long overdue family time.

I just got back from a trip to the Bay area (if you don't know what that is, it's NorCal) and it was amazing. I went with my cousins Jess, Matt, and Tiff and their parents, my aunt, and my sister and parents. I could tell my dad was happy seeing having almost all (four out of five kids) of his brothers and sisters there. The funny thing about my uncles, Cheav Lee and Chan Leng...they all sound exactly like my dad. And if you put the three of them side by side, they all look the same, but slightly different. Uncle Cheav is the only one out of the three that dyes his hair, lol. Uncle Chan Leng doesn't, so it's like mostly black with slight gray here and there. And then there's Father Dearest...with his full head of white hair. Also, My dad has the biggest tummy, haha. Next is Uncle Cheav, who's like average, while Uncle Chan Leng is skinny. But they all have the same eyes, smiles, and mannerisms....I love that. Even the ladies of the family talk like my dad too...my aunt Chou Leang is loud like my dad, but my aunt Sorlang is chill like he is.

Aaaaanyways, on Tuesday, as usual, the girls went shopping at Valley Fair (we always go there...next time I wanna shop at different places...AND go to Frisco!!), and poor Matt stayed at home with the dogs (Mochi, his dog, and Copper, my uncle's dog). The adults went on a walk haha...I could tell my mom wanted to go shopping with us but there was no room in the car and we definitely weren't gonna take two. I really wanted to go to Frisco, but NorCal weather was not letting up with the cold! My friends up in the bay area were like, "pack warm...it's in the thirties"...I underestimated WAY too much.  I live in Southern California...where cold is between 60-70 degrees...oyyy.

Then later we split off...Matt, Tiff, and Jess went to dinner with their other cousins from their mom's side, so I kicked it with my SJ boys Ryan, Nino, and Jeff...we had dinner and drinks, pretty chill. I got to see some sights...aka Jeff's high school lol, Tully road (bridge? I forget), and the gorgeous San Jose yellow lights!!! Seriously, breathtaking. Dammit for me not taking any pictures! Grrrr >:| But yeah, it was chill getting to kick it with the homies because I never see them!  They dropped me off but not before getting lost...my cousin's neighborhood is confusinggg AF. But it's all good, made it home to Orange County in one piece.

San Jose, I'll be back.....

give thanks...

welcome to my thanksgiving post.

slash /update post.

slash /sorry for being MIA post.

you get the idea...

Anyways. It's been awhile, eh?? Hope you've all been doing well out there in the blogosphere (Is that even a word...?? Oh well, it is now) and that you've been happy-go-lucky for the most part. To recap, last time we met, I'd quit my job. That was about a month and a half ago, give or take a few days. And I'm happy to now be able to say that...I am now employed again!!! *clinks wine glass in celebration* I now work for Banana Republic and Sephora (try not to scream too loud, I know. SE-FREAKIN-PHORA!), and it could not have come at a better time, because I've run out--well, almost--of money. That was only by God--seriously, I went from having no job for what seemed like forever, to all of them coming in during the same week. Last week I got offers from two different locations of Banana Republic, Sephora, and another temp agency that mostly looks for office jobs for you. I gotta tell ya, I'm feeling super blessed these days! Just goes to show God doesn't ever leave you hanging...

Anyways. It's that time of year again, to be thankful, even though you should be thankful every day of every year. My BestFriend Gayle of Pemberley Rose inspired me to do this: list five things you love most about your appearance. So, because they are not necessarily in any order, here goes...

what i like about you ME:

• my eyes. considering that I'm Asian and Asians generally tend to have smaller eye types than that of other ethnicities, I think I have decently large eyes, and I like their deep brown color--looks amaaazing when I swear green or purple eyeshadow, ha. My eyes are part of the reason why makeup is such a passion of mine.
  
• my hair. I have pretty much always had long hair, and I love it that way because I can do so many things with it. Not to say I actually do, because I do get lazy quite often, but I just feel prettier with long hair. If ever there was an emergency where say, for example, I were to get gum stuck in my hair and have to chop it all off--I really do think I'd cry. 
• my skin tone. I'm somewhere between light/medium and medium. I love my warm skin because it works well with a wide variety of colors, whether it be hair or makeup. I love that I actually have the ability to tan, and if I have the time, I actually get decently dark. Most women hate tan lines...but I LOVE mine! It's like saying, "here I am, look at  my tan!" Lol...
• my lips (muah!). I used to hate my lips, but now I've come to love them. They're pretty full, and the weird thing that was the reason I hated them was because when I smile, my top lip completely disappears. This, combined with a picture taken at the wrong angle, makes me look like my bottom lip is abnormally...well, abnormal. But hey, that's what people get plastic surgery to have, right? Well, I won't have to. :)
• my curves. I have struggled with body image for awhile. It took me a considerable amount of time to accept and appreciate being curvy, and to be honest, I do still have my days when I look in the mirror and don't like what I see. But curves are beautiful! I'd rather be beautiful and natural and the way God made me than be stick-thin because I throw up every mean I eat or because I snort cocaine as dinner. Curves are beautiful, sexy, and natural. And don't let anyone ever tell you different!

well, that's it for me this time. what are you thankful for this year? what five things do you love most about you?

back at it again...

