Thank you God

God has been so good to me lately.

I am so happy to say that He IS answering my prayers, in so many different ways.

I have amazing girl friends that I can count on to give me great advise, be a shoulder to cry on, and support me through all of life's ups and downs.

I have a great job, with the prospect of an even better job.

I have filled out paperwork, and selected a new apartment to move into in late May.

My family is happy and getting healthy thanks to God.

All of this is because of God, and I cant thank Him or give Him enough credit for all that he is doing in my life.

A few weeks ago, I cried on the way to work, and begged God to change things in my life. I was so un happy and didn't see any good things happening in 2012.

Now I have a different perspective on life, and am so happy to say that I have hope and faith that 2012 will be an amazing year.

Thank you so much God. I cant even begin to explain how much my answered prayers mean to me.

Thanks to God I couldn't be happier with the doors He has opened for me.

Work Style

Work attire is a tricky subject. While there are a few general rules of thumb for office dressing, it really depends on where you work. Different environments call for different ensembles.

If you’re new to the working world, I should warn you: Beware of the fashion police otherwise known as “Human Resources” and your fellow co-workers. Committing an at-work fashion faux pas is a legitimate offense. Just because you didn’t get the pink slip for your crime (crime = teal tube top) doesn’t mean you’re getting away with it (it = teal tub top)... Wearing the wrong threads has the potential to distort your image as a valued employee and may even prevent you from getting ahead. If Wendy Worker sports tight skirts, sheer blouses and routinely puts her “girls” on display at work, her co-workers may have a difficult time taking her (and her wacko wardrobe) seriously. Therefore, as with all occasions, dress for success—and mean it, especially when you’re on the clock!

Even though all work environments have different rules as to what is and isn’t okay to wear, the following commandments cover most of the general dos and don’ts of dressing for work:

• Thou shalt never let your outfit outshine your work.

• Thou shalt abstain from clothing with obnoxious logos.

• You shall avoid all sexy and revealing clothing. Never show more than 1 inch of cleavage or wear a skirt that skims your bum. For most offices, skirts that hit more than 3 or 4 inches above the knee are considered inappropriate (If you want to wear shorter skirts, or even dress shorts, pair them with opaque tights to temper the higher hemline). Also, no tank tops unless you have something layered over it to cover your shoulders.

• Thou shalt not wear any ripped, torn, or sloppy clothing. This includes anything that can be worn to the gym or the beach (gym shoes and flip-flops etc.).

• Thou shalt dress like my female boss. If you do not have a female boss, emulate the highest-ranking female in your company. This doesn’t mean steal her style. Rather, base your office attire on what she considers appropriate. Is she casual? Always dresses to the nines? Take a cue from the people in positions you aspire to have someday. They don’t say, “dress the part” for no reason.

• You shall always dress to impress—even on “casual Fridays.”Don’t let casual Fridays fool you. Jeans may be okay, but that old tee reserved for lazy Sundays and those hot pink flip-flops are just not going to cut it… Casual Friday attire should be based on your weekly work wear, but taken down a few notches.

• Thou shalt not don underwear as outerwear. Ever. This is pretty self-explanatory…

• You shall always use your best judgment. Consider your work environment and dress accordingly. Anything you can wear to a club should never step foot in an office. If you’re unsure about an outfit, it’s best to err on the side of caution and go with something else.

Hope this helps with your new job style!

Classic Red Nails

Today nails are becoming more and more relevant.

With different shapes, airbrushing, crazy colors and even 3D art, inventive nails have become a great way to express your personal style. Because of this, many of us find ourselves reaching for an electric blue or sunshine yellow polish.

We have been having so much fun with our wild nails that many of us have forgotten about our old friend Classic Red. That timeless red that we used to love so much now gathers dust in the back of our bathroom drawers. So why not rekindle the friendship?

Paint your nails red… and then the town!

Happy Thanksgiving

Hope you all have a Wonderful Thanksgiving.

