE)

B. its such a fun color

I love the bright orangey coral color.

I don't normally go for orange shades but it has the right

hint of pink for my taste

C. its smooth and lovely on the lips 

get SUSHI KISS here

SMASH Book: My Wedding

Recently, I posted a video on the Youtube of my wedding SMASH book.

I filmed a page I was working on from my brother/sister in-laws wedding

 and if you'd like to see it click the link below:

Wedding Smash Book Page Process 1

A few viewers left comments and friends have asked to see the other pages of the book.

Unfortunately, I did these ones from my wedding awhile ago before I could film them.

I did a lot of smashing in this book! It is still "in the making" and already has some thickness to it.

I used it to save all of the process we went through; 

planning the colors and dresses, as well as the end result of our wedding adventure.

So here ya go! Hope you enjoy!

Don't be shy…leave any questions or comments below.

My Wedding SMASH book:

The Engagement Page

The Bridesmaids Gift Page

The Invitation Page

The Officially Married Page

The Mommy Page

The Dress Page

The Bridal Shower Page

The Wedding Website Page

The Bachelorette Party Page

The Bridesmaids Dresses Page

The Ceremony Page

The Color & Theme Page

xoxo

5 Beauty Things To Splurge On

Being a makeup newbie and by no means a makeup wizard, I'm still figuring it all out.

Im still discovering products and brands and figuring out what products are worth a chunk of change and what I can save some dough on. I personally think these five things were worth the splurge. 

These items of course aren't necessary! But when you like makeup a lot thats what you tell yourself.

Either way, it can be nice to own a few quality makeup items. Especially for a married young working middle class lady like myself. It makes me feel all growed up!

In all honesty you CAN get quality items from the drugstore and for descent prices too!

Yet, these 5 products have really wowed me and I think in this case spend the cash!

1. Fancy Blush: Benefits Coralista
Its absolutely beautiful, highly pigmented, and smooth. Thats one thing I have noticed about some cheaper blushes…they can be chalky and then fall right off my face. grr! Benefit's Coralista lasts all through my work day

2. Concealer that Works: MAC Pro Longwear Concealer
It took me a longtime to figure out why my dark circles would never cover up. Finally I invested in a good concealer. And by good I mean it lasts all freaking day and actually covers up the face poop.

3. A Versatile Palette: Urban Decay's Naked 2 Palette
This is the first Naked palette I purchased about 3/4 years ago and I swear it looks almost untouched. From that point on I really began to appreciate the quality & butteriness of UD eyeshadows. I now have the other Naked palettes and they are all so versatile and easy to use, but can seem pretty pricey. For the quality and the quantity of shadows in the palette its worth the splurge.

4. Luxurious Lipstick: MAC Lipstick
Whether its MAC, Urban Decay, YSL; Get at least one luxurious, fancy lipstick and call it a day. There is a difference for sure! Maybe you can find a color dupe, but a quality dupe is not so easy for higher end lipsticks. Plus I just feel like a ritzy lady when I whip out a sleek black tube and smear it all over my lips.

5. A Quality Blending Brush: MAC 217
Until recently I never even used brushes! I think I had one raggedy old brush for blush. Now I have educated myself about the purpose and usefulness of using good brushes for makeup application. Of course I have my Real Techniques brushes, but the one that kept popping up is the MAC 217.
It really does work! Its the best fluffy, soft blending brush.
A cheaper alternative, but still pricey for one brush in my book, is the Sigma E25

So get out there and spend your dough on makeup so I won't be alone!

xoxo

6 Scary Movies I'm Stoked To See

So I have decided to talk about movies and shows on this blog as well.

Because…well why not?

Funny that my first movie post is a about creepy, scary movies and all my other posts 

are cute little outfits and makeup.

The truth is

Which I know is creepy and not the norm for most proper, makeup loving, dress wearing

young women. But nonetheless here I am, a girly girl at times and still a lover of scary flicks.

Most of my girlfriends think Im crazy and tell me I'm a freak! Im always looking for a scary movie buddy and I found her. My mom! Surprisingly, she is the only lady in my life who likes all the creepy movies too. Go figure.

I am mostly a fan of thriller type horrors not the gore and blood just for the sake of gore and blood.

No no I much prefer the psychological tester, 

the spine chilling silent shots, 

the old & ancient tales etc etc.

I like scary movies that are actually scary and have a riddle or puzzle to figure out.

Without further ado here are the 6 newly released, coming soon, or "still  in process" horror films

that I am very excited to see.