If you know me personally, you know that I have a hate/love relationship with blogging. Don't get me wrong; I love literature. And writing (come on, anyone who knows me knows I'm a stickler for grammar and that too many grammatical errors can actually deter me from finishing reading a piece of literature). But then there's that tedious aspect of feeling obligated to pour out your heart to the Internet community about your thoughts and rants and how your day went, along with the assumption that there is some anonymous person who just so happened to stumble upon your blog and actually gives a damn.

Continuing on with that stellar introduction, yes, I am back again. Just because I recently made some changes in life that hopefully contribute to my ultimate goal of true happiness. First, and foremost, the very thing I thought would never happen...(insert drumroll here + inhale of anticipation)

I quit my job.

I did it! I quit! And I've never been happier. Yes, I'm still in school and probably will be for a long time, but I just had to do it. It was like being in an abusive relationship (and while I've fortunately never been in an abusive relationship, I can imagine it would be similar to one), where you're afraid to leave, where you're beginning to think there's no better place out there for you. I'm not being dramatic; the reality is that this place drained the life out of me. It was to the point where I could be having the best start to my day, and the minute I walked through those doors, it was like it all went away. And I almost had to laugh at how quickly a customer, co-worker, or manager could annoy me. But I took a stand and had to get out of there. For my sanity, for my happiness, for my own personal and spiritual growth. And you know what? I kind of like love not knowing what my next move is. And I gladly take this (hopefully) short period of uncertainty over one more day working there.

This transition period couldn't come at a better time. Summer has ended and fall has begun, but I don't really feel the fall yet. The weather is still in an awkward transition mode, similar to the one I'm in. Looking back, I loved my summer. I got to go on a trip (Vegas with the girls for a bachelorette weekend), witness one of my childhood friends get married, attended one of the best youth camps I'd ever experienced, and well, there was one thing on my list that I didn't get to do. I didn't get my summer romance, but I mean, that's partly in fault due to the chick flicks I like to watch. (Still, it would have been nice...) Overall, one of the best summers I can remember having in a long time.

But fall...I look forward to. On a superficial note, I just love dressing up for fall better than any season. Not sweltering hot like summer, but not freezing cold like winter. I love me my jeans and leggings and boots and scarves and coats. But even more, fall is the precursor to the holiday season, with Thanksgiving being the first of the "holidays." It just reminds me that I have more opportunities to hang out with family I never get to see year round. I miss them, so much. Maybe too much. I regret taking all those times for granted when I was younger, every Sunday we always went to my aunt's house. It seemed like it was Christmas every week because we literally all were there, and always had this big dinner. And most of the time, I complained. If I had known then what I know now, I would have kept my mouth shut and made the most of it. But that's the thing--we don't know what's gonna happen in the future now, do we?

Anyways, that's enough rambling for now. Until next time...

HELP!

So...I was job hunting on Craigslist and I found a posting for a stylist intern. Not only do I have to complete a self-interview document and submit it, I also have to choose a photo of a celebrity and recreate their outfit from head to toe using something like Polyvore. Who the heck do I pick??!? I could go boho chic like Kate Hudson or Sienna Miller...or bobo with a more edgy vibe, like Hilary Duff. Or I could go girly-glam like Jessica Alba...but then I love Keira Knightley's romantic-vintagey style. Ahhhh!

two posts in one day! it's a record...

Well, not really a post, but... a random, beauty-related stream of consciousness...

Do you ever get bored with makeup? Ever feel like there's no creativity coming your way? I do sometimes. Sometimes I'll fall into a rut and just use my signature look: bronzy eyeshadow, black winged liner, nude lips. Which is fine, don't get me wrong, but sometimes it's good to change it up a little--you know, keep 'em guessing :)

I'm very artsy and inspired when it comes to makeup: my face is the canvas, and I do get inspired by anything and everything. See a sunset? That means a look using hot pinks, oranges, bronzes, and purples. Watch Elizabeth Taylor star in Cleopatra? Maybe rock a little double-winged black liquid liner.

So, I felt compelled to share some possible color combos just in case anyone out there is having a makeup rut day...try out one of these, try out all of these, comment with a picture or two!

