Christmas Makeup Look 2017

One week today it will be Christmas Night; The Halls will be Decked & The Bells Jingling! 

Are you Ready?

I am a lot more prepared than some years, and a lot less than others, One thing I do have ready is my makeup look which I have shared the details for both the Eye & Lip Look(s) & products used for both BELOW.

This eye look was inspired by the lovely, talented, & inspiring Carli Bybels! 

Santa Red Lip

Step #1. The most important step in a good lip look is the pre-care! Be sure to keep your lips moisturized (it's more important than ever during these cold winter months). If your lips are feeling a little bit dry -apply a thorough layering of Shea Butter Moisturizing Lip Balm let set for as long as possible - blot with a napkin before beginning your lip look!

Step #2.Line your lips with Pomegranate Lip Liner. 

Step #3. Apply one coat of Hibiscus Smoothed Over Lipstick & head to the mistletoe!

Mrs. Clause Eye

Step #1. Prime the Skin with Arbonne Makeup Primer, this will make the colours POP a lot more & last even longer!

Step #2. The Red eye-shadows are both Arbonne Blush Shades. Apply shade 'Dusty Rose' [a flat red pigment] over the lower two-thirds of the eyelid.

Step #3. Apply Arbonne Blush in shade 'Blossom' [a bright red pigment with metallic gold undertones] to the crease of the eye to add depth. 

Step #4. Apply Arbonne Eye-shadow 'Gingersnap' [a metallic gold pigment with brass undertones] to the hood of the eyelid (just above the lash line). Sold Out

Step #5.  Use a large shadow brush to blend. Keep on blending.

Step #6. Apply Arbonne Eye-shadow ' Icing' [an iridescent white pigment] to highlight below the brow and the inner corner of your eye. Sold Out

Step #7. Apply NYX Vinyn Liquid Liner in a small(ish) wing.

Step #8. Apply  LANCÔME Monsieur Big Mascara to the top lashes ONLY.

Step #9. Apply False Lashes, OPTIONAL.I switch up my lash brands a LOT but I ALWAYS use DUO White Lash Glue.

Step #10. Apply Arbonne Blush in shade 'Blossom' in place of liner below the bottom lash line.

Step #11. Apply LANCÔME Monsieur Big Mascara to the bottom lashes to finish the look.

While it is not part of either look it is worth noting that my contouring were both done using ONE product!!

 

This amazing fuzzy pink clucth is by Studio DIY! The New December Clutch launched Today & let me tell you - She never disappoints! 

Self Love Cultivated Through ; Self Love, The Process of Art, & An Attitude of Gratitude 

Upcycled Christmas Wrap Ideas Sure To Make Em' BLUSH

Happy #FriDIY the 15th ~ 10 more days until Christmas!
Wrapping gifts & adding special touches that I feel suit each person is one of my FAVOURITE steps of getting ready for Christmas Day! I love collecting up & making little ornate details, hand making ornaments or name tags!
Something I have neglected to consider in some years past however is the fact that everyday we use a lot more disposable items than we truly need! But around the Holidays this always increases drastically!
This year I am challenging myself to Keep these two simple thoughts in mind when wrapping my Gifts this year for a Smaller Holiday Footprint!
~ Could I Up-cycle/ Re-Use Something
~ Could It Be Re-Used 

Both may not always be applicable for all of your wrapping supplies, but if you are mindful I promise that it is a lot easier (& not to mention more cost efficient) than you'd think for you & our the planet!
Some of the ways that I ended up wrapping & decorating my gifts that followed these Guide Lines I have put together in a Round-Up Style Tutorial Below!

Cotton & Foliage Gift Wrap, [Up-cycled & Re-Used]
Salt Dough Ornaments & Name Tags, [Re-Used & Re-Useable]
 Knit Sweater Gift Bags & Stockings, [Up-Cycled & Re-Usable]
Brown Paper Bag Advent Calendar & MORE! [Up-cycled]

A few years back I shared the Recipe I use when making Salt-dough which you can find HERE . It can be used to make Ornaments, or Gift Tags. I made a few straight-bars and painted them white which I will use as Gift Tags, as well as Place Holders at the Dinner Table!
Go out on a walk to collect a few shoots of Foliage to add a pretty winter touch! I also added Blush Bells, yarn, & a few pieces of left over gold glitter artificial flowers I had left over after another project!
The Metallic Blush // Rose Gold Gift Wrap Is NEW by QUEENWEST Trading Co.
and available on Amazon.ca

Up-cycle Stockings & Knit Gift Bag(s) out of Unworn Sweaters

I am not exaggerating when I say that I have collected over 10 stockings through the years.
So when I decided that I wanted new Stockings this year to go with my slightly less traditional colour theme, I knew that my budget would have to be pretty slim! I was so excited when I attempted to make the  stockings out of an old sweaters I had folded in the back of the closet, never to be worn again, I decided to also make a Gift Bag which I thought would be a cute way to transport presents over the Holidays, & also hit every one of the Guide Lines to a smaller Holiday Footprint!
I also shared the template I followed.

