Pen Mention

I was mentioned on a Pen Addict website!
Check it out!
http://www.penaddict.com/2012/01/ink-links-2.html

Thanks Pen Addict for the shout out about my pen addiction as well.

I'm running...

from all the nasty germs that are out there right now. Wreaking havoc on almost all the kids in Stratton's day care and now Stratton. We had a fun filled weekend until Saturday night. Lysol, Emergen-C and bleach are my closest friends right about now.

Friday was an average day at the Williams' household. Nothing out of the ordinary. Saturday morning we all woke up. Stratton came in Derek's in my bed at around 6:30 to cuddle for a few hours. We woke up around 10am (yes that's right my 3 year old slept for 13 hours that night which is not uncommon) and Stratton greeted Derek and I with a "good morning daddy. good morning mommy." It was seriously the cutest thing ever. Saturday around noon I went and got my hair done at Concepts by Amanda. She is awesome! I highly highly recommend her. She has seriously saved my hair when it was on the brink of disaster. No more color out of a box for me anymore! Anyway, I got my hair done, went to Target and ran a few errands and then made my way back home so Derek could go get a new tattoo.

The nun is the newest addition to his arm of horrors. Haha. To be honest I'm just happy it's not another skull. He got this done all day Saturday while Stratton and I hung out at the house for a little bit with my friend Sarah who is in town from Washington State. Sarah and I have been best friends since the first day we met. Ironically we started talking to each other because we happen to sport the same ear piercing. Sarah and I have convinced each other to make lots of stupid decisions but all of them have been fun and we will never forget. She is seriously my best friend. We don't get to see each other very much anymore but we talk on the phone when we can and we video chat as much as we can. Right when we see each other it's like no time has passed since the last time we talked. I'm so happy Sarah came to visit. (She's actually bringing me lunch today too!) She especially loved getting to see Stratton and Groucho while she was here.

Grocho loved Sarah, he just went up and curled up right on her lap and started purring. It was adorable. A little after Sarah got to our house, Dale and Lisa (Derek's dad and step mom) came by and got Stratton. Around 5:30ish Sarah headed back to Cape and I made my way to Josh and Ashley's house (Derek's step brother and his wife) for Ashley's birthday party and my brother-in-law Seth's "Congratulations you got into med school" party. Stratton was sweating when I got there from playing with two other boys that were there. Around 7 Stratton and I left to go to John Hazelwood's 3rd Birthday party. My friend (and fellow blogger) Leslie had the cutest Art themed party for John. Not more than an hour after being there Stratton didn't look like he felt very well. Sure enough, I turned around as he said mom and he threw up all down the front of himself and then again on the way to the bathroom. Poor little guy was so embarrassed. Leslie was such a great help and gave us some new clothes, a towel, and  bucket for the ride home.

 Yea, the red line is the drive home. The the best road for a little guy that is sick to his stomach anyway. We made it home and he only threw up once in the truck. (in the bucket thank the Lord) I got him home and set him up in the bathroom with some pillows, a stool, and the iPad so he could watch Tom & Jerry. His favorite.

He threw up 5 times all together and only made a mess while we were at Leslie's house (sorry Les! I still owe you a towell and a new pitcher).  He acted pretty normal in between throw ups but was SUPER tired. We all wound up sleeping in the living room because I washed all of the sheet on our beds. Derek slept on the couch with Stratton for a little bit and then Derek snored so bad that Stratton climbed up in the Lazy Boy with me. Then Stratton kicked me out of the Lazy Boy and I wound up on the floor with two tiny couch pillows. Sunday Stratton was back to his normal self. We kept giving him pedialite just in case he was dehydrated. Keep Derek and I in all of your prayers that we don't get this nasty bug that is going around.

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend or at least one that was better than ours. ;)

Friday Confessions

I confess I kept Stratton away from the baby sitter on Tuesday and Wednesday because I was scared he would get sick from one of the other kids there.

I confess I am STILL paranoid of getting sick and throwing up. I can do diarrhea and I can do stuffy nose with a cough. Throwing up is a no go in my book. I can't do it.

