hey guys!  SP here today…with a fun and silly (and somewhat impromptu) post, lol :o)  Nothing super inspiring or newsworthy for ya, lol…but I did think it might be fun to share some pics and stories from a recent, partial team meet-up :o)  So…a few weeks ago…on a trip to visit family…I found myself only a few hours away from the wonderfully sweet Beckie (who I have gotten to know via email and phone)…and I just could not pass up the opportunity to get together!  And, around that time, we had just added the fabulous new girls to the team…and I learned that Kim was pretty close, too!  Sooooo, it was the perfect chance to take a nice little road trip for lunch and shopping (and chatting)!  We had sooooo much fun…both Beckie and Kim are everything I imagined they would be…both inside and out!  Super sweet, funny, beautiful - and we got along so well…not even any awkward, silent moments, lolol!

So there we are!  I apologize in advance for my editing of the photo(s)…because while *I* am that pale…these other two beauties are not…I just had a tough time with the lighting in the pic (but no complaints, because some very nice lady stopped to take the picture for us…and she was really sweet about it…thank you, kind stranger lol)!  Anyhoo…there we are!  Now, I also feel the need to explain my hair, rofl!  I know the girls will laugh at me…but seriously – it looked BAD!  It got RAINED-ON that morning and then I had a long drive and there was nothing I could do for it…so there ya go :o)  Of course…Beckie and I both went on and on about Kim’s PERFECT hair (no joke…it is perfection!)!  Moving on…

So, we had a wonderful lunch…and then did some walking/shopping to make up for it!  Fun stores like Anthropologie, Neiman Marcus, Banana Republic, Loccitane (yeah, all kinda posh…but fun to browse, lol) – as well as some fun and funky little boutique stores (always love those)!  While in Neiman’s…I had to pick up some Chanel foundation (which I am in LOVE with, by the way…it came highly recommended to me and I have to say…all of the raves were true!  kinda pricey…but it will last me FOREVER, lol)…and we thought it would be fun if Beckie and Kim got makeovers (I had on plenty of make-up myself, and NO WAY I was going to let them see me without any…even if only temporarily – hey, Kim DID have her camera…and although she certainly seemed as trustworthy as can be…I was taking NO chances, rofl)!  Well, when I was at the counter to pay for my purchase…we found out they ONLY take Neiman’s and AmEx cards…HUH?  Seriously…we couldn’t believe it…no debit cards!  THANK GOODNESS I had some cash on me (which I never have…but my sweet hubby who thinks of everything and worries about me going on long trips – had put some in my bag…thanks, sweetie!)!  So…yeah – the foundation is my pick from the day as I truly do love it!  And…if you are like me…and find yourself challenged by FOUNDATION (especially liquid makeup, on me – it always seems cakey, or it separates and just makes me look older…which I do NOT need)…it is worth a try!  But…good news – if you actually read through my entire post (thanks in advance if you make it that far, lol)…you’ll have THREE, glowing recommendations for THREE, totally unique foundations :o)  It really wasn’t the purpose of the post…but hey…it’s a great bonus, lolol!  It’s not often that *I* ‘hear’ about foundations that women actually love (I could easily list about 20 that I have tried and really, really disliked, lol)!

Anyway…after that, we decided no makeovers at Neiman’s!  And that could only mean one thing… we were headed to MAC!  lol!

So…there we found ourselves in the MAC store…with one of the sweetest make-up artists ever :o)  He was a lot of fun (and had AMAZING lashes!) and got started on Beckie first!  Kim and I were watching and laughing because he began only doing one side of her face…and we were wondering if we were going to have to walk around with her like that all afternoon, rofl!  Of course…he finished her off beautifully – and we even learned something about Beckie during that makeover!  The girl LOOOOOOOOOOVES sparkles, lol!  She will forever be ‘Beckie Sparkles’ to me now :o)  It was so cute!  Anyway – she was beautiful before…and even moreso after (did I mention that she has such a PRETTY smile and the PERFECT, high cheekbones?)!  K, so then it was Kim’s turn!  Her main focus was her eyes…she wanted them to POP!  Let’s just say…even without anything – they POP because they are the most beautiful shade of green (oh…and Beckie and I also decided that she must be around 12 years old…she truly doesn’t look a day older…yes, we hated her and loved her at the same time lolol)!  The talented artist guy did his magic on her as well…and she just glowed after he was finished!  Oh yeah, I should mention that they were both going for a very natural look – which worked very well for THEM (not so much for me…I simply NEED more, lol)!  Alright…none of this would be any fun with before and after pics, right?  So…here ya go (aren’t they GREAT sports?!!!)!

