August Favorites

One month closer to fall weather. I'm jumping for joy at the thought of my favorite season! Here is a handful of my favorites from this month. You know the drill. Feel free to share any product that you have loved or even hated with me!

Body Shop Vitamin E Mist- I got this in July and I'm already almost out. It's a great refresher spray. If you liked Fix+ Rose's scent, you'll like this. It does moisturize nicely and sets makeup well.

NYC Blushable Creme Stick in Plaza Pink- This is so nice alone or layered under other blushes.

Sephora by OPI Just a Little Dangerous- A fun dark purple with little specks of glitter! A nice nail color for autumn.

TheBalm BalmShelter tinted moisturizer- I've been reaching for this more than my foundation. It doesn't go on streaky and it gives sun protection (a big MUST!).

Sigma SS187 (now known as F50)- Originally, I didn't like this brush. It's one of the only Sigma brushes that let me down not applying foundations and powders all that well for me. However, I have found it to be great at applying the tinted moisturizer. This is what I reach for to apply my BalmShelter and it works like a charm.

My New Furniture

Making up for not posting on Thursday and Friday of last week by double-posting today! ;)

Since I blogged about my new sofa and loveseat, I thought I would share my new living room setup! I almost have it the way I want it, minus a little more organization, new blinds, and possibly an area rug! :)

I forgot to take a picture of the old furniture going out, but here is the empty space:

We had the coffee table from before. I like it too much right now to replace it. It has two ottomans underneath with extra storage!

Starting to come together:


Added a few things:

Coffee table, storage box (with remotes in it), and lamp are from Ikea.

It's coming together:

I had to use flash for this to get the lamp to show up right. It provides a nice mood lighting! I've taken up camp on the sofa as you can see by laptop being there. :) The yellow jacket is a blanket that I got back in high school. There's a door there, but I have it covered with a wardrobe and a blanket for now. Later on, I want frosted glass panels in it!

Hopefully it looks as good as I think it does! And I'm always open to suggestions, if you'd like to share! Are you like me where once you start designing, cleaning, decorating, etc...that you find it hard to stop?! I just want to keep going, but there's this stupid thing called a budget. ;) So I'm taking it one room at a time!

TheBalm Balm Shelter Tinted Moisturizer

A downfall of this product is that it is only offered in three shades: light, light/medium, and medium. I purchased Light which was a good choice for my NW15-20 skin. If you purchase this in Canada and wonder why all of the places where SPF is mentioned, it is because Canada considers SPF a drug. It's still there, but legally it has to be crossed out until SPF is approved by Canada. It does offer SPF 18, though. It retails for $25US/$32CA.

*left- the light shade is shown *right- shows it rubbed in

I admit I was originally cheap in my tinted moisturizers by making my own, but I actually like this one a lot more. The consistency is really nice and buffs in nicely with my SS187. I do not feel like setting it with powder is absolutely necessary, but I like to use my Maybelline Dream Matte powder lightly over it. It does not look caked on and lasts through the day. The best part is that you don't need that much at all to get a flawless and even finish. This bottle will last for a long time!

I notice no smell with the product. I would say it is a notch over sheer coverage. Not quite sheer but not quite medium! I have not suffered from any breakouts from it, though some have mentioned getting them. Some have also said that it turns orange on them, but I personally have not had that problem at all and I wore it for 11 hours straight one day. No touch-ups were needed and it looked just as decent as it did when I first applied it.

I think that it is worth a try! I don't see myself making my own tinted moisturizer that often anymore, unless I'm trying to save money. :) Stay tuned for tomorrow's post on my August favorites!

P.S.- Sorry for not updating on Friday! I have been suffering from an allergic reaction from an insect bite that happened at the concert on Thursday night. It bit me right on my eyelid! Ugh. My eye has been swollen since. It makes seeing difficult and I've been taking Benadryl and resting. It's finally starting to get a little better. I honestly hope that karma kicked that little bug's butt afterward. I really do. :P

4 Things Tag

I was tagged by Raech to do this tag. I will apologize in advance now, but I will not be able to post tomorrow. We have people coming in to move our old furniture out in the morning, an appointment in the afternoon, and a concert at night. Busy, busy, busy!


4 things in my bag: (I'm going with an overnight bag on this one, but I assume bag is for purse and purse is actually wallet on the tag?)
Well, I'm actually packing a bag to stay at my MIL's. I was really smart and planned for our old mattress to be moved out on Thursday with our new one not arriving until Saturday morning. So we're staying over at her place. Silly me!
- my stuffed polar bear. I am not ashamed of this! :) He's one of the first things my husband got me when I came to Toronto. ♥ He goes where I go!
- my laptop
- makeup bag
- a magazine


4 things in my purse:
- lipgloss
- iPod touch
- Blackberry
- house keys


4 things in my bedroom:
- a handmade pillow a friend made me
- a fan, because I don't sleep well without one
- Nintendo DS Lite (*pictured is my old one, now I have a pink one)
- a record player


4 things I've always wanted to do:
- be a published photographer
- get over my stage fright
- take some more school courses
- travel to more countries


4 things I'm currently into:
- photography
- makeup
- blogging
- home decor


4 things I bet you didn't know about me:
- I am completely ambidextrous. I can do anything with either hand. While I might be better at something with one hand, I can still do it with the other. I go back and forth.
- I play the flute and piccolo. I was in the marching band in both high school and college.
- I've been to more visitations and funerals than years that I have been on this earth. I'm 26! I went to my first funeral at age 4.
- I love languages. I took seven years of French and two years of German. I'm thinking of learning some Spanish next! I love being able to travel places where it comes in handy to at least know enough of the language to get by. If you do not use it, you lose it. :)


4 songs I can't get out of my head:
- Jar of Hearts by Christina Perri
- Hey, Soul Sister by Train
- Alejandro by Lady GaGa
- You're Not Sorry by Taylor Swift


Rules:
Once tagged you must link the person who tagged you. Tag four bloggers and let them know they have been tagged. Give 4 answers to each question asked.

This time I'm breaking the rules. I want YOU to do it! If you're reading this, you're tagged. Link me to your answers so that I can get to know you and comment. :)

Sephora Goodies

As you know, I finally got my hands on the Naked palette from Urban Decay! I also picked up a Make Up For Ever Aqua Cream. I'm only showing a few pictures now, because I'll share more with the swatches in a later post. No need for a picture overload! I don't really consider this a haul, but more of a batch of pictures to show you the two products. If you don't like posts like this, just skip over it. :)





I'm so happy to have found this in #5 finally, because it is always sold out at my other Sephora. This is a very peachy pink with gold shimmer. I equate it to being very similar to MAC's Rubenesque paint pot. Some of the Aqua Creams are formulated for eyes and cheeks and some are for lips and cheeks. More of a review on this when I post the swatch.

It comes with 12 eyeshadow colors, a double-ended eyeliner, and a travel-sized UDPP. I actually already have a travel one that came with my Alice in Wonderland palette. So I do believe that I will be putting this one aside for a future giveaway, if any of you are interested. :)

The back of the box has a slide-out that is a graph of the different colors.

I love that the palette looks like a giant decadent candy bar. What I don't like? The felt texture! If you make this picture bigger, you can see the texture. It catches everything. Dust, pet hair, fuzz...I wish they had made it smooth instead.



I don't know how I feel about the pencils being double-ended this time. In doing so, you don't get as much. At the same time, it's nice to have the added length to hold onto. And while Zero comes with nearly every single palette, I don't mind. It's my most used 24/7 eye pencil color! It is nice to have Whiskey, which is a new color. There are talks about putting it out in regular size. Hey Urban Decay, DO IT. :)

Both of these products are permanent additions to their parent brands. If you have either of these (or an Aqua Cream in a different color), feel free to share what you like and don't like. I love hearing what you think!

Furniture Buying Tips

Because I just went this weekend and bought a new sofa, loveseat, and mattress, I thought I would share a few tips on how you can get the right furniture for your home!

1. Think about comfort. What is your current furniture doing wrong? For myself, the sofa cushions were wearing out too quickly and the support underneath was lacking.

2. Think about fabric or finish. I went with a fabric couch a few years ago and it is prone to pilling. This time I am going with leather. With leather, it requires a bit of upkeep to keep it looking new and not cracked. They each have pros and cons, so think about which works best for you.

3. Do not buy online without seeing it in person first. I know sometimes that it is impossible to do that, but try to get to the store! You need to sit on it, lay on it, etc. It also helps because they give you more information about the item in person.

4. Measure your room. You need to know how much space you have.

5. Go to the furniture store at least TWICE. Once to look at items and to make notes on certain pieces. Then, go home and think about which pieces really stood out. Go back to the store once more to make sure it is what you want and then you can make your purchase.

6. When going to the shop, take a pen, notebook, and a calculator. Make sure you have your room measurements written down. Compare the measurements to the item you are interested in. Then, calculate how much room that leaves you with. Will it fit in the place where you want to put it?

7. If it's a mattress, coil count does matter. They are what gives more support and stability. Try out a few different mattresses. Lay down on it, sit on it, and bounce a little. You'll look silly, but you'll definitely learn which one works for you. If your bed has a slatted base, a boxspring is not necessary.

8. Stay within your budget! I know how hard it is to see a beautiful $5000 set when you only have $3000 allotted. Just keep looking, because you will find something you like in your price range that will be just as nice. It just takes a bit of digging around. And you'll be happier in the long run with not having to pay the high bill!

9. Pick a color that you will not get sick of. Sure a red sofa is pretty, but will you still think that when you've looked at it everyday for five years? Just make sure that it will grow with you.

10. The most important thing to do is to envision. Think about where you want to put your new furniture. Will it go with what you already own? Will it provide you with enough room?

