today...9.28.11

i'm thankful for today-- another beautiful day. no, not perfect in the least, but, along with the normal things {mommy/wife stuff} and fabulous beauty-related goodness {always}, i relished the time to savor the confetti that included coffee and tea sipping, books, magazines and music...

these days this is my favorite coffee to drink with my breakfast...


stopped by the market for some new-to-me bagged tea flavors...


initially went to barnes and noble for the october issue of Harper's Bazaar UK and Jones mags. only ended up with Jones, but i did find 2 books {plus 1} that i've wanted to read on the bargain shelf {hello, huge discount!}-- love that!



last month, i signed up for a tea exchange, so today paid a visit to my favorite local tea and coffee brewery; i know the owners and they are always extremely helpful when i visit {you can sip a sample of anything before you buy}. needless to say, they had some fabulous selections of new and rare loose leaf blends that i bought for both for myself and my recipient {i'll be sharing more about the exchange after i receive my package}...

the day was also complimented with good music. i've been on an indie and jazz kick for the last couple of days, so, via Pandora radio, my ears experienced selections from Kate Nash, Foster the People, The Head and the Heart, The Weepies, Deb Talan, Zee Avi, Adele, Landon Pigg and She & Him, just to name a few...

how was your day?

all pics, except the first, taken by me :)

currently loving...

it seems my days are going by so much faster these days. i wake up, and before i know it, the day is coming to an end and it's time to sleep! it's kind of nutty when i think about it, but i definitely many things to be thankful for-- my family, my friends, my health and the fact that you are here reading this! :)

sprinkled on top of my thankfulness are some delightful things i'm currently loving in this moment...


There's Cake in My Future by Kim Gruenenfelder....a fun chick-lit read {be warned, it is a bit rated-r, due to all the f-bombs dropped}, but the story is funny and engaging. i'm about 70% through it and can't wait to see how the story of three friends, their lives and hope for the future will end up!


fresh, roasted red peppers with my egg whites at breakfast {and sometimes lunch and dinner, too, lol!}...



this image of a small laundry room space is inspiring the redecoration of my own slightly larger laundry space...


NYX Natural Look Nude on Nude Kit is the perfect little gem for travel and everyday use. every shade is wearable, giving my eyes added day-friendly glam, but i also love that the neutral tones help to enhance the shade of a bright-colored eye liner!


philosophy Falling in Love...i picked this up on a Sephora run when they were out of favorite Unconditional Love {j'adore!}; i figured, "why not try it?"...and now, well... :)

sprinkles of bliss...

happy good friday and earth day, beauties! hope it's been a fab one for you. the week was steady-- it didn't go by too fast or too slow {which is a good thing considering my kids are off for spring break. if you have kids, you know how that goes...}-- and i have many things to be thankful for.

days have been the usual: laundry, cleaning and errands, but also filled with creative time, games, trips to the library, the park, sleep-overs, scavenger hunts while on walks with the dog, early gym workouts and lots of cooking! when kids are home all day, there seems to be so much more to do.

even with lots going on, there are always lovely things adding sprinkles of bliss to my day. here are just a few i have been especially loving...

the public library-- it's such an amazing resource for books {duh}. i love to read, so i take full advantage of getting {almost} every book i want without spending loads of money on them {don't get me wrong, i do still buy books, but this cuts cost way down}. as you can see i have many current selections, including audio books, ranging from history to fiction, chick-lit to mystery.

Good Earth Caffeine Free Sweet & Spicy Tea is just that, sweet and spicy. no added sweetener needed. there's a black tea version, but for some reason i just like this one better. yum! j'adore that each tag has a great quote printed on it as well-- from inspiring to thought provoking to funny, they're always a treat to read.

for easy and fast makeup removal, i've been using Neutrogena Eye Makeup Remover Pads and One-Step Cleanser. the pads take off eye makeup with ease and the cleanser breaks up dirt, oil and makeup so my treatment cleanser and serums can do theirs job even better.

i'm incredibly late to the party, but Nylon magazine has become my new faves. while i realize i may not be their target audience {hello, suburban housewife here, lol}, i still find the content and imagery refreshing. it's full of amazing fashion, beauty, music, lifestyle and celebs stories, and a fun, funky voice all its own.

tell me: what things are adding sprinkles of bliss to your day?

first image via weheartit.com; all other pics taken by me :)

what i'm reading: Style Eyes by Taylor Chang-Babaian

in her new book, Style Eyes, makeup artist Taylor Chang-Babaian shares her knowledge, advice and how-to instruction for creating amazing eye looks, no matter what their shape or your occasion. i love that this book is filled with clear, crisp images (kudos to photographer Albert Sanchez) and great step-by-steps for each look-- Taylor includes sections on everything from the brushes you should have and how they are to be used (but without any brand recs), how to play up eyes based on your eye shape and skin tone, brow shaping, etc., without forgetting to include a chapter on how to create the best flawless eye canvas to start your look.


just a few images from Style Eyes (click to enlarge)

each pic is so fresh and inspiring-- they made me want to play with eye makeup looks all day!-- and the use of different colors to create the classic, and oh-so-popular smokey eyes is fabulous! Style Eyes is very thorough and a great book to own since you can pick it up and read it from any part for tips or to try something new!

check out this book, now available on amazon.com and a bookstore near you.

xo
this book was sent to me for review consideration.