This is the perfect time of year to give thanks for all you have.

A few days ago I was thinking about the many things that I am thankful for over the past year and here is what I came up with:

God and the relationship we have

Building relationships with people I care about

Having an amazing group of girlfriends

Having friends I can call on and ask for prayer, and know they are truly praying

My job

Charcol

Family

My Sister and the time we get to spend together

Good friends and spending quality time together

Girls Nights

Hope you all have a Wonderful Thanksgiving, and remember to give thanks for all you have.

Beauty Emergency Kit for the Work Place

Static Guard. It may sound strange, but this is an absolute must. Not only will it come in handy when your new dress is sticking to your legs, it can also be used in lieu of hair spray to tame flyaways. Just spritz a little on your fingertips and lightly dab unruly hairs into place.

Floss Pick. After each meal, give your pearly whites the once over. If you spot any leftovers, dislodge them using a floss pick. Floss picks can also be used to de-clump mascara or remove dirt from under your nails. However, please remember to perform such forms of maintenance in the privacy of the ladies room.

Mini Mirror. It’s always a good idea to keep a small pocket mirror close at hand. You’ll never wonder if you have lipstick on your teeth again!

Lotion. Usually, offices are either too cold or too hot, which can lead to chapped hands, especially when you’re washing them constantly after using the restroom. To prevent dry, cracked hands moisturize throughout the day using your favorite hand lotion. Your hands will thank you.

Hand Sanitizer. Sneeze, cough or blow your nose? Do your co-workers a favor and disinfect. No need to pass around an unwanted bug.

Blister Blockers. Is there anything worse than breaking in a new pair of shoes? Keep a stash of extra strong blister bandages at your desk, just in case.

Vaseline. This is one of the most underrated beauty products out there. Use it to quench dry lips, smooth it over your heel if your shoe is rubbing, or swipe it over your cuticles for a quick pick me up.

Deodorant. Keep a travel-sized deodorant stashed in your kit. You’ll never have to sweat the small stuff again!

Stain Remover. Food should be in your mouth, not on your clothes. And the same goes for coffee. Never worry about walking into a meeting with marinara polka dots again!

Snack. It sounds silly, but I keep little bites in my desk in case of the hangrys (hungry + angry = hangry).

Meds. Whether you’re team Tylenol or you’re an ibuprofen fan, having a stash of goodies to combat headaches is a smart way to keep your head clear. Also, having a few Tums on hand isn’t a bad idea either…

Bobby Pins. Nix bedhead, windy-day-hair or I-was-in-a-rush-this-morning head with a few bobby pins. A topknot, ballerina or fun bun can always tame unruly hair with the help of a few hairpins.

Those are my essentials. If you’re stranded at your desk, these 12 items will get you through.

Fall Fashion Trends

This on is for you Rachel!

Wanted to post a few fall 2011 fashion trends, to keep an eye out for.

Here are some easy ways to add fall fashion to your wardrobe!

Sheer Blouses

All Back Outfits

Camel Color Outfits

Chunky Knits

Maxi Length

Bow Blouse

Burnt Orange

Cobalt Blue

Hope you can find a few of these trends to wear for fall!

Fall is here!

Fall is here!

I love fall! I love the crisp air, The leaves changing colors, and the long awaited pumpkin spice lattes from starbucks.

In honor of this change of season, I thought I would show you all my favorite things for fall.

Leaves

Pumpkin Spice Latte From Starbucks

Steve Madden Boots

Burberry Scarves

Mac Mulch Eyeshadow

Makeup Blenders

We’ve all been there… while rushing to get your mascara on, more of it ends up on your lid than on your lashes. Or you press a little too hard with your liquid liner and it looks like you’ve been taking crazy pills. My favorite of all offenders: you’ve created a masterpiece then with a heavy hand you try a new powder and now look like your grandmother’s friend whose make-up is so thick you could scratch your name across her cheek. But fear not ladies; make-up is temporary! No need to start over from scratch. Here are my favorite tips that have rescued me throughout the years.

