Changes...

Do we like the new layout?

I love the design, the fonts and the colors!

I guess the picture needs to be changed, it's too big!

Right?

Right!

Blogging From My Deathbed, Great Friends and Senior-Citizen Reads...

OK...not really.
But I was when I started to write this post!
Let me tell you...
I decided to start using Proactiv.  I don't have any major acne issues or anything, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to always have pretty skin.  That combined with watching TV late at night, and we all know that's not really TV; it's mostly infomercials.  Satan's way of making us buy things we don't need, but that we somehow think are going to make us skinnier, prettier, rich...the list goes on.

So...in the past month or so, I had a really, REALLY bad reaction to Proactiv.  I didn't know that was the reason behind my "watermelon face" but it turns out Proactiv was the culprit and the reason why I was rocking the Koala Face for 3 days.  Took me long enough to figure it out, it had happened at least 3 times before that!

Between my swollen face, puffy eyes and frizzy hair...I'm pretty sure this is what I looked like!

I would wake up scratching my face.  My under eye area, my jawline and my eyebrows would itch like crazy.  Not only that, but my face would swell up like you have no idea.  I looked absolutely disgusting, and while there was no pain; the feeling was rather uncomfortable.  It was so bad last week that I actually missed work because of it.  I was really swollen and my eyes were so puffy I couldn't even see when I woke up.  Again, there was no pain but I wasn't in the mood to answer questions at work about my face or why I looked the way I did.  Some people at work are SO nosy and like to speculate and make up rumors.  The other time my face swelled up, they said it was because I had gotten into an argument with the hubby and that I had been crying for days (I guess that explained the puffy eyes) So yeah...I stayed home and got better over the weekend. Diagnosis: It was some kind of chemical burn, the formula was too harsh for my sensitive skin.

I am not saying Proactiv is a horrible product and you should stay away from it.  It simply did not work for me.  I guess my skin is too sensitive and the formula is too harsh.  But if you use it and it works for you, more power to you! Go on with your bad pimple-less self! Or if you want to try it, don't let my experience discourage you.  Like I said, that was just MY reaction to it, doesn't mean it's going to happen to everyone else who tries it.

But I'm OK now, rejoice! 

Alright, time to get cheesy (cue the violins)
I love my friends! It's as simple as that.  I am lucky to have two of the bestest, most awesome friends ever.  I met "Awesome" almost 5 years ago at work (I don't know if she wants me to use her real name, so we'll call her Awesome for now lol)  I must admit that she intimidated the crap out of me when I first met her.  She seemed so confident, and had that "I-don't-need-you-to-like-me" attitude.  Oh, and yes...Awesome is beautiful inside and out, she projects that beauty everywhere she goes. So, Awesome wasn't mean to me when we first met, but she wasn't going out of her way to talk to me or make me a part of the group either.

At first I thought she didn't like me.  I didn't blame her.  I know that at first I give off that "I'm a bitch" vibe.  But eventually we started talking and got to know each other and became very close.  I love Awesome!  She truly is awesome.  She is so meticulous about everything she does.  And everything she does, she does it well.  There's no half-assin' it with this girl.  She has a huge heart, great morals and values and has been there for me without even knowing it sometimes.  So if you're reading this Awesome, I love you and I hope you're always in my life.  I am blessed to have a friend like you, I hope you find a good friend in me as well.

And then there's Spunky!  Spunky is just...spunky.  You look at her and you may see a petite, cute little thing but this girl will kick your ass! She is not aggressive or rude by any means, but if you piss her off she will let you know.  (Awesome does that too, she "lives UP here" -if you watch Modern Family, you know what I'm talking about lol)

Anywho, I really admire Spunky.  Her plate is as full as it can possibly be, I don't know how she does it. I don't think she gives herself enough credit for all the things she does.  She is a mother, a wife, she works, and just like Awesome; Spunky excels at everything.  Awesome is the sweet one in the bunch.  Spunky and I have the same sense of humor: Dark, sarcastic, sometimes dirty and kind of in your face a times.  But she has given me some of the best advice I have ever gotten.  Awesome is like a big sister to me, but Spunky is our mama lol, that's for sure.

So Spunky, thank you for being there for me and putting up with my randomness, I love you and appreciate you beyond words!

Alright, now that the cheese has been spread lol....let me talk about other things.

I have been all about decorating! The hubby and I really got into it recently.  It's amazing what a big difference a  little coffee table, a curtain or some flowers can make.  I'll probably post pictures later when we are finished. But we have made our home more beautiful and inviting.  I think it has more personality now. I would always complain and say it was too "Blah".

So what am into now? STENCILS.

I have been looking for a stencil that will go well in our guest bedroom (or my makeup room as I like to call it, I have enough of it to open a small store lol)  And I can assure you that once I find something I like, I will stencil my whole freakin' house!

Last but not least...What am I reading?
When I was in my teens and early twenties, I used to read these:

But now I am into what some people call "Senior Citizen Reads", or these:

It's embarrassing really...my reaction when I check my mail and see this baby....I love their recipes, especially their Thanksgiving issue.  Alton Brown's turkey is the best. That's all I have to say. Don't judge me.

