December | 2016
I cannot believe it's 2017! This past year seemed to fly by... was it just me? I know everyone keeps talking about how 2016 was some big dumpster fire, and in some ways I must agree, but in so many others I can't help but wonder if it's what our society chose to focus on that made it so crappy. Frankly, Tom and I had a pretty depressing chapter in our year, but that chapter doesn't make the rest of the year's story a sad ending. I mean, we have a freshly renovated home (I still go ga-ga over our kitchen every time I use it), a puppy to bring home in a few days, fun trips and adventures under our belts, and never ending laughter. In fact, I think I have RBF so many times because my face needs a rest from laughing with my Thomas.
December itself accurately summed up our year, though. It included good food, time with family, new endeavors in our professional lives and in our personal adventures, lots of love, and yes... puppies! Can you guys tell how excited I am about our bernese mountain dog? Because I'm really, REALLY excited. Not to worry, he has a separate Instagram account to house my overload of puppy photos (I'll share the account with you soon). Anyways, here's a summary of what happened this month along with a few photos...
- We got to watch the Christmas concert at our alma mater via live streaming, and had some friends who were actually attending, wave at us. It was a fun way to start the month.
- I participated in The Bloom Workshop's December Instagram photo challenge.
- Tom and I finally bought a Chemex coffee maker and have been using it as our primary brewing method each day.
- We finished our small entryway with some functional storage, a large mirror, and minimal decor. Love it!
- We attended our second Christmas parade in Helen, GA purely for the sake of seeing the bernese mountain dogs that walk it. We saw familiar faces and pups and had a grand ol' time.
- On our way home from the parade, we stopped by what is currently the nearest Culver's (hour drive) for dinner. Lo and behold, just yesterday, we discovered a new one being built only 15 minutes up the road from us. Jesus loves us!
- I did my first photoshoot! Possibly more on the photography topic soon...
by BRC
- We prepped for the puppy (including his GIANT kennel) and I've anxiously awaited his arrival day by day.
- We enjoyed lots of hot, homemade drinks (lattes!) and Christmas cookies.
- To end the month, we spent the holidays in Idaho with all of Tom's family. It was nice to see some snow! And also ride weird motorized animals through a mall.
Cheers to 2017, my friends. May it bring you health, happiness, and if nothing else, a grateful heart for all that is good.
Also, thank you sincerely, sweet readers and followers, for your devotion and support on this little place amidst the great big interwebs. I hope what you find here inspires, lightens, relates, or offers some sort of comfort, escape, or joy to your life. I absolutely love hearing from you and I'd love to know if there's anything in particular you'd like to see more of in the new year. Comment below, on Facebook, Instagram, via email, my contact form, whatever floats your boat... but let me know what brings you back here time and time again! Want to see more food? More everyday adventure ideas? Marriage posts..?.. what topics in particular? Posts on Atlanta? Encouraging life posts? Puppy pictures ;) ? Interactive positivity challenges? Photography?
Seriously! Tell me what you'd like to see, and I'll try my hand at it!
Choosing A Camera
So you're looking for a new camera, huh?
Well, don't ask me about specs or my "professional opinion." I'm just your little amateur hobby photographer friend.
That being said, my husband and I (okay, mostly my husband) do a lot of research before we make a significant or semi-significant purchase. I've talked about our intentional shopping habits before (read here) and this camera was no exception. It caused some healthy back-and-forth between two people trying to come to one conclusion together.
This hunt started for us (and maybe you too) when we just felt like our phone photos weren't "cutting it" anymore. Phones are easy. They're convenient to carry, fast to capture, and are improving with each new update to the technology. But for my work here on the blog and elsewhere, I was growing increasingly desperate for distinctive photos and more capabilities.
