current obsession; colorstay ultimate

i've fallen in love with a new lip colour. before there was nail polish, i was obsessed with lipsticks/glosses and averaging about two a week. thankfully, i've got that under control. but then i saw this revlon colorstay ultimate lip colour peeking out of my mom's makeup bin...

here's what it promises, straight from the revlon website:

• food-proof lipcolor with a built-in, ultra-conditioning topcoat
• one-step application: no topcoat required for comfortable wear
• stays comfortable and wears beautifully for up to 12 hours
• does not feather or fade; no touch-ups required, even after meals
• available in 20 full-coverage, soft satin shades
  

and i think it very nearly lives up to all it says it will be. i think it's a really interesting combo, it has a wand like a lipgloss but feels really lipsticky when it's on. it does last a REALLY long time. ridiculously so. you need to give it a minute to dry (no talking!) and then it stays in for the long haul. like, the only way to take if off is with a strong makeup remover.

but it's totally kicking the butt of the lip colour i bought at sephora last month. i have it in #1 nude and premier plum (the shade i'm wearing in the pic). the temptation to buy this in EVERY colour possible is tempting! but i've got a budget to stick to, and school books to buy.

it's super important to apply it to bare lips. my only qualm? it would be awesome if it had just a little more moisturizing. even though there's not top coat required, i tend to stick on some c.o. bigelow's lip butter to keep things soft. but it's a bit of a compromise, even though it feels a little dry, it looks really natural when it's on because it's not all that glossy. i've been wearing it every day for the last two weeks. anyone else ever tried these?

-B.

current obsession; fall tv

song of the day: anything i'm not, lenka

this is probably going to sound weird, but TV is kind of like the second religion in my house. missing an episode of house on monday night, is kind of sacriligious. so now that we're into september, i need to know what times i'm going to need to work shows into my schedule. these premieres are just another reason fall is my favourite season.

got all the dates and info via tv.com. a very helpful feature! and you'll want to double check things with your local listings as well. it's awful when you go to watch your favourite show and discover it's moved to a completely different day. i found a cool site that does it for all the major canadian channels.

here are the ones i'm most excited about.

glee (sept 9, 9pm). it feels like it's been forever since they showed the preview episode for this show in the spring. it seemed like a cruel idea but i don't know if that was there best move. now there's a LOT of pressure for the show to be good. but i'm pretty sure i'll stick this one out for the whole season.



house (sept 21, 8pm ) have you been following house/seen the previews for this? i was hoping the tail end of this season would just be someone's horrible dream! but apparently not so. this whole mental hospital thing is going to seriously set back my "huddy" plans though.



gossip girl (sept 14, 9pm). to be perfectly honest, this is not my type of show. but after two seasons, i know i would not miss a single juicy episode. it's so addictive >.<





wow! it was hard to pick just three. here are the other premieres i won't be missing, i've put links to the newer/lesser known ones.

fringe (sept 17, 9pm. i can not WAIT for this show to come back, but i'm not happy about the time slot. thursday is a cutthroat night)
bones (sept 17, 8pm), the office (sept 17, 9pm)
the beautiful life (sept 16, 9pm)
heroes (sept 21, 8pm),
smallville (sept 25, 8pm. not looking good this is like the burial ground.)
snl (sept 26, 11:30pm. megan fox is apparently hosting the premier. odd choice, she doesn't strike me as funny),
ncis (sept 22, 8pm),
the mentalist (sept 22, 8pm. who doesn't need more simon baker in their lives? this tuesday time slot is only for canadian channels, and will change in october).
flash forward (sept 24, 8pm),
lie to me (sept 28, 8pm),
the jay leno show (sept 14, 10pm),
v (nov 3, 8pm),
community (oct 8, 8pm),

i have NO idea how i'm going to fit all this in. my friend T says i could always just give up on sleep. that's what he does. anyone else as serious about tv as i am? anyone else cry during the writer's strike? no? okay. that's cool. i know, my tastes are ALL over this place. so for you, what's that tv show you will not miss?


-B.

current obsession; aesthetic affirmation

when it comes to defining your style, i think it's a good idea to have a sentence or two like a style mission statement or as megan over at charade called it, an aesthetic affirmation: a phrase that sums up your overall aesthetic look, something that fully captures your style no matter what the season/what things are in style. think of it as a mantra to redirect your fashion choices.

megan summed hers up like this: "cute with an edge, comfy and laidback, yet feminine, cropped cardigans, nipped waits, gold illuminations and muled hues set against gold locks."

but it's hard for me to just pull that out of the blue. then i got a second wind of inspiration from a over at the glamours grad student. her approach was to find the statement you want your wardrobe to make and work from there. this exercise is a lot easier to do.

if i really stop and think about it, i want my wardrobe to scream: pretty, smart, cool and daring.

