Pages

Friday, January 18, 2013

Beauty products worth looking into.

I absolutely love beauty products. I've always loved them, as in way back when! As I grow older, I love them even more. Below are products I love and frequently purchase, along with others I'd like to try.



A little pricey but I hear it's worth the coin. Not something you'll likely roll across at your neighborhood drugstore. I had to do some digging to see where I could purchase it.  I don't think I could get it anywhere in Memphis, this would have to be an online purchase.  It's a little funny to me to consider spending that much money on something so small.  But...considering what it does perhaps it could be worth it.  There's nothing worse than a badly chapped lip.




At this price it should be something you give everyone you know! What a steal. I hear it's better than some of the high dollar bronzers. For sure will be something I'll pick up next time I'm at Walgreen's or CVS. 


I bought two of these around Thanksgiving and I really love them.  Probably one of my very favorite lip products ever.  I have it in a hot pink and in a bright red.  Wearing colors like this are sometimes dangerous because they sure can bleed. Having your lip product go all over your face isn't never desirable. This stains where it's put, stains appropriately and has a lovely bit of moisture throughout the time it's one (which is a long time by the way).  Glad that this comes in several colors! Also available at in Memphis at Joseph. This isn't one I wear on a daily basis (to school for example) but it sure is nice to have when you get all gussied up!

I've used this foundation on and off for about 2-3 years. I really like the amount of coverage it offers and I also think it smells really good.  Something that's that close to your nose should smell nice, ya know? Available on line and at most department stores. 


This is a new product to me in the last year. I went to buy a new bottle of my favorite foundation, mentioned above, and this was mentioned to me as a complimentary product.  Emphasis on complimentary, it sure is nice! Plus, sometimes I think there should be some products you wear together that are from the same line.  These two products are a little bit more expensive, but if you're going to spend money spend money on the skin care types of items.  Having bad foundation can really wreck your day, all the things under it...that goes double! 




Yes, this is the 3rd Chanel product I'm listing.  I don't use all of their products, but these are the ones I really like.  Their nail polish is amazing. I've bought the $3 version before and practically by the time the polish dries...it's chipping off.  This polish stays on my fingers for at least 6 days.  And that's through playing the piano many hours a day along with all the other things my fingers encounter.  Bottom line, another product worth the coin! Available at most department stores. 


When I was a teenager I got into the habbit of buying new mascara every few weeks.  There's something about this product that makes me not want to use it for very long.  I keep it probably about 6 weeks at the most.  As a result of this, I'm not willing to shell about $30 that often on new mascara. 
I've used several different drugstore brands and completely commit to this one. It's just great. And at that price is worth the frequent purchase. This product also comes off easily. So those nights I don't have the stamina to do a big facewash/mask song and dance...this comes off quite easily. 

Buying new lipstick is one of my favorite things to do.  I already have 2 other lip products on this post so that should be a testament that I love them so. This one is new, I just bought the first one about a week ago and so far I LOVE IT!  This is an easy drugstore purchase, one you could find practically anywhere. My favorite colors so far are Berry Smoothie and Cupcake. Easy to throw in my purse and put on at any time of the day. Nothing fancy. 

Best invention since sliced bread. I've had one of these for about 2 years and I love this thing. I read about them for quite awhile before I made the leap and bought one, but I've been very happy with the way it keep my skin clean. I'm very acne prone and also sort of lazy about washing my face.  This was a bit of a trick for me...made it sort of fun ya know? They are best used with liquid face soap without any beads in it. It's nice to have the face wash in a pump by the sink, then you're ready to go. 
If you've having any skin troubles, I suggest reading some reviews and trying one of these! 


I bought the first bottle of this in September. I try to vary my face wash a little bit. I go back and forth between 2-3 of them.  This bottle has lasted for 4 months and is just splendid. My only "deal-io" with this product is that I don't like that it comes in this tube.  I'd rather it come in a bottle with a pump.  But I guess that's a #firstworldproblem and nothing legitimate. 

My very favorite nail color period the end. I posted the Chanel polish as it is a lovely consistency.  This is my favorite color.  There's a difference, *chuckle*.  Essie polishes are available everywhere these days.  It used to be a hard one to get, but now...it's all over.  Another favorite is Ballet Slippers.

Do you have favorite beauty products? Do you use any of these? What are some that you like and are in your favorites category?

photos via Google image

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Before and After


Last spring (or maybe it was early summer) I was on the hunt for a winged back chair with claw feet. I had a high interest in claw feet, and naturally I didn't find said claw feet on a winged back chair, but ended up buying a love seat instead.  And this actually isn't a love seat, it's more like a chair and a half sort of a deal, so I feel like my search wasn't a total discard. (HA)

The original upholstery wasn't terrible. Let's be real....it could have been WAY worse.
It was something I could live with and felt like I could style up in my house with the other things I had around it.  

Well, I lived with it....Handsome lived with it...and then it was time for a new set of clothes for the lovely little love seat and it's fancy claw feet. I have to live with a piece for a while sometimes before I decide just exactly what kind of new clothes it should get...know what I mean?

