My current favorite's!

Hi Lovies.

I decided that I wanted to do a little post about my current favorite beauty and fashion objects in my collection. 

Highlighter. 

You know I didn't start wearing highlighters in the last few years. I have never been someone that likes any sort of shimmer on my face and anything and everything I had tried just made me appear oily in pictures and I just didn't use it. I've been more of a matte face type gal. Recently I bought the Laura Mercier matte radiance baked powder and I am in love! It gives the perfect highlight to cheekbones, Cupids bow, and down the middle of the nose. It will last forever bc a little goes a long way. Getcha some.

Loose Powder. 

In the last year or so I have really became a fan of a Urban Decay cosmetics. I wear a little pressed powder just to set my foundation but I don't have a finishing powder so I decided to get the UD Naked Ultra Definition Loose Finishing Powder. I love it. It's lightweight, and a little goes a long way. It is great for pictures and really minimizes pores (or so it seems).

Prep.

As I stated before I am loving UD cosmetics. This is my favorite of my newest products. It's the b6 vitamin infused complexion prep spray. I use it before I put on any sort of moisturizer and it just sort of livens your skin. I wanted to make sure I liked it before I suggested it to anyone but I do. I think it has given my skin just an extra boost.

 

Speaking of moisturizer.

What I use daily (before makeup and before bed) is the Clinique dramatically different moisturizing gel. It's mostly for combination skin and it gives my skin moisture without making me oily. I've been using it for years and I love it.

Sunless Tanning.

I used to obsess about having a tan until my mom, grandma and aunts have all fallen victims to skin cancer. I still tan sometimes bc I do have eczema and it really does help clear that up. However, to have instant color that is easy to apply, doesn't have a bad odor and looks natural I use Fake Bake.

Miss Oops. 

Thanks to my amazing sis in law Heather, for introducing me to Miss Oops rescue sponge. It is made to remove deodorant marks, powder and any other "oops" you may have while making yourself beautiful. Ugh the things we gals do. I did see a dupe for this at walmart, can't remember the name. This was $6.00

Eyeshadow.

So to me eye shadow and lipstick pretty much are the essentials for your make up look. You can use as much eyeshadow and look natural while using different colors and look made up. So I like having a lot of variety. I've been using on a daily basis the Naked 1 palette (Buck is my favorite color on it). As much as I love it, I do get tired of it. I do admit though that as far as pigment goes that in my opinion Urban Decay blows all others I've tried away, including MAC. I do love MAC so don't get me wrong, but I like UD just a little more. However, I'm wanting to get a new palette but I don't think I'm going to get the Naked 2 or 3 for right now. They just don't have what I'm looking for. I told my friend Khristian (she was shopping for some new shadows) who has some of the most beautiful blue eyes ever that she should try the Smashblx Photo Op palette for blue eyes when she was looking to buy something new. They also make one for brown, and green. So Khristian went and bought the palette and says she loves it! So now I'm dying to buy it, but I have to limit myself on beauty products. Haha. I either save and set money aside or use gift cards but I think it's silly to spend lots and lots of money every week on new products. So that is definitely on my list of things to buy, she says it has even replaced her UD palette. So we'll see! I did recently buy the shade "all that glitters" by MAC. It's a very pretty Taupe/Beige color with maybe a hint of gold, it's not glittery just has a sheen to it. I really love it for an every day look.

Blush.

My current favorites are Melba by MAC (matte, peachy color), and Clinique in Iced Lotus is my favorite for spring and summer. I love it even though it does have more shimmer than I like, it's still such a pretty color. Next would be by the Tarte Amazonian Clay Powders in Amused and Dazzled. I have so many more that I want to get. I do have the shade Orgasm by Nars, and a few others by NARS but none of them are in my top faves. Orgasm does seem to be a shade that looks good on everyone though.

 

Lips. 

