you play too much!

It's been a little while since I've posted a FOTD or an OOTD...

So, why not do both in this post??!

I was playing around with some different shades after picking up an e.l.f. palette for $5 from Target. It comes with some really nice basic shades. I added a little sparkle and a pop of color and really enjoyed what I came up with! The first few pics are of how it turned out. The latter photos are of me messing around in the bathroom, trying to figure out the timer function on the camera. (No worries. You can totally lol if you want!)

Can you tell I love taking photos of myself? I didn't think so either... ;)

liar, liar. pants on fire...

(This picture is not my personal property.)

Umm... is it just me, or does this FTC mandate make us sound more and more like liars everyday???

I understand that the angle is to make sure you aren't just positively endorsing products you get for free... The public wants and need honest reviews!

Still, with that being said, for me to have to announce that "this my honest opinion", even if I got something for free, seems like we're trying too hard to come off as honest in the first place, no? How do you really know I'm telling the truth?

I guess we go off the assumption that most beauty bloggers giving their reviews on a product treat their word as their bond, and typing an honest review means more than free gifts...

Alas, what can you do when the government has spoken???

so like i said... (pt 3)

Whew! Finally. The last installment of this birthday haul...

You know how they say, "save the best for last"? I totally did!

I have some kind of crazy obsession about shoes. Maybe the fact that in most situations, your shoe size doesn't change. Shoes can be as fancy or as plain as you'd like, and the sizes are a little less discrimanatory than clothing.

Without further ado, I give you the last additions to round out my haul:

My new black boots that actually work with my enormous calves... They have this ribbed sock thing going on at the top that really bothered me at first, but then I realized you can easily tuck them into the boot and no one will even know.

Bamboo: $28

Cutest booties ever! They make me feel uber-stylish and the height increasing platform isn't too shabby either.

Bamboo: $22 (but, I got them for $13!)

Ruched rocker booties gifted by the BF. SOOO comfortable!

Dollhouse: $24 (I think.)

My "Bebe" heels that make me feel absolutely sexy. Of course the heel is not as high as the originals. I wanted to be able to walk in them, lol... Check out the real ones here. If only I looked as cool as Karen does... A girl can dream, right?

Bamboo: $16 (but I got mine for $10 with a coupon)

This was the second pair of shoes I got from Urban Original to push my order up for free shipping! I love the scallop detail and dove gray shade of the suede.

Fahrenheit: $20

Last, but not least, one more fun pair from Target... they're more likely to be worn in the spring, but the color and price sold me now!

I can totally imagine these with some cuffed, distressed bf jeans and a sweatshirt. Only $9!!!

So, that's gonna wrap it up! Thanks for stopping by to check out my haul. All in all, a great birthday...


What are some of the coolest things you've gotten for your birthday? ♥

so like i said... (pt 2)

Okay, I'm ready to continue with what it was that I started earlier! In this post I figured I would do a small clothing haul. I found some great stuff right before my b-day that I thought I would share. So, on to part two...

An adorable sweater dress I found for $5!!! (The scarf was a gift from my grandma.)

A silk top by Kenar that was on the clearance rack at Marshalls.

A closer look at the collar detail.

A $5 skirt from Target and a suede purple belt from Old Navy.

One more cool Target find... $15!

I found this cute brown bomber at Burlington Coat Factory for $20.

Lastly, this coat that I found at Walmart. Only $7!!! The cool part? It reverses to a matte side!

I gotta admit, with this recession going on, it's easy to feel guilty about spending large amounts of money on trendy things. Maybe that's one of the reasons why I make it my mission to find a deal. It think us self declared cheap-cesses have a right to be on trend and stylish too! Why break the bank for things that may be out next season? My advice: Take some time to peruse the 30% - 50% off racks, hit up places like Goodwill to find things that are one of kind, affordable or inexpensive to alter (they carry blazers for $6! I found one from the Gap.) and change things like buttons, or adding trim/studs/distressing to make things new or luxe! Also, for me, accessorizing is key! Scarves, shoes and hats are crucial for taking my clothes to the next level, yet, won't leave me scrounging for change...