 CUTE CUTE CUTE!  And, I thought I’d share some of Beckie and Kim’s favorite buys from their MAC experience (I know Beckie has told me a couple of time how much she LOVES her foundation…it will be my next to try if the Chanel fails me one day, lolol)!  She REALLY loves it (she just told me again…and says she still wears it EVERY single day, which is a record for her…AND, best of all – it stays on all day)!  So…here are Beckie’s picks:

• Matchmaker Foundation - yep, this is the one she is loving – it covers great…looks super natural, and lasts all day!
• Viva Glam Lipstick (shade is VI) – she says that surprisingly, the lipstick was her fave buy of the day (she has convinced me to give it a try…even though I am a total gloss girl, lolol)
• Paint Pot in Bare Study
• Foundation Brush (she totally loves this as well!)

 And now we move on to Kim’s picks :o)  Like Beckie, she LOVES her new foundation (and it is completely different from what Beckie picked up) – but her faves from the day were the new eye shadows she purchased (and I agree…they looked awesome!)!  She told me that she had been sticking with beiges and browns and greens for a while…and is loving her new pinks and purples :o)  Isn’t it fun to try new stuff?  And…as a new mommy (well, for the 3rd time, lol)…I’d say she deserved some cosmetic FUN, right?!  So, here’s what she picked up…

• Studio Tech Foundation (creamy…and she loves it)!
• Eye Shadow in Star Violet (a gorgeous, plummy pinky brown, lol – VERY pretty)!
• Pro Longwear Eye Shadow in Plush (it really is a perfectly pretty purple!)

 After that…we did a little more walking and shopping and chatting (and yep, there’s me with my empty Starbuck’s cup, I LOOOOOVE the LITE salted caramel frap lol)…and then it was time to part ways :o( 

 I can’t tell you how much fun it was and how happy I was to meet a couple of the ‘girls’ in person!  Again…my dream would be to have the ENTIRE team get together one day…but I know that logistically…it’s not likely :o(  I will say that while I know that my long, lost sister Kylie was there in spirit…I certainly missed her!  She is such an integral part of the team and the blog…we just HAVE to MEET soon (yeah…she’s across the pond – but we’ll make it happen) :o)  LOL!  I feel so blessed with each and every member of the team…and even if we never meet face-to-face, the friendships are still quite ‘real’ and cherished!  You are ALL the BEST!  And, special thanks to Kim and Beckie for taking the time to meet-up…and for all of the fun and laughs :o)  XOXO –sp

Shabby PrincessBeauty & Fashion, Shoppe News, Uncategorized 19 Comments

We interrupt this Shabby Shoppe scrapbooking blog to bring you…a few of my *non scrapbooking related*  favorite things!  Yep, that’s right – we thought it would be a fun change of pace to have a little girl talk and just dish about the things we love right now.  Since I (Beckie) seem to be the one who has taken control of the blog for the day - I’ll start it off with a few things I love, but I hope you’ll use the comments to share with us some of the things YOU love, too!

First up we have my newest favorite thing…Aveeno positively nourishing whipped souffle body lotion.  It’s sooooo thick and creamy, more hydrating to the skin than the typical overly-perfumed lotions I’ve used in the past.  This one is just perfect:  the subtle fragrance of sweet vanilla and a thick and creamy texture that coats the skin with moisture.  It’s almost the best thing about my shower routine…but we’ll see more on that later!

