Merry Holidays!

tis the season to be Godly.


i wanted to wish everyone around the world a merry christmas, but i think the term "merry christmas" is becoming politically incorrect. we can assume that "merry christmas" refers to the holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, a man born thousands of years ago who apparently has been the only "living God" and the only "way" into another world we like to call heaven... where apparently we live for eternity. if we live in heaven or hell for eternity than we really must only be on this planet for literally a split second because eternity is a pretty frickin' long time. now, i'm not here to tell you what to believe or not, that's 100% your prerogative and ample use of your free will, however, as most of you already know, i don't buy the Jesus thing and most certainly never will.


i have my personal reasons of course, and a goal in my life is to study heavily the story of the man named Jesus and how the bible came to be. there's no use making claims of belief unless you have delved into what you believe thoroughly. so, i'm not here to make claims. but i will say that (like i've said in this post here), i don't think our creator judges us. and if he doesn't judge us, then he couldn't possibly have chosen "the one" or "the ones" because that would mean judgement has taken place. the definition of Christ is "chosen one" and the supposed man named Jesus Christ (the only chosen one) leaves a really bad taste in my mouth. because Jesus was human, that's all he'll ever be. was he a human with superhuman powers? no. was he a human using his fullest potential? YES. IF he existed at all, HE WAS HERE TO SHOW US WHAT WE ARE CAPABLE OF. WE ARE ALL GOD. there has been and forever will be, other humans that are here on this planet, in your lifetime, to lead by example the GREATNESS we all inhibit. YOU ARE GREAT! SO AM I! and to prove it (wink, wink) i received a lovely "Note From the Universe" this morning celebrating not only Jesus, but every single human being to ever exist. this is what it said . . .

If it's not yet obvious to you, the real reason for this, and all seasons, is you, Justine. A more perfect child of the Universe has never lived. Until now, only celebrations cloaked in myth and mystery could hint at your divine heritage and sacred destiny. You are life's prayer of becoming and its answer. The first light at the dawn of eternity, drawn from the ether, so that I might know my own depth, discover new heights, and revel in seas of blessed emotion.

A pioneer into illusion, an adventurer into the unknown, and a lifter of veils. Courageous, heroic, and exalted by legions in the unseen. 

To give beyond reason, to care beyond hope, to love without limit; to reach, stretch, and dream, in spite of your fears. These are the hallmarks of divinity - traits of the immortal - your badges of honor. May you wear them with a pride as great as the immeasurable pride we feel for you. 

Your light has illuminated darkened paths, your gaze has lifted broken spirits, and already your life has changed the course of history. 

This is the time of year we celebrate Justine McKnight.

Bowing before Greatness,
    The Universe

was this a short, random note to let you know what i believe christmas is about? yes. sorry to be so blunt. but i don't have too much time right now. in fact i should be in the shower right this minute because i have to go to work. but i wanted to let you all know quickly, that you should take a minute to really believe in the power you have. and know that whatever created us, loves you (and me) unconditionally, has always loved you unconditionally and is without judgement at all times. i sincerely wish every single one of you love, inner peace (which leads to world peace) and health for the coming new year!

love your fussygirl,

justine xoxo.

Hiatus

it's that time of year!


sorry for the pathetic lack of posting. i don't even know if anyone is still reading this blog anymore . . . hello . . . ? anyone? haha, yah. it's mainly due to 1) my incredibly old, slow and bogged down laptop that i now avoid using because it just makes me want to run myself into a wall and 2) i'm juggling two jobs in december . . . ouch! but everything is good, aside from my first job not being too happy with me dedicating my life and love to my second job that we all i know i worked my butt off to get. they even kicked me out of the secret santa - how nice of them to show the true meaning of Christmas by excluding me from joining in on all the reindeer games. well Rudolph was a non-conformist so eff the games :) 


i prlly won't be posting as much as i have been the last few months, my apologies to you, but i will be updating my makeup blog soon! i had my first official creative shoot with a photographer friend of mine ( check him out here ) and it couldn't have gone better! we worked in true photo-shoot-fashion and banged out a 14 hour day, accomplishing 4 different looks, 6 different scenarios and 2 different series. i can't wait to show them to you! i'm debating about moving my makeup blog to the new blog platform Tumblr . . . what do you guys think? is anyone using it? i have no idea how to customize it to my liking which is the con. 


