Halloween Makeup !

Halloween is approaching and finding the perfect costume can be quite challenging ! Even more challenging ? ... figuring out how to finish off the look with the perfect makeup :)
I decided to go on youtube and pull some of the most popular looks that people want to achieve.

First off is the Zombie look. If you want gore and blood, these are your best bet.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pksU6v0Rr7g
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6OUy2QhPps&feature=related
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOAmgMtMDWg


If you want a dark , sexy Vampire look - try this one :
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpVUAw12BoA&feature=relmfu


If you are looking to go the opposite direction and want a Barbie tutorial, try this one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sm5TBTBk0CI

Is Cleopatra your choice ?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_6Pc8J7cZc&feature=plcp
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQZXeV6qX6k&feature=fvwrel

Marilyn Monroe ?  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjqKauFrFfI&feature=plcp

Want to be a mermaid ? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxyrOCgQksk&feature=fvwrel

A Fairy ?  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjqLqJbgars&feature=plcp

Dream of looking like Snow White ? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvaC9AdRlxI&feature=fvst
Or Cinderella ? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76WvcF1hpRw&feature=relmfu

Maybe you want to look like a more manly character ....

The Joker ? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76WvcF1hpRw&feature=relmfu

Edward Scissor Hands ?  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAgxoBvZYUg&feature=relmfu

An Oompa Loompa ?  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y59ouSMD1oo&feature=plcp

Frankenstein ? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tDqfUbJkMU&feature=plcp

There are soooo many costume ideas out there and Youtube is the best place to find makeup tutorials that will help you achieve the many costume looks you have in mind.
I love dressing up and thinking about what I want to look like ! Hope you find some inspiration in these tutorials !! ( subscribe to these talented ladies if you have an account ! )

Have a great day !!! :)

#1 Bestseller

Oh yes, it's that time again - book review !!! This time I decided to go the route of Danielle Steel - romance, light drama and a great story :)
Now, most people think Danielle Steel writes for older women and that younger generations can't relate to her stories, and nothing is farther from the truth.
When it comes to reading, it really comes down to personal preference and literary styles. If you only like gore and horror and jumping out of your seat ... then this is probably not for you. But if you have an open mind and a like for many different kinds of books, then the world of books is your oyster !

The main character, Francesca, is a relatable woman. Her relationship with her boyfriend is falling to pieces as they grow apart and it leaves her alone and with an old house that seems to want to fall apart at any chance it gets.
Against what one might think of as her better judgement, she decides to keep the house and find roommates so that 44 Charles Street stays in her possession. The tenants that take on the rooms in her house bring the life and energy back, but with them comes each of their pasts and futures.
Eileen, a young student ; Chris, a divorced father and Marya a famous cook , each add to the story and to the history of the house Francesca fell in love with.
Twists and turns are inevitable in this kind of book. Dramas are sure to ensue. But, you do fall in love with the characters as they all learn to live with and love each other.

After reading this book you want to explore more of Danielle Steels books. Not all the stories will pique your interest, but you will find one eventually that makes you want to embark on the characters' journey with them.
So get out your blanket, curl up and fall into this book. You might find an author, and a cast of characters with whom you fall in love ! :)

Happy reading !!

Battles Week 1

So if you have been reading my blog, you know by now that I love NBC's The Voice.
I posted a blog about my favorites from each team after the auditions and now I am back for a follow up after week 1 of the Battle Rounds.
This stage of the competition is where the first big change has been implemented this season and I am really liking this new format. The idea of giving some people a second chance under the guidance of a different coach adds to the show and the competition.

Team Xtina :
Nelly's Echo and De'borah were teamed up in a battle round singing " Message in a Bottle ". I went into this round with De'borah as one of my faves and a great respect for Nelly's talent. Both unique singers, with unique stories put everything they had into this performance, but De'borah blew the song out of the water winning her a spot on Xtina's team and crowning her winner of this battle.
Watch the performance here : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nAHikoxecE&feature=plcp

Another battle from Team Xtina happened between Aquile and Nathalie Hernandez singing " You make it real ". Neither made my list of faves, because both are talented singers who left me wanting a little something more from their performances. During their battle Nathalie fell short given her 15 years of age and seemed to lack the maturity to sing the song. Aquile showed me how confident he was in who he is as a singer and I was happy to see him win this battle. Watch the performance here : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pXmbZ-qVB0&feature=plcp