• Matte upper lid, bright lower lid: Do the classic three-color look (light shade all over, medium shade from lashline to crease, darkest shade in crease) with different gradients of the same color using matte shadows only. Then use a bright, glittery/metallic version of that same color just on your bottom lashlines for an unexpected pop of color.
• Mismatched colors: The liner you use on your top lid doesn't always have to match the bottom. Use constrasting colors. Some possibilities--purple/green, navy/bronze, gold/silver, teal/gold, etc.
• Sexy neutrals: Try a shimmery taupe shadow from your lashes to crease, then blend a bronze shade in the creases. Use a dark brown on the outer corners and finish off with a pop of silver just in the center of your lids.
• Gilded Cranberries: Use a burnished gold eyeshadow on your lids, and a cranberry shade in the creases. Finish with black liner. Because cranberry shades can sometimes make you look like you have pinkeye, black liner always brings the look back to reality.
• Passive-Agressive Smoky Eye: Sometimes hardcore black is too...well, hardcore. Soften it up with a grayish-purple version: Find a shimmery grey shade and use it on your lids, and then use a greyish-purple in the creases. You can still use black...just blend it on the outer corners and underneath your lower lashes for the smoky effect. Just not so in-your-face.
• The I-Look-Like-I-Slept-For-8-Hours-But-Really-It-Was-Two: Use a pale, white-gold shimmery eyeshadow all over your lids, and on the inner corners. Use a thin brush to line your bottom lashes with the same shadow. Then line just the top lashline with metallic bronze eyeliner. Curl your eyelashes REALLY well and then add black mascara.
• Another less severe smoky eye: Find a golden-beige eyeshadow that's shimmery, and apply it all over your lids stopping at the crease. Then take a matte shadow in a dusty navy blue and apply it to the creases and lower lashes. I've tried this one, and it looks cool when the lid/crease colors are different textures (i.e. shimmery lids and matte creases, and vice versa).
• Fairy with a Dark Side: Use a silvery lavender eyeshadow on your lids. Blend a pinky-purple shadow just above your creases, and then a truer purple in the actual creases. Take some of the sugary sweetness out by adding black eyeshadow just in the outer corners.
• Not-too-girly Pink: We bring out the cranberry eyeshadow again. Only this time, it's paired with a rose-gold eyeshadow on the lids. Use the cranberry in the crease, and a plum shade on the outer corners. For extra oomph, wet an eyeshadow brush and pat pink or gold glitter just on the center of the lids (where you feel your eyeball).

That's it for now. Until next time :) Feel free to share any more color combinations!

my newest obsession comes in a bottle.

...No, not that kind of bottle! Although, I do enjoy a good bottle of Malibu Coconut Rum...just kidding (sort of).

What I'm talking about is epic. Life-changing. You could even say it's got me "shattered."

Pun fully intended! My newest obsession is OPI's new "shatter" polish. Looks like this (and by the way the word "shatter" is starting to look weird to me now...):

Yup, this baby is AMAZING. Dude, it's more than that--innovative would be the word! First of all, I learned from experience that using this on bare nails alone doesn't do squat. For some reason unknown to man, it needs a coat of nail polish first. So basically you can get these nails right here...

in two easy steps! (Well, four, counting base and top coat, but that's neither here nor there.) First, you apply whatever color you want. For the best results, something light or bright, since "shatter" comes in black only (correct me if I'm wrong...?). The color I used was Ulta Professional Nail Lacquer in Island Hopper. Then I layered the OPI Shatter (only available in select Ulta stores, I'm sure you can get it at Sephora, Nordstrom, etc.) over the Island Hopper. The cool thing? So you cover the entire nail (I know, sounds weird...and you're wondering why you have to cover your pretty manicure with black nail polish, but hear me out) and then the black kind of...shrinks. And dries to, well, a shattered effect. No two nails will turn out the same! It's magic, I swear. And Island Hopper is an Easter Egg-esque, minty greenish turquoise. But with shatter layered over it, it seems darker and well, more badass. Yet still girly. Who doesn't love that combo?!

And the funny thing is, I'm not even a nail kinda girl. I usually could care less about painting my nails and when they chip, I'm too lazy to change/fix it, unless it's REALLY bad. I know, I know...but hey, I do have my nail moments when I show them some love--I love the occasional manicure/acrylics+airbrushing. So the love is still there! But it's more of the eccentric great-grandmother kinda love, haha, if that makes sense? Probably not.

So, in a nutshell. OPI shatter is epic. I'm in lurrrrrve.

"..she has style??!"

the answer is...yes.

I just don't have time to post it, hehe. But let's christen this day, the 22nd day of the third month of the year two-thousand eleven: Faustina makes a style post.

I'm nowhere near as amazingly stylish as my BestFriend Gayle, but...I like to believe I know a lil' something something.

So...here goes:

Until I can figure out how to get a normal full body picture, here it goes. Basically it's a cobalt blue silk camisole underneath a black sheer lace cropped blazer. I chose inky bluish-black skinny jeans with black flat suede boots. Oh, and this bracelet...

I apologize for the blurriness, but as you can see, it's a cream-colored braided bracelet with silver charms woven throughout. The best part? It's not your usual bracelet--it's actually a long strand that you wrap around your wrist! The second best part? It's suede! I'm loving suede even more than usual lately. It's just so comfortable, so earthy--perfect because I like to add random bohemian touches throughout my outfits, regardless of what look it is--I'll find a way to make it work, hehe. I love, love, LOVE this bracelet, and it's my favorite latest find. $6.95 from H&M!

That's it for now. Hey, style posts are kinda fun. Maybe more will be coming your way, who knows? :)

"I'm a movement by myself, but I'm a force when we're together."