1. Quiet Ones

2. Annabelle

3. Oculus

4. Deliver Us From Evil

5. As Above So Below

6. Jessabelle

The Quiet Ones looks like my cup of tea: great actors, creepy backstory, & psychological thrilling!
Annabelle is a story from the Conjuring and that was amazing so Im sure this one will be too!
Oculus seems like another creepy childhood backstory and lots of paranormal creepiness
Deliver Us From Evil has one of my favorite actors & the trailer just looks terrifying
As Above So Below looks spectacular! Honestly I can't get enough of paranormal mind boggle
Jessabelle has impressive producer history and a captivating trailer. It looks fantastically creepy!

Anyhoo! Maybe this will guide you to find a great movie for scary movie night!

Pizza, Ice Cream, Husband (or cuddle buddy) & a Horror film.

perfect.

xoxo

Jaclyn Hill Inspired Makeup: Rose Sparkle

So, at 24 I realized I had no idea how to

really put on makeup.

Heck! I barely knew what certain products were used for.

Several months ago I was in a wedding. So, before that day came around I knew

I had to figure out this whole makeup thing.

Remembering that my friend Jamie enjoyed watching tutorials on Youtube, 

I hopped on the web and began my studies.

One of the first people that I really enjoyed watching was:

Jaclyn Hill

Fun and bubbly, but also extremely informative!

I loved watching her videos and honestly I sort of blame it on her

that Im now a "makeup junky".

No…Im not a makeup wizard, but I have learned loads of tips and tricks

and I actually enjoy putting on and playing with makeup.
Which is saying a lot because in my youth I truly hated makeup!
(and thats a whole other story)
But NOW...

Its definitely another artistic outlet for this crafty creature!

The photo above  is a recreation of Jaclyn Hill's Rose Sparkle look.

Its one of my favorites this summer!
A link to watch her video: Rose Sparkle

Here is sort of a goofy close up of the eyes.
[ I really gotta figure out how to take good beauty/makeup photos! ]
Any tips?

Products Used:

Makeup Geeks Eyeshadows

Mac items

Thanks for reading!
xoxo,

eyeshadows available at: Makeup Geek

A Few Of My Favorite Things: June/July

So a few of my favorite things for June/July have been:

1. Helmlock Grove:

A totally outrageous and ridiculous show just added to Netflix (since it is a Netflix Original)

Even though the story keeps growing weirder and weirder, I can't help but be intrigued.

I am constantly grossed out by the array of grotesque imagery, but I also loved it!

Either way, if you are into wacko sci-fi, its worth checking out

2. Kat Von D Ladybird Palette

What can I say? I wanted it so badly because well, the colors freaking gorgeous

AND the shadows are all matte. Right now my favorite thing is to add some burnt orange (the color Cleopatra from the palette) to spice up my regular old brown eyeshadow look.

Super fun for a warm summer look. 

3. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children:

I suppose I hopped on this bandwagon late, but that's usually the case with me.

I have been eyeing this book for awhile (especially since I personally know the original Millard) but didn't pick it up until just now. Its summer and thats when I get into reading mode.

So every night now, I read aloud to my husband and we have been loving it.

The story is terribly intriguing, the writing style is appealing and easy to follow, and its creepy! (my favorite)

We are only half way through, but so far Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
 has been the perfect summer nights read.

4. Whole Foods Market Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies:

I know, totally random! I am not vegan. My boss is and he got these cookies one day.

I brought some home to my husband and of course now we are addicted.

Something about the veganess of the cookies makes them so chewy and 

uh scrumptioudoodle.

5. Eos Mint Lip Balm:

Being a victim of major chapped lips, I am in constant need of good lip balm.

Especially now for summer, this EOS chapstick (or rather chap-ball…I mean its not really a stick is it?) in mint is so soothing, cooling, and hydrating. LOVE it!

6. The Balm Mary Lou Manizer:

I am 99% sure that most of you have heard and/or have seen this item buzzing about 

the makeup junky world. The rumors are true! I must say, I brush a wee bit of this on my

face and Im a freaking summer mermaid disco ball. Which I like in summer time.

7. NYX Cosmetics Cream Blush in Boho Chic:

Ulta was having a bitchin' sale one day; 40% all NYX products! 

So of course I went and snagged a few things. Of those being a beautiful cream blush.

A: the color is beautiful 

B: it stays forever even though my face feels like its sweating off

& C: it was so cheap!

Thats all.

No, but honestly its a fantastic, long lasting blush that is extremely affordable even

when its not on sale.

8. Lorac Pro Palette 2:

Just picked up this bad boy and I have been LOVING it.

Still a newbie at all things makeup, I have been trying to widen my eyeshadow color range.

Until now I pretty much had um…brown, darker brown, shiny brown etc etc.

This palette is so much fun for creating "non-scary color" eye looks. 

Beautiful, intense colors. The shadows feel smooth and creamy. Yes, its a splurge, but its a gorgeous palette and I have no regrets!