Soon into our hunt, we found ourselves on the teeter totter between Mirrorless vs. DSLR. Tom was very pro-mirrorless because it's a growing technology, and I was pro-DSLR because I like the look and feel of "old school" cameras. I think making that decision was half the battle. However, once you can at least decide that, you can narrow yourself down more easily. Instead of giving you all the pros and cons of different cameras and types, I'm going to give you a list (similar to my prepping for a puppy list - haha) to help you ask yourself the right questions. I'll include some of our answers so you can see why we ended up with the Canon T6, but mostly to give you food for thought. It's honestly such a personal preference, so my pros could be cons to you, or vise versa. Below the questions I'll also share with you the lenses we purchased, and a really helpful blog post that SHOWS you the differences between three of the most commonly used lenses.
Questions to ask yourself:
(Our own answers are bolded as reference)
- What will this camera primarily be used for? Personal and work
- Who will primarily be using it, and will they realistically carry it regardless of size? Joy - yes
- Are you looking for something more portable, or something larger but with good ergonomic handling? Good handling - already had a smaller version and it didn't make portability any easier
- Is battery life a deal breaker? No - we're good about charging
- Are you planning on buying different lenses? Some brands/types of cameras have more and cheaper lens offerings than others. Yes - would like plenty of lens options in various prices
- Is a viewfinder important to you? Yes. No more looking at a screen to take shots!
- How much would you like to spend on a camera body? No more than $400
- Are you willing to learn the capabilities of a better camera? Yep
These are all pretty basic questions, but I thought maybe they'd get your wheels spinning in the right direction. Tom was leaning towards mirrorless, but we decided that even though the body is more compact, it actually made handling sort of awkward. Plus, once you put a larger lens on a mirrorless, it's still going to be bulky no matter how you cut it.
I personally appreciate an actual mirror image view. We differed here because Tom liked the digital viewfinders. I found them laggy and choppy. When push came to shove, we realized I'd be using it more often and we knew we could trust the ol' DSLRs. This was just the second camera we've owned and decided it would be a good stepping stone. We can go a different route in the future, but for starters, the T6 would treat us well.
Here's a (slightly odd) video that explains some of the differences between mirrorless and DSLRs. Granted, mirrorless cameras really are catching up to DSLRs and are increasingly more competitive across all areas, so give them a look!
What ended up breaking the deal for us was... well... the deals. We were able to get a DSLR body and two lenses for nearly the same price as a mirrorless camera and kit lens. We went for a 50mm lens and a 35mm lens. I wanted to avoid the kit lens because after doing plenty of research, I knew it would never give me the depth of field I was looking for in a new camera. We only used a kit lens with our previous camera, and it ended up just gathering dust. We didn't want to make the same mistake, so we ordered some super cheap lenses to try. If they break after a few months, I won't even be mad - they're too cheap to get upset over! I'll tell you, though... so far, so good.
Check out this great post to actually see how different lenses shoot the same objects. It helped me a lot in trying to decide what would be most fitting for us.
However... the only thing I would change, going back, would be to get a 24mm over the 35mm, only because the 50 and 35 aren't all that different in terms of the range they capture. Other than that, we've loved our new camera and lenses. I am in no way being paid to say any of this, but we put so much time into this, I thought I'd share our thoughts and end results with you lovely readers! We've used it significantly more than our phones and have even joked that we may need to buy TWO cameras because we're starting to fight over it - haha!!
P.S Though I'm not being paid for anything in this post and these opinions are my own (as always!) any Amazon links you find on my blog are affiliate. By purchasing through my links - whether the actual item purchased, or something else in the same session - I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. It helps keep this blog a-runnin' and supports someone's dream. Thank you to those of you that shop my affiliates! It never goes unnoticed and is so appreciated :)
Prepping For A Puppy
If you haven't heard by now, Tom and I are getting our first puppy. We have been waiting to get this specific puppy/breed (Bernese Mountain Dog) for over three years now, and it's been occupying my mind almost constantly since we signed the contract to get this little guy (and yes, it's a boy). We are so overjoyed!
In all honesty, it took us this long because...
