The major selling point is that they're traceless and don't leave marks on your hair. I was skeptical, but I slept with one in my hair with my half up. I woke up to creaseless hair that had beautiful volume.
First Aid Beauty, Ultra Repair Cream has helped my skin so much. My regular moisturizer wasn't able to touch the dryness of my skin. This winter was really windy, cold, and drying. This cream does the trick every time.
Sephora Collection, Baby Z Palette is a must have item for anyone who has odd and end eye shadows that you want to organize. I definitely think I'll be able to use my shadows more.
Origins GinZing™ Refreshing Eye Cream to Brighten and Depuff; I picked this product, since I was tired of just picking the same product, Clinique All About Eyes. Origins is around the same price point and I feel like it's worked really well!
It's fun to try new products and get out of your comfort zone!
I wanted a pair of leather booties that I could wear with dress pants, jeans, skirts/dresses. So for Christmas, I asked for a pair of Clarks Maypearl Ramiebooties in Mahogany Leather Combi. I love their rich brown color.
With my rheumatoid arthritis and being flat-footed, it's hard to find shoes that are actually stylish and comfortable. I was hopeful I would like these boots, since I have two pairs of their flats (Clarks Danelly Adira and their Feature Film Flats) that I love.
These boots are a dream, so comfy and stylish. I wear them all the time. I'm thinking about getting them in black too. I've worn them in ice, snow, and rain; they have enough traction for all of that. If you're looking for a stylish, comfy bootie; this is it!
I kept hearing about brow kits and to me they seem overrated. I've got decent brows and I work on them every couple of days, so what more did I need. Well, one of my friends talked about the YOUNGBLOOD eyebrow kit that she got at our salon, Platinum & Company. She loves it. At their recent Christmas party, they were doing people's brows with the kit, so I thought I'd try it. I had super low expectations of liking it and I ended up loving it! My friend got me the kit for Christmas and the difference it makes is so good! Platinum & Company sells it for $30ish
The kit comes in different colors, so you can get one that matches your hair color. The two tools in there are magnetized, so they won't fall out of the kit, which is brilliant.
The way I was taught to use it was to take the flat brush and use the wax on the very right of the kit. Use it to trace the outline of your brows to get all the little hairs aligned. Next, take some of the first and second circles of product. Start a half inch from where the brow begins in the center of your forehead. Fill in the brows on both sides. Now use the center darker color to fill that first half inch of each brow. I feel like filling my brows gives me a more "finished" look.
I've had the privilege of knowing Patrick for over 5 years through his speaking at the university I work at. Through that time, I feel like I've gotten to know him pretty well.
This fall, while he was here for presentations, he gave me a copy of his new book, When You Are Bursting.
If you want to really know someone, read something they have written. Those words are pieces of their soul. This book is very much like getting a peek into Patrick's life and soul. His book shares more of his life story and the things that helped shape him. It's a collection of short stories. Through this book, I came to see how extraordinary Patrick's life has been. The book made me laugh, made me sad at times, but it also made me think about life. This was definitely an easy read. Read it, you'll definitely enjoy it!
I have long loved watching HGTV's Fixer Upper with Chip and Joanna Gaines. They balance each other perfectly; he's goofy and she's more serious. I really enjoyed their book, the Magnolia Story. It told their story and felt told mainly in Joanna's voice.
Capital Gaines is all Chip Gaines. It's about the defining moments in his life, his love of Waco, and their businesses. It's all told in Chip's upbeat, hardworking vibe. It's encouraging; chase that dream, do the impossible, put in the work. This was a fast and fun read for me. It also helped me understand what drives Chip. I was so shocked when I found out that season 5 would be the last for Fixer Upper. In the book, Chip really goes into why they decided to not continue with the show. His reasons made me respect him more. Though I will miss the show, you can bet going to Waco is on my bucket list.
A few months ago, this song popped back in my head and I had to find it to listen to it again. I remember it from my high school days. Those were the days...
Are there any songs that take you back in time like this?
Recently, I've gotten into hand lettering. It's so cool and is on major trend right now.
I found a book I really liked, Hand Lettering 101 by Chalk Full of Love.