I confess I would rather sit in the fetal position and writhe in pain for hours on end than throw up just once.

I confess I have been doing shots of Emergen-c like a sorority girl at a lady's night.

I confess Lysol is my best friend right now. As well as antibacterial wipes, bleach, hand sanitizer, and if I could I would wear a medical mask around.

I confess I got some awesome new products this morning that I am SO eager to share with you all.

I confess I made a stop motion animation film over the week this week and it actually turned out pretty neat!

I confess I am SO ready for the weekend so Derek and I can get some relaxation time with the little man.

I confess I am ready for shirts and t-shirt weather again even though it's only the end of January.

I confess I think my birth control is making me crazy. Well the fact that it works is awesome but the fact that (this may be TMI so if you don't want to read about periods then stop NOW and go to the next confession) this month I was 12 days late, the month before I was 7 days late and the month before that I was 6 days late is driving me insane. It's super frustrating.

I confess I am getting my hair done this weekend and I can not wait! I love getting my hair done.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend! I'll have fun new exciting pictures on Monday.

Five Question Friday

1. Do you swim in the winter?

I like to take Stratton up to the college and swim every now and then but I haven't yet this year. It's just too dang cold outside. 

2. Do you love or hate winter?

I have a love/hate relationship with the winter. I love that it gets cold and I love snow. But, living in SE Missouri, all we ever get it ice. Not to mention the road out to when I work is never cleared so it is horrible to drive in. So, mostly no I do not like the winter but it has it's perks.

3. Do you put makeup/actual clothes on when you know you're going to be home all day with just family?

No way! Why waste makeup and a cute outfit on hanging around the house. Not to mention I want to be comfortable and not have to worry about smudging my mascara down my face while I'm crying over teen mom  or Dear John. Haha.

4. How old were you when you had your first alcoholic beverage?

Oh good golly. Well the first time I ever tried a beer was when I was in 7th grade. My friend Ali and I snuck one out of the fridge at the barn and tried it. Needless to say we wound up pouring most of it out. The first time I drank socially was when I was 17 or 18. It was Boones Farm strawberry wine. It was delicious going down. Coming up was not as good.

5. How many ill calls in a 12 month period do you think are acceptable?

I'm guessing this is referring to sick days. This is a tough one. I think each person is different. I get 80 hours of vacation time and 40 hours of non-paid personal time. I think I use more of the vacation time on being home with Stratton when he is sick. So, I guess the 120 hours or 15 days that I get is pretty reasonable.

Kat Von D Clothing Line

Most of you know that I love Kat Von D, not in a stalker kind of way but just that I really look up to her as a person. I know she has a bad reputation because of the whole dating Jessie James thing but seriously, I love that she stays true to herself and loves whole heatedly. She is passionate and romantic and I just love that. Her personality is truly reflected through her clothing and I would love to own just one piece.

Check it out! Here are a few from the Kat Von D Los Angeles White Line

Beethoven Jacket $359

Napoleon Coat $442

Parlour Jacket $265

Quill Sweater $338

Peacock Sweater $145

Slash Sweater $114

Here are a few from the KvD Red Line

Cross Dress $60

Front

Back
Anna Top $65

Front

Back
Faye Top $60

These shoes aren't by Kat Von D but she sells them in her Wonderland Gallery. I think they are just the cutest things out there that you can put on your feet.

Red Rhinestone Ribbon Tie Platform Shoe $180 (that's a  5 3/4" heel on that puppy)

She also carries this beautiful Reliquary Skull & Heart Love Poem Locket for $57
I might ask for this for my anniversary.

What are some of your favorite designers? Do you secretly save up to get something you know is ridiculously expensive?  Another designer I love is Alexander McQueen (God rest his soul). His clothing was so beautiful. He was another passionate romantic. One of my favorite dresses that he made was actually worn by my friend Ali Turner. She is so lucky.

I am hoping to finally put some Christmas pictures up next week. Only a month late. Haha.

pictures via & via

Friday Confessions

I confess I sing myself to sleep on nights when Derek isn't home. It keeps my mind off of the "scary's" that make me lose sleep.

