Wedding Pics April 22, 2012

So, it's only been 4 years since my last post...

Well, it's now 2015 and a lot has happen since I last blogged. Ransom and I got married and had our 1st baby girl, Berkley Marie, in 2013. Then a surprise happen and we welcomed our 2nd baby girl, Sutton Louise, in 2014! Needless to say.... I've been one busy lady!! I've been focusing so much on being a mommy and a wife, that I slowly lost myself. However!!!!! I'm ready to get Michelle back and become a better version! I'd like to turn this blog into a "life" blog. Basically, I want to touch on everything. Married life, being a mom to 2 under 2, trying to eat better and the dreaded exercise thing, house stuff, diy, kid stuff and of course- where it all started... Beauty! Anyway... I hope I still have at least 1 follower after all these years.. Ha...haa? Lol I prob don't but that's ok! I shall regain! Well, I need to hit the sack and tomorrow I shall begin work on this here blogaroo.!!

Cheers! Happy New Year friends!!!

Michelle

Eyeshadow = nail polish!

This is so cool guys!  Found it on what else..... Pinterest!

You can take loose eye shadow and mix it with clear nail polish to make a NEW nail polish!  Then if you want a matte look, just top it off with a clear matte polish!  How freaking CREATIVE!

Check her out here!

fellow blogers!!!

Is anyone else having issues on commenting on your own blog??   I can not comment on my blog for some odd reason..  so PLEASE dont think I am being a snob and just not responding..  I do not know what the issue is but I'm about to hurt something or someone.. lol..

PLEASE let me know if you too are having the same problem!!

Thanks!!!

expiration: FYI

I was reading a post on my new friends blog called school and the city earlier today. She did a great post on knowing the expiration dates of our cosmetics.  I'm sure a lot of people are unclear of this information and we all should be aware of it so what happen to her doesn't happen to us!  lol...  go read her blog to find out what she did! She has an awesome blog, so go leave her some love!

So here are the recommendations:

Concealer- 6-8 months

Powder/Pressed Powder/Eyeshadows/Blushes- 2 years 

Cleansers- 1 year

Liquid Foundation- 3-6 months

Cream Foundation- 4-6 months 

Mascara- 3 months 

Lip gloss/Lip Stick- 1 year

Eye/Lip Pencils- 1 year

She suggests taking a marker and writing down the date or year of when you purchased the product so you can remember and know when to throw it out.  Good idea, right! 

Now go through your stash!!

*michelle*

Blog Hop

Further information to come..

15 beauty recipes using whats in your kitchen

Who doesn't love not having to spend money on things to make us even more beautiful!?!
Here are 15 different recipes you can make using simple ingredients from your kitchen that will help beautify your beauty! 

1.) Brown Sugar and Honey Facial Scrub

This is probably my favorite one. Brown sugar exfoliates the skin ridding the pores of all dirt, oil and dead skin cells causing blemishes. Honey is naturally antibacterial, so as the brown sugar scrubs away the things clogging pores, the honey cleans out the sources for this buildup to prevent future breakouts.

2.) Coffee Grounds in Conditioner

This one is really simple. Instead of throwing old coffee grounds away, toss them into your conditioner to make your hair extra shiny. That’s all it takes!

3.) Replace Conditioner with Vinegar

To get rid of the usual problems with hair: build up, dullness and just lackluster, replace your conditioner with vinegar 1-4 times a month, depending on your hair type. Just use it as you need it. And don’t worry about buying the best stuff for the best results, common white vinegar will do the trick as well as any other vinegar.

4.) Olive Oil as Hair Moisturizer

It’s easy to see how oil can moisturize your hair. It’s simple to use it as well. Simply cover your hair in olive oil and leave it in for 30-45 minutes. You can also wrap it in plastic wrap to keep it from dripping and some believe it enhances the effect.

5.) Lemon and Egg Facial

Have red splotchiness on your face? Soothe both symptoms away easily by mixing together one egg yolk and the juice of one lemon into a paste. Cover your face with it and leave it on overnight. If this seems like too much work, leave it on your face for an hour. You might not get the optimal results with this time, but you will see a difference.

6.) Replace Conditioner with Baking Soda

Want to be more like a guy and only use one thing to clean your hair? Then just add baking soda to your shampoo. It will remove build up and make hair shinier, and you can use it everyday.

7.) Degrease Oily Hair With Lemons and Aloe

Mix together 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon aloe vera. Mix it together with a normal serving of shampoo. It will get rid of your oiliness in one shower.

8.) Smooth Fizzy Hair With Honey

Add a tablespoon of honey to a litre of water. After shampooing, rinse your hair with this concoction to tame your frizz.

9.) Replace Face Wash With Skim Milk Powder 

Switching face wash out with skim milk powder can make your face much softer and give you a smoother complexion. It’s also very gentle, so even the most sensitive can use it.

10.) Moisturize Skin With Honey and Olive Oil

Honey holds moisture extremely well and olive oil hydrates well, too. Mix equal parts of olive oil and honey and add a dash of lemon juice if you’d like to create a pasty lotion. Rub it onto the dry skin and let it sit for 10-20 minutes. Your skin will be hydrated for plenty of time to come afterwards.