i think those are the main things. i'm not one of those girls who needs to be hot you know? i think the pretty factor is acheived with bright colours, feminine shapes, and natural makeup. smart, to me, means clothes that fit well. this means no bunching up, no "making things work" with safety pins, and having no buttons missing or bra straps showing. i'll need to work on that one. for me, cool is anything with leather, studs, zips and rips. in moderation of course. i hope a "dog the bounty hunter" image isn't coming to mind. think of... someone elle would be in their street chich category. someone who's not always gunning for fashion perfection and in doing so achieves it anyway, know what i mean? and as for daring? it was one of the first things i wrote down, but it took a long while for me to figure out what i mean. i think somedays my look is a little TOO put together, and i want to be more spontaneous with my choices sometimes. particularly in the makeup department.

even though the manhattanite in the photo (via elle street chic) manages to acheive all of this at once (aren't her shoes amazing?) i don't think i could. i think a more reasonable goal now, is to have every item i incorporate into my wardrobe accomplish at least two of these words. i'm still working on a real statement, but hopefully this'll redirect my fashion choices in the fall.

if your wardrobe could talk, what 4 words would it say about you?

that's it for me, but don't forget to check out the posts by megan and A. and check out charade's posts on dream style, it's good stuff.

xoxo
-B.

current obsession; plaid

after a two week hiatus, i finally stepped into a mall the other day. i didn't buy anything mind you, but i couldn't help but notice that the mall had EXPLODED with plaid. it's everywhere. it's always been one of my favourite patterns, but i'm excited that it's going to be a big trend for fall.

one general thought for wearing plaid is that less it more. let it be the loudest piece of your outfit. generally, avoid wearing it with any other prints.

plaid isn't just for preps and lumberjacks. there are so many ways to wear a simple tunic like this! you can slip it over leggings, jeans, skirts or shorts.

toughen it up, with a leather jacket or layers of oversized metallic accesories, studded jewelry or biker boots.

soften it up with pearls or a glam clutch, or adding a cardigan in a contrastning colour. also, you can make a plaid button down feel more western by tying it up and pairing it wiht a skirt.

plaid accesories are also v. cool! switch things up by adding a scarf,

i've settled on adding one plaid piece for fall, but i haven't quite decided which one i want yet.
check this tunic from charlotte russe, retails for about $25 CAD.

lovelovelove
-B.

current obsession; budgeting

song of the day: if it kills me, jason mraz

i know budgets are a weird thing to be obsessed with, but i made mine this morning and it really wasn't that bad as i was fearing! the hard part is going to be sticking to it. but here's what i did. first off, i started with a template. they do all the work for you. especially if you use one on excel, cause those ones can do all of the calculations for you. but if you'd rather do this by hand, i've got a template for you, here. but if you google "budget template" you'll find tons.

the first step in making a budget is figuring out where your money goes in the first place. total your income and then track your expenses for the last month. (if you have time to map out more than one month, you'll get a better sense of your average, in case it's a month of ireggularly high spending.) then subtract the one from the other. in the red? me too. but it brought some things to my attention.

my first realization? i spend WAY too much money on makeup. the thing is, i just buy a little at a time, but i'm still buying WAY too much. in july alone, i wasted $175. and you've seen me, i don't even wear that much! i found there are a few more hidden money suckers in my life.

• magazines; ridiculous, when i read as many blogs as i do.
• smoothies; when i've already said i prefer making my own at home.
  
• DVDs; so many times i buy a DVD just for the sake of owning it, but then it just sits on my shelf.
  
• the vending machine at work; i calculated, if i took the time to bring something from home before a shift i'd save $10 a month. which seems little, but will add up.
  
• cheap jewellery; my jewellery box is full of $5 rings that only last a month before turning green and it'd probably be better if i just didn't buy any at all.
  
• nail polish; i always talk about how nailpolish can be a nice accent to an outfit and i'm not knocking that of course. but in tracking my expenses i realized that i average about one $9 bottle a week and that's a little insane.
  
• taxis; i'm not knocking them and i would like to say that a taxi home after a night out is always a good idea, but sometimes i'm just to lazy to take the bus, that's $20 down the drain right there.
  
• drinks; i always end up stopping for adrink when i'm out at the mall, tucking a water bottle in my purse before i leave will save me about $20 a month.

when you're making a budget, make a list of things you feel you can not live without and then juggle your finances around to accomodate them. i've decided to prioritze going out to eat with friends. we tend to go out to grab a bite or dessert after worship practices or for birthdays. plus, i've read that on average spending money on an experience feels more rewarding than spending money on just items. so that's what i've made the most room for in my august budget. especially because it'll be my last chance to hang with a lot of people who go back to school in september. i've also set aside the money for one movie (GI JOE!) and a meager back-to-school outfit, and that's it!

i do feel the budget i've set is a bit optimistic. (i can't help it, i'm an optimistic person) but i've read that it's perfectly fine to make adjustments. not to totally renege on what you've set out to accomplish mind you, just to rearrange things while sticking to your goals. one of the top reasons people drop their budgets is because they feel they can't stick with them. that won't be me! (i hope.) this site was super helpful with budeting tips and info.

