vanity.

I don't think a day goes by that I don't envision N and I finally having our own space. Our own master bedroom. Our own kitchen. Simply everything our own. A place for me to decorate the walls with our life, friends, and families. For now, and I'm completely content with it, really (!) we are living with my mom, where we actually have quite the space to ourself. 

She has a massive basement, complete with self constructed walk in closet (the thing is huge! It's more of a huge storage area turned into closet in which mr.ray and I can both get dressed in at the same time!), anyway, this basement is more like a little studio apartment for us at the moment and like I said - with the financial situation we're working to get out of by hopefully the summertime, this, for now, is perfect. 

Plus, who wouldn't choose mom's homecooking as long as they possibly can??? :D Especially my mother's! 

So here's our truly humble a bode:

cute huh. 

You may start to find this post super odd and especially girly, more so than usual, but I've been wanting to share this with you forever so you're going to sit here and like it. :) 

Well, I have this one thing I'm pretty proud of and that's my vanity. I have a.l.w.a.y.s. wanted a vanity. I've always hated putting my make up on in the bathroom, and I used to hate waiting for my bathroom mirror to unfog after the shower. Then last year when N moved to Michigan ahead of time without me, I started searching every thrift and vintage store in town to put together my own perfect vanity. Of course I could have just wished for an expensive perfect one from some catalog or store, but who's got that kinda $? :) At least I don't right now and thrifting it is so much better anyways. 

My table is actually an old sewing table. The top layer folds open and the drawers have tons of little spaces, perfect for bobby pins, extra make up and other girly crap you collect like that. 

two of my favorite things: the garter my mom wore on her wedding day that I then wore on mine, and my little sleep mask that helps me when I have a hard time falling asleep. 

A simple comfy chair complete with a vintage gold mirror, a mason jar to hold my brushes (I'm a big brush girl), my favorite picture of my godson, and my favorite item: my vintage jewelry box that I use to hold my make up. It might possibly be the best idea I've ever had. I saw this on another blog mooonths ago, when I first started blogging a good year ago and the other morning when I was doing my make up, it came back to me and so I'm recreating it here in my corner. If you want to play along, I created a linky that I'll keep open till the end of the week! :)

What's in your make up bag?

1.  Mary Kay Concealer - a woman's bf in liquid form. I don't use this everyday, but when I do need it, this Mary Kay Concealer is by far the best. 

2.  E.L.F. Sharpener - pretty self explanatory I believe. 

3.  Urban Decay Eye Primer - This was a piece of wedding make up I purchased. It's aaamazing and doesn't let anything run! But at almost $16 a bottle I use it very sparingly.

4.  E.L.F. Liquid Eyeliner - Impulse buy from Target just couldn't resist the silver, brown, and metallic black. This comes out on special occasions, but every time I do, I realize how much I love liquid eyeliner when it's done right!

5.  Stud Earrings - not a make up bag usual. But, unfortunately for my collection of dangly earrings, I can't remember the last time I've worn anything else but studs. I love my growing collection and I feel funny with danglies, unless it's out on the town. I keep these close in case I feel a sudden change of heart and need a different pair. 

6.  Bobby pins - gotta hold my bangs back somehow when applying my base ;)

7.  Maybelline Eyeshadow - I own a couple of these Maybelline sets. The color combos are always perfect and even though I don't use them that often on myself, they're the first thing I reach for when I'm asked to do someone else's make up. 

8.  Sephora "Perfect Lash Plumer" - I got a sample of this kind in my wedding make up and was so upset when it ran out. It's absolutely worth the $12. No clumps, slightly lengthens and thickens your lashes. 

9.  Make Up For Ever HD Fake Lashes - These were meant again, for my wedding day, but with the mascara I used my lashes were so thick already and my make up flawless that I just went without them. So I'm saving them of course for a special occasion. 

10.  Revlon Just Bitten Lip Stain in "Twilight" - a reeeeally deep deep red, also a special occasion only, but I love it that I always want to buy other colors from the brand. Since sometime last year I've fallen in love with lipstick and then cheated on that with lip stain. You just can't beat not having to worry about your lip color all day. 

11.  Mary Kay Blush in "Sunny Spice" - also something I just recently started using religiously. Now I'm on my second blush brush and experimenting with different shades. 

12.  Make Up For Ever "HD Foundation" #125 - Most amazing foundation that doesn't feel like foundation because it's so light, yet covers your face in a perfectly even shade and doesn't run whatsoever! Of course, from my wedding make up, but I can already tell you that when I run out of this bottle, it just might be the one make up thing I splurge the $35 on. It's fantastic. 

13.  L'Oreal "true match" pressed powder in "Buff Beige" - my favorite go to quick coverage when I've got the day off or just don't want to spend the 15-20min of putting on my full face :P

14. Labello Classic (the best and German chapstick) & CO Bigelow Apothecaries "mentha lip tint" from Bath & Body Works - I used to see them at B&BW and thought "I'd never spend $8 on lip gloss, but it's as if there's chapstick built right in! And for a girl who a) always has chapped lips or b) picks at her lips when they're dry, lip care is a must in my make up regimen. 