I confess although I don't like that Stratton sleeps in our bed, it's kind of nice having him in there with me when Derek isn't home.

I confess I usually get really stressed out about starting a new semester but this semester I wasn't even the slightest bit nervous.

I confess I actually surprised myself when I stepped on the scale last night. I don't own a scale because I don't think it's healthy to obsess about you weight. But, I actually weighed less that I thought I did. I have been trying to eat better and eat more tiny meals throughout the day. Looks like my dedication is paying off. :)*

I confess I bought pleather pants and I love them!

I confess that I treated myself to getting my nails shellacked after class today. What's another hour of personal time used at work when you have the satisfaction of knowing your nails look AWESOME!

I confess that I bought a new wedding band for myself a few weeks ago. I love my original wedding band and engagement ring but going to class and working with my hands so much around the house makes me worry that I'm going to mess it up. I got this one so I can go to class, clean my house, and play in the dirt and not worry.

I confess I have never been as excited about a silk scarf as I was when Kat Von D showed her new scarf that she is including in her upcoming clothing line. YES!

Seriously, who wouldn't want to have that tied around their neck? I know I do!

I confess I have been saving up money so I can actually get something off of Kat Von D's clothing line. It's so expensive but it is so romantic and classy looking. I'll post all about that soon!

I confess I bought a 32oz sweet tea yesterday and only drank about 2 ounces of it. :(

I confess I am so excited for the weekend so I can clean my house! Hahaha.


I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! If any of you would like to go get a coffee or something with me let me know. I have Stratton all to myself this weekend so getting him out of the house is a good thing...not only for the sake of keeping my house clean but also for the sake of using up some of that 3 year old energy. Haha.


*Note: I know I am by no means fat but I used to not eat healthy and not care about what I ingested. This is about merely getting healthier not skinnier. 

Pens

I have to admit. Being 25 years old and still taking college classes sucks. I mean royally sucks. For one I'm always the oldest student. For two, I have to spend money on classes teaching me things that I already know. For three, I have to spend more and more time away from Stratton. It sucks! The only pleasure I get out of starting a new semester is treating myself to the one thing I buy every quarter....a new set of pens.

I know it sounds really dumb that THAT is what gets me excited to start the semester but I mean think about it. What do I have at school to make me happy anymore? Nothing. I'm too old to hang out with my classmates and I spend SO much money on art supplies that I feel like in a few years I won't be able to do any of it anymore because I have given up both of my arms and both of my legs.

The pens I got were a little expensive but I love them. I bought two sets of pens last night at Walmart with Stratton. One is a plain blue set that is Uni-ball brand in bold 0.8mm. They write beautifully. The other set I got was also Uni-ball, but it was the Signo brand. I got a blue, green, orange, and pink in that pack. I'm not going to lie, I felt like a 1st grader all over again getting my school supplies and being excited about it.

What are your little pleasures that keep you going?

January 2012 Birch Box!

I love when my Birch Box comes in the mail! It's like Christmas every month! This month was no different. I practically chewed the box open I was so anxious to see what was in it. Here are the wonderful goodies I got this month! I usually take pictures myself of these but for some reason I can't find the pictures I took. 
(via)

stila Smudge Stick Waterproof Eyeliner in Blue Ribbon

Retails for: $20.00 a pencil.

This awesome silky eyeliner is perfect for changing up your black eyeliner. This comes in three different beautiful colors. I got the Blue Ribbon which is like a blueish gray (cerulean). Beautiful! It also comes in Moray which is a golden olive,  Peacock which is a shimmery azure and also Lionfish which is a chestnut brown. The best part is that these beauties are waterproof so they stay vibrant and beautiful all day long.

How to use:

Trace your upper lashline, gently sweeping it up towards your temple to create a cat-eye affet. You can also use a smudge utensil like a smudge stick or cotton swab to make a sexy smoky eye effect. 

Larabar Mini Bar

Retails for: $14.95 for a box of 12

This little nugget of yum is the perfect treat to stuff in your purse when you're on the run. It is an all natural snack bar that not only is super yummy but it's also REALLY good for you. It's made with no preservative or fillers and it comes in lots of delish flavors. There are Blueberry Muffin, Carrot Cake, Peanut Butter Cookie and my favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. YUM!

