grey smokey eye makeup tutorial & announcement

Good day everyone! How are you? How is your week going? 

My week is going well. I just signed up for the secret blogger swap hosted by danielle at framed frosting ! I am SO super excited to get to know another blogger, send little treats and of course, find a surprise in my mailbox! I love getting mail! I've heard of other bloggers hosting this kind of swap, but i've always found out AFTER it was over and/or too late to sign up. If you are interested in participating, make sure to sign up before the may 11th deadline! It's gonna be alot of FUN!

I also am looking forward to girls day out w/my mom on saturday. Im going to get my hair cut (i can't wait any longer. It's long and getting so heavy that I can't pouf it as easily and i just love poufy hair!) while my mama's gonna get her nails done! Also, a stop at hallmark is in order because I am going to take advantage of my coupon that I received there. Oh and fyi you can go here to print out a coupon for $5 off any $10 purchase there! I've got to get to the printer after I post this! 

this afternoon, I just received a mini gift that I ordered through my aunt for my little sister's birthday as well as got a card in the mail from my pastor who is always so encouraging. He and his wife are so caring & such a cute couple too.

So, I've got another look for you today; a grey smokey eye tutorial. Hope you enjoy it!

(i toned down the blush w/face powder AFTER i was done recording the video)

if you watch the video, at 25:10 i make a sweet announcement!

what the shenanigans?

I kinda have a crush on Anderson Cooper of CNN. Ok ok,I do! I know he's like in his mid-40's, but the guy is so handsome & has a compassionate heart. He actually went to Haiti himself to help & report of the aftermath of their devastating earthquake, remember that? Have you heard of his RidicuList segment? It's pretty darn funny because the stuff is ridiculous yet gives you the chance to form your own opinion.

Well, I thought i'd come up with my own ridiculist but i'm gonna call it the  

what the shenanigans?

I just read this article on yahoo about teenagers getting drunk from hand sanitizer? whhaaa? i've heard of kids getting drunk from taking too much cough syrup (sad. really sad.) but hand sanitizer? Don't these kids have something better to do?! I can come up with a whole lotta POSITIVE things that they could be doing other than harming their bodies. 

Note: It's not that "cool" to get drunk kids, especially when going this route! It also makes me think, where are the parents? I am not a parent [yet], but it seems that the current generation kids as a whole are a bit less respectful, a bit more lost, and a bit more  'grown up' at their age of say, 12, compared to in the 90's when I was 12. Even toddlers are getting away with crimes and getting what they want ALL THE TIME. I've seen it! 

To me, it seems parents are afraid to say NO and set limits for their kids. Or maybe it's because they are too 'busy' to invest quality time with their children. I understand that there are single parents out there doing the best they can, but a little goes a long way. Even an adult family member or friend, or Big Brother/Big Sister mentor can help motivate & influence these teens to make better choices and see just how amazing they are without risking their lives or health. These parents want to be 'the best friend' instead of the responsible adult who of course loves them, but establishes rules & boundaries. Sorry to go on a rant, but i think it's true.

Guest Post // Kelly from The House Houtz Party

Hello my lovely friends! I am so happy to introduce you to Kelly of the house houtz party ! She and I first met through a prize I won from her in a group giveaway not too long ago! After emailing back and forth  & getting to know each other better, I can say that Kelly is a true bloggy friend. She is one of the most real, sweet & funny girls I've met so far. With a cute sense of style, a hubby & four littles, and a heart of faith, she is a wonder woman! Enjoy!

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How do you butter your toast?  

Seems like a simple question right?  

I mean who REALLY cares? 

I happen to think you should.
Let me explain. 

Say you are making some toast for breakfast…or waffles…whatever…anything
that involves preparing something in a way that can be done with care…OR not so
much.  Do you just slap on the butter
quickly to get it done or do you take the extra say 10 seconds it takes to
carefully spread the butter over that piece of toast to make sure each bite
will taste delicious?  That extra 10
seconds can REALLY mean the difference between a yummy breakfast experience or
some dry toast.

 

I ask you…WHO likes dry toast?
Maybe when you have the stomach flu…but WHO even likes it THEN?  I mean you are eating it because you have the
STOMACH FLU!!!

