I Wish I Had..

"I wish I had more vacation days."-unknown

Well here we are. Almost the very beginning of September and it is just starting to finally feel like summer (with the odd theatrical intermission that includes some dramatic thunder, lightening and torrential down pours). With summer being late I have a feeling winter will be late and that we are going to have the most wonderfully warm fall. A fall that will hopefully include swimming in the ocean, back yard fires, apple picking and a healthy dose of sunshine. With wedding/beach season coming to a close and boot/scarf season falling quickly upon us, I thought I would share some favourtite beauty products that will help carry your summer look into the fall and some tips on how to use them including an at home manicure that is easy and gives professional results at home! Happy beautifying all!
-m

The best summer-to-fall nails..

Who doesn't love a good mani/pedi? Pampering yourself is important but if you want to save some money and keep your nails fresh, at home manis and pedis are where it is at. As far as at home manicures go, Essie provides some of my favourite colors and products. I always start with a quick trim and file. I follow up with some Sally Hansen cuticle removing gel- this stuff is seriously the best. Leave it on for a few seconds and overgrown cuticles easily push back and can be clipped off providing a perfect canvas for some bright polishes. For a base coat I use Essie's "Ridge filler", I read about this product a while ago and I have been using it every since. One quick coat and it fills ridges and evens out nails for a smooth surface that takes nail polish far better than a naked nail. Next apply two coats of your favoutite Essie color. My current color obsessions for the summer months include "Bikini so teeny" for my toes- it's the perfect bright powdery blue that covers well and looks fabulous with summer kissed skin. For my fingers I am loving "Peach side babe"- a fabulous peach/coral pastel. The Essie fall line up this year is a collection of deeply pigmented jewel tones with some beautiful greys. I am lusting after "The perfect cover up" which is a charcoal grey with blue undertones and "Fall in line" which is a mossy green with grey undertones. To finish of my nails I use one coat of  Essie "Good to go" topcoat. This helps them shine and makes your nails last up to a week (in my experience). Best part? All of the products above can be easily purchased at any local drug store.

The best skin...

The best skin is moisturized, protected and dewy whether it is summer or fall.  I am still in love with Josie Maran Light argan oil for keeping my skin smooth and moisturized. I use a couple of drops every night before bed focusing on dry spots (in my case my nose!).  I also love Aveeno suncreen made specifically for the face, I find it doesn't clog my pores like many other products do and it offers long lasting sun protection. In general I don't go out without SPF on my face whether it is just straight up sunscreen for the beach or if it is in a tinted moisturizer or BB cream. I don't want to look like a raisin when I am older and I am hoping sunscreen will help! I also make sure I wash my face thoroughly at the end of the day to take off makeup and sunscreen and let my face breathe a bit.

The best coverage...

As far as makeup with natural coverage, I am still a big fan if Garnier BB cream. It smooths, evens and it is light and airy on my face. If I need a little more coverage I am absolutely in love with Nars "All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation". This product goes a long way. It has no preservatives and it is like air on my face all the while evening out my skin and making it look airbrushed. Tips for this product- because it has no preservative make sure you mix/shake it well, it will separate if you don't. Also one pump should do your whole face and instead of using a brush the Nars representative at Sephora encouraged me to use my hands for an even application while using less product. Win-win.

 The best summer-to-fall blush...

Nars Orgasm blush is a cult classic for a reason. It it peachy-pink, it reflects light and looks great both on fair skin and dark skin tones. This is a color that will never go out of style and it's hyper-pigmentation means a little goes very far.

The best bronzer...

I have tried buckets of bronzers. Drug store, high end and anything in between and I always come back to MAC's bronzing powder in "bronze".  It gives a natural sun-kissed finish without the harmful rays and without looking like a bad contouring job. It is natural enough to help carry a summery glow easily into the fall without looking too done.

The best eyebrows...