...so tell me, what are some of the items you've found that didn't leave a hole in your pocket? ;)

so like I said... (pt 1)

I finally got my package in the mail on Thursday!!!! It contained two pairs of shoes from Urban Origanal that I had been waiting for to complete my round of birthday gifts. I wasn't completely thrilled with the length of shipping time, but the prices on the shoes are pretty sweet! If you don't mind waiting, check out their site by clicking the link above. These pairs were something that I was treating myself to, so I wanted to make sure it was all here before I got started...


...shall we begin?

Okay, first up we have the makeup stuff. I went to Ulta a few days before my birthday because my flyer came in the mail and I was too eager to just wait to use it! I ended up getting some nice deals though... If you purchased an Ulta item you got one free and for buying a $10 Ulta brand item, I got another one for free as a gift. I chose two Ulta mineral powder eyeshadows in Indigo and Moss, and Ulta's Showstopper Lashes mascara in Jet Black. Instead of paying $10 each, it was like I got three for the price of one!

They also had a special going where if you bought two Essie polishes you got a top coat or their new 'Matte About You' mattifier for free. I got the mattifier because I've been wanting to try it with a navy polish I got a while ago. I'm not exactly partial to blue lacquer, but I thought the matte look might be a trend to check out! The Essie polishes were in Sugar Daddy (a sweet, dainty pink) and Over The Top (a tough, edgy gunmetal). They couldn't be more opposite (they are not pictured because I forgot. Tee hee!)! ;)

Finally, I grabbed two palettes. The first being a glitter cream palette by NYX in Paradise. I've been wanting to try glitter liners, but I thought this option made more sense. One glittery liner or 5 cream shadows for the same price??!
The other was POPbeauty's Pin Up Pop palette. It comes with 12 baked shadows in three groups of four, in order for you to be able to create your own spins on the classic 40s face. I will review this soon...

Walgreen's always has some cool Wet N Wild stuff, so I got one of their Idol Eyes cream shadow pencils in Envy. I didn't see much else, so I continued on.

Next stop was Meijer. Every so often I will go in there to see the clearance markdowns... I found a mosaic bronzer by Black Radiance (one of my favorite brands btw...) in Bronzing Shimmer. Guess what else??? My favorite cheapie gloss in Cherry Berry Kiss by Bonnebell!!! In one of my previous posts I mentioned that I broke mine, so 'yay' for finding another!

On my actual birthday, the BF took me shopping, (what girl doesn't love that???) and of course I ran to the mall to go into Sephora. I got a Nars blush (which he gifted, because I couldn't bring myself to splurge...), a new UDPP and my free birthday treat, courtesy of Sephora, a trio of their Super Shimmer Lip Glosses!

The next spot we hit was MAC.
Now, before y'all go crazy, reminding me that this blog is for us frugal recession-concious fashionistas, let me tell you that I just got brush cleanser! It was $11 for 8 fl oz. It's supposed to be disinfecting and quick drying, therefore being a pretty decent purchase. And guess what?! If you turn in three empty MAC containers (...of their affordable brush cleansers, right?) you get a free lipstick for recycling! Now you know I wasn't gonna steer you wrong as far as the wallet goes, right? Right!

Stay tuned for part two of my great, big birthday haul! ♥

happy happy birthday!

I got the chance to celebrate my birthday last week! Whew! I made it through another year...


...now, to make it through Christmas and New Year's! ;)

I hope everyone has been enjoying their holidays! I am still waiting for a couple gifts to arrive before I post pictures of my presents, but a few OOTD pictures should get us through until then. Any day now... I promise!

Check me out below...

p.s.  Those shoes I'm wearing were one of the presents!

Jacket: Stein Mart
Top: JC Penney $10
Skirt: Kohls $8
Scarf: Walmart $5
Shoes: Dollhouse  (they were a gift!)
Necklace: H&M $2.80


Could my hair have been any fluffier??? Hope everyone had a terrific Tuesday! ♥

hello mama!

And I would like to present my mom!

Isn't she like the most gorgeous person ever???!

I'm totally posting these pictures because she let me add a little oomph to her face. By no means did she need it, but I like to practice... and this was the result! I didn't need much to enhance her features. I threw some peach colored shadows on her lids, Wet N' Wild's Cherub eyeshadow in her inner corners, lined her rims in HIP's black gel liner, three coats of Rimmel's Glam'Eyes Mascara and a light dusting of a rose colored blush on the apples of her cheeks. There you have it! One of the prettiest faces you've seen this side of the Midwest! I dunno... can you tell by her pics that she likes it too?