1) we thought our life would look a little different than it does - but God's plan is not ours
2) I needed to mentally prepare for the shedding of this breed
3) we needed to be sure we could handle the financial and care responsibilities
Since we have no control over number one, we asked ourselves a few questions and worked out a few logistics in our minds before going through with getting this giant breed dog. Once we made the decision that we were ready, we needed to take some action on prepping for this little bundle so we'd be well-prepared for his arrival. To be honest, everything aligned so fast, and so perfectly, that our three year wait suddenly diminished practically overnight. So our prepping went into hyper-drive! Today, I'm sharing some of the questions you may want to ask yourself before getting a puppy as well as some products we've purchased for his arrival that may be helpful for you too.
Questions to consider:
- Does your home suit a large or hyper dog?
- Does your lifestyle suit the breed you're looking at? (ex: if you're active, are you looking for a running partner like a lab? Or a lazy dog like a berner?)
- Will you be able to handle excessive shedding?
- Do you own a lot of high quality/expensive items you'd be furious over being chewed or ruined by a dog?
- Does the breed you're looking at do well alone for hours, or will it become unhappy being alone for 8+ hour work days? This can sometimes lead to destructive behavior.
- Is this breed good with children or other pets?
- What kinds of health issues might this breed run into?
- Will boarding this breed be reasonably priced?
- Can you handle the basic needs of food, time for play, time for potty breaks, grooming, etc...?
- Do you understand the financial investment? Some breeds cost upwards of $2500 just for a puppy.
- Are you willing to become more limited in terms of travel?
- Can you afford to replace anything it might destroy or perhaps a new vacuum?
- Are you sure you're not allergic?
- Will it be an inside dog or outside? Will it spend the day barking at the neighbor's dog and driving other neighbors insane?
- You want a puppy, but what about an adult dog? (It will grow!)
- Are you settled, will you move, or bring children into the world soon?
- Do you have the time/patience to train?
... just to name a few. It was these sorts of questions and more that had us thinking. It wasn't until the last several months that we finally answered positively to all these questions. Two years ago, our travels were too important to us, but now, we're more settled and not as likely to hop a plane to Fiji on a whim. Now, we genuinely want to add this little pup to our midst and give up a few niceties. However, I am a bit of a tough critic on these sorts of topics. Perhaps not everyone needs to mull over so many scenarios or questions, but I'm a planner and I like to be prepared, so these were all important for me to feel confident about before diving into puppy ownership.
Now that you've decided on your breed, and you're ready to handle shedding and dirty paws on your floors, where do you go next?
Well, we sought out reputable breeders, but maybe you're into rescued pups. Either way, that's the next "prep-step." Find your dog and confirm a date when he/she is coming home.
Once that's underway, I suppose it's up to you to decide how much or how little to prepare for your new pal. Like I said, I don't like to be caught in a lurch, so we've already ordered and received most of our puppy necessities (and he doesn't come home for nearly three weeks). Here's the list of items we purchased... all from Amazon. These are affiliate links, FYI, but of course, they'll cost you nothing extra should you decide to purchase through them.
We also purchased a collar and ID tag elsewhere, and besides perhaps a blanket, food, and shampoo, we're pretty well set. I'll be sure to circle back after a few months with our pup and let you know if any of these have been problematic or useless, or if we discovered some better products along the way.
The one that I must admit has been nearly impossible to find, is a decent dog bed for a large breed like a Bernese. Everywhere I've looked they've seemed too flat to support such a big dog, or the cover isn't washable (idiotic). We'll stay on the hunt, but it's been a no-go thus far.
I hope this little informative post can help you along in bringing home your new four-legged family member. Or maybe it's caused you to think twice about whether or not you're ready for all a pup could entail. I urge you to research breeds and dog care as much as possible in your own time before deciding to make the leap. I know this time of year can be especially tempting to gift a puppy to a loved one, but please re-think that idea if you're not ready for a possible 15 year responsibility.
If you found this post helpful or you think it would be helpful for a friend, give it a share!
