March's snowy start!

By the looks of this photo it is hard for me to even say that March and April are usually some of my favorite times of year. They are! It was a surprising treat to have the snow fall. Of course the weatherman always promises such blissful snowy evenings, but rarely delivers. Even now it is still coming down! I think we have a real live snow storm on our hands! I still have power though, so I am tucked into my living room with my two lovely puppies. As we speak I am watching romance movies, whilst in front of the fire. We will see what tomorrow holds.

Hopefully NO WORK! 

Textile Blocks...

I ran across these lovely wooden block stamps a few months ago. A dear friend of mine had decorated her bathroom with these things. I questioned her sanity...but why? She proceeded to tell me the history. They have been used for hundreds of years in India, China, and Egypt for textile production. Each one is hand carved from pear wood, and the wood is discolored from all the dyes (I like the dark colors though) - I thought these would come in handy for clay work, and a myriad of other crafty things. So I will try and get my hands on some of these.

Clay - like play-doh for adults.

As promised photos of my fabulous pottery class. I look forward to Wednesday night all week! This itches a creative scratch for me. This is a primative coil piece. I used about 6 giant coils to cover the inside of this form. When my instructor saw all the finger prints from fusing the coils together, he said it looked very Picasso/Van Gogh. Well Van Gogh is one of my all time favorite's in the art world. So I began to try and re-create a pottery texture version of starry night. Above the photo is of my second night working on the piece.

As the night went on I scored & slipped these twisted handles onto the tray. For my second or third piece I say not too shabby. I can't wait to get to the glazing process so I can share I finished pot photo with everyone, I am sure that will be much more exciting than these big piles of brown clay! A special thanks to my sister-n-law for introducing me to such a wonderful class at the William Fulton School for Crafts in Upstate, SC. If anyone is looking for a stress relief, creative outlet, and you have the slightest intrest in clay...then that is the place for you! Be forewarned though you may become totally addicted. I now spend lots of time on the internet gathering idea's and forms that I want to create. How lame!

Monday Blah's

Ahhh, the smell of cookies takes me back to a relaxing time when my mom used to whip up a batch of the above pictured no bake chocolate peanut-butter no bake cookies. These sugar packed babies have always been my number one favorite cookie. A boring awful Monday got me to think about my top five cookie picks. Below I have listed them in particular order:

1. No bake Peanut-butter chocolate oatmeal (these technically might be candy) 

2. Old fashion chocolate chip

3. Gingerbread cookies

4. Fortune Cookies

5. Chocolate filled hazlenut cookies

Below is the recipe for the chocolate drop cookies I love so dearly enjoy:
Ingredients
2 cups sugar
4 tablespoons cocoa
1 stick butter
1/2 cup milk
1 cup peanut butter
1 tablespoon vanilla
3 cups oatmeal
Waxed paper

Directions

In a heavy saucepan bring to a boil, the sugar, cocoa, butter and milk. Let boil for 1 minute then add peanut butter, vanilla and oatmeal. On a sheet of waxed paper, drop mixture by the teaspoonfuls, until cooled and hardened. Eat up like crazy!!!

Above is all the lovely handmade items that my dear sister-n-law & brother-n-law gave to my husband and I. Everything was so cool and unique that I don't know where to start. The pen was hand turned and made out of acrylic in the perfect color of purple. It is so sparkly and cool I don't even want to use it, I just want to set it in my wallet for people to oooh and aaahh over. All the little clay works are from the tireless hands of my sister-n-law, who has inspired me to follow in her path in a pottery class. Most are magnets, with intricate designs each with it's own special meaning. The shells represent our Christmas beach trip. The circle with the rose, and the circle with the tree are winter-time images. There is one with two little hearts I think that is my husband I. Then the coolest of all this the leaf patterned tray that everything is sitting on. She worked really neat designs into it, and topped it all off with this delicious glaze. How inspiring!

Christmastime is gone...

Well it's all over. The glitz and the glamour of the holiday season has passed, and now we have to slump through January & February and wait for the spring. In the meantime I want to share some of the photos I took while on my Christmas vacation. It was a very non-Christmas celebration. We visited Hilton Head Island, SC a family favorite of my husband's clan. Other than the exhaustion from the pre-Christmas workload, and the preperation of the trip, it was a lovely trip. We rode bikes on the beach, made cookies, and shopped til we dropped. I have far too many treasures to list. Below are a few photos so I can share the beauty of the beach in wintertime. It is like a totally different world.

My sister-n-law found a starfish washed a bit too far into the sand, so she rescued it. Don't worry she ran out in the frigid water to let it go among the waves. Not out too deep though, as my knowledgable brother-n-law pointed out starfish are a shallow water species. Without his jewels of wisdom our family would be murdering innocent creatures daily, without knowledge of it of course!


