A Lovely Christmas Weekend!

This past weekend was amazing! I have enjoyed every minute of being with family and friends...we had delicious meals, relaxing lazy days, and enjoyed lots of laughter.  I hope that you all had a very Merry Christmas! 

{ Here is my parent's living room, its so cozy and perfect especially at Christmas! }

Creating the Perfect Cat Eye

Over the years the amount and type of makeup that I wear has varied, but one style that I always return to is the cat eye.  It is retro, yet modern, and looks perfect paired with jeans and a t-shirt, or an elegant cocktail gown.  Depending on the thickness of the eyeliner the look can go from sexy, to subtle, to flirty.  


There are a few keys that I have learned to create a desired look that WILL stay all day! First of all remember to use a good eye shadow base or primer on the lid to decrease the chance of smearing.  Second choose your type of liner wisely.  I have discovered that pencils, although easy to use, are not the best if you want to create a clear and long-lasting cat eye.  Out of all the liners that I have tried I prefer this smudge pot from Bobbi Brown in "Caviar Ink" and this liquid liner from Stila in "moss".  


When applying the liner make sure that you pull the lid tight so that you can create a smooth line.  Start lining on the inner corner (not actually in the corner but a few centimeters away) then keep the brush moving in a slow fluid line until you reach the outer corner of the eye... now here is the tricky part.  You don't want the cat eye to stick straight out so instead try to curve the brush upwards, almost so that it follows where your eye lashes naturally go.  Then make the look as dramatic as you want by adding thickness. I prefer to not line the bottom, but if you do decide to don't line all of the way across the bottom. The last step is to curl the lashes and apply a coat (not too many coats!!) of your favorite mascara... here is mine! Good luck and I hope that you rock this look for the holidays! 


Hint: For ultra longwear spray this on your makeup...it works wonders for me! 

                      

{ Perfect cat eye!! Image found here }

The "Yule Log" Channel and a Space Heater

I love how cozy my apartment feels especially since it is almost Christmas, but there is definitely something missing...and that something is a warm, crackling fireplace.  Luckily we have a backup (a space heater on while the TV is on the "yule log" channel) but that is not quite the same.  The summer before last my family went on an RV road trip to Yellowstone to stay in the Old Faithful Inn.  They had the most amazing stone fireplace there and I would love to have a (much smaller) stone fireplace in my house someday. 

{ Old Faithful Inn fireplace... isn't it amazing!! }

{ Lake Placid Lodge fireplace...I love the leather chairs and leopard pillows! } 

{ This is what the "yule log" channel looks like...pretty realistic, if you have a good imagination you can almost feel warmth radiating from it! }

{ Image 1 from here, Images 2 and 3 from here }

Fantastic Christmas Movies

This week is the perfect time to curl up on the couch with a hot drink and watch a Christmas movie.  There are so many great ones... from cartoons to real people and from old to new.  I have put together a list of my favorite holiday movies, they aren't in any particular order, but I hope that while you are with family you watch one and enjoy it! 

White Christmas (Sisters, sisters!)

Christmas in Connecticut (definitely for Romantics!)

Love Actually (not necessarily family appropriate, but so enjoyable!)

Frosty the Snowman 

Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer (...who wouldn't want to be a dentist right??) 

The Family Stone 

Miracle on 34th street (the original) 

It's a Wonderful Life 

Elf (Always makes me laugh) 

The Shop around the Corner (if you like "You've got Mail" you'll love this!)

The Bishop's Wife

Christmas Vacation 

A Christmas Story 

The Grinch

Holiday Party Dresses

As the Holidays approach I am sure that many of you have fabulous parties to attend.  And if any of you are like me part of the reason that I love attending parties is because I get to dress up in beautiful things that I cannot wear everyday.  There are many different types of dresses that work perfectly for a holiday party and I deeply believe that it is better to be overdressed than underdressed.  Here are a few examples of dresses that I know would turn heads at any Christmas bash! All of these dresses are found off of asos, my most recent obsession...

{ This dress would be adorable with black velour pumps and a maroon blazer! It can be found here.}

{ This dress is so feminine, I would spice it up with sparkly gold pumps a black coat and curly hair. It can be found here. }

{ I adore this dress it is daring and yet so versatile! I would wear dark grey booties and accessorize with a pewter cuff, oversized earrings, and a ballerina bun. You can find it here. }

{ I love this take on the L.B.D. and although it is simple there isn't much that needs to be added to it. I would wear straight hair, black pumps, red lips, and a fabulous cocktail ring.  The dress can be found here.} 

{ I am a sucker for anything maroon...this dress is stunning! I love everything about it (except the way that it fits the model) I would pair this with simple black booties and square silver stud earrings! It can be found here. } 

Pictures with Santa

My grandma sent me an email with photos of very traumatized children with Santa the other day and I keep revisiting it... I probably should feel bad for these little children, but the pictures make me laugh every time! I know that every family has pictures like this and that's probably why they are so hilarious. The last picture is my little cousin when she was a baby girl, so cute! 

The Perfect Present for...

When clicking through etsy for who knows how long I ran across these fabulous prints that are printed on vintage dictionary and book pages.  They would make the perfect gift for all types of friends! 

{ For your scientific friend }

{ For your artistic friend }

{ For your friend who loves fashion }

{ For your friend who believes in love at first sight }

{ For your friend who wants to travel around the world }

{ For your friend who loves all things glamorous }

{ For your friend who is a dreamer... this one is my favorite! }

Luxury Wishlist

So there are always the more practical things that we put on our wish lists for Christmas then there are the luxurious totally unnessary things that we know would make our lives a little bit more glamorous.  This list is for the friend who has it all or who just needs a dash of fabulous added to her everyday life.  

{A super soft "mink" throw for cozy nights by the fire and little slipper booties to match! Comes in lynx, mink, coyote, and arctic fox.  Both are on sale and can be found here! }

 { Beautiful decanters that would be perfect on an entryway table! All three can be found here. }

 { Rustic candlesticks for your friend who has a cozy home. }

{ Voluspa "Maison Noir" candles in crisp champagne and pomegranate patchouli scents...Mmmmmm. Both found here. }

When It's alright to judge something by the cover...

I have always been one to do my Christmas shopping early because I want to make sure that my gifts are well thought out.  The second reason is that I LOVE to have presents under the tree as long as possible... not just shoved under the tree in bags, but beautifully wrapped.  Here are a few ideas for gift wrapping that are so pretty not sure I would want to rip the paper!! I hope that you all have a lovely weekend! 

{ Images (and instructions) can be found here }

A Lovely Danish Afternoon

Sometimes it is wonderful to get away even if just for an afternoon.  Last weekend Dan took me out to Solvang, which is a little Danish town about an hour south of Santa Barbara.  The drive through the mountains and vineyards was absolutely stunning.  The whole day was lovely we ate lunch in the park, looked around in antique shops, saw countless decorated Christmas trees, and devoured delicious pasteries.  

{ Yes...this is a GIANT gingerbread house...well not big enough to live in but bigger than my closet! }

{ I loved this candy cake, how much fun would it be to have this at a gingerbread house making party? }