The third battle from team Xtina happened between Celica Westbrook, one of my favorites after the auditions, and Lisa Scinta. We only saw a snoppet of their performance, but Celica proved me right in those few seconds that we saw and consequently won the battle. Watch here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOc_Ju_IOY0&feature=plcp





Team Blake :
During the same snippet as Celica vs Lisa, we saw 2 of my early favorites face off when Charlie Rey and Rudy Parris battled for a spot on team Blake. Though we only got to see a few seconds of the battle, Rudy proved why he should earn a spot, while Charlie let his nerves get the best of him. Rudy won the battle over Charlie. Watch here : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOc_Ju_IOY0&feature=plcp

During the Battle rounds, we also saw Terry McDermott face off against Kacey singing " Carry on Wayward son ".The performance was a good one, but made it evident that Terry knows his voice better than Kacey, making him the winner and proving me right again when it comes to my favorites and their talent :)
Watch the performance here : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYL5zRwxvq4&feature=plcp

Also teamed up to battle from Team Blake were 2Steel Girls, a mother daughter duo, and Gracia Harrisson singing " Sin Wagon ".  I don't agree with duos' being set up against soloists because duos can compensate for each others downfalls whilst soloists are left to their own devices. Lucky for Gracia, her voice is powerful enough to beat out 2 singers at once. She shined bright and won against the duo, earning her a spot in the next rounds. Watch the performance here : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8k6WR1bINE&feature=plcp




Team Cee Lo :
Trevin Hunt , my early favorite, battled it out with Amanda Brown, another great singer. They sang " Vision of Love " and it was the most powerful performance so far. CeeLo had his head hanging low and regretted pairing them, but in the end, he chose Trevin for his team. Amanda was stolen after her defeat and joined Team Adam taking one of his 2 " steal " spots. Watch the performance here : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_FshGs-c9o&feature=plcp

Another team who battled it out were JR Aquino and Diego Val who sang " Jessie's Girl ". It was a rocky start when CeeLo gave them the song since Diego didnt know it, but in the end practice and his rocker vibe won him the battle over a more R&B JR Aquino. Watch the performance here : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fb3RsMIhtDg&feature=plcp

Last pairing of the week for Team CeeLo was DOMO and Cody singing " Telephone ". Domo's personality turned me off initially after the auditions, while Cody had my favorite reaction of the season after he realized that he had been chosen by CeeLo, so I went into this round a little biased. Domo has a great voice, don't get me wrong, but her cockiness was a deal breaker. The most entertaining performance of the night was given by these 2 singers who added choreography to the song. Unfortunately for DOMO, Cody rocked the stage and won CeeLo's vote, therefore beating out his opponent. Watch the performance here : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0zLfIGJ1bo&feature=plcp 



Team Adam :
Bryan Keith and Colin were the first team to battle it out singing " Santeria ". Bryan was on my list of faves before the performance and his laid back attitude and rough tone were perfect for this song. Colin is a great singer, but his clean tone was his downfall when Adam made his choice to save Bryan. Colin got a second chance when Blake stole him, taking 1 of 2 "steal " spots on his team. Watch the performance here : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clvLpstYYR0&feature=plcp

And finally, rounding off the first week, were Melanie Martinez and Caitlin Michele, two of my favorite singers of the whole competition. Both have unique, original voices and at first this pairing saddened me because I loved them both so much. Singing " Lights ", they gave an amazing, haunting performance that gave me chills. Eventually, Adam chose Melanie and CeeLo stole Caitlin, making me happy to see both stay. Watch the performance here : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qxya9jDgICA&feature=plcp


All in all, I was extremely happy with the results this week and I like all the singers that have moved forward. Next week there will be more Battle Rounds, and I will be watching and taking notes again. :)

Have a great day :)

Weekends away !

Whenever a Holiday comes around, I like to get away. I think holidays are the best time to get out of town and relax. Doing things that you can't normally do around your house, seeing people you don't regularly see is an amazing way to feel refreshed and renewed !
This past weekend was Thanksgiving here in Canada and my man and I decided to head up north to his parents cottage for some family time and to see the gorgeous fall colors in the mountains !
The best place to be when it gets cold is at that cottage :)

Okay, no there isnt any internet there, so I had to post my blogs from the iphone, but the relaxation that it provided is something I suggest everyone try and partake in !
Get out of town while the fall leaves are at their brightest and rejuvenate ! Even if you can't stay away all weekend, just go for a day.

