professional makeup brush set for sale

I'm not sure if this is a weird place to do this but.... 

I am selling this set of professional makeup brushes. I purchased them in January and have used them maybe a dozen times, washing them after every use. I like these brushes but have had my eye on something a little more teal (eek!) ever since I didn't enter, and didn't win, Bubblegarm's Sigma Brush giveaway. Blast!

I bought this 12 piece synthetic brush set for $70 but am willing to let it go for $55 (plus shipping if necessary), making them less than $6 per brush.  If you are not in my area I will send it to you using regular Canada Post (so it'll make a lovely Christmas gift.... get it?!!?)  If you would like more information or would like to purchase them leave me a comment with your email address and I will contact you. Thanks for stopping by!

4 face brushes, 3 eyeshadow brushes, an eyeliner brush, an eyeliner smudger, a concealer brush, lip brush and eyebrow brush

Comes in a leather case that rolls up and ties closed.

things I'm loving right now

• Waking up to the sound of my boys talking and playing in their room. Every morning Porter gets in Rigby's bed and they play together. It's so adorable to hear them giggling and playing with each other. 

• Having my own vehicle. We bought a car for Neil to drive and now I get the van all to myself. I love it that I have a vehicle whenever I want and I love that it's clean. No more smelly reps leaving water bottles in my van! 

• Sun Maid Cinnamon Swirl raisin bread. I have loved raisin bread since I was little and used to help my granny make it. This stuff is delish and I can buy it at our local McGavins on sale.

• My Urban Decay Primer Potion. I am loving it even more than I thought I would. It's an incredible product, I'm very impressed. 

• Arrested Development. Somehow it didn't hit my radar when it was actually on TV but we've been watching it on Netflix and it's seriously kicking my pants, it's hilarious. 

• The little ladybug I saw crawling along my stove this morning. She gave me hope that spring is actually coming. I've been skeptical, Mother Nature's kind of being a biatch. Really.

• The new Lupe Fiasco album, particularly the song State Run Radio with Matt Mahaffey of Self. (It's also Porter's favorite.)

• Cardigans. I looooove me a cute cardi! I have them in yellow, blue, green, a different green, red, cream, striped black and grey and grey. (I didn't pay more than $20 for any of them!) I love the layered look a cardigan adds and I love having a little extra coverage.

• The fact that I'm leaving for a fantastic getaway with some of my favorite girls in 3 sleeps! 

Anything making you smile a little bigger these days?

long lost loves challenge #1

*newsflash* 

I have too much makeup. 

Yet I find myself reaching for the same products over and over again. I have enough eyeshadow I could wear something different every day from now until Thanksgiving but do you think I use them all? No, I stick to my few favorites and neglect the others. I've decided I'm going to put a stop to this inequality. At one point I loved those eyeshadows enough to purchase them so there's still got to be a special place for them in my heart somewhere right? I am challenging myself to reach for my long lost loves more often. I haven't structured this challenge with any kind of time frame or other criteria, nor is this a P10P where I won't allow myself any new purchases until I've used up products (I'm not ready for those drastic measures yet), it is just me committing to spread the love. I will take a FOTD photo with each and remind myself why I loved the product in the first place and hopefully inspire you to stay out of the beauty ruts we all get ourselves into!

Now I am feeling a little bad about today's FOTD because I realized both of these eyeshadows have been discontinued. But the fun thing about makeup is that you can recreate a look using the products you have.

MAC Graphology (discontinued) along lashline, angled up

MAC Vellum (discontinued) blended into Graphology and all over lid

MAC Blanc Type as highlight

with NYX Circe lipstick

I was going to crop these photos but didn't want to cut out those adorable little feets!!! :)

*Edit* I liked Laura's comment so I've added some swatches.

MAC Graphology and MAC Vellum

After using these shadows today I was reminded why I liked them but also why I don't use them a lot. I wouldn't consider either one to be the most versatile in my collection but they do look great together. Vellum is a sheer frost that pulls either blue or purple (and kinda pink even) and the matte dark blue (or is it purple?) of the Graphology looks great with it. I feel a little more limited with Graphology but I'm excited to see what other relationships I can create for Vellum. 

I'd say my first LLLC is a success.

Iron Man

Ok, let me just preface this post by saying that I married the most darling and adorable man and that if two sons were ever lucky enough to have an awesome dad, it's my boys. He's so super wicked, I love him.