OMG, one of my best gals Kristen suggested for the longest time to buy Josie Maran Lip Treatment. She knows that I have chapped lips a lot of the times. I can't find chapsticks and stuff that really treat my lips, and I thought she was crazy....but then I finally bought some and I don't regret it. I use it daily as in day AND night. It's amaze balls. I cannot rave about it enough. I sort of want to try everything of Josie Maran now.
Also,iIf you are looking for a beautiful red lip, purchase the newest red lipstick and red lipgloss that Rhianna Viva Glam has with MAC. It's such a beautiful frosted red color with blue undertones. Plus all proceeds go to a great HIV charity.

Cleansing. 

Clarisonic. Mia. Enough said. I've had mine a little over a year, and I don't use it everyday but I love it. Use it with your favorite face wash. A bonus is that they have so many fun colors, I have the Peacock color :)

Panties. 

Who doesn't love fun and feel good panties? I am NOT a thong girl...I'm all about comfort. Not that I'm a grannie panty kind of person but you get what I am saying ;). My sis in law Heather manages at a really neat boutique store called Ellie in Greenfield, Delaware and she introduced me to my new favorite brand of undergarments, Hanky Panky. They are a soft lace and full of fun colors. They are the ONLY "thon style" that I will wear, but definitely check them out! You'll see what I mean, if you haven't already been wearing them!

Speaking of undergarments I need new bras, bras good for tee shirts and people who are C or bigger.  Any suggestions? 

So as far as suggestions and reviews that is all I am going to do for now. I have a few other things I'd love to review and talk about but we'll save that for another post. :) I find it to be so much fun to talk about make-up.

Saturday I scored majorly at the Loft and I am so excited to wear some of my new awesome deals!

Oh! Blake and I have almost finished our cabinet project. We have them painted and most of the hardware up but we have some touching up and more hardware to put on them, so when we can actually find the time to finish I will have an entire post dedicated just to my cabinets! I love the way they have turned out. My friend Misty painted hers too and gave me the product list and pointers that she used.

Currently Listening To: Katie Perry-Roar

My Year In Review.

So, I haven't updated this blog of mine for about 10 months. Honestly, I sort of forgot I even had it. But the other day I was reading a blog about a friend of mine's step sister and her ups and downs and it inspired me to start blogging again. In a way it seems like therapy. Her blog address is, http://www.30saresomething.blogspot.com check it out. I love the way she writes. 

Leaving off from my last post, Derby(my adopted dog-child) is wonderful. Honestly in the beginning I was a little worried on how it was going to work with her. My cats hated her, she was having anxiety issues and wouldn't let me out of her sight. She was hyper active, peeing in the floor, still very much in the puppy stage. The longer I had her the better she's gotten but I went on vacation and when I got back she has been so different. Not as hyper and needy, minds so much better. I cannot explain to you the love I have for my dog. People who don't feel this way or haven't felt this way about an animal think I'm silly. But, she really did save me. I feel like she brought light back into my life, giving me a reason to get up every day other than just going to work. She never leaves my side, and comforts me when I'm sick. She is almost human, and a better soul than some that I know. I love her so much. My cats are unfortunately living with my parents. It really bothers me and I can't hardly talk about it without choking up, because it was not my intention at all to get a dog and get rid of them. I honestly thought they'd eventually get used to her. But they haven't and they seem so happy with my parents. They get so much love and attention, a big house with a basement to roam, and my dad has completely spoiled them on wet cat food. :) shew, dads! Plus, I get to see them daily when I visit. 