And now, what you're probably here for... puppy pictures! These are the puppies from the actual litter we're getting our little guy from. They were five weeks old, and the most adorable balls of happiness. Enjoy!
Things You Probably Don't Know About Me
New here? No?
Regardless, I thought it might be time to let you in on some of my life secrets. Okay, well, not exactly secrets, but a few things I bet you don't know about me. Unless you really know me. So, did you know....
- In 2011 I interned with "the world's largest music festival" (Summerfest in Milwaukee). It was one of my favorite jobs because of the adrenaline it required. Working from 9am-2am, a forty-five minute drive, for eleven days was insane and amazing.
Once, at a pre-festival concert, Tim McGraw walked right past me - like two feet in front of me - and he smelled amazing. - I'm the youngest of seven children - I feel like I've mentioned this before. But have I told you all our names start with "J" ?
- For a long time I wanted to be a photojournalist in war zones.
- My first year in college, I majored in graphic design. I met my now-husband in my art classes! I changed majors the following year to PR, Business Comm, and Marketing.
- I sang several solos growing up, and participated in honor choirs. My voice was one of the first things Tom liked about me, actually. Freshman year as friends, I was casually singing in my dorm room with the door open and he walked in and hung out to hear more. That sounds a lot creepier than it was.
- My biggest pet peeve: the feeling of cotton (like from a t-shirt) between my teeth, or seeing someone else chew or hold a piece of clothing in their mouth. It makes my teeth hurt just thinking about it - blah! That dry, squeaky, cotton feeling on one's teeth just drives me crazy.
- I have worked at at least three places for only a single day before quitting. Bed, Bath, and Beyond was one of them. I had to climb a ten-foot ladder and swing my leg over the top. It was terrifying.
- Coldplay is my all time favorite band and I daydream about meeting them. Seeing them in concert over the summer was magical.
- I've had eighteen jobs since I started working at fifteen years old. And I only disliked five of them!
- I don't care for meals that are all one texture, which is why I don't care for pasta - it's too soft! It's a flaw in my being, I know. Though, I am not picky in any other way with food.
- My top, front six teeth are all fake (though, I tell everyone this fact, so you probably know).
- I actually loved working retail (Gap, LOFT, and grocery work) because of the fast pace and upbeat environment. It's taught me to be more patient with retail workers as a customer.
- I'm a coffee snob. And I'm not sorry about it.
- One of the strangest, most common comments I receive, is on the softness of my hands. Like the skin on my hands is really smooth or something. I've been getting this comment since middle school and I can never decide how I feel about it..?
- I love being outside and camping, but I hate bugs and humidity. Solve that riddle for me, would ya?
Anything here come as a surprise? I may do another one of these down the road, but I thought these were some good basics to start with for you to get to know me. Just for fun :) What else would you want to know?
The Secrets Of Your Clean-Freak Friend
Have I mentioned this? I feel like I must have.
If not, I suppose it's time you know.
I am an anal-retentive clean freak.
Yes. I’m that friend. I’m the one whose home you step into and think, “obviously THIS chick doesn’t have kids” or “holy cow, there’s not even a crumb on the floor. How is that possible?” Now obviously, my cleanliness is far more extreme than most people's, so some of these secrets might be more of a guideline, but I believe they’ll give anyone a place to start or ideas of how they can incorporate a slightly cleaner facade (yes - cleanliness is totally a facade!).
And please, leave the “wait until you have kids” comments at the door. I know. But for now, let me revel, people. Also, I plan on keeping our children in bubbles (haha jokes, jokes).
So here,
we,
go.
1. Split it up
This is my number one secret to success. I do not “deep clean” but maybe twice a year. Have some tasks you do daily to keep up with clutter, weekly tasks that keep up with grime, and monthly - or quarterly - tasks that keep unnoticeable things from becoming noticeable.
Using my house as an example...
