Great FACE Friday - How did you do that?!

Good Day my followers and fellow bloggers! 
I am loving the winter break I have been on and believe me I am taking it all in!!!!!  My house is sparkling, I have been on lunch dates, lounged around in sweats on the sofa, spent all day on Pinterest and much more and My Face is Great!!

As I stroll about, through the streets of Minneapolis and surrounding Metro Area I am often asked how did you do that?!  First of all I admit, I was born with it... Surely I jest! haha.. I then tell them I do this, that, and the other. 

Well for those of you that have always wondered what it takes to get this great face... pay attention, take notes and put your seat belts on! The faces below were created by the steps to the right of themm; the products and a glimpse of action.

**Disclaimer:  I do not buy expensive makeup, I actually USE my makeup, and my hair was in the middle of drying and on my NERVES throughout these pics.  DON'T judge me!! ***

1. Face using Covergirl. 

First the top liquid powder, next the simply powder evenly distributed over entire face and under chin in order to prevent makeup lines..

2. Primer using Urban Decay. 

Some use a brush I use my finger, again evenly distributed over the entire eyelid.

3. Eyebrows using Covergirl. 

First brush with one end of the eyeliner pencil, next fill in with pencil, careful so its not too dark!

4. Eyebrows using Covergirl.

I use clear mascara to brush them into shape and they are secured for most of the day.

5.  Eyeshadow using Covergirl.

I suggest, and I always do, begin with a flesh tone color, I like shimmer, your choice.  Since this one is slightly darker than my tone, I apply this to the crease and below.

6. Eyeshadow using Maybelline.

 I am HUGE on blending, so of course I can't leave the top half of my eye bare.  This flesh tone is slightly lighter than my tone so I apply this to the crease and above.  I could stop here for a day look and skip ahead to steps 11 and 13.

7.  Color using Maybelline. 

This is typically how I add color to my eyes.  I decided to go with a purple. This purple is the lighter of the two I will use, so it will go in the middle.  I begin in the middle and make my way up.  Using this angled brush I am able to form an arch with the color that lines up with the arch of my eyebrow.

7. Shading with black using Covergirl. 

To shade in for more of a dramatic look I begin at the outside, again using the angled brush making my way up to align with my eyebrow.  This time I allow for a more narrow gap.  This is entirely up to the eye shape and amount of drama you want for your eyes. If I wanted to skip the purple and do this on the nude eye (after steps 5 & 6) I would go from a day look to a night look.

8. Blending using Covergirl & Maybelline. 

Using my brush by Sonia Kushak, I retreat to the flesh tone shadows from steps 5 & 6. 

The slightly darker is used to blend from the corner of my to the middle of the eye, the slightly lighter blending from right at my arch out to the end of my eyebrow.

9. Clean up with Covergirl.

Using the straight edge of the liquid powder, I clean up all excess eyeshadow.  I do a sweep under my eyes as well.

10. Adding depth using Physician's formula and Covergirl.

Using the biggest powder brush I have I use the Physician's formula on my cheeks (accenting my freckles :D) and a smaller powder brush to add the bronzer as a blush which creates a shadow for slimming my face.  I add this to my nose and forehead and under my chin as well.

11.  Eyeliner by Maybelline.

I LOVE eyeliner.  I like it heavy.  You don't have to use as much, but again the more eyeliner the more drama. I start at the beginning of my lashes and make my way out.  I make the line thicker as I go outward. 

12. Mascara by REVLON.
Mascara is something else I LOVE :).  First the grow luscious (all green) followed by the grow luscious plumping.  This gives the depth and length I want.   ALMOST DONE.... :D

13. Finally LIPS by Jordana and Blistex.

Blistex is my favorite lip balm, nothing special about that. :) I like Jordana because is nude and $1.50 at Walgreens.  I would not do a color on my lip with all of this eyeshadow, however skipping the purple, and lighten up on the black, you could pull of a red, coral, or berry. 

GREAT!!!! I'm done and ready to go. 

Your face is Great GIRL! "woo weew" (the hott mama whistle I couldn't do if I tried! haha)

Please comment your favorite steps and or anything you could add or change regarding my current process.  I would love to hear your suggestions!!!

Wadrobe Wednesday - My two FAVORITES!

This Wednesday I decided to take full advantage of December feeling like April :)
I also ventured to mix two of my favorite colors, Navy and Kelly Green.. LOVE! Especially how the colors bring out different features of my face, shape and skin tone.

Navy is totally winter appropriate, while Kelly Green is usually Spring/Summer BUT I decided to mix it in... take a peek!

Blazer: Green- Old Navy | VNeck: Old Navy | Pants: NY& Co | Wedges: Franco Sarto

Cardigan: Heartbreaker | Tank: Gap | Jeans: Arizona

What two colors do you have SOO much of, or happen to be your favorites.. can you put them together and rock it?! I had a blast mixing my two favorites! :)

Music MONDAYS! - Leah Smith

I hope your holidays have been a BLAST! :) Our family Christmas was amazing, and through all of the holiday finds, I came across this stunning voice.....Leah Smith.  She also falls under the category of MARVELOUS! 

