Beachy Waves

Eyeball Cookies for Halloween

Do you ever find that as a mom you try and do everything absolutely perfect?  You take your kid to Frozen Yogurt as a treat and they look at you and say, "This isn't even fun, mama."  Or you make toast in the morning with bananas and peanut butter and honey, set up like Mickey Mouse' head, get all excited for them to wake up... and they turn to you and say, "I don't like Mickey Mouse anymore, mama."  OKAY... As of yesterday, they were ALL ABOUT that freakin' mouse.  Soooooo, a little bit of your Motherly Pride is chipped away.  With every #FAIL you feel like a failure.  You may even shed a tear or two.  Not saying I have EVER done anything like that in my almost 7 years of mothering, but some of you mothers may have. (I have totally had emotional breakdowns, locked in the bathroom for a good 45 min, btw)  It's okay to cry.  Let it OUT!  It shows that we are still human!  I mean, if on a normal day we are doing laundry, going to work, packing lunches, making dinner, running baths, helping with homework, reading with our little ones, tucking them in bed and checking our email/social media, we can forget that we are only human and not the super hero that we just assume we are.  This is the average life for a mother!  We do it ALL.... Which brings me to my next, hopefully, NON-FAILURE.
Halloween is right around the corner.  Per my daughter's request, I will be attempting to make these Eyeball Cookies.  She got the recipe out of her book, Five Little Monkeys Trick-Or-Treat.  I will be taking them to her Fall Festival on Friday.  Wish me luck.
If any of you other mothers would like to attempt this recipe I will post it below.  I hope I hear how happy your children are after they have one.

XOXO,
Lo Lo

Good Luck Not Ruining Halloween For Your Kid This Year.

HERBAL ESSENCES.... WHAAAAAATTTT????

OH EM GEE!  I have been on the hunt FOREVER for the PERFECT Shampoo and Conditioner for my daughter's hair (black and white).  I have had very little success thus far, trying everything from Mixed Chicks, Shea Moisture, Kinky Curly, Curls, Mane 'N Tail and countless others.  I bought Herbal Essences The Sleeker The Butter Shampoo and Conditioner and used it the first time the other day.  First of all the smell is absolutely amazing.  It smells like Cocoa Butter and Vanilla/Coconut.  My daughter wanted to eat it.  :) Second of all, the shampoo lathered up so nice, and the conditioner made my daughter's hair so smooth and soft, even after rinsing it out.  Usually as soon as the conditioner is rinsed out, her hair feels like straw and is completely tangled.  Last, but not least... when it was time to comb it out, I was able to do so without a struggle.  SIDE NOTE:  She had slept on a wet head from the pool from the night before.  Washing is always a struggle after pool days.  I didn't have to add any leave in conditioners, or serums, like I normally do.  I simply combed through and put her styling product in.  It was Heaven.  The best part, is that my daughter's curls still look pretty after a day and a half.  I'm in love with this product.  It only took 6 years to find. ;)

XOXO,

LO LO

Electric Palette Tutorial (+playlist)

Urban Decay Electric Palette! (+playlist)

Feeling Disheartened...

I have been feeling as if my generosity has been going unnoticed.  Not just going unnoticed, but I feel as if I'm held to expectations that I can no longer mentally and physically do.  I am slowly getting burnt out.  I have had a few melt downs and am so very tired lately.  I'm struggling with finances and gaining that steady clientele that every "work for yourself" person needs to survive.  I'm struggling with being a mom and practicing patience with my 6 year old who's only purpose in life, it seems, is to disobey, annoy, and disrespect me.  I am being pulled so many different ways and am giving so much of myself, that I have forgotten to take care of myself.  I was feeling so "woe is me, pity party" that when I got a massage today, I broke down sobbing.  My therapist began to massage my feet at the end of my 90 minute session and it hit something that released 10 tons of emotion onto my face pillow and into the kleenex that I quickly asked for.  She told me to keep crying and not shut it off.  If I felt the urge to cry, cry.  If I needed to cry on the drive home, cry on the drive home.  She said I probably had a lot of stress, tension and emotion harnessed in my feet and crying would release all of it and get the additional toxins out.  When I got home, I was thinking about everything, and I happened to read this passage by Mother Teresa.  It couldn't have come on a better day.  I needed to read this.  I needed to be reminded that God said, "What you do for the least of these, you do unto me."  I'm crying as I type this....

