Emery at 6 months

My little baby turned 6 months on the 7th. Its hard to believe that its been that long. In some ways it feels like it just happened yesterday. In other ways, it seems like its been years. My life has changed so much. Less than a week before Emery was born, I was working for Corporate America, slaving my days away in front of a computer. Now I’m hardly ever on the computer and I have to force myself to crack it open more than a few times a week. I used to live for the time I had off and relished my lunch breaks and weekends since I could do whatever I wanted to (which primarily was napping). Now my ‘breaks’ are when baby girl is asleep and are filled with chores and caring for my home. My work day used to consist of emails and meetings, paper work and data entry. Now, my day consists of 24/7 baby duty (a lot of DOOTY if you get my drift), and all the things that come with keeping a well maintained home. Instead of surfing Pinterest for decoration ideas or makeup inspiration, I’m looking for recipes on how to make baby food. Life has made a 180 degree turn. It really has been a dream come true to be with my little one!


My little baby has grown so much. I cant wait to see who she'll become! Most days she's a happy little sprite who flashes you her cheesy grin whenever you give her a smile. She's rolling all around, which gets her into a lot of trouble, because she often gets stuck under furniture! She's eating veggies and loving them, and would probably try to scarf down Mommy and Daddy's food if we let her!

Just a few hours old

Emery just a few minutes old

What a difference! Emery at 6 months

Emery at 1 month

So serious sometimes.

But mostly she's a little ham!

Its been a crazy and fast 6 months, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I'm so thankful I get to be home with my little love bug!

Happy Valentines Day everyone!

Valentines day look: Naked 3

Ok. Everyone and their Mom in the beauty world is talking about and using Urban Decay's Naked 3 palette right now. I know, I know. But, its seriously a gorgeous palette and perfect for Valentines day. So, I thought I'd throw my two cents in and create another Valentines day look for you!

 1. Start out priming the eyelid with your favorite primer.

 2. Add a shimmery cream eyeshadow to just the lid, avoiding the crease. 

 3. Pack on Naked "Buzz" over the cream shadow.

 4. Use "Nooner" in the crease and blend.

 5. Pack on the eyeshadow "Blackheart" in the outer "V" and softly blend into the outer 3rd of the crease. 

 6. Blend "Darkside" and "Liar" shadows on the center of the lid, going back to "Buzz" if needed to create a soft transition into the inner 3rd of the eyelid. 

 7. Create a winged liner with gel liner and set with black eyeshadow. 

 8. Use "Darkside" and "Liar" on the lower lash line and blend. Add a cream colored eyeliner to the lower lash line. 

9. To finish off the eyes, add the shadow "Strange" to the brow bone, and "Dust" to the tear duct. Add lots of mascara and you're done!

 

10. Add some light pink gloss for a kissable pout!

I hope you have an awesome Valentines day! If you dont have someone special to celebrate with, treat yo' self, girl!

 

Products used:

Face-
Avon Ideal Flawless BB Cream in "Light"

Revlon Photoready Concealer in "Light"

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer in "Light"

Essence 'All About Matte" powder

Revlon Matte Blush in "Perfectly Peach"

Physicians Formula Translucent Pearl Highlighter

 

Brows-

Avon Glimmerstick Brow definer in "Blonde"

NYX Wonder pencil in "Light" 

 

Eyes-

Maybelline 24hr Tattoo cream eyeshadow in "Nude Pink"

Jordana 12hr Made to Last eyeshadow pencil in "Pink Evermore"

Urban Decay Naked 3 palette

Avon Supershock gel liner in Black

Wet'n'Wild matte black eyeshadow

NYX Wonder pencil in "Light"
Jordana "Best Lash Extreme" mascara in Black

 

Lips-

 NYX Lip pencil in "Nude Beige"

NYX Butter Lipgloss in "Eclair"

 

Valentines day look: Silver Smokey eye

Valentines day is just around the corner, and its a perfect time to whip out a dramatic, sultry look!

1. Start with applying eye primer. This will keep the eyeshadows from creasing and the colors vibrant.

2. Apply a light gray shadow all over the lid and blend it thoroughly.  

3. Add a dark gray shadow into the crease and blend. I know, it looks like a hot mess, but just keep going, it gets better!

4. Add a black shadow into the crease, but keep it concentrated just in the outer "V". Use a matte skin toned shadow to blend the edges of the crease.

  5. Pack on a bright silver shadow on the inner corner of the eye, and blend it softly on the lid- avoiding the crease area. Then add black winged liner!

 6. Use the dark gray shadow under the lower lashes, and the bright silver on the inner 1/3 of the lower lash line. 

 

 7. Apply a black liner into the lower waterline.

8. Apply several coats of mascara on the top and bottom lashes!

9. Finish off the face with a light contour on the hollows of the cheeks, a soft blush, and a natural glossy mouth!

The final look!

