DESTASH

HI GUYS- Doing a HUGE de-stash of some of my indie pigments.

Large Jars: $5
small(regular indie size): $3
samples: $1

Always willing to make deals if you buy a large amount. :-)

BEAUTY FROM THE EARTH (BFTE)

FULL SIZE:

mouse king
rachel
atomic teal
lotus
ocean mist
emerald bliss
rogue
shenanigans
ribbon candy
mischief maker
broken halo
beam
clear crisp night
winter wonderland
splash
spellbound
gooseberry
out all night
little beach
tease
caribbean

lava momma
carrot cake
unicorn
kou
wild berry
sugar plum
guilty pleasures
cavelier
illusion
dark prince
some girl bite
sinister instincts
full moon rising
sugar coated
red velvet
lavish
schnookums
glistening
very vailla
spiced gumdrop
errai
nekkar
okul
kastra
kraz
denebol
draconis
Ushakaron
hydrobius
vega
zaniah
meissa
orionis
poodle pandemonium
love potion 9
poison ivy
lavish
amber

Black
butt naked
double chocolate 
moondust
pricked
a la rose
espresso
mocchiato
coca
cafe latte
bondage
salted caramel
cupcake
mi amour
pookie bear
big ego
panurple
bosenberry]
spider venom
isis(PENDING)
beautiful
chili pepper
chai
sassafrass
fath
autumn
blackberry sorbet
lollipop kid
colorado front range
hazy skies
silver maple
sycamore
clara
babycakes
jumping bean
sweetgum

SAMPLE SIZE:

7 seas
electric
blue monday
peacock
blue bayou
laura
melon
red river
mississippi mud
starstruck
trufflr
bat wing
big island
heat
aloha
kiss the frog
patriot
1999
harvest
celtic charn
sunst blvd
spirit
glimse
dusty rose
tropical
midnight kisses
saturday morning
subcooling
hollywood secrets
cheap thrills
way up high
guipure
blue bird

sweet nothing
winter blues
classic
miracle
illusion
midnight blue
blueberry(PENDING)
swift
gem
mermaid
appletini
walking on water
wildfire
grape
tangerine
spank me
poison brew
emerald city
gable
treason
glitz
funky fruit
black cherry
lovestruck
green apple
honey
fire dancer
vamp
sweet nibblets
sweet n spicy
blacklisted
seduction
livid
wysteria
ornamental
big island
bubbly
wizards wand
addicted
alakazam
sugar plum
aphrodite
smoke
rasberry
wacky

MON ENNUI PIGMENTS

Large
tesla coil, marakata(PENDING), peep shoW, natural, truce, currant affairs, year of the horse, strobe, mojito, hydrangea, peony, margery, jinx, sea sells seashells, gris beau, frosting flowers, sad violet, scandalous rose, birthday girl, cactus water fire opal, royal deception, vertigo, fairytale, dalek, sugar on top, angel, paper hearts, kama sutra, bitter chocolate, lina blanche, tenderly yours, year of the rat, snake, pig, ram, dragon year of the pig temptation

Small
wish for wishes, sorbet sunrise, kiss and tell, mr.x , pin the tail, benthos, mirage, illusionist, hyperbole blue, grounded, golden times, peacock, eyes of argus, lila, perfect 10, cake fight, brawn, body language, half jack, skeleton key, for ember(PENDING), koi, deadly nightshade, absinthesis, bar b, masquerade, mangosteen dream, ambition,

sample
druid, guiness, redrum, taupe opera, paparazzo, fairground fluff, tzatziki, shady lady, golden times, smut,  butcher, monolith, twilight, laguna, zest abalone, toile, soft rain, life on mars, dream catcher, lovers tiff, licorice pink diamonds majesty powdered penny good girl gone bad copperplate rock dove

TAKEN:
paper hearts
party favor
cupcake addict
royal punch
blindfold
red velvet
chesire
killer queen
eat me
summer breeze
hypnostatic
oil slick
sea dragon
pink mist
sunset sky
unicorn riot
stormy eyes
sunset sky
secret garden
rumor
vesuvius
dragon wings
beta test
djinn
seafoam and salt water

MORE TO COME!!

