Halloween 2011

Hey everyone!

This post is much later than I anticipated, but it will still be useful! Hopefully.

For those of you looking for some last minute Halloween costumes, following your nose to the link I've provided. Some of these outfits are actually pretty awesome.

Last Minute Halloween Fixes

To go along with your costumes, I've got two links that lead to some helpful sources:

1. Need a costume to go with your makeup? This article has 5 quick ideas for you. Now, there's no tutorial to go with each, but I'm sure Youtube can help you out: Costumes

2. Unlike the first article, this one comes with fun tricks you can use to spice up the costume you have! I personally like the one that says I can sparkle like Tinkerbelle: Tricks

Now, just like with any event or major holiday, there are do's and do not's. Halloween is no exception, so check out this list before heading out on the actual holiday:

Be Smart

And last but not least, here's the list of the most popular costumes you'll be seeing this Halloween. I know I've already seen a few.

Hottest 2011 Halloween Costumes

And that's about it. I really wish I'd had this out sooner, but life does get in the way of things. Hope this helps out the perfectionists and the last minutes kids!

Love for Tea

I don't know about you, but I love tea. There are some kinds I don't like, but I will drink most teas. Here's a little article that lets you know that tea can be more for just drinking! Some of these I did know about, but there are some new ones in there. Quite fantasic!

15 Ways to Use Tea

It's Tea-riffic!

Celebrity Influences: Autumn

You know how you get the itch to have the same kind of style as your favorite celebrity? I know I get that itch sometimes, though it's mostly with my hair. This time around, I thought I'd share with you some looks inspired by celebrities I happen to like. Most of them will be geared towards the Fall season, but many can become classic looks all year round. Please keep in mind, that some of the makeup tutorials have people using high-quality make-up and tools. You don't need to have those materials in order to accomplish the looks. But, if you have the money, go for it honey. <3

*Special note: All of the 'One Stop Shop' pages can be found on Polyvore's Celebrity page. Love this site, because you can get fashion inspiration from the multiple collages created by celebrity lovers like you!

I would also like to thank Youtube for... well? Being the video database that allows us to have the amazing make-up, hair, and fashion tutorials we like to watch hours on end.

Now, on with the party!

Mila Kunis: Gorgeous. And there's pictures to prove it.

Here's an easy link to get a look at some of the hottest and trendiest looks this lady's got: One Stop Mila Shop
Make sure to check out all the fall inspired pages: yellows, tans, beige, slate and dark blues, greys, reds, purples, and blacks. My favorites are the blues and greys.

As for makeup, when I think of Mila, I think eyes. She is practically known for her smoky, sexy eyes. Here are several makeup tutorials that I found to be some of the best on Youtube (You are free to disagree :) ):

LAMakeup - Gotta love the accent on that lady too. Maybe that's why I liked it so much. :)

MagicGrl111 - The light in the room manages to drown her out, but the overall look is fantastic, especially if you've got an outfit that has any spectrum of red or purple. Pair it with something brown from your wardrobe and you're all set!

LipstickArsenal - Love this, because she actually works with the features she's got. Not everybody had Mila eyes. You go girl!

Hair time! I only have one hair look for Mila that I love, and it's one I like to wear as often as I can:

PerfectlyandSimplyMe - This girl is just adorable. If you don't like waves, just watch for her spunky-ness. "Get your grip on girl!"

Selena Gomez: I don't know about you, but despite the fact that she's dating Beiber, I love Selena. She has blossomed into a beautiful woman, and I love her style choices. Minus some of those video looks.

Selenastyle.com - A very put-together website. All you have to do is click on pictures for cosmetics and hair, and receive a step-by-step tutorial one how to achieve the look. (I'm a visual and auditory learner, though, so I need videos.) As for fashion, click on the pictures and you get either the actual garment or accessory and its price, or a close enough version and the price. Very helpful if you want to achieve the look.

Now, as some of you might know, Selena has her own line of clothing. I have referred to her more Fall line here: Dream Out Loud - Fall 2011

Selena, for the most part, is a more natural with her make-up, but she does like to do more of a smoky eye. Here are some looks that I thought would be very chic for Fall:

AshleysBeautyCorner - For her age, this girl is pretty professional. Not to mention she's got an arsenal of MAC and Urban Decay products. The only downfall of this video, is that she doesn't give more descriptions of the colors she's using.
If you haven't seen the "Who Says?" music video by Selena, go watch it. You might just fall in love with this look, too.