Those lyrics come from Ne-Yo's "You Make Me Better."

...Granted, he was 99% most likely talking about a lady friend, but hey. I can still make my own interpretation. I consider myself a pretty independent young woman.  However, as fierce as I am on my own, it doesn't compare to how I'd be without my surroundings--family and friends. One of the biggest mistakes one can make in life, in my opinion, is to isolate themselves. Sometimes it's intentional. Sometimes unintentional. Sometimes, it seems like the only solution. Choosing to be alone should never be a solution to anything! We forget sometimes to drop the "me against the world" mentality and realize that the 4 billion + people on this earth all co-exist. If we were meant to be alone, trust me, God would have made all of us isolated from Day One.  Each person you cross paths with is never an accident. Even a total stranger can teach you one of life's most valuable lessons. So open your eyes. Don't choose to ride solo. Choose to let the people that life has thrown your way be in your life. Be not just a movement, but an unstoppable force.

wtf??!?!!?

This is a rant.

I should probably add a [disclaimer: while some of my thought and pet peeves may seem ignorant, arrogant, racist, or sterotypical, I am neither of these things. These are simply opinions, not meant to be taken at anything but face value].

That being said, let's continue...

So, I'm at work tonight and we were open later than usual--until 11:00 instead of 10:00. Five minutes before closing, an elderly lady comes up (the only customer left) even after my two closing announcements (one at 10:30, the other at 10:45 to warn customers we would be closing) and brings about $300 worth of items, all clearance (go figure). She then proceeds to take forever, fighting on the prices of each item, most of which cost about less than five dollars each anyway---God forbid she achieves "big spender" status by spending...dare I say...six whole dollars on an item??!?! I mean, really? We have lives. Don't come up in the store five minutes before closing and then be a pain in the ass. Then, a couple of nights before, this lady wanted to use our store's credit card to purchas items using a coupon that you could only use if you charged it on the credit card. As I checked her card and her passport (she didn't have an ID), she tells me that the card belongs to her friend. Um, excuse me? I flat out tell her she can't just use her friend's card. Her: "So what now, I pay cash?" Um, think again. "No, you don't get the discount. It's not your card." So she pulls out another credit card and before I check with her passport she tells me that once again, it is her friend's card. ...What the hell, lady?! I sigh out of exasperation and tell her, "No, this won't work. You can't just use your friend's card." She looked shocked, as if it were some new concept, not being able to use something that wasn't yours. Oh, really now...

Once again I must reiterate that I am not racist by any means, but in the previous two examples, both women were foreigners. The most frustrating thing about my job is the foreign customers...I won't say which ones, but it seems people of certain ethnicities have similar tendencies. Ignorance being one of them...I've had countless people try to cheat the system by pretending not to speak or understand English, and when I see right through it and don't enable that, all of a sudden they're educated, angry, and most importantly, fluent in English. All of a sudden their vocabulary that was previousy limited to the words "discount", "no English", and "coupon" now included "corporate", "manager", etc. And some don't even bother to get to the latter, sudden-English-speaking part of the plan. Some are legitimately stuck at the not-knowing English part. Only they're not faking. Several people come up to me and I ask a simple "How can I help you?" And they smile, duck their head apologetically, and say "No English." I repeat myself slower and louder, only to have a repeat of the smile, duck, and "No English." Well geez, what the hell do you want then??? Putting my firm belief that if you're gonna be in a country, at least bother to learn the language so you can get around yourself without having to depend on anyone...for ONE second...even if you can't speak the language. Bring someone who CAN, for goodness sakes! It's not fair to me to have to make a game of Charades trying to understand you my sole purpose in life.

Some people are just plain rude. I've had a man merely snap his fingers at me and say, "Hey!" to get my attention. Not even bother with an, "Excuse me, miss?" I've also learned to not give rude people the time of day. Customer service is one thing. But at the end of the day, I am a person and deserve to be treated with respect, and that will always come first. And there are the people who try and get discounts and think we're dumb because they ask for it in such a vague way, we must just have to guess it out. "Isn't this on sale for 15, 20 something....something like that?" No, you twit. Nothing is ever on a "15-20-something" sale. I just say, "Nope," and then move on and cut them off when they try to protest.

Ignorance is probably my biggest pet peeve. Choosing to make things harder for not just yourself, but others as well, instead of educating yourself is just pathetic--not to mention annoying, frustrating, time consuming, energy consuming, and a waste of other people's time. Thank you and good night.

This post is dedicated to my BestFriend.

Dear Gayle,

To say that we've been through a lot together is well,

                                         

                                                                        an understatement.

We've been through hell and back, then back again! You are like a sister to me. You've seen me at my worst, and seen me at my best, and have never failed be there when I needed you. Remember all those times we thought certain things were cool...like passing notes to boys we liked instead of (wo)man-ing up and just telling them...making a music video based on a Backstreet Boy song for a project...and then there's high school, where I can't believe we actually got all into MUN, listening to blatantly flamboyant guys start off their speeches with, "KABAM!" (Okay, so maybe that was just one guy.)