Project No-Buy 2014: Week 1

Week 1 (January 6-12)

Well, not much to post this first week. As usual, the beginning of a low buy makes you want to buy everything! However, I am sure that will pass, as it did last time. I hope. I think with the money I save I am going to take a few makeup classes at KRYOLAN, they are starting up again for the year and they look interesting. Instead of buying makeup I will learn different ways to use it! :-)

Purchase Total: $0

Money in Makeup Bank before purchases: $0

Money after purchases: $0

Week 1 Goals

Goal 1: Winter cleaning.  I cleaned out A LOT. Donated 3 boxes of books to the thrift store and 4 bags/boxes of art supplies to children's group homes. Switched up my makeup storage to make room, organized a bit more.  *COMPLETED* +$5

Goal 2: De-stash.  Organized new makeup and got rid of old makeup and will add a blog post this week for items to swap/sell. *COMPLETED* +$5

Writing/Blogging. Two blog posts. +$8

Art. None.

Reading.  I finished Orange is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prison +5 and The Kite Runner +5

Empties. None this week.

Self Control. I did not go over my allotted spending this week.

Makeup Account this week: $28

Makeup Account Total: $28

Goals Week 15 (January 13-19)

Goal 1: De-stash Post.

Goal 2: Start Art Journal.

A few things for sale...

Selling these all BNIB, will lower prices for combining items, may be flexible on price, make me an offer. I will also add on 3% for paypal fees if gift option isn't used. Here is the picture http://imgur.com/5JpR7uU

*Sugarpill Cold Chemistry Palette $30 shipped

*Anastasia Beverly Hills Hypercolor Powder in RED $10 shipped

*Cult Nails Love at First Sight and top coat(prefer to sell together) $15 shipped

*LIT Glitter Love Me Tender $10 shipped

*Lit Glitter kit Champagne Wishes and glitter adhesive $15 shipped

*Billy B eyelash curler $10 shipped

Project Low-Buy 2014

Much like my no/low-buy last year, which you can find HERE or search PROJECT NO BUY, I am going to try to cut back on buying and spending on beauty related items. Last year it was a 100 day no/low-buy, This year I am going to extend it, around June I will see where I am with it and possibly take it further, depending on how much I have saved. I had a specific goal in mind as far as what I was saving towards last year, this year I don't have a huge goal per say, one may come up during it, so I'll see! I would love to save up for some really nice brushes.

Project No-Buy Goals

Instead of a traditional no-buy, I'm still following the project created last year by Darkside of Beauty to 1) finish makeup I currently own, 2) not horde so much new makeup, 3) to keep up with my 2014 resolutions and 4) save money for something else. I will be updating this project every Sunday. If you are curious about the No-Buy project or if you also want to be part of it, keep reading!

Rules

As of January 6th, 2014 I will not be allowed to buy any beauty related products, unless...

1. the product is an absolute essential (shampoo/conditioner, cleanser, deodorant...etc.) and I have run out.
2. I run out of a product and I have nothing else to replace it (ex: I run out of my current eyeshadow primer and I have no other primers in my collection)
3. I receive a gift card, money or am gifted makeup and therefore am not spending any of my own money on it.
4. Monthly subscriptions and a cpuple products I have been waiting to get before this year- Sugarpill Sparkle Baby palette and BFTE Steampunk collection. Getting these I hope will deter me from buying other things also.
5. If I am in a place that I usually never go and has products that I am otherwise never able to get (ex: if i am traveling to another country or go to a store that is not available close to me).
6. They are giveaway prizes or gifts!

*Remember that I have tons of products that I purchased before now that I have yet to show on my blog! Keep that in mind with any upcoming posts! I will be honest with all of you on this project; I gain nothing from lying to you guys! This also gives a a chance to talk about some of my favorite permanent products and re-discover lots of items!

Although I am calling this a "No-Buy", I am making some exceptions for myself. These are rewards for myself for 1) following the no-buy, 2)following weekly goals, and 3) sticking to my 2014 resolutions. 

1. Weekly Goals. Every week (on Sunday) I will set two goals for myself. Each of these goals should be met by the end of the week. If the goal is met, I will award myself $5 of allowance for makeup (therefore, I have a possibility of earning $10 per week). If I do not met either of them, then I get $0 of spending money. 

2. Blogging and Writing. One of my goals(again) this year is to write more consistently, which also includes my blogging. I started this blog for many reasons, I love beauty products, for one but I also love fashion, art, photography, writing, etc. I consider all of these things as part of beauty, not just how we look but who we are inside. I want to push myself to do more. So for every blog post I will award myself $4. For other writing(essay, poem, story, etc) I will award myself $1 a page, so if I write a 3 page essay I will get $3, a poem, $1 and so on. 

3. Art. This may sound like an odd goal, but art used to be a huge part of my life,   and it's slowly taken a back seat to so many things. I really slacked on it last year, so this year I am going to try again! Painting, drawing, photography, sewing are all things I used to do consistently. So for every piece I do, or if I create something I will award myself $5.