Duh! Summer, winter, spring, fall Anastasia Dip Brow pomade is the best eyebrow product I have ever used. Throw out your gels, your fibers, your pencils and your powders and make way for the best eyebrows you have ever had. A pot lasts for a year or so and applies very easily in small brush strokes with an angled brush. It is waterproof but washes off easily with facial cleanser and it holds down longer stray hairs. Use as little or as much as you would like to help create as dramatic or natural of a look as you want!

The best waterproof mascara...

Water proof mascara is good for the beach, the pool, for sweatin' at the gym and for all of the emotional moments at your bestie's weddings. Make Up For Ever's Aqua Smokey Extravagant mascara lengthens, fills and doesn't flake. It stays in place until you wash it off and I promise it won't run when your bestie says I do.

The best inexpensive lip...

Matte lips seem to be a trend that is hanging around. Surprisingly, Rimmel has an amazing line of exceptional, inexpensive lipsticks and the matte ones are worth discussing. They are the Kate Moss line and although the are dry, as all matte lipsticks are, they don't flake around the lip and they will stay put all damn day. There is a crazy number of on point colors ranging from pin-up reds to classic nudes and priced between $5.99 and $7.99 these are serious bang for your buck. Check out color 104 for a pinky-taupe that will look good on any skin-tone and that can easily transition from sun-kissed beach babe to fall fashionista. For the best natural/neutral pink I have always loved MAC's Modesty lipstick but Rimmel has a color in their Kate Moss line that I may prefer even more and the color number is 08. This is an amazing find considering I have been wearing Modesty for at least five years.

Happy beautifying all!
-m

The Best Makeup On A Woman Is....

"The best makeup on a woman is passion but cosmetics are easier to buy."- Yves Saint-Laurent

In January I made a list compiled of my favourite new products from the year before (here). Some were cult classics and some were happy accidents that I luckily stumbled upon. This year I have compiled a new list and decided to share it before Christmas (just in case anyone out there is looking to improve their beauty regimen for the busy holiday season). Find my "New Favourite things" list below! Happy beautifying!
-m

A Few of my Favourite Things...2014 Edition

#1 Nars Blush

This product has changed the way I feel about blush. My friend Kailee introduced me to it a few months ago and I haven't looked back. I bought it the very day I took hers out for a test drive. Desire is the colour I am hooked on. It is a hyper-pigmented, bright pink that looks a little overwhelming at first (bright is an understatement). A little goes a long way and it lasts all damn day. Did I mention I get complimented every time I wear it? I have since bought it in orgasm, which is a cult classic among beauty buffs. It is a soft, shimmery, peach that is lovely in the winter months.

#2 Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade

I don't know how I lived without this product. It may seem dramatic but my eyebrows have never looked better. This product is similar to a gel eyeliner and it goes on easily with an angled brush. It not only darkens and defines my brows but because it is a pomade, it holds my less tame brow hairs in place. This is why it is far superior to powders and pencils. A little goes a very, very long way and it comes in eight different shades, making it easy to find the perfect match!

#3 CND Vinylux

I love nail polish. It is very rare for me to have naked nails but because my hands are always busy, nail polish doesn't last very long. I have tried shellac and gel nails, both of which ruined my nails for months after trying them (honestly, my nails are still peeling!). Nothing lasted until I found Vinylux. It's a two step process, two coats of a colourful base coat followed by one coat of the seven day top coat. It hardens almost instantly, it is shiny like shellac and it lasts for well over a week on my fingers (and weeks on my toes!). Best part is it comes off easily with regular nail polish remover and doesn't strip your nails. 

#4 ELF High Definition Powder

For a measly four dollars, this product is the perfect finishing powder. Lightly dust on your face after makeup applications for a flawless "airbrushed" finish. It hides fine lines and makes everything look smooth and even. All of that for the low price of a latte!

#5 Urban Decay 24/7 Liquid Eyeliner

I know, I featured a different eye liner last year. That one truly was my favourite, until I met this one. It comes in a massive array of colours, stays on perfectly until it is washed off and the brush is fine for perfect application. Trendy cat eyes are no sweat with this stuff. I own it in a few colours now but my all time fav. is a colour called smog, which is a green-gold that is positively stunning!