Well this one...I know it's more for women in their 40's I think? But I love it, I love their decorating ideas, their articles and organizing tips! Sometimes I think Awesome wrote this magazine, it's so neat!

This one makes me sad.  I wish I had more money to decorate my home like the homes they feature.  It has given me a bunch of great ideas, I love it!

And well....what did you expect.  This one covers it all. Encourages my makeup addiction, gives me great style tips and ideas...The fall issue above is huge! Go out and get it.


What I'm loving now:
Maybelline's Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles Treatment Concealer (say that 20 times fast!)
It works magic on even the darkest under eye circles.  I had some really nasty ones thanks to my allergic reaction to Proactiv, along with some redness.  This stuff covered them right up!  I would recomend getting the Neutralizer if you have really dark under eye circles.  Use that first and then you can go over it with your shade.  Mine is Fair, but I think I'm going to get Light instead...Their Brightener is great too if you want to highlight your browbone area or your cheekbones.  Try it out, let me know what you think!

Anyway....that's all I have to say this week.  Or for now....who knows if I'll get "inspired" in the middle of the week and decide to blog about something else later on.

Thanks for reading, have a great day!

Sad happenings, great finds, and fall favorites.

Ok…where to begin?

This has been a busy week for me. Not just work-wise, but also in my personal life.  Work has been stressful.  I remember my manager told me when I first started that bad things always happen in 3’s in this company.  And that seems to be case from what I have seen!  One of our guys lost his son over the weekend in what seems to be a freak, bizarre accident.  He (the son) had decided to go to the beach on Labor Day with his friends.  He apparently went for a swim and when he returned, he said he was feeling dizzy and was short of breath.  Next thing you know, he’s dead.  Yep. Just like that.  People were assuming all kinds of things.  Heart condition? Others said he was drinking. Others blamed it on the heat.  Nope.  Stung by jellyfish.  Isn’t that crazy? I have heard of cases where people die, yes.  But it’s not like it’s something you can’t treat.  From what I hear, that's very common this time of year and people usually get treated for it and seem to make it out OK.  Not this guy.  I don’t know if he was stung multiple times, or just once.  Some people are saying it was his time.  Sad.  He was my age too. 29, too young to die.  He was an only child. His mother died when he was a little boy, so his father was mom and dad.  They were so close.  What do you say to someone in a case like this one? I know that my role as an HR person may include the role of counselor, psychiatrist…even though I try not to get involved on a personal level with the people I work with, it’s inevitable.  After all, you see your co-workers more than you see your family....Sometimes people don’t perform well because they have personal issues to deal with.  Sometimes all they need is someone who can hear them out, and then they seem to do better.  I was –and still am at a loss for words for this particular situation.  “I’m sorry” just doesn’t seem to cover it.  Lesson: Cherish the time you have.  You never know when your number is going to be called.  Don’t be afraid to say “I love you” to those who mean something to you.  Your parents, your kids, your significant other, family members, friends.  You just never know.  Also, if you happen to be on the other end of things, don’t forget to lend a hand, or a shoulder to cry on.  You don’t know how uplifting and comforting a single word or kind gesture can be.  As cliché as it may sound, be nice to those around you.  Say a prayer for those who are gone and also for those who stay, they both need it.  Sad….Rest in Peace A.R. 

Angel at Rest - Edward Tadiello

Someone else who left us way too soon: Andy Whitfield.
 

Rest in peace "Sparty"

On a happier note:

I’m glad I’m started this blog.  I really do have a lot to say and things that I want to share.  Right now I’m all about decorating for fall.  It’s my favorite season of the year –even though it’s not that noticeable here in FL, where it always seem to be summer time! Sometimes I think FL is another planet's version of hell, not just because of the heat!

Any ideas for cheap but pretty fall decorations?  I’ve seem some nice things at Wal-Mart. I love Michael’s but some of their stuff is a little pricey.  I’m trying to be good with my money now.  I am very lucky to be relatively unaffected by the recession. But still, I want to save up and be as thrifty as possible.  (Of course this doesn’t seem to apply to my love for makeup, but I’m trying…I’m trying!)

Other fall things that I like:

Hershey’s Pumpkin Spice Kisses: They are sooo good.  There is no way I can have just one.  I think they also have caramel apple ones, but the Pumpkin ones are my fave!

Boots: Hopefully it’ll cool down in the next couple of weeks so I can wear boots again.  My favorites are from Skechers for Victoria’s Secret. I don’t know how many pairs of these I’ve bought through the years.  The hubby knows I love them and has given them to me as a gift on several occasions.

I love how simple these boots are. Love the buckle too! It looks like they're not in stock though :-(

Thanksgiving! What self-proclaimed foodie doesn’t like Thanksgiving? The food is delicious, plus I love to cook.  I think I’ve done a decent job the past 2 years preparing Thanksgiving dinner all by myself. It’s a long process but I love to hear people say they enjoyed everything I made.

Again, I don’t get to see this here in FL, but I used to love it when I lived in northern CA.

Makeup Stuff:

What, you thought I was going to have a post without makeup? Pssshhhh!