In June, some friends and I took off on a plane to Clearwater, FL. It was just for a long weekend and it was a lot of fun just to get away with some mature girls. All of which we're married except for me. Ha. The rain really put a damper on our beach time but we still had a lot of fun and made the best of it. Sam, my best friend who I lived with for 5 years through college was the one who put it all together. It was great being back with her with no other distractions. Not that our lives have distractions, but you know what I mean. Anyway, while we were in Florida I was on Facebook and this cute guy that I was Facebook friends with added some pictures so I decided to be a little flirty and "like" one of them. Me liking this photo prompted him to message me. We immediately were flirting back and forth and exchanging numbers. On July 4th, he asked if I wanted to go Lexington's Red, White, and Boom! It's really unlike me to just go off with people that I don't really know. For one I am not spontaneous at all, and two I am actually really shy. I've came a long way. Anyway, I told him yes, little did I know he already had a date for it but wanted to ask to see what I said! Jerk! Haha. But I'm glad he wiggled out of that, bc he now resides in Vanceburg. His name is Blake Roser. We both went to Morehead State University together in Morehead, KY. We are the same age but we really didn't know each other very well, just enough to speak to one another. I think maybe we met through a mutual friend at the time, but sadly we don't remember. He had just gotten back in June from Djibouti Africa on a deployment. Talk about timing! Anyway, to make a long mushy story shorter...we hit it off instantly. Literally, instantly. I felt oddly comfortable around him which is rare for me. I usually can't eat in front of guys for several weeks. Ha.  I'm extremely strange (it used to be just people not guys, and I didn't eat lunch not even one time in middle or high school and would take crackers with me and nibble on them between classes). See. I'm a weirdo. Like I've said, I've come a long way. My shyness really was more like a handicap. Back to Blake. I felt like we were in our own little world that night, and that's just how I wanted to be. The next day we talked and messaged each other all day. It was a really hard time in my family bc my aunt Becky had just passed away. She was one of the most rare loving people on Earth. Heaven truly gained an angel. It was hard, and Blake was just making it easier. I was sitting in the funeral home, and he sent me a picture and a long message about how he was praying for me. PRAYING FOR ME! I honestly have dated some really nice guys, with good morals that come from good families but I cannot think of any one of them that told me they were praying for me. He was genuine about it. In that moment, I realized he was already different. They say when you meet the right person, that you'll know. I have thought I met that person a few times. Haha. But now I see the difference. Maybe it's timing, maybe it's maturity, maybe it's God and just meant to be but whatever it is, is what I hope everyone can have. He completely lights my life, makes me feel beautiful even when I'm not at all, he loves Derby just as much as I do and he really wants to do things that make ME happy. Not just what make him happy, and to be honest that's a big change for me. We've been together for 6 months now and in one way it seems like so much longer and in another it all seems so new. I don't want to make you roll your eyes anymore, or gag or whatever it is your doing. Just know this, I am broke, stressed easily, anxious, 29, and a few other things I won't mention but I am the happiest I've ever been. Having a house is nice, but not having anyone in it when you come home isn't. People take relationships for granted. It's really genuinely awesome to have someone to just have dinner with, watch a movie with, ask how my day is, put up a Christmas tree with, etc. That saying about finding your other half and feeling completed, well it's true and if you haven't found that, don't settle. If you have found it but the spark needs to be lit again, find a way for it to be. Sure all the lovey dovey stuff fades away, I'm not saying that I think it's all roses and unicorns from here. But whatever the bad stuff is, I know I have someone to go through it with me and that helps me sleep at night.


The same weekend I met Blake, I turned 29. Although that was a pretty great birthday present, I honestly cannot believe I am in my LAST year of my thirties. Are you joking? Do I look 29? I definitely don't act it (haha). Other then gaining some weight, my girls are still perky, I don't really have any lines on my face, I still have a young voice, I don't drink coffee, I still like lucky charms, my parents are still my best friends, storms are still scary, I won't watch scary movie, I just don't feel like I've gotten any older. I see kids that were truly CHILDREN that are now taller than me. It's so weird. Everyone around me is having babies. I think I'm destined to be last. Maybe my friends kids will be around to babysit my kids? Right? Good idea? But for real, I cannot remember a time where I didn't love dolls, and Barbies. My entire childhood was playing mom, naming my 6 kids, and my imaginary boyfriend who ironically looked a lot like Ashley Cooper, my neighbor boy down the street. I've been collecting wedding magazines since I was sixteen, that is not an exaggeration. I know it's semi-cray. But I'm okay with that. It's who I am. It took a few broken hearts for me to realize that I can do all the dreaming and planning of a wedding that I want but it will never make a marriage. So, although I still hope to have a wedding, I don't obsess like I used to. But anyway, my point is...I always though I'd be first. First for marriage, and babies. But I'm definitely on my way to being last. I'm a top contender for it. I know I know, all in Gods time. But for real I am ready.

