10 Best FRIENDS-themed Shower Ideas for hosting the ultimate FRIENDS party

Top 10 ideas for your FRIENDS-themed showers and parties. How to host the ultimate FRIENDS TV show-themed party.

YouTube Made Me Buy It – Part 2

Alright, y’all!  I’m back for Part Two of my YouTube Made Me Buy It series!  Sorry it took me so long!  This post has some seriously good stuff and a good portion of it is also seriously affordable!  Enjoy, lovelies!

Eye Shadow:

urban decay naked palette, elf mad for matte palette, colourpop super shock shadows

Urban Decay Naked Palette
This palette holds such a special place in my heart.  It was not only the first true palette that I ever invested in, but I purchased it specifically for my wedding (My hubs and I had a courthouse wedding and an intimate party for close friends and family afterwards, so I did my own makeup…maybe my DIY wedding is a post in the cards for a later time…)  But back to the point…I heard so many great things about this palette and to be quite honest, after purchasing it I know why.  But let’s also be real, it kind of hurt to spend more than $50 on an eye shadow palette.  Nevertheless, I find that you can create a lot of different looks with it and the colors are decently blend-able and there’s not a whole lot of kick up or fall out. I do find that there are certain colors I use more frequently than others, and a couple of them have hardly been touched, but isn’t that how it goes with palettes? Overall I reach for this palette when I know I want a neutral, simple look with maybe a little bit of glam, and it always works out.

Elf Mad for Matte
Oh goodness, where to start.  How about with TEN DOLLARS.  Let’s start there.  Elf products are SO affordable and the quality of their items tends to be pretty on-point, so when I heard about this launch I was so excited and ran out to get this one as fast as I could.  Point blank…this palette is BOMB.  The shadows are pressed so nicely that I hardly get any kick back at all or fall out (even less than the Urban Decay Naked), which means the product is going to last me a lot longer and that makes me happy, happy, happy.  The product name really gives you a good idea of what you can create if you only stick with this palette and use nothing else.  It has all matte shadows and all neutral colors.  I can use this on a no-makeup makeup day or create a beautiful matte smoky eye for a night out with ease.  Highly recommend!

ColourPop Super Shock
If you are a YouTube fan like I am, go check out Kathleen Lights’ channel.  She is such a sweetheart, is incredibly talented and I can thank her for introducing me to ColourPop cosmetics.  The company has a lot to pick from, but these super shock shadows come in singles and are only $5 each!  I purchased three colors off their website (only two are pictured above because one fell in the crevices of my car and I can. not. get. it out.).  I got two mattes and one shimmer.  These feel like no other eye shadows I’ve ever felt before.  As freaky as it sounds, they remind me of memory foam to the touch and at the same time, they kind of feel wet.  It seriously threw me off at first, but once I figured out how best to use them I fell in love.  The color payoff is incredible and I just love how unique they are.  Tip for success: use your fingers or a synthetic brush.

Mascara:

loreal lash paradise, too faced better than sex

Loreal Lash Paradise
So I’m just going to put this out there – I’m an all about lashes kind of gal.  I 100% go by the rule of “when you think you are done, keep going”.  I LOVE the look of super full, long lashes.  It tends to suit my eye shape best, what can I say?  Because of my great love for lashes, I’ve tried a whole heck of a lot of mascaras and, unfortunately, most of the ones that work best for me have also been more costly (see next product).  When I saw so many people talking about this product, I had kind of given up on drugstore mascara and I ignored the hype for a bit.  When I finally decided $10 couldn’t hurt that bad, I was so shocked.  This is hands down the best drugstore mascara I’ve ever used.  It gives luxury brands a run for their money.  Honestly.  The only downside that I can find so far is that my first tube dried up in about a month.  But keep in mind that I pile this stuff on, so a good bit of that issue may be due to me.  $10 a month still beats the heck out of what I could end up paying for high ends throughout the year.  Run and get ya some!

Too Faced Better Than Sex
I’ve already ruined it, haven’t I?   I love this mascara.  It may be $23 for .27 oz, but gosh dang it it’s so good.  It piles on so well.  The brush is so soft and works like a dream.  I get compliments on my lashes every time I use it.  I have no bad words.  I have heard that some people find that it flakes off during the course of a day, but I really haven’t had that problem.  If I’m being honest, Loreal Lash Paradise is super comparable to this one, it could actually be considered a dupe in my opinion, but there is just something about this mascara that keeps me coming back.  If you are ever just in the mood to do a good comparison, get both and comment below with what you think.  Am I crazy to keep spending $23 on mascara when I could go full-on dedicated to Loreal Lash Paradise?  Anyway, this stuff is worth it in my book.

