Brown Smokey Eye Makeup Tutorial

Here's the makeup tutorial I filmed last week. Would you believe it was over eighteen minutes when I finished? Luckily I got it to just over eight after I cut out all my ramblings. ;) I hope you enjoy it.

Friday Favorites

Here we are again: my weekly collection of things I love. I'll have to admit I had a hard time coming up with five things this week as I haven't been on the computer much. I did several photo shoots, and shot a couple videos this week besides working on a recipe post for later. But now it's time to settle back into the usual grind of commenting, editing photos and videos and writings posts. But until then here are things I'm loving this week:

I love the fact that Molly is making me a Route 66 dress for an early graduation gift. ♥

Re-reading this book for the fifth time and listening to the soundtrack. ♥

This outfit of Elizabeth's. Love the bright red, faux leather, studded jacket!

This lovely wedding dress. I want a 50's inspired wedding dress with a sweetheart neckline and sheer top when I get married.

This lovely craft from Emma and Elsie. It's no secret that I have an affinity for dear, and this is just such a perfect rustic + feminine pairing!

♥ Jack's newly finished book. I cried at the end. One of the best books I've ever read. The characters were so much fun, and the story so engaging! You can read the first chapter over here if you're interested - which you should be.

♥ The fact that these lovely sandals are on their way to my house (I can't wait to wear them with my new Route 66 dress!), and that I got $5 off them with the code "oneyear."

♥ Three blogs I am loving right now: one two and three.

♥ Listening to all my "summer music" which includes: Josh Groban, Owl City, Blackmore's Night, Enya, Celtic Woman, the Boatrights, and more!

♥ The fact that I won this awesome denim jacket to replace the one I lost last year (blasted!). And it was my first ever Ebay bid, too! That's right, I am officially a legal adult now. * applause*

♥ The fact that in just nine weeks I will get to spend two weeks here. You have no idea how excited I am to see my best friends again!

Wondering Kind // Daily Outfit

{dress/ModCloth :: shorts/thrifted :: cardigan/Francesca's Collection :: belt/H&M :: hat/H&M :: necklace/Target :: shoes/courtesy of Blowfish Shoes}

I cannot even believe it's Friday! This week was my spring break for me and my sisters, but I still had some school to get done so I can be ahead before I got on my trip in May. Despite that I still had a chance to get a lot of blogging stuff done, and I have some great posts planned for the next couple weeks that I cannot wait to show you all!!

It's been so warm here lately I've been able to go bare legged - an unusual phenomenon for in March around here. Yesterday I took the opportunity to don my favorite pair of shorts, and wear my straw hat.

This weather makes me miss Jack soooo much! It reminds me so much of the weather in Tennessee/Alabama when we went to our friend Sarah's wedding last April. I wish I was going to see Jack next month (and that the weather would be this nice when I do!) but unfortunately I'm just going to have to wait until May. The good news is that getting to be with her on her 25th birthday is worth waiting an extra month for. ;)

Do any of you have any adventures planned for this spring/summer?

Blue and Red // Daily Outfit

{skirt/thrifted :: tank top/my mom's :: belt/thrifted :: boots/Blowfish Shoes :: necklace/Target :: jacket/TopShop :: bow/handmade :: lipstick/Kat Von D's Painted Love Lipstick in Underage Red}

Sorry for the photo over load. I feel so narcissistic posting this many pictures of myself, but the truth is: I love photography and right now I'm the only model available to myself to work with, since all my friends live so far away. Having said that, I really love how these photos turned out. The difference between a point and shoot and legit DSLR is amazing. ♥

Some days I just feel so grown up in such a great way. I know what I want to do with my life and I'm going to go after it. The nearer and nearer my graduation gets the more thankful I am that I decided not to go to college. I know that it works for a lot of people and I'm happy for them, but I know that it would have been a very, very bad decision for me - not to mention one that would have been made for all the wrong reasons. I'm confident that I'm heading on the path God wants me to, and I'm so incredibly excited to see what He has in store for me in the next year or two!

Wish List Wednesday

1. My Love Polka Dot Dress

2. Pam Breeze-ly Tunic in Aqua

3. What's the Story, Winston? Necklace

4. Shared Moment Floral Dress

5. Puppy Love Belt in Red

6. Pickle Mary Jane Platform Heels

Italian Cream Soda Pop // Recipe

I've been meaning to post this for weeks and I'm finally getting around to it.

Italian cream soda pops are one of my favorite drinks ever, and they're so simple to make! All you do is take club soda, mix it with some Torani syrup (I used about two tablespoons of syrup to 8oz of club soda ), squirt a dollop of whip cream on top, and mix it in. And that's it! You're finished.  I told you it was easy, didn't I? 

My favorite flavor lately is hazelnut. I don't know why nobody has thought to make/sell/market hazelnut soda. It's sooo good! ♥

Old Friends // Daily Outfit

{dress / Red Dress Shoppe :: skirt / thrifted :: sandals / Merona :: belt / H&M :: jacket / Topshop :: necklace / Target :: flower hair clip / H&M}

Despite what Jack Baillot may try to tell you I do have a favorite season: spring. 

I give the credit of my love of spring to my friends Dickon and Mary Lennox. They taught me to notice the little things: the most turning green again and the small buds on the trees. The smell of the earth as it warms, and the songs of birds. They taught me not only to notice but to count each thing as a promise of of summer's arrival. 

As much as I can't wait to be able to move away from here, I know I will hate being somewhere new for the first year. I've spend over ten years crawling about every inch of my neighborhood. I've spent ten springs watching everything unfold and turn green again and I'm used to it. I get so excited when I'm able to carry on a conversation with the first chickadee of the year (they have such a distinct call), and the first tie I see a cardinal. I love when the weather warms up and I am able to visit all my old haunts for the first time in months. I greet them as long neglected friends - excited to re-discover everything I love about them.

This park is one of my newer haunts. It's a large, open, grassy field, surrounded on all sides by back yards. There is only one entrance to it, which is hardly marked. It's one of those places that can only be found by "those who already know where it is." One of my old childhood friends showed me it last summer, but surprisingly, this was the first time I went by myself. I'd forgotten how magical it is. It's just such a quaint place. The houses around it aren't fancy, but they seem sort of old fashioned to me - like something out of the 20's or 30's. I just love it. ♥

On another note, I don't usually re-post outfits, but after I got dressed today I realized that this outfit is very much like this other one I wore last April. I think this is the first time I've ever had relatively the same taste in style for nearly a whole year. Go me!