Daily: make bed (even if this just means straightening out the comforter and pillows a little), wipe off kitchen counters/sink area and wash/load all dishes at the end of the day, shove throw blankets in basket, put mail in designated spot, keep shower curtains closed and mat hung up, towels hung, chairs pushed in, clothes in hamper/hung up/put away.
Weekly: basic laundry, sweep/vacuum floors in most lived-in areas, quickly clean/disinfect surfaces in bathroom (vanity, mirror, toilet), wash all sheets and towels (don’t forget the kitchen hand towels!), clean stove top surface/microwave, thorough cleaning of dining room table and chairs, dust side tables/coffee tables/desks.
Monthly/quarterly: clean cabinet fronts/appliances, dust ceiling fans/light fixtures/tops of doorways/hanging art/decor/mantles/window frames, wet mop all hard floors/vacuum all carpets, wash comforters/duvets/throws, deep clean bathrooms, disinfect door handles/door fronts, once-over mirrors, vacuum curtains (if necessary), windows, etc…
All of these tasks take me around 10 minutes each. I almost never do several consecutively, and mostly just spot clean. The difference, is when I see grime beginning to build in the bathroom (for example) instead of letting it get worse, I take five minutes to wipe it up. Over time, this saves me HOURS.
2. Create functionality
Does your closet lend itself to easy, organized storage? Do you prefer to hang your clothes, but you’ve got a ton of dressers? Maybe you could reconfigure your closet to make hanging your clothes easier, and ditch the dressers all-together. Is there an area that has become everyone’s dumping ground for their bags, keys, receipts? Maybe you could incorporate closed storage nearby where you can stow those items away.
Walking into my house, you’d think everything has a place - which is mostly true - but behind door number one, you’ll probably find a mess of old mail. But I’ve tricked you into thinking it’s pristine by incorporating lots of functional storage. As a bonus, when my husband wonders where his keys are, 9 times out of 10 he'll find them in one particular cubby that I dump all of his stray items in.
It’s also wise to figure out if certain “pretty storage” is actually realistic for your home. Maybe you love the look of those square wicker baskets that fit those square shelving units perfectly… until little Jimmy sits on the basket one day and crushes it or spills his sticky apple juice into all the crevices and Spot the dog chews it to shreds. Maybe some cheaper, easy-to-clean plastic would work better for this stage of life?
3. Own less
Not everyone will be a fan of this one, and of course we all own things that make our individual lives easier (meaning, we all have different needs), but my perspective is simple: the less you own, the less you have to clean. The few items we do own, we take great care to make them last. No matter how cheap.
I was raised in a frugal home, and if we were flippant with a toy and it broke, it wouldn’t be replaced. Maybe for a birthday or Christmas, but it was our responsibility early on to take great care of the blessings we received.
As married adults, we buy things very intentionally. The things we own serve a purpose, have a sentimental meaning, or minimally add to the aesthetic of our home. This is the minimalist side of me speaking, but it certainly makes cleaning a lot more cut-and-dry without sacrificing tangible desires. We’ve simply lessened our quantity of needs/wants.
4. Let yourself get messy, but don’t let it ferment
If you were to come over on a Friday night around 9pm you’d see approximately four coffee mugs, two or three pots and pans soaking in the sink, a dirty napkin sitting on a cold plate of uneaten food from dinner, a cutting board with bits of veggies and a dirty knife, and a few pairs of shoes, items of clothing, and tech devices strewn around our living and dining room.
But.
Come at 11pm, and you’ll see a tidy, seemingly pristine home. Why? Because we don’t let anything fester. We make a mess, and then tidy up once our movie has ended or bedtime is close. Come Sunday evening, it’ll probably be back to messy, but by mid-morning on Monday it’s back to it’s shining glory and a load of laundry is going.