#6 MAC Lipstick in Rebel

I am convinced this colour looks great on everyone. It's a lovely deep colour that ranges between very blue red, plumb and a deep wine depending on your complexion and how heavily you apply it. For this reason, it is one of the most versatile lipsticks that can provide looks ranging from retro-glam to vampy-chic. Win, win, win!!!

#7Say Yes To Carrots Moisturiser

This is a drug store find that I accidentally stumbled upon. I still am obsessed with my face oil but this is fantastic on my dry, winter skin. My thirsty face thanks me in the morning by not peeling (peeling noses make you look like a crocodile-not attractive). Added bonus- it is 98% natural and paraben free. No clogged pores from this stuff!!

It Is Easily Overlooked....

"It is easily overlooked that what is now called vintage was once brand new.."- Tony Visconti


I love to thrift. Thrift stores, yard sales and roadside garbage retrievals give me a thrill. Records, old furniture, vintage dresses and costume jewellery are among my favourite things! Classic pieces have grace and class that is hard to find these days and nothing, I mean notta, was made of rinky dink press board back in the day. Solid wood baby, dove tail joints and scrolly details unparallelled. I guess I am just an old fashioned kind of girl.

I often make a point to make runs to the "Sally-Ann" and yesterday after very little post night shift sleep, I bombed off to value village with a plan to make some cake plates out of vintage dishes. Nothing spoke to me; that is until I was paroozing among the costume jewelry. A couple of vintage broaches caught my eye and at three for five dollars, I really couldn't leave them there. I had to bring them home and make good use of them.

After a glass of wine and a tiny bit of not-so-careful consideration, I gathered some crafting hair clips and some Goop (seriously the BEST adhesive on the face of this earth, that shit will make anything stick forever and ever amen..). I used my badass wire cutters/pliers to snip and pry the pin backings off of the two lovely vintage broaches. Then I decided where to place the clip on the back considering how to keep them from eyes view as well as which direction I would like the broach to sit in my hair. Using Goop (with the windows open, that stuff is stanky), I adhered the clips to the back of the broaches and allowed them to dry overnight. It was exactly a five minute and six dollar project. Quick and dirty but yielding adorable results that have an unexpected quirky flair. They give my short crop a little bit of feminine edge and I will be keeping my eye out for more in the future.

Happy upcying!
m

ps. You can use anything, buttons would be equally as adorable as would broken pieces of vintage tea cups and saucers (that will be my next project!)

The Only Way I Would Be Caught Without Makeup....

"The only way I'd be caught without makeup is if my radio fell in the bathtub while I was taking a bath and electrocuted me and I was in between makeup at home. I hope my husband would slap a little lipstick on me before he took me to the morgue."- Dolly Parton

Where lipstick is concerned, the important thing is not color, but to accept God's final word on where your lips end.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/j/jerryseinf131554.html#Ca7GjBJgFZRpWsKm.99

I do enjoy makeup but clearly not to the degree Dolly does! I like subtle makeup for the most part with the exception of lipstick. I could go years and never buy an eyeshadow. I could go six months and never a brush of shadow stroke my lid, but lipstick? I can hardly walk buy a display without taking a second or third glance. I avoid MAC unless I have a freebie with their recycling program because I know that I will not be able to just buy the one I went in for.

Lately matte lippies have been popping up everywhere and in every shade imaginable. I must say, they are beautiful and dramatic. They are also versatile but boy, they are not very user friendly.  They are dry, they pull at your lips when you apply them and they sure make it hard to stay inside the lines. Jerry Seinfeld very bluntly once said...

" Where lipstick is concerned, the important thing is not the color, but to accept Gods final word on where your lips end.."

