Tutorial! False Eyelashes

{no it’s not a coffee tutorial. but coffee makes everything better. so get some coffee while you read, k? also, if you listen to this song while you read, it will make me seem cooler. glad we got those two important things settled}
After my photoshoot a few weeks back, I have been totally smitten with false eyelashes. I just cannot get enough of them! I’ve picked up a few pair, and some tips along the way. False eyelashes don’t have to be over-the-top unless you want them to be–and most of the time, I just want them because my natural lashes are, well, puny. So here, I’ll show you step-by-step how to do everyday wear false eyelashes for a beautiful, classically pretty finished look. 
First: The Lashes. 
#1: Forever21, $1
#2: Photoshoot, ?
#3: Andrea #53, $6
For the tutorial, I’m wearing #3, the Andrea lashes.
1.): Great Lash BIG mascara. Love the bigger brush. 
2.) Brushes (both are BareMinerals), Wide Tip Angle brushe, and Dual Shadow Brush
3.) Eyelash Glue (the one with the pink ribbon is sold with the Andrea lashes, and is much better than the clear glue that comes with the F21 lashes)
4.) E.L.F. Cream eyeliner in black or cocoa (I have Cocoa)
5.) BareMinerals “Retro” eyeliner 
6.) Eyelash Remover
7.) Cute bow, because it’s cute
8.) Normal eyeshadow you plan to wear
9.) Tweezers if you want them to apply the lashes (not necessary)
Then start with a clean, happy, overeager face. 
{it’s my first tutorial!!!!}

Apply a THIN line of glue on the top edge of the ‘band’ of the eyelash. This white glue dries clear, so don’t worry. Let it get tacky for about 30 seconds. 
Then carefully use your fingers or the tweezers to place the eyelash band as close to your own lashline as you can. Take your fingers and smooth it from one end to the other, pushing down so it is right on the lash line and even. Blink a whole bunch of times because it will feel weird at first! Proceed to apply the second eyelash on your other eye.
Two false eyelashes, applied.If there’s a glop of glue somewhere, dip a Q-tip into some makeup remover and swipe it off, so your makeup will apply smoothly.  
Then, pick your eyeliner and line those lashes real good! Wiggle the brush and get it in there so it covers the ‘band’ of the lashes. I LOVE the BareMinerals stuff, it’s so quick, easy, and natural. My boyfriend’s sister-in-law turned me on to the cream eyeliner, and it’s pretty amazing and super easy, too. Apply a few coats of mascara to “stick” your own lashes to the falsies.
I did one of each so you could see the difference. Looking at the picture, the left is the cream eyeliner, and the right is the bareMinerals. Don’t they look great so far?
Then finish up your regular makeup and get your smile on.
‘Cause you are lookin’ gorgeous, I’m sure of it!

.**To remove your eyelashes, you can just pull em off like a bandaid. But I think that might be bad for your skin, so I like the remover. Just put a drop in the lid, dip a brush in the lid, hold that on the lashes for a second, and work the lashes off gently. Use a little eye makeup remover if they get gunky from the glue and mascara, and reuse until they get misshapen or too gunky.
I posted this on a Thursday on purpose–you have tonight to practice, and all weekend to wear your lovely new lashes! Let me know if you’re smitten, too…oh, and share the love by linking, Tweeting, or Pinning. Thanks, dears! 

Her Favorite Find: Suze

I’m so excited to introduce a new feature: Her Favorite Find. I’m asking some stylish ladies to share with me their favorite finds: clearance, thrifted, tag sale’d, hand-me-overs. Their best & most favorite ‘scores’! I can’t wait to see what these ladies share! Aren’t you excited? First up is my blog friend Suze.

Suze shares with us her favorite find:

Hey Guys! My name is Suze and this is my husband, Ben.  Natalie was kind enough to let me on here and show you my Best Budget Score Ever! 

So, raised in Chicago, I am a rootin’ tootin’ Midwest girl, who lives in Texas and says things like “rootin’ tootin’.” Yikes.  I blog all about our budgeted life and fashion on a budget (a real budget, we are paying off our $36K of school debt by living on one salary! whew!).  On a recent trip home, mom took me garage sailing and we found these awesome loafer wedges that I am in love with.  The best part? $3.  The second best part? my size.  She had another pair in navy that I kick myself each day for not buying.  I love these shoes and although I am already (barefooted) 4 inches taller than my husband, I rock them anyway, because he likes it.  I would like to think now, that you are reconsidering buying clothes at garage sales now.  Because some of my best items are from there. 
So that’s it, you know the secret of my best budget score ever.  Thanks, Natalie! Hearts.

Suze, can we be friends in real life, too? Hehe. Those shoes are so fun and I just love going to garage sales! Being a Midwestern girl myself, I grew up going to them, too! Thanks for taking the time to share, Suze. Everyone else, go follow Suze and her hubby! (but not in real life, cause that’d be super sketchy)

Sunday

Loving this live version of Ben Rector’s “She Is”–reminds me of the myself 😀 

“She hates the sound that goodbyes make, she loves Sundays and champagne. She can’t stand the winter, she can’t stand anything that she can’t change…” 


It’s perfect happy music to listen to during chores….but I don’t really mind chores. ‘Cause you just gotta make ’em pretty!
{laundry}
{dishes}
{I think they looks so pretty, all color-coordinated like that. Happy-like!}
Enjoy your Sunday afternoon, my dears!

