Hey, Hey, Hey!

Hello everyone!  I know it's been, oh I don't know, FOREVER since I last posted anything but I'm back! Just wanted to give a quick update, and share some exciting news!

First of all school had taken up A LOT of my time over the year, in addition to being a mom.  My hubby is still (yes I said still) in Afghanistan =(  So I am currently doing double duty on everything.  I am happy to say that I now have a routine down.  This means more time to plan fun things for you guys! YAY!

I also moved.  We all no how stressful that is so I won't bore all of you with the gory details lol   And guess what?  I have a whole room to shoot my tutorials in!!! I am very stoked about it and can't wait to get started.  Here's a little teaser on the tutorials:  I am making a series (That's right I said a series) called "Back to Basics".  So stay tuned for updates on that! The reason why I haven't shot anything sooner is because I have had some serious skin issues.  I don't know why, and I don't how this all happened.  I have been getting the worst break outs on the left side of my face only.  I am happy to say that I seem to have it under control, so please excuse my blotchy skin in the tutorials.  

I also have some AWESOME recipes that I have been wanting to share with you guys as well.  Once I get them up I hope all you enjoy them as much as I do.  

So there's the latest update! I hope you guys are just as excited as I am about the upcoming things that I will be working on.  Keep checking back for updates! <3 Em
 

Sweet Rewards

It's that time of year again.  Summer!  You know what that means; time to break out the cute tops, tanks, shorts, shoes, and swim suits! But you know what my favorite thing about summer is? End of season sales at my favorite stores! 

I'm a bargain shopper, and proud of it.  The last week I could not believe the sales I was seeing!  I walked away with quite a haul at a fraction of what I would have normally spent.  So here's what I have to share with you if you want summer style on a budget, or just want to get more bang for your buck.

1) As some of you may already know, Victorias Secret is having their Semi-Annual clearance sale! Love, love, LOVE me some VS.  So I went twice....that's right TWICE.  Since the sale is coming to a close very soon, all bras on sale are now 15.99, regardless what it says on the tag! To make it better, they are also starting a rewards program! That's right, you won't have to sign up for the Angels card and worry about a credit card anymore! You get points for every dollar spent, and the points can go towards free stuff and other deals that they have to offer! How awesome is that!

2) American Eagle is also having a end of season sale! Right now they are taking a additional 20% off your purchase, and they are also starting their own rewards program! So again you get points for your purchase, and you can get deals and discounts! Plus they're also having a sale next week (I believe July 7) and they have coupons in the store for 10 dollars off a purchase for 40 dollars or more! I went in there yesterday got a slouchy shirt for 14.99, a t-shirt for 6.99, and the tanks were BOGO 1/2 off! The total was close to 45 bucks, I paid 38!!! I saved an additional 7 bucks on top of the sales prices! And we all know how exspensive AE can be.

3) I encourage EVERYONE to do this! My go to spot for cosmetics is Sephora.  I was in there on Sunday (and I'll admit, I did get a tad bit crazy).  Sephora has a rewards program, where once again, you get points on what you spend! The best part, you can save them if you don't want to get the free gift that they have to offer.  Look at it like rollover minutes on your cell phone.  You don't like the free stuff, just wait it out.  You also get access to special deals for reward cardholders.  *NOTE* It's not a credit card, its more like the little rewards cards you get a the grocery store, you just get points and you reap the benefits! You can also use it online! The plus side to Sephora.com is that you get free shipping over 50 bucks, 3 free samples with purchase, and a little more to choose from ^_^  

So remember, best time to go shopping (for yourself or for the kids) is closer to the end of the season.  You get markdowns on cute stuff, and if you have the patience to wait to the last minute, you get bigger discounts! More bang for your buck on a budget! 

On another note, sorry guys for the lack of blogs and posts.  I've been insanely busy lately.  But I'll try to post a bit more when I can.  Hope all of you are having a great summer, and happy shopping!

The Sweetest Thing

Last week I made cupcakes for the two first grade classes at my sons school (as well as chaperon the field trip to the IU Art Museum).  I was clueless as to what to make, so I emailed my friend Ilyn for some ideas.  She suggested Cookie Dough Cupcakes, and let me just say they turned out amazing!  So a big thank you to my friend Ilyn!  You are just as sweet as the goodies that you make, and I wish you the best of luck in all that you do. 

•Cookie Dough Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Vanilla Butter cream•

•sweet little bites of perfection•

For those of you who need that right amount of inspiration when it comes to baking, or even want to try something new, please check out Ilyns blog Sugar & Creme.  You will not be disappointed!
Happy baking!

Spa Treatment On A Budget

As women, we work hard, and play harder.  Sometimes our lives get so chaotic we wish for a nice spa day to just relax.  But with prices for spa services being so high, who wants to pay just to be able to relax?  Well now you can relax and enjoy a little R&R without breaking the bank, and everything you need is available at your local drug store, or grocery store! 

Yoga - There's nothing like a good stretch!  Not only is yoga great for your muscles and body,    but did you know it can also help your internal organs to by pushing out toxins?  It may seem a little complex to some who have never done it before, but it's actually very easy!  Just remember; the more you do it, the better you'll get at it.  Don't want to go to the gym and pay for a over priced class?  Try the yoga videos available through Gaiam.  With yoga levels ranging from beginner to advanced, you'll find the yoga program that's best for you!

Massage Therapy - Want a massage without breaking the bank?  Do what I do.  I got to the local massage therapy school.  Students there have to log in a certain number of hours with clients in order to get licensed.  The perk, I get a 1 hour massage for 30 bucks! That's half the cost of the average massage at the day spa, and it's just as good!