alright! just a few more things. it's my mom's birthday today! but that's not the real news. i FINALLY got around to writing an about page. check it on the tab at left. i also added a few more sites (in no particular order) to the blogroll over there. i plan to maintain it a bit more as i continue making blogging friends. check out some of the sites and blogs there, it's good stuff! and another thing. while i'm still not comfortable using my whole name, but i don't really feel like i am "sunshower" either. that's a thing, not a person! so you can call me B from now on =) have a fantastic day!!

xoxo
-B

current obsession; summer scents

(song of the day: forever and for alaways, shania twain)

morning! my current obsession? the sweet smells of summer days. in summer superlight fragrances are the name of the game. i think scent is an important and intimate accesory.

in summer, you want to aim for fragrances with citrus and/or floral top notes. in perfume, citrus goes beyond lemon and orange: think bergamot, mandarin, grapefruit, and neroli. for florals, think lily of the valley, jasmine, and ylang-ylang.

i'm (still) obsessed with daisy by marc jacobs. but i find it smells better in the summer. if you haven't smelled it yourself, it blends wild strawberry, red grapefruit, gardenia, violet and jasmine notes. it's a simple yet appealing, just like daisies themselves! i get complimented it on it alot.

but R and i were smelling samples at the bay the other day and i've found myself haunted by the smell of lacoste's love of pink. it's a chypre/fruit fragrance that's got hints of red orange, passionfruit, lemon, pink magnolia, quince blossom, stephanotis, white cedar, musk and vanilla. it smelled SO good and i'm considering it as my next perfume purchase.

take caution of two things. heat amplifies the smell of any fragrance and your nose finds it harder to smell something it's become accustomed to. in warmer weather, you'll need to wear a little less to keep the smell from overpowering you (or anyone else in your vicinity)

and lest we forget, sunscreen is one of the best smells of summer. and my new friend A (thanks J) introduced to a delightful smelling sunscreen with mango and papaya notes that is everything right about summer scents. i'm going to have to ask him and track that one down. in the meanwhile, check out some of my other favourites.

so what are your favourite summer smells? (it doesn't have to be a perfume.)
that's all for me. i've a lunch date! later my lovelies!

current obession; audrey, wait!

first, happy canada day to you! i hope you're doing something exciting!

so today, i'm wondering what kind of books you're into? more commercial or literary fiction? romance? suspense? i like it all, but today that book that so raptly caught my attention was some teen fiction by robin benway.

usually i'm wary when a book has TOO many of those blurb reviews on the back cover/inside leafs or what have you. but after finishing the book (in under 24 hours :S) i believe the hype.

it's about a girl (audrey) who dumps her egotistical musician boyfriend. the breakup song he writes about her, rises to the top of the charts. the book tracks how her life changes as she's dragged along in the process.

i was wary again, that a story like this could fall into predictable territory. in fact, usually books about girls who become famous bore me. (it's becoming a bit overdone, don't you think?) but the characters totally set this book apart. and i have to say i'm way jealous of the way benway writes. she's got great style.

audrey was a fantastic character: witty, funny and smart. totally would want her as a friend. i love when the background characters have just as much dimension as the ones in the front. and i loved that it had its own soundtrack. some i'd heard of and some i hadn't. but i find it funny that i'm willing to take music suggestions from a fictional character =P

it was a really funny book too. i also have this really annoying habit of laughing out loud when i'm reading, but i just say that's the sign of a good book. i reccomend it if you've ever liked anything by Rachel Cohn. anyway yeah, and amazing and funny story about music and love.

but yeah, what are you in to? what's good?

let me know
-xoxo.

current obession; weddings (part 2)

about face.

today i'm covering hair and makeup. if you're rolling in money you can always solve the problem by booking a hair or makeup appointment and i will envy you from a far. i had always thought that wedding makeup had to be outdone on complicated but almost everything i read suggested the exact opposite. apparently, the thing to do is to find a fresh, but natural look that highlights the best possible you. especially for summer occasions, sheer and simple looks are the best. in weddings, it's better to look timeless as opposed to trendy.

my first tip? have a test run a few days before. there's nothing fun about running late to a wedding with makeup and hair that you hate. you can make sure you have any thing to need and it won't be too late to incorporate new ideas. you never know where you'll find inspiration, magazines, celebrities, blogs ;) but you never want to try something new the day of.

you have to consider makeup that'll last for the whole day and that will look good in pictures. having a good foundation and concealer are key. it always seems that the tiniest imperfections get amplified in pictures. pick one that matches your skin tone exactly. you also might wanted to choose one that won't get cakey by the end of the day (again, a test run here would be helpful)

a few last makeup notes: avoid matching your makeup to your dress and go with what brings out your facial feautres! in your purse the day of the wedding i suggest carrying oil-absorbing sheets and lip gloss for touchups. lovely!

now as for hair...

take note of the dress code. with formal attire updos are the norm, but you can keep things more simple if you're headed to a daytime wedding. don't go with an updo or curls just because it's the thing to do, choose a hairstyle that compliments your face! round faces should go for volume and height, square faces are flattered by layered, wispy, romantic looks. heart-shaped faces do well with sweep of hair across the brow and oval faces generally look good with anything. do a little googling/experimenting.

the immensely tight bun look is on its way out right now. opt for a cute bedhead bun and accesorize with a sparkly pin, fresh flower or headband. or a cute look like the one in the video. i can see offsetting something like that with some nice dnagly
earrings, coulnd't you?



but don't over do it. after all, all the real attentions supposed to be on the bride ;) and if all else fails, remember that a smile is your best accesory!