"For you see, in the end, it is between you and God.  It was never between you and them anyway."
 
~Mother Teresa

Full Exposure Palette Smokey Eye (+playlist)

Ipsy Bag!

"Unboxing" Julep Maven

Valentine's Day Nail Tutorial

A Nighttime Treat...

Here I am surrounded with the scents of lavender, eucalyptus and mint... I am happy.  I have found a new way to unwind at night.  If you watched my Bath and Body Works video, you will know what I am talking about.
The first thing I do is draw a HOT bath.  Not totally HOT but a "doable" hot.  I put the Lavender Vanilla Sleep Foaming Bath in and simply marinate in the warmth.  Tonight I chose to use the Eucalyptus and Tea Stress Relief Foaming Bath and Ahhhhh.... Pure Heaven.
When I got out, I applied some Lavender Vanilla body cream on my feet and hands... It just feels so relaxing to rub into the feet after a long day.  My pillow cases are spritzed with Lavender Vanilla Pillow Mist and my room is practically perfect, if I do say so myself.
I did a few extra things tonight to pamper.  I put a teeth whitening treatment on for 30 min.  I put a cleansing/detoxifying mask on for 15 min.  I washed both of those off and now I have a coconut/shea mask on to boost moisture in my skin.  The weather has made my skin completely dry and tight, that any little "extra" I do is totally worth every minute.
I think my last "to do" before I close my eyes will be to read The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson.  This book is so powerful and an amazing read on prayer and it's significance in one's life.  A great read before my slumber.

XoXo,

Lo Lo

Bath and Body Haul

Seahawk Superbowl Makeup

Naked Palette Comparison

5 Nail Looks

An Organized Life

Has anyone ever felt like when your surroundings are unorganized, so is your life?  Meaning, you become late paying your bills, stressed, overwhelmed, etc.  I am one of those people.  I get so out of whack that my world becomes complete chaos.  When that happens, I take my frustrations out on my family and those around me.  My poor daughter gets the brunt of it all and I have to stop and gather myself.  I NEED to stay organized, or I literally feel depressed and cannot handle anything that life throws at me.  When my space is decluttered, clean and organized, I feel at ease.  It's crazy how these things go hand in hand!
I have started decluttering my space (my closet) about twice a year.  If I haven't worn it within the past 6 months to a year, with the exception of the clothes that are "season specific", I get rid of it.  I started selling on FACEBOOK!  Which, by the way, is the absolute best way to say "goodbye" to your beloved possessions, knowing they will go to a good home.  I am so sick of heading to resale shops that give me JACK for my goods, that are in practically perfect condition.  I'm talking gorgeous shoes, and clothes that were worn once, or twice... Good stuff.  I can always count on my girls to come rescue me during the much needed "purge".  It's nice to see all of my clothes and actually remember what I have and wear them!    Although it is sad to see the Charlie Jade dress go and the Steven by Steve Madden T-Strap studded heels leave their special cubby in my closet, I feel better knowing their destination.
My makeup is also in this same category.  I bought the 9 drawer Alex dresser from IKEA and I am so pleased with it.  I have been able to go through my makeup, getting rid of stuff I didn't want and organize the stuff I did.  Most everything is in it's own special place where it can be seen!  I had makeup bags filled to the brim with tons of cosmetics and I would forget that I even owned most of it!  Therefore, it was never used.
As I'm writing this, I'm sitting on my "made" bed, smelling my Exotic Coconut candle and able to see the beautiful wood floors and gorgeous shag rug absolutely clutter free.  I feel happy.

