A Fatherless Daughter

I've had him on my mind today. Nothing new, I think about him and what could have been all the time. I have 4 photos of us together, this one is my favorite. 

(Myrtle Beach circa 1980)

,(My FB posting the day of his death 02-25-2013)

...no there's no one home, in my house of pain...

Thanksgiving 2013

Hey guys! Well I hope you all are doing well after a night of feasting. I think the tryptophan in the turkey is still working on me, I am about as tired and lazy as they come today. We had such a great holiday though, and I thought I would share some of it with you. We have all of our family gatherings at my mother's house. I live about an hour and a half away from my family and I never get to see them as often as I'd like to. It was so nice preparing food for them to enjoy, and then spending the evening together.

I spent the first half of my day in the kitchen baking. I love to cook, but I don't really bake all that often. I decided to make 2 desserts and 1 side: Pumpkin Cheesecake with Sour Cream Topping, Caramel Pecan Apple Pie, and Baked Ziti. As far as the Baked Ziti goes, I wanted to bring a side that was a little different. Something aside from the usual turkey/dressing/sweet potatoes/etc. Luckily everything seemed to turn out great! Oh yeah, I also baked some Oatmeal Cranberry Walnut cookies (in a pack from the grocery store that you break apart and bake, not handmade).

Is it just me or do you prefer things be labeled so you know what they are??? My aunt thought it was just hilarious that I labeled everything I made....I think she was just jealous I thought of it and she didn't! Love you, Timber Sue!!! Hehe.

My sidekick in the kitchen. A constant companion.

On my way to my mom's. So excited!

Random family shot. Turned out blurry but I love it so.
On me: Shirt: Walmart, Scarf: J-Crew

The Diva and the Rockstar - internet sensations of the family! Have you seen this face on a new commercial? Keep your eyes open, you will (:

MOTD: Tarte Clean Slate primer, Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation, Ben Nye Banana Powder, NYX HD concealer, Laura Mercier eyeshadow primer in Wheat, Nars Laguna bronzer, Nars Albatross highlighter, Tarte AC blush in Darling, Maybelline Define-a-brow and brow powder, MAC Viva Glam VI, Stila 'In the Light' palette, Loreal Lacquer Liner in black, UD 24/7 in Junkie, Rimmel ScandalEYES in Nude, Loreal Butterfly Effect Mascara.

Hope you guys enjoyed and I hope your Thanksgiving was as lovely as mine was. Days spent with family show you how truly blessed you are. Thanks for stopping by and please come again soon. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!!!xoxo

Discontinued Products I Love

Why is it that companies are continually discontinuing products that are so great and that we love so much? I never have understood this. While pilfering through my makeup this morning I noticed several items that I find myself continually shifting to the back of my makeup stash, to hoard up and save, simply because I don't want to use it all up because you can no longer find it. I don't know for sure if companies just quit making these products, or if I just can't find them where I live anymore. Either way, I hate when I find something that really works and then poof! it's gone. I thought I would show you a few of these extinct items I am talking about. All of them are drugstore and were relatively cheap, especially the NYC products. NYC is one of the cheapest drugstore brands you can find, but they have had some products that knock it out of the park. Anyways, let's get to it.

Maybelline Mineral Power Natural Perfecting Concealer
As you can see, when I found a few of these at Big Lots I grabbed every tube I could find! This was such a great concealer - great coverage, doesn't settle into fine lines and wrinkles, doesn't break down through the day, etc. If you follow my blog you probably seen that I also keep a tube of this in my travel makeup bag. Great everyday concealer, too bad it bit the dust :(

NYC Blushable Creme Stick
These creme blushes were great! Went on flawlessly, great staying power, beautiful color selection. I have to say, I like these almost as much as my luxe 'The Multiple' by Nars. I only have 3 of these left, two of which are still shrink wrapped. I don't see these lasting super long, so I might as well use them up. (Bad as I hate to).