P.S.> Still not a fan of my new title font, but haven’t had time to fiddle and change it. See, thing is, I love it on the sidebars, small, but not on the post titles, and I don’t think I can do two fonts like that. Sigh!

Sunday Afternoon

Ahh, the Sunday afternoon after a nice long weekend. I’m enjoying a great day, and hope you are too. Are you catching up like I am?

{enjoying a nice cup of hot cocoa while reading the sweetest note from my dear grandma}

{my new bathroom rug makes my bathroom much more cheerful! love it for $5}

{I’m so behind on my reading of magazines. This is my to-read pile, and after I took the pic I found an InStyle, another WholeLiving, and another Natural Health to add to the pile. There’s already a Natural Health  or two stuck in there. I love all of these magazines, but sometimes I get behind. Don’t you?}

I hope you enjoy the last bits of your weekend! 

Winner

We have a winner, folks! Random.org chose Leigh as the winner of the Thankful cards {and fun extra little trinket}. Congratulations, Leigh!!!!!!!! And thanks to everyone who entered, and for all of your sweet comments.

Thankful: Giveaway

{Handmade Thankful cards on handmade ‘leaf’ potholders I sewed a few Thanksgivings ago}

It’s my first-ever giveaway! Granted, it’s very small, but I’m excited nonetheless, and you should be too 🙂
Up for grabs is a stack of these lovely pale-yellow/orange handmade (by me!!) “Thankful” cards. I envision placing them on each plate at the Thanksgiving table. The backs are empty, so you can either write something about each recipient that you are thankful for, or have everyone write something they are thankful on the back and put them all in a big pot. Then take turns guessing who wrote it! Tie them on presents, slip them under doors, leave them under windshield wipers…No matter how you use them, they’re classy and cute at the same time.

{drying on the letterpress machine…see, I have plenty to share}

And did I mention handmade? I made these on an authentic antique letterpress, and I just have to share them. Don’t worry, they’ll come packaged with an extra goodie or two, hopefully in time for your Thanksgiving festivities.

{tied with a scrap of wool}

Since this is my first giveaway, and it’s small, it’s casual. To enter, leave me a comment. If you want an extra entry, follow my blog by clicking “Join This Site” on the right-hand side. Only two entries each, please! And share the news! Giveaway ends Friday night at midnight so I can send them to you in time for Thanksgiving! 

And I just wanted to say: I am thankful for YOU, dear reader. Thanks for reading, for your kind comments, your friendship, and for being awesome. 

Mixed Blues

I’ve been so into wearing blue lately, which is strange because I’ve never been much of a blue person. I’m much more a green person. As in, fan of the color green. Though I can be a jealous person (tsk tsk), and I am often sick (sadly, it seems). But anyhow, upon noticing this recent fascination with blue, my friend sent over a box of blue clothes to try! How wonderful! I’m loving this subtly striped blue shirt with a ruffle!

Style Secrets
Cami: ?
Blouse: Old Navy, borrowed
Belt: Thrifted
Scarf: Gift, from India
Necklace: Gift, from Israel
Jeans: F21
Boots: Garage Sale
Vintage Inspired Coat: F21

Weekend

Things I Can’t Quite Wrap My Head Around: 
{This photo should be an oxymoron. 13″ almost to the top of my wellies.}
 and
{The fact that I want these pants. I’m strangely attracted to them.}
Things I’m Quite Happy About:

{New Stamps & Tag Sale Finds}

{Amazingly delicious gluten-free coconut guglehopf  (sp?) in the middle of a snowstorm}

Little Things

Oh, it’s always the little things, for me! They are my favorite 🙂 Linking up with From the Aisle to Aloha for her Little Things post!

Wonderful new patterned socks!!! {american eagle}
 {his + hers cell phones, each in their place!}

{eating the laaaaaaaaaaast pumpkin peanut butter muffin for breakfast!}
{more awesome socks + matching fingernails! missoni for target, a present from my momma!}
Hope you had a great week, dears!!

Autumn Baking

Oh, autumn is so lovely! It’s all about the good things: sharing, warmth, family, thankfulness, and God.

And Halloween, but us ‘churchy’ types tend to gloss over that in favor of “Trunk or Treat” or “Nut Night” or similar church-directed activities. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all about church-directed activities, and I myself enjoyed many a “Nut Night” dressed as a clown, or a bunch of grapes (that was a moment of genius on my mom’s part, not gonna lie). 
All of that is to say, I generally don’t ‘celebrate’ Halloween per se, but I’m not above some orange pumpkin muffins with Halloween-y themed decorations. Like fall leaves cupcake liners, cemetery gate-inspired cupcake holders, and spiderweb napkins. 
Now let me tell you my secret: These are PEANUT BUTTER PUMPKIN gluten-free muffins (using this recipe from King Arthur Flour and all-natural Sunspire Peanut Butter chips!)! And they are delicious. Now don’t give away my secret, or I may have to release the bats & spiders! Muahahahahahahahahaha.
I got some other Autumn-y goodies at the Dollar Store:
The napkins & cupcake liners, of course. And some feather eyelashes cause I’m a dork and I want to try them (and because boyfriend said he would laugh at me if I did), some pretty hair clips, Thanksiving cards & pretty stickers to seal them with (3 for $1)!