it seems everyone around us is getting slammed with snow, but somehow we're managing to be missed. i really would rather a chaotic amount of snow. it would be the final touch on making this time of year feel more festive and of course, would make things much more exciting. there's still 13 days left until the big day so lets hope we Torontonians are blessed with snow. LET IS SNOW, LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW! by the way for some reason or another ( prlly because i'm feeling fussy right now ) i find myself refraining from swearing a lot in this post. you're welcome!


all the best for the last 12 days of shopping! oh, and try not to do it in your pajamas! k thanks,


justine XOXO

The Fuss & Ish Show!

november edition.


i remember as a child, the month of november felt like an eternity. it was a full 30 days, the final month before Christmas and always seemed to draaaaaag on. well, not as an adult! here we are, headed into the last month of 2010 and i've got pictures to prove all that was experienced during "the longest month of the year". fall was lovely, weather has been superb (although, i really want a white Christmas, so i'm ok with it getting colder) and lots of loose ends are being tied up. i love new beginnings, clean slates and fresh perspective!!! into December we go . . . (time to get out faves like National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, The Santa Claus and Elf)

post-MAC-interview

Ish's paparazzi shot

jimmy the babe blogging

Ish and our tiny chocolate mousse! perfect.

jimmy the babe & his scarf

uncle jake & jim

getting his beauty sleep

first fire

Ish's housewarming party

wine & cheese

Fuss & Ish

friends

awkward sibling photo

a living room dance party

Nothing

fickle.


i first found out what that word meant in the eighth grade which is surprising to me because i think it describes me perfectly. "fickle" by definition means marked by erratic changeableness; liable to sudden, unpredictable change. my mind flips and flops back and forth from idea to emotion back to an idea that leads to a different emotion that could all have to do with one thing. i'm hoping it's something i grow out of. i don't find it an attractive trait. i may be fickle but at least i'm honest about it my sudden changes of thought, feeling or viewpoint. but if there's one thing i know that will never change about me it's my love for expression. all kinds of expression, so long as it doesn't cause physical harm to anyone. i want a life filled with expression. look, i'm expressing right now. i would EXPLODE if i couldn't express myself. there's nothing more inspiring, more touching, more human than the form of expression. 


there, that was my piece for today.


so Toronto, do you think we're going to have a white Christmas? i sure hope so. it's been pretty above the seasonal temperature though. oh, for those who don't know, I GOT THE JOB AT MAC! it's temporary as of right now but nonetheless, i'm estatic. Christina Aguilera's debut film, Burlesque, is out this weekend so please be sure to RUN to the theatre to see it! if not for the story, at least for her vocals in the songs. some of her best work yet. have you started thinking about your New Year's resolutions for 2011? i have . . .  like months ago. i reeeeeally hope i get to travel next year. to Europe. meaning Italy, France and Ireland. this post is really about nothing isn't it? yah, i know. 


well then, i suppose i should go until i have something useful to say?! i'll leave you with a little expression to end this right. please enjoy . . . 

Gifts From NARS

for your makeup lover. or just for yourself.


i just checked out NARS for holiday gifts and they have some beautiful sets for very reasonable prices. i thought i would feature some of my faves for those who need Christmas ideas or are in need of some holiday makeup. i'll be doing a highlight on MAC's holiday collection as well in the very near future. happy shopping! oh,  ps. for those of you who have no idea what NARS is or where it came from, allow me to introduce you to Francois Nars. his makeup is absolutely beautiful to work with, blends wonderfully, stays on, bright pigments and he does a joyous job putting colours together. he's also got incredible names for his shades. . .  one of his most well-known and loved being the "Orgasm" collection. the blush i'm using right now is "Deep Throat". how fun!