Shew, I can't believe I just said that out loud, er.....wrote that out loud!? Confessions of Sarah.


So what else has my life consisted of since my last update...
We celebrated my grandmas 87th birthday in August (I feel so blessed).
Willow my cousin-niece (she's really my cousin but more like a niece) is growing like a weed. Her hair is a beautiful orange. I say orange bc it simply isn't red and I don't understand why we call red heads redhead when they are technically orange heads. Just saying. She says my name like "sewah" which makes my heart melt every time. This coming April, she will be 2! On that same day my momma will be 66! That 100% freaks me out and if she knew I put her age in here she'd kill me (sorry mom you totally rock your age).
In September, we celebrated Blake's 30th birthday.
In October, me and Blake dressed up as Barbie and Ken, I'll post pics below. Hilarious and fun. The kids loved it. Blake is a troooooooper. :)
Also in October my entire family minus one...when I say my entire family I mean my parents, grandma, three aunts, 5 of my cousins, 2 uncles, and a few others + Blake went to a place we've been going since I can remember in Florida. We go to the town of St. Augustine (the oldest city in the US) and we stay a condo resort type place called. Ocean Gallery. It honestly has become like a second home and we probably should have just invested in condos there. Anyway, we went there for a week and the weather was gorgeous and perfect and we ended the week in a wedding ceremony on the beach for my aunt Paula (Willows Mimi) and my new uncle Jim Lykins (my dad's good friend and my high school teacher). It was beautiful and very exciting! I'll try to add some pics of that too.

Other than that, we've had a healthy happy year. I'm in the best place I've ever been in emotionally. I'm so so so extremely happy in all aspects of my life. I've lost 20 pounds and I'm working on losing another 10.

I'm typically going to only update this about beauty, health, decorating, and other products....but I just wanted to give you all an update on my life to get you caught up. I promise I'm going to start finding really cool things to talk about because....well, it's just fun.

FYI I realize my grammar is off , and that's how I like it.

Pictures Below.

To the left I am in Clearwater, FL holding some parrots in one of my favorite Lilly Pulitzer dresses :). Yes, the birds are real, and they were smart and sweet. 

Me, Audra, and Jessica 

My best friend in the whole world, Sam.

Our first date (red, white and boom) 

Isn't he handsome?

Ceremony of Mr & Mrs Lykins, in St. Augustine 

So sun kissed. 

Blake and mom

My daddy 

Willow

Paula's bouquet that I made with the help of mom! I loved it. 

Barbie and Ken

Merry Christmas from Blake, Derby & Sarah 

turn the junk in the trunk to a treasure trunk.

SO lately I have been on this getting healthy and trying to be "hot" kick. Which is good bc usually I have no motivation.
I've been going through old beach pictures, college pictures, blogs, and this is promting me to get in shape and be healthy. I know I will probably never be a size 4 anymore, and to be completely honest I don't want to be. I want to be a healthy Sarah, but with a toned body that I am comfortable in.

I have a lot of daily battles with myself in the body area. I do not feel comfortable in my own skin at all and this really affects me in all areas of my life. I've really always been this way, but not to the same degree.

So here is my plan...