Juicy Couture - Juicy Couture Perfume

Retails for: $89.00 for a 3.4oz bottle

This fragrance is light and fresh on the skin. It's subtle but draws you in to take a nice sniff. It's a blend of fruity and floral and is designed to make you not only smell fabulous but feel fabulous as well. There are top notes of watermelon, passion fruit, and mandarin combined with marigold and also green apple. There are undertones of rose, vanilla and caramel to get the rich warmness of the perfume. I love it. It smells divine! 

Clark's Botanicals Smoothing Marine Cream

Retails for: $115.00 for a 1.7fl oz tub

This product is made to battle dullness, fine lines, and dry skin. It also does wonders for your complexion with some really powerful moisturizer. Clark's is a runway best seller that transforms your skin with a potent blend of exfoliating natural acids and energizing algae extracts. It has very much so become a cult favorite. 

How it Works:

All Clark's Botanicals' skincare products use Jasmine Absolute to rebalance troubled skin. Culled from nocturnally blooming jasmine flowers, the precious oil has anti-inflammatory and immuno-boosting properties. In addition, this moisturizer features a gentle does of glycolic acid to slough away dead skin cells, plus marine algae extracts to soften skin. 

Archipelago Pomegranate Body Soap

Retails for: $12.50 for a 6.9oz bar

This triple milled formula pairs a pure vegetable oil base with rich mango seed and shea butters to make one heck over a soap. This is not your momma's drugstore bar soap. White tea and cranberry extracts provide an antioxidant boost but the main star is pomegranate. It has both benefits on the skin and the psyche.  

Stay tuned tonight when I do a beakdown of the products. I haven't gotten to try all of them out but I'm going to try to do a vlog post on how they all work! 

Home Cooking for 1 and a 1/2

This week Derek will be gone to California for business. I love to do meal plans for the week but it is so hard when you only have to cook for two people (one of them being a wiggly toddler). Meal planning seems to help with getting groceries and saves me from spending a TON of money on food that we won't eat for the week. Here is my meal plan for this week for just Stratton and I. For those of you out there that have a husband that isn't home a lot a you have a little one at home...this one is for you.

Monday Meal:

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Tomato Soup
Apple Sauce
Cottage Cheese

Grill Cheese Sandwiches are super easy to make and I seriously don't know anyone who doesn't like them. The best part about making grilled cheese and soup is that you can dip the sandwich in the soup! I don't know about your kids but unless it can be dipped my son won't eat it. Apple sauce is the little bit of sweet that is good your meal and the cottage cheese is something I have always eaten with tomato soup.

Grocery List so far:
bread
2 cans soup
apple sauce
cottage cheese

Tuesday Meal:

Shake and Bake Chicken Strips
Mac n Cheese
Green Beans

This meal has been my go to meal lately. Shake and Bake chicken is SO easy to make and it's super cheap. Not to mention your little guy can help you shake the bag when you're getting everything ready. I like the regular Shake and Bake because it's not too spicy. I dip my chicken in a 3/4 ranch and 1/4 water mixture to get the crumbs to stick to it a little better. Mac and Cheese goes with ANYTHING seriously. Green beans are your vegetable what are a must for a growing little one.


Grocery List so far:
bread
cheese slices
2 cans soup
apple sauce
cottage cheese
shake and bake
raw chicken breast
ranch dressing
mac and cheese
milk
butter
steam-able or canned green beans

Wednesday Meal:

Bagel Pizzas
Corn
Cheesy Bread

I used to make these with my parents all the time when I was little. They are so easy and they are so much fun to make because it's like you get to make your own pizza to taste! You take the bagel, plop on as much sauce as you want, cheese, and whatever toppings you would like. I like pepperoni! The corn is a good veggie to make with these because it's super easy and I think it tastes good with it. As for the cheesy bread, I just take regular bread, slap some butter on it, put some parm on top and pop it in the oven and broil it until it looks just right! Easy peasy!

