Anti-hoarding, Shopping and Current Goals!

Whats up homies? I have been working a lot and neglecting my blog!

 Its already November... WHAT!

I am freezing today!

 

 Whats new? 

I finally got an Iphone. I worked hard for that. MAN I FEEL SOoooO COOL NOW!

Just kidding. But it is a nice phone and I haven't had any troubles at all with it.

I also tried that eye make up remover (baby oil + baby shampoo + water = amaZING.) I will never buy store bought make up remover again. I have saved a ton of money, time and hassle by switching my method! Go for it and tell me what you think!

I finally have cut my hair. It has been a while.

I chopped like 3-4 inches off my hair. Feels a little odd! but fresh and healthy. Next time, I am pretty sure I will tell the stylist to cut just an inch.

...they always cut more than what you ask them to do. I have no shame. I just enjoy having hippie style long hair. thats all.. :)

Maybe that will change one day. But for now, I feel exposed without it. Its been confirmed that I like my hair rut for now. 

 
CONFIRMED.

 Here is my newest motto:

 Living the simple life.. anti-hoarding. :)

 Lately I have been going crazy with my organization. I don't want to have any clutter anymore. I hate piles of paper.. It makes my skin crawl. I want to re-do all parts of my belongings, and then continually keep tidy that way. I feel like Chris has encouraged me to get rid of things that I don't need. It feels so good to see some open space.

This would be an incredible living space!

I have re-done my closet and gone through EVERYTHING to see what I have. I sold some really nice (buckle and pacsun) jeans at a store and got 4 dollars per pair. That was a little sad to get such a low amount but I need to be honest with myself. I feel good about helping someone else out who wants nice jeans but cannot afford them. 

My clothing swap idea would require much more planning...which I didn't do. I just went ahead and went to Platos Closet and Uptown Cheapskates. I must say.. Platos Closet has blown me off each time I go in there to sell lately. So that was my final attempt after having been let down many times! 

As Americans.. we just accumulate SO MUCH STUFF! Id rather have more money to DO things now. ALTHOUGH I do like an occasional shopping trip. I love shopping and beauty products! but I feel like I have dedicated myself to being a much more responsible shopper over the years. I spend my money on things that I KNOW I will use and hopefully don't already have something at home similar. Shopping gives a temporary high.

My advice to myself has been: 

-be more picky when you buy something. It is incredible to me how much make up, products, clothes and random things we have that we don't even need. or use.

-If it is not absolutely perfect.. Don't get it.

-ITS OKAY and NICE to see a little space in the drawers.

 -If it screams "DON'T LEAVE ME! you'll regret it" then I say, go for it! Buy it.

-Look for a coupon before your purchase.

Recently I went into Old Navy. I don't shop there a lot unless I am looking for something specific. This time it was skinny jeans. I ran across all these cute jeans, and then suddenly.. I see my weakness.. moccasins!! I wanted to buy this whole wall. They were cute and cheap. But I resisted! I have plenty of moccs at home.

These are cute though, huh! 

I would have purchased the bright blue/aqua ones if I needed a pair!

I also tend to wear my shoes until my toe is peeking out of the top. I think that's one big reason why I seem to accumulate so many things. But hey... I get my moneys-worth and I think I learned this from my mother. :) lol.

I finally found a white purse that I love. It has so many pockets and that is just what I need. I hate having to carry a purse everywhere.. but if I am without it, I find myself reaching for chapstick and get sad without it!

I know its not summer anymore.. but white goes with anything so I don't have any shame wearing this year round. I like neutrals tones.

I just have to say to any other MUSIC LOVER.....You need SPOTIFY! If you dont have it. Go get it.I love it right now.. I have discovered more new music through Spotify than any other site/music sharing spot.

My goals for this next month:

_Read more.

_Conserve.

_Let go.

_SING! 

Yes this is a goal..

  I know this is weird. but I use to sing 24/7. In my room, in the car, where ever I went. NOW that I have tint in my car... I think I will get back to belting it out when I am all alone. I took voice lessons, piano lessons, viola, cello and.... I banged around on some drums when I could. My entire life has consisted of lots of music and I have let myself down by not pursuing that passion any more in life. My piano teacher got cancer, and then I tried another teacher.. and lost interest.. My voice lessons teacher got pregnant again and I stopped doing those lessons.