I hope everyone out there had an amazing Holiday, I know I did. Hopefully more photos are gonna be up soon, for everyone to enjoy.
Something that caught my eye a little earlier today-

"Love is a temporary madness. It erupts like an earthquake and then subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots have become so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of promises of eternal passion. That is just being "in love" which any of us can convince ourselves we are.
Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident. Your mother and I had it, we had roots that grew towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossom had fallen from our branches we found that we were one tree and not two.
- Captain Corelli's Mandolin. "Love is the beauty of the soul." --St. Augustine

Happy Three Years...

My wonderful husband delivered these to me last night at 2am after a long night at his work. There are two white roses, lots of cranberry red roses, and one special purple rose spread out amongst a beautiful batch of holiday colored wildflowers. We are happily celebrating our third anniversary. Marriage is a lot of hard work and "not for sissies" as a very wise man once told me. In my opinion all the hard work pays off in the end. You grow together and learn to appreciate the other in ways you never thought you were capable of before.

  I have been very busy with life lately and therefore missed posting to my blog. I am still constantly trying all sorts of new beauty products and trying new looks on myself and others. Recently I did a zombie make-up run-through on one of my husbands friends. It turned out pretty well I will post photos of it soon I hope.

The holidays are around the corner, this year I am ditching all the stress of the hussle and bussle, shopping nightmares, and therefore piles of bills. I have with the help of my sister-n-laws been scheduling the beach trip of all beach trips. A Christmas extravaganza with tons of cooking, crafting, exercise, games and fun galore. We are even scheming a pie eating contest, mini health pies of course. This will be so fun and I am very excited. I am sure there will be more to come in posts as we get closer to this treasured time of season! How corny!!

Dolled up for Deputy

A concert in Clemson, SC. Sounds like a good time. My friends and I got all dolled up and headed to a local college town venue to see an amazing artist known as Zach Deputy, originally from Hilton Head, SC. He is a mix of beach music, reggae, funk and folk, definitely worth checking out: 

www.zachdeputy.com 

Once we got there though after a wonderful dinner at the Mellow Mushroom, we were be-bopping toward the concert singing one of his songs, and someone yelled from across the street "He's not there!". I gasped, "WHAT?". To our dismay his girlfriend was having their child on this night, so we will have to go to the rescheduled version. At least I got to get all dressed up and have a nice dinner. Congrats on the new baby girl Zach!  

Here are some photos I took on this night, first one with my friend Stevie, and then me close up and serious.

Green with Envy

Two words: Oooohh lala. Is that three?
This is a look I did last night for karaoke. 

Looks very festive though, maybe I was thinking about Christmas. It IS right around the corner.

Here's what I used:
Eyes: MAC Prep & Prime eyeshadow base (medium) - MAC BioGreen - MAC Warm Chill - MAC Gulf Stream - MAC Pencil in Forest Green - MAC kohl liner in Feline - Benefit BadGal Lash
Lips - MAC prolong in Red Flame/Orange Flicker

Skinny Bitch!

This is a bid kick in the rump for those of us who want to be healthy, happy, and beautiful! This is a MUST READ for everyone (yes, even men!)
It made me laugh, cry, and really changed my point of view on some things, so I encourange everyone to check it out. My only negitive review is that the profanity in the book is a bit overkill, also you need to take ALL the advice with a grain of salt! Don't go overboard with this, unless you live in LA or NYC. They go overboard with everything. (sorry)

Double Time - Flapper Look

I made a video! Well, sorta with help. Meeger at best, but I've already got a pile full of ideas on how to improve it. 

I was going for a theatrical nineteen twenties makeup look. Below is a list of what I used. 

Jane Iredale Disapear Concealer

Jane Iredale Circle Delete

MAC Prep and Prime Face and Eyelid Primer

Jane Liquid - Cheapy stuff

Jane Iredale PureMatte Finish Powder

Baby Powder

Jane Iredale Flushed blush (use as sculpter also inside of eyes near nasal bridge)

Jane Iredale Wine & Roses shadow (base all over lid)

Jane Iredale Smokey Grey  (outer edge)

MAC Post Haste (middle and inner lid)

MAC Black Tied (all around eyes)

Jane Iredale longest lash in Black Ice

Jane Iredale black eyeliner

Jane Iredale Spice lipliner

Jane Iredale Toffee gloss

Jane Iredale 14k silver dust (highlighter)

Warning: I got carried away with lipstick and brushes and filled in one side of my model's lips too much, hey you live you learn! It doesn't make it any less cool to me. Thanks to April for being my model extrodinare, and also to my wonderful husband who indulges me in all this silliness, and his musical wonderment (heard in video)!