Hope everyone has had a happy Tuesday! ♥

bloglovin baby

I can now be found on Bloglovin.

If you like what you see... show me the love! :)


Follow my blog with bloglovin

sibling "rivalry"

I discovered 'the "blog" of "unnecessary" quotes' today. Hilarious.


The title of my post is tribute to that... because these photos obviously depict something other than rivalry!


I ♥ my brother!

Just look at all that love.

Do you all love your brothers and sisters like I love mine? ;)

Happy Thursday!

as promised!

I can't believe it's December already! Some say "better late than never," right? What do you mean, "no"? Well... maybe that's just what I say!

I finally have a day off and and I am ready to blog! No need to beat around the bush... on to last month's collective hall!

Quite a bit of stuff, no?

Let me tell you what all I got...

St. Ives Invigorating Apricot Scrub ($3)
Brown Sugar tights in Coffee ($2)
Salon Perfect lashes in Black #110
NYX eyshadow in Rust
Nivea Creme
Bath & Body Works hand lotion in Dancing Waters (Free!)
Almay One Coat Nourishing Mascara in Black (only $2 with a $4 off coupon)
Essence of Beauty lip butters in Pomegranate Apple, Citrus Coconut and Strawberry Banana ($3.99 gift pack)
Nivea Kiss of Moisture Hydrating Lipcare stick w/ SPF 4
Wet N' Wild nail laquers in Shield and Inferno($1.99 each, but I got mine BOGO)
Wet N Wild Natural Wear Lip Shimmer in Tart ($1.99)
L'oreal Bare Natural Minereal Shadow in Bare Gold (down to $2 from $10!)
Boots Sensitive Gentle Refreshing Toner
Garnier Nutritioniste Detoxifying Wet Towelettes
Cosmetic Wedges ($1)
Gloves ($1.50)
Headband
Fingertip Sprayer
Sagittarius Charm Necklace

I'm sure you would like a closer look at that last one, so here ya go!

I fell in love with the little thing while perusing the aisles at Wally World. It's so dainty, but fun! I like the way it looks a little tarnished... it just seems to add to the charm. For two dollars, not a bad buy!

So what do you guys think? Considering that I didn't go out on Black Friday, I found some really great deals!

Did everyone have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday? ;)

check out these flyers!

I was messing around on the internet and stumbled across these cute Disney artworks by Mike Kungl...

They were way too neat not to share! Take a look:

They have a cool 'old school' flair about them, no?

I hope everyone is having a wonderful Tuesday! ♥

update.

I know that it has been two weeks...

...I'm very ashamed.


I have been super busy with work, my family and the upcoming holidays, which has left me little time to share. I will be back soon, starting with a collective haul. Thanks for stopping by!


P.S. Don't forget to follow if you like what you see! ;)

in and out... (3)

Okay, you know the drill...

IN:

1.) Aphogee Keratin Leave-In Treatment.
I'm falling in love with this! It makes my hair feel so nice. I have been working on getting my hair back to a really healthy state, and this product has been absolutely beneficial.

2.) Rediscoving old makeup faves.
I think I have been using the heck out of my Wet N' Wild Mega Eyes Shadow in Cherub. I can't remember when I bought it, but I've been using it almost everyday. Same for Rimmel's Glam'Eyes mascara...

3.) Finding money in your pocket.
True joy is when I pull out a winter coat and find $5 in it.

4.) Piggy banks.
Yesterday the bf and I went out to a movie. Afterwards we just wanted to kill some time and somehow ended up in Old Navy. They had the cutest (yet tacky) sparkly piggy banks in there for five dollars! Y'all know I walked out with one. The best part though? My bf got it for me... to put put my new found $5 in it. Ha!

5.) Yummy snacks.
Umm... pita chips and Trader Joe's Mango slices and white cheddar popcorn. Enough said.

6.) Falling back.
I gotta say, daylight savings is great in the fall. I love waking up at '7', and having an extra hour to chill before work is pretty sweet!