-Fiber + Protein. I don't get enough of either.
-More water, less Diet Coke. :( This is tough for me bc I am truly trulllllly addicted to Diet Coke. I will continue to drink in the morning to help with headache and waking up...but then I need to drink water water water the rest of the day.
-Exercise!!!! I need exercise. A few weeks ago I adopted a dog...I named her Derby (yes, like Kentucky Derby) and she is wonderful and full of energy. But she needs exercise and I think this is going to help ME get it too! I need to walk, run, use my elliptical, do my work out videos, and just try to change it all up different days of the week. Right now, Kentucky weather has just been wet and cold and I have had no desire to go out in it.
-Body Wraps and Detox. I've only used ItWorks once, but the body wraps are high on a lot of my friends lists...so I want to get in on that!
-singing and dancing
-I hear kissing burns calories too ;)

My friend Alicia talked me into do a 5k called Color me Rad in Lexington, KY. It was sooo much fun. I need to sign up for more things like that just to get as much movement as I possibly can. Last summer I wouldnt hardly even get out in the pool in front of my family and I refuse to be that way this summer. So WISH ME LUCK on losing about 25 pounds and toning this up. I wanna turn my "junk in the trunk to a treasure in the trunk" ;).



My new addition!



90% Complete...

Happy February! In the hills of north eastern Kentucky we have SNOW! Normally, I'm not much of a fan of snow...I prefer color outside, and warmth. But today it was nice to wake up to see some pretty white snow outside. However, it better melt before this evening. Nothing is stopping me from seeing my new man. Wait, what? Yes you read that right. Here I was blogging about being single a month ago, and now "Voila" I have a new and exciting relationship...no details yet...but I am happy, giddy and want to listen to love songs every time I get in a car. :)

So I have almost lived at 546 for 2 months now. I've slowed way down on the "fixing it up to make it mine" stuff. I have plenty of projects that include painting my cabinets, getting counter tops, putting up a back splash in the kitchen, putting the new hardware on the cabinets, painting my buffet, hanging blinds, hanging curtains, stripping wall paper, painting more, hanging pictures, painting ceilings, doors and touching up the trim. Eventually I want moulding around the ceilings in the kitchen and living room. I want it to look more "finished". The bathroom needs a baseboard, so does the new closet. Anyway, as you can see I have plenty more to do, and I'm just simply burn out on it. When I come home from work, I crash. I just want to be lazy.

The living room and bathroom are pretty much complete (hence the title of this blog, 90%). I didn't take many before pics. Everything was in really great shape though. The baseboards and windows were a very dark wood, they were very pretty and to be honest I cringed when I painted them. But I wanted to brighten things up, and there were so many scratches that it just seemed like painting it white would be best. Here are some before and after pictures of both the living room and bathroom!

LIVING ROOM BEFORE: Pics are kind of dark :(



The baseboards and trim were a beautiful dark wood. However, they were very scratched up and I wanted to lighten things up, so I painted it white. I love how they turned out even though I was sad to paint over the wood finish.




This is the living room when you enter from the front door. Paneling on one wall. I removed the baseboard heater, and covered the wall with grasscloth wall paper in a neutral color. Then I painted the ceiling white, and walls "Holmes Cream" from Valspar. The carpet was in great shape.





Bathroom Pics Before...



The bathroom was tiled in a tile that has a design that looks a lot like linen. I plan on painting that little shelf book case thing the same color as the walls. I had painted the color that it is years ago, and it matched pretty well.




The color of the walls is called "Murky Waters" and the accent color is called "Tumbleweed tan". They are dutch boy colors but I took the paint chips to Lowe's and they matched the colors with the formula in Valspar Signature paint. I love the colors!




The facuet is new, vanity is new, towel holder thingy, mirror, and lighting are all new. I got a great deal on the vanity at Lowe's bc it was one they had on the floor. Let's put it this way, the facuet and the vanity ended up being the same prices.




YAY for blinds! Mom made that valence above the window with some fabric I had bought years ago.




Behind the door in the bathroom I had Luke (my Mr. Fix it) to cut a hole out and put some shelves in for towels. There isnt much storage, and the other side of this wall was a closet. It worked out perfectly!



New tile!




Can you tell I have a thing for Birds?

 There ya have it!