Milani Minerals Blush

Pictured: (all of them) Mai-Tai, Luminous, Sweet Rose, Sunset Beach
I don't think I have to say much about these, I think everyone who loves makeup and ever tried them knows their quality. Notice my 'dupe' stickers? Is anybody else obsessed with labeling their drugstore dupes?

NYC Lip Sliders "Sugar Collection" Lip Balms Pictured: Sugar Baby(x2) & Sugar Coated(x2)
What great lip balms these are! Only negative was having to stick your finger in the tin to get the product, but that doesn't really bother me. Feels great on the lips with a nice tint of color. NYC this is the 2nd product I have mentioned from you....am I noticing a pattern???

Covergirl & Olay Simply Ageless Concealer
A concealer infused with Olay Regenerist Serum, this works great to cover undereye circles while offering a little moisture. It's not an extremely moisturizing concealer, but it does really good at not settling into fine lines and wrinkles and gives great coverage. Sadly, this is another product that is no more. I use this sparingly, trying to make it last as long as I can.

Hope you enjoyed guys! Let me know what products you love that you can't find anymore. The only thing I worry about is if you mention something I will be tempted to go out and try to find it, and will end up paying an arm and a leg on Amazon to try it, lol. But anyways, hope you have a GREAT Thanksgiving and come back soon!

Winter Storm a Comin!

Hey guys! I don't know how the weather is in your neck of the woods, but you'd think it was Winter by how it's acting outside. Right now we just have a rain/freezing rain mix, but later on this evening the white stuff is supposed to be a fallin! That makes me one HAPPY girl. Of course I have to run out to the store and pick up a few things. Then I'm gonna run back home and hibernate a while...throw on some stretchy pants, drink something hot, and catch up on PLL. (You realize it picks back up again in just 6 weeks...yay!) Keep your heads covered and stay warm. I'm dreaming of a white Thanksgiving!!!!

MOTD: Neutrogena Healthy Skin foundation, Ben Nye Banana Powder, MAC Pro Longwear concealer, Elf 'Brown Eyes I' 6 pan palette, Stila smudge stick in Stingray, Stila major MAJOR lash mascara, MAC Viva Glam VI, Revlon Bronzed and Chic bronzer, Tarte AC blush in Dollface.

Highlight on a Rainy Day

Hi folks! Today I went and had my hair done, nothing major. As I have mentioned in previous posts, we are lightening my hair due to all the grey I am starting to get. I am really liking it and thought I would share a few photos with you. We didn't cut it any today, he said that it didn't need it. All he did was touch up my roots basically (which is turning into a hassle) and give me a really nice blowout. The front of my hair (just from the way he styled it)keeps wanting to fall in my face, as you will see here...

....and again.

That really is just from how he styled it. He does a great job, I can't complain! I was trying to catch all the different colors he put in my hair. Everything is really soft and natural. I can't believe he has got my hair this color in just a few months. He is the BEST.

Alright guys, hope you enjoyed! Stay in and stay warm, it's mighty cold out there! Take care. xoxo

Simple/Country Christmas Tree Decorating

Hey guys! I hate to even admit this, but last year I didn't even put up a Christmas tree! I used to be the girl who had at least one or two trees up by the 1st of November no matter what, and I didn't put up the first decoration last year. I have changed over time, and I just really don't get into the decorating much anymore. I decided this year that I HAD to decorate, at least some, and it has brought me such peace and joy. Sometimes you have to throw yourself into the season to make you feel the spirit of things, you know? So anyways, I have just started but I am not doing much and am not doing anything elaborate. But I thought I would share with you what I have done in the hopes that it can bring you a little holiday joy as well. I guess we can start with my tree. I am only putting up one this year, keeping it really simple. As far as ornaments and decorations, I enjoy country/rustic looking trees. I don't do colors or schemes or anything like that. I like simple, handmade looking ornaments. For years I used ornaments I handmade. I actually went and picked pinecones out of my grandmother's yard and made those into ornaments, and I made a cinnamon dough and made homemade gingerbread men and women (that I also hand-painted). I spent months popping popcorn and hand stringing it, which actually kept for several Christmases. But through the years those have broke and had to be trashed, and almost everything I use now has been bought from a store. I pick up stuff for my tree at lots of places, most of which are from "The Incredible Christmas Place" in Pigeon Forge, TN. I think your tree should be full of things you love. Unique to you. Back to the whole popcorn thing, a Christmas tree is not a Christmas tree without some popcorn.