Below are the photos from the end of the video - youtube has terrible resolution so I thought you might like to see them as they were orginally intended.

CIA release photos of George Bush and Amy Wino Love Child..

OMG! Did everyone see the photos of Wino's & Bush's secret love baby? Here they are in case you missed it-

:shudder:

On a more serious note, that morphing website is super addictive give it a try!

Making it up as we go...

Day Look: MAC Lid Primer in Luna

MAC Gold mine (inner lid and underneath bottom lashes)

Jane Iredale Trio Green Dream - Middle Green (middle of lid)

Jane Iredale Emerald (outer corner)

Clinique Brown Black liner 

Clinique Mascara

Night Look: I left all the day colors and went over them with the following

MAC Electric eel (inner corner)

MAC Bio-Green (middle of the lid)

MAC Shimmermoss (outer corner)

MAC Forever Green (thick liner)

Too Faced Club Liquid Liner in Bronze (skinny liner, top and bottom)

Day:Lips Sydney Lip Plumper from Jane Iredale

Katch-chup!

Okay :deep breath: I've got a lot to cram into one little post here. This week I celebrated my 23rd year of being on this earth. It was a bit lame, I agree with my most wonderful husband it is a bit of a loser age. You're two years from renting a car, you've been legally drinking for two years which is getting old fast. I'll just wait it out I guess, until I turn a more sexy age. I went and did my most favorite activity: karaoke!  I sang with April: Kiss Me - Sixpence None the Richer, Rehab - Amy Winehouse, Criminal-Fiona Apple. Below are some fun photos we took. PS: I recieved a new haircut, one with bangs! I keep getting the cher reference though, so I don't know how I feel about that.

Ontop of all the birthday fun, I am trying to compile a virtual make-up portfolio so another entry is included. I will start having to pay April for the use of her face and especially her eyes, they make a great canvas.

 

 BEFORE

List of Supplies:

MAC eyelid primer

MAC White Frost (middle of the lid)

Jane Iredale Smokey Grey (outer corner of lid, and up onto the brow bone)

Jane Iredale Platinum (Lid to brow, under the eye, and inner corners)

Jane Iredale 24k Silver dust (all over eyes)

Jane Iredale Plum Plus Liner (above and under)

Lancome Mascara in Black

Bronzer to sculpt her cheek bones, etc.

Touch of gloss

Independence Day Garden!

Happy Fourth of July Everybody! Lately I have been working in my humble little garden... I wanted to share the spoils of that work, that I have selfishly been keeping to myself. Right now its just a jungle of different random-ness, but when I get a somewhat finished product I will share the whole picture with you. I'm just not ready yet! 

These beautiful white cotton-ball like flowers are hollyhock that I accuired at a local feed and seed store. They grow awesomely in semi-moist soil with lots of sunshine.

This is canna (one of my favs). I have this closest to my patio area because it puts on a beautiful show all summer long, all the way into the fall. I soon will purchase more to fill out some areas where some of my other plantings failed. Just behind you can see my provadence lavender, which smells amazing! 

Remember the baby-birds from before, they are huge and have actually grown all the way up and left the nest. :sad:  Hey there will always be next year! 

Eyes a flutter...

                                                

As aforementioned, I LOVE MAKE-UP! I did this little number the other night on my friend APRIL. Below is what we used, MAC paint pot - blackground, Mac shadow in expensive pink, shimmermoss, post haste, and black tied, with a jane iredale black brown eye pencil, and blinc mascara in royal blue. It is very dark, but pretty for a evening affair.

Please give me any feedback, questions or comments. 

Fame! I'm gonna live forever..

 

Please excuse the total ridiculousness of this, so let me elaborate quickly. I LOVE my garden, probably more than most. So the few hours a week I get to spend in the garden are special to me. As you read before I was so twitter-pated that baby birds were hatching everywhere, I almost wanted to burst with pride. Until - this %$#*ing bird began its terrorist attack on me every time I went out to water, or weed, or even just to let my dogs out!!! I know it was all out of protection for it's young, but when your 5 plus feet away from the nest it gets to be a little ANNOYING. So before I got desperate, I needed to make light of the situation. So I took the idea of a half crazed bird, and a dorky animal lover and ran with it, possibly I ran right on out of my mind. So tell me what you think adoring fans...enjoy!

Amanda's Summer Must-Have's...

I was out at a friends pool today and was very flattered when my friends want to use all the products I had brought along in my bag. I decided when I came home it might be a good idea to post the items on my blog so that other's could enjoy what has worked for me.