 

 

Products used:

Face- Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3-1 Foundation in "Ivory"

Revlon Photoready Concealer in "Light"

Maybelline Mineral Power Concealer in "Fair"

Essence 'All About Matte" poweder

Revlon Matte Blush in "Perfectly Peach"

NYX Blush in "Taupe"

Brows-

Avon Glimmerstick Brow definer in "Blonde"

NYX Wonder pencil in "Light" 

Eyes-

Maybelline 24hr Tattoo cream shadow in "Nude Pink"

NYX Smokey Eyes palette

Wet'n'Wild Color Icon 8 Pan palette in "Blue had me at Hello"

Urban Decay Naked 3 palette- Strange

Avon Supershock gel liner in Black
Jordana "Best Lash Extreme" mascara in Black

Lips-

NYX lip pencil in "Nude Beige"

NYX Butter lipgloss in "Eclair" 

  

The beauty of makeup is that it can be used in a number of ways to play up your features, create illusions and add extra oomph where needed.  In the pictures above, I've done a few key things that make my eye appear either smaller or larger- simply with the placement, color and location of  my makeup. All eye shapes are beautiful and whether small or larger, your eyes are the windows to your soul. If you want to play up your eyes and make them bigger and brighter, take a look at these do's and donts!

Do:

• Use light colors all over the lid. 
• Create a soft crease with diffused colors.
• Line your water line with a flesh toned or white pencil.
• Highlight your brow bone and tear duct area.
• Curl your eyelashes.
• Line your upper lashes 2/3's of the way in.
• Softly define the lower lash line.
• Fill in your eyebrows as arched (but natural) as possible.

Don't:

• Pack on dark shadows
• Keep the color all on your lid.
• Use a dark pencil in your water line.
• Line your upper lashline all the way to your tear duct. 
• Use harsh and dark shadow or pencil on the lower lash line.
• Fill in your eyebrows straight across.
  .

Just remember that the darker the eye makeup, the more likely it is to shrink your eyes. If your goal is to have the doe eye'd look, keep things light and lifted!

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Heres a step by step of what I did to create the bigger, brighter eye look!


 1. Prime your eye with your primer of choice.

2. Highlight your brow bone and tear duct with a shadow 2-3 shades lighter then your skin tone.

 3. Apply a shimmery, light shadow all over the lid.

 4. Define the crease by applying medium toned shadow, and blend thoroughly.

5. Use a dark shadow to create a soft, winged eyeliner. Only apply the liner to the outer 2/3's of your eye.

 6.  Use a skin toned eyeliner pencil in your waterline. Apply the same mid toned shadow that was used in the crease on the lower lash line.

7.  Curl your lashes and apply plenty of mascara!

To add extra drama to this look, you can apply the dark shadow used for eyeliner in your crease. Smoke it out by blending it in the outer 'V' of your eye.

 

Products used:

Eyes-
Maybelline 24hr Tattoo cream eyeshadow in "Nude Pink"
Urban Decay Naked 3 palette
NYX Wonder Pencil in "Light"
Jordana Best Lash Extreme Mascara in Black

Brows-
Avon Glimmerstick Brow definer in "Blonde"
NYX Eyebrow Cake Powder in "Blonde"

Face- 

Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3-1 Foundation in "Ivory"

Revlon Photoready Concealer in "Light"

Maybelline Mineral Power Concealer in "Fair"

Elf High Definition Powder

NYX Blush in " Taupe"

NYX Cream Rouge in "Natural"

Revlon Matte Blush in "Perfectly Peach"

Physicians Formula Pearl Highlighter

Lips-

NYX Round lipstick in B56

EOTD: Playing with Sugarpill

I had a few spare minutes while Emery was napping, so I thought it would be fun to pull out my Sugarpill 'Burning Heart' and 'Sweetheart' palettes and play for a bit. I haven't done a colorful look in a long time, so it felt good to let my creativity flow and see what happened!

Products used:

Eyes-
Sugarpill "Burning Heart" Palette- Poison Plum and Buttercupcake (buy here)
Sugarpill "Sweetheart" Palette- Dollipop, Afterparty, Midori and Tako (buy here)
Urban Decay "Naked" palette- Buck and Naked
Urban Decay "Naked 3" palette- Strange
Wet'n'wild trio "I Dream of Greenie"
NYX single shadow in Chick
Avon Supershock gel liner in Black
Jordana "Best Lash Extreme" mascara in Black

Brows-
Avon Glimmerstick Brow definer in "Blonde"
NYX Eyebrow Cake Powder in "Blonde" 
NYX Wonder Pencil in "Light"