...Aaaaaand let's not forget all the boys in between those awkward years and the less awkward years. Oh, boy...

This is the 22nd year of our lives. We're finishing college soon. College! And we're soon gonna be on our way to our careers....adulthood...and all the scary things that come with the territory.  I can honestly say that I would not be who I am, or where I am without you. You love me enough to tell me blatantly when I'm a) wrong, b) being an idiot, c) being unreasonable, or d) all of the above. And you love me enough to still love me whenever I do the same! I know that I can come to you with anything, whether be choosing an outfit to wear, of choosing between guys. Hell, sometimes we don't even need words--a simple glance is enough. You know me better than most of the people in my life...and you've still stuck around for all these years! Hehe...that's a feat in itself...but hey, what else are BestFriends for, right?

So, happy birthday to you. The most amazing, pure-hearted, honest, understanding friend I could ever ask for, who has this glowing, inspiring beauty, both inside and out. I love you!

IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!!!

Ewww...22! Lol. It has its advantages, I guess. Bring on the party!

show me how you BURLESQUE.

Burlesque! I cannot say enough about just how much I love this movie. Everything about it! I could watch it a million times and still not get bored. Let me just tell you that I was completely unaware that Christina Aguilera could act. Without giving too much away, let's just say her transformation was absolutely believable. And really, it's not so much a transformation, but you could tell she had it in her all along. And can I also say how gorgeous Cam Gigandet is as Jack??! The wardrobe for this movie is also to die for. I loved the burlesque era. The epitome of true femininity and sexiness, but keeping it classy as well. Women who are truly 100% comfortable with themselves and not afraid to show it!

Also, to add to today's news, I couldn't help myself and I bought a dress at Target for ten dollars. Ten dollars! It was on clearance and it's sooooo perfect for a birthday dinner this week...hehe. I can't find a good picture of it (grrrrr!) but basically the bust is a dusty blue color with spaghetti straps and ruffles and the skirt of the dress is a black lace overlay with the same dusty blue underneath. Gorgeous. Even more so due to the bomb ass bargain I got it for! Plus I also bought a new makeup brush by Sonia Kashuk:

Well, obviously this is a MAC one, which I am not fortunate enough to be able to afford...lol. But I couldn't find the brush I bought in store, online. Weird! Basically, this brush is amazing. Amazing enough to post about, but ONLY because of its magical powers. And I believe that the tools you use to apply makeup are just as important as the makeup itself, if not more so! They can make or break your look. So....at first glance this just looks like the company who made the brush forgot to dye the rest of the bristles. But alas, there is more than meets the eye! lol. What it is is shorter, real-hair fibers (the black) with longer synthetic fibers peeking through (the white). The black bristles are thicker and coarser, and the white ones are itty-bitty thin ones. One would think that this is the stupidest makeup tool ever created...but this brush actually is designed to multi-task, and boy, does it do that well. You use this for your foundation...the coarser bristles work the foundation into your skin, while the softer ones blend and make that airbrushed finish, and make it look more natural and not cakey. But you can also use this to apply powder, because it blends it in super well. Or if you're using something that's super shimmery or super pigmented, using just the white bristles and a light hand will make sure you don't end up looking like a clown. So yes! Check it out. Target sells this for 12.99. Much better than MAC's fifty-something or whatever it is, lol.

Anyways. I love makeup. I'm obsessed. That is all, goodnight :)

so, the big 22 is coming up...

I don't really feel old.

I just feel...like life is what it is, and we can only do the best we can to make sure it's a happy one. So I don't really know what to do for my birthday, to be honest. Any ideas??

(:

torture is...

shopping online when you have no money!

So....I put together a wishlist. If only I was rich and made serious dolla dolla bill$, y'all!

Isn't this cardigan cute??! Too bad it doesn't come in black ):

Skirts, skirts, SKIRTS! I love high-wasted skirts with a lot of more structural detail than printed detail, if that makes any sense. If you wanna check these out, you can click here, here, or here.

And this hoodie is to die for. I would wear this a lot. A LOT.

I love this tank. I think pale gold and white make a gorgeous combination!

Aaaaaand back to cardigans. I can't get enough!

There's more....but that will have to be continued, sleep is getting to me. Also, I realize these are all from Forever 21, but that is ONLY because the H&M site doesn't display any styles! And I was too lazy to go on with my other favorite stores.

my style.