Although this is solid and straightforward advice (from someone who I am certain has little experience with the product) that doesn't make it any easier. Below are some very simple steps that I have formulated over the past few years to help you stay within the lines and achieve the perfect matte lip.

Matte Lip 101..

• Dry lips crack and cause lipstick in general to cake. This is exceptionally true with matte lipstick. Most of the time it is the equivalent to putting an artists pastels on your lips..dry and chalky. To exfoliate and moisturize my lips, I skip expensive products and I reach for either a clean/ new mascara brush or a children's toothbrush (both work and both are easily accessible at most drug stores/ beauty suppliers). Next I take my favourite lip balm, Carmex is my go to but Vaseline would work too and I slather some on my lips. I then rub the clean, dry brush back and forth across my lips. This exfoliates dead skin and helps lock a little of that moisture in! Moist lips will allow that bad boy to glide with ease across your lips instead of hitting them like a kid flipping over their handle bars and grinding to a halt. Easy enough right?
• I recommend a lip brush for step two. Lip liner would work as well but lets face it who wants to buy a coordinating liner for every lipstick, we are not millionaires here! Take a lip brush and with that apply lipstick to the edges of your lip, NOT extending past your natural lip line and ensuring to get into your cupids bow, maximizing the natural (and lovely) shape of your lips.

• Now you are ready to slide that lipstick over the rest of your lips, travelling over the line you already made but never extending past.  Blot your kissers together and stand back and admire beautiful you! You can always add a little gloss to the centre of your lips to add dimension or to change the matte to a gloss. Mood dependant!

 Lipstick Basics/ Suggestions

• New to lippies and feeling a little like a clown? Start with a color that is just a bit brighter than your own natural lip color. Modesty and Hot Gossip by MAC are my go to's for a natural every day color. Your own color but brighter will be the most versatile lipstick you could possibly own.
• Red lips will go far...and farther and even farther. Classic and cool, you will look like a movie star even in your sweats and ready for the town with nothing else on your face. Warm complexions pick blue-reds, cool choose orange-reds but for the most part I suggest getting a professional to help you pick the perfect red that will serve you for years to come.
•  Makeup brushes are an investment, but they don't have to require re-mortgaging your home or selling or first born. Quo, the Shoppers brand has lovely brushes that go 40% off monthly. They are reasonable without the sale but it is worth holding out. Target has reasonable professional quality brushes as well! 
• Don't hop on every trend train you see. Just because a best friend of mine can pull off a deep, earthy, brown or a beautiful, punchy, orange lip doesn't mean I can (I know I can't!).  Know your limitations and that what you like, you like for a reason.
• Don't buy into new product lines that are limited edition. Limited edition means they will only be around for a few months and often they sell out before they have run their course. Those lipsticks will not be available again so don't let yourself fall in love with one that will be gone. It's just a tease. I personally won't even try them on for that reason.
• Lip liners are wonderful if you have an important occasion...let us say your wedding day. They do prevent you from reapplying and really do give dark, dramatic colors staying power, but they are not a must. If you are using a liner, the best tip I was ever given was to line your lips and color them in with the liner....sounds crazy I know. Then apply your lipstick over the top. This will give your color mega staying power while preventing you from looking like Lil'Kim in the 90's (you all know exactly what I am talking about!).
• Most of all have fun and feel beautiful because as Audrey Hepburn once said "Happy girls are the prettiest girls". 

Think this!

Not This!

I must apologize for my lack of personal pictures above...I am potentially the worst "selfie" taker in all of the northern hemisphere. My nose looks exceptionally large and one eye looks west while the other looks east. Its not pretty! Along with poor selfies, I also now realise that I can easily ramble on about almost anything since I wrote a piece solely on lipstick. Do you have something you have been wishing I would ramble on about in the future? Write a request in the comment box.  I am always looking for a little inspiration! Happy lippies everyone!

-m

Where lipstick is concerned, the important thing is not color, but to accept God's final word on where your lips end.