5. Purge!
Kind of along with owning less, but, still different. You may own less right now, but as time goes on we naturally accumulate a little more. Often times to replace something, or to make an area of life easier. The problem arises when we don’t regularly rid ourselves of the items that were replaced, have gone out of style, or serve no purpose/sentimental value. I know for a fact we have a drawer full of old phone charging cords that we could easily sort out and get rid of (as an example). Those cords are gathering dust and taking up a storage area that could be better served by something we own that genuinely needs a “place.” How many shirts do you legitimately wear? If your stuff is bursting at the seams and yet you keep buying more, it’s time to purge. And don’t be afraid of empty storage. Having an empty cabinet for a while can offer you a place to better organize what you already have. Options, baby!
Of course, everyone's definition or standard of cleanliness ebbs and flows at various stages of our lives, and your home is your home. It's where you gather, where you make memories, and where you feel safe. These are the most important things.
In fact, stay tuned for another post later this month on letting go of this anal-retentive nature as we welcome a very hairy puppy into our midst come January. It'll stretch me and force me to accept a new standard, but the joy this pup will bring will be priceless to me. But you better believe I'll learn some good cleaning tips to share with you when you have a dog!
November | 2016
Hello lovelies!
This month has been refreshingly calm. We've had several free weekends, few weeknight plans, and a general sense of a "calm before the storm." The next couple of months we have zero free weekends, so we've soaked up this past month pretty nicely, I think. Here's the happenings from our November:
- We had a ton of leftover Halloween candy, so Tom hid it all over our downstairs level one day while I was in the shower. I've been finding it in pockets, my purse, vases, drawer organizers, behind a wall clock (yeah, that was a lucky guess), and I'm still finding them. They're everywhere. And he's been laughing as I make an assessment from across the room like, "Oh. You put a handful in that vase. I can tell by looking at it because the flowers are placed differently than before." ... of course, he's laughing because I'm anal like that and completely spot on. Yes, there was candy in the vase.
- We got our cars washed. This seems trivial, but on our last roadtrip, I dumped orange juice out the window and it sprayed all over the passenger side of Tom's car and got all sticky and disgusting. He wasn't super thrilled with me about that, especially since I had claimed I had done this many times (liar).
- We met some friends at a festival in Atlanta and braved the public transit to and from. I'm weird and actually secretly love janky public transit systems, so it was a fun day with cold beer, good chats, and adventure!
- We had a spontaneous date night at the most precious Italian restaurant ever with live jazz music singers and the yummiest lasagna.
- I tried to dye my hair a shade or two lighter and nothing happened! It looks exactly the same!
- We saw Fantastic Beasts and were.... underwhelmed! Sadly. I think we need to snag the book to get a better feel for the story, but we thought the characters all desperately lacked dimension. There was very little dialogue, and when there was, it was so monotone that we couldn't really fall in love with the story-line.
- I spent a a few hours offering moral support to Autumn while she ran her first booth for Stay Gold Candles and we had a great time! She sold a good amount, and then we went to Waffle House (as usual haha). Seriously, guys, I know I'm starting to sound like a broken record, but her candles are so amazing and make great stocking stuffers. Plus, I think it's important to support small business owners, so go check out her shop in the link above.
- We snagged a new king duvet and coverlet for our bedroom. This local thrift store carries old Target inventory that didn't sell, so it's all brand new!
- We had a wonderful Thanksgiving as just the two of us. We hung around in our own house, in our comfies, cooked together, and had a genuinely perfect day. Being able to ditch our snug pants after dinner was also a plus - haha! We've been wanting to do cornish hens for some time, now, so it was fun to finally try them. They turned out amazing!
- Stores started carrying Christmas inventory near the beginning of November, so of course my name is predominantly lit everywhere we go... much to my narcissistic pleasure.
- We casually bought a new vacuum on Black Friday to prepare us for a little four legged creature that will come home with us in a few weeks (more on that soon). Then we wandered into Sam's Club where I found a stuffed animal just my size (and no, we did not actually buy it).
