Current Obsessions

It has been a LONG time since my last blog post, so I figured I would do a little blogging...
First of all- I am BEYOND excited for all of the amazing gifts that I received for Christmas. I feel very spoiled.

First on my list of obsessions is:

My New Skis!!
Now this isn't a picture of my actual skis, but it's a picture of the same ones.
I am so excited to finally own my first pair!
Can't wait to try them out.

Second is:

MAC's "Club" Eyeshadow.
Now obviously these pictures are not of me (I would kill for those eyelashes). However, this shadow is AMAZING regardless of who is wearing it. It is sort of a brown base with a smoky green overtone that blends out beautifully.

Third is:

My new Reebok Runtone shoes. These babies are super comfortable and after wearing them for a few hours, I definitely felt a good burn going on. (No Courtney, not that kind of burn).

Fourth:

My new MAC 109 brush.
Definitely an investment piece for me, but totally worth it so far. It's a small contouring brush, perfect for doing bronzer in the hollows of my cheeks and temples. Hey, I'll use all of the slenderizing help I can get. :)

Fifth:

Leather (faux of course) Leggings. These babies are SO versatile, so comfortable and so sexy.
I wear them with black pumps, a cute top and a black blazer or cardigan. Perfect night out outfit.


Last but Not Least:

In keeping with the season, I am currently obsessed with Pine Garland.
Especially over-the-top real pine garland, draped around doorways, staircases, and everything else. I love it wrapped in lights as well, and it gives a gorgeous (easy) festive touch.
Love it!

That's all for my current obsessions. I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas and has a safe new year!!

Top 10 Nail Polishes

So I decided to re-evaluate my nail polish collection. I wanted to go through and see which ones are my true favorites. What are yours?

This one is my #1 favorite all-time nail polish.

I loved it so much I bought 2. It's the perfect nude nail color.

This is a great fall/winter color, and it is a true taupe.

This is such an awesome color. Although it's pretty dark, it's got some really beautiful fine glitter particles in it.

A cult favorite, this is Bubble Bath, which is an amazing pinky nude.

If you're looking for a nude with a grey hue, this is the color for you. Moon Over Mumbai is a gorgeous one.

Here Today...Aragon Tomorrow is a gorgeous deep green color. No sparkle or shimmer, just a deep green matte shade with a glossy finish.

One of my favorite "cheapies" is this Jordana Barbie pink color called Pink Bunny.

This Essie color came out around the same time that OPI's Jade is the New Black came out and looks very similar....

This Ulta shade is a gorgeous chocolate brown... and I bought on sale when the polishes were 6 for $21!

I also bought this one in the same sale....a gorgeous matte lavender color.

Share your favorites!

A P10P Update

For those who have been reading my blog posts, you'll know that a few months ago, I started something called Project 10 Pan where I am not allowed to buy ANY new makeup products until I finish 10 products from my current (massive) collection.

Although it's been difficult, I am getting through it and have successfully completed one of my products! (The MAC lipglass in Underage).

That means I still have 9 products to go, but I think that I should only need about another month to finish them... Just in time for Christmas! Yay!

Wish me luck!

The Not-So Glamorous Life

Although my passions are all things fabulous, I also have a rough side. In case some of you don't know, I have a tendency to be a fighter.....

Case In Point:

Thug means never having to say you're sorry.....

Maybe this is an opportunity for me to test the coverage power of my makeup? I had a dream last night that I could virtually cover the entire thing with concealer... somehow I don't think that's quite possible.

In all seriousness, I didn't get in a fight with anyone... I just got in a fight with a softball.
I'll be sure to post pics of the recovery!!


Thug life.

A Little Update.....

Well...  I have been MIA for a few weeks.... so sorry...
Justin and I took a trip to Albuquerque for a friend's wedding, and I caught the bouquet!!

Lucky Justin!!

(Not a picture of the actual bouquet.... even though I do have rather mannish hands).