5. Reading. I love to read but tend to do it in "spurts," meaning I will read voraciously for a week or two, a ton of books and then go back to nothing. I would like to be more consistent, because I love reading, I just tend to get side tracked. I did really well for most of last year then I didn't read much the last 3 months. So for anything under 200 pages, $4, between 200-500, $5 and over 500 pages, $8.

                     

6. Empties and De-stash

It is great to finish a product, especially products you don't particularly care for that are just taking up space. Therefore, for any empty product I have, I will award myself $2 of makeup allowance. It's also a good idea to get rid of items that you don't use/just didn't work for you. De-stashing and selling them is a great way to earn back some of that money you spent, and put it towards something you will use, so any money I earn from de-stashing can go towards my makeup fund.

7. Self-Control. 

This is not really a reward, but a punishment. If I don't follow my no-buy, then I will get negative cash for whatever amount I spent. For example, if I buy a $10 product when I have no reward allowance to spend, then I will subtract double the amount I spent on my total reward allowance, in this case being -$20. This means my allowance will be in a negative number and I will have to work even harder to have money to spend on makeup the following weeks.

During the week's update on Sunday, I will let you know whether I have kept up with my No-buy for that week, show you products I've used up, and update you and show you if I have earned any money through the rewards system. If, for example, I meet both of my weekly goals for that week ($10), perhaps read a 300 page novel ($4), and blogged three times that week($6), then that means I earned $2 worth of makeup allowance that week. Then that means that starting Monday after the update, I can buy makeup with my $20 allowance.Any makeup I buy using this allowance will be shown during that week's update. 

The reward money does carry over to the weeks following if I do not spend it. So If I had $20 and only spent $10 that week, then I will have $10 left over. Then I can add onto that any new allowance I get from the following weeks. I am going to call this my Make-Up Account since it is essentially the money I have to buy makeup. None of my other money will go into makeup/beauty products. This will help me save up for collections I am waiting for, and hopefully help me plan what I purchase better, instead of automatically buying what I see. For instance, I know I am really going to want some of the items from the MAC Maleficent collection coming out, I know it's going to take a few weeks of saving for it, so before I go out and spend say the $20 I earned over two weeks on something I don't need, I'll be more inclined to stop myself from purchasing it, knowing I really want that palette when it comes out so I better not spend what's in my makeup account. :-) I think it actually helps to see the value of a dollar this way.

This is a bit confusing, but basically what I am trying to do is to control the amount of makeup I buy, not completely stop it. Not only can I more efficiently control the amount of makeup I buy, but I can also become a more knowledgeable person when it comes to my own finances, wise purchasing and researching a product.

If you have any questions or want any clarifications please leave a comment and I will get back to you as soon as possible.

Weekly Goals for 1/8:

1. Winter cleaning. I need to go through my shelvings of stuff and finally get rid and donate things I don't use, including books, art supplies, etc. (I'll try to take pics so I can share just how much it was needed!)
2. De-stash. Beginning of the new year and it's time to go through and throw out old makeup and sell/swap stuff I don't use. I will post the de-stash on here and most likely reddit and Specktra for those interested.

Wish List: Currently I do not have much of a wish list, primarily to pay off old bills and save up. Maybe a few months down the road I'd like to get a couple nice brushes.

Makeup Account: $0.

Since this is the first week I don't have much to update yet.

That's it for this week! Wish me luck!

Hello 2014!

Well another year's gone by, too fast. The second half of the year was so busy I pretty much fell of the face of the blogging/internet planet. My goals for 2014 is to try to start again, with a little more motivation and a fresh outlook, we'll see what happens!

A little list to start off slowly...

• Low-buy 2014! Yes,  it is time once again for me to pull in the reigns and stop the excess buying that seemed to have taken over the last half of 2013. Buy less and shop my stash. I am not going to delude myself into thinking I can buy nothing, but I am going to try to return to the guidelines I followed at the beginning of last year. I will blog my adventure so everyone can follow along...and join in if you like!
• More posts! I have joined a group of like-minded ladies and hopefully they will give me the little extra motivation to post consistently.
• Along with that, posts to look forward to in the next few days:
• Low-buy 2014 
• Favorites of 2013
• Top 3 products(Collab)
• De-stash/Blog sale
• And more!

Black Friday/Cyber Monday Sales!

Black Friday/Cyber Monday Sales!

Hi guys! Well you're probably wondering where I have been considering the lack of posts! It's been quite the summer/fall but I am going to attempt to get back into blogging, we'll see how things go! I figured starting with a little Holiday shopping guide for everyone might help! (And another blog sale VERY soon!)