Those are just ten tips that I thought I would share. And just for fun, here is the sofa and loveseat that I purchased! Two others were in the running, but these were more comfortable and they tie in nicely with my black leather dining seats. It did not hurt that they were on sale! :)



They have a pillow top and it's so comfortable. You just sink right into it. I bought some nice black throw pillows and throw blankets (one red and one white) to go on top. I hate when your legs stick to leather when you have sat on it for too long! If I think about it once I get it set up, I'll try to take pictures.

Hope the tips help! If you have your own, please share!

Vintage Bags

My bag collection now includes two vintage bags. These bags belonged to my husband's grandmother!

A floral tapestry box purse with a snap-top closure. I'm not sure when this one dates back to, so I'll have to ask my mother-in-law. I'm speculating that Nan used it in late 60s-early 70s.

This bag is truly one-of-a-kind because Nan actually made it herself! It's very sturdy and when looking at it, I can see all of the hard work she put into it. I'm very honored that she wanted me to have some of her purses and jewelry and I will cherish them forever. ♥

TIP: To help you know if you have a vintage bag (jewelry, clothes, etc.), it is generally considered that the item must be around 30-40 years old or more. It varies on what the item is.

Have a great weekend! :)

Tagged: 8 Questions

I was tagged by Kathryn to do this! How it works is I answer the 8 questions she chose, tag people, and then give them 8 questions of my own. Let's try it out, shall we?! I'm guessing you're supposed to tag 8 people, since it's based on that number. I don't normally tag people, but I can't just go and ruin the "8 tag"! :) If I didn't tag you, please feel free to do it and link me to your entry so that I can read your answers!


Kathryn gave me these questions:
1. What is your favorite thing to do with friends? SHOP! I love the little chit-chat sessions as we walk through a store or mall. :) Eating out would be the second choice.

2. How would you describe yourself in one sentence? I am a very sensitive, loyal, and random person!

3. When was your first kiss? July 2004. I'm married to him now. He was my first of everything good. ♥

4. What is your favorite holiday? Why? Christmas. Not just for the religious factor, but because I love bright lights and decorations. It's one of the only times where people can get away with being gaudy! The more lights and decorations, the better!

5. If you could go back in time and experience any event without changing history, what would it be? Woodstock. What a music festival and positive message!

6. What song would you use to describe your life right now? Fearless by Taylor Swift.

7. If you had $100 extra dollars right now, what would you do with it? If not used on makeup, then probably a Michael Kors watch that I have my eyes on.

8. What fall trend are you most excited about wearing? Cozy sweaters and leopard print!


Linh
Mel
Raech
Lillian
Jennifer
Courtney
Kerri
Christine


1. If your bags were packed by the door right now for a vacation, where would you choose to go?
2. What is one TV show that you can watch over and over?
3. What is one song that you absolutely cannot stand right now?
4. Who would play you in a movie about your life?
5. What is one thing that people rave on about that you thought was actually horrible?
6. What color would you never paint your bedroom?
7. What is one article of clothing that you wouldn't be caught dead in?
8. What is your favorite book?

How to Depot Eyeshadows

I know this method works for MAC and Urban Decay and I assume that it would work for several other similarly packaged eyeshadows. I do use heat with this method. The one that requires no heat takes more effort than my lazy ol' self will allow! ;)

You'll need: a hair straightener, a sharp pointed knife, scissors, and magnetic tape or magnets. Magnetic tape can be found in most craft stores. I got mine at Michael's.

Using the knife, pop it into the plastic as shown. You'll hear a click and just pop the whole black pot out. If you knife gets glue on it at all, alcohol will easily take it off.

I use my really old hair straightener for this step, because I don't care if it gets anything on it. I have never had the problem, but if you leave them on for too long the plastic can stick to the plates. If you are using your current hair straightener, you can just put down a piece of wax paper between the shadows and plates. Place both of the pieces from the previous step onto the straightener.

While they are getting warm, cut out the pieces of magnets that you will need. Just big enough to cover the back of the eyeshadow pan.

Check the pan with the label. If you move your knife under the label, then you can go ahead and peel it off. If it is not coming off easily, stick it back on the heat. After the label is done, you can put the plastic package to the side.

Don't be impatient with this next part. Take the shadow off of the heat and pry your knife right between the pan and the plastic tray. If you can lift it easily, it is ready. If it starts to bend in, put it back on the heat for a moment. If you try to pry them up when the glue is not heated thoroughly, your eyeshadow will chip off. It's happened to me a few times. It's not a big deal, but by a completely vain standpoint...it's not as pretty. :) Then, take the plastic tray and snap it right back into the packaging. Check with your MAC first, but most will allow this to count towards the Back to MAC program without the metal pan.

Put the magnet on, followed by the label. Then, pop it into your palette.

Finished product. I depotted Crazy Cool and Shock-A-Holic and put them in my Pinks and Purples palette. You can see where I rushed through some of my depotting where the chipped off spots are.

This is very different from the method used to depot the new MAC packaged quads. If I get one during the Fabulous Felines Collection, I will show you how to do that. It's much more complicated, unfortunately. I learned the hard way how to do those during the Spring Colour Forecast Collection! Hope this tutorial was helpful to some of you!