-xoxo.

p.s. karen over at the makeup and beauty blog rounded up 101 bridal makeup tutorials for your perousal. even though they're aimed at brides there's plenty of good stuff. tons of videos and tutorials. go nuts!

current obession; weddings (part 1)

dress the part.

so this week there'll be a bit of a focus on weddings. i certainly hope i'm not the only one going to a wedding in the near future, it feels like wedding season is fully underway so i hope these next few posts are useful to you. gosh! there's so much i want to say, but i'm picking out the good stuff.

today i'm covering what to wear. the first key to that is figuring out what kind of attire is required. a couple weeks ago when i announced this series i pointed out a post from fabulously broke that was a pretty good guide for proper attire. you can use the time and place of the wedding as an indicator. afternoon weddings are usually not black tie affairs. even when an invitation says casual jeans are not reccomended. go business casual to be safe. black tie: requires your dressiest look. most weddings fall somwhere in between check FB's cheat sheet for more.

it doesn't really matter if your dress is this or that colour (though i'd say avoiding white at all costs is a pretty safe rule) or is this or that trend. the most important thing is fit! any dress that you have to be stuck in all day (sitting, standing, dancing, taking pictures etc) NEEDS to be comfortable no?

first tip? buy a dress that fits you, regardless of what the tag inside says. if you ask me, the sizing system for women is retarded anyway. if a size 10 makes you LOOK better buy it! even if you're usually a size 4, just cut the tag out to make yourself feel better.

second. know your body and dress accordingly. (i'm talking things like wearing empire-waist dresses if you have a shorter torso, off the shoulder cuts and halter necks diffuse broad shoulders) a dress that fits is instantly flattering!

when buying a dress you always want to consider versatility. formal wear isn't cheap. but i've got no trouble forking over more change for a dress i'll be able to wear more than once. my prom dress, gorgeous pink, bowed contraption that it is, sits alone in my closet. while girls who bought black dresses are free to wear them over and over again.

so the rule of thumb? the simpler the lines of the dress, the more you'll be able to make it look different. considering accesorizing with a belt, ribbon, shrug, broach, statement necklace, or scarf. if you're going to an outdoor wedding try working a floral broach. the real flower will look amazing! and of course changing your hair and makeup around (more on that later this week!) and of course, get it in a colour you love! one that flatters you, and one you'll love to wear over and over again. summer weddings are the perfect time to embrace warmer colours, if that's what you're into.

i leave you with a few quick thoughts:
-hosiery is no longers necessary, but if you choose to wear it, at all costs, avoid panty hose and open toed shoes
-if you're really strapped for cash, trying organizing a dress swap with friends who're going to the same event and all the same size

so that's all for now? but it's not too late to submit your wedding questions to me!

-lovelovelove.

dress by BCBGMAXAZRIA

current obsession: tim gunn's guide to quality, taste and style

(song of the day: everybody wants to rule the world, tears for fears)

my current obsession? tim gunn's guide to quality, taste and style. it's always been my philosophy that you should invest more into having good style than being "fashionable" and tim gunn's book helps you do just that.

i've been meaning to read this for a long time, but with school and all i just didn't get the chance. but now that i've read it, i gotta say, i don't really want to give it back (to the library)

i learned so much about developing my personal style (whatever it is. haha) i didn't fully understand the importance of silhouette and fit. his closet clearing tips were a lot better than mine. and what he had to say about finding your perfect fit. he offered all these great tips on making your accesories work for you. but i was really paying attention to what he said about posture. i didn't realize how much it had to do with style, nor did i notice how much i let it slip sometimes. check out this passage. (am i allowed to do this? i'm doing it anyway =P) he was talking about the three foot and fashion faux pas to avoid. the flip-flop waddle.

"every summer, people all over celebrate the arrival of temperate weather by casting aside constricting winter shoes in favour of the flip-flop. although we have discussed the flip-flop's appropriateness in various situations, we have not mentioned the veyr real problem of flip-flop-induced waddling. now, some people are just prone to waddling-ie., the extremely pregnant-but we are convinced that the unstructured nature of the flip-flop causes many other completely unnecesary cases. it happens like this: the feet, enjoying their freedom, are slowly allowed to turn out until they are no longer parallel. this gait not only looks ungainly from the front, it does terrible, terrible things to the view from the back. the legs are turned out from the hip joints, causing a general spreading and widening of the bottom. take a look next time you are on the street. the most flat-bottomed among us tend to be those walking around with feet that are not aparallel. which came first, you may ask, the poorly placed feet or the pancake bottom? does it matter? why not be on the safe side and get those feet in line?"

i totally know what he's talking about. but i hope i've never done it! he also gives tips on how to dress for any occasion, how to shop and how to choose a fashion mentor. haha. i love the way he speaks. it's so crisp and witty. i've heard some of the things he said i've heard before, but it's only because their true! and the way tim gunn says them is refreshingly smart. it's an all around great read! do you ever read books about fashion/style? if you have, what's good?

anyhoodle, i'm off to throw an outfit for an 80s party i'm going to tonight. woohoo!