Again, my lovely BestFriend Gayle has inspired me. I went to Polyvore and made up my own inspiration board! Just things that define my style, so....here goes:

my style by faustinawhattt featuring a striped skirt

Jewelled Silk Beading Floaty Column, Designer Evening Dresses, Spring...
1.675 EUR - matthewwilliamson.com
Matthew Williamson dresses »

Tibi One-shoulder draped silk dress
$425 - net-a-porter.com
One shoulder dresses »

cleo strapless dress$396
$396 - aliceandolivia.com
Strapless dresses »

Beaded Draped Goddes Dress Purple
$40 - 2cute2trendy.com
Purple dresses »

Petites Purple Ruffle Dress
36 GBP - missselfridge.com
Purple dresses »

Stella McCartney Lace top tank | Browns Fashion
170 GBP - brownsfashion.com
Brown tank »

A.L.C. Henley striped linen tank
$165 - net-a-porter.com
Striped tank »

Lace Insert Loose Tank by ALLMYLOVE
20 GBP - my-wardrobe.com
Sheer tank »

Drift Away Tees - Womens - Drift Away Stripe Zipper Top
$30 - pacsun.com
Striped tees »

Blue top from H&M (www.hm.se)
hm.com
H&M tops »

Ruffle Skirt
$49 - calypsostbarth.com
Ruffled mini skirts »

Navy Pinstripe Jersey Easy Fit Skirt by Splendid
45 GBP - my-wardrobe.com
Striped skirt »

Femme Metale Jewelry Noble Fleur With Snow Quartz Ring
$198 - couturecandy.com
Oval rings »

Femme Metale Jewelry Fancy Fleur De Lis Pendant
$80 - couturecandy.com
Chain pendants »

FULL TILT Filigree Earrings
$5.99 - tillys.com
Dangle earrings »

WHEW! A lot, huh? But I couldn't help myself. And making these inspiration boards ARE addicting...thank you, Gayle. hehe. Basically, I'm in love with stripes, loose-fit clothing, lace, black, blue, teal, purple, silver jewelry, anything with ruffled, ruched, or draped detail...and i love bows!!! I play with proportion a lot...if I'm wearing skinny jeans or leggings (which i usually am 99%) of the time, the top is usually looser-fitting...if I go with skinny jeans, tight top, I at least have to layer so I don't feel too restricted...with like a loose cardigan, sweater, etc. I rarely go big on the bottom but if i'm wearing a skirt (like I've been feeling lately...I've bought a lot of high-waisted short skirts), I'll definitely have a form fitting top. Or if it's loose I'll put a belt around it or something. I have a serious obsession with anything lace. No joke. I own about five different black flowy cardigans in different styles, and I just have probably fifteen different cropped cardigans. I'm short (standing at 5'2"), so anything too long competes with my height and makes me look dwarfy. Cropped styles are definitely the way to go if you're petite! But I'm curvy, so I stay away from anything insanely printed. or white. or skintight. hey...curves are gorgeous! Whoever said stick-thin was what's up is insane. Not to hate on skinny girls...we are all beautiful in our own way! But there are some narrow-minded people out there who truly believe if you're not 5'8" and 95 lbs, you're obese. Not true.

I do love my accessories...I love scarves! And silver jewelry. I used to really not like gold, but I've come to appreciate gold jewelry too. Silver/white gold is still my number one, though. I love long necklaces with dangling charms & whatnot...love, love, love me some dangly chandlier earrings...usually filigree or fleur de lis inspired. Bracelets, ehhh, not so much. I feel like there's something stuck on my arm that I need to shake off, and I realize, oh...it's a bracelet. Never been one for watches, either.

Anyways, that's enough on clothes for ya. Goodnight!

oh, and p.s. can I just say...I seriously wish my wallet was big enough to afford all of the things on my inspiration board! my birthday is coming up...hint hint wink wink ;)

praise you in this storm...

I want to dedicate this post to my BestFriend (no spaces) of ten years and many more to come, Gayle (you can read her blog here).  She's recently been diagnosed with cancer, and although she only has about five months of chemotherapy to do, it's still a big deal. All the treatments/medication have been taking its toll on her body, but you know what? She remains strong, positive, looking forward to the future, not dwelling on her condition. And I know she reads this, hehe :) So, Gayle, I know that I unfortunately have not been able to make it to a treatment yet. That's due to business with work and whatnot, but it's no excuse! It's been hard for me to comprehend the fact that you have cancer, that of which I can do nothing to control, to help; and if I had any say in the matter, I would take it all away. I'll be here with you until the end, and you will overcome. I'm so sorry and I don't want you to think even for a second that I'm not there for you, because I would be in a heartbeat. I love you.

Not everyone believes in the same thing. But everyone has to believe in something. Some higher power, some reason for us being here. Some sort of validation that provides some sort of answer, as satisfactory as it may be, for why things happen the way they do. My answer, my reason for living, my validation is my God. My God hears my prayers; He may not always answer them the way I want them to, but He sees the bigger picture that I can't, and therefore lets things happen accordingly. I may get a "no" to something I ask for, but eventually that "no" turns into more than I could ever ask for. I recently reconnected with a friend who's been doubting his faith lately, and I can't get one of the questions out of my head: "Why does God give some people more struggles than others?" That caught me off-guard for a second. And you know what, it's not necessarily that God decides to be like, "Hmm...this person should have x amount more of issues than this person because..." No. It's not like that. Problems are not a lottery. This is not raffle time. This is earth, not heaven. Heaven is perfect, earth will never be. Heaven will give us everything, earth will always lack something. We are not in God's world yet! We are going to have hard times...this is inevitable. If we never had any, we would never grow in strength or character, we'd never appreciate the good times, we would never realize how much we need to depend more on God and less on ourselves.  Every single person is different. We have different mindsets, different backgrounds, different histories, different experiences, different EVERYTHING. If God gave every one of us the exact same struggle, everything would be thrown off balance. He gives us trials according to how much we can handle, and nothing more.