Grocery List so far:

bread
cheese slices
2 cans soup
apple sauce
cottage cheese
shake and bake
raw chicken breast
ranch dressing
mac and cheese
milk
butter
steam-able or canned green beans
bagels (plain)
pizza sauce
shredded cheese
pepperoni slices
steam-able or canned corn



Thursday Meal:
Thursday nights are usually our eat out night. Panera is a favorite for us. Stratton loves the soup there and I love the bread bowls. Not to mention I can pick up the bread for Spaghetti night on Friday! If you have a night where you like to eat out, you should check your local restaurants and see who has a kids night. McAlisters has kids nights and all kids eat FREE!

Friday Meal:

Spaghetti
Corn
Asiago Cheese Bread
Salad

This is a great meal because you can make as much or as little as needed for you and your little one. Stratton loves corn so making that a side is always a hit. Not to mention he would eat the whole loaf of bread if I would let him. Surprisingly Stratton will eat salad too. If your kiddo isn't much on salad, try cutting up some smaller tomatoes and letting them dip it in ranch. That was always a hit with me when I was little. You could also try cucumbers or carrots too.


Grocery List for the Week:

white bread
america cheese slices
2 cans soup (either tomato or chicken noodle)
apple sauce
cottage cheese
shake and bake original
raw chicken breast (1-2lbs)
ranch dressing
mac and cheese
milk (2% or skim)
butter
steam-able or canned green beans
bagels (plain)


pizza sauce
shredded cheese
pepperoni slices
steam-able or canned corn
spaghetti noodles
spaghetti sauce
salad

There it is, my grocery list for the week. I try to pick up some extra bread as well as some deli meat for lunches at work and a few extra cans of soup. Something light and easy. I also pick up LOTS of fresh fruit. Stratton loves oranges and they are really great this time of year because of all of the vitamin C in it. Fruit is also a great snack because, well lets face it, it's better than eating junk food like chips or ice cream. Hope you all have a wonderful week! I know I will!

Friday Confessions

I confess I cry when I get mad, hurt, and scared. I get pissed if you make me feel any of the three.

I confess I have to quit pinning about food on Pinterest. I just ate 1/4 of a jar of Skippy Natural Peanut Butter with honey because I am so hungry.

I confess that I have grown more in the last year than I have the last 25 years.

I confess that it is more important to me to have 2-3 really great friends than 10-15 acquaintances.

I confess I hate that Stratton is going to Iowa with my mom and dad. But I know it's going to be so much fun for him, my parents and Aunt Cece and Uncle Al. Not to mention I will be able to get my house CLEAN!!

I confess I have been so scared at night for no freaking reason. I have been having the worst nightmares lately and they have seriously been causing me to lose A LOT of sleep.

I confess I have adopted two plants in the last month. There is Agnes the Ivy and Alford the Aloe. Haha. I think if I give them names and get sentimental with them I won't forget about them and let them die. Here is Agnes.

She hangs out on my desk and watches over my little clay friends.

I confess I had a good laugh last night with Derek and Stratton. Stratton was showing Derek how to do summer salts. He even got Derek to do one!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Keep your eyes peeled for my January Birch Box post! It's a good one!

First Ever Does it Work Wednesday!

Hey everyone! Now that I have all of that out of my system I want to show you what I did over the weekend. I whitened my teeth!

I used 1 Hour White by Luster. It retails for about $40 but I got it on sale at Walmart for $34.

  
On one of the review websites I found for this product they said 
"Luster One Hour white is a new over-the-counter whitening product from Dentovations. Unlike other take home products that rely on trays or strips, the Luster light system uses a paint-on gel and activating light. The product is advertised often in New Beauty Magazine and can be purchased at most drug stores

The makers of this product claim Luster 1 hour white can whiten up to 6 shades in 1 hour without causing tooth sensitivity. They also claim the technology is similar to that of dentist light treatments." 

This seemed like a pretty promising product to me! I've tried the Crest White Strips before but they make my teeth SO sensitive and I always seem to want to whiten my teeth in the winter for some reason (which makes my teeth hurt really bad when I go out in the cold). So, I set up shop in my bathroom equipped with Derek's iPad and the HBOgo app. Which just so happens to have all 6 seasons of Sex and the City. 