My point behind this strange breakfast word picture is this:  

When you take that little bit of EXTRA time
to do something for the people you love in your life you are showing them
selflessness.  You are showing them
love.  You are showing them you are
putting their needs before your own.  You
are dying to self in one tiny way.  

Those
tiny things add up over time.  Those tiny
things slowly and surely build a clear picture of your love and commitment to
the people you love.    

That simple thing you do today may not seem that important but I
urge you NOT to rush through it.  It
really is the simple things done each day with great love that contribute to
your impact on someone’s life…be it your husband, your children or anyone else
that is important to you.  

I urge you to take those extra 10 seconds.  

After all buttery toast tastes WAY better!

Britt, thank you so much for having me at you blog today!!!

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Oh, kelly, you are so welcome! Thank You for sharing little love tips today! I know I love me some buttered toast all buttered throughout the bread, not just the middle part lol. Taking a few extra seconds or a couple extra minutes in what you do can really make a difference! I KNOW, believe me! Feel free to show Kelly some love by visiting her blog, following her on twitter or facebook. She loves meeting new people too!

beauty products review

I've mentioned in my last vlog that I would review some mascara and I thought, heck,let me just give you all a review on some beauty products that I have tried in the last few weeks. So here we go:

First of all, I have oily skin {ya'll probably tired of me saying that! lol} and where I live, it's been in the high 90's to 100 degree temps, so with that combo i've GOT to wear waterproof/smudgeproof mascara & eyeliner. About a month ago, I bought L'oreal Voluminous Carbon Black waterproof mascara (sorry i don't have a pic for this one). I liked the brush and amount of mascara it held when going to apply mascara. It did give my lashes va-voom. The price you couldn't beat (about $6) :) sadly, after 1-2 hours, it smudged under my lower lash line makin me look like a raccoon! Not buying this again!

Next I got wet n wild lipstick in 511B for $1! 

I had a tube of this color, but it was time to throw it out so I wanted another tube. I love the pink fuschia color. You can dab just a bit of this on your lip for a nice tint OR apply more freely for a bright pop of color!

E.L.F liquid eyeliner in copper ($1). 

This eyeliner was OK. It's not packed with color as you apply it, so I went over the line like 2-3 times. For a buck, I thought i'd give it a try.

 Here I am wearing the eyeliner right above my black pencil liner.

 just a touch of glitter.

 E.L.F tinted moisturizer in nude ($3)

This product seems pretty dandy to me, especially for it's price. With summer practically here, I love that it is spf 20 and has essential vitamins to nourish my skin, all while giving me light coverage. The shade I got was a pretty good match. My face doesn't look pale like a ghost nor is it too dark. I squeeze some of this onto the back of my hand and apply with a foundation brush and blend.

Freeman Clay mask in chocolate & strawberry[deep pore cleansing].

 Oh my face felt so smooth and nice after washing this mask off. Here I am wearing it. I look so pale! and wow, the scent is delicious, makes you want to eat it! Btw, i got this mask for free, but i think they are pretty inexpensive. I'll try just about anything to help minimize my pores.

almay liquid eyeliner in black (about $5). 

OMG! I LOVE this eyeliner! It's technically NOT waterproof, but it claims to not smudge for up to 16 hours. It has a felt tip marker-ish pen to line your eyes. I wore this eyeliner 2 days ago in literally 102 degree sun and it didn't melt or smudge under my lower lashline (where I did not line my eyes). It didn't even smudge on my eyelid. I have my friend lauren in canada to thank for telling me about this great liquid eyeliner.

so there you have it friends! hope this helps if you ever wondered about any of these certain products or that you might want to try.

Have a great evening and remember to come back tomorrow as i have a wonderful friend guest posting!

weekend in pictures

Remember about a month ago the media gave attention to the Kony 2012 Campaign, led by Invisible Children organization? Or how about  my post about it plus the video that went viral? Well cover the night was friday april 20th and this is what I saw yesterday:

graduation gifts i saw in my hallmark mail (hmm, maybe one of these for my sister who's graduating next month!) btw, there's a new hallmark movie starring cuba gooding jr, that is coming on tonight on abc! sorry i forgot the name

