beauty haul

1. Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush in Peach Satin - I read a lot of great reviews of this bouncy blush and had to try it out for myself. I've been obsessed with peach this winter and settled on Peach Satin. This stuff really is bouncy! Such an interesting feel and goes on so smoothly. It's the perfect color for winter (and will be for spring, too) and the creamy finish gives my cheeks the perfect glow.

2. Neutrogena Transparent Facial Bar - I haven't tried this one out yet. I'm revamping my skincare routine since I've been having some major breakouts lately... I'm planning to put this bar in the shower.

3. Maybelline Define-A-Lash Lengthening Mascara in Very Black - This is my all-time favorite mascara. It is definitely "wet" the first few uses, but once you get past the "breaking in" stage, it really lives up to it's zero clumps, sleek definition and sensuous length! I don't think I'll ever find a mascara better than this one.

4. Maybelline Waterproof Sexy Curves Mascara in Black - I read great reviews on this one and wanted to try it out. I am not pleased at all. This mascara caused clumping and the "sexy curves" was more like awkward curves. My eyelashes didn't know where to go. They are naturally curly, so that may be the issue here. This might be better for someone with straight eyelashes that really does need a brush that will help curl the eyelashes.

5. Sonia Kashuk Concealer Palette - This is an okay product. None of the colors really matched my skin tone and I just don't think anything will ever beat my favorite concealer by Neutrogena. I may still give this one another try.

6. Neutrogena Eye Makeup Remover Lotion - This stuff is awesome! I had been using these cheap Equate wipes that got my eye makeup off, but I was rubbing them so harshly that it just felt wrong. Like I was willing on wrinkles. I've never found anything else though that really got off all of my mascara, so I was skeptical if this would do the trick. I'm so happy that it does! It gets EVERYTHING off and is so gentle if you just put a little bit of it on a cotton ball and wipe over your eyes. It has aloe in it  so it feels super soothing too!

7-8. Maybelline Lip Butters in Peach Parfait and Tutti Frutti - I. AM. IN. LOVE. I feel like these lip butters were made just for me. Lipsticks are always too harsh and drying on my lips and glosses are usually too shiny and sticky. Maybelline's Lip Butters are the perfect combonation of color and moisture! Peach Parfait is such a good shade for the winter/spring and moisturises my lips like a chapstick. Tutti Frutti is a beautiful coral shade that will be so pretty in the summer with a nice tan. Seriously, if you haven't tried these out yet, go get one!

9. Revlon Top Speed Nail Enamel in Peachy - Again, I'm obsessed with peach this season. I have this color on now and it makes me feel like spring has come early. It just brightens my mood and makes me feel happy. Has nail polish ever done that for you? It also dries quickly and applies evenly, which is a major plus!

10. Neutrogena Naturals Purifying Facial Cleanser - This continues my revamp of my skincare routine. It's gentle and removes my foundation, which is good. It has an odd smell, maybe because it's natural and is free from harsh chemicals? It also is drying, but I have pretty dry skin to begin with, so I make sure to follow up with my  vitamin E cream by The Body Shop.

Let me know in the comments if you've tried out any of these products and what you think of them!

new year goals

oh, 2012. how you snuck up on me. that's okay though because i am so ready for you.
2011 was actually a pretty long year for me. here are some highlights:

February - April: Worked in a temp position for one of the nation's best public relations firm.
March: Purchased my first smart phone. yes - that makes the list :)
June: Spent 5 days in Tennessee camping at Bonnaroo (music and art festival) SO much fun!
September: Landed my first job that came with benefits, paid vacation and 40lk. Hallelujah!
December: Purchased an iMac and my first DSLR camera that I've been wanting for years.

It may not seem like a whole lot happened in 2011, but I'm pretty happy with what did.
I'm setting some big goals for myself in 2012 - some more important than others - but goals all the same.
Here's a sneak peak:

1. Move out by June. This was originally supposed to happen in December, but then I purchased some pricey items as mentioned above, so I'm paying those off first.
2. Excercise at least three times a week. I go through months of working out every single day, then a few months of never working out. I just need consistency in a reasonable amount.
3. Travel back to Tennessee. Whether that be for Bonnaroo or just to visit Nashville - I love Tennessee.
4. Spend New Year's Eve in Time Square. Now, with this goal, it's possible that I will change my mind a year from now and not want to spend New Year's Eve in NYC. But let's face it, who WOULDN'T want that?
5. Take a photography class.
6. Write more poetry. And submit my work for publication, too.
7. And if my goals are on track by midyear, I want to adopt a puppy. An adorable, fluff ball that'll keep me company in my new place.