9. Witches of East End:

Another favorite show right now. It was just added to Netflix (can ya tell Im a fan of the Netflix?) Again, I love that sci-fi, fantasy crap. Its just the best.

Witches of East End is about…witches yes and their trials as a family and as powerful woman. I guess to best describe it: a majorly updated version of Charmed with a hint of Vampire Diaries excitement. The characters are immediately lovable and intriguing. The story line is the usually Good VS Evil, but with various twists and turns in each episode.

I watched the whole season in 2 days. grr!

xoxo,

Hemlock Grove & Witches of East End on Netflix

For more info on the shows and a more detailed description:

Hemlock Grove IMDB   Witches of East End IMDB

Kat Von D Ladybird Palette @ Sephora

EOS, NYX blush, Lorac Pro Palette 2 @ Ulta

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children @ Walmart

Mary Lou Manizer @ The Balm

Cookies at the one and only Whole Foods Market

Summer Sundress Outfit

---

On days when I feel like being especially flirty and girly, I put on this little number.

This is one of my favorite finds from Buffalo Exchange in Ventura Beach, Ca.

I paired it with a vintage clutch (another special find), 

a neutral shimmery brown eye look using the new Lorac Pro Eyeshadow Palette 2, 

a little flower clip from Forever 21, 

and a whole lot of goobness.

xoxo

MAC Peachstock Love

So I just recently jumped on the makeup bandwagon and 

with that comes a deep hunger and obsession. 

I must report, that I have fallen victim to the most

heinous of Makeup Addictions:

(Dun DUn Dun!)

MAC 

Mac lipsticks to be specific. 

They make me feel so fancy and I freaking love all the colors.

I just want to smear them all over my face!

I now have a small collection of the very best

(for my skin tone and personal preference)

AND now they have a new friend:

Peachstock.

A beautiful, nudish peachy color. A satin finish

(so its nice and moisturizing)

Its a MAC Pro color they just added to the permanent collection.

I used to be a NOT so big fan of the "nude lip"

But with this pretty color that has a hint of peach, 

its so flattering and fun.

 I have been loving this color for a subtle summer lip look

and as something to pair with a sexy, smoky eye without giving me the

dreaded "dead" look.

Peachstock LOVE!

available at maccosmetics.com 

14 Childhood Books That Rocked My World

Do you remember that wonderful time when the Book Fair would come to school? Remember the special time when you and your classmates would gather around on the "special" rug in criss cross apple sauce fashion for Reading Time? Or maybe when you finally got your own shiny Library card and got to pick all the books you wanted?

Well I do! Some of my fondest childhood moments were spent discovering new books. Stories about all sorts of thing from colors to evil dummies. From facts about poop to a little boy with a really really really long name.

Here are fourteen of my absolute favorite childhood books.

I hope to share them with my little creatures one day!

1. Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Suess, infamous still today I'm sure, is just one of those staple childhood books. 

2. The Gas We Pass, very educational!

3. The Rainbow Fish, taught me my first lesson in sharing. Also it was beautiful to look at.

4. Charlotte's Web, is probably my first "big kid-chapter" book. I remember absolutely loving the story. 

5. Frog and Toad Are Friends, one of those books I know that I love, but can't quite remember why. I think I loved these books because Frog and Toad were always moody and funny. Something about cookies? and swimming in the lake?

6. I SPY, just classic! 

7. The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. Perfection! I think Ive read this about 5 times and every time I discover something new. This book opened me up to the beauty of fantasy and magic. It was also the first time I'd read a book that actually affected me emotionally.

One of my all time favorites still today.

8. Everyone Poops, a more unusual childhood favorite and mostly likely not as popular as the others. But as a young impressionable mind this book was just so revealing and oh so entertaining. I now own two copies. And let me tell you, this is a tough book to get your hands on.

9. Tikki Tikki Tembo, sometimes I will be zoning out somewhere and suddenly start saying this fools name out loud. "Tikki Tikki Tembo No Saw Rembo Chary Bary….." Its very long, but it stuck with me. And I think the moral of the story was don't have a long name or you will get stuck in a well and no one will get you because they don't want to have to say your name over and over. Maybe. 

10. If You Give A Mouse A Cookie, my first lesson in don't give people things because then they will just want more. A great book though!

11. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, Um Im not sure. Its just a classic.

12. Goosebumps, ugh! The magic of creepy, thriller books. I've read a whole crap ton front the Goosebumps series but Night of The Living Dummy was by far my favorite.

13. The Very Hungry Caterpillar, man the caterpillar ate everything! 2 pears, 4 ice cream sundaes, etc.

14. Where's Waldo?, what would my childhood have been like without constantly looking for Waldo?

What were your favorite childhood books?

Are any of these your favorites too?

xoxo