XOXO,

Lo Lo

#ClutterFree2014

2014

So...
2014 is upon us.  I am so excited about this year and all it has to offer!  I got my manicurist license last April and I have started a career as a nail technician.  I am also still working as a freelance makeup artist.  I am my own boss and I choose my own hours.  This is so great, but also very challenging as far as making enough money to actually save and grow.  I have learned this past year and the beginning of this year to really put my faith in God, and let him supply my needs.  I am not making much, but I am happy and my needs are being met.I have more time for my daughter and family.  I am focused on making a better life and really expanding in my area of expertise!  With that being said, I will continue to blog on here... It has been way too long and I have added more recent videos to my Youtube.  This will start to be part of my daily routine... I am also excited about my friends who also have blogs and you tube channels coming out!  Go get em girls!

XoXo,

Lo Lo

www.youtube.com/facesbylolo

Subscribe to my channel and follow my blog!

J.Cat Nail Stickers

Hey kids!  Okay, so most of my blogs are positive... This one, not so much.  I was at IMATS 2 weeks ago and picked up these nail stickers by J.Cat.  I was intrigued because they showcased 3D nail art, and thought that it would be ideal for when I needed to save a little time.  I love doing nail art and bling on my nails, but sometimes I just want to get up and go, being able to achieve that same look in half the time.  When I first put them on I was thinking that I wasn't impressed by the way I had to remove the excess from around the nail.  I attempted the traditional file off method of other nail stick ons, and that wasn't working.  The material is a thick plastic sticker, so file off was just stretching and shredding it apart.  I then decided to take my nail clippers and just snip off the excess which worked fine.  So there we have it, I got the stickers on, gave myself an accent nail, that I painted pink and glued the stones on myself, and the look was finally complete.  I did this Saturday night.  Sunday I went out and after a few times scratching my skin or picking something up, to moving my hair, some of the stickers began lifting and folding back near the free edge of the nail.  I kept having to push them back down. :(  MAJOR BUMMER.  The pack said they were supposed to last up to 10 days!  That wasn't happening.  At that point I started thinking, "maybe a topcoat?"  So I did that, and sealed the tip on a few of the nails.  As they tried, the polish dried ripply on top and was not smooth any longer... very disappointing.  So on the last few, I strictly decided to seal the tip.  This still did not help to keep them flush with my nail bed.  I ended up peeling them off Monday night, leaving my two pink accent nails, which of course, were still completely in tact.  I am definitely a fan of the OPI stick ons and the Sally Hansen, being that they really do last.  The only thing I didn't like about the OPI ones, was that my nails got a little messy during the removal process.  But they lasted a full 7 days, which was enough for this girl.  I have decided if I choose to wear these specific stickers again, I will only rock them as accent nails, as not to waste an entire set.  I will also possibly add nail glue to the free edge, when securing it to the nail.  Trial and error right?  We shall see.

XOXO,
Lo Lo

Here are my nails immediately after application...

My NAKED WARDROBE!!!!

I was scrolling through my IG this morning when I noticed a post about this boutique called Naked Wardrobe.  I died.  Literally... I immediately "followed" them and of course, had to order a few pieces.  I saw this amazing sweater with sequined elbow patches.  I love everything about this sweater!  From the color to the style and sequins... I am awed.  I also ordered a black cross long sleeve tee.  I love the leather and studs.  So awesome!  As I was navigating through the website, I had a few hangups during checkout.  I called customer service and the young lady on the other line stayed on the phone with me as I attempted to remedy my order.  She was so patient and friendly.  After being unsuccessful twice, she ended up taking all of my payment information over the phone.  What a great experience!  I can't wait to get my new gear!

Follow them on Instagram! nakedwardrobe
Visit their site @ www.nakedwardrobe.com

XOXO,
LO LO

Happy Shopping!

NAIL NOSTALGIA

For the past two years I have really been getting into nail polish and the "accent nail".  I love creating designs and wearing something a bit different from the general population.  I am a fan of OPI, China Glaze and Essie.  I love these lines!  I love the colors, textures and pure quality I get from them.  Recently I began doing my friends manicures and pedicures.  It's so much fun for me and is giving me plenty of practice.  Here are 3 photos of nails I have done.  I will post more as I continue on this new found journey!  Enjoy!

XOXO,

LO LO