This book is fantastic. It shows how to make each letter with the down strokes and leaves room to practice. Since I borrowed the book from the library, I put tracing paper over the top of the letters. Then I would try to write the letters on my own. I've since used my new skills in making cards. It's been fun to learn and use my new skills. I think hand lettering is so pretty. The book also shows how to mix different styles of font and how to use flourishes. My examples below show two of the styles of font I learned. Great book!
Part of what I love about hand lettering is that you don't have to start out with tons of supplies. I started out with a sharpie and craft markers I already had. I've even started making my own cards using my new skill.
My progress:
Next is Hand Lettering 201! I will also share my journey through that book with you. Here's to learning more!
I just loved the song, Rewrite the Stars from the movie, The Greatest Showman. It's sang by Zac Efron and Zendaya. They play two people from different world's who fall in love. If only we could rewrite the stars...
I first heard this touching song while watching Lindsey Stirling and Mark Ballas dance last season on Dancing with the Stars. The dance is the story of Lindsey's relationship with her beloved father who passed away several years ago. I loved their dance and the song. The emotion of it all made me cry. I hope you enjoy the dance and song as much as I did. Tell me it's not beautiful.
Over Christmas break, I was hoping to see a movie. Upon seeing the previews for The Greatest Showman, I knew I wanted to see it. Thankfully, my mom and grandma were game. I thought that since it was essentially a musical they would possibly enjoy it. Well, enjoy it we did! It stars actors Hugh Jackman, Michelle, Williams, Zac Efron, and songbird Zendaya.
The movie is about P.T. Barnum who began the Barnum & Bailey Circus. It begins with his childhood. It was just him and his dad growing up. His dad was a tailor. P.T. had a crush on a little girl of a man his dad made suits for. The man wanted P.T. to have nothing to do with his daughter, Charity. He sends her away to boarding school. There P.T. and Charity write letters back over the years. They talk about their dreams for a big life. Once she graduates and comes home, P.T. comes to take her away, against her father's wishes.
They live a meager life and later have two daughters. P.T. works an unmotivated job until the company until they close. Now jobless, he sets to make their dreams come true. At his time, a circus wasn't a thing. He wants to create a place for people to see things they've never seen before. He starts with setting up a museum of sorts with replicas of wild animals. Soon he recruits a bearded lady who can sing and a little person. He makes it into a show with singing, dancing, and acrobatics. It's all things people have never seen and soon becomes wildly popular. All these people who never belonged like the bearded lady and the little person, etc. now have all have a place they belong. They become like a family. Meanwhile, there are people in the community that harass the performers, call them mean names, protest outside the theater, and try to fight them.
Finally, P.T.'s family moves into a mansion. They can finally afford to let their daughter take ballet lessons. His wife and daughters now wear beautiful dresses they could never afford before.
P.T. is invited to go to London to meet the Queen. He brings his circus. There he meets and hears the voice of Jenny Lind. He's mesmerized by her voice. He convinces her to come sing in New York. She agrees. He focuses all his time on promoting her. Unlike his circus, she reached even the top echelon of society. Since he grew up poor, he desired to crack into that. At Jenny Lind's New York show, Charity sees the way P.T. looks at Jenny. P.T. decides to take Jenny around the country on tour. His circus feels abandoned. He won't even let them into her concert reception.
The tour is going well, but back home things aren't as good. The tension is rising among the bullies who like to harass circus performers. They set fire to the circus. Jenny stages a kiss with P.T. that's captured on camera at the end of her show. That photo, obviously, ended up in newspapers across the country. The photo is then seen by Charity...
Jenny and P.T. have a falling out and she ends the tour. Unfortunately, P.T. put a lot of money into the tour. It was going to take 40 shows in for the project to break even. Sadly, they hadn't made it to that many shows, so he's now ruined. They're behind in their house payments, so they get evicted. Charity and the girls move in with her family.
P.T. comes to his senses and reconnects with his family. He patches things up with the circus squad. With their theater burned down, they have to figure out how to rise from the ashes. From there, they come up with the idea to have shows in tents and travel around the country. P.T. doesn't want to leave his family, so he hands the reins over too his partner, Phillip Carlyle (played by Zac Efron).
This movie reminded me of the movie, Saving Mr. Banks. The parallels were the poor upbringing of the main characters and how they turned things all around through hard work.
The singing and dancing in the movie were so fun! The two hours passed fast. I can't wait to rent it when it comes out on DVD.