Jerry Seinfeld

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/j/jerryseinf131554.html#Ca7GjBJgFZRpWsK

Where lipstick is concerned, the important thing is not color, but to accept God's final word on where your lips end.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/j/jerryseinf131554.html#Ca7GjBJgFZRpWsKm.99

Where lipstick is concerned, the important thing is not color, but to accept God's final word on where your lips end.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/j/jerryseinf131554.html#Ca7GjBJgFZRpWsKm.99

Where lipstick is concerned, the important thing is not color, but to accept God's final word on where your lips end.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/j/jerryseinf131554.html#Ca7GjBJgFZRpWsKm.99

I Hope That in This Year To Come....

“I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes.

Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You're doing things you've never done before, and more importantly, you're Doing Something.

So that's my wish for you, and all of us, and my wish for myself. Make New Mistakes. Make glorious, amazing mistakes. Make mistakes nobody's ever made before. Don't freeze, don't stop, don't worry that it isn't good enough, or it isn't perfect, whatever it is: art, or love, or work or family or life.

Whatever it is you're scared of doing, Do it.

Make your mistakes, next year and forever.”
-Neil Gaiman


Now that those formalities are out of the way I thought I would compile a list of all of my new (and old) favourite products of 2013. Some of which I love sooooo much my fellow friends and colleagues must have them drilled into their cute little heads.


Beauty Products

I am a firm believer in decent moisturizer, washing off your makeup before sleep and a good hair cut. All of which have been ingrained in me since I was a little girl. As much as I am a bit of a product whore, I don't always believe you need to spend a lot of money to look good and many of my staple products can be found at drug stores.


#1 Benefit's "Fake-up"

Rounding the top of this list is Benefit's "Fake up". This is a super hydrating concealer that promises not to cake in fine lines and last all day. It totally lives up to both of those statements. It is light weight and goes on smooth with no pulling (which is very important especially to delicate skin around the eyes). I am a shift worker and have very disrupted sleep habits, often going on very little to none. This concealer brightens my eyes, hides dark shadows and is hard to discern to even the most enquiring of eyes. No cakey, flakey mess to be seen! My previous favourite concealer has taken the back burner even though it is still a product worth investing in, fake-up takes the make-up cake.

#2 Josie Maran Light Oil

I know what you are thinking...Oil? For what? Well Josie Maran makes 100% pure argan oil products that are quickly becoming cult favourites. The "light" oil is an ultra light-weight oil that absorbs quickly and leaves my face looking flawless and dewy. I was highly skeptical but after doing a little research and taking a sample home for a test drive, I am hooked. Although I have been using the same moisturizer since I was barely a teenager, my skin has never looked brighter or felt softer. It hydrates without leaving any oily residue, it doesn't clog pores (my number one concern when I heard about face oil) and it has actually shown to make oily skin less oily. If you have very dry skin, you may want to try the original but my "normal" skin loves the lightweight. If you are still skeptical, pop on over to Sephora and ask for a sample.

#3 Volcanic ash Exfoliator by MAC

I am a lover of MAC makeup but have not bought into their skin care line, ceature of habit I suppose. My dear friend Janna who is also a lover of products gave me a sample of a black volcanic ash exfoliator to try that she was positively smitten with. Turns out it was MAC and turns out I LOVE it. It's a sugar scrub so you must work a little fast ('cause sugar melts in water) and I do find that you have to be very careful to rinse well, especially under your chin (it is very black and very streaky if not rinsed well). My face is sooooo soft after I use it! It is a little expensive; I use it only once a week alternating with cheapy and awesome St.Ives green tea exfoliator.

#4 Benefit's Watt'sUp

This highlighter is the bomb. I had been a big fan of High Beam by Benefit until I received a birthday sample of Watt's Up- amazing under my brows, corners of my eyes and anywhere else that needs highlighting. It blends easily and has just a hit of shimmer making it one of my go to products.