• Liquid liner gone awry: (try to catch it before it fully dries if you can) dip a pointed cotton swab or q-tip into a dollop of body lotion instead of eye make-up remover (that creates too oily of a canvas for the new line to adhere to) and erase the mistake with a quick drag and wipe.

• Kohl liner drawn thicker on one eye than the other one: If your line is thicker on one eye, decide if you want to go back and draw the other one thicker, or if you want to thin it out. This is an easy fix by simply lightly wetting a q-tip with water, pressing out any excess water onto a tissue or towel then twirling it slightly while you drag it across the bottom part of the line.

• For any mascara mishaps, using the slightly-wetted q-tip, press it directly on the mascara mark, swirl it 180 degrees then drag it a millimeter as you lift it off.

• If your concealer is too heavy or cakey, dampen your fingers with water and smooth it out.

• If your blush is too bright, dab back over it with the make-up sponge you used to apply your foundation or layer a neutral blush shade over it.

• If you’ve over-powdered your face or it looks like your wearing a mask of make-up, spray it with a misting atomizer or dampen your hands and lightly press them all over your face for ten seconds to dilute everything. Then with a clean sponge, smooth out any uneveness.

• If your lipstick color is too dark, blot it with a tissue as many times as necessary to tone it down then add lip balm. Or blot once and add a lighter color.

• If your lip liner is too harsh, dab a little lip balm on your finger and thin it out while blending it inward.

• If your brow pencil/shadow is too dark or uneven, smudge it with a q-tip or tissue.

• If your make-up foundation looks too pink, correct it with a yellow shade of powder.

Hope you enjoy!

H2O

We all know that we’re supposed to drink lots of water everyday. Drinking 8-12 glasses of water daily has countless health benefits.

Also, your appearance benefits from drinking enough water each day. Water hydrates your skin making you look younger and it assists in weight loss.

Fruit – Slice it up and toss it in. Try different fruits or even different combinations of fruit. Some popular ones are cucumbers, lemons, limes, oranges, strawberries, raspberries… and the list goes on.

So why don’t we drink more? Because next to delicious lattes and flavored fizzy drinks water falls flat. It’s, a little boring. So here are a few ways to jazz up your H2O…

Mint – Try adding a few mint leaves to your water. It will give it a refreshing twist.

Ice – Fill an ice tray with your favorite all natural fruit juice and put it in the freezer. When the cubes have frozen try adding a couple to your water for a hint of flavor.

Hope you Enjoy, and drink lots of water!

Boyfriend-Friendly Makeup

We all want to avoid a make-up meltdown. Especially when a cute boy is around! There’s no excuse in the 21st century to have anything smear or run, or even come off on his shirt when you hug him hello. The other important rule of thumb in make-up for dates is less is more. Ask 10 guys how they think girls look the prettiest and 9 out of 10 will say they like us natural and not too made up. So here are a few tips to look and feel pretty, while not coming undone on a big date:

• Use a mascara that is soft and NOT starchy. You want your man to feel like he can pet your lashes. Kind of like the way we hate it when they use stiff, hard hair gel but like it when they use soft pomade that allows us to run our fingers through their hair. Don’t use a mascara that makes your lashes stiff and clumpy.
• Switch to a waterproof eyeliner. There are amazing waterproof liners out there now that are even smudgeable before they set, then stay put for hours. They come in pencil, gel liner and liquid forms.
• Skip eyeshadow. The liner and mascara are enough to define and bring out your eyes.
• Use a color-stay foundation that stays put (look for ones that say “lasting”); thin it out in the palm of your hand first then apply it with a pre-wettened sponge. Wait a few minutes then pat with a tissue to remove any excess that could come off on his shirt.
• Opt for a cheek stain on your cheeks then use a lip stain for a sheer hint of color that’s kiss proof. Once it’s dried, you can finish with a flavored lip balm if you really like him…

Then don’t worry about your make-up and have fun!

