Christmas!

I had a fantastic Christmas this year. From opening presents before the sun rose to eating dinner with some great friends to ending the night watching a great movie with my mom, the day has been filled with love, surprise, and gratitude. As I lie here in bed thinking over the day, I am so grateful I got to spend it with my loved ones in relative peace (the dog was kind of crabby). We didn't do anything big or even all that exciting (besides open presents), but just spending the time together was nice.

Holidays Approaching!

If you follow me on Instagram, then you know that I am gearing up to do some holiday looks. I have two filmed already, and one of them edited! I have a couple more ideas brewing in the back of my mind as I go to work and do my day-to-day stuff. Most of those things are based on what I adore about the holiday season. What are some of your favorite things about Christmas and Thanksgiving? Don't forget New Years! As always, feel free to give me suggestions for looks or any video ideas you want to see. Also, if anyone wants to teach me how to use Adobe Premier Pro CC, that would be fantastic.

Seven Days of Halloween and Stuff

I've decided to start a new tradition, and I'm calling it the Seven Days of Halloween. This tradition will entail watching an Halloween movie everyday in the seven days leading up to and including Halloween. I will also upload a tutorial a day in those seven days. (Might end up two on one day and none on some...life is unpredictable.) The first of these tutorials will be up tomorrow morning. The second should be up tomorrow evening. So check out my channel. Speaking of my channel, I have a new URL:

https://www.youtube.com/user/PotatoFaceMakeup

Check it out. If I have time and am motivated enough, I'll make a channel trailer.

I dyed my hair red. Did I tell you? No? Oh, yeah. Here's a picture or two.

Totally loving it. Well, that's about all. Tootles!

Pre-Urban Decay Makeup Thoughts

Ok, so this is before I try out Urban Decay (package should be here Monday!!), MAC, Sephora, Two Faced, or other "high end" products, other than my one Stila palette. Just had to be honest there. It's going to take me a while to acquire more high end stuff, especially since Christmas is just around the corner. Anyway, I just thought I'd give you a quick review of all the eye shadows I have in my collection and compare them.

First off, I have Color Workshop shadows, which I sometimes use. They have some great shades and seem to blend well with each other, if not with other brands. Not my favorites, but will work in a pinch.

Next, there is my Coastal Scents 252 palette. My absolute favorite right now. It's the one I reach for, even if I just want to do a simple look that I could do with the Stila palette, or my newest palette by BH Cosmetics. Sure, some of the colors suck noodles (I'm looking at you, bubble gum pink shade), but overall I have been pleased with the color payoff and the lasting power and the blending abilities. Most of the shadows last longer than the Stila ones if I don't use a primer. Also, this palette is so versatile. Come on, it has 252 eye shadows! Not only that but it's only $25! Take that, high end stuff!

Then there's the Stila in the Moment Palette. I was super excited to buy this when I found out it was on sale at Ulta the beginning of September. I love the colors in it so much! The shadows are super silky to the touch and incredibly pigmented. A little goes a long way for most of them. One shadow is much less pigmented and not nearly as silky. The matte peachy pink one which I think is called "Desire". Ok, I checked the palette, and that is what it is called. I have found that I can use it as a good blending shade for my brow bone. These shadows blend well together, and with the exception of the shimmery white ("Instinct"), they blend well with the Coastal Scents shadows. I'm glad I bought this palette, even if I was disappointed at first.

Finally, we come to my newest palette. As a disclaimer, I only got it today, but I have played around with it quite a bit already. I must admit that I was rather darn disappointed with this one. Oh! I guess I should tell you what it is. That's Heart palette from BH Cosmetics. The colors aren't very pigmented, the shimmery white one doesn't stay even with a primer or being applied wet (though it looks gorgeous the five minutes it lasts). None of them are matte. (I don't really mind that.) The packaging is way cute. They don't blend well. The blush is really cute and pigmented. The highlighter is FANTASTIC! I loved it. Almost made the whole palette worth it. I'll definitely let you know if I end up liking this palette better after playing around with it a bit more.

Well, that seems to be all. OH! I promised I would post a picture of my new red hair.

Wait what?

I was feeling kinda spunky today...ok, well, I was actually feeling pretty horrendous because I'm sick...so my illness-addled brain decided to do something I promised myself over a year ago that I would never do again. I dyed my hair. It's now bright red. I'll totally post pictures if I remember. Muah.