 Me and my little monkey friend taking a break for a picture. She was driving me crazy for 3 days in a row! lol, but i  know she needs a bit extra attention & love. I swear she thinks im around her age, yet she listens to me {most of the time!}

pretty tangerine roses growing in our front yard

Also, i'm excited to tell you that I will be hosting my first guest post HERE early this week, so stay tuned!!

cheery cards

I've mentioned before that I like to make cards. To start,  I put on pandora or itunes, grab my paris cup of coffee and start workin away! My room is my workspace and boy does it become a mess! I've got my craft bag, a makeshift cardboard box that holds various stickers, rub-ons, flowers, brads, corrugated board, blank envelopes, papercutter & chipboard embellishments, PLUS ONE of my 12x12 boxes of paper! People have told me that 'usually creative people are messy' and YES i am proud to say i am! I don't really see it as clutter, but more of an organized mess because I know where certain things are! SO between going back and forth between all the stuff on my bed and working on my skinny table, I always drop little scraps of paper as i cut away. Once I get into the crafting zone, I don't like to be disturbed. I find creating designs as I make the cards to be relaxing, imaginative & gets my brain spinning.

I made some the other day to start fulfilling two orders from two friends. With springtime here, I was inspired to make these cards bright & cheery! Take a look & hope you enjoy them! 

 I also incorporated some washi tape that I got from Target in the home office supply aisle. I got 4 (teal/green) coordinating rolls for $4 [they had one other color scheme which was red/pink]! I was So happy because some washi tape is more pricey than that! Not only can i use it for cardmaking, but i've used it to seal letter envelopes as well as used it in my Smashbook! I heart washi tape big time!!!!

What do YOU find CHEERY this time of year? What are some of your creative outlets?

george washington

 I love meeting people. The motivation behind today's post comes from a suggestion my aunt june gave me years ago when I was riding the city bus daily to college & other places(before vent). While taking city transit, I met ALOT of interesting people and struck up conversations with them. Some became regulars and some I just encountered once. Aunt june said I should write about them, their stories and conversations we had. I never did. Today will mark the beginning of this fascinating journey as I document special, random [or are they?] meetings with strangers. 

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His gold i.d. bracelet was engraved G.W. He told me he was the original George Washington! lol. I really don't know his last name, only that it starts with 'w', but i do know his first name is george and he probably showed me so i could remember him.

I met George yesterday at the mall. He was sitting alone, observing everyone. James wanted to get some japanese food at the food court so i tagged along and visited neighboring Panda Expresses menu because i do enjoy their orange chicken about once a year. I met james at the japanese food place as they were preparing his dish. I then followed james to an unoccupied table right next to where george was sitting. He had friendly eyes. He looked at me and I said hi and complimented him on his newsboy hat. He smiled and said if I wanted one, he would give me one, which i found interesting because he didn't have any bags with him! lol. I said, oh it's ok, i dont look good in hats.

 James was chomping on his lunch so I sat there talking between them two. After a few q&a's back and forth I asked the old man due to an accent, "where are you from?" He replied, " Jerusalem." Wow i thought! I extended my hand and said, I am brittany, My name is brittany. What is your name? He said George and at first I thought he said Joe. He later showed me his engraved bracelet.

He asked me how old I was and if I was ok and that Jesus will help me. I agreed. He went on to tell me that he comes to the mall everyday and watches people. He likes it because there are different people everyday. After he goes home, he watches tv. He only drinks one cup of a coffee a day and that is at breakfast. Eating alot of (red) meat is not good for you he tells me, yet he encouraged me to eat another piece of chicken from James's plate. He still drives at 87 years old and knows what's going on. His 25 year old grandson has just become a lawyer. George will be traveling to Seattle next month with his son, who is the dad of the new lawyer. He seemed quite excited about that trip, wanting to get out of Az while the summer booms with heat. From what I can tell, G.W. is quite proud of his family; his children and grandchildren. Before living in arizona, he used to live in chicago. We are both capricorns, no wonder we clicked instantly! He was born in 1925! 

As it was time to say bye for now (as James and i were going to see the hunger games-i even invited george to come along with us but he declined. He likes his peace, which btw he had a silver peace band ring on his wedding finger). I let him know that next time i go to the mall that I am going to look for him. He let me know he would pray for me and i, for him. I really hope to find the cute old man named george again who's content living out his days alone but not alone.  he's gotta friend in me.