#5 EOS Mint lip balm

Although Carmex will always be my jam when it comes to lip balm, EOS mint is a sure fire runner up. It is smooth, easy to toss in your purse and the peppermint tingle feels wonderful on chapped lips that are trying to survive the east coast winter. I do however HATE the fruity flavoured ones because they not only smell sweet, they also taste sweet. Gag.

#6 Revlon Colorburst Lacquer Balm

Every single time I wear this in public, someone asks me what I have on my lips. I have been asked if it is MAC, YSL and even Bobbi Brown. For six bucks, I proudly exclaim what I am wearing, tell them all about how it lasts for hours and that the color I wear is called "Flirtatious". I whole heartedly feel this colour would look great on any skin tone- its a deep pink without being red, it goes on smooth, lasts for hours and doesn't dry up. Not to mention has a slight amount of sheen without really being glossy. Win-win!

#7 Sephora Creme Stain

I have been wearing this products for a couple of years now and own it in two red tones. It applies like a lip gloss- wet and with a sponge tipped applicator. This makes riming the edge of lips simple and hassle free. It dries matte and stays put all day- seriously all damn day. It is great for a night on the town and is just as great for rolling out of bed and looking put together with no effort. Red lips can do that, they can trick people into thinking you showered. Prime example- before Christmas, I rolled out of bed after working a night shift- slapped on a little and ran into MAC and Sephora looking to replace a lipstick I had finally used up. Two employees at MAC asked me what I had on (one even wrote it down...) and then three employees stopped me in Sephora to ask the same. All of which were shocked when I told them what it was. "Strawberry" is my favourite.

#8 Garnier Skin Renew BB Cream

Yes...a BB cream, womp womp. I have used tinted moisturizers for years and years. MAC, Benefit, Smashbox...almost all of the big brands with big fans. Out of all of those, this BB cream is my fav. It's hydrating and super light weight, with just a bit of coverage. I don't wear foundation and for the most part, this evens out my skin without feeling heavy and cakey. I use it on the daily often with "fake-up" and just a little bit of powder dusted on top for a flawless finish.

#8 Marcelle Liquid Dip-Pen Liner

I have been using liquid and gel liners for over ten years now. I LOVE them. Gel or creme liners are good (MAC-Fast track is great) but don't always give the defined line I am looking for. MAC liquid liners are all great but I find them hard to wash off and expensive. I hate the liners that are like felt tip markers (they are never dark enough, and they never work right). I prefer a firm- felt tipped end that you dip into the liner... Enter Marcelle's Liquid dip liner. Same packaging as MAC...identical....but easier to wash off and almost half the price. It says it is water proof...I generally don't do water proof anything but it washes off easily and lasts all day.

Happy testing everyone!
-m

A Girl In A Bikini Is Like Having A Loaded Pistol On Your Coffee Table...

"A girl in a bikini is like having a loaded pistol on your coffee table- there is nothing wrong with them, but it is hard to stop thinking about it."- Garrisson Keillor

Bikini or Bust. That is how my last few weeks have been. Not even a bikini, just anything that would be appropriate for lounging on the beach or swimming up to a pool bar in Jamaica. 'Cause that is where this chick will be in approximately thirteen days.

I understand that no one likes bathing suit shopping (at least not the average lady). It is brutal. We are pale, maybe even see-through from wearing parkas, scarves and fleece lined leggings during the eight month phenomenon known as an atlantic Canadian winter. Those fluorescent lights that exist only in malls are also a problem. They have probably been put there to encourage people to spend money on fat-burning pills at GNC, vigorous gliding on an ellipticals and intermittant crying into morning coffees. I swear, they even my fingers look lumpy...it's marketing magic. I would bet Don Draper came up with it himself.