what i'm reading: What to Wear For the Rest of Your Life

Kim Johnson Gross' book What to Wear for the Rest of Your Life: Ageless Secrets of Style chronicles the journey of the author's own re-discovery of her sense of style and helps the reader find her own by offering practical tips to create a wardrobe that begs to be worn.

every woman's closet-- no matter the size-- is a room of her own. in that space hang side by side the special occasions and the everyday, the triumphs and the disasters, the memories we want to keep and those we should jettison.

i like the advice in this book and the personal stories really help made me feel like i was getting to know who the author was. though this read is geared at an older audience (40+), any stylish gal can pull tips and learn from it.



divided into four main parts, What to Wear for the Rest of Your Life begins with part one, "How Should I Look?", which is divided into 10 sections covering everything from evaluating your clothes to assessing how we truly look in our clothes to getting your closet in feel good condition.

part two, "What Do I Want to Wear?", Gross encourages the reader to choose style mentors, while part three, "How Do I Look?", brings up that our closet is always evolving-- especially as we age. makeup, hair styles and shopping advice are also addressed in this section.

in the fourth section, thoughtfully titled "Clothes Meet Life", advice is given about jewelry, dressing sexy, and dressing for special occasions. Gross then ties everything together with a wrap-up section, Wardrobe Wisdom, which gives book recommendations and highlights the women the author interviewed in the book-- loved that!



if you're looking for a style-themed, how-to, semi-memoir book, you might find What to Wear for the Rest of Your Life quite enjoyable-- i know i did! you can find it at amazon.com.

xo
book featured was sent to me by the publisher for review consideration.

Coming Soon: Style Eyes by Taylor Chang-Babaian

Style Eyes by Taylor Chang-Babaian is a soon-to-be-released makeup book that i have recently learned about, and i have to say i am excited for it's release. it's a book that will help give women the knowledge and inspiration to create beautiful eyes (and brows) with step-by-step instructions. you'll also be happy to know that it isn't just for one type of woman-- it focuses on eye make-up for women of all ages and ethnicities.



Taylor Babaian

in the book Taylor will teach women how to:

*identify and use common eye makeup products and tools

*create the perfect frame for eyes by grooming eyebrows appropriately

*identify the best techniques and shades for certain eye shapes and colors

*create the perfect look for day, evening, work, or play

*learn the best looks for every age and situation, from wearing glasses to achieving an eyelift and erasing lines without surgery.

sounds like an interesting and fun read, right? and if you're anything like me, you're all about the eye makeup. :) i'll be getting an advanced copy next month, so i'll be filling you in on my thoughts about the book around the time of its release in august.

until then, tell me: what is your favorite beauty/makeup how-to book?

xo

Rainy, Book-Reading Kind of Day

happy monday beauties! in my neck of the country, the day began very rainy and gloomy (as you can see from the picture above, taken from my patio).

i stayed home from the gym due to the fact that my back was bothering me (a little nuisance that, like my sometimes achy knees, has been passed down by my mother), so it worked out to be a good thing. i spent my morning hanging out with my kids, then browsing the web.



in my perusing, i came across a fab website called goodreads.com, a social-networking site for people who love to read. users can rate and keep track of books read, write and read reviews, join book clubs, and even create a list of want-to-read books-- it's so fun! i think i was on there for over an hour.



i love reading. it's such an escape for me. i'm currently reading two books, My Sister's Keeper and Shopaholic Ties the Knot. i'll be keeping track of my progress and will hopefully adding them to my "read shelf" soon so i can reading books on my "to-read shelf". on the list? The Lovely Bones, Twenties Girl and Something Borrowed, just to name a few.

rainy days aren't so bad, especially when the sun comes out later. :)



how was your monday?

xo

what i'm reading: Fierce Style by Christian Siriano

Fierce Style: How to Be Your Most Fabulous Self by Christian Siriano* allows every woman the opportunity to get advice from Project Runway's most successful and fierce winner.

i admit, i was always a huge fan of Christian's-- every week i would tune in to PR, eager to see what he would create. he was even memorable to hubby because of his repeated use of the word "fierce"; the man couldn't remember Christian's name, but if i said "you know, the 'fierce' guy", he instantly remembered, LOL!

with a foreward from Tim Gunn (if you get the book, don't skip this part!), Fierce Style touches on everything from how to create your own signature style, give your wardrobe more pizazz, how to dress your body type, the best places to shop for your style preferences (even on a budget!), beauty and hair tips, what inspires him, and the list goes on...


pic of Christian working, featured in chaper 7 (page 98)

throughout the book, Christian shares his own style blunders and missteps, lists his favorite (and not so favorite) things, and the best part of all? the glossary of terms at the back of the book (i'm glad i'm not the only one who uses the word fabulous to describe everything i love!)!

i really like this book because it's practical, fun to read, has amazing tips (and pics!), and each chapter is broken down into bites, rather than being long and drawn-out. you can literally pick this book up, open it to any page, and get a style tip, beauty inspiration or an idea on how to make the most of your own time and talents so you can be your most fabulous, fierce self.

great job Christian!

you can find Fierce Style: How to Be Your Most Fabulous Self in bookstores now and online at amazon.com

xo
first pic taken by me :)
Christian Siriano photo via amazon.com
*the publisher, The Hatchett Group, sent this book to me for review