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

Hello November

inside my week.


i slept in today because i got up early yesterday to go to my first spin class in months. if only bed wasn't so inviting. i haven't been a consistent spinner but i'm determined to become one after my class yesterday. it's difficult to walk down the stairs today, my calves feel like they've been beaten repeatedly with a meat tenderizer. the instructor of the class yesterday was half drill sergeant half motivational speaker and is exactly what i need in the morning - to be yelled at (in the kindest way possible) about how great i am, how great i'm going to be and how everything depends on my choice. he's fantastic at what he does and revs you up to the point where i had to stop myself a few times from shouting out "YEAH! I CAN DO THIS! C'MON LETS GO!!!" oh and he had superb spinning music which is a big, BIG part of spinning. i can't wait to go again.


on Monday i had the second interview for MAC which involved bringing a model (i brought Ish.) and going to town on her face. well, not really. that actually would have been much better instructions. there was about 9 of us in my group (4 groups at different times during the day, so roughly about 40 people). we were instructed to do a neutral smokey eye and a bold lip. they told us this about 5 mins prior to going in the room to get ready. i knew exactly what i was going to do to Ashley's face. they gave us 10 mins for the eyes, 10 mins for the face and 10 mins for the lips. long story short . . . i hope they were looking for how we work under pressure and not my best makeup application because there's no way i could have done my best smokey eye in 10 mins. sowwy MAC! they said we would get a call within the week if we passed. still holding my breath. 

( ashley post-MAC-makeover )

posts to come : 

Etsy Faves of the Moment

Coffee Table Books Galore

MAC : A Tartan Tale ( holiday collection! )