Porter has been really into Iron Man lately - he constantly, and I mean constantly, walks around the house with his arms straight, his palms out "geeeow"-ing people. Neil thought it would be fun for him to actually have something to "geeeow" with. This was all Neil's idea, I can take no credit.

If you have a little man that loves Iron Man around your house maybe this is something you'd like to try, it's been a hit at our house!

I didn't realize how adorable this was going to be and didn't get my camera until they were well started. Neil went to the dollar store and bought a tiny pair of socks (he was looking for little gloves but it's the wrong season), those little press-on LED lights, and some velcro. Neil cut the toes of the socks off and made a little thumb hole. Then he attached velcro to both the LED lights and the little "gloves." (I can tell already I'll have to sew the velcro to the gloves though, it's not staying too well.) 

Waiting for the other hand! 

 

This is so exciting!

Dad is really concentrating, almost done.

GEEEEEOW!!!

 HAHAHA!!! So AWESOME!!

I want to get Naked

Now that got your attention didn't it?
(I can't be the only one to have made that joke before...)

Urban Decay's Naked palette

As I understand it, the only palette you'll ever need for the rest of your life. (If that's even possible...)
I've decided. I'll be getting my hands on one soon, yes I will.

fake tan

In less than a week I am heading to sunny Arizona to spend not-quite-a-week with 5 other fun and fabulous women - my mom, my sister, my BFF Sharlee, her sister and their momma - girl's trip! It's going to be ah-mazing!

Typically before I head somewhere warm and sunny I like to get a good base tan. If you know me you know I am a sunburn waiting to happen, (thanks for those genes Dad!) I feel like tanning up a bit helps prep my skin for some rays so I don't just burn to a crisp on the first day (been there, done that, too many times - remember Bali Shar?!) And I'm not talking about tanning so much I already look like I've spent a week in the sun.... I mean just enough to wake up my freckles. Now I know "fake baking" is a controversial subject and I'm wondering how you feel about it. I am confident in my decision and I feel like it has truly saved me more than one nasty sunburn but I'm curious to know, how do you feel about going under the bulbs?



And what would a post about tanning be without a photo of.....

an Oompa Loompa - what else?

make your own button earrings

I want to show you the darling pairs of earrings I made. Well made isn't really the right word... more like, assembled.

I love accessorizing with cute and fun earrings but sometimes I can't find what I'm looking for in the jewelery department alone. I decided to broaden my search to the button aisle as well. I found a cute package of buttons, some have holes and some have the loop on the back. To make earrings you are going to want to use buttons with the loop on the back because, well, you don't want holes in your earrings, now do ya? 

You need to remove that loop. I used pliers and just twisted and pulled until it broke off. (For the black pair I'll show you, my handy brother-in-law took them out to his garage and sanded the loop off. Thanks Jace! It's up to you... or your brother-in-law, what you do.)

You'll need some earring backs. You can find them at Michaels and even some dollar stores.

Then just hot glue an earring back to the back of each button.

Ta da! Super cute, custom earrings. Love that.

I picked up these cute buttons at Joann's on one of my trips to the States. 

I thought they would make adorable earrings.

I'm lovin' them!

So next time you are on the hunt for a new pair of earrings don't limit yourself to what's in the jewelery store. Go check the sewing section and see if any of the buttons inspire you! It's super easy and fast and you have so many more options!

H & M Jeans

I really like H & M. I think it's a fun trendy store with some unique pieces. I also really like their kids section and I've got my boys some darling things there for a good price. This past fall we bought 4 adorable pairs of jeans for Porter. I love them on him but I have to say I am really disappointed in the quality. It did not take long (like I said, we just bought them in September) before they started to wear out. Three of the 4 pairs now have some kind of hole or run in them.


This pair got a tiny slit on the thigh and within a couple days it had run and created a big ol' mess.

This pair wore from Porter stepping on the back of it and it took off from there. (And you can see it's getting thin on the bum there.)

*The third pair of jeans is outside playing in the snow so I didn't get a picture but the knee is completely worn out.*

This may look like normal wear and tear on a three year old boy's jeans but I can assure you it's not. Porter has other pairs of jeans and pants and none of them have worn like this. It's like these jeans are nylons and once they get a tiny bit worn they just unravel and run out of control. I think the style is adorable but I'm not impressed with the quality at all. I won't be purchasing H & M jeans for my boys again.