Lip Gloss Collection, $40

Best of Lips Palette, $50

Modern Love Palette $55

Everlasting Love Palette, $75

Doucers de Paris, $55

Crazy Heart Lip Gloss Coffret, $50

images via NARS

do you use NARS cosmetics? do you have a favourite product/shade?

The Russian Hat

a birthday party.


to celebrate a dear friend's birthday, i decided it was an appropriate time to bring out my new Russian inspired winter hat (from H&M). the night was fantastic! we drank a little, ate a little, danced a little, laughed a lot and everyone got their turn with the Russian hat. portraits were taken and the following was born . . .

me!

annie

phil

jonan

ash

simon

bruce

i forget her name! sorry!

anela

haley

drew (birthday boy)

vasyl

jackie

emily

brad

the end.

This Day Rocks!

HAPPINESS IN EXTREME LEVELS.


for those who don't know already, i FINALLY got a call from MAC for the third interview with the manager who has been helping me all along so needless to say, i think i'm hired! i got the call while waiting for the 'new-hire' papers from H&M as i've just been hired there as well! this is just one heck of a day. i've never been more pleased with The Universe than i am right now. i feel 100% about being on the right path and i haven't felt like this in so long. i'm going to take some time this weekend to sit down and really have a heart to heart with The Universe to show my gratitude and pretty much say "Ahh, you almost had me fooled!". . . but once again, it has come through at the last moment and i'm sure the right moment for the right reasons. this is what i get for being so impatient. i loose hope too fast and from this i will learn.


i'm also working on a couple different photo shoot ideas with one hopefully shot before Christmas. i'm going to start building my makeup portfolio and i also have a new blog in the works! it will be just about my work as an artist and an up-to-date portfolio as soon as i get one going. for the next little while i'm happy to say i'll be learning, researching, looking, studying, training and beaming at the beginning of this new adventure. thanks to all of you for your encouragement and support. your belief in me has truly had a hand in this all coming together. please let me know if i can repay you in any way :)


have a FABULOUS day!


love, the happiest girl on the planet. XO.

Lanvin♥ + H&M = AFFORDABLE LUXURY

i  ♥ H&M. and now, even more.


i'm sure you've heard somewhere recently that a new line will be added to H&M's already eclectic selection of clothing and in case you don't really know what's going on, here are some photos of what you can expect to see in stores November 20th. as always, prices will be affordable for folk like me :) i think the video debuting the collection is incredibly creative, random and artsy fartsy which is always inspiring to see (it also has a kind of "The Shining-esque" quality about it - fun!).


the artistic director of the luxury, Parisian line Lanvin, Alber Elbaz, wanted to use this collaboration with H&M as a fashion experiment and give the majority of women who can't afford Lanvin a taste of fashion divinity. there certainly is something in the blood of Europe that can't help itself but to create exquisite fashion garments. please enjoy and do check out!

images via Style.com

for prices & entire Lanvin ♥ H&M lookbook go here!

Fashion's Night Out

fashion-spration.

i stumbled across these photos on Models.com as i've been heavily researching key players in the fashion scene. and by key players i mean makeup artists. i absolutely love the hairstyles, makeup and wardrobes at this year's Fashion's Night Out Show. especially the makeup and hair of the 1920's style flapper girls - how wonderfully creative of the stylist, artist & hair guru. i love when interesting things are brought to life that are so appealing to the eye. and there's nothing like the human body to catch your attention. i also really like the way the photographers shot these photos. everything is fabulous, just frickin' fabulous!

photography by Betty Sze & Janelle Okwodu

all images via Models.com

Etsy Faves of the Moment

Christmas ideas anyone?


i've searched Etsy recently for some fantastic jewelry finds for things such as holiday parties, new years eve, Christmas gifts and holiday parties . . . i love holiday parties. i'll be posting these periodically as i am in love with Etsy. you will be too :) 

where you can find the loveliness that is above . . . 

1. designbycara, $32

2. arthappens, $42

3. glamgorgeous, $22

4. joannarutter, $100

5. cravejewelrydesign, $20

6. lonkoosh, $16

7. junkforlife, $18

8. theguildedlilystore, $65