Starting Over

I started off this year wanting to get back to this blog that I halfheartedly started over a year ago, and sadly, that didn't happen. Part of the reason being that I lost inspiration in a lot of ways, mostly due to a job I hated more than anything. Last October, I quit that job and pursued my dreams of going to Cosmetology school, something I haven't regretted in the least bit. I've finally found that one thing that I love doing more than anything, and nothing gives me more satisfaction than a happy, gorgeous client. And in the process, I've found inspiration and passion in the smallest things, even graffiti down an alley in town. 

 

I've been taking lots of Instagram pics of anything that captures my interest, my favorite being my little dog laying on my Ikea fur rug in my closet. He loves to watch me get ready for school in the morning, and this always helps to brighten my day.  So here's to new beginnings, and making a commitment to my inspiration. As an artist, I owe it to myself.

July Birchbox

Every month I look forward to getting my Birchbox in the mail, and this month definitely surpassed my expectations! This box focused on appealing to the senses with luxurious feeling makeup sponges, to tasty mints. Most of these products can be purchases on the Birchbox website shop.

•  Beautyblender hot pink makeup sponge: I've never really been one to use sponges, but it feels a lot nicer than any of the others I've tried. Plus, my dogs thought it was tasty......
• Harvy Prince Hello: I love the mix of citrus and floral scents this perfume has. It's definitely on my list for purchase!
• Jouer Luminizing Moisture Tint: It could be because of the summer heat, but this moisture tint left my skin extra oily. I'll leave this one in my makeup box until winter hits.
• Stila Lip Glaze: This is for sure going in my everyday makeup bag. It's a shimmery gloss that has a wonderful fruity scent, which I prefer over the scent of a lipstick.
• Tea Forte Minteas in Cocoa Mate: The leaf shaped tin is absolutely adorable, while the mint itself has an exotic taste to it. You can taste hints of the cocoa in it, and it doesn't leave a strange aftertaste like I thought it would. My husband hates them, which means more for me!
• Earbuds: This was definitely a nice surprise to get in my box. I've been using my husbands old, ugly black earbuds for a while now. I've always been crazy about color, even with my earbuds. I remember having a pair of green earbuds that matched my green iPod Nano in high school.

Next Monday, my husband and I will be taking a mini vacation to Kansas City. I can't even begin to explain how excited I am to get away for a little while. I plan on doing plenty of shopping and eating while we are out, and maybe, there will be an accompanying post to go along ;)

Glitter Manicure

I tend to run out of manicure ideas very quickly, and thankfully glitter polishes help me extend my range of options. I recently got this Essie glitter polish in my March Birchbox, and I've fallen in love with it. I paired it with Wet n Wild's Break the Ice. It's not the greatest quality polish (I bought it as a set on a trip home to Michigan as an impromptu manicure fix), but it stays on nicely topped with the Essie polish. And to cap it off, I used Essie's Good to Go top coat. The overall look reminds me a lot of ...love Maegan's Silver and Gold glitter manicure.

I'm always excited for the beginning of a new month, because it means a new Birchbox and MyGlam bag will be arriving in my mailbox soon. And from the sneak peeks I've seen on the MyGlam Facebook page , this one is going to be one of the best yet! I can't wait to show them to you!

Office Space

For a while now, I've wanted a space that was completely my own, and now that my husband and I have moved into our three bedroom townhouse, I can start working on it. The problem is, my designated room is serving as the guest bedroom/storage room. So my plan this summer is to finally set up my room that will serve as my office and craft room. After browsing Pinterest, I realized that I tend to gravitate towards chevrons and hints of gold, so I really want to incorporate those into the space. Here is some of the inspiration I've gathered over the past two months.

All images via Pinterest

Lovin' Louboutin's

Louboutin's are one of the most widely recognized designer shoes, and can be seen on many Hollywood celebrity's feet. These shoes are a luxury staple in any woman's wardrobe, but will certainly cost a pretty penny. As much as my husband doesn't understand the appeal, I do. They are gorgeous, each shoe a piece of artwork. The attention to detail, down to the rich, red sole, is incredible, and that's part of what makes these shoes so special. Hopefully one day, I can call one of these shoes my own.

A Week of Shopping

It has been a while since I've been shopping for myself, so this week, I went WAY overboard in terms of my budget. So much over that I am now living off almost nothing for the next week. However, I did manage to pick up some really amazing items that help ease the pain of being broke.

•Rock & Republic Platform Wedges $28.97
•Classified Brand sandals- Bought at a local boutique for $14.99

•Deena & Ozzy Studded Clutch $19.99
I have been drooling over this clutch for months now, giving not-so-subtle hints to my husband that he should buy it for me. He never did, but waiting so long paid off. I bought it on sale, and there was a special for free shipping. It was as if it were meant to be!
And with payday coming up this Friday, and an amazing coupon in my wallet from Rue 21, there will be more shopping next weekend! Hope everyone's was as good as mine!

Date Night Friday

This Friday night was one of the best that I've had in a while. The husband and I spent the entire day with each other in Manhattan (unfortunately NOT the Big Apple, but rather the one in Kansas).

I've been meaning to make these earrings for a while now, and finally got around to it today. My inspiration was from a pair that I saw on the Urban Outfitters website that you can find here. I'm not too thrilled with the final product, so I'm going to try a "Plan B".

While out and about, the Husband and I finally decided to try Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt. I LOVED the assembly line set up, with tons of flavor choices and toppings. Of course, I topped mine with my favorites, gummy bears and maraschino cherries. And to top the evening off, we went to see the movie Safe House. Action flicks aren't my go-to choice in movie, but Ryan Reynolds sold me on it. Here's to an amazing weekend!