-xoxo.



i'm cool! i cite!
Gunn, Tim, and Kate Moloney. Tim Gunn A Guide to Quality, Taste and Style (Tim Gunn's Guide to Style). New York: Abrams Image, 2007.

current obsession; howcast

song of the day: crash the party, ok go

i don't know if you've noticed, but i'm OBSESSED with how to. writing it, but especially reading it. so i was majorly excited when matt introduced me to howcast. there's a youtube channel and a website teeming with videos on how to do almost everything. it was founded by some guys who used to work for google and youtube. the videos are just made by emerging filmmakers, they're always looking for more videos. something they're funny, but they're always informative. the videos are short and easy to digest. i'm totally hooked! i love learning random things, like how to urvive a bad table at a wedding, how to use aromatherapy to improve your life, how to get a date with absolutely anyone, or how to fix a wet laptop (though they don't promise 100% luck with that one).

i have to say, this video about body language was one of my favourite. obviously. haha.



but they have some great fashion and makeup tutorials too. learned tons from this one about how to walk in high heels, and how to apply blush. there are TONS! too many to name really. it might be helpful to check them out by category: arts, business, careers, cars, hobbies, environments, first aid, food, games, health, holidays, house, kids, language, mind &body, parenting, performing arts, personal care & style, pets, religion, sex & relationships, sports, technology and travel! haha. that kind of narrows things down a bit. still, there are more than a 1000 videos to peruse. i could spend hours (and sometimes do.) hahah. i find the most random things to amuse myself. hahaha. let me know if you check it out!

-ciao for now!

current obsession; haircut and joe makeup

(song of the day: fall into place, apartment)

heyhey! anyone else find it's ten thousand more times harder to drag yourself to school when it's raining? after all that happened yesterday i'm super tired, and the idea of staying home this morning was wayyyy too tempting. i chickened out of the forever21 outfit. it was raining a lot more than i thought and rain and tights are not a winning combination. maybe tomorrow though, cause i'm seeing a certain someone, again. (this whole week there's been a boy overload! i'm running out of outfit ideas!)

haha, but anyway, on to my obsession du jour! and it's none other than the joe makeup i was talking about a few days ago. after my shift on saturday i went out and tried a few. this is the stuff i got. two lip stains in watermelon (on the right) and sheer pink (far left).

does that look like watermelon to you? i think not! i had this problem with the covergirl lip stain i bought too. i'm not sure if it's because of my natural lip pigment, but lip stains for me never look the way they do in the tube. lip stains are great, but i strongly advise you to test them out as thoroughly as you can.

but that's the only bad thing i have to say about them really! the first time i tried them and my pink stain yielded this very red results i was a little miffed, but today i rolled with it! in fact, this look is definitely a contender for the red lip thing i posted about a few weeks ago. lip stains are great, they feel a little silly putting them on. they're literally like a marker. when i was putting it on in the bathroom today some girl was like "what is that?" but after i explained it she thought it was really cool.

which it is! it's not sticky, and once it dries it doesn't feel like you're wearing anything at all. it's actually pretty weird. being weightless! i do have to say, the covergirl one does last a little bit longer, this one didn't make it through the whole day, but this one's well worth the $6! i rate it 7 out of 10.


but i have to say my favourite is the cheek stain (the short one in the middle). i've never tried one before and i have to admit, it was a little different than i thought it would be. i think i was expecting it to be more liquid, but it's kind of like smearing chapstick on your face. haha. that said, it's easy enough to use. you just have to work it in with your fingers. but i love the way it looks. i got it in peach. le perfect spring/summer colour! and it actually showed up on my skin, whoopwhoop! this one gets an 8 from me!

this is what i wore to shoeless joe's yesterday. are you feeling my new haircut? there are some moments where i reach my hand up and freak out cause there's nothing there anymore! but when i look at it i love it! are you changing / have you changed your hair for spring? how?

ciao for now!
-xoxoxo.

current obsession; weardrobe

(song of the day: up and up, relient k)

i'd like thank vicki for introducing me to my current obsession for this week! after i posted about lookbook the other day, vicki brought weardrobe to my attention. i suppose it's a lot like lookbook in that people sign up and submit pictures of their outfit. except you don't need an invitation to join. (which is a big relief for me, i've been building a lookbook portfolio for a while now, and it was never really up to snuff) check what they're all about.