So I have a bad day...and my first thought is, "oh, crap." But you know what? It means God cares enough to risk us turning away from Him during hard times if it means bringing us closer than ever to Him, if it means making us better people.  It means that since God will never give us anything we can't handle, that we are going to get through this just fine.

So, Gayle...I know that everything you're going through, the pain, the sickness, the hair loss...you will get through this. God hasn't for a second turned his back on you. He's carrying you through this because He knows you're stronger than this. It might not seem like it now...but it's true. And I will always be here.

So...I leave you with a song by Casting Crowns, it's one of my favorites...

Praise You in This Storm

I was sure by now,God, You would have reached down 

and wiped our tears away, 

stepped in and saved the day. 

But once again, I say amen 

and it's still raining 

as the thunder rolls 

I barely hear You whisper through the rain, 

"I'm with you"

and as Your mercy falls 

I raise my hands and praise 

the God who gives and takes away. 

Chorus: 

And I'll praise you in this storm 

and I will lift my hands 

for You are who You are 

no matter where I am 

and every tear I've cried 

You hold in your hand 

You never left my side 

and though my heart is torn 

I will praise You in this storm 

I remember when I stumbled in the wind 

You heard my cry to You

and raised me up again 

my strength is almost gone how can I carry on 

if I can't find You 

and as the thunder rolls 

I barely hear You whisper through the rain 

"I'm with you"

and as Your mercy falls 

I raise my hands and praise 

the God who gives and takes away 

Chorus 

I lift my eyes onto the hills 

where does my help come from? 

My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth 

I lift my eyes onto the hills 

where does my help come from? 

My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth

what's in my makeup bag...

well, that should be makeup bags, with a plural...i am obsessed! so this will just be stuff that I pretty much use on a daily basis.

Artistry Balancing Lotion. Artistry is a brand that can only be purchased online through an IBO (Independent Business Owner). I have my good friend Brian to thank for that. Let me just say...I love their products! Artistry is actually a sub-brand under Amway Global, a company that literally sells everything, from diet/nutrition supplements to air purifiers. Check them out by clicking here. And I highly, highly reccomend it. Their skincare products are natural and effective. I also use the Balancing Toner, Pore Cleansing Mask, and the Hydrating Mask as well.

Victoria's Secret Pro Airbrush FX Face Primer. Try saying that ten times fast! Gee whiz. Aside from the ridiculously long and descrptive name, this stuff works. After moisturizing, you put it on under your makeup and everything just looks smoother and better and lasts longer. Granted, it does feel kinda oily at first touch, but that soon goes away. Love. This. Stuff. :)

Physician's Formula Baked Eyeshadow Trio in Baked Sands. This is my FAVORITE eyeshadow set of all time. I was sooo super in love with it...until the day I dropped it and all the eyeshadows broke...so I bought myself another one. If I only had the ability to just wear one makeup look all the time, it would be bronze eyes. So naturally I love this. The colors go on sheer or more dramatic (if you use them wet), and the light-medium-dark shades = lots of combinations. I probably use the lightest shade the most, because it's the prettiest off-white/pale gold shimmeryness that goes good as a lid shade, or for highlight. So, yes. This is bomb.

MAC Eyeshadows. I love MAC! These five are my favorite shades (First row, left to right: Satin Taupe, Naked Lunch, Twinks; Second row, left to right: Satellite Dreams, Contrast). I love me some purple and blue looks, too. I have about ten different shades of plum/burgundy-colored eyeshadow!

Revlon Photo Ready Makeup. This foundation is ahhmaaaaazinggg! Seriously. It's high-definition makeup. It gives sheer, buildable, natural coverage that lasts for a really long time. Over that Victoria's Secret primer mentioned above, you have seriously perfect skin.

e.l.f. High Definition Powder. This is a really good product to have after you've applied your foundation. It's colorless, and somehow gives you that airbrushed, soft-focus effect--except not just in pictures, but in real life! It's not just powder...if you feel it, it kind of melts into your skin like a liquid...weird, but I'm not questioning its magical powers. And can I just say right now how in love with e.l.f. I am?!? This brand is amazing. e.l.f. stands for eyes, lips, face. Their products are well pigmented and last for awhile. e.l.f studio products are probably what I turn to most, because they work better and last longer than the regular products.

|

NYX Eyeshadow in Eggplant. Let me just say that NYX is hands down the best drugstore brand out there. Performance-wise, it's very comparable to MAC in terms of pigmentation and wear, but for literally a fraction of the price! And Eggplant is the best shade of purple I've ever found. Sadly, I dropped mine (what is with me, I always drop pressed products!)....but I am in the process of buying another! Check out their eyeshadows, blushes, and eye/lip pencils. Haven't tried the lipsticks (yet), but I'm sure they're great, too.