_Combat panic attacks/anxiety.

I don't want to start anything too medicinal yet but I am curious about this product called Kalms. Has anyone ever heard of it/tried it before? Does it seem to work when you seem to be stirring inside with anxiety?

http://www.kalmsstress.com/buyonline.html

I am considering this product. And if not that, I may take more drastic measures. 

Hope all of you are well.. 

Listen to the song at the top.
It's newww :)

xoxo

Autumn, Products and saving!

 So happy lately. Just wanted to give a shout out to all of youuu. <3 Thank you for supporting me!

 I am impressed with how I am able to change my life and tweak it to my liking. 

The things I cannot control are things I am learning to let go of everyday.

As a woman, I feel like we spend so much more time on our appearances and a lot of us go the extra mile to take care of ourselves in the beauty category. We spend a lot of money too.

Each year I have decided to devote at least one month to saving money. Last year I did a 30 day shopping ban. It was really tough, but I gained a lot out of it. I knew exactly how I wanted to focus my income. I only bought the necessities. No new clothes, purses, shoes, or make up. I also limited my spending for eating at fast food places and fancy restaurants.

Could we do a swap meet?

I am not sure if ill be able to do the anti-shop but I will be doing something similar.

SWAPPING is my new idea. I have done clothing swaps in the past and I loved it. I had a group of girls get together and bring in their unwanted (but taken care of) clothing items and accessories. We had appetizers and drinks and we also made a game out of it. It was shopping without spending a dime. And it made me feel like I could help someone out.

As much as I like a good sale and new items.. I will always try and see if there is another way for me to obtain something that catches my eye. I shop at consignment shops more than the mall and I try to find really good deals if I do shop at a boutique/mall.

Here is a another swapping out idea...  DIY vs store bought

I use a lot of eye make up remover.

Neutrogena - oil free eye make up remover
Maybelline - expert eyes
Equate brand/off-brands from big retailers
Rimmel eye make up remover
Victorias Secret make up remover wipes (side note: These worked the BEST out of them all. I will continue to love that product and buy it on special occasions for when I go on vacation.)

Each one of these purchases add up. They range from 6 to 10 dollars for a small bottle that doesnt even last very long. Plus I have to buy cotton squares or cotton balls along with.

I just want to try a better approach:
Here are a few different at home potions I have heard of so far.. Not sure which one to go with yet.

• water, olive oil, and tear free baby shampoo 

OR

• water, baby oil and tear free baby shampoo

OR

• water, witch hazel and olive oil

I have tried olive oil and water but it was very thick, even with the water. As I showed you all in my last entry, I have extremely sensitive skin and I want to use less chemicals or eliminate chemicals as much as possible. Have you guys tried any of these concoctions for make up removal?

Current Hair/Beauty Products

I want to also remind myself to USE up everything I have before I go out buying new stuff.
I have 3 or 4 bottles of different hair care items that I have to use up!
 

All of these products below.. are pretty amazing! I just bought the Aussie Hair Insurance and I love it. The Dove Style + Care is smooth and smells amazing. Morrocan Argan Oil goes a long way and has repaired my hair immensely.  Tresemme's dry shampoo isn't bad, although I do wish that it were a darker color so it could blend a little better.

Michael O'Rourke shampoo and conditioner.  

The shampoo is very drying and doesn't smell the best. But I will continue to use it til its gone. The conditioner is nice though. I bought these because I am a sucker for cute packaging. I know! BAD!

PRODUCTS I WONT BE REPURCHASING

Nair lotion for hair removal

I have used Nair in the past and all I remember was that it was fun to apply and it REEKED! Smelled like burning hair or something. This time, I tried it and I felt like my skin was disintegrating and on FIRE! lol. I wonder why I didn't remember that part of it. I CANNOT use this product and its basically FULL to the brim and I want someone to be able to use it. Most people don't have allergies like this so I am sure its safe for others.

Kiss My Face deodorant

 It looks like a bar of soap if you take off the lid.
 (Not like a normal deodorant though.. where its white and smooth and smells like some kind of perfume.)