So that does it for this post. Next time we’ll move on to blushes, bronzers, highlighters and lip products and I’ve got some GOODIES!

As I always will, I wish you blessings!  Talk soon.

Sleeping Beauty Birthday Party, Pink Princess Aurora Party, Disney Princess Grace Turns Three

One of my favorite things to do – you could say my favorite hobby – is to host creative parties and showers for my closest friends and family. I love a good theme centered around something they love or an …

Blue Ombre Oh Boy! Themed Baby Shower

Oh Boy! Baby Shower with a ombre theme!

YouTube Made Me Buy It – Part 1

Oh my goodness, y’all, I am SO excited for this post and to be back to the mrs. and the misc.!  I have a lot to catch you up on, and it will all come in time, but I’ve been dying to post a beauty review forever and today while getting ready I realized that I FINALLY have enough products to do a review of “YouTube Made Me Buy It” stuff.  So let’s get into it!

In order to keep this post reasonable in length, today is all about face products.  There’s lots more to come!  Look for those posts this Tuesday and Thursday!

Primers:

becca first light priming filter, too faced hangoverx, smashbox photo finish oil free foundation primer

Becca First Light Priming Filter
This primer is actually the newest to my {small} collection of primers.  It took me a long time to jump on the primer train, but this one, in my opinion, is worth EVERY PENNY.  It comes at a pretty hefty price tag of $38, but it gives my skin such a healthy “glow from within” look, doesn’t feel heavy and is so hydrating to the skin.  This one is a WIN.  Thank you YouTube for getting me hooked on a $38 primer.

Too Faced HangoveRx
Ah the infamous Too Faced HangoveRx.  {is it just me, or does the name of the product look really weird typed out…}.  This primer got a lot of hype!  I get it…it is incredibly hydrating and my makeup always looks good when I use it.  It basically does what it says it will and it smells like a tropical vacation, which is heavenly in my opinion.  If you don’t like the smell of coconut, you won’t like this primer.  Even at a price point of $32, I say this is a WIN.

Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer
Okay, so I got this primer a LONG, and I do mean, LONG time ago, so my packaging is old. It claims to give a flawless finish, fill in lines and pores and prolong the wear of your make up.  At $36, I was expecting A LOT from this primer.  I’ve tried SO hard to love it, but I just don’t.  To me, it feels like straight-up silicone going on your face, and while it does a good job at blurring pores, I almost always break out after a day of wearing this one.  For me, this is a bust.

Foundations and Concealers:

estee lauder double wear foundation, tarte shape tape, urban decan naked skin perfecter

Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation
At almost $40, I’m gonna be honest, I was worried about this purchase.  No offense to Estee Lauder, but I kind of equated the brand to one that a more mature skinned woman would want {eh hem…Grandma}.  Well let me just say, Grandma got it right!  This foundation has quickly become a ride or die for me.  It gives a beautiful matte finish, but doesn’t make me look flat.  It doesn’t transfer, lasts forever and I can customize coverage depending on what kind of look I want to do.  I just honestly haven’t found many foundations that can double as a pretty light-makeup day foundation AND super-glam-fully-done makeup day.  Run, don’t walk.  It won’t disappoint and is worth the $$.

Tarte Shape Tape
Let’s not waste time here, okay.  This is the most full coverage, perfect finish, won’t crease, stays put concealer I have ever used.  It is not for days that I want a no-makeup makeup look because the coverage is no joke, but it is worth every bit of the hype and each one of your $25 buckaroos.

Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Complete Coverage Concealer
Longest. Name. Ever.  I heard about this $29 product on so many YouTube channels that when I ran out of whatever I had in my bag at the time, I went out and grabbed this one.  I feel like I loved it for hot minute, but then set it aside.  Don’t get me wrong, it does a good job at concealing, provides good coverage and feels really light weight, but I think I  finally succumb to the fact that it doesn’t last all day.  Maybe I’m not using it right and I’m definitely not going to let it go to waste, but it probably won’t be a repurchase for me.

Powders:

rcma no color powder, tarte smooth operator amazonian clay finishing powder

RCMA No-Color Powder
At $12, I completely understand why this powder is a cult favorite.  If you haven’t heard of it, it’s basically a filler-free, pigment-less powder that is so finely milled it becomes almost invisible after application.  Another perk, it doesn’t give you that ghostly white look in photos like some other setting powders can.  I use this to set my makeup almost every day and recently when I had my makeup professionally done for an event, they used it to bake my under eye area and it turned out flawless.  It comes in a weird container that I feel causes there to be some waste of product due to how you have to get it out, but I will absolutely be repurchasing it in the future.