First step: read the freakin directions. If I have learned one thing from my husband it is to always read the directions. Lesson was learned after we moved into our house and the boys decided they would put our entertainment center together without directions. I now have the ugliest entertainment center ever! The pieces didn't fit right so instead of checking the directions they just drilled holes through it and made it "fit together." Yea, I always read the directions now.

Second Step: Figure out what shade my teeth are.

The guide was a little hard to read. So I guessed I was around the top of the chart since my teeth don't look entirely like corn kernels. 

Third Step: Rinse mouth out with the Premium White Lushter Mouth Wash.

I'm not gonna lie. I hate the taste of MOST minty flavors. There are a select few that I actually enjoy. I put the rinse in my mouth (10cc's to be exact) and I swished it around a little. The first second was completely tasteless and then the mint kicked in. Surprisingly it was a really great mint taste. Not like mouthwash with the nasty alcohol taste to it at all. I swished that around for exactly 10 seconds and then moved on to step four.

Forth Step: Apply the whitening gel.

It kind of looked like fingernail polish to be quite frank. You take the cap off, coat your teeth with the brush making sure to dip it back in the bottle between each tooth. And let it dry for 20 seconds. Easy peasy.

Fifth step: Light it up!

Your mouth that is. It comes with this awesome little mouth light thingy. Stratton through I looked spooky. I don't disagree. You hold it in front of your teeth for two minuets. The best part is if you're ADD like me or just have a nasty habit of not paying attention, it shuts itself off after 2 min!!! I thought that was the best part of all!!

Once you've lit up your face you rinse your mouth and repeat steps 3 though 5 for a maximum of 20 times in a 24 hour period. I only did it 15 times.

Here are the results!

Overall I'm pretty pleased with the results. I'm sure if I do it again in a month or so and switch to a whitening toothpaste it will help keep them white and pearly.

My Grade for the 1 Hour White by Luster:
A

I loved the product FAR more than I did the Crest White Strips. It wasn't bad tasting, I didn't drool all over myself, and it actually showed results in an hour. Not to mention my favorite part is that it whitened without leaving my teeth sensitive.


 

I'm BAAAAaaaaack!

Ok, I'm done with this stupid pity party hiatus that I've taken for the last few weeks. I moped, I cried, I felt sorry for myself, I even had some crazy moments but I'm over it! The exciting news that I was waiting so impatiently for was a flop! I applied for another job and as much as I told myself I wasn't going to get my hopes up for it...I did. I thought about all the possibilities I would have with this new job and how much this would help Derek and I financially and I just didn't get the job. The worst part was that I went in for one job and didn't get that one, so she said she would consider me for another job and I didn't get that one either. Damn.

But, I'm a big girl. I've been thrown off the horse before, I've learned how to dust my big girl britches off and get back on the horse and kick its ass because it pissed me off. I just have to work hard and get what I want by doing my work and doing it the best I can. God has big plans for me and getting a new job just isn't one of them right now. As for change, there's not going to be a whole lot of change in my life, but as far as my blog, I want to make some big changes. There's going to be more new posts about fun new things. I'm going to be doing more girly posts about how to do your makeup and how to paint your nails and maybe even a few hair tutorials. I'm also going to be doing recipes that I am actually going to TRY to cook at home. Hopefully Derek will appreciate my trying new food instead of making spaghetti every night. I'm also going to be doing a few Does It Work Wednesday posts. I love trying random products like you see on TV just to see if they really do work. I'm going to be doing some posts about local businesses around Cape and Jackson that seem to be forgotten. Last but not least I'm going to try this whole Vlog thing (Video Blog?). I'll try to make some tutorials that are videos instead of just pictures. I hope you all can bear with me with all these new changes and I hope you all will enjoy every post!


Hope everyone had a great Holiday season. I know I did. I'll post a picture dump VERY soon. I promise. I just have a boatload of pictures to go through and edit.    

It's all about your face...