It smells good, but it doesn't do the job. It was expensive too. I think it was at least double the price of typical deodorant. It doesn't glide on your skin... it tugs at it. Sad day. I wanted something free of aluminum and this was the one I chose. It just didn't work out.

Softcups

^ Yes I am not shy and I will post stuff like this and be honest. If any men are reading this.. or if you're a woman and you don't know what Softcups are.. it is an alternative to tampons and pads. I wont buy these again because they literally made me so uncomfortable, I didn't enjoy walking. I feel like I am too small to be wearing these. And yes, I put it in properly. This is similar to the feeling of those birth control rings. Not even close to comfortable. I am not made for that product, and it is not made for me.


Clean & Clear deep action cream cleanser

Don't get me wrong. This product does the job but it didn't personally work for me because my skin is already on the more dry side. If you have any left over make up... it will just smear across your face. My face felt really tight afterwards. One thing I enjoyed is that it makes your face feel cool and tingly afterwards. I have encouraged Chris to use this because he has more normal skin and doesn't wear make up obviously. :)

KISS Everlasting french

I haven't used these yet.. and that's the problem. I prefer shellac because I just don't like having another layer of thickness on my nail... There is no good reason that I bought this.. Impulse buy. I thought I would have used them by now. I wanted to use these as a gift and then I thought.. Who could I give these to?

PRODUCTS I LOVE & WANT TO REPURCHASE

Sleep Luxury Bath from Bath & Bodyworks

This is a miracle product from a friend who bought it for me for my birthday. It is AWESOME. It brings you to a happy place. makes your skin feel silky smooth and I used the whole thing over a total of 8 months. I am sad that its all gone. It was my "go to" after a long and stressful day.


Neutrogena natural purifying cleanser.

 I LOVE it. it only takes half a pump, with some water.. it doesnt dry me out and it effectively removes ALL of my make up. It doesnt have dyes,chemicals, parabens, etc. Thank goodness this product has worked for me. I HIGHLY recommend it. I was in search for a cleanser for what seemed like a decade.

My Closet!

I did a complete clear out and just took things off the hanger and tried things on. Just doing that make me feel like I had more than I need and more options than I remember. We forget what is in there. When the seasons change, I go through and try to sift through some of the things I don't like anymore and see where its lacking. When it comes to shopping and clothes.. I don't usually buy from expensive places. I have in the past and I will only go that extra mile if I know that it will last several years. That is the only way I can justify it. 

Here is one of my all time favorite items in my closet. My boyfriends mom, Michelle got this for me. She knows I love VS and she knows I love leopard print/animal print. AND I love me some hoodies. As soon as the weather got chilly again, I was happy to reach back into my closet and cozy up in this. Thank you again Michelle for getting this for me. I love it and plan on using it for years and years.

 Cozied up in my faux fur lined hoodie.

I am so excited for OCTOBER!

Fashion Inspirations:

I love the leggings and leg warmers. Here are a few of my recent fashion loves. I love her blonde hair too. I think It would make me look so weird to be pitch blonde. I can admire it though.

Welp, I'm off to read my cosmo and enjoy the evening with my loverbutt and kitteroo. I hope all is well with everyone.

Go do something that inspires you :)

XO

Little girly things, fall fashion and a day in the life of my allergies

DISCLAIMER: The pictures at the bottom of this blog might bother you. They gross me out, but hey.. its just an allergic reaction in the end. Just a heads up :)

 

Its a bright and lively day. I woke up this morning and my hair was combined with a kitten. Literally.

This kitten loves my hair. She was nestled into my hair like a fitted helmet this morning! Chris was laughing at me.

I wish I had a picture of what she was doing. 

Speaking of..

 HAIR:

 The last two weeks I discontinued the washing of my hair DAILY. I switched it to every other day.

It has evolved in that time alone. I'm amazed at how much softer it is already.

  I finally made a commitment and stuck to it. It was so hard the first 4 days. I felt gross. I dont like dry shampoo, so I decided that even if I don't shampoo it everyday, I can wet it and get it rinsed out so that I don't feel as weird about it. The oil finally balanced out and I no longer feel disgusting!

