Sew Your Own Makeup Bag!

Just a quickie today. I took a few minutes to visit some of my favorite sewing and craft blogs and this popped up!

Photo from Sew, Mama, Sew!

I still am "fibercrazed" after all. I just haven't found much time to do anything about it lately. If you're similarly crafty and want to stitch up a few of these cuties, here's the free PDF download. Or if you've never sewn before but want to try, give them a shot! Zippered bags are a great way to learn the basics as well as how to install a zipper. Either way - Happy Stitching!

Tween Makeup & First Five Products

I have loved to wear makeup since I was a little girl. And I mean LITTLE. I can remember, even as young as four, waiting excitedly as my mother and grandmother cleaned out their makeup bags because I knew that some of the eyeshadows, blushes, etc. that they no longer loved might become mine. They never discouraged me from watching them or experimenting on my own. I knew makeup was not for little girls to wear out or to school (though I sometimes tried. lol) It was just fun to play with different color combinations and see how my face looked different before and after.

I've adopted the same sort of attitude with my girls - and my son for that matter. He asked to wear nail polish when he was about 4 and I obliged. He lost interest pretty quickly, but I was (and would still be) supportive of his desire to try it. Most people would agree that 9-12 is a bit too young to wear makeup regularly or to school, but I really believe it's a great idea to introduce kids to some good techniques for applying it so they've had lots of practice before they ARE old enough to wear it out into the world. I sort of think about applying makeup at this age like learning to paint but on a mirror image of a 3D canvas. Painting on a flat surface takes practice and makeup is no different. It takes practice and trial and error. But the end result is 1) a teen that can express themselves through makeup with confidence and 2) parents that are confident in their teen's ability to wear it tastefully and in an age-appropriate way.

March 2011 Favorites!

I really like doing these videos. Not in a "you have to go out and buy this product" kind of way, but more of a show & tell/ "this is my opinion about this stuff to help you if you were considering it anyway" type thing. It's fun to think back over the last month and pull things out that I've enjoyed a lot. It brings back memories of what I did those days, who I spent time with, or what was generally going on in my life. It's like a little 30 day time capsule! The days and weeks go by SO fast it's nice to look back, even if it's just via the makeup table.



Here's a run-down of all the products I mentioned. I've listed where *I* got them, but most can be found in other places as well:

Urban Decay Naked Palette - Sephora.com

Milani Mineral Blush in Luminous - CVS

Physician's Formula Happy Booster Blush - Ulta

Rimmel Big Sexy Curves mascara in 003 Extreme Black - Walmart

Clinique Bottom Lash mascara - Sephora.com 

Jordana Lip Cream Moisture Intense Color in Sleek Rose - Dollar General

Benefit The POREfessional pore minimizer - Ulta

Crown Brush KB5 - Pink Kabuki

Crown Brush PP14 - Deluxe Oval Shadow

Crown Brush SS008 - Deluxe Eyeliner Brush

Neutrogena Deep Clean Cleanser/Mask - Target

Hard Candy Sheer Envy Tinted Moisurizer in Medium - Walmart

LUSH Ultra Bland Cleanser

LUSH Tea Tree Water Toner

LUSH Enchanted Eye Cream (my Holy Grail eye cream!)

 

Hope you enjoyed it! Please let me know if you have any favorites this month that you think I'd like!

 

Smile & Be Beautiful!

Body Image Makeover - Move It!

Welcome to the second part of my Body Image Makeover series! In this video I share what I've found to be true about the importance of moving your body with some type of exercise or activity. The focus is not on weight loss or being a certain size or even the health benefits of doing so (which there are LOTS) but on how it can boost your self-image and confidence by reminding you how strong your body is and how it can rise to the challenges involved in elevating or maintaining a fitness level. Whether you can walk five minutes or run five miles, it doesn't matter. What matters is that you celebrate your accomplishments and what your body can do for you when you work WITH it instead of against it. I hope some of you find this helpful! (Re-posted from my YouTube video.)



Smile & Be Beautiful!

LUSH - The Final Ingredient

A Tibetan monk, a passionate woman, and a former Guantanamo Bay detainee all walk into LUSH....

Sounds like the beginning of a strange (and possibly distasteful) joke, doesn't it? But it's no joke at all. These people and others figured prominently in some fascinating stories of LUSH history that I was privileged to hear recently at LUSH-Tuttle Crossing's Blogger Event. Other stories featured perfumers with the souls of musicians, a company big-wig who began her career washing soap molds in the factory and "master compounders" who are capable of making, by hand, every product LUSH carries.

LUSH's product line is innovative and exciting. The products are pretty amazing. They are beautifully and thoughtfully made with not only the customer's, but the entire planet's needs in mind. They smell intoxicating. They're good for our skin. They require minimal packaging. They work as promised. They make us feel good about buying products that have a lower environmental impact. They make something as mundane as washing our hair fun. They make taking a bath an event.

I could go on and on about LUSH's products and give you a review of the ones I've tried or tell you more about its history. Much of that information, however, is on its website. (I HIGHLY recommend you go there and read more about this unique company.) But I believe it's not just the products themselves that transform a curious new customer into a rabid "Lushie" in one visit. Anyone I hear speak about LUSH beams when they talk about it. While the products are certainly worth raving about they simply cannot account for the giddiness that overcomes a LUSH customer at the mere mention of it's name. There's more to LUSH than bath bombs and bubble bars.

Guilt-Free Shopping for a Good Cause

Last week I purchased some items from Forever 21. I've never shopped there before but on that particular day I saw a tweet (yay Twitter!) that the owners were going to donate ALL of the day's online sales (not profits, but total sales)to the relief efforts in Japan. I've seen hauls from other YouTubers and knew they had cute accessories so I decided to check it out. After all, accessories almost always fit and they're not makeup (which I gave up buying - kinda - for Lent.) ;D

I ordered with about 10 minutes to spare that day (March 18th), got free shipping and received my very nicely packaged order the following Friday. The items are cute and affordable and decent quality for the price. Are they going to last me for years? Probably not. But they'll certainly last me for the season and probably beyond. The shoe sizing for the pair I bought was right on as was the belt sizing. Yes, my plus-sized beauties, there is a Forever 21+ for us! Overall, I am very impressed with the experience and will no longer be overlooking this store when I'm shopping.

Rocker Chick inspired Look - Kat Von D's Truth Palette

I forgot to post this video here the other day! This is another look from Kat Von D's Truth palette. I had so much fun with this one! I hope you enjoy it!



Smile & Be Beautiful!