Dope2111 - This is Promise Phan, sister to Michelle Phan who is MY got to make-up guru. I absolutely love this love, because it can be dramatic for night time, but softened for the daytime. Make sure to Subscribe to Promise for some great Halloween ideas!

A hair style to pair with the above make-up tutorials would be a soft wave or Boho waves. But I happen to like this hair style, because it's cute and fantastic for any season:

SamTrellie159 - Oh hey, she's from Selenastyle.com. Coincidence? I think not.

Adele: A classic beauty with an old soul. Love times a million.

Her fashion inspirations are trending this year: One Stop Adele Shop
Adele is very fashion forward, all thanks to her stylist of course, but more so in that vintage is in. She's very much a 60's and 70's girl, but she makes the looks modern and tre chic. Plus, a vintage look can be molded into any season and perfected for any occasion.

Make-up wise, when I think of Adele, I think cat-eye. Cat-eyes are a trend this Fall and Winter, branching off from some Spring and Summer looks this year, making it a go-to look when you want to spice things up.

NikkiTutorials - This girl is from the Netherlands, and she's a blond Adele. I just love this look because it's very warm in the color palette with a reddish champagne and warm browns. Not to mention she has some fabulous eyebrows.

Alex27393 - This is a hilarious video, but the make-up is absolutely lovely.

When it comes to hair, Adele has the award for bringing back the Beehive. While it's never been too crazy, her hair definitely defies gravity. Her hair stylist is a genius. However, there are two key looks that I have decided are definitely a Fall must:

BerlinHairBaby - The side bun. Everyone's in love with the messy side bun, but when you need to 'clean' it up, this is the way to go. Classic and chic, and super simple.

ThatsWhatCindySaid - This look comes from the 'Someone Like You' video. This is great when you want to look like you didn't put a whole lot of effort into your hair. And trust me, this was the best video I could find. If I find a better one, I'll update.

Jennifer Stone: Doubt you've heard of her, but she's the most adorable actress.

Jennifer's fashion is definitely more laid back, so if you want something cute and comfortable, she's the girl to look for. Much like Adele, she loves vintage looks and applies those pieces to her shabby chic wardrobe. I did have a hard time finding some examples, mostly because she is newer to the celebrity world. Buuut, if you plug her in to any search engine, it's not hard to see her fashionable trends that last through-out the year. Add some leggings and cute boots, and you've got a Fall look that is as adorable as she is!

When it comes to hair and make-up, it was very hard to find tutorials for both. Really, I just thought I'd add her in to this list because she's such an adorable role model. If I was a teen, you'd bet I'd want to be her.

Hilary Duff: I've loved her since she started to sing, and from there her style has flown. She's got cheekbones like no other, and a smile that brightens a room.

Her fashion sense has had its hits and misses, but I do love some of the daring moves she's taken: One Stop Hilary Shop
Being in my age group, I love that she pairs the expected with some of the unexpected: Graffiti tee and skinny jeans? You'll go well with animal prints. And you'll like it. Rawr.

Alright. It's hard to pinpoint a make-up look from Hilary that would bode well for Fall. She tends to run a-muck with gold tones and browns, but not everyone can pull those colors off. I did find a few looks that should work well for everyone.

Panacea81 - This is a look I'd recommend for those with hazel, green, honey brown, or any other shade of brown or green eyes. I don't know about blue or grey. This is just based on the colors she's using. Results may differ if you have different shades.

ArabellasBeauty - The 1st 30 seconds of this video is nonsense, but the tutorial itself is pretty good. As you can see, this is a look that works well for all eye colors, and it a really pretty option for Fall.

I love Hilary's hair. I've used her styles many times for my hair cuts. When it comes to looks, she probably has some of the best messy bun looks, and I've always loved the curly-haired looks she has.

OMGitsRG - Cute girl, and cute hair. Love this super easy look. Perfect with a scarf, cute boots, and a latte.

Julieg713 - That's a lot of curls!

Kelly Clarkson: The girl can sing, and she's proud of who she is.

We all know that Kelly has gone through an image change, but personally, I think she looks fabulous. She's got a curvy woman's body, which is more often found and loved now. She is definitely a role model for me, because while I'm not where I want to be with my body, but I'm not thin, either. Because of the 'controversy' over her weight, I love that she's taken the media head on and come up with trendy styles that are country, rock-n-roll, and super chic all wrapped up into one style. Perhaps I should also add sexy to the category.