In other news, I am still staying strong with my Project 10 Pan!!
I am about 3/4 of the way through my Revlon Photo Ready foundation, and about 1/2 way through my NARS Bronzer.... This project is a little more difficult than I thought it would be.
But I must say, I do fall asleep each night with a smile on my face, dreaming about all of the things I'm going to buy when I have the chance!

I know I said that I really loved the Revlon foundation, but I think I've had a change of heart... Lately I've noticed that when I wear it in photos, it makes me look lighter than I really am, I think due to the reflective particles in it. I'm thinking I may go back to my old trusty Bare Minerals foundations after my P10P is over.... Any thoughts? I used Bare Minerals for years and never had a problem with it... I just felt like changing to liquid foundation for some strange reason. We'll see. 

In new makeup news, here are a few things I'm looking forward to buying post-Project 10 Pan:

The famous Lancome Hypnose mascara. A favorite of stars such as Khloe Kardashian. I used to use this mascara years ago, and I remember thinking it was amazing. It's a little pricey (Around $23), but well worth it.

MAC Dollymix Blush. Although it may look a little bit bright, it's said to give you enviable pink cheeks, and is raved about by many YouTube gurus.

 Finally, the product that each and every YouTube beauty guru has been raving about: the Urban Decay Naked Palette. I can not WAIT to get my hands on one of these... luckily for me, while I can't buy any right now, they're currently sold out across the US. Rumor has it that Ulta and Sephora should be restocking these in mid-October. Yay!


 Well, that's about all I have to say for now... I'll keep you all updated on my Project 10 Pan, and also on the engagement front.... What's the time frame a boyfriend is supposed to follow when his girlfriend catches the bouquet? 

Hmmm..........

Project 10 Pan!

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New Discovery!!

For those of you who have ever been to my house, you may have seen my makeup case. And when I say makeup case, I mean CASE. It is literally a huge train case that weighs about 20 lbs. I keep it under my sink and open it up in the morning when I do my makeup. It is huge, and I am obsessed with makeup.
However, makeup is REALLY expensive!!
I have always used Bare Minerals for my foundation, but ever since putting myself on a budget, I've decided to switch to drugstore foundations and have been experimenting with a few that I think I am really enjoying.

One is:

The Revlon Photoready foundation (My shade is 08, Golden Beige).
I am really liking this foundation. I apply it with a stippling brush and it gives really good even coverage.

L'Oreal True Match. My shades are N5 True Beige for all over my face and N8 Cappuccino for the edges of my face.  This also gives great coverage ( a little bit heavier than the Revlon) and matches my skin well.

But the greatest discovery of late is the Maybelline Stylish Smokes quads.

I LOVE MAC eyeshadows, but at almost $15 a pop, they get really pricey.

The Maybelline quads are an AWESOME alternative!! 

These shadows give great color payoff, and they also give instructions on how to use them for those new to makeup or quads! Perfect.

I am always coming up with new makeup discoveries for cheap, so I'll keep you updated!!

“The best thing is to look natural, but it takes makeup to look natural”- Calvin Klein


Love,
Kelly

Aren't You a Little Old to Be Afraid?

Remember the scene in Home Alone where Kevin stands on the snowy front lawn of his suburban Chicago house and proclaims to the world, "I'm not afraid anymore! I said, I'm not afraid anymore!" before the ominous Old Man Marley walks up to him and stares him in the eyes, prompting him to run inside and hide?

Well this is reminiscent of the feeling I had today!

It may sound trivial, but I have finally learned how to iron!!
After several years of owning an iron and an ironing board, I finally took it upon myself to learn how to iron properly. For work, we are required to have our white cotton shirts pressed with heavy starch, and for a year and a half I've been taking my shirts to the cleaners to have them pressed.

Not only is this extremely inconvenient, since the only affordable dry cleaner is across town, but it's also expensive!! Dry cleaning five shirts a week can really add up!

So, I sat down at my computer today and typed into google, "How To Iron". I felt so silly doing this, but lo and behold a website popped up that answered all of my questions and deepest fears.
It seemed to have been written directly for me.
As I followed the directions meticulously, I watched my white shirt transform from a wrinkled mess into a presentable, well-pressed shirt!!