I found this on another makeup website and I thought it was a really fun questionnaire. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed filling it out. If you all have any questions about any of the makeup I talk about please ask me about it. I love talking makeup!

Skincare

1)How many times do you wash your face daily?
Once if any. I don’t really like washing my face in the morning for some reason, but I always wash it when I take off my makeup after coming home or at the very least, I use a face wipe.

2)What skin type do you have?
My skin is being really random at the moment, I have dry patches on my cheeks and my chin and between my eyebrows is broken out. But usually it's pretty normal.

3)What is your current facial wash?
I love the Bare Minerals facial wash with the daily moisturizing lotion that came with it. It's super gentle and I love that it doesn't leave my face super dry and itchy.

4)Do you exfoliate?
The wipes I use to get my makeup off in between actual face washes is as much exfoliating as I can handle. My skin doesn't do will with exfoliates.  

5)What brand do you use?
I don't have a certain brand.

6)What moisturizer do you use?
I love the Bare Minerals one. It's probably my favorite. I also use an Aveno one as well.

7)Do you have freckles?
Yes, especially in the summer. I love them though. They're kind of cute. I think they make me look young.

8)Do you use eye cream?
Sometimes, I have a Garnier Fruitise roller eye cream that I like to use in the mornings to wake my eyes up so to speak.

9)Do you or did you have acne prone skin?
Thankfully no, I get a big one or two about a week before "Aunt Flow" comes to visit but that's about it. I get black heads every now and then too.

10)Did you ever have to use Pro-Activ?
No. But one of my friends used it and she has mixed feelings about it. She said the first two weeks are horrible and your skin is dry and ashy and then it gets better.

Make-up

11)What foundation do you use?
I use Bare Minerals Matt Powder Foundation with SPF 15. I love it. I've used it ever since I started wearing makeup.

12)How about concealer?
I just use a concealer brush and the Bare Minerals powder. If I'm having particular trouble with a certain spot I use a tiny tiny dab of Mary Kay concealer.

13)Do you know your undertone colour?
I always get matched to different undertones and rarely find the right shade so I think I’m a neutral. I usually mix foundations together to get the right shade.

14)What do you think of fake eyelashes?
I have only used fake eyelashes on halloween and they were meant to look FAKE! I think if they are applied correctly they can look beautiful but I don't think I would wear them on a regular basis unless I had them professionally put on.  

15)Did you know you were supposed to change your mascara every 3 months?
Yes, I rotate my mascara a lot to try to get more bang for my buck but I'm horrible about throwing them away after three months. I keep them for like 6-10 months usually and then get a new one.

16)What brand of mascara do you use?
All of them! Haha currently I’m using Benefit “They’re Real” and Too Faced "Lash Injection." I've been using the Too Faced since I was in High School and I love it. This new "They're Real" is pretty awesome too. I'm loving it more and more every time I use it.

17)Sephora or Mac?
Sephora, I've never shopped at a Mac so I can't really compare the two. But I love the Sephora that is in St Louis. Our store is pretty good but there's not a whole lot of variety.

18)Do you have a Mac Pro card?
No.

19)What makeup tools do you use in makeup application?
I have a pretty big collection of brushes. I try to avoid using my fingers as much as possible because your hands are oily and can make your skin break out. So I stick to Sephora Professional grade brushes.

20)Do you use makeup base/primer for the eyes?
Yes. I have long days and the last thing I want to do is have to touch up my makeup or have to fix the dreadful "crease" from wearing makeup all day. I love my eye primer. I use Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion. I have both the clear and the golden "Sin" coloe. I also use the Bare Minerals Prime Time in the Brightening color. I love that one too. It can be worn as a primer or as a color itself. It's really pretty!

21)For the face?
I use the Bare Minerals Prime Time Foundation Primer in both clear and also the Brightening. I love how the Brightening makes your skin a little sparkly.

22)What is your favourite eyeshadow?colour or shade?
Oh my gosh. This is a tough one. I have so many different shades that I love. I love almost all of Kat Von D's eye shadows. They go on super smooth and they are so sparkly! I also like a lot of different shades by Bare Minerals. Their colors are really easy to blend and stay on a long time.