She is a smooth beauty similar to my last Music Monday Feature, Leah Smith has a more dynamic sound with a focus on Christ, I LOVE IT!  Her abilities are so high quality. She can sing, she can play, she can hold her own with very little on stage, imagine what is to come as she progresses.

Her website is still Myspace which I think could be upgraded a bit, however, after all the high acclaims noted in her bio I completely agree with this:
"Smith’s music offers a breath of fresh air to the music that mainstream culture has grown accustomed to. Leah Smith wants to share with her listeners that 'real, living hope is accessible to all.'”

Featured on BET's 106 & Park

LOVE HER STYLE... and her smile!

Her she is LIVE.....

This is the song I fell in love with, SUPER upbeat and intriguing.. Im warning you if you are in the mood for that, you will not play it just once. :)

Toddler Tuesday! Feliz Navidad...

Amidst practicing for our Christmas service that the little kids sing in..

Take I

Take II

The beautiful Mayowa ...has been a busy girl.

organizing the pecans for NaNa's homemade turtles

making sure the chocolate tastes right... "helping" as she phrased it :)

in front of the tree at NaNa's

Her first "skirt and blouse" affair, means she is no longer a baby she is now a girl!

Afterwards when she found my lipstick!

Thoughts on Thursday!

Thursday is all about thoughts, opinions and the like.  I have what I call 'MOMENTS' and these are when I struggle to make sense of all that is going on and wish I could behave as my toddler does and throw a tantrum right in the middle of the floor.  All 5'10'' 200lbs of me (yes I'm a big girl tho I may not want to behave as such)!!! 
Something that feels like this... usually...

Having a MOMENT!

I realize that before I get to the above moments in life, I usually progress as follows...

On my NERVES....

really??!!!! is this REALLY what is happening right now?!

MOMENT!!!!!!!!

So what's a girl to do?
Specifically this week, there is so much on my plate, A TON of due dates from finals in school, project deadlines for some of my side hustles, end of term processing for my job, new songs this weekend for church.... I mean COME ON!!  When it rains it pours right?!?!?!

That is what I felt like yesterday, and as the chaos of today ensues, I find myself in the eye of the storm by changing my focus.  The glass is half FULL, it has to be!  I have a job, I am in school, I get to sing lead in the most awesome worship band ever AAANNNDDD I have an awesome family. 

I rely heavily on prayer and quiet time with my Bible, I focus on the good and not as much on the bad (although it is kicking me in my shin half the time) and I make sure to stay organized, at the very least a few days out, so I can take one day at a time. 

I do love life, and all that is in it... do you?

Happy place... :)

Comment below if you have some tips for stress or hectic schedules... how do you not only cope but stay happy/ joyful/ motivated/ inspired throughout all of the things this life offers?

TODDLER Tuesday!! My darling is 3!

I bought basic inexpensive wood letters from Michaels and painted them, then hung them in her room. :)

My beloved Mayowa, that's her family name short for Gabriella Olumayowa which is her first and middle name.  She is amazing and beautiful and more than I could've ever imagined in one little container of joy. 

Apple Orchard Fall 2011

Her second name, Olumayowa (oh-loo-mah-yo-wah), is Yoruba for God has given/brought us joy. I liked the ring to it when she was first born, and my husband is Yoruba.  She is a gift, given to us on Nov 3, 2008... I didn't know what she was going to be like, obviously.. but let me tell you, if you have been around her or most times even see her, she brings a smile to your face and literally 'joy' to your heart!!

about 2 months old

From 2-3 she transformed SO MUCH!! :)

Age 2, literally the day after her bday, with her favorite... ELMO! :)

Winter 2010; she loves painting

Easter 2011; my office pic of her

Spring 2011; on the way to daycare

This was her 3rd birthday party :)

and her thank you card below...

LOVE THIS GIRL! :)

From Her Eyes - MUSIC Mondays

Mara Hruby is super MARVELOUS. She is beautiful and talented, from Oakland, CA (WEST - SIDE!) and she summed up her introductory sound as a Melodic Melting Pot

Her bio on last.fm says this:

"...She burst onto the scene in the beginning of 2010 playing shows all around the Bay Area and is now releasing her debut EP “From Her Eyes”. This is her first release of music to the world and it will say a lot about her character and vision as an artist. Mara Hruby worked on this album for a total of nine months and even went as far as recording and arranging/engineering her own vocals. As a true artist, she jumps right into her dreams and doesn’t emerge until a full, final, conceptualized, and complete project has risen. “From Her Eyes” is an EP of cover songs originally recorded by male artists, and each song has represented a moment in her life. She is covering artists such and Mos Def, Andre 3000, Jamiroquai, even D’Angelo and a few others. She is a mesmerizing artist that puts on a show with poise and grace, and she’ll bring you into her heart like no other. "

Needless to say, after that anyway, she is a gem. These few gorgeous and beautful snapshots can be found on her website http://marahruby.com/

I am lovin her hair and her great FACE!  You know I LOVE a Great Face!!! :)

Buy her Album: FROM HER EYES here (Loving the mathematics undertones on the cover graphic.. hehe)
And while you wait for it check her youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/marahruby22
Below is her newest video, LOVE IT! I hope you all enjoy her as much as I do.