Beauty From the Earth Cosmetics

Cyber Monday $20 grab bags, and trust me these bags are always awesome!

LIT Cosmetics

Black Friday for 24 hours Buy 1 Get 1 Free!! Example: If you order three glitters, place three glitter choices in the comment/promo box. The free feature color and Lit Chick promo will not be granted during the sale.

Dark Heart Designs

50% off the entire store until 11/30, Use code: BlkNovember. 

Innocent + Twisted

There is no Black Friday or Cyber Monday deals, but she will re-open for TRAGIC TUESDAY, 40% OFF with code TRAGICTUESDAY, runs from 12/3-12/4 PST

Madd Style Cosmetics

Black Friday will have 20% off store. Code MADDFRIDAY

Small Business Saturday will be 15% off store with code MADDSAT.

Cyber Monday will the return of 3/$10 eyeshadows and free shipping with the code MADDCYBER.

Moi Minerals

30% off shadows and 25% off face and lip products.

Eye Kandy Cosmetics

Black Friday 11/29 24 hour sale

12am-12pm 40% off site

12pm-12am 30% off site

Victorian Disco Cosmetics

Pink Weekend sale will start on Wednesday November 26th, and last until December 2nd which is Cyber Monday. It will be 30% off with a bit of a twist. For every $20 you spend, you will receive a free full size of YOUR choice plus a special eyeshadow made for the sale, so if you spend $40 you will get two free full sizes, if you spend $60 you will get three full sizes, etc etc. We will also be introducing a free sample of lipgloss that will be specially made for the sale, and every order over $25 will get that lipgloss.

My Pretty Zombie

Use code "pretty33" for 33% off your order 11/29/-12/2. Also a release of a new shadow set and setting powders!

Notoriously Morbid

40% off starts midnight 11/29 until midnight 12/3. No Code for the Store Envy site. Etsy code: BLKF40. There will also be flash sales, 3pm-6pm Black Friday get 50% off your order and Cyber Monday 6pm until 12pm, 60% off your order. These codes will only be available on their Facebook page or storefront at the times of those sales.

INGLOT

20% OFF (does not include freedom palette system and accessories) 3am EST 11/28-3am EST 12/4.

Sephora

10 for 10 door busters. These are online and in store I believe. Two item maximum per person.

Urban Decay

Black Friday 11/29 ONLY. Five piece lipstick set for $50, sale begins at 6am PST. Also a travel pencil set, travel setting spray, mascara and eye primer for $35.

Z Palette

Black Friday 11/29 20% off site wide.

Shiro Cosmetics

Black Friday 11/29 15% off the site. Code FRIDAY. Cyber Monday, 12/2, 20% off the site using code: MONDAY.

Darling Girl

11/28(5pm CST) through 11/29(midnight CST) 20% off storewide (samples not available). Code: GOBBLEGOBBLE. Orders over $20 will get an additional exclusive mini color, "Who Cares, It's on Sale"

Cherry Culture

20% off site wide starting now continuing through 12/1, Code TKG2013

Coastal Scents

50% off site wide string now through 12/2.

Sigma Beauty

11/29 Free shipping world wide, Code BF2013.

12/2 20% off select products, Code CM2013.

Black Rose Minerals

Flash Sales Wednesday 11/27-11/29, check their facebook page.

11/29 50% off all full size items, Code BF2013.

11/30-12/1 30% off, Code LEFTOVERS.

12/2 40% off samples and full size jars only, Code CM2013.

All sales exclude the your choice packs.

Also, random FLASH SALES will be announced on their facebook page so keep an eye out all sale long.

Detrivore Cosmetics

11/28-11/29 50% off site wide.

Glamour Doll Eyes

11/29 35% off everything, including sets, after a $16 order(before sale code), Code BLACKFRIDAY13.

12/2 45% off site wide(excluding sets), after a $20 order(before sale code), Code CYBERMONDAY13, First ten customers will receive a free LE gift set worth $31.

At their glamourdollseyes.storenvy.com shop, 11/29-12/2 Buy 2 Get 1 Free.

Sedona Lace
11/28 at 10pm EST until 7:59am EST 11/29 50% off the entire store. First 1000 orders get a free liquid eye pen.
11/29 at 8am EST until 11/29 at 11:59pm EST 25% off the entire store.

Fortune Cookie Soap Co.
12.:01 CST 12/28 and runs for 24 hours. All single fortune cookies will be 50% off. The rest of the site will be buy 2 get 1 free. First 50 people to use code FREESHIP will get free domestic shipping. For INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMERS the first ten people who use the code FREEINT will get free international shipping.