While I don't have links, I would consider taking on some of the country looks she's had, like some cute flannels and vintage t-shirts, and pairing them with some Boho pieces. You'd be surprised how cute that can be!

When it comes to make-up, her's has always been fairly smoky and dark. There's really only one look I'd consider for fall, brought to you by two different people; inspired by her music video 'Mr. Know It All':

LipstickonmyLatte - Really like the colors used here. Also, a lot of her products are inexpensive, which means they fit any budget. Several of the products are by e.l.f. You can find the brand at Target, and depending upon the store, they're make-up is cheap but lasts a LONG time. (I know this, because I use quite a bit of the brand.)

MakeUpBeautyFully - A lighter version from the video. A little more golden bronze than the other.

Kelly's main hair styles have either been short, straight hair with fun layers, or lots of curls and funky updos. Here's a simple look inspired by one of her music videos:

Pursebuzz - You might need to try this one several times before you get it right, but it's fairly simple.

Anne Hathaway: Love her. She's got such a fantasy-based aire about her, she's perfect for the light and airy sort of looks.

Fashion love: One Stop Hathaway Shop
Anne's a lucky girl, because she can wear almost any color, but she is a pattern nut. Most of the suggestions I'd make for her kind of Fall looks would be to play with patterns on tops and bottoms.

As far as makeup goes, Anne can do smoky, but I'd prefer a more natural look for her, which is perfect for the Fall:

TheFashionSpaz: She does explain that her video goes down, and you see that as you watch, but goes back and explains what she does. Honestly, a simple and easy look. It's about on par with what I normally do for the daytime. Also, cheap eyeshadow from Wet'n'Wild. If you don't know this brand, try out some of their shadows and liners.

NaturesKnockout: A really cool video, and another classic look. Also interesting was the fact that almost all the products used were vegan based or all-natural. I've heard of most of the brands but it might be fun to try some out. Dunno if I'd do the fake lashes, because of the dots, but if you need'em, use'em!

When it comes to hair, I really can't think of styles for Anne. A lot of the ones she has are mainstream, or already found via other celebrity spots in this blog. The only one I CAN say would be very pretty this Fall, is this hair number from the Oscars:

PopSugarTVBella: Really pretty and fairly easy. You could even skip the roller part and just create a bump. But I think the rollers help if you don't have a lot of volume.

Scarlett Johansson: One of the classic beauties. She has THE best shaped lips.

As for fashion, she too has her own page: One Stop Scarlett Shop
She really take on the red, yellow, and orange spectrum of colors. Probably some of the easiest colors to play around with for the Fall.

Alright, so for hair and makeup I found two videos made by the same person. One is for hair and the other for makeup. These were made in 2009, but I just love the look as a whole.

Pixiwoo: The model has such great lips.

Pixiwoo: Hair. Personally, I would've just stopped at the finished curls, but the rest of the look is lovely, minus the headband; I think the headband ruins it, but it's your preference. Also, love the model's face during the back-combing. Lol.

Melissa McCarthy: "Sooki" from Gilmore Girls, and from the recent comedy Bridesmaids and the Tv show 'Mike and Molly'. Absolutely love to round-heart shaped face she was blessed with. Her hair always looks fabulous, and she has a great eye shape for that smoky-eye look.

Now, because Meslissa isn't as well known to most people-unless you've seen one of the above hits-it's hard for me to explain her style. She is a plus-size girl, which has inspired her to start her own clothes line, but I've always thought her character, Sooki, captured her best. Sooki was quirky but cute with her clothing, always aiming for something preppy with a twist. I have always loved that look for Melissa, but I do adore her when she goes Glam.

Fall Inspiration - Add a neutral trench, crop in some tan or blue heels, some statement jewelry, and a cute hair accessory, and she's ready for Fall. Love!

Alright! You've made it to the bottom of the list. One thing I've learned from researching and watching all these videos, is that a must to invest in is Urban Decay's Primer Potion. In a lot of the tutorials I watch, 8 times out of 10, this primer is used on the eyes. Depending on your beauty budget, I would highly recommend it. I've used several eye primer's and none of them seem to have the same performance quality as the Primer Potion.

Thanks everyone! Hope you enjoyed!

Easy Hair Ideas

Came across this article this morning, thought it might be useful for the ladies who are on the go, or for the ones that just need to get their hair out of their face. Most of these are super cute, and you can find easy tutorials on youtube or online! Not to mention, the hair accessories they use can be found anywhere!