Tarte Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Finishing Powder
Thirty-three dollars.  THIRTY. THREE!  Buying a translucent powder that cost that much gave me immediate heartburn, but it had really good reviews, so hey, ya only live once right?  I’m not sure if I used it wrong, but I thought this was going to be a favorite of mine until I was photographed while wearing it.  Hello, Casper!  It goes on like a dream and looks beautiful in person, but after spending what seemed like an hour trying to filter and edit what would have been a great picture except for my ghost-face, I don’t use this one anymore.  Bust.

Alright ladies, that is all I have for this post!  I apologize that a lot of the products I mentioned were high-end, but I promise I have a lot of SUPER affordable products coming up in the next couple of categories.  And just in case anyone is wondering, I get no kick back from purchases made using the links above.  I just included them to be helpful.

As always, I wish you blessings!

Belize It!

Preface: For noteworthy experiences, there will be separate posts, with detailed information, so as to help you- in your trip planning to Belize. When I begin the process and research of a possible holiday location, I start with my husband and I’s …

The Best FRIENDS-Themed Party Ever: Inside Ashlyn’s FRIENDS/Central Perk Graduation Party

I possibly threw the very first FRIENDS TV Show themed bridal shower, and was one of just three people ever to blog about a FRIENDS-themed party (I did the research). So, when I planned the FRIENDS shower for my best friend back in 2013, my …

The Beekeeping Groupon

If you know me, you know I’m all about a new experience. I like to try new things, and will most likely jump at an opportunity to do just that. My interests vary and change, and around Christmas 2014, I saw a groupon for Beekeeping and purchased it as a present for my husband (AND secretly myself as well!). It wasn’t a spur of the moment buy, as earlier in the summer I had thought it might be something I was interested in learning more about, and learn I did.

As the groupon was nearing its 6 month expiration, I thought, “no better time to check this out, than on my husband’s 30th birthday!”. So, the morning of his big 3-0, we arose and headed to a discreet, weedy, and chigger infested location within the city of Rowlett,TX. Lets just say, had i doused myself in DEET bugspray prior, my overall experience would get a 10 out of 10!

The Details:

• Groupon: $79 for two adults
• Beekeeping: Round Rock Honey, 10am on a Saturday morning.
• Expectations:  wear badass bee suit, get near bee hives (actually boxes), and taste the honey. Check mark for ALL 3: this girl did it all AND, got to hold several bee frames that had combs on it!

*We arrived, parking in a small field, easily accessible by a nearby main road. After walking a short distance, we were greeted warmly by our beekeeping guru, a zany but confident woman. Our  expert had many years experience with bees AND absolutely zero fear of the flying striped bandits. Upon signing in, we were directed to tubs containing protective gear and gloves, in many sizes. Following our desired size pick, we continued down a short overgrown path, to a clearing in a field. We personally (along with everybody and their brother) had forgotten chairs to sit in, but our expert beekeeper pulled up her truck, as did another hardcore beekeeper, and we “tailgated” as we learned more about bee species, habits, and the importance of their existence in our lives.

Smoking the hive, to calm the bees

A not so developed comb.

Interesting things learned:

• bees don’t live long (workers- 6-8 weeks, queen- 2-3 years)
• each box contains 1 queen
• bees occassionally are transported across country, via semi-trucks. These semi trucks transport the hives on the truck bed, and are all enveloped by a huge lightweight mesh covering. Literally 1 week after my class, I was on a road trip to NE, and saw this very thing!
• after purchasing pure honey, it can harden/crystallize-but this doesn’t mean it has gone rotten. You can actually microwave it, to be good as new!
• honeys taste is reflected by the pollen and nectar gathered from the flowers and plants near the hive

Yours Truly

You can see the honey in this picture, as well as the queen bee. She is the longer one towards the top right. Her torso is darker than her surrounding workers.

While I cannot speak for other classes Round Rock Honey offers in different cities, I can commend the one I attended. I would highly recommend a similar introductory class for those that are just curious, interested in learning, and especially those interested in starting a hive.

First Birthday Party: Sweet Little Peach, Georgia Peach, Sweet Tea Theme, Southern Baby Girl First Birthday Party

My daughter turned one. It was an occasion I always claimed I’d never waste money on a party my kids would never remember, but I didn’t know what it was like to survive the first year of your new baby’s …