11.) Soften Skin With Oatmeal

There are many concoctions and mask recipes that involve oatmeal, but you can use oatmeal by itself to help your skin. Ground up about 1 cup of oatmeal using a blender or coffee grinder, and add it to bath water to soften skin to baby-like quality.

12.) Treat Choline-Damaged Hair

Mix together 1 egg, 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1/4 cup of a peeled cucumber. Cover you hair with the mixture and leave on for 10-20 minutes. You’ll see your hair return to normal almost immediately.

13.) Tone and Rebuild Skin With Avocados and Carrots

This recipe can work wonders. Combine 1 avocado, 1 cooked carrot, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1 egg and 3 tablespoons of honey. Leave on for 10-20 minutes and then rinse. These ingredients add a multitude of vitamins, antioxidants and calcium to rebuild natural collagen, tone skin and remove age spots. There is plenty to read about the benefits of each of these ingredients, but all you need to know is that each natural element does more than any store-bought item can.

14.) Lemons or Oranges for Fine Hair Hairspray

Use Lemons for dry hair and oranges for a stronger hold. Chop up the entire piece of fruit in a bowl as to not lose any juice. Boil the fruit with 2 cups of water until soupy or when the liquid has been significantly reduced. Strain through a cloth and put into a spray bottle. The citrus will hold the hair and not damage it due to the fact that there is no alcohol.

15.) Apple Cider Vinegar for Cleanser and Toner

This eliminates dead skin cells easily, so you can use in lieu of expensive toner. That’s all there is to it!

4 more days till Thanksgiving!


*M*

scrub those winter lips away

chapped lips suck! period. 


here's a homemade scrub recipe that will say goodbye to those cracks and HeLlLoOoO to lipstick!




All you’ll need is: 1 tsp of coconut oil, 1 tsp of raw honey, 1.5 – 2 TB of raw/granulated sugar mixed, and a dash of lemon juice.   

Coconut Oil = vit E & K, polyphenols are anti aging, & fatty acids that moisturize w/o breakouts

Raw Honey = natural antibacterial, amino acids that moisturize. Raw is better bc it hasn’t lost it’s healing properties.

Raw Sugar = produces glycolic acid/alpha hydroxy which exfoliates & stimulates collagen production – anti aging

Lemon Juice = vit C & citric acid brighten skin, scars, and exfoliates.

PSST!!! Use left overs for an entire facial scrub!

{sound the fire alarm!!!} WARNING: rub at your own risk – I don’t want to get blasted with DIY gone wrong photos bc you went scrub happy. Avoid sun exposure bc of the natural acids in the mask. Any leftovers should be stored in the fridge.

Thanks to pinkpistachio!

working out motivation!

Ransom and I will be starting our wedding day GOTTA GET FIT routine the monday after Thanksgiving!   I always need motivation to keep going...  here's some motivation for you and me to help us all get going!!!

God Bless Us!   lol   


Gooood Luck to you and me!


*michelle*

Just for the girls... (what do men prefer?)

I was reading a magazine the other day and came across an article that talked about what girls prefer in men...

So I thought that writing about what Men prefer would be fun for us gals to read! 

I asked Ransom and 2 other guys their opinions...  here's what I got! 

Q- Whats the first thing you notice about a woman?

A- confidence, eyes, butt, eye contact

Q- What lip color do you find sexiest on a woman?
A- nude and red ( depending on a girls hair color and skin color)  lol

Q- Do you find it sexy when a woman makes the 1st move?
A- yes- shows confidence and knowing what she wants

Q- Body type?
A- "healthy" .. not too skinny.  A girls that feels good about herself will look good to others.

Q- Heels or Flip Flops?
A- Obviously depends on situation. Heels are sexy "as hell" and flip flops ( with nice feet) are comfortable and relaxed.

Q- Makeup or no Makeup?
A- I rather eat cake..   ( me- enough said? lol)

Q- Athletic or couch potato?
A- It's nice when a girl likes to be active with you


Q- Do you like when a girl is well groomed?
A- it's always nice when a girl is put together.. shows she cares about herself.

Q- Do you find body odor sexy?
A- after working out- yes.....   not showering for 4 days- no.   lol


Q- long hair or short?
A- long..  but short can be sexy too.. depends on the girl.


Q-lingerie or comfy pj's?
A- i dont really care, lingerie every now and then, comfy-b/c it's more natural.

Q- Eating half of the plate or finishing off the plate?
A- eating the whole plate- she's doesnt waste money..  lol



So those were a few Q AND A's from a few guys...  some answers are funny if you ask me. lol

Take Care guys!

Zebra..CAKE!

Umm... how awesome is this!!!!  

ZEBRA cake instructions: just color half of white cake batter. Drop 2-3 tbsp of first color into center of cake pan, then do the same with the other color, making concentric circles. Keep layering the colors on top of each other. The batter will spread out on its own but once in a while you might need to tap the pan on the counter to help it along. If you don't get it 
to spread evenly, it won't bake evenly.

Zombie...

This is soooo late but I couldnt find my cord till today!!!