Now that I have my goals listed out for me to reflect on throughout the year, I think I will get back to my Gossip Girl Season 4 marathon!
Here's to 2012!

eve

Merry Christmas Eve! I woke up around 6:30 this morning... I can't seem to to sleep in these days! The presents have now been wrapped, the house has been cleaned and a lot of the preparation for Christmas Dinner tomorrow evening is complete. I went around the house and shot some footage of the decor. Here it is if you're interested :) Enjoy!



Also, please take note of how clean my bedroom is. It feels so nice to be able to walk in here :)

Winter Wonderland

carpe diem

Last weekend I visited a friend in Minnesota. I've never been to Minnesota before, so I was very excited to not only see my friend, but see a new state (especially one that homes Mall of America). Her and her boyfriend drove me through Uptown and on through Downtown Minneapolis leading us back to their apartment where we watched Whatever Works. (If you haven't seen it, do. SO so good). We woke up earlier Saturday morning to head off to a volunteer center and inspect presents being donated to families in need. Six hours is how long we spent volunteering, which boosted my Christmas spirit immensely. Soon after, we put on our dresses and suits and headed off to Uptown Minneapolis for her boyfriend's work party held at an upscale sushi lounge called Seven. Our reservations were up on the rooftop -- no reindeers paws, but plenty of sushi, cocktails and good company. Later that evening we headed to Whisky Park, where we danced into the early hours. If my feet weren't sore enough from volunteering all day and dancing all night, we completed my weekend getaway with a day filled with shopping at Mall of America on Sunday. I heard a rumor that if you walk all three stories, you've walked 6 miles. Well, we walked 6 miles and more! Multiple Forever 21s, Victoria Secrets, Bath & Body Works... because who wants just one store when you can have two! Lunch was at Famous Dave's, a restaurant I've heard is everywhere BUT St. Louis. It was really tasty! Since we had time to spare, we headed down to IKEA since we don't have that in St. Louis either. I was in heaven. This would be my 2nd time entering the wonderful world of IKEA and it did not disappoint. Why does St. Louis not have an IKEA again? Sigh...

The weekend went by too quickly and this week came at me full force. Work has been incredibly busy, but I managed through and have found myself at another weekend. I'm looking forward to a few low key days with a lot of time spent with my twinkling white lights and oh so wonderfully smelling candle :)

brandi carlile in concert

Last night a friend and I went to see Brandi Carlile and Katie Herzig live in Columbia. The duo was the perfect combo for a night of strong female vocals! Wow. They both are so unique and addicting to listen to. Katie's commentary in between songs was funny as she took requests from the crowd. Once Brandi took the stage, the crowd went crazy-- definitely one of the loudest audiences I've heard in concert. She sang one song "unplugged" -- no microphone, no amp, just her and her guitar. The crowd sang along to every word and wow! This crowd could sing! Brandi was even impressed. One of my favorite moments of the night was her covering Creep by Radiohead. It has never sounded so good. She called Katie back to the stage later in the set and they sang along to one of Katie's tunes. So beautiful. They make a great duo! My favorite song of the night was "Keep Your Heart Young".  This was an acoustic concert, just Brandi without her band, so she sang a lot of her songs the way they were written and performed before the album edit. I prefer most music this way, so I'm definitely going to try and find these versions online to download. How do you prefer your favorite artists? Just them and their guitar or with a full band backing them up?

decor

It's been nice having a four (and a half) day weekend. But alas, it has to end and I'll be back to the office in the morning. My family spent the day decorating for Christmas. We changed some things this year -- new garland, new centerpieces... I believe it all started when we installed new light fixtures and the mood in the house changed. We are all very pleased with how things are coming together. Do you decorate for Christmas? What is your favorite Christmas decoration?