This Brown Paper Bag Advent Calendar is very similar to one I made a few Years ago & shared the tutorial for HERE. I simply Switched out the branch for a wooden bracelet I never wore but always liked the aesthetics of. I filled 25 Brown Paper Bags with some special surprises, added doilies for a lace detail & numbers. I hung them using two different shades of Jute Twine & added a daisy & Foliage to finish the top!
If you fancy more of a Classic Holiday Theme you should check out last years Country Christmas inspired Advent Calendar made out of a re-claimed Barn board HERE!

I had planned to share a few tutorials / posts last week... but that didn't happen, because of being down and out after being at the Dentist & Endodontist for a total of 4 and a half hours of mouth wide open discomfort within a week maybe if I am feeling inspired I will cram them all out in the coming 10 days! Needless to say I was more than eager to get back up and Running which I maybe should have re-considered considering the Ice... & that was all just a round-about way of saying I fell on the Ice, & am now sitting with my arm propped up as I type. While I may or may not need help styling my own hair & doing up my shoes, I am not about to let anything stop me from wrapping Christmas presents!

Glitter Reindeer Silhouette Tutorial HERE

Self Love Cultivated Through ; Self Love, The Process of Art, & An Attitude of Gratitude 

Frosty Returns ; DIY Frosty The Snowman Fridge

Happy First Day of December! 

Frosty The Snowman was a tradition stretching back the length of my childhood! My Mom thought the Magician was absolutely hilarious & let's be honest he kinda does have his own charm. I have since adapted the Tradition & since 2012 have been keeping the Tradition of Frosty The Fridge Alive. 

Frosty Returns this year; with more style & flair than ever before.

Seen wearing a Metallic Rose Gold Scarf,accessorized with a Pork Pie(Jazz) Hat adorned with a Blush Daisy Boutineer.

Scroll to the Bottom to find a Tutorial that goes over the supplied needed & basic steps to re-create him year after year, & some grainy shots of some Frosty's of the Past.

What You Will Need:  

~ Pencil
~ Scissors
~ Gift Wrap
~ Black Marker
~ Transparent Tape
~ Cardstock / Coloured Paper (Orange & Black)
~ Artificial Flowers (OPTIONAL - for Boutineer)
~ Hot Glue Gun & Glue (OPTIONAL - for Boutineer)
~ Wood Skewers (OPTIONAL - to brace the Hat at the back)

How To:

Step #1. Gather necessary supplies.
Step #2. Draw out your 'features' - be sure to draw them in reverse so that the Pencil doesn't show, or "from the back" as I like to call it.
[ 2 Eyes, coal buttons & mouth pieces out of BLACK]
[ Carrot nose out of ORANGE]
Step #3. Cut out 'features' using your Scissors
OPTIONAL Step #4. Using your Hot Glue Gun & Artificial Flowers add the Boutineer to the Hat.
Step #5. Cut 3 strips (the same width) of Gift Wrap.
Step #6. Using Transparent tape - start adhering everything to your Fridge as you see fit!
  (I got a little over-excited & forgot to continue snapping pictures of this process)

Frosty Returns 2017

Top Row: 2012 , 2013
Bottom Row: 2014. 2015

Self Love Cultivated Through ; Self Love, The Process of Art, & An Attitude of Gratitude 

DIY PomPom & Tassel Toque

The cold hits quick here in Canada. One minute you're Fall vibin', plaid and all... but with one sharp North wind it's nothing but scarves that double as king size blankets & boot gains!
The repetition of layering on the same bulky gear every day makes me wonder why I even bothered changing my outfit from the day before - or out of my pajamas for that matter!
This year I decided to give those boring basics we NEED for warmth some flair & personality!
Maybe this will make me more excited to get dressed up for the cold - I'll at least look cuter while complaining!
Kristen & I got all snuggled up in them and head down to the stream by her house, we should have headed the warning of the frozen water caps... we got like 10cm of snow the next day!

What You Will Need:

~ Hats
~ Yarn
~ Thread
~ Needle
~ Scissors
~ Pom Pom(s)

How To:

Step #1. Begin by creating your Tassel(s). Wrap yarn around a small notebook (or your hand) 25-50 times (depending on the size of Tassel you are looking to create). [Image 1]

Step #2. Tuck a piece of yarn under all & tie at the top to secure [Image 2]

Step #3. Using your scissors cut the apposing ends Free. [Image 3]

Step #4. Tie another piece of yarn around the Top of the Tassel to complete [Image 4]

Step #5. Thread your Needle and Sew one end of it into the Top of your Hat (at the base of the Pom Pom if there is one). Leaving a 5-10" thread attached to the needle. [Image 5]

Step #6. Thread on your Pom Poms, be sure to do this loosely (with space in between so they don't look squished). [Images 6 & 7]

Step #7. Sew on the Tassel at the end. Tie off to secure & cut off the needle & excess thread.
Again be sure to keep a relaxed hand while doing this. [Images 8 & 9]

Now Pop it on your Head and Tassel your way around Town!