Sugarpill
11/28 8pm PST-12/2 midnight PST,  20%-50% off select items.

theBalm
12/2 10am - 12/3 10am 40% off site wide.

NON-Cosmetics

Black Milk Clothing company
9am AEST 12/2 through 9am AEST 12/4 30% off selected items- full list of items will be release friday 12/29.

Arda Wigs

12/29- 12am CST, 15% friday with code 15friday, also, the first 10 users get 35% off with code 35friday, first 20 gets 30% off with code 30friday and first 25 users gets 25% off with code 25friday.

I will be adding more as I hear about them!

HAPPY SHOPPING!!!

Giveaway at Glitter is my Crack

Check it out, an awesome Morgana Cryptoria giveaway!

Here:

http://themoonmaiden-blix.blogspot.com/2013/10/morgana-cryptoria-makeup-giveaway.html

I promise to get back to blogging soon. Stay Tuned!

Blog De-stash Swap/Sale

DE-STASH SWAP/SALE

Hi guys! Going through some stuff trying to clean out. Some things I may be picky about, others make me an offer. I will be adding some Indie stuff later also probably. Possibly some MAC blushes(if you're looking for a recent LE ask I may have it).

Blushes: TheBalm- Cabana Boy, Down Boy- SOLD, Hot Mama- SOLD, Bahama Mama- SOLD, Frat Boy Benefit trio: Coralista/Bella Bamba/Hoola-SOLD; Tarina Tarantino Cream Highlighter in Jasper Agate

Sigma Performance Face Brushes: I only used two of them, maybe twice, cleaned and look good. $30 for all, or $12 each.-SOLD

Sugarpill Palette's: Sweetheart, Heartbreaker-SOLD, Burning Heart-SOLD Quads: Used well but barely a dent in most of them. These are the only items I am fairly firm on $25 each. TheBalm Meet Matte $20.-SOLD

Morgana Cryptoria Lipsticks: Tomato; Raisin Shimmer; Aphrodite; Midnight Merlot; Tangelo: never used. Bottom: Deluxe MUFE Rouge Artiste Natural N45 and Jordana Fiesta. Never used.

Urban Decay Saturated Lip pencils: Crush(used maybe twice with lip brush); Glinda(Naked) never used but the tip broke/got smushed; I also have Theodora somewhere but can't find it at the moment, will add it later). Eyeko pink fat lip pencil(used maybe once); Urban Decay Jilted(never used); Shiro This is Halloween Gloss(never used)-SOLD. 

Up Top: Sweet Pea & Faye in Musidora- SOLD and Tea Cups(never used- swatched once)-SOLD

Enter to Win LE Sugarpill Asteria at Confessions of a Glitterholic!!

Confessions of a Glitterholic is giving away the LE Sugarpill Chromalust Asteria on her blog. Only 1000 were made and sold at PHAMEXPO. Head on over to her blog and enter!!

Project No-Buy Week Fifteen and Final Wrap Up

Week 15(May 26-June 1)

Well, I made it to the end. I'm pretty proud of myself because I really wasn't sure I was going to be able to do it. I learned a few things about myself in the process also.

1. I have a tendency to go crazy when I see the word SALE connected to indie cosmetics companies.
2. I see the words LIMITED EDITION (LE) and freak out and must purchase everything.
3. I impulse buy, especially at the drugstore, if I take the time to stop and think about a purchase I am much more likely to not go through with it.
4. If I see it for cheaper on e-bay/trade groups I'll buy it thinking I got a good deal.

I think the idea of rewards/allowance is a good idea. For me it encouraged me to do more of things I already enjoy but put off for one reason or another. It got me to start doing more, I still didn't work quite as hard as I think I should(but I'm like that haha) but it's got me thinking and building up to where I want to be. I think I may continue the idea, maybe alter it a bit more, but it's helped me from impulse buying and looking through things to see if I have something comparable before I buy. However, I am giving myself a pass in June, vacations!!

I did buy a couple things this week too, the new Milani shadow eyes pencils and a couple shadows from Shiro Cosmetics.

Purchase Total: $35 + $25.45 = $60.45

Money in Makeup Bank before purchases: $70.33-$60.45 = 9.88

Money after purchases: $9.88

Over the last 15 weeks I spent $203.62 on cosmetics, when I add it up it seems like A LOT. However, I know in the past I could easily drop $100 in one purchase at Sephora...hell during winter sales I could spend the entire $200 at once(yes this is embarrassing to admit). So, I am sort of proud that I decreased my spending by a lot. I think if I stop buying every time I see an indie company have a sale, my impulse purchases of $15 here and $20 there will help a lot. It seems like such a small amount when it's only 10 bucks here and there but when you add it up ad the end of the month it's quite a chunk of change. No wonder my savings account is growing!