that's another big difference, i do find that weardrobe is not as pretentious. also, vicki pointed out there's a better focus on fashion. whenever i'm on lookbook i get swept up in the photography of it all. there are some fabulous photos on there but that doesn't necessarily translate to good outfits you know? not that i'm knocking lookbook, i still love it. i just find that the looks on weardrobe are a little more attainable. i've only got one picture up so far, but you can check my profile. here are some of my favourites so far. i'll probably be copying these some time in the future!

oh yeah! and they smile! regrettably, i forgot to take down the names of the people who took these pictures! credit goes to those who took them! :S that's all for me! if you care to catch up on my life, continue reading!



today was absolutey fabulous! i mean yesterday had its challenges i had a huge fight with my sister and then i got some really bad news. but i decided today was going to be good! i sang in the shower LOUDLY, i wasn't really wearing anything special, but i felt kind of pretty from the inside, you know? it's a good feeling. and then today i talked to not one but THREE hot guys, without freaking out or anything. haha. it was definitely "cruise-bethany," hahah, only linda would know what that fully means.

and wish me luck! i entered this blogging contest for loulou magazine and it would be awesome to win! i'm headed to the hairdresser's tomorrow and i'm very excited about it. i hope it turns out the way i like. and then, i'm hanging out with my aunt, and then headed to quest. exciting day! that's all for me! thanks for reading!

current obsession: novelty

morning! i'm a sucker for the new. without even really thinking about it, newer is already better in my mind. i'm not sure if that's related to why i like shopping or not. at any rate, i grabbed a bunch of stuff from my room and took some pics of some of things i bought this weekend. i provided links where available.

1. seed long sleeve tunic, walmart, $6
i'd have to say this was my only shopping misstep. everyone knows i don't really need ANOTHER grey t-shirt.

2. jewel globe necklace, forever21, $7.80
ironically, i put this necklace on my wishlist a few weeks ago, i didn't even realize

3. ankle length leggings, walmart, $5

4. florelle frayed denim shorts , forever21, $15.80

5. l'oreal HIP jelly balm, walmart, $7.80
this is the one i was talking about the other day! i went in for coral but totally got swayed by the red colour. i mean it doesn't reeeeeally matter cause they're so sheer.

6. almay pure blend eye shadow in steel, walmart, $2.50
i actually bought a WHOLE bunch of this stuff. but forgot to take pictures of it cause it's already moved into the makeup bag in my bathroom. the other day i tried this face illuminator from wet'n'wild and i had an allergic reaction to it. not cool. some one recommend the almay brand because it's 98.2% natural and hypo-allergenic. i picked it up down there cause it's SO much more expensive here. i'll let you know how it goes!

7. sweet pea body wash , bath & body works, $10.80
kristen got me addicted to this scent! she gave me the little size for christmas and it just ran out so i had to run out and get a big bottle.

8. sally hansen nail art pen , walmart $7
this worked a lot better than i thought it would! i'll blog about it soon.

9. earphones, best buy, $5

10. studded flats, walmart, $15
i've been looking for a pointed pair for a while.

11. secret deodorant, walmart, $4
kay. not sure why this one is here actually. you really didn't need to know i bought deodorant =P

12. sound sleep / headache relief aromatherapy, bath & body works, $5 each.
kristen, again, has been talking about these for a long time. she should seriously be the spokesperson for bath & both works. i ended up picking two of these up because they cost half as much. i've only used the headache one so far and it really worked!

yes i buy a lot at walmart. cause it's SO much cheaper in the states than it is here. haha. anyway. that's it for now. i should really get to some homework, as usual i've left it to the last day. later!

-xoxo.

current obsession; evernote

original post date: april 2, 2009

i feel so awful! yesterday ended up being SO much busier than i thought it would be. between class and mad studying for this test i just wrote, and worship practice. it was ridiculous! i actually began writing this (what was supposed to be yesterday's) entry and then i had to go. i'm so sorry. ah well... you know what they say about well made plans... or at least i hope you do. cause i sure don't. or maybe they don't say anything? cause i just googled it and couldn't find anything. pah. moving on.

anyway, today's current obsesion isn't even fashion related =O. but it is a real obsession. i assure you. i haven't gone a day without evernote in a while now. in essence, it's a lot like microsoft's OneNote. so it allows users to capture information of various types, including text notes, mobile phone snapshots, printed and handwritten text within images, web clips, and digital ink and organizes them into notebooks. it's cool cause it can recognize the text in pictures. one of the major differences is that it's got components that you can synch up to your phone or a web-based program (<- that's the one i use most often). one of my main grievances with OneNote was the fact that all my ideas and lists and drafts stayed at home on my computer. even for a web-based app it's got a monthly space allowance that i haven't even come close to hitting =P i've been using it to store files and things for school, for those moments when i'm halfway to york and realize i've left something v. important out. and as long as you open the document up from evernote, it'll automatically update the changes. evernote also has this really cool web clipping tool that lets you copy, paste, drag and drop anything from a web page directly into the notebook. i've been using it to clip ideas from the fashion blogs i read (it's where i store all the best of's). i've been using it to store the prices and images of things i want to buy next (and that notebook is pretty large, i assure you). i've been making lists with it. using it took copy and paste new ideas for my evolving salmon casserole recipe. i also use it to write drafts for these blog posts while i'm killing time at school. yeah, i have to say though, the desktop app looks waayyyyyy lot better on macs than it does on windows. but that's pretty much my only thing. haha. i'm pretty much in love. anyone else use it?