Weekends away are always something I love :) Highly recommend them ! Stay tuned this week for some new blogs about the many things I like right now !
Thanks so much for reading and have an amazing day !!! :)

Breaking fashion rules !

Guilty !
I have broken a rule that fashion imposes upon us - one that some people would cringe at ! Let me explain.
I love pink. In fact, I have a small obsession with pink. It's my happy color :) We all have heard the age-old rule : Don't wear red and pink. Well ... I dyed my hair red again the other day.
You can see where I am heading with this one. I wore pink , therefore         " breaking " the fashion rule

Honestly, it doesn't feel wrong. I think I may have found a way around this "rule" and around looking like a Valentines Day addict :)
The key for me ? Purple !

Example : I dyed my hair red, but it came out with a slight purple undertone, so Im not talking fire engine red. In pairing it with pink, it didn't look bad ! You just have to find which color of pink , in this case pale pink, will go best with your red :)

Another combo that people think looks bad ? Brown and black. How this came to light I will never understand, black goes with EVERYTHING, including brown.
The key ? Find shades that compliment and enhance each other, and add in a bit of a metallic to tie it all together !
  

This just goes to show that fashion is about liking what you see , taking risks and breaking some of the rules you just can't understand ! Now by no means does this give anyone the go-ahead to wear every single color and pattern all at once, but it does mean that you should wear what you like and what makes you happy.

Have a great fashion rule-breaking day :)

** Images courtesy of google **

♥ Another Fall Read

I should write a book called "Confessions of a Bookaholic " because I have yet another book to suggest for you !! :)
This next one is different from the previous, since I know not everyone has the same taste in books :)
I thought I would review something a little more drama-oriented this time around.
The book : Not my Daughter , the author : Barbara Delinsky.

Reading this book felt like watching a movie, one of those " based on a true story " ones. Lilly, 17, announces she is pregnant to her mother Susan. Worse still , 2 of Lilly's best friends announce the same thing to their mothers, who happen to be best friends with Lilly's mom.
As the town takes sides and Susan and her friends are forced to deal with the reality of becoming grandmothers very soon, the drama builds and you feel closer to these very real characters. Will Susan be forced to leave her job as school principal because of her daughters' choices ? Will friendship prevail over the judgements being brought on these mothers and their daughters ?

Barbara Delinsky has the uncanny ability to never over-do the Drama that she brings to her books, it always feels real and relatable.
Personally, I wish the book had been longer - I would have loved to follow the daughters in their aftermath and struggles.
This very simple story makes you feel like you are part of it,and is a very enjoyable weekend read. So head to a book store and then curl up with this little gem.

Have a great day :)

Fun, Healthy, Fruity concoctions !

In the morning. I like to make the time whenever possible to make myself a fun, healthy, fruity drink :)
There are so many different combinations that you can try! Today I thought I would share a couple ideas I like to use when making my morning concoctions :)

I am not the girl who likes store-bought juices. I cringe whenever I am given orange juice because of its acidic taste.
I also tend to not get enough fruits and veggies as is required by the Canadian Food Guide ( 7-8 servings ). So I decided to get a blender and make myself some healthy version of store bought juice ( no added sugar or preservatives ).

At first I was a big fan of a more "smoothie-esque" kind of drink. If that is more your style , adding yoghurt is a good way to add flavor and get a creamy consistency. I used Zero Yoghurt by Astro.
But then I wanted to try and cut out some of the milk products I was consuming, and cut out the 1% milk and the yoghurt from my " shake ".
I started adding rice milk , no taste and a watery consistency, as the liquid base to my drink. I ended up cutting out calories from it right away ! After, I added in spinach - yes I know what you are thinking , but you can't taste it ! It added serious fiber and the dark green veggies that were essential to my diet.

Here's my basic morning drink :
1 cup of rice milk and 4 ice cubes ( to chill )
1 big handful of spinach
1/2 cup of Peaches
1/2 - 3/4 cup of Strawberries
Half a Banana
*** Raspberries , blackberries, blueberries - whatever I have on hand , each in 1/4 cup amounts *** Blend all together on high speed until smooth. Pour and drink !!

Now, I warn you, the color may not always be too appealing, but the taste is great !
If you want , you can add some fiber powder to it for even more fiber- or a couple drops of vanilla extract for taste.
If you love mango or pineapple , add those too , its really about the things you love and being able to consume the right amount without having to eat them.

Hope you are inspired to go try out your own Fun, Healthy , Fruity concoction this weekend !!
Happy Thanksgiving weekend to all my fellow Canadians :)