This Obagi Healthy Skin Protection SPF 35 is great for protecting the delicate skin on your face. It runs about $44.00, which is a bit pricey for sunscreen but worth every penny, no clogging and no smell or white residue. 

Warren-Tricomi Organic Hair Shield - for those of us with any type of color in out hair this is a must, it is chalked full of vitamins and has a color-safe sunscreen to block harmful UV rays that will fade out color. It cost about $30.00 from Neiman-Marcus and Sephora. Just a little spritz of this before you go out in the sun will save you hundreds during your next color.

These Nozema Mini Shavers are AMAZING! Rush right out and get these for your bikini line and other small hard to shave areas, these mini razors have a shea butter strip to hydrate the area your shaving, they come in a three pack for under $10.00. You cannot make it through this summer without these.

 

Jane Iredale Mineral Make-up Dream Tint Mousse this cost $36.00, it comes in 5 colors, 2 corrective colors, and 2 bronzers.  It's a wonderful summer addition because of it's SPF 15. It's so light and airy, its goes on beautifully and moisturizies just perfectly. There is a blending brush for application that is just magical as well.

OPI Nail Laquer - My Private Jet this is a dark steel grey with multicolor glitter flecks I know it is a little dark for the spring/summer season, but its an amzing color for a pedicure. It goes with everything! Try it out. $6.50 Retail.

Karaoke Madness...

No wonder this stuff is so additive for the japense. It's awesome. I am totally into the karaoke scene, well what there is of one in my tiny tiny town. To be honest it IS a lot of redneck's badly studdering through country songs that all sound the same. This is my newest intrest a possible duet, and yes it is country but it's classic country which is a little different in my book: the orginal is Linda Davis and Reba McEntire. This one with Kelly Clarkson is still good though. My friend April Manly and I are going to sing it one of these nights.

The Video

April's Music Site

Please check April out she is an awesome singer/songwriter! Support local music!

Slacker!

Okay, so I have been a terrible disgrace to blogging. Now I am back and hope to continue my reign of terror on the Internet, as we know it. Wow that sounded insane!
*  *  *
It would be a long boring story to go into what I have been doing for the last three weeks so here is the reader's digest version: new job training, sick with strep throat mess, more job training, lots of yard work, sick more, house cleaning, sick more, more working at new job. Okay see? Nothing juicy there. Onward then like nothing ever happened!
Spring has sprung right before my eyes! I am bursting with pride due to the fact my yard has turned into an actual backyard habitat. My hard work has paid off I have three bird's nests (that I can find right now) throughout my yard. One already has babies in it, which I am happy about. One has beautiful blue and gray speckled eggs, and the third is just starting to be built. Last year I put out feeders and did my plantings based on trying to get birds and animals to come, it did okay but I was not sure I had done everything I could do to make a happy home for animals. I live close to a downtown area, so I feel it is important to make sure I have an oasis for birds to stop by and have a safe place to grab a snack. Little did I know this year would be so eventful! I will keep you updated on what type of birds the empty nest, and eggs produce.

Here is a list of what I have planted to attract wildlife:
Providence Lavender
Elephant ears
Moses in a Boat
Daylilies
Snapdragons
Strawberry plants (they actually produce strawberries) I haven't gotten adventurous enough to eat them
Carolina Jasmine
Hollyhock
Canna Lilly
Hanging ferns
I believe South Carolina is a zone 7, so of course it will be different depending on your locale. I encourage everyone to get out and plant something, even if you are just container gardening.

Georgia on my mind

Savannah- Home of "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, and food network's Paula Deen :a woman after my own heart drenching everything in butter:
My hubby and I jaunted all around this magnificent city, enriched by historical importance and artistic culture. Although, I felt safe at all times due to the large amounts of police who swarmed as soon as the sun set. There was an eerie feeling in the damp air, one that made you wonder about all the tourists who pass though, and all the people who have lived and died there. Apparently there are many cemeteries in Savannah that have been paved over for growth, I think this contributes to this feeling. It could just be an old city thing, who know's. I didn't mind it though. we had amazing food such as: a fresh turkey sandwich complete with homemade cranberry sauce and brie, this all served on wheat toast, an amazing filet mignon, sided with asparagus, and garlic potatoes, and a tomato basil soup fit for a king. I highly recommend Belford's in City Market and Moon River Brewing Company on Bay St. if you are venturing to the Savannah area. Our trip was topped off with a haunted lore carriage ride though the city, it was raining ever so slightly which made it much more convincing! Thank you to Krista, Charlie, and Dell at the Savannah Carriage Company located in City Market. I cannot wait for our next trip, I want to go to the Telfair museum of art, Bonaventure Cemetery. Places I missed it this time.
Below are some photos I took with my Nikon Cool Pics camera.