I highly recommend trying a no-buy or an altered no-buy/low-buy. It really helps!

Project No-Buy Week Fourteen

Week 14 (May 13-May 19)

Well, not much to say this week, as I hardly did much of anything the last 3 days of the week but lay in bed. Ah the joys of being sick. I felt so bad I didn't even want to read or watch tv, just sleep. I guess that's one way to keep yourself from buying makeup! ;-)

I can't believe next week is the last week! Technically 100 days is on Tuesday but I'll just try and finish out the week. Let's hope I don't go crazy come the weekend! I will also do a re-cap of the 15 weeks/100 days.

Purchase Total: $0

Money in Makeup Bank before purchases: $60.33

Money after purchases: $60.33

Week 14 Goals

Goal 1: Upload all of the photos from the wedding shower and open a group for everyone to share their pictures. *COMPLETED* +$5

Goal 2: Transfer files from my old laptop onto my portable hard drive. Now I just need to figure out how to clean it off...factory reset or something? *COMPLETED* +$5

Writing/Blogging. No blogging this week. :-(

Art. None.

Reading.  No reading this week, I know, sad. 

Empties. None this week.

Self Control. I did not go over my allotted spending this week.

Makeup Account this week: $10

Makeup Account Total: $60.33 + $10.00 = $70.33

Goals Week 15 (May 27-June 2)

Goal 1: Continue with/cath up on my blog every day in May. I stayed away from the computer a lot last week because I was ill but I really want to try to finish it.

Goal 2: One look and one review.

This will be my last week on my altered low/no buy but I may(probably will need to, haha) start back up after my trips and PHAMEXPO.

Project No-Buy Week Thirteen

Week 12 (May 13-May 19)

*NOTE* I should have posted this on Monday but yay me, came down with a lovely stomach bug for the week.

This week was so busy. I took pictures at my Mom's best friend's(basically my auntie) wedding shower. Her first marriage!! She so deserves happiness. It turned out really great, I had a lot of fun taking pictures, I finally picked up a 50mm lens for my Nikon and I don't think I'll ever take it off again! Well, I probably will, but I really love it, it's the exact kind of lens I have been wanting and I finally don't hate my camera, haha, seriously, my dslr and I have a love-hate relationship. All I need now is a tripod and I'll be set...and maybe a 35mm lens. ;-) I did some nice makeup for the party but as soon as I went outside my eyes just started crying, allergies. All week, every time I went outside my allergies just kicked up. I finally went to the doctor and she prescribed some allergy medication, I really hope it helps or I am never going to be able to put on eye makeup this spring or summer! Everyone I run into seems to be having the same allergy issues this year, they are so bad. I also finally started getting into airbrush foundation, I've had my machine forever but I don't ever allow myself time to learn it properly, but now I am. As far as purchases I got the new MAC blush in Ripe for Love and the Pro-longwear bronzer from the new summer collection. I have never ever used bronzer, it scares me frankly, I am so pale, but I have heard good things about the pro-longwear one so I thought why not try it for summer! And I love peachy-coral blushes, they are my weakness. *sigh* I also picked up the other LE Stila Smudgestick in Periwinkle, I love the unusual colors this spring. I am still on the lookout for a really good mint green shadow though. I guess I have blabbed on enough here...only two weeks left of my no-buy. I may continue it just another week or two after since I am leaving for NYC on the 12th and plan on doing some serious shopping! Plus I am 90% sure I will be going to PHAMEXPO in Southern California at the end of June, I really want to save up a bit. But there are just a feeew indie shadows I want to pick up, so we'll see how good I can really be!

Purchase Total: $9 + $57.77


Money in Makeup Bank before purchases: $100.10

Money after purchases: $33.33

Week 13 Goals

Goal 1: Practice with my airbrush machine. *COMPLETED* I finally broke it out and am teaching myself. +$5

Goal 2: Clean my makeup brushes. *COMPLETED* All 1000 of them...ok maybe not that many, but it sure feels like it sometimes. I love my scrubby board. +$5


Writing/Blogging. Seven blog every day in May posts. I am liking this challenge because it is getting me to think and write again. I also started my personal blog because posting all these non-makeup entires on here seemed off...and I have been meaning to start one, so this figured like an appropriate time. You can check it out here: Once Upon a Time...And Other Lies Our Parents Told Us... +$14

Art. None.

