Make Up Gift Bags

I love putting together gifts for people! Lucky for me, I am involved in a lot of things that allow me to come up with cutesy goodie bags often. One of the things I do is teach a high school color guard/dance team. For the competition season, they needed show make up. I am against sharing makeup... too many horror stories that include infections and stuff. Plus what girl doesn't want her own little goodie bag to take to competitions?

Each bag contained: makeup brushes, eyeliner, eyeshadow, cosmetic glitter, lipstick and bath and body works lotion. I asked the girls to provide their own foundation (and blush if they wanted it). It's just too hard to pick out foundation for others... I have a hard enough time with picking out my own!

I was lucky enough to have all of these items in stock in my store. Did I mention that I sell health and beauty items too? Anyway, the only thing I had to purchase was the lotion so for 19 gift bags - I spent a total of $19.00!!!! Not bad for a full gift bag of cosmetics.

Signature Scent for Wedding Day

So Ladies! I could not wait to tell you about latest wedding adventure! I recently read that a way to relax and have a bit of fun during the stressful times of wedding planning is to go out and find yourself a "signature scent" for your wedding. Well, yesterday, I hit my almost-breaking-point and decided to go out and give it a shot!

I took this challenge very seriously. I mean after all, years down the line, when I (or more importantly my fiance) smell this scent, we will fondly think of the day we were married. I wanted it to be something fairly light, sexy and be something I have never worn before. This was quite difficult for me seeing as how I am a girly girl at heart and can almost always find a reason to visit the cosmetic counters!

So- armed with nothing but deoderant and a credit card, I made my big trip out to the mall. I smelled perfumes at multiple stores, smelled lots of coffee beans... (apparently this "cleanses the pallet") and kept walking out of the store to get some fresh air. After a couple of hours of smelling what felt like almost every perfume that I have never smelled before - I narrowed it down to my final choices: Juicy Couture Original and Michael Kors Very Hollywood. After much debate I decided that the Juicy Couture was more of something that I would wear everyday whereas the Michael Kors was definately a "special occasion" sort of perfume. Of course... I ended up with both!

Via: Juicy Couture Website
"Now everyone can lead the charmed life of a Juicy girl. Splash on our signature scent featuring top notes of watermelon, mandarin, and passion fruit combined with the sparkle and freshness of bright marigold and green apple, lightened by a splash of water hyacinth and crushed leaves. Deeper notes of wild rose with sophisticated princess lily and creamy tuberose undertones. Base notes of caramel creme brulee and vanilla meld with elegant precious woods and patchouli."


Via: Michael Kors Website
"The Eau de Parfum makes its debut with shimmering jewels of mandarin and iced bergamot. Scene-stealing gardenia follows suit with a decadent performance of award-worthy glamour."

I got my purchases home and waited for my fiance to come home to smell my chosen "Wedding Day Scent", Very Hollywood. And, I am glad I did. My fiance found the smell just "too strong". It actually burned his nose!!! So, I told him that I would return it and he needed to help me find the perfect scent for the Big Day!

Today, we went to the store, returned the perfume and actually found Mr. K a signature scent to wear on our wedding day! It smelled so clean, fresh, manly and not at all overpowering! Introducing to you: Chrome by Azzaro. It is amazing! And I am so glad that he actually picked something special for our wedding day!

So, you ask, what did I end up with? Mr. K and I fell in love with Victoria Secret's Noir Tease. I won't repeat what he said but let's just say he LOVED it! Nothing else compared! Hands down I am going to feel, look and smell classy, a tad sexy and a bit mysterious on our wedding day!!!

So many diets... so little time!

After a summer of grilling chicken and eating broccoli... and then having ice cream for dessert, I have decided that with 45 days to go until the wedding it is time for extreme measures to aid my weight loss. I have not gained any weight this summer - but I certainly haven't lost any.

Now before I continue, let me say this:
I love your comments. I love your concerns. Suggestions are always welcome. But on this... I don't want critism. Just support.

Okay disclaimer aside. I weight 160 pounds. I am 5'4''. My goal in 45 days? 25 pounds. I can do it. I just know I can. I will work out harder. Use small portion control and focus, focus, focus. Of course, I would love to stay at my goal wedding weight of 135 but I am thinking of this as a diet, not a lifestyle change. I don't plan on doing this forever.

I thought about kicking off this venture with a 3 day juice detox. The problem is "googling" weight loss is just not a good idea. I quickly became overwhelmed and confused. So, I am heading to the book store to read up on some fast weight loss ideas.

Here's what I promise to you during this 45 -day weight loss journey: I won't lie to you. I will NOT take money or free products to push a weight loss product to you. I will give you as many details of what I eat and physical activity as possible. If you brides are like me... you don't want scams, you don't want the nutritional food chain, you don't want to be pushed products that don't work and make you waste your money. You just want something that works!

So, plan on at least once or twice a week hearing from me on my progress! Ladies, keep your fingers crossed... 135lbs - Here I come!

xoxo,
Tara Sue