Best. Lip balm. Ever. Super moisturizing, you don;t have to keep reapplying too much. And it's light on your lips, not heavy, so you're not overly aware that there is something on your lips. And it's just amazingness.

Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition Hair Care Line. Okay, this is probably the best shampoo/conditioner I've tried. I've been using Garnier Fructis religiously for a few years now, and I've never strayed too long from it. Aside from smelling ridiculously good, this line really moisturizes your hair. Mine gets either really oily or really dry, and it's mostly on the dry side. This shampoo/conditioner leaves my hair feeling soft even days after using it, and the 3-minute Undo really works wonders after periods of serious damaging (as in, I decided to curl my hair...three days in a row...or tease it, etc.). And it's not too crazy expensive.

e.l.f. Waterproof Eyeliner Pen. This is amazing. Usually I'm not a fan of liquid liner, let alone pens (I stick to gel/cream liners)...but for this one, I'll make an exception. While it's not totally waterproof, for the most part it stays on save for a little smudging. But for only $1 a pop, who the hell cares??! I always do my liner with the little flick at the end...it changes depending on the look I'm going for. But there's always that flick. And this liner makes that flick flick-tastic. So check it out along with other e.l.f. products at elfcosmetics.com or at select Target stores!

Wet N Wild Mega Last Lipcolor. These are semi-matte, long lasting, and pigmented. They're only like, three or four dollars, but so worth it. Such a good quality for such a bargain. Unfortunately they don't have shades, just numbers, but I loved these so much I bought five shades--a nude color, a peachy pastel pink, a hot pink, a deep burgundy, and a lilac-mauve ish color.

Check it out....let me know what you use on a daily basis! Or just what your favorites are. :)

it's all music--life is the lyrics, you make the melody

Have you ever noticed that if you apply the same lyrics to different tunes, you get totally different songs? That's because the background music--chords, tempo, beat--all matter.

And I consider myself very musically influenced. very.

I just love music. I play it, sing it, hell, I'll even write it sometimes. It just....kind of helps my day go along. And music can totally change my mood. I'll admit...I'm a club kinda girl, and I do love me some hip-hop. Like that song by Dev and The Cataracs..."I like my beats fast and my  bass down low." Which I do. Nothing relieves stress for me better than dancing at a club until my feet feel like they're about to fall off. Which also goes to say that I can't handle going out at clubs very often! It wears me out. Usually I'll try to go once, maybe--maybe--twice a month.

But I also have my days where all I want to listen to is Journey songs. And I love my Nickelback, Lifehouse, 3 Doors Down, Nine Inch Nails, Good Charlotte (yes, I still love them!)...or I'll have my boy band days where I'll bust out Backstreet Boys, Nsync, 98 Degrees...then there's the soul moments--Whitney Houston, Mary J. Blige, Boyz II Men, Brian McKnight. I like my punk-rock-pop, like Avril Lavigne, Simple Plan, Sum 41, Paramore, The Veronicas...just everything.

Music is my inspiration. It lets me be myself no matter what--not that I'm a different person with each genre, but rather a different version of me.

Sometimes music is empowering. When I get ready to go out, I like to listen to music to just get me pumped for wherever I'm going and I'm just like, "BRING IT." Usually I'll listen to like, "Like a G6" by The Cararacs feat. Dev, or "Firework" by Katy Perry. I listen to a lot of Katy Perry. Her music is just so damn catchy! You listen to it before you go out and you know it's gonna turn out good.

So let music affect you at a deeper level. Artists pour their hearts out in song, sharing parts of their lives, sharing a message, trying to connect...it's something to think about.

a new year...

so I welcomed 2011 in a low-key way. I had a bunch of parties I was supposed to go to, and my sister was supposed to come with. But she was tired--and my DD, lol--and since everything was so last minute for this damn "holiday" anyway, I just decided to stay home. But that's not to say I didn't have fun! But--I will definitely plan better for next year! The holidays snuck up on me this year. Work was especially stressful thus holiday season due to it being my first holiday season as a supervisor. Sometimes it's okay to relax and just do nothing...

I guess I did ring in the new year early on Thursday...with kind of a spontaneous going-out with my favorites from work. Some of these people are my best friends and when we go out, it means a lot to me. Just because we can get away from everything and just kick it. Do whatever, go whatever, with whoever. So we went to Dave & Buster's. Just in time for happy hour, I might add...hehe. And then we shot some pool. Simple, but the people I was with made the night.

And so this new year...this 2K11...will be my best year yet.

I'm gonna focus on the little things. Because that's what matters. 50 years from now I won't remember the guys I dated, the people who pissed me off on the road, Laker game scores....but I will remember the people who carried me through hard times, the people I was with when we were laughing so hard we couldn't talk, inside jokes that had us looking stupid in public (but of course we didn't care). Because life's not defined by what statistics you make yourself a part of. Life is all the little things...i define my life by all the moments where I'm happy. Where I don't have to worry. Where I don't care about the consequences. This year I plan not to take anything that God's thrown my way for granted.