Hope you thought this was fun! I'd love for you to play along. So excited to share tomorrow's Hair Too{s}day with you!

xo . jess

make.

reverb10

December 6 – Make. What was the last thing you made? What materials did you use? Is there something you want to make, but you need to clear some time for it?

First off I have to say: "I wish I cooked more." I really thought I would start after I was married to N with our own place, but then in Michigan we didn't have a complete kitchen and I had none of my wedding/kitchen stuff unpacked, and now that we're living with my mom for now, who would cook when their mom could have made it?? Right!? So..I'm sorry I'm not more suzy*homemake for you (which is funny, because my mama's name is Suzy)and let me say that this post is not about food. 

Instead, I've been working on a scrapbook for N and I of our trip to Seattle this past March for our godson's baptism. It was such a great trip and we have so many amazing photos even though it was only for 3 days and I got stuck completing it a few months back. I vow to be done by the end of January, so that I can start on the scrapbook I've been MEANING to even start since 2 years ago, of our trip to Germany and Austria during which we also got engaged on New Year's. And after that puppy it should give me a nice "year recap" to start and finish the scrapbook of our honeymoon sometime next summer. 

When I work on scrapbooks I always take my time, so I really only get to 2-4 a year, but they're always awesome :) Oh yea. I tooted my little horn. 

Feel free to hold me to it and demand for pictures of my Seattle scrapbook when I'm done! Or I'll just post pics when I get there ;)

xo . jess

eeeeeeeeeek! I have exciting things coming together here at 


littmssunshine's playplay place


I've been wanting to start a new series for awhile..and I think the inspiration bulb finally went off...








here's a wittle sneak peak :) .................................

Hairapy

Inspired by Lauren's blanks from today I thought I could post my compilations of hairdos I've tried out over the last few days. Then when the cute Bree at Simply.Girly. started posting about the smart way she gets cute beachy waves overnight (literally!) I thought why not hop on this little bandwagon? 

First I've slipped in a crappy picture of me trying to share with you my attempt at the fall trend for makeup. It turned out really good but I didn't have time or place to get a good picture. Maybe I'll try again tomorrow. ;)  But a trend I've loved for a while is the ballet bun but my hair has been too short for it to go any higher than a mid pony tail. Well yesterday I snoozed around too long and didn't leave myself enough time to wash my hair and so I did my dramatic make up, flipped my hair upside down and pulled it into a classic bun at the crown of my head. I decided to give my bangs a little twist and pin, hairspray and voila! 

I ended up loving it! And the messier it got the cuter it was. I'm a fan of messy and this is definitely a do I'm repeating this winter. Especially if I keep adding to my scarf collection :)

Then this morning, more inspiration from Lauren and her blank series where she shares a trial video of the Crown Braid which I loved immediately! And after my lazy ass morning (!) I was not in the mood to get all wet and deal with a head of wet hair all afternoon, I decided to give my face a good wash, a little freshening up, and took a stab at mastering the crown braid with my short hair. (that's the only thing that sucks about having short hair) It seriously started falling out at the end, but I also braided it incorrectly, but also something I'm loving right now! I'm definitely gonna keep trying to perfect it, especially if my hair gets longer :) 

excuse the no make up and read cheeks from scrubbing my face.

it braids all the way around your head. 

and makes the cutest front braid. 

Day 22 / 30 Days : Perfect

whatever tickles your fancy.

I've been experimenting lately. With make up. And  hair. And a little clothes. I secretly follow a couple fashion blogs and lately..I've been up for going outside of my comfort zone a little here and there with new hairdo's .. bolder make up .. and pleather leggings! :P All of us girls at work have them and we love 'em. The leggings that look like fake leather. Kinda a la Sandy from Grease. But I love them because they're instantly dressier than regular leggings and I love pairing them with my boyfriend blazer and a tank. ... anyway

VERY recently..I've made a step in the .. lipstick .. direction. And I LOVE it! I used to completely ignore my lips. I would take care of them with chap stick and such..but that was about it. Then i fell in love with the nude lip because it was easily doable with my already minimal lip care. Then a couple days ago I was in Walgreens and spent about 15 minutes staring at the berry reds in the make up aisle before I started popping off caps and doing little trials on my hand. 

I knew I wanted a red. Not a cherry red. A berry red. A beautiful dark enough red for the fall that I could minimize my morning make up routine with by just doing a minimal eye and accentuate the lip. (I'm thinking that I've learned..as in clothing it is the same for make up..if you're showing lots of leg..cover up the girls; in make up: if you're showing off the eyes..go for the nude lip)

well kids. I think I'm getting pretty good at it. And I love it more and more everyday I go with the bold lip. I was the total dork taking pictures of myself in my mom's car today while she ran into the store to grab some things. (I was so pooped from work I couldn't even get my butt to go in with her) But I wanted to show you and get your feedback on what you guys think! And when I saw that I get to tell you whatever happens to tickle my fancy today (!) I realized showing you my smoldering red lips is just going to go perfect with this post :P alright that was super dumb. I'll shut up and show you the pictures now!