Looks

I've been really slow about filming and uploading the past week, mostly cuz it was my birthday. I'm working on editing my first haul video right now. So that should be up on time tomorrow. I have a few looks I'm going to try...if I ever feel like it after work.

Any looks you guys want me to try?

Any fall lipstick recommendations?

Today's Video!

Here's today's video. :) Enjoy kiddos. Also, here's a sneak peek for Sunday's video! Stay gorgeous, ladies!!

Videos!

Dudes! Check out my makeup videos!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSrUAbxskyvTzG47gljvMpg

Lipsticks

 Pixie Tinted Brilliance Balm

 A red by Color Workshop

 A nude color by Color Workshop

 a plum color by Color Workshop

 Angelica by Palladio

 Fuchsia by Palladio 

 Rosemary by Palladio

 Diamond by Palladio

 Kate 01 by Rimmel

In order of wear from right to left. 

P.S.

Still no sock monkey.

The Crazy of July

This month has been pretty crazy, what with the holiday and whatnot. My brother is getting married next week in NC, so my mum and some of my sisters and I are flying out there, and then we'll spend about a week roaming around D.C. I am super excited.

I've also been house-sitting, and I will be house-sitting up to the day we leave. That doesn't leave much time to pack between work and taking care of the doggies here. So, crazy.

Next month, I'm going to go to Silverwood with my friend, Dudemeister John Squidbat. (Here's his YT https://www.youtube.com/user/SquidSquadJohn)

I promise to vlog on both trips, even though it will be super weird, particularly for my family.

And of course, the part you are all waiting for, my cat update. Snuffles is doing well. I finally have his medical expenses paid off (thank goodness my mum takes payments!) Hopefully he'll stay out of trouble. (Knock on wood.) He will never lose that baby tooth since the adult tooth was damaged in the Horrendous December Tragedy (AKA the Chubs Attack), so he still has his adorable lopsided grin (cats totally smile. Evil smiles, but smiles nonetheless.) He had to go on a diet, but has lost the weight. Now if only I could manage that. :P

2014 So Far...

So far 2014 has been a great year. I still have mysterious illnesses that doctors can't figure out and ones that are really common like a pinched nerve in my butt and a wart on my hand. The wart is very resilient and has survived two attempts to freeze it off. Hopefully it won't survive the third attempt which will probably be next week. I am going to physical therapy for my pinched nerve. Apparently part of the problem is that I have really tight butt muscles that don't relax properly and that keeps the nerve inflamed or some such. So yes, I have nice, tight buns. :P Snuffles is just the same as ever, except he is now on a diet which Mum has a very hard time sticking to. I have a hard time too, but not nearly as hard as her. She sneaks him food in the mornings while I'm asleep. He has graduated to the outside world, but has to wear a reflective orange harness which Shane has dubbed his construction vest. I am always on the lookout for a little hard hat for him. No luck yet. Anyway, the vest has saved his life at least twice and most likely prevented injury when he was pulled over the fence by the neighbor's evil chocolate lab (I know labs are supposed to be sweet. Apparently not this one.) I am still working at the bookstore (Yay! My first ever job to last a year!) My boss is the best boss a girl could have. She's really understanding if I'm sick (which is a lot) or if Mum needs the car or some such. She adores Snuffles, too, which is always nice. :P John and I are going to LA at the very end of July to watch the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, which we are SUPER excited for. Woot! I am also very excited for Jill's new little bundle to add to our family. :) Gotta love nieces and nephews (especially from a distance :-P) Also, way happy for Matt. All in all, HAPPY.

Snuffles is a jerk.

Snuffles loves to bite. It's his favorite thing to do. And he has sharp little teeth. In other words, he's a jerk. Anyway, I'm doing well. I still get upper right quadrant pain every once in awhile, but it's mostly gone. John and I are trying to do a Let's Play of a Minecraft modpack. It would work better if the people we are trying to play with weren't so busy. Darn people having lives. I bought myself a HUGE eyeshadow palette. It has 252 colors! I've been having fun experimenting with the different shades.

Snuffles is doing much better. YAY! He still has a hole in his neck, but it's almost closed. The honey and contact solution must be working. He is one feisty little dude. My boss's kids got her sick, and she got me sick. I missed work today, which sucks. I like my job and need the money. But you can't really work if you're puking. My friend is moving to a town about an hour or so away this week. It makes me sad, but I'll live. Mom finished Alexus's dress today, so hopefully she will start on my sock monkey soon. Shane and I are on opposite sleep schedules, so I haven't talked to him much.