7.) Homemade cookies.
I have a favorite recipe and people always tend to love my cookies. I enjoy making them too. I really think they are force to be reckoned with, competition-wise. Or, maybe it's all in my head...

8.) Off days.
Yesterday was my off day from work, and I loved every minute of it! From waking up late to catching my soaps to hanging out, it was a wonderful day.

9.) The bf being back in town.
He had been gone for a few days... boo! But now he's back... yay! ;)



OUT:

1.) Sickness.
It seems like everyone at the J.O.B. is getting the flu! Just don't come near me... ugh! [shudders with the thought of being sick.]

2.) Weight gain.
Scale: "No...you totally have."
Me: "What do you mean??!!?? Check again!!"
Scale: "I've checked 5 times already. It's still the same..."
Me: "But, I can't possibly be up six pounds... It's not even Thanksgiving yet!"
Scale: "Get off of me."
Me: "Grrr...."

That was the conversation we had this morning. Needless to say, we aren't on speaking terms right now.

3.) Cold weather.
I'm already over it. Not even the cute winter coat is enough to make me smile. :(

Is everyone having a wonderful Wednesday? ♥

she is a peacock in everything but beauty.

I found this picture online and it inspired me to do a look...

I've always liked the look of peacock feathers and was quite pleased with my creativity! That... and who just doesn't like playing in makeup? Sometimes I like to see where my mind is going to take me. This is where it led me to:

I didn't have the greatest Monday, so it was nice just to do something fun! Here's what I used...

LA Splash Splash Proof Sealer/Base

e.l.f. Duo Eyeshadow Cream in Olive (the light green side)

CoverGirl Queen Collection Eyeshadow in Emerald (on lid)

Hard Candy Kal-eye-descope Baked Eyeshadow Duo in Ab Fab (the purple side in outer corner)

Wet N' Wild Mega Eyes Eyeshadow in Cherub (inner corner)

Sally Girl Eyeshadow in Blue Marine ($1!!!!, far corner)

L'oreal Collagen Mascara in Blackest Black (on the lashes of course!)

Mr. Wilde would have to change his statement now...  ;)

i couldn't have said it better.

the five dollar discount.

Went to Kohls yesterday and got lucky! As usual, they had a lot of stuff marked down... but I went in there looking for something specific. I wanted the limited edition Flirt! Eyes Rock Dreamy Eyes Palette. I acutally fell in love with this brand a while ago, but hadn't purchased much from it (Side note: For those still living under a rock, Flirt! Cosmetics is an Estee Lauder brand which also houses MAC! I dunno... just saying... if you're looking for a dupe at half the price...). Anyways, the palette retails for $16, but due to holiday season markdown, it was $12. Pretty sweet, I think. There were three to choose from, mine being in Poppin Peach. See below...

I can't wait to try these out!

Now, I'm sure you are wondering why I said I got lucky, right? Because, right next to the cosmetics is jewelry! Yeah, you know it was on sale! Look what I found...

Cute, no? Simple, yet sweet. I'm a sucker for rings, but I usually go for something a little bigger (read: gaudy). This was too cute to pass on though. The best part? It was $5!!!! Some of the sterling silver was marked down by 65 - 70%! I also found a cute set of pearl earrings by Croft and Barrow for $5 (three pair in different sizes) and some comfy shelf bra tank tops that were marked down from $12 to guess... Go on, guess! Yep. $5!!! (I totally bought 3.) All in all, one successful day of surprising finds. Which leads me to wonder... do I find deals or do deals find me???


What 'steals' have you found in your local Kohls? ♥

gorgeous!

Just checking in...

It was a slow-going Monday. Not bad, but not great or exciting either. Boo! I still looked cute though. Wanna see??? Yeah, ya do...

Didn't do much with my mug... I didn't even use any foundation. Just brushed on a few pats of blush, rimmed the eyes with a sheer pink shadow (Cherub by Jane Wet N' Wild) and slapped on Rimmel's Vinyl Gloss in Smitten. Sometimes simple is best!

Here's another shot of the whole outfit...

You can't really tell, but my shoes and hat are both green! That's my little pop of color for the day.

Hat: H&M $5

Dress: Kohls for like $10??

Scarf: Walmart $5

Tights: Walmart $3

Shoes: Payless ...?

Did anyone have a really exciting start to your week? ;)