Has anyone else had a similar experience?

beauty product must-haves

There are a few products I use that I just could not live without, or at least wouldn't want to live without. In my opinion these products are amazing and are an essential part of my routine. I thought I'd share them with you since they've brought me so much joy.

In no particular order....

MAC 224 Brush
This is a new addition to my brush collection and I. have. no. idea. how I lived without it. It is an amazing tool for blending out harsh lines and blending in general. I had been using my 217 for that job but pff, what a fool I was! This is a little bigger, much softer and fluffier and just does an amazing job, I can't say enough. I'm loving it!

Moroccan Oil
My friend Rachael first told me about this product and I have been using it ever since.You put it on while your hair is damp and it absorbs quickly, helping your hair dry faster and making it soft, smooth and shiny. I stopped using it last summer for a couple weeks and when I started again I fell in love with it all over again, I forgot how nice it made my hair feel. I switch up hair products often but this one remains constant. They have an original version and a light version for blondes - the product is exactly the same otherwise. It's a bit pricey but you only need a tiny pool each use and it lasts forever, plus it smells delicious.

Purple Shampoo
A must for every color treated blondie out there! When your hair starts to get a bit brassy looking you give it a wash with some purple shampoo and voila, all those cool ashy tones return and you've got bright blonde hair again. Don't use it too often or you'll definitely start looking a little grey. My mom taught me this trick when I was first highlighting my hair in junior high and I think it's a necessary part of upkeep. I'm using this brand now but think I'll find something different when this stuff runs out, it smells like an old lady. A nice old lady... but still.

Loreal Voluminous Mascara
What can I say? This is the best mascara out there. I have tried Clinique, Dior, MAC and many drugstore brands and I always come back to this (I know, why do I ever try anything else in the first place?) I have read many makeup gurus that swear by this product and I agree with them. It does start out a little gloppy, but give it a few uses and it will amaze you. Your lashes will be thicker, darker, longer and more amazing! I adore Voluminous.

Have you tried any of these products, can you agree with me? What are some of your must-haves?

second Christmas

I'm so glad it's warming up outside because I'll finally get to wear the TOMS I got for Christmas!

If you aren't familiar with TOMS go check them out. For every pair you purchase they give a pair of shoes to a child in need. And that aint a bad thing.

stuff I've been watching

FUNNY

FUNNIER

FUNNIEST

look who is ONE!

It was one year ago today that this little gem joined my life.
Another BOY!

And look at him now!

 We celebrated a day early, this is the cake Porter and I made for his birthday.

Porter also added the candles!

Rigby's kind of making a strange face here but I love how big he looks in this picture, 

he is my big boy - almost 30 pounds!!

Eating some birthday cake! (Look at those eyelashes...)

Getting all cleaned up.

Happy Birthday son!

a hairy post

I have always had straight hair but I am finding with each baby 

my hair is getting curlier and curlier. 

This is how it air dried with no scrunching product at all.

(I did soften the front with a straightener when it was dry.)

Has anyone else's baby-havin' done this to their hair?

a beauty blog

Ok, so I think it's kind of ironic that immediately after I made this post my blog has consisted almost entirely of beauty related posts. What can I say, I love make up and it's all I want to talk about these days! Ha! There are just so many great products and techniques to share and post about.


I just wanted to mention that I am getting more and more questions regarding certain makeup topics and so if you post a question I'm inviting you to come back to the comments section as I will post my reply there. I have just been emailing people back personally but I think if someone is asking there is probably more than one person that is interested in the answer. I appreciate how Jessica over at Getting Cheeky replies to any question or comment she gets and I'd love to do the same. So if you ask a question come back for a reply!

ps. I'm kinda thinking of starting a strictly beauty-blog. Any thoughts?

my next purchase

Yesterday morning as I was getting into the shower I realized I had run out of shampoo and conditioner. I searched through my little travel bags and random things in my bathroom drawer to try and find something I could get enough out of for one use. I came across a sample of this Pureology Hydrate shampoo and conditioner in those little foil packs and figured they would do the trick. Well it did more than just the trick - my hair feels like it's just got back from a weekend away at some golf resort (I don't know why my hair likes to golf...) and I'm loving it! Seriously, my hair is soft, and strong, and shiny and smells divine. And because I have to go out and buy some shampoo and conditioner anyway this is what I'll be picking up.

Has anyone else tried Pureology products?

we are sick of winter

The only good thing about winter sticking around so long is that we can still wear our snowflake jammies!!!

And they look so cute!