- Finally... we got our very first DSLR and we are soooo elated with it. I used to dabble in photography as a hobby, but sold off my little digital camera in college when I needed money more. Then my sweet husband bought me a camera during our engagement, but I never really cared for it, so the poor thing hardly got used and we recently sold it. This new camera was a long time coming, I think, and now we're worried that we're going to have to buy TWO cameras because we have loved shooting with it already and may start fighting over it - haha! I'll post a little review of sorts later on, but if you look in my sidebar, you'll see the camera and one of the lenses we purchased (in case you might be looking for yourselves).
Click the images to enlarge
November was so fun and relaxing. It came with some high and lows, but more than anything I can't wait for January and I am dyingggg to tell you more, but I want to wait. "Fluffy, adorable, and giant" have something to do with it though!
links to explore
- Autumn just shared a hilarious story of some plumbing issues they recently faced and it had me cracking up. Let's just say it involved a lot of pee.
- I've had this song playing on our house speakers super loud for weeks. No regrets.
- This Youtuber absolutely cracks me up. She and her boyfriend are super hilarious and I get excited every time I see a new video by her.
- I love Erin's ideas for creating holiday traditions with your spouse!
How was your month? That busy time of year is upon us, and I've already got almost the entire month scheduled out. No free weekends, weeknights are filling fast, and travel. We look forward to what December will bring :)
Makeup Favorites : Volume 1
Hi guys!
I'm trying something out today just for kicks.
Little background:
I was looking at old pictures, and started to realize my "evolution of makeup routines." Like, I didn't wear a spot of foundation until late into college - as in, junior or senior year - so really, I've only been wearing a "full face" of makeup for about five or six years! And until recently, I have only ever used ONE brand/type of foundation.
(Can we take a moment to appreciate that dorm photo from just before my 21st birthday? Nothing but some eye makeup and concealer. Those were the days...)
So just for fun, I'm sharing with you the products I use every day, along with a time-lapse video of my routine. Sometimes I skip a step, sometimes I get a little more fancy, but this shows pretty well how I go about makeup right now. The products may change as soon as next month, but so far, I like what I've got. Most of it you can buy at Target or Walgreens, but I must admit, my beauty guru blogging buddy, Christine (Simply Stine), has shown me the dark side of beauty stores like Sephora, The Cosmetic Market, and Ulta. Haha - she's great though, and lets me take baby steps ;)
This will change. Just like it has already changed from six years ago, but even if just for my own reference, it'll be fun to see what happens as the years go on. Like what continues to work for me, what I get better at, and what I leave to the youths. I hope you guys enjoy! Leave me a comment and let me know if you'd like more like this.
I have oily skin, so you may notice in my routine that I use more powder based products, and fewer creamy ones. I've personally found that as the day progresses (or a couple of hours pass) my matte powder look turns dewy... which is fine with me! Creamy based products start to give me shine almost immediately, so I stay away from them since they never last long on me and start melting off.
Anyways, here's the product breakdown:
The order I use them:
- Face primer
- Foundation (with a latex free makeup wedge)
- Under-eye concealer
- Pressed powder
- Bronzer
- Translucent setting powder
- Eye primer
- Eye shadow
- Eyebrows and lower lash line (using shadow)
- Eye liner (upper lash line)
- Mascara
- Lipstick
If I had to choose some favorites, my Smashbox eyeshadow palette is up there. Even though it was far more pricey than I'm normally willing to spend, it's going to last me such a long time, I love the variety of colors that stay within neutral parameters, and it gives me so much to play with! Plus, I use it as a bottom lash liner and eyebrow filler. It rocks my face off. Literally.
My second favorite would be the tubal mascara. My lashes are not long, so I always tend to go for something lengthening. This literally creates "tubes" of mascara on your lash hairs. If you think it's a gimmick, when you wash your face, you can literally gently pull the tubes off and see them in your fingers. Sounds weird, but now I'm kind of addicted. HAHA.
Also, that dang ELF eye primer is THE BOMB. Since I started using it several years ago, I have never gotten a crease. It's amazing.