anyway, i'd like to say happy april! yesterday i wrote about how i appropriate it was that it rained and got sunny for the first day of april! i was so happy when the sun came out. but then this morning my mom said it might snow again this week =(

have i mentioned how much i lovelovelove when zac efron has a movie coming out? it's the best cause you can see his face EVERYWHERE and i get a little excited every time i see it. (and i just found out my film friend kyla is a fan too. woohoo!) if there was a showing thursday at midnight, would anyone come with me? i'll be away for some of that weekend so i'll have to wait till that sunday. sacre bleu!

-xoxo.

current obsession; red lips

original post date: march 27, 2009
(song of the day: colours of the wind, disney)

hey there! i have to do this super quick! i'm on my way out. i wish i hadn't left this to the last minute. cause the pictures didn't really turn out the way i wanted them too, but it's too late to take more! still, i feel NOT posting something today would be a crime! so here we go anyway. my current obsession? (among many things) red lips! they're like little black dresses, you know? one of those staple things that all glamourous (two ou's?) people have! so i've been out there trying to find "the one." that red that will complete me! you know? i'd like you to help me out by picking which one you think looks best.


one.

naked lips!!!! please ignore the lack of all other makeup, stringy hair and of course the very white bra under my very black shirt. pahaha.

two.

the blush thing i was talking about! this is where my lack of photography skills come into play. i maybe should've taken a close up of my lips so you'd see how this looks for real. anyway, it's red, buy way understated.

three.

this is a full lipstick. ruby rose from maybelline. once again, a close up would've been helpful so you good see the gold flecks that are in it. it's pretty! but it's a pain to take off cause the sparkles REALLY stick on. haha. i wore this christmas day and it looked really nice.

four.

it's hard to tell in the pic, but this one is actually on the orangey side of red. it's really quite bright. i've never worn it out. it's a maybelline super stay gloss, but i can't seem to find the name of the colour!

five.

haha. you can tell i'm running out of time cause i didn't even make it cover my lips completely. so this is one of the new lipstains from covergirl. and might i just say it takes FOREVER to put on, and even longer to take off! it's v. frustrating. but i do give them points, cause once it dries, it really does feel like you're not wearing anything. the picture doesn't do it justice, in real life the colour is SO intense. it's a deep red? but still so LOUD. my mom when i first put it on was like "that's not the right colour for you." haha. what do you think? i've still got some more red lip sticks/glosses/stains in my case, but no time to try them on. so....

i leave it in your hands! are any of these "the one?" please vote in the comments section by indictating, one, two, three, four or five!!!! (and just a reminder, you don't have to have a livejournal account to make a comment!)

on a completely unrelated note, today's been AWESOME. i made muffins that gave me quite the sugar rush, i had a really awesome talk with vicki, i've been running around my house singing "colours of the wind," and i just found out a certain someone will be at youth group tonight! score!!!! haha. the outfit i'm in now is totally channeling pocahontas actually. feather earrings, a long tan dress thingy, fringey/moccasins boots. it's awesome. have a happy friday!!!!

-lovelovelove

current obsession; oreo chocolate truffles

Original Post Date: March 19, 2009
(song of the day: do the panic, by phantom planet)

you've certainly heard me go on about them long enough. today i ate the LAST of the chocolate truffles. i wanted to cry! they were SO good. so now i'm sharing the wealth. the recipe for "cookies and cream truffles" as seen in the april '09 issue of cosmo.

ingredients:

8	16	oreo cookies
4 oz.	8 oz.	cream cheese
1 c.	2 c.	semisweet chocolate chips
1 t.	2 t.	powdered sugar

one: line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
two: place the cookies in a food processor and pulse into crumbs. (or put cookies in a zip-top plastic bag and crush.)
three: add the cream cheese and pulse until just mixed.
four: use a teaspoon to scoop the cookie mixture into small balls.
five: place the cookie balls on the baking sheet, cover with plastic and freeze until firm. about 1 hour.
six: microwave the chocolate chips for 1 minute and stir. then nuke for 30 more seconds, and stir again.
seven: dip the cookie balls into the chocolate using a toothpick or fork, and place back on the baking sheet.
eight: put the powdered sugar in a sieve and lightly dust the truffles.
nine: freeze until firm, about 1 hour. serve cold.
ten: enjoy! (haha. I hate having only 9 steps. i made this one up. but you totally will.)

note: store them in an airtight container in the freezer and they'll last two weeks.