Self Love Cultivated Through ; Self Love, The Process of Art, & An Attitude of Gratitude 

Fall In My Bag [2017]

Organization & practicality are two things I have been doing my best to embrace in every day life! The more control & organization I can implement into the aspects of life I can control, the easier it is for me to let go & accept change as it comes to the other areas of my life I can not control. In the summer I shared how I manage an active and on the go summer lifestyle, chasing passions, all while working a day job & limit the amount that I look like a disheveled bag lady while doing it. Now that fall is here & the cool weather has rolled in I am going to share with you how I keep my everyday handbag organized. I think it is safe to say that I am not really into the deeper fall tones this year. At the moment I am loving on everything holographic & monochromatic! 

I am sharing how I incorporate my obsession with zip-bags to keep things sorted & accounted for. One for First-Aid, Cosmetics & of course coffee coins so all that useful content can be easily found and USED! Not forgotten or buried under mountains of old receipts and lip products leaving you digging through your purse at the check out.  

• Silver Metalic Wallet/Wrist-let (Chamilia No longer Available - similar HERE)
• Plastic / Rubber Bag First Aid Kit  (Actually a pencil case I scored during the Back To School Frenzy)
• Two-tone mermaid scale & black Sequin Coin Purse/Wrist-let (I got as a gift but is No Longer Available - I did find it in a Fanny Pack though which is pretty epic in it's own right)
• MERMAID HAIR DON'T CARE Makeup Bag ( A gift from someone else... some kind of theme going on here. Also No Longer Available - similar HERE)
• YOU GOT THIS GIRL Notebook (Crucial for random ideas / inspiration / grocery lists. Similar HERE)
• EOS Sweet Mint Lip Balm (my go to lip balm since High School)
• Black Envelope Style Bag (Thrifted / Vintage - similar HERE )

My TWIK Look

Back in October I partnered up with the store Simon's for the Brand TWIK through Chick Advisor
 ( I actually got the first E-mail regarding this campaign on my Birthday, which made for a very special Birthday Surprise!)

If you are not familiar with this Store yet I do recommend you check it out! A Canadian Fashion Retailer since 1840, that started in Quebec & now extends through the Country! The closest store to me is in Ottawa at the Rideau Centre - so obviously I had to get in there to check it out when I first got word! It's loaded with great Designers & Brands! The brand TWIK however is a Brand New addition to the store(s) & such a high quality one at that! They carry classic timeless pieces of phenomenal quality ( & next level softness) that like a best friend will be with you for life! If all of that wasn't enough, they even have select pieces in the line with profits going to Marine Mammal Research, so  RUN not walk to check it out!

speaking of... I'd like to thank My Best Friend & photographer extraordinaire! Who I can seriously always count on to get a great shot despite my insane uncomfortability (not a word)). I was feeling pretty under the weather, add in the fact that I had just accidentally stabbed myself pretty severely in the palm while attempting to carve a pumpkin the day prior (note the clenched hand in almost every shot) making me that much more awkward.

I had a lot going on personally / health wise in October, & I while I may not have been necessarily feeling stylish or inspiring, I was so excited about this opportunity that I knew I had to find a way to make it work! I am sharing this because I just wanted to say thank you! I am very grateful for the people in my life who surround me with encouragement, support, for holding me accountable to my goals, and motivate me to reach out of my comfort zone, & dream bigger!

Medallion Mock Neck Top worn casually;
Styled with Ripped Jeans, Hunter Green Ankle Boot, & Trench Coat

Medallion Mock Neck Top Business Casual;
Styled with Blush Slacks, Nude Pumps, & Blush Accessories 

Crushed Velvet Dress Casual;
Styled with a Denim Jacked & Thigh-High Boots.

Crushed Velvet Dress-ed Up;
Styled with Black Pom Pom Heels & a Gold Choker Necklace. 

Button Back Tee (exact pattern Sold Out) Lazy/Casual;
Styled with Black Ripped Jeans 

Button Back Tee (exact pattern Sold Out) Business Casual;

Styled with Black Pencil Skirt, Open Toe Shoe, Taupe Leather Bomber Jacket 

SIMONS Canada

Sponsored
A massive Thank You to SIMONS Canada & Chick Advisor for the opportunity!