Here's a little time lapse of me doing my makeup exactly how I normally do:
Thanks for watching and reading, friends! This was fun for me to do, and I hope you enjoyed it - let me know in the comments!
October | 2016
Hey guys!
I'm back with my monthly update for October! I don't have a video this month because things were a little too busy - which is also why I had a fewer number of posts. However, it has been an awesome month and I'm excited to share with you all the happenings. Here's what's been up:
- Went walking and brunching with my blogging buddies Alex (The Berger Bungalow) and Autumn (Stay Gold Autumn).
- Took a road trip up to Indiana for the baptism of our newest godchild, had a great time seeing our close friends and their families, and enjoyed some fall weather and activities.
- I continued on a solo trip to Minnesota and Wisconsin to spend some time at my parent's new house and to see my sisters for a couple of days. It was so precious to be together as the opportunity is rare and has never actually happened before!
- Before leaving the Midwest I got to indulge on a Pizza Ranch buffet with my mom. Hahaha - this may sound trivial, but it's a Midwest chain that I grew up on and it was fun to have it again!
- I baked my very first artisanal, no-knead, bread loaf! It was crazy simple and SO good. Here's the recipe.
- My darling husband turned the big 2-7 and we had a low key day... until December when we see the 49ers play! Neither of us have been to an NFL game, so we're very much looking forward to it.
- We almost got a pet guinea pig. It all happened so fast! One day I just really wanted to get a small pet, so Autumn met me at a Petsmart and long story short... I held one, Tom gave a very surprising go-ahead on the insane idea, and I nearly walked out of the store with the poor thing in a cardboard box. Thankfully Autumn and the worker talked me out of it, at least until Tom and I could give it more than a five minute thought, and as expected, we are no longer entertaining the idea of a pet... for now. Autumn and I had a pretty great laugh over the spontaneity though, and I'm pretty sure she's relieved for the poor thing (that is hopefully gracing a better prepared home by now).
- Started researching semi-pro cameras! From one crazy purchase to the next, right? This one is more realistic, though. Anyone have some camera recommendations? I lean towards the DSLRs, but Tom is leaning mirrorless. I'd love some tips or things to think about from my readers/photographer friends!
- We had a typical grocery shopping date night that ended in basically a cart full of junk food. I love being a grown-up with my best friend. The photo below of me running down the aisle over Tom's shoulder cracks me up. Because TOTS.
- Said we'd try being active morning people, and promptly woke up late the next day.
- Carved nerdy pumpkins (Tom's won a prize at his work!) and dressed as a hunter and a doe for trick-or-treaters (see my Instagram for more). We've never had trick-or-treaters, so we thoroughly enjoyed being home last night.
This was a month for the books. It was busy, but 95% of it was positive and fun. We've had some personal things going on lately that have been really difficult, but we're doing great otherwise (just being real). Also, I give MAJOR props to make-up artists. My Halloween make-up took an ungodly amount of time for an "okay" result - hahaha - but it was fun!
The one downer is that just as it was starting to feel like fall here, it cranked back up to the 80's! I know, I know... first world problems. But come on - a hot cider just doesn't have the same effect when you're sweating!
blogs to explore
The Confused Millennial - Rachel is funny, relatable, creative, and informative. There is something for everyone on her blog and you can tell she is so genuine. I love getting trapped in her content for entirely too long.
Brittany L Bergman - Previously The Nested Nomad, Brittany recently underwent a little rebrand and it looks beautiful! She's been a great blogging buddy the last couple of years, and I'm so happy to see her space better suit her. She talks living simply, motherhood, and more - go see!
Em Writes - Not only is her blog so beautiful in aesthetics, but her posts are often fun and easy to love. Such a lovely soul!
I hope you all had a marvelous October and are looking forward to November. I can't believe we're there already! Thanksgiving will be here before we know it, so Tom and I better get serious about becoming active morning people before all the holidays hit. I say this at 12:30AM. We never learn.
Much love, readers - Happy November!