note: they didn't say how much it made. and i automatically decided to double it because a regular block of cream cheese is about 8 ounces. i had a full pack of oreos on me, so it just seemed easier. and if my recipe made about 24? i'm betting the original makes about 12? it really is up to you though. depends on how big you roll them i suppose, anyway, on to the instructions!

note: i didn't realize i'd made so many addendums to the recipe until i actually typed it out and read it in full. pahaha. i didn't realize it said FREEZE as in put them in the freezer, ah well, i used the fridge and it worked just fine. i never covered them with plastic either. for six, i warmed the chips up on the stove top. just a warning, scooping the cream chese mixture into balls was the hardest part. i ended up just smooshing the icing sugar between my (clean) fingers, works just as well!

and that's it! all in all it's pretty easy! if you end up making them, let me know how it turns out! =)

current obsession; the cab

Original Post Date: March 10, 2009

so i noticed my musical diet before last tuesday was a little too heavy on the jonas brothers, spectacular and slumdog millionaire soundtracks. (Paha.) Which isn't bad, but balance is always good. sooooo I after clicking around my own itunes library the genius thing recommended The cab (not death cab. just the cab. haha some guys from vegas) i'm really weird about music, i hate being told what to do or who to listen to. and it's not even that i don't trust people's taste? it's just that after i really like the artist that person acts like i owe them something. i'm complicated. and believe me, i'm well aware this trait is weird. and problematic, it led to many a fight between a certain former best friend and i. i'm trying to get over it, really truly but until then, the genious works for me. anyway!

yeah, i think what i like most about them, is that they sound like high school. i wasn't even a huge fan of panic! at the disco, but i knew their first album inside out. the cab is kinda similar. they sound a little bit like fall out boy in their " under the cork tree" days and it doesn't hurt that both brendon urie and patrick stump appear in my favourite track, "one of those nights." sends me right back to lazy days in the drama back. sometimes they're a bit maroon 5-ish, sometimes they sound like an edgier rocket summer. i really appreciate bands that understand piano can be just as good as guitar, even in a rock band. so yeah, that's what i've been listening to when the jonas brothers aren't cutting it. haha. i'm not really thinking any of the scattered few who read this blog would really like them, but if you're interested i'll tell you what's good. you know how to reach me! i've also been listening kelly clarkson's new album and it's really good.

enough about music. i need to whine about my pathetically awful life. i will start with an upside though. i wore my "latika" scarf today and i do think there's a bit of magic in it. it was the only (literal) bright spot on this downer of a day. i passed french, which SHOULD sound like a good thing, but it's not when the basis of my argument for dropping it this semester. my mom really doesn't want me to. and i know french is so helpful in life, i don't doubt that, but it's just not going to work out for me. AT ALL. she just won't let it go. and i really REALLY want to drop it. i've never hated anything this much in my entire life. i mean math for me was awful, but at least it was in a language i could understand.

mmm. not sure who i told about this, so i'll just recap it quickly. right after i had my appointment with the head guy in the communications programme my mom was like "maybe this isn't a good idea after all." which was really annoying. it's hardly like this was a NEW idea i was springing on her. i have yet to tell her, but i switched my major today. and yesterday i applied for this television broadcasting program at seneca college. i put up $100 on my own money to do it. my chances are one in three that i'll get in, and one in NONE that my mom will let me go. so pray/cross your fingers/do whatever you can to bring my luck on this.

current obsession; best-dressed at the oscars

Original Post Date: February 23, 2009

i don't know if you noticed, but i'm kind of OBSESSED with award shows. what i had to say couldn't fit in one post! so buckle up!

Marisa Tomei. I'll admit it, she's one of those actresses I only knew by name and not by face. But I'll certainly not forget her stunning turn in this origami gown from Versace. It's so intricate! And she did the smart thing by pairing it with a simple sideswept updo. Altogether amazing!

Alicia Keys. I'm experiencing EXTREME hair envy. Her glam waves are amazing. And I'm loving how her dress is simple but then it has that surprise slit that goes ALL the way up. I think this one wins points for most wearable too. Fantastic!

Anne Hathaway. Seems a given, she never shows up at an award show looking less than amazing. I think it's because she always plays it simple. I was sad she didn't win for supporting actress, even though i haven't seen rachel getting married.

Kate Winslet. In watching her interviews throughout the award season she's become one of my favourite actresses. She's stunning both in person and on the red carpet. I'm amazed by her hair and curious as to how many cans or hairspray it took to get it that way. And the gown is so different! I love the cut on the one shoulder strap, and the texture on the opposite side. Dress and shoes = Yves Saint Laurent. Outstanding!


Honourable Mention: Amanda Seyfried's red hot Valentino number. Queen Latifah looking regal in a navy gown. And the all the child stars from Slumdog Millionaire who were SO CUTE!

Next Up: Best Dressed Males!

current obession; best dressed males

Original Post Date: February 23, 2009

i feel like men so often get over looked on the red carpet. i solemnly swear to never pass by a male where one is available X ) here we go!