//Before, shortly after purchase//


//After, January 2013//

//Would you look at those legs!?!//


//It's always fun to change around the pillows.
Sort of like changing the jewelry up on a really good outfit.//


This is not the actual "after" I was just so excited I had to share. 
The actual after will come when I paint the pretty legs of this beauty. 

The fabric I chose for this piece is a faux ostrich.  I've used this on 3 or 4 projects this fall in either white or black and I love using it for many reasons.  The first and most important is that I like it! The second is that it is basically indestructible. Between my black cat, the children that come in and out of my house each week, and the occasional party goer casualty, I needed something that could be wiped clean without any heartache. So on all accounts, mission accomplished! One thing that is difficult about using a faux anything is making sure that it doesn't look cheap.  I tested out several different options before committing to this particular one and again, I've been happy with it on all accounts.

Check back in later for the actual after with the pretty painted legs.
Aren't you curious what color they'll be?

The month of December



Earlier this week I posted about the decorations in my house for the Christmas holiday (that are still up by the way). Just as I had the same problem putting them up, I'm now having difficulty scheduling a time to take them back down.  So my white Christmas tree is now going to be a winter tree and probably a Valentine's tree to follow.

So...back to the month of December. Here is a photo review of some of the things that went down.

//I got this new piece of art off Etsy: CoCo Draws//

//I worked at WKNO many days, including over my highly coveted teacher holiday//


//A lovely package from JewelMint arrived at my doorstep.//

//December means recital season for my many music students, 
Handsome thought he needed to give a little recital himself//

//Speaking of recitals, I sang the Vivaldi Gloria with a Methodist Church here in Memphis.//

//I hadn't done any solo work like this for a year or so, so this was fun.//


//In mid December I turned in my 2nd Masters document.
I was awfully glad to check that puppy off the ol' list.//


//HANDSOME did his regular begging act for most of the month.//


//Christmas break rolled around and it was time to actually decorate the house.
This included the bar cart, which is now fashionably adorned with multi 
colored tooth picks in an appropriate Moose holder curtosy of my Dad.//


//I managed to paint my nails, something I hadn't done for a while.//


//New Year's Eve came, which allowed for some adjustments to holiday decor, 
though not a total take down, after all Christmas wasn't officially over.//



//We spent NYE with new friends and old friends in Midtown Memphis.//


//2013 arrived with a good food and laughter//


//Resolution, anyone?//

//Always nice to start off with a fresh coat (of nail polish at least) for the new year.//


And just like that, January is here.

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Christmas Decorations

The Christmas season blew by so fast this year that I hardly remember it actually happened.  I put Christmas decorations up in time for a Christmas party at our house on December 21st. Naturally, that is way later than I've ever done so.  But none the less, it was on my mind as the holiday season started back in November this year.



The merriment of the season begins.


I started putting Christmas decorations up in early November and quickly realized that my white Christmas tree was sporting a rather shady shade of white.  With this in mind I decided that I needed to spray paint a few coats to revitalize my precious white tree. So out the door I went with my white tree to the back yard with my cans of white spray paint.  I did this on a rather busy Sunday morning so it actually got to sit outside for many hours.  This helped with the smell.  Something I didn't take into account before I started spraying.  Fortunately, the smell was mostly gone by the time I took it back inside.  Also...it rained.  For which I thought my tree was ruined.  Again...safe. 


While I was in the backyard spray painting my Christmas tree naturally somebody sent me a text to see what I was doing.  My answer..."Oh ya know, just out back spray painting my Christmas tree."


Meanwhile...back inside

I gathered some new velvet throw pillows for the sun room sofa to add to the holiday cheer. The other pillows I have been using are bright yellow linen and I decided to change the fabrication for the winter season.  The thing is I like these new pillows so much that they may just get to stay on the couch year around.


About a week later, the tree found some decorations and we were ready to celebrate the holiday season.  Since my husband works for the church it doesn't seem like the holiday season did when I was growing up.  It just seems like work now.  Isn't that sad? SO many joyous components of the season though I must say.

Around the house...





I will admit that I do still have some of my decorations still up.  My tree has turned into a Valentine's Day tree, which I can convince myself of for now. But in a few more weeks I will have to put it away. Until then, I have some new light to shed on the house for the new year.

Saturday, January 5, 2013

Over the river and through the woods...

 As I was about to write a post this evening I noticed that I had put this post together and never hit "publish". It's from Thanksgiving. My heavens. So...back to Thanksgiving holiday before I talk about Christmas!

Here are a few photos to commemorate the holiday's travels.

Over the (Mississippi) River and through the woods (of Arkansas and Oklahoma) to my Mother and Father's house we went....

Hello.

Mom and Dad's house...

Tasty beverages....

Handsome, maxing and relaxing.

The dresser in my room at Mom and Dad's house.


...one of the many things that looks different since I lived there.

I can remember begging my parents for this bed. 
It is from Restoration Hardware. 
When I was younger, it was the be all and end all! 
My....how my style has changed. 

Now that I'm about to hit "publish" I'm thinking that the reason I hadn't done it before was largely due to the fact that I wasn't finished writing it.  But...because we are now many weeks past said holiday and have moved into a whole other year. I will leave it at this. 

Thanksgiving 2012, the end.







LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...