23)Do you use pencil or liquid liner?
Both! I use a pencil on my bottom lids. I hardly use eye liner on my bottom though. It just looks to dark on my pale skin. I tend to stick to using liner only on my top lid. I use liquid liner on top though. I feel like I can get a better line with the liquid liner. I use Sephora liquid liner for the top and Kat Von D Autograph Pencil on bottom.

24)How often do you poke your eyes with an eyeliner pencil?
I've only done it once with the liquid liner. I'm A LOT more careful now. Haha. It only takes once.

25)What do you think of pigment eyeshadows?
I think they're really pretty. I love using them. They're a little messy but they're definitely pretty.

26)Do you use mineral makeup?
Yep, that's all I use. I love it. Bare Minerals.

27)What is your favourite lipstick?
I love Kat Von D's lipstick. She has some really beautiful shades of reds and pinks.

28?How about lip gloss?
I just recently became addicted to Buxom lip gloss. It makes your lips tingle when you first put it on and it makes your lips more full. I love it! They have a bunch of different shades too. 

29)What is your favourite blush to use?
I usually don't use blush. I use warmth by Bare Minerals. I also use Healthy Radiance and Clear Radiance by Bare Minerals as well. They are more like bronzers but that's all I need.

30)Do you buy your makeup on Ebay?
I never have and probably won’t, I would be a bit scared of getting fakes and I don’t need anything that I can’t get in store.

31)Do you like drugstore makeup?
Sometimes, I'm more of a high end kind of girl myself but some of the drugstore makeup can actually be really great. I like Maybelline and Cover Girl mascaras.

32)Do you go to CCO's?Cosmetic Company Outlet?
I don't even know if there are any close to where I live, but I would love to check one out.

33)Did you ever consider taking makeup classes?
Not really, I think it would be fun though.

34)Are you clumsy in putting on makeup?
Not at all. I use powder makeup and eyeshadow so I'm super careful to not spill any on myself or get too much on the brush when I'm doing my eyes so I don't get any on my cheeks.

35)Name a makeup crime that you hate?

I hate when girls wear foundation that is too dark for their face and they have the huge line on their neck. I also hate when girls put their mascara on before their eyeshadow and wind up getting the color all over their lashes. It just looks clumsy.
36)Do you like colorful shades of makeup (lipstick or eyeshadow) or neutral ones?
I'm a very neutral kind of a girl. I love my browns and golds but I'm not afraid to jump out of the box from time to time with a blue or a green.

37)Which celebrity always has great makeup?
I will always and forever love the way the Kat Von D wears her makeup. She is stunning.

38)If you could leave the house using just ONE makeup item, what would you use?
Foundation. I'm really self conscious about my skin so if I can just cover that up it would be great. 

39)Could you leave the house without any makeup on?
Yeah, of course! I don't wear makeup everyday. I like to give my skin a rest from time to time. I don't look horrible without makeup so it's not a huge deal to me.

40)Do you think you look good even without any makeup on?
I’m pretty confident even without makeup. I think it helps to enhance my features but I’m not self conscious without it except for the little spot on the end of my nose.

41)In your opinion what is the BEST makeup line?
Well for face I would definitely have to say Bare Minerals

For Eye Shadows I would have to say Kat Von D or Bare Minerals 

For Mascara I would have to say either Too Faced or Benefit.

42)What do you think of makeup?

I love it. I used to not be a makeup kind of a girl but I have now seen the light and have been changed. I love using different makeup and trying new things to see how they change my face. It's like getting to have a new look everyday.

New Year - New View

I have officially fallen off the face of the Earth. Haha. I have not gone this long without blogging in a LONG time. It has been kind of hectic around the William's house and I'm not gonna lie...I have NOT felt like blogging lately. I have some pretty big changes coming your way very very soon. New blog look, officially changing the blog name from Emily, Derek, and Stratton to Glitter&Ink, among a few life changes coming my way.

I will explain more once I get a new look to the blog up and going.

Just keep me and my family in your prayers. No I'm not expecting mother. I will be able to explain in a lot more detail in the next coming weeks.