 

I know this is a known fact, that you aren't suppose to wash it everyday. It took real commitment for me to stop though. Addiction maybe? Having that clean feeling is habit that you have to pay for in the long run.

And since I have fine hair, I still have to shampoo it on the second day. I wouldn't go any longer than that, unless my hair was beastly thick.

Love these hair illustrations

FASHION/STYLE LOVES:

I have been holding out for fall. It is one of my favorite seasons...! I feel like this is where the real styling comes in.

Summer: shorts, tank top, flip flops, sunglasses = easy breezy

Fall:  jeans, leggings, sweaters, layered tanks, cardigans, scarves, beanies, boots, moccasins, etc. = more involved.

TECHNOLOGY:

I am sooo ready to switch over to an iPhone. I knew one day I would want one, and I feel like I have been holding out for the longest time. Right now I have a Samsung Epic. I have truly enjoyed this as my first smartphone. I am not sure why, but my phone is starting to run so slow and just shuts off randomly.

 There are many reasons I have wanted this. The only thing that freaks me out is that I always tend to drop my phone! Well, over time... It is scary how much I have dropped it. And I think that the iPhone (no matter which version) has always been extremely fragile. Even with a case. What do you guys think? iPhone ..worth it?


INSPIRATION:

If you don't know who Kandee Johnson is----- you are missing out. She is one of my biggest inspirations everyday. She is a well-known make up artist for Mtv, VH1, movies, bridal make up and stage make up. Shes also great with hair, fashion, costume tutorials, craft ideas, recipes, great advice, and an all around mood lifter. 
:) She is an incredible mom of 4. She has personal videos which share more about who she is and I love those ones. I have been watching her for years now.

 She has a heart of gold. If I could make up a best friend, she would have at least 1/2 of Kandee Johnsons spirit. She recently uploaded a video and I always comment on her videos when I have a thought.

On Wednesday, she responded to my comment. See below. I was on the phone with my sister, Jessica and suddenly, I was freaking out because I looked at my email. "Kandee Johnson replied to your comment on youtube". I immediately started to get tears in my eyes because it makes me feel more closely connected to her. She saw what I wrote. She reads her comments and had a moment to say something back. There are GAZILLIONS of people who write to her daily. She doesn't have the time to respond to each and every person and I know it wasn't anything too elaborate, but it certainly made my day. 

I took a screen shot. My name on YouTube is 07StarEyes. Sorry its so big, but I wanted you guys to be able to read it!
See below:

My lover boy:

He is so good to me. He got me these flowers to let me know how much he appreciates me... just because. No special occasion. He often will be out and about and get something for me, just because he thinks of me. Hes so sweet <3

These are my favorite flowers. Lilies and roses.

Allergies and what I have to be careful about.

(its kinda gross.. but it is what it is)

Hair dyes and chemicals from salons.

I want to show you what happens. 

Here is my normal eye:

Here is my face/eye after being around chemicals from a hair dye:

With this photo ^ On that day, I couldnt see well if I opened my eye, or attempted to.. Plus it hurts to push them open when they are THAT swollen. So I just decided to lie down, take benedryl and sleep.

Infact, I think it makes my nose and cheeks swell as well.

Here is after benedryl, but you can see those bumps/hives above still.

My only allergy is not hair dye. I am allergic to shrimp, wasps, dead grass, fresh cut grass, cats (which is why I have a hypoallergenic kitty), Cefzil (prescription antibiotic) and cigarettes (aka --more chemicals)

With all of the above, I either break out in hives, or have difficulty breathing. HATE it.I usually have to immediately remove any make up too.. Just so that it doesn't exacerbate the problem.

I would like to try out an allergy test sometime to see what all the list entails.

You never know what youre allergic to unless you have a random outbreak like this. Fun times. Sometimes it happens after I finally allow myself to rub my eyes. Before the reaction really goes full blown, my eyes will be stinging, or tingling. If I don't touch them, they may not swell to this extreme case.. It all depends though.

Whew!

I am loving the new fall weather. Here's a tree in our neighborhood. Love the change in color. :)

Anyway, happy pumpkin time!! I am excited for October.
Any plans? Once Halloween hits, all the other holidays quickly follow!!
What do you guys think of the new iPhone 5?
Do you guys get allergies?