I used the 88 palette, red eyeliner, and black liquid liner for the cracks.  Very easy to do.


Wanted to share it even tho it's almost Thanksgiving.. maybe you would like to dress up for Turkey day?  lol  

                    Everyone dressed up at work..  =)

Cash Envelopes!

   Since we're getting married in almost 5 MONTHS we are seriously trying to be very frugal this holiday. I came across this on Pinterest and thought it was amazingly clever and wanted to share with my FABulous bloggers!! 
  They are called 'Cash Envelopes'...and it's called The Cash Envelope System. This system was created by a man named Dave Ramsey. 

  We are going to try this and see how it works.  So far from what I have read, they really work! 

  Now of course you do not have to have cute, fancy ones like the picture above.. you can do plain white envelopes like Ransom prefers..  

                                           ( BORING ).   =)
  You can label them what ever you would like.  Most that I have seen are labeled... - groceries..- gifts..- gas..-  movies..- dining out..- clothing..- fun....  You get the drift. 
  The labels can change as you and/or your family changes or even when seasons change! 
  After each paycheck you look at the money you have and separate it into whichever categories fit your needs best!  Once you have spent the money allotted ..THAT'S IT.. until the next pay period!  Easy enough...right?  
  Ramsey says that it is harder to spend cash money than plastic money.  When your shopping spree totals up to $120.00 it is easier to just swipe the card.. but if you are physically putting down $120.00 in CASH.. it hurts a little more and makes you more aware! When you think about it.. it is true. 


You can either make them yourself or you can buy them on Etsy.com ! (clicking link will take you to the cash envelopes) 

                                Citrus Designs on Etsy.com 
                                        SOOO CUTE!! 


If you have this system already, please let us know how it is working out for you!!  


*m*

A look at our engagement party..

It's been a month now since we celebrated our engagement with family and friends..  it was a lovely night!  The ladies did such a wonderful job decorating and getting everything together.. food was awesome and we received some nice gifts.  

Here are some pictures from the night..

                                                   The clubhouse we had it at..   

                                 Our cake my lovely friend Summer made!

Our invitation

Some girls from work.. the girl in the scarf is a bridesmaid..

Miss Courtney!

Mom, me and sister ( maid of honor)

Ransom opening up some more wine! 

Kelley (bridesmaid) like my other sister! 

Christina ( bridesmaid) 

Cutting our cake... but not with a knife! lol..

Mom, Dad, me & Ransom

It was a wonderful night and I wanted to share it with all of you!!  Happy Saturday to everyone. Go Dawgs!!

xoxoxox

Michelle

Quick beauty tips and tricks!

Good evening guys! Hope everyone is relaxing after a long week.  Im sitting here in my p.j.'s with a little vino enjoying the warm fire.. perfect friday night with the fiancee. =)


Tonight I wanted to blog about some tips and tricks that work really well. Some you may know and some.. maybe not.


          TIPS AND TRICKS! 

               
1. Before you curl your eyelashes, zap your curler with your blow dryer for a second. Make sure its not to hot before you put it on your lashes.. you don't wanna burn your eye!


2. DIY tinted moisture..  mix a tiny amount of foundation with your facial moisturizer. 


3. Afraid to put liner on your top inner lid?  No worries- put on your liner on your water line and close your eyes really tight... open your eyes and you'll see a big surprise!  


4. If you can do it.. try to not wash your hair every single day.  Washing your hair every day actually does more bad than good. 


5. Want healthy, dewy skin? Sure you do- well, drinks LOTS of H2O everyday!  It helps to rid the old and bring in the new!!


6. To help with winter chapped lips.. brush your lips with your toothbrush. I do mine when Im brushing my teeth.. really helps!  I also put a little Olive Oil on my lips before bed..  it helps! 


7. Are your nails yellow from dark nail polish?  Scrub nails with a nail brush and whitening toothpaste! 


8. Wonder why her makeup looks so great and yours is fading fast?  She probably primed before applying the rest of the story..  ALWAYS PRIME your face before doing anything else.  ( well, moisturize 1st... THEN prime) ;0)


9. Apply translucent powder under your eyes to prevent fallout from your eyeshadow or GLITTER! 


10. If you apply a cream base product on your face.. apply a powdered product over it to ensure it's..lifespan.  Example- cover concealer and foundation with a face powder and cover cream eyeshadows with a powder eyeshadow in the same color. 


Hope these help some of you guys out!  Tips and Tricks are always fun to learn!!
Have a wonderful night.. 


<3 Michelle

Awesome Fall Hairstyles

Are you always looking for cute new hairstyles?  Me Too!  =)
I rounded up some super cute ones to share... enjoy!

(links are underneath most pictures, they just dont show up until you put mouse over it)

                                                                    The ballerina bun

                                                        How to do your own 1950 curls

                                                       How to curl your hair with a sock!

                                                                     How to video..

This last hairstyle is a must have 'do' for FALL!   =)............

Cute, huh?!!
It made me smile, so I wanted to share so you could smile too!

Thanks for stopping by my blog and i would love to hear any comments for you!

Have a great day guys!!

*Michelle*