Reading.  Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn +$4 Dead Ever After: A Sookie Stackhouse Novel...yeah I had to finish the series. +$4

Empties. None this week.

Self Control. I did not go over my allotted spending this week.

Makeup Account this week: $27.00

Makeup Account Total: $33.33 + $27.00 = $60.33

Goals Week 14 (May 20-May 26)

Goal 1: Upload all of the photos from the wedding shower and open a group for everyone to share their pictures.

Goal 2: Transfer files from my old laptop onto my portable hard drive.

Blog Every Day in May: Day 19

Five of your favorite blogs and what you love about them.

I am sure it's not going to come as a huge surprise that most of the blogs I love are beauty blogs, don't get me wrong I actually have a ton of other interests, hah, but when I am online it's usually checking out beauty blogs or  youtube clips.

Temptalia- probably hands down my favorite beauty blog, it's so well organized, detailed, descriptive and rankly has saved me a lot of time and money.

Phyrra- I absolutely love Phyrra.net, she's the Temptalia of the Indie world for me, she does a lot of reviews of Indie makeup brands as well as mainstream ones, I really love her looks and she's much more similar to my skin tone so it helps seeing her reviews.

She's Digital- My beautiful friend Monique writes and shares her experiences on life, she took a break from posting but hopefully will be back more frequently. Her pictures are beautiful.

"EB"ing a Mommy- A wonderful "mommy chronicle" of a young mother and the beautiful and devastating look at the too short life of her baby boy and what it's like to outlive your child.

Blog Every Day in May: Day 17

A favorite photo of yourself and why.

I wish I had more pictures on my laptop that were older than a few days. I haven't transferred much on here. There is this one picture though, I took of with my camera phone. My grandma was going through mountains of pictures and gave me a pile of ones of myself and family from long ago. I think I was maybe 3 or 4 here and my grandpa was teaching me how to play chess. Growing up my grandpa and I always played games, lots of different ones, ones like chess and ones we made up, intricate ones that could last all day. We played the silent game, we could go HOURS playing the silent game, we even managed an entire day in NYC and a NYV cab ride in complete silence, my grandma had to write the cab driver a note on where to take us, even the cabbie thought we couldn't understand him! Chess, though, chess taught me how to think, even at 3 years old my grandpa thought I was smart and he always challenged me to be the best I could, and to think things through, make wise decisions and to be creative. I loved spending time with my grandpa. I still do, the furniture has changed but we still sit in the same spot at the dinner table and talk.

Do you have a favorite photo of yourself?

Blog Every Day in May: Day 14

Ten things that make you really happy.
This is actually harder than it sounds....
1. Sleeping in without the guilt. 2. My mom's blueberry coffee cake...you have no idea. 3. Driving in the car on a sunny day with a favorite song on the radio. 4. The beginning of a really good book. 5. The perfect look: eyeshadow, lipstick and all. 6. Helping someone...whether it's big or small. 7. Mastering something. 8. Giving someone the perfect gift, big or small, something that screams THEM. 9. Learning something new...I admit it, I love school. 10. Seeing a friend I haven't seen in a long time.
Creating this list made me realize I need to try and do this every once in a while to remember the little important things.

Blog Every Day in May: Day 12

What do you miss? A person, place, or thing, a time in your life...

I know we can't go back in time, and I know most of the time I certainly wouldn't want to, but, if I could go back and spend maybe just one day at the end of 1999/2000 that's the time I would chose, that's a time in my life I miss the most. Being 19 or 20 years old, life stretched out ahead, anything being possible. Looking back it was one of the most carefree life changing times of my life. I had the energy to stay out all night, all weekend and go to class the next day. My best friend was just a phone call away. The week was all about getting to the weekend and having fun. Dancing all night long until the sun came up in the morning. Ever seen the movie Groove? Yeah that about sums up my life from age 19-24, chasing the beat and the thump of the underground sounds of the late 90's and early 00's SF party scene. Now, if someone today posted a picture of me back then I would swear up and down it wasn't me and find a way to take it down as quickly as possible, but I can't deny part of me misses the  carefree, self-indulgent, spontaneous me of yester-year. Jumping in the car on a friday night and coming home on a sunday afternoon, driving the coast from city to city, hitting the massive parties and the tiny undergrounds. Climbing down sandy hills to wide open beaches or up into the mountains where all you can see is stars and tree tops, music flowing out of a deck and a couple speakers. There's nothing like the feeling of meeting someone new, someone you may never see again and bonding over the music and dancing all night long. Hell, thinking about it now just makes me tired, makes me wonder just how blissfully unaware I was about the "real" world back then. But if I could, go back, just for a day, unaware that life gets harder, different, more complicated, sure why the hell not. I wouldn't mind making just one more memory. I am proud of where I am now, the adult I have become, I wouldn't(hell, I couldn't) change anything but that's not to say once in a while I don't miss the "good ole days."