I stood on my bed and shouted, "Did you hear me!? I'm not afraid anymore!!"

Finally, that  strange contraption collecting dust in my laundry room known as an "iron" now has a purpose!

For all you Fashionistas on A Budget, here is the link to the Holy Grail of ironing:

http://www.thewisdomjournal.com/Blog/how-to-iron-shirt/

Character Building Exercise

As I am sitting at my computer tonight making wishlists for Christmas and for when I have money to buy fun stuff again, like makeup, clothes, etc., I started thinking...

Even though money is extremely tight right now (being that I have a very inconsistent job that doesn't pay a lot), I have started to realize that half the fun of buying things and getting new things, for me, is getting excited about them.
Before you stop reading because you think I'm crazy, stay with me for a minute.

Ever plan an awesome vacation? For me personally, half the fun of a vacation is planning it, thinking of all the fun stuff you'll do, all the people you'll see, great food you'll eat, and memories you'll make. Obviously, that's no fun if you don't actually GET  to go on the vacation, but I really do enjoy planning.

For me, this applies also to buying things. Even though I know I can't afford any big purchases right now (or small purchases, for that matter), I still love browsing the internet and thinking of all the things I can't wait to buy... a new car, a house, home decor, a new mascara, a pair of shoes.....
Sometimes dreaming about all of the fun stuff you might buy some day is enough to hold me over.

Plus, I think about how nice it will be when I can spend money on things and not have to worry so much about how much is in my bank account, or what bills I have to pay coming up this week. Obviously, money will probably always be something that most people have to consciously think about, but when I can go out to dinner and not worry about spending too much, I think I'll  appreciate it more than if I had never had to struggle to make ends meet.

Maybe this whole post sounds cheesy and cliche, but I really do feel like I am becoming a better person by not having everything handed to me. Having to suffer a little bit and work a little bit harder might not be a bad thing in the end....?

And even if my whole "life plan" doesn't work out, at least I'll have a great makeup collection.... :)

In the words of our beloved Carrie Bradshaw, “As we speed along this endless road to the destination called who we hope to be, I can't help but whine, 'Are we there yet?'”

No Job? Might as well Blog!

So I've always considered myself a kind of Carrie Bradshaw of sorts.... I'm always coming up with cute and pithy questions and quotes after momentous (or mundane) occasions...

"I couldn't help but wonder... what if the hokey pokey really IS what it's all about..."

Ok, so maybe I shouldn't put myself in the same category as our beloved Carrie Bradshaw, nee Carrie Preston.

But Carrie and I do have a few things in common, other than our love for provocative one-liners... 

Our mutual love for all things expensive.

If you'll remember on one memorable episode of Sex and the City (SATC for short), Carrie found herself in financial ruin. Ok, so that happened on MORE than one episode, but stay with me for a minute. 

On this particular occasion, Carrie discovers that in order to buy out of her apartment lease, she needs to come up with capital, which happens to be all hanging, rather sitting, in her closet, in the form of hundreds of pairs of Manolo Blahnik and Christian Louboutin Shoes... to the tune of $40,000 worth.

So my financial woes are not NEARLY as dire as Carrie's, nor is my closet nearly as impressive, but I can echo her sentiments when it comes to having great taste (and I do have great taste) but not quite the budget to pull it off.

This blog has been a long time coming for me. I love to write, and I love to talk about shopping. Even when I can't shop, I would rather talk about it than pretend it doesn't exist. Therefore, this will be my forum when it comes to all things shopping. Not only clothes shopping, but beauty, household, food, and even bill-paying (I don't know who the hell considers that to be shopping, but I'll include it anyway). 

As much as it pains me to include you all in my struggles throughout becoming an adult, and moving into the "real world", I figured I would put myself out there in the hopes that I can offer some small degree of comic relief, and who knows? Maybe this could get me rich?

Hey, a girl can dream.....

So to wrap up my first blog post, I only have one thing to say....

In the words of Carrie Bradshaw, "Balls are to men what purses are to women."