This is professionally strung real popcorn from Stephen Douglas. Mine are the 9 ft basic/plain popcorn strands. It is coated with a preservative and lasts for years. I pack this away in freezer bags and it still looks like new.

Like I said above, most everything I use is bought and not made. The only exceptions are a couple of old ornaments and a couple of feed-sack quilted items. The idea of having a star on top of my tree is really special to me. That or an angel. But I still really believe in putting one of those on top of your tree. I wanted it to be rustic/country though, and I found this one on Etsy. It is made from a feed-sack and is on this big rusty spiral holder. I totally love it. I found this feed-sack quilted star at the Gingerbread Festival in Knott County. I also bought a quilted mitten at that festival, but it hangs on the door of my linen closet, not on my tree.

The only handmade ornament on my tree I think. I made this in 2nd grade at school when we learned to cross-stitch. This was one of the first things I had ever done that I remember being proud of. It's nice that my mom gave it to me to hang on my tree. Beside it is an ornament that hung on our tree when I was a little girl. It's a real book (just really small) - A Christmas Carol. I usually buy my ornaments individually. When I see one I like I get it, and over the years it adds up. I don't put plain glass balls on my tree. I want to love every ornament on it. As a background filler I use these "snowballs".

I have a whole box of these, and I never use them all. The single ones are cottony, with slight glitter/iridescence. The string of 3 is hard, like plastic, with the same shimmer effect. I place these near the trunk of the tree, wherever there are gaps between branches, etc. They were really expensive, orginally $7/piece. My mom got them on sale for me after Christmas several years ago. I love them so.

A few random shots of some of my favorite ornaments:

There's always elves on my tree (and in my house. I loveeee elves).

...and gingerbread men!

...and Nutcrackers!

Smores Santa & Snowman! <3

I love a nativity. The reason for the season.

My elf on a jingle-bell!

You have to have a Christmas mouse!

From my granny.

What else in a sushi lovin house??? lol

Through the years I have on occasion had these made.

Music box ornaments. These are so pretty!

Random ornaments from traveling: Disney World, Biltmore, Texas, etc.

Large, wooden ornaments I use for fillers.

I use several of these to store most of my ornaments. LOVE these.

I hang real candy canes on my tree, and all through the season when I want one I just walk over and take one. My favorite hard candy is cinnamon, so these are PERRRRFECT.

The finished product with my beautiful carolers my mom got me last year. I LOVE CAROLERS!!!

These carolers are beautiful! Definitely the main attraction of my tree.
A few other decorations I have put out:

My Jim Shore Carolers!

My giant elves from The Incredible Christmas Place in Pigeon Forge. They are the CUTEST.

Cracker Barrel lighted gingerbread house. This is over a foot tall. Prettiest one I've ever seen.

Charlie Brown nativity and tree. I just put these on an end table by a chair. Looks so sweet.

All I've done outside at the moment. Loved this big ornament door mat I found at the dollar store! (Smile....you're on candid camera!)

Well, I hope that inspires some of you to get into the Christmas spirit! I waited till 2 days before Thanksgiving, so, not that bad. Anyways, have any of you got your tree up? Send me a pic and let me know what styles you enjoy when it comes to decorating your house. I hope this Christmas finds you full of happiness and surrounded by loved ones to keep you warm on the cold nights. Thanks for stopping by everybody. Happy Holidays and Merry CHRISTmas! xoxo