The Skinny on Undertones

If you have warm undertones, you look best when you wear eye shadows that are gold, copper, bronze or any of the earth tones (orange, olive, yellow or brown) paired with a warm peach or coral blush. When picking out your perfect red lipstick, choose an orange-based red and when choosing your foundation, look for a yellow-based or peach-based shade.

If you have cool undertones, you look best when you wear eye shadows that are silver, grey, magenta, pink, white or any of the jewel tones (emerald, sapphire, garnet) paired with a cool pink or rosy blush. I have so much pink naturally in my face that I always fought it with peach blush until one day Scott Barnes was doing an appearance at Saks Fifth Avenue and told me not to fight the pink but embrace it. I’ve been wearing pink ever since and it works so much better. When picking out your perfect red lipstick, choose a blue-based red and when choosing your foundation, look for a pink-based or neutral shade.

If you are lucky enough to have neutral undertones, you get to wear EVERYTHING! And black is the exception and looks good on cool, warm and neutral undertones. But of course, rules were meant to be broken (like mixing a printed skirt with a striped top) and you can wear whatever you’re in the mood to wear… So if you have warm undertones but your favorite make-up line just came out with an amazing silver liquid liner that you have to have, go for it, just know that the copper one will look better on you. But don’t break the rules when it applies to your foundation shade; there’s nothing pretty about a yellow-based skin tone covered with pink-based foundation.

Ballet Flats

Like most things in fashion, the ballet flat is a style recycled from centuries past.

The ballet flat dates all the way back to the 16th century.

Like all trends, ballet flats came and went. In the late 1950s, they returned to the scene after Audrey Hepburn wore a pair of ballet flats with skinny jeans in the film, “Funny Face.”

More recently, ballet flats made a come back when designers like Tory Burch,rolled out flashier versions of the style.

Shortly thereafter, the trend spread like a wildfire… and the rest is history!

Now, the ballet flat is truly a fashion classic. Some even consider it a mandatory wardrobe staple. To me, they’re the shoe I turn to most.

I love ballet flats because they can be dressed up or down for any occasion. Plus, what girl doesn’t want an excuse to skip the heels for a day?

Fall Trend: Leopard

As I am sure most of you know,

every fall leopard comes back in full swing.

I happen to be someone who loves leopard all year around but especially in fall. I predict that this fall leopard is going to come back in full force, and be a huge trend we will be seeing on the runways.

Here are a few simple pieces you can add to your wardrobe

Clothing Pieces

Accessories

These are just a few ways to add leopard into your fall collection.

Hope you enjoy!

Best Things in the World

Best Things in the World

1. Sushi

2. Girls night in

3. Coming home to a kitty that just wants to cuddle

4. Napping under an umbrella at the beach

5. Laughing so hard you cry

6. Lazy sundays

7. Succulents

8. Finding the perfect black dress

9. The feeling you get when you come home, after a long day

10. Spending time with family

Ingredients For an Awesome Summer!

Ingredients For an Awesome Summer!

While not exactly edible, per se, I thought it would be fun to make a sweet summer recipe for summertime fun.

Here’s what I’ve got so far:

1 Tablespoon: Boardwalk bike ride.

3 Cups: Sunsets, with a dash of Phoenix and the Beach Boys.

A sprinkle of cucumber lemonade.

2 Cups: Outdoor concert or music festival.

3 Teaspoons: Sunday champagne girls brunch.

A splash of midnight swimming.

1 heaping scoop of long naps on the beach.

A pinch of spontaneous road-trips.

1 stick of cocoa butter (and some SPF, for tanning, of course).

Instructions: Mix all ingredients together over a 3 month span and enjoy!

What are your plans for summer?

Happy first week of summer!

Mac Semi Precious Collection

We can all admire a girl with a 30-carat diamond. But the new dazzle is Semi-Precious. Gems that are rare in spirit, rich in substance and worn fluidly, on the skin. In MAC Semi-Precious, four finely milled gems – bronzite, black tourmaline, gold pyriate, and lilac lepidolite – bring their own earthy an spiritual affluence to three key elements of the mineralize collection.

Each summer, MAC’s mineralize-themed collection is one that seems highly anticipated. This year was no different. Once again I have fallen in love with almost all 12 and dont know how I would live without them in my collection.

MAC Semi-Precious Mineralize Eyeshadows ($19.50 for 0.07 oz.) includes twelve, limited edition shades: Blue Sheen (melange of navy, black, peach), Clarity (melange of light pink, off-white green, gold, and black), Dark Indulgence (melange of forest green and black), Faux Gold (melange of coral, gold, lime, bronze), Golden Gaze (melange of gold and black), Hint of Sapphire (melange of pink, violet, teal, copper, blue), Jade’s Fortune (melange of bright yellow, blue, lime, black), Mineral Mode(melange of white base with copper and gray), Quartz Fusion (melange of soft pink, silver, deep pink),Rare Find (melange of violet, brown, gold), Smoked Ruby (melange of burgundy and black).

Blue Sheen is a blackened navy blue with a blue and violet sheen when applied dry, and it takes on a much bolder, brighter midnight blue with a slightly metallic sheen when applied wet.

Clarity is a barely-there green-tinged gray with flecks of green and gold shimmer-sparkle when applied dry. It’s not very useful when applied dry–there is just so little color payoff. When applied wet, it’s a deeper charcoal gray with green and gold shimmer and slightly metallic sheen.

Golden Gaze is a dark, molten gold with a black base peeking through. It’s very similar in color whether used dry or wet, and when used dry, it still has fantastic color payoff. It tends to bind better and therefore have a smoother, more metallic sheen when applied wet.

Jade’s Fortune is a sheer charcoal gray with a hint of green sheen when applied dry. When applied wet, it’s a deep charcoal gray with a silvery-teal sheen and purple shimmer-glitter dominates.

Mineral Mode is a sheer, darkened rosy pink when applied dry. It’s more opaque and has a brighter metallic sheen when applied dry, but the color itself is similar.

Smoked Ruby is a really rich, luxurious blackened brown with a burgundy-brown shimmer and sheen. The pigmentation and depth are the same whether it is used dry or wet.

Faux Gold is a muted coppery brown with warm undertones. It’s softer and sheerer when used dry.

Rare Find is a slightly sheered plum purple with multi-colored shimmer when applied dry. When applied wet, it’s a darker, grayer purple with less plum. The multi-colored shimmer seems less apparent when it is used wet.

Hint of Sapphire is a sheer purple-casted gray with multi-colored flecks of shimmer when used dry. Like Clarity, there really isn’t much to it when used dry. When applied wet, it is a deeper silvered gray with a purple cast and teal and copper shimmer.

MAC Semi-Precious Goldstone Mineralize Skinfinish ($28.00 for 0.22 oz.) is described as a “brown base with inner circle of rosy pink, white, and gold.” The center splotch creates a soft peach with a hint of pink and gold sparkle, while the outer ring is a warm, medium-dark bronze with gold shimmer. When mixed together, they create a softened bronze with a hint of orange and gold sheen set off by gold sparkle.

MAC Semi-Precious Pearl Mineralize Skinfinish ($28.00 for 0.22 oz.) is described as a “beige champagne base with inner circle of white, plum, and bronze.” The center splotch is an russet bronze with heavy shimmer and slightly frosty finish. The outer ring is a pearly, white gold that’s a little sheer as it is mostly shimmer and sheen as opposed to color. Together, they swirl and create an ambery bronze with a white gold sheen. It adds a little warmth with a high sheen on my cheeks; there is some color, but it is light.

Over all I love this collection.

I hope this helps.