20 Simple hairstyles

Some Interesting Tips

Now, I don't normally dye my hair. In fact, I've never died it. I thank my poor pocket book that I was blessed with nice hair with a color I love and wouldn't want to change until I needed to--specifically after having children. Not that I plan on having children any time soon. What I do want s to always have a fresh look that can be made classic, and then become a staple for me every day.

My problem with my hair is that it isn't quite wavy, but it isn't quite straight. I'm always looking for new ways to style it both ways, including letting it go natural after I shower. I do use some hair products to help with the wave, or to make sure it stays wavy: Aussie's Catch the Wave hair spray fixative or the Catch the Wave mousse plus leave in conditioner. Gels just don't cut it any more, but I do recommend Herbal Essences curling gel if you like that sort of thing.

Moving on. As this title states, I did find some interesting tips for both hair and clothing styles. The first set of videos is about hair, from freshening to changing styles:

Hair Freshening

Day to Night

Curly Hair Tips

This second video is about using or finding clothes to hide any problem areas you might have. I know this will come in handy:

Hide Problem Areas

Also, here's a fun little article about being size "Barbie":

Barbie Surgery

Have a great day, ya'll!

Thinking...

What to do, what to do with this lonely little blog. Namely, how can I make this more entertaining for myself? I'm thinking of compiling hair and makeup tutorials I find online and putting them into entries here.

It's a possibility. We shall see.

In other updates:

• Update for Praxis Test #2: Went and took it, but guess what? I was given the wrong test code. The OLD one. I did pass; something I found out AFTER several phone calls and emails. Thankfully, this test does apply to my license so long as I stay in Montana. Otherwise, I will have to take the newer test. I might just take the new one anyway.
• September was a wash of working, starting classes at the dance studio, and even a little substituting. I thank my lucky stars for the school I student taught at. Such a wonderful group of people.
• October 1st, my niece turned 3. Omg! She's now 3. Can't believe it. In the next week, I'll be traveling down to St. George where my sister and b-in-l will meet up with us and I will get to see my two little munchkins. Yay! <3

So far, that's all the news I have. It's now less than a month until my birthday. Scary. Speaking of scary, Halloween is also on its way.

Updating the Updates

Hello everyone! Look! I posted BEFORE another year went by. It's only been 5 months since my last post. Let's see if I can keep this up. For now, though, here's the list, now updated from last time. The last few things will be happening soon:

1. Finished student teaching: boy that was a rough last day! D:
2. Graduation: I'm a graduate! (And I have my diploma! Woohoo)
3. Substitute teaching: was a blast and a great source of extra money after finishing with school.
4. Competition and Recreational recitals: are done! whew!
5. Summer Plans: (* - means it's done)
   - Visiting So Cal for a week: *
   <3 Sister's birthday
   <3 Neice's 1st birthday
   <3 4th of July
   <3 Dsineyland Extravaganza
   <3 Relaxing and enjoying
   - Staying with my grandma for a week*
6. Praxis: test #2 in Utah
7. August: a month of working and getting ready for the school year
8. Hopes for the next "school year":
   - teaching at the dance studio
   - substituting
   - working

That's all for now!

Almost a year...

Has it really been almost a year since I first posted? Yes... yes it has been. Apparently my life decided to kick me in the but and keep me away from posting anything at all. I think my laziness also crept in and kept me away as well, but we'll just blame my schedule instead. Really, only family and close friends read this, but I guess it's good to get into the habit of things. Hopefully it won't take almost another year to get to more posts in.

List of what has happened and up-and-coming:

• recital, June 2010
• Birth of 2nd niece and month's stay in So Cal to help out my awesome sister and wonderous bro-in-law
• Staying a week with my grandma to make sure she felt safe while my aunt and uncle went on a vacation
• Technically, entered into and finished my last 'school' semester of college (you know.. with actual classes we practically gave blood for)
• Entered into Student Teaching Jan. 2011
• Still ST'ing and trying to make it through... only about a month left at this point
• Praxis test hopefully April 29th 2011 (kinda need to pass in order to teach... it's what gives me my license)
• Graduation: May 7th 2011 (Holy Moley... )
• Entering into the unknown May 8th 2011... haha... yea
• rectial, June 2011
• Summer 2011: plans forming... nothing finalized.

And there we have it. All the good information schluped together. At least this post was longer, right?