Yay!

I ordered my first ever Urban Decay palette last week, which is pretty exciting for me! Most palettes are filled with colors I could never use, because I am too pale for a lot of dark colors, and because I don't know how to do fancy eye shadow with multiple blended out colors. This one has four wearable looking shades and some neat ones I'd like to play with, and two of the wearable shades are ones I've tried in store and already wanted to buy. Excited!

My daily makeup

This is a shot of the makeup I use pretty much daily, and the mug I use to hold brushes which I love so much.

Cowabunga Christmas!!

This year I made two sets of ornaments for two friends, plus a set for me. I got the idea from Pinterest and I was super happy that they were not a "Pinterest fail"!!

It WAS a little difficult to get past my perfectionism and give people something I made that was imperfect (the orange ribbon showed the glue through it and the ribbons wouldn't all lay perfectly flat so there was gapping, etc) but I really liked my own set, so I decided in the end that my friends might like theirs too - flaws and all.

Things I Love

I have always enjoyed coloring with the little kids in my life - but when my insomnia got really bad I got my own coloring book and started coloring in the evenings when I was too mentally exhausted to do much else. However, sometimes it was boring to color large spaces and simple designs.

Then adult coloring books became a thing, and Johanna Basford's Enchanted Forest was the best of them all. I absolutely LOVE it, and recently bought her other book Secret Garden which is almost as awesome as Enchanted Forest.

I find it really calming and fun. Because the pictures are so detailed it is a lot more fun than kids' books, and I am loving playing with blending colors and discovering the little extra details like hidden animals in each image. I color while we watch movies - but I don't suggest coloring as you binge watch The Office. That's what I did last night and my thumb is still kind of numb...

Playing with colored pencils

Things I Love!

I got these books recently and I love them! The 20 ways books have pictures to look at of lots of different things (with 20 ways to draw each thing), and the middle book has a couple steps which I usually don't like but in this case it was really helpful, and the pictures are super adorable!

Things I love!

The only thing I bought for the new term besides textbooks were a few binders, which was a little sad because I LOVE new school/office supplies.  On my last trip to Staples (during which I bought nothing) I found these high lighters that come in neat colors, and I really wanted them! Well, yesterday a friend paid me back money I had lent them in the fall, and I put all of it on my credit card except for the amount I needed to buy.... THESE!!!

Apparently Sharpie also has a new pencil that writes like a pen, but is made of LIQUID lead that erases. I will be on the look out for that!!

The other new thing I probably need is a backpack. There is a hole wearing through the outer layer in one corner, so once the inside cloth wears, I will have to get a new one. I've been wanting one with a laptop sleeve since the first time last term I had to carry a backpack full of a books AND a computer bag with my laptop, so it is not entirely a bad thing that I may have to get a new one.

Things I have and love

I posted a photo in the spring of cool things that I wanted for the house but couldn't afford at the time (and still cannot). I meant to follow that post with one with a picture of cool things I DO have, but I just never got around to it.
Well, better late than never?

The toothbrush tree was something I'd been eyeing online, but was too expensive to ship. I was in a little shop in August and found one there. It has been special ordered for a customer who decided when it arrived that it did not match her bathroom. What luck!
The bedding I adore because of the colors, but it is also the softest bedding ever!! (Bed Bath and Beyond)
The birdhouse is a real bird house, but that I have on my dresser and use as a jewelry box. (Chapters)

While there are still so many things I want to get someday, I think it is good to remember all the cute things you do have - even if it is five months late.


* Tree jewelry stand is from Bed Bath and Beyond, birds coat hanger is from Kent, purse is by Dakine,ipad case is by Speck, bird egg timer is from Chapters, and the tree vases are from Dominion.

Sunday Drive

Things I want for the house (but can not have right now):

This is the quote I'm using in my "Welcome to the Family" speech tomorrow at my brother's wedding. I finally finished writing it!! Just in time too, because I have to leave in a minute so that I am there in time for the rehearsal.

My friend Statler and I made skittles vodka for New Years Eve! Here's how it turned out:

If you want to make your own, you can find out how here:
http://mixthatdrink.com/skittles-vodka-tutorial/

A picture I took not far from where I work:

I love fall!

Beautiful fall in the park:

It's almost summer!

Walking in a winter wonderland.

I went snowshoeing for the first time with my friend Statler and took this picture: