Beauty Bag: Christine, Just Bella

Hello wallpaper readers! I'm Christine from Just Bella and I'm excited to share some makeup goodies today. For as long as I can remember, I always loved digging through my mom's makeup drawer. So many colours and brushes - it was like painting! So I was pretty excited when the day I was allowed to wear makeup finally came and I've been having fun with it ever since! I'm a pretty simple day to day kinda girl but, like I always tell my husband, if I can take a long time to get ready, I WILL.

Here's a little peek into my makeup drawer...

1) MAC Studio Fix Fluid Foundation and Select Moisturecover concealer. A good friend of mine works at MAC so I've got a lot of MAC goodies in my collection. I love just going in there and letting her tell me what to wear! easy peasy!

2) MAC "Paint" in Bare Canvas. I don't use this every day but when you want your eyeshadow to stay put this primer is the best! And a little goes a long way, I've had this baby for almost a year!

3) This is my newest product, Benefit Speed Brow (you can see it in the photo hiding behind my eyelash curler). Totally not necessary but makes my brows feel tamed and "pretty". I've got some wimpy eyebrows on the edges and sometimes they need a little filler. You can get it at Sephora or Shoppers Drug Mart.

4) I've got a huge selection of eye shadows, but it seems I always end up wearing the same ones! I have to say my all-time fave is MAC's "jest". It's the perfect all round colour and goes with everything!

5) This is my all-time, can't-live-without product - mascara! I'm all about the classic Maybelline Great Lash. You can get these babies at the drugstore for like 2 for $7.00, can't beat that!

6) And finish off with a little rouge!! My current fave is Mac powder blush "Mocha".

I've also got a ton of lip glosses, but they're always floating around and getting lost at the bottom of my purse! Hope you enjoyed a little peak into my makeup drawer! Thanks for thinking of me, Liz! I always love reading what goodies everyone else has in their arsenal and was thrilled to be able to share mine too! Happy painting, ladies!

the beautiful Christine all dolled up!

p.s. the photo is of me on my wedding day... excited about getting married (and the pretty makeup in my hand ; )

Thanks to Christine of Just Bella for sharing with us! I love all her products because I am a sucker for MAC

My Halloween 2010

I hope everyone had a great and safe Halloween this year! Mine was very fun filled, lots of laughs, lots of candy and cocktails and great friends! As promised here is a look at my costume and some of my night...

p.s. I had only my point and shoot camera for the night, so please excuse the lack of high quality shots

what a poser!

my friend the streaker! yes I had to black out the lower region, trust me it was TMI

great friends having fun!

Happy Halloween: Scary Decor

As some of you regular readers know I threw a Halloween bash at my place last year and I went all out! This year I am headed to a party and although I am not decking my place out again aside from a few pumpkins some cobwebs, and a bowl of candy I can still share last years pics with all my lovely readers and wish everyone a Happy Halloween!

painted glitter pumpkins

DIY bloody candles

cobwebs

graveyard hand cake! this was a hit with guests

spooky cocktails rimmed with coloured sugar, gummy worms and eyeballs and fun wine labels

sideboard decor

even the tv got spookified

happy halloween!

wow, is it halloween already??!  my poor pumpkins haven't had a thing done to them...i had hopes of making them look like these charlie brown ones.  taylor decided they needed stickers, i decided one needed a mask...tonight, i am getting out the black paint...i mean it's time, they look pitiful!

i did put out some decorations...well, i bought a mum and i found the box w/ our halloween stuff....

before i decorate, i have to take advantage of my dad being here.....finally i'm doing something to poor taylor's room and making this headboard.  it's taken long enough!

halloween weekend is always a lot of fun....both sets of grandparents come to see the kids trick or treat...we eat a lot, have a beverage or two, and play games (have you played apples to apples- fun stuff...especially if you have a beverage or two)...this is what's we are having tomorrow night: oysters and ina's coconut cake but we are making them into cupcakes.

sunday night we are trick or treating....taylor's going as a garden fairy...we practiced yesterday by trick or treating downtown.

walker didn't practice but he is going as a skeleton that glows in the dark like the bad boys on karate kid....classy i know :)

and that pretty much sums up how we are going to spend our halloween....i hope y'all have a fabulous weekend and that you get lots of yummy candy (i like to "share" taylor's reese cups and anything that is sour and gummy)!!  see you next week!

i am having a hard time focusing today....maybe b/c my baby is 4 months old and still doesn't sleep through the night or b/c taylor hopped in the bed w/ us at 4:00 this morning and thought it was time to get up or b/c my parents are in town and i would rather go and hangout w/ them :)

so i thought maybe some pretty pictures would work for a post or if you want a little more, go check out south of market's blog, they did a little Q & A w/ me (you should totally check out it out regardless....it rocks....as does their store if you haven't been to one!!)