Awe hell, I just made myself old.

Project No Buy: Week 12

Week 11 (May 6-May 12)

This week went by fast, I didn't do much in the way of makeup. I was feeling a bit ill with my allergies and I am not sure if I was coming down with something, or had a mild cold or something but my whole body just hurt and I didn't want to do much but sleep. I found the last color tattoo that I had wanted Seashore Frost at my local CVS, who knew the closest one to me would finally have a full display? I also picked up a Stila Smudge Stick in the LE color Turquoise(I think?), I really wanted that one and Periwinkle, Turquoise was sold out though, but I found it on Ebay and I got it in the mail Friday, I love it, the color is so pretty. That's it for my purchases. As the weeks go by and there are only three left now I looked back on how much I have spent so far, I added up from week one and I've spent $138.85 in eleven weeks, now this does seem like a lot, but I admit (embarrassingly) I could easily spend that in one month before I started this no/low buy. I am really learning a lot, and while I know myself and I know I won't be that good when it ends, I think I am going to make sure I am much better and be thinking purchases more thoroughly.

Purchase Total: $9 + $7.49 = $16.49


Money in Makeup Bank before purchases: $81.06

Money after purchases: $64.57

Week 13 Goals

Goal 1: Do one contest look, one face of the day and one review. *FAILED* I  hardly wore makeup at all this week actually, between allergies and feeling ill I wasn't much up to it. +$0

Goal 2: Finished up paperwork. +$5

Goal 3: Practice with my airbrush machine. *FAILED* I knew it would be a stretch but I am going to do it this week. +$0

Writing/Blogging. Seven blog every day in May posts. I am liking this challenge because it is getting me to think and write again. +$14

Art. None.

Reading.  Sisters Grimm: Book 10: The Council of Mirrors +$4 This is a really well written children's/YA series, it's a really fun read, I recommend it to anyone of any age. :-) I also started Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, haven't finished it yet though.

Empties. None this week.

Self Control. I did not go over my allotted spending this week. I also received my check from ebates.com for using them when I buy online, an extra bonus for shopping smart! +$12.53

Makeup Account this week: $35.53

Makeup Account Total: $35.53 + $64.57 = $100.10

Goals Week 13 (May 13-May 19)

Goal 1: RETRY. Practicing with my airbrush machine.

Goal 2: I do need to wash all my brushes...how sad I really can't think of anything else right now.

Blog Every Day in May: Day 9

A moment in your day. (This can be just a photo or a photo and words.)

Blog Every Day in May: Day 11

Sell yourself in ten words or less.

Enthusiastic learner who want to change the world.

Blog Every Day in May: Day 10

Most embarrassing moment(s). Spill. I am sure that I have had many, many embarrassing moments, but I can't think of a darned one of them. It could be because as of late I don't do a ton of things in public settings. Or perhaps because I don't do much without people close to me anymore. There was a time when I could fill up a novel with embarrassing moments, or things I have said, but I can't think of any at the moment. When I do I will return to this question....
WAIT!! STOP! HALT! 
I've got it...well one. OK...so this happened about...12 years ago now? It was my first summer as a camp counselor(yes it's one of those stories) and a little nervous about meeting new people. Well, the week started off well, we were a small group since it was the first year of camp and all the counselors got along pretty well, hanging out after the kids went to bed. Well, one night, everyone is hanging out in the dining hall and a couple of us are out on the patio, I don't really recall what we were talking about, but three of us outside were joking around, the next thing I know one of the female counselors comes up behind a male counselor and decides to pants him, in front of me...well...more than just his pants came down....pretty much everything came down, if you get my drift. I kind of stood there shocked for a moment, looking at both of them, her hand covering her mouth and him trying to grab his pants. We joke and laugh it off, she swear she didn't mean for that to happen and he jokes about the view and I swore up and down I didn't see anything because his shirt was long...or I just blacked out. Well, as if that wasn't enough, I returned to the dining hall with a mortified look on my face, everyone asking what happened. The story got around camp and for the rest of the week I got asked if I saw Wei's Wang (his last name was Wei- sorry if you happen to read this dude). Yep. That was mortifying I have to admit.