Bath Salts - For those of us who work out quite a bit, or maybe just want a nice relaxing soak, try a salt bath!  I got one that's all natural and scented with lavender of eucalyptus for a little touch of aroma therapy.  Simply fill the tub up with warm water (around 95 degrees), throw in 2 cups of salt, let the tub fill, and give the salt time to fully dissolve.  Then just hop in, inhale that scented steam, and relax.  Ahhhhhh......you won't have a care in the world! I like the AHAVA bath salts.  They're all natural, inexpensive, and available at Target! Did I mention that they smell AMAZING? 

Scrub-a-dub-dub - So after your relaxing salt bath, you always want to rinse of and shower as usual.  So you do you make a shower a spa experience.  Salt scrub!  Wash with soap as usual, then follow with your favorite salt scrub.  It will leave our skin exfoliated, oils in it will help moisturize your skin.  My fave; Giovanni's Cool Mint Lemonade Salt Scrub.  My skin feels smooth, and my shower smells like mint lemonade! Perfect for the current spring season and upcoming summer!

Masks - Want to give your skin care routine a spa twist.  Try a paper mask!  They're all sorts of different ones to choose from.  They come infused with everything from aloe, to Q-10, and yes even pearl.  I like the Red Wine Mask from My Beauty Diary because it helps with free radicals in your skin, and loaded with polyphenols. And guess what? It smells like grape flavored candy!


So you're done pampering your self.  The best way to top it all off?  Get comfortable, curl up with your favorite book, or movie, and a nice hot cup of your favorite tea.  Not sure what kind to choose from?  Go for Tazos Zen Green Tea with Lemon Grass, Yogi's Kombucha, or the classic Chamomile.  Then light some aroma therapy candles, and you're all set.  


Now that you know that you can enjoy a little spa time in the comforts of your own home, without breaking the bank, don't forget to take a little time out for yourself to just relax and enjoy the moment.

What's Lurking In Your Makeup

We all know the importance of keeping our makeup brushes clean.  Keeping our brushes clean between uses prevents everything from nasty skin infections, irritations, and yes, even the dreaded breakouts.  But what about our makeup? Think about it, you dip your brush in your product, then apply it to your face, and then dip it in product again.  When you're done using your product your seal it, and store it.  All that nasty bacteria is cultivating in your favorite makeup products.  So what do you do?

DO NOT clean  your makeup products with water (especially your eyeshadows).  Water will make them totally useless, and the only thing your eyeshadow will be good for at that point is a eyeliner.  What do I do?  Use a isopropyl  alcohol (available at any drug store) in a spray bottle.  Simply give your products (blush, eyeshadow,  lip liner, eye liner, etc.) a few quick spritzes, then set aside for a few seconds to dry (set it on a clean paper towel or clean hand towel to prevent surface contact with bathroom or kitchen counters).  Wa-lah!  Your make up is now clean and sterilized!

Smile And Be Happy

Lets face it, life can be pretty stressful and chaotic at times.  As crazy as things may get, remember to take time out to enjoy the little things, and find that one thing that makes you smile. (In my case that would be a BIG bowl of ramen with all the good stuff!) So take a little time out for yourself and enjoy something that makes you happy, no matter how small it may be  ｡◕ ‿ ◕｡

•mushroom ramen w/ fresh ciliantro, sirachi, and stuffed fishballs•

It's A Plucking Pain!

If men only knew the horrors that we girls go through just to look pretty!  Some of them not so bad, but I'm sure all of us can agree the worst one has be dealing with plucking (or waxing) our eyebrows! Whether it's having warm wax ripped off your face, or the tedious task of plucking each individual hair....well it just hurts! I've had my fair share of cursing infront of the mirror trying to keep them well groomed.  The sharp pain, the occasional little bit of blood from removing the hair root and all, and lets not forget the redness and swelling! Over the years I've found a way to make it a little more tolerable, and not so much a routine that I dread doing  

Step 1:  Always start with a clean eye/brow area.  Make sure all traces of eye make up are removed, and go over the BROW AREA ONLY (where you pluck) with a little bit of toner.  Also make sure that you clean your tweezers with a little rubbing alcohol before and after each use.  This will cut down on irritation, and keep bacteria from causing problems.  (I'm a little crazy with this step because I read a article a few years ago about a lady who went to a place where they groom eyebrows and ended up getting a staph infection! yikes! So with that being said, make sure EVERYTHING is properly cleaned!)

Step 2:  Advil is your friend!  I pop one of these 30 min before plucking and it helps a little with the swelling, and pain. 

Step 3:  Ice, ice baby!  While you're waiting for your Advil to kick in, grab a ice cube and hold on each brow bone for about 10-15 seconds.  Help with the pain issue.

Step 4: Make sure that when plucking (or waxing) that you go in the same direction the hair is growing.  NEVER GO AGAINST THE GRAIN!  Going in the same direction as the hairs natural growth will cut down on pain.

Once your done plucking/waxing, wash your face (I normally do my plucking at night) and follow your usual skin care routine.  Make sure you use a fresh towel when drying your face.  Think about it, you just plucked, you have tiny open holes where hair has been pulled out.  Do you really want to use a dirty towel that's been hanging around your bathroom on your face, and take the chance of causing some kind of funky problem around your eyes?   

So there it is.  My tips and tricks on how I deal with eyebrows.  I am eventually going to be doing a few video tutorials, and yes this will be one of them, so I'll update everyone on that when I get theme done.  Hope this helps.  Happy plucking!