*images courtesy of chloe warner, haute design, olivia and a, tartanscot

Halloween Costume: Vintage Pin up

So remember when I said I was going as a black swan ballerina this year for Halloween...well I changed my mind. Yup that's my indecisive self again! Anyway I decided I would go as one of my favourite things ever!!! a vintage pin up girl. I love old pin ups. I am really nostalgic and I love the 40's, 50's and 60's including clothing and even music. I became interested in pin ups when Vanity Fair magazine started putting out their "Vanities" photo spreads featuring big hollywood starlets dressed as vintage pin ups; I even started a group on Facebook called PIN UP GIRLS when I first joined back in the day and the group now has over 3900 members! So I guess I am not alone in my love of pin ups!

So I've been researching costumes, makeup and even hairdo's from that era. I have this cute polka dot romper, a flower pin for my hair, a white belt, some cute nude coloured pumps and I just need some red nail polish and a set of false lashes to top it all off. I Can't wait for the weekend when I will be all done up, but until then here is a little sneak peek at my costume...I will be sure to post pics of me in full costume and makeup next week.

pin up girl hair

a little rouge

the inspiration: hopefully I can look like this by Saturday

what's in common...

lately i feel like i have spotted several kitchens sporting the same thing.....

can you guess what seems to be a growing trend? i personally really like it :)

*images courtesy of delight by design, jenny keenan, the roof over my head, house and home

Victorian Halloween

I just spotted this amazing sweet table over at Hostess with the Mostess. A Victorian Halloween dessert table! If I were doing a Halloween bash at my place this year I would definetely try this, so I am bookmarking it for next year. I love the purple, orange and black colour theme.

How about you guys anyone doing a party at their place or going out to a party maybe? I'd love to hear about it...

Enjoy the pics:

Beauty Bag: Kyle, Knight Moves

So, I'll be honest...I'm not exactly a beauty product aficionado. I buy things here and there...most frequently from the drugstore. Sometimes I'll grab a swankier product if one of my beauty maven friends recommends it. For example, I've got Tom Ford's lipstick on my radar right now! Anyhow, since my beauty routine is basic at best, most of what I use isn't very fussy...but it gets the job done! Here goes...from the left, moving clockwise:

1) Pssssst dry shampoo - I've tried the expensive brands before (even the hailed Bumble & Bumble) and this works the best and is definitely the cheapest. I also like the light, clean scent.

2) Sonicare toothbrush - clean teeth are much prettier than dirty teeth, n'est-ce pas?

3) Creed Love in White fragrance - a classic, subtle scent that works for every season.

4) bareMinerals Matte foundation in Medium + brush - easy to apply and wear.

5) Bobbi Brown EXTRA Eye Repair Cream - feels fabulous and I have high hopes that it will keep crow's feet at bay!

6) Estee Lauder Pure Color Lip Gloss in Brazen Berry - my lips need a little color and this is just the right amount.

7) L'Oreal Go 360 Clean Deep Facial Cleanser - the scrublet is pretty awesome.

click on image for larger view

8) philosophy hope in a bottle: for congested skin - a recommendation from a friend, it seems to be working well so far.

9) CoverGirl Lash Blast mascara in Black Emerald - LOVE this stuff...it volumizes and curls (I don't even use my eyelash curler anymore) and it doesn't flake.

10) Nars Blush in Orgasm + brush - such an easy shade to wear...definitely perks up my whole face.

11) CoverGirl Exact Eyelights Eye-Brightening Eyeliner in Vibrant Pearl - I like the precision of this eyeliner.

12) CoverGirl Smoky Shadow Blast in Smoke - just bought this and so far I like it. Very easy to apply and blend.

13) Q-tips - a necessity for me...I always get mascara around my eyes!

14) Smashbox Jet Set Waterproof Liner in Midnight Black + brush #9 - a friend told me to get this and line the inner rims of my eyes with it. It's an advanced maneuver for me, but I look better in photos when I do it.

15) Oral B Satin Floss - see #2 :)

One product I can't live without (besides the oral hygiene items!) is definitely mascara. I have blonde eyelashes so I look pretty tired when I don't wear it. It's the only make-up product that I feel pretty naked without.

Thanks so much Liz for asking me to participate!

Thanks to Kyle for sharing her beauty finds with us! I love that she included floss and Q-tips on her list...just keeping it real girls, because you know we've all had to fix runny mascara before! Be sure to head over and check out Kyle's own blog Knight Moves, she has some amazing taste!

for some reason, i can never get too excited about this day of the week....

maybe this will help start it off on the right note!  happy monday!

*images courtesy of suzie beezie, the paris apartment

we took the kids to the state fair yesterday (there's some interesting people watching at that place if i do say so myself).  i wanted warren to ride some of those rides w/ me that spin you around and make you want to throw up when you get off of it....he said no way. we did ride the ferris wheel but that was about it.  taylor had a blast on the kiddie rides and warren won her a giant pig.  we all ate a foot long corn dog and called it a day. have y'all seen adventureland??  gosh, i love that movie....have a wonderful weekend!

*images courtesy of tea toast, domino