Tag: Living

Life, Lately

Happy St Paddy’s Day, everyone! This post has nothing do to with today’s pseudo holiday but I figured I would at least mention it. Hope you all find a pot of gold or a four-leaf clover somewhere today! Has it been a month since my last post? I’m so sorry, you guys! I have a lot of things swirling around in my head but no time to put pen to paper fingers to keyboard and squeak out a blog post for you all.

I got a new gig–it’s an honest-to-goodness desk job, Monday through Friday, PTO, the works. I’ve worked two weeks and I really like my coworkers and my office. The super old building is covered inside with pressed tin: the walls and the ceiling, and the bathroom too! I steal moments to gaze up at it, I’m sure my coworkers think I’m bonkers.

photo 1

I haven’t quite left the old gig yet which lends to my blog silence. Playing the balancing act has been doable the past two weeks but I sure am tired. The extra money will help out since…

We’re really getting serious about buying a house. Well, a condo. It is so scary to type out for the world to read! It’s one thing to think about it, tour places, stash away money, draw out budgets and dream about decorating the inside, but it’s another thing to make the announcement to people knowing that home-buying has been a rocky road for many in the past five years.

I have some good posts outlined in my head but I haven’t been able to write and photograph for them. I do want to make it a priority though especially with the prospect of a new home. I hope you keep me accountable! When someone says to me “I hope to see a post from you soon,” or “I’ve started following you,” it’s just the right nudge I need to sit down and create!

Paris shirt

Thanks, guys. I’ll be back later this week!

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Friday Faves, 1

Just a couple things on my mind today…

Moleskine

I got a moleskine notebook from a industry training event I participated in a few months ago and now it lives on my bedside table amongst other bedside table-related things. Each night before bed, I try to record one thing I am thankful for. Just one sentence. It’s so easy to get caught up in snark and complaints, especially with platforms like Twitter and Facebook–where it seems like everyone vents their frustrations, craving an avalanche of “me too!” and “so sorry for you!” with each complaint. Reading back through my gratitude notebook helps me center my thoughts on how fortunate I am and helps ease worries and preoccupations before bed.

Animal, Vegetable

I saw the book “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle” in one of Libby’s book piles one time. This was recommendation enough for me, so when I saw it at a used book store, I picked up a copy. I just finished it this morning and it has reminded me to put more thought into where I buy groceries. We have some wonderful friends who work for Suzie’s Farm, which sets up shop in our neighborhood weekly at the farmer’s market. Must be more diligent about swinging by to buy delicious produce, especially before things wind down somewhat for the winter. Luckily we live in such a temperate climate that the farmer’s market operates all year, and the produce varies from month to month.

What has been on your mind this week? 

My Makeup Routine

My Makeup Bag

Since I’m scurrying around like a crazy person today trying to tie up loose ends for Stephanie’s bachelorette party tonight, I thought I’d write a post ahead of time that also seemed wedding-relevant.

Here’s a DIY detail I did for my own wedding… my own makeup. And I didn’t buy anything special, or anything expensive. I literally did the same makeup I do day in and day out, except perhaps a little embellished, and I added lipstick. Especially for an informal outdoor wedding, why try to do something out of the ordinary?

I’ll do my own makeup for Stephanie’s wedding this Friday, and there is no shame in my game! Nobody knows my skin like I do.

[wedding photo]

As a blogger and therefore a member of the community who chooses to share the most minute details of our lives, I present to you the contents of my makeup bag:

Inside my makeup bag

And my routine:

  • I start my routine by applying the (very expensive and prestigious) Clean and Clear morning burst moisturizer. I give it a minute or so to soak in… once my face feels a little dryer I apply my Bobbi Brown bb cream. The whole point of bb cream is that you’re supposedly able to skip moisturizer, but my experience didn’t work out that way. If I skipped moisturizer the bb cream seemed to cling to my pores and result in a weird texture.
  • After my bb cream sets (it goes on like a mix between foundation and sunscreen, which it is) and feels powdery, I add blush (MAC, pinch of peach) and bronzer. The bronzer helps me not look like the walking dead.
  • I always fill in my eyebrows with that little maybelline powder up there, using the white brush. You wouldn’t think it, but it makes a huge difference in looking polished. As for my eyes, I normally use the powder above (Mica Bella, kind of like Bare Minerals) which is a light yellow-silver that instantly brightens without looking overdone. Sometimes for the evening I use brown (MAC’s corduroy) or purple (Kohl’s Glamourazzi).
  • I don’t usually use lipstick but when I do, the above Rimmel products make it happen. I create an outline on the edge of my lips, then fill it in with the pencil. After that I apply the lipstick lightly.
  • The nail polish is just included for good measure. Essie’s braziliant is my all-time favorite for its punchy coral-orange with a pearlized sheen.

What about you? Did you do your own makeup or hire a pro? Do you buy new makeup products all the time or stick to tried-and-true favorites?