Ulta has great deals this week.  NYX cosmetics: 2 for $8, also I think they have Maybelline stuff….2 for $10. Speaking of NYX….I’m starting to love their jumbo eye pencils.  I got 2 on Saturday, [gold] [black], I had points on my card so I only paid $4, but I love them! 

Because I'm a makeup addict...I went on eBay and found a great deal on these! I believe you can get 10 for $25 plus shipping.  I happened to have a bunch of reward points so my purchase was free.  I love it! I have them all except for 22 [hot pink] and 23 [yellow] which are discontinued. What I love about these is that you can use them alone as eyeshadow, or you can also use them as liner or shadow base.  They will last forever too!

If you are interested, go on eBay and check out Joy017.  It's the first time I buy from this seller, but from what I can gather, he/she is very reputable and has 100% positive feedback!

I also took  advantage of the 3 for $16 deal on bath products. Their body wash and lotions from ULTA smell really good!

What do YOU like about fall?

I like to know that you read my blog (some of you have told me via Facebook) so I invite you to follow it and comment! I’d love to know what your favorites are!

 ‘Til next time!

So....Yeah!

Hello There!
I decided to start this blog because I always have something to say! Whether you want to hear it or not! -not good I know.
I figured this would be a place for me to talk about the things that I love and that I'm passionate about:
makeup, fashion, shopping, my dogs, my family life, random things that happen to me or other people in my life.
We'll see how it goes.  There are several blogs that I enjoy reading, so maybe my blog will do that for others too.

So...yeah! There you go, not much to say here.  Feel free to share your comments and thoughts on my posts.

Things I'm Loving Right Now

*Maybelline Makeup:
Ok, I have to start off by saying I wasn't a huge Maybelline makeup fan.  I thought their stuff was just...blah....but oMg! Lately, they have improved the quality of their products.  When I was looking at my makeup collection the other day, I realized I own a lot of Maybelline products!
Their foundation is just amazing!  I haven't tried their mineral line; but their Dream line is fantastic! I l-o-v-e their Dream Liquid Mousse foundation.  The coverage is amazing and it doesn't feel heavy on my skin at all!  The only minus I have found so far is that while it lasts a long time; I find that it also transfers or smudges a bit.  This could be blamed on hot/humid FL weather, but I remember I touched my face and then touched a piece of paper....and there it was....a Classic Ivory Light 2 fingerprint. I don't remember if this has happened in cooler weather, but I will keep an eye for it.

I also love the Dream Smooth Mousse.  That stuff will stay on for hours.  It leaves your skin feeling really soft, and it doesn't cake up like other foundations.  I have somewhat sensitive skin and this stuff does not irritate my face or cause any breakouts, which is a big plus in my book.  This is the first time I purchase this particular foundation, so I can't talk about how long it lasts -not staying power, but how long it lasts before I have to go buy a new one ;-).  I suggest you apply this with a foundation brush.  It comes with a tear-shaped sponge applicator, but I rarely use those (it accumulates bacteria, doesn't cover as well as the brush) The liquid foundation I usually apply with my fingers, as I find it easier to blend that way; but lately I have been using the brush for that as well.

The next product that I LOVE is their eyeshadows!  They are so intensely pigmented. Not bad at all for a drugstore brand.  I dare to say that they compare to high end makeup like Urban Decay, or MAC.

My favorite now is the Maybelline Eyestudio Color Explosion line.

Gotta have 'em all, Pokemon!

(um...where did that come from?)

How gorgeous are these? Each palette comes with 4 eyeshadows and a shimmery/glittery luminizing shadow.  The palettes from left to right are: Blue Blowout, Pink Punch, Forest Fury, Amethyst Blaze, and Caffeine Rush.  I have the last 3, but I have decided I want the other two.  That Blue Blowout palette is so pretty! I don't wear a lot of pink eyeshadow but I'm sure I can make it work.  Plus the hoarder in me says I can't just buy 4 where there is a set of FIVE!  They also come with a nice sponge applicator, but I prefer to use brushes :-) Not to say that the applicators are bad.  I do use them on occasion and they work great.

Next product on my list is their Lash Stiletto mascara.  I love that it lengthens my lashes, it's not goopy at all and it doesn't leave any lumps.  I prefer the waterproof mascara. It doesn't smudge, stays on all day and comes off easily when I remove my makeup at night.

Last two items on my list  (I'm loving lots of things right now, but I guess this post is about makeup) are: Two Faced Absolutely Invisible Powder.  Amazing! I use it right after I'm done "putting my face on" and it leaves my face flawless.  I like that it locks my foundation in, and eliminates shine as well. 

How cute is this little compact? It comes with a mirror too

And last but certainly not least, I am loving Neutrogena's Night Calming Cleansing Towelettes.  They smell so good! They get rid of all my makeup, don't irritate my skin, don't cause breakouts and leave my skin really soft and not greasy.  The lavender smell is very soothing, so that's always a plus.

*Sigh* I think I'm done for today!  I'm also loving white chocolate Kit-Kats, Mexican food, and black nail polish with silver stars! Food Trucks! Oh em Gee! Is that trend picking up or what? More on that later.

Have a good day, talk to you soon!