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p.s. check out my guest post at the the struggling cyster. While you're there, say hi & get to know Meghan, she's a sweet blogger friend of mine & has been SO supportive of me!

vlog & lipgloss love

ello starlings, haha i just kinda made up that word &/or used it for the first time.

 forgive my spaciness toward the end!

In today's vlog, i mention and use a new lipgloss that i snagged at kmart on clearance for $2.50. it's sally hansen's lipinflation lipgloss in sonic plum. This girl does not need a bigger lips! I didn't buy it for the inflation (not really paying attention when i found it) but for the color! and for less than $3, yes pLeAse! i've been wanting a plum lipgloss, envisioning it to look perfect for a date night [not that i have any suitors right now, but a girl can dream and expect it soon!] lol.

When i first put the gloss on, within a minute my lips were tingling. must be the plumping action? The color is not as dark as it looks in the tube, which didn't disappoint me because the color is still dark enough for my wanting. I don't find it to be sticky much and it lasts a good couple of hours before needing to reapply. My lips stay moist with a nice shine.

show me what im looking for

do you ever have a 'theme' week? I do all the time! and this week is "show me (God) what i am looking for". On monday, i was watching, "my life in ruins" for the first time and this song played in the background during a scene and then today while in line at starbucks, this song played again! This song, "show me what im looking for" by Carolina Liar used to be one of my faves about tres years ago and now it's coming back to me! I've been having a great week so far and I feel good about myself and my life right now. How's your week going?

 I think as humans, we are instilled with curiosity.  we are always searching for something, yearning for something or someone, looking for truths and desiring happiness. In the past, I've looked for validation in all the wrong places. Since I re-dedicated my life to the Lord in 2004 and re-did again and again (because i mess up constantly), I seek validation in my heavenly father. He's the one who knows me best. he's the one who created me. 

he's the one who will never let me down. he's the one i pray to for guidance in my life's direction, for comfort in my times of trial, for clarity when all seems confused, for confirmation in making big decisions. I don't have all the answers and i am kinda glad that i can't tell the future. I seriously take one day at a time, but plan stuff for up to a month [contradictory right?]

hearing this song two times in the past three days has me asking myself now, "what are you looking for brittany?" My answers are pretty personal, but one thing i can mention off the top of my head is: acceptance, pretty general term, but i mean acceptance in myself and in others and also trying not to limit myself because i know i am (we all are) full of beautiful potential! I know I'll never want to stop learning. i'll keep on following God all the days of my life & asking him to show me the way.

He reigns

Happy Easter everyone!! Hope you are enjoying the day with your loved ones! My day has been filled with peace, watching/helping the little ones hunt for easter eggs, ham,  taking pictures & calling my family, texting friends! I am donning a new dress that my mama got me from target and i love it! it fits me so well and i love the cut off it too. I want more dresses like this one but in different colors and patterns! I've added bright yellow sunflower earrings w/it also from target!

I am sorry i've been MIA as my internet was out for nearly two weeks. We had to get a new router and as of yesterday afternoon, I am back in business blogging, social networking and replying to emails!! yay!! I also can't wait to do more makeup videos and give some makeup product reviews! It feels so good to be back! I've missed you all!

I'd also like to say WELCOME & HELLO to my new readers! :) In my absence, i've discovered new lovelies following me on hellocotton and I can't wait to get up to date & comment on their blogs as well!

When I think of Easter, i think of how Christ lives! He died and was then resurrected three days later, what a miracle! Because of his life and his sacrifice, I am alive today! enjoy the song below:

 On this holy day, i pray that you are happy & well. If there is anything you'd like me to pray for, comment or email me. I'd be glad to pray for you or anything you are going through. In this blogging world we make connections & form friendships (one of my fave parts about blogging!) and all of my followers are creative, unique, lovely women. We are and can be a sisterhood to each other, so with that said, i hope to uplift & encourage in discouraging times as well as rejoice in your beautiful moments! The Lord knows i've struggled with discouragement, insecurity, anxiety & worry! Us women are emotional creatures [i know i am] and i am not ashamed of that at all! lol

 “He was pierced for our transgressions. He was crushed for our sins; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed.” -Isaiah 53:5