All of that said, I have a problem and it is a little north of the boarder. I am chesty, a little too chesty, especially when it comes to bathing suits. I tallied it up today; grand total of bathing suits tried on in two weeks- forty-nine. To break that down mathematically, of the said forty-nine suits, exactly forty turned out to be glorified nipple covers (as in little to no coverage and probably illegal in at least ten states...). Three, I had no words to describe and one was a beauty that fit like a dream but the top alone was over two hundred dollars. It had this budget-savvy-diva seeing dollar signs flinging here there and everywhere (feuw-feuw-feuw..the sound they were making as they whizzed by me). Bikinis, tank-inis and even the one-pieces were no-goes, they fit everywhere but the bust. Sets were just as bad. If the bottoms fit, the tops looked like dental floss or yarn (which is obviously both very flattering and supportive, not to mention dead sexy..). If the top fit (which lets face it, it didn't really) then the bottoms could have been used as a parachute if the plane unexpectedly crashed (safety first!) on the flight down. Sigh..

After hours of working the bikini-beat and after ingesting an entire crop of coffee beans, I settled. Yes, settled for a top I already owned but never loved. It fits enough to cover the danger zones and some mix and match bottoms should suffice. They had the top in six colors- obviously only two came in my size. Neon orange and white, nothing like attracting extra attention to an already attention grabbing area right? Double sigh..

So, here are some tips.

1) Don't beat yourself up, there is always gonna be someone who looks worse than you (ha!)
2) Don't get frustrated...hard but important.
3) If the lighting is terrible- wear your sunglasses and remember that natural light is always the best light.
4) Remember that bathing suits tend to run a little smaller then regualr clothing so sizing up is not a shameful, it is flattering
5) More coverage can add extra fabric that can exagerate problem areas you are trying to hide.
6) Tequila (otional) may help things along
7) ...and finally give yourself lots of time, you don't want to settle if you don't have to.

Flowers Always Make People Better...

"Flowers always make people better, happier and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine for the soul."- Luther Burbank

My little gardens are teeming with flowers. I have tiger lilies over running one side of my houseand a hardy wild rose bush on the opposite side (that has managed to bloom even though I cut it to pieces when I first moved in). I have bachelor buttons, bleeding hearts, pansies and irises. Pinks, begonias and hostas galore. Still I feel as though it is not near enough and I want as many as I can get my hands on! I find them inspiring. I am loving the bright colors and recently have applied that inspiration to my nails. Yes nails, you read that correct. I am a nail polish junkie. A believer that OPI and trendy colors can brighten a day (at least my day) and even though I am not allowed to wear it to work, I revel in painting my nails. It is now part of my turn around day routine. A long lover of OPI colors, I have recently switched to Essie and am really enjoying the change. For the summer I am feeling bright pinks, nudes, oranges, greens and glitter. Garden colors, which is a welcome change from the ballet pinks and dark greys and taupes I rocked all winter long. Ah such a cheap thrill nail polish is!
-m

Cute as a button, Action, Turquoise and caicos, Mamba and Set in stones, all my go to summer shades!

Odd man out on my ring finger, inspired by the always fabulous Janna Goodwin.

When Red-Haired People....

"When red-haired people are above a certain social grade, their hair is auburn."- Mark Twain.

I have been growing my hair for months...like seventeen months to be specific. I had a sweet pixie when I moved to Halifax and maintained short locks for a couple of years. I decided to grow it out for my best friends wedding and for the first time in my life, I am having trouble parting with it. It never phased me to grow and chop, grow and chop, that was pretty much my hair cycle. That and just chop-chop-chop. Scissors do not scare me, but this time around I am just not ready to part with my seventeen month endeavor. That is commitment. That is more time and commitment than many of my relationships and it's really not hurting anyone is it? My sister would argue that it is hurting me and my degree of "edgy-ness". Ha. She tells me I used to be edgy and that I am getting dull in my old age. So this time I left it long, dyed it red and got him to cut me weird little short bangs. I am also rocking a nose hoop for the first time in years! Edgy enough? Who knows but I always do like a change and I am told red heads have more fun. I will keep you posted on that, lets consider it a social experiment! For now I will leave you with some red-headed love/ inspiration. You can't deny it, these people/ characters are nothing short of a ball of fun!
-m