It’s appropriate that next up on my list is a blusher…as it’s name alone can also evoke a slight blush to one’s cheeks :)  What you see here is the Nars Multiple in my favorite shade…*ahem*…Orgasm.  This wonderful little beauty stick has many purposes – on your cheeks it gives a wonderful peachy glow.  But you can also use it on your lips and your eye lids for a healthy subtle shimmer.  One stick will last forever (at least in my estimation – I haven’t finished one yet!).  I keep it in my purse at all times :)

The full heat of summer has fully descended upon us Northern Hemisphere girls – and in the Southern US where I live in particular, it is H-O-T!  I like to lighten up on my makeup during the summers.  I use a good tinted moisturizer (I LOVE the Aveda tinted moisturizer), the NARS multiple for a little color, and right now I’m loving this new Burt’s Bees Hibiscus tinted lip balm.  It’s creamy and smooth and perfect for that on-the-go summer lifestyle.  The moisturizers keep my lips soft and smooth and the subtle color is the perfect finishing touch to my light summer make-up.

And now it’s time for a confession…I have an addiction.  Well, I guess make that TWO addictions – since you already know about the digi-scrapping addiction I have, LOL. My second addiction is one to good old pens and paper.  I covet, collect, adore, and stockpile interesting and quality writing supplies.  Pictured above is a tried and true favorite of mine, a super high quality drafting pencil called the Alvin Draft Matic.  The metal grip is heavily textured to prevent slipping, and the quality metal fittings give this pencil wonderful weight in your hands.  I’ve been using this pencil (and previous versions of it) since I was in college!

One of my favorite sites for shopping for pretty little things to feed my addiction is Levenger.  *gush* I have several fountain pens, which if you’ve ever used them,you know they put out significantly more ink than a traditional pen.  Which is why I’m loving another new discovery, Rhodia heavy weight paper notebooks.  deee-lish!  :)  This one in particular is an absolute favorite of mine for work and has a really neat way to keep meeting notes and action items.  The paper is heavy weight – almost 4 times the thickness of some paper notebooks, which is essential to keep your ink from bleeding through the page.

ahh…something about smelling a new notebook and first writing with a beautiful new pen just makes me happy (someone please speak up and say you share my addiction??)  :)

Next up, I am loving the Repairing Shampoo by L’Occitane (pronounced Lox-E-tahn).  I innocently purchased a simple hand cream for my purse one evening when my hubby and I were browsing the nearby shopping area after dinner one night.  The sales girl slipped in a sample, to which I hardly paid any attention.  Darn it all if “that little sample” didn’t turn out to be THE BEST shampoo I’ve ever used!  My hair is not damaged, but it is thick and slightly wavy.  This shampoo and conditioner make my hair so incredibly soft and manageable and leave it with a wonderful smell that lasts throughout the day.  I’m hooked!  Ironically, when I went to purchase my shampoo, they gave me a sample of the Plum Blossom bath products, to which I’m also now addicted.  Better tell them to skip the samples if you don’t want to get sucked in, LOL :)

And finally, no post about things I love would be complete without mentioning my Kindle.  Ironically, I had no interest in getting one, even after my husband hinted that he was thinking of getting me one for Christmas.  I told him no, that I couldn’t see spending $10-$15 for a book often enough to make it worth having a $120 reading device.  So fast forward 5 months, when I learned that I would be doing a decent amount of business travel in the coming year or so, and I decided that a Kindle would be a great way to keep several books on hand in a light, portable format.  So I got one.

I love it!  There are thousands of “un-published” titles available, which are books not {yet} published in paper.  These books are cheap!  Many are just $.99 – $2.99.  Of course, all the popular books are available too.  I’ve probably read 20 books already on my Kindle, I find that if I keep it in my (admittedly large) purse I read when I have a few spare minutes.  And when I travel it’s just perfect!  I read fast so I need to have several books with me to keep me going.  (The kindle holds up to 3,500 books).

Just recently I downloaded a murder mystery that stars a scrapbooking heroine!  I generally read for fun (translated: mindless fiction), but I did get the classic Sherlock Holmes mysteries also.  They were free!  All books more than 75 years old are past copyright protection and are available for free.  The battery lasts forever (several weeks of heavy reading, longer with just light reading).

So if you do read a lot, or wish you could read more, definitely check out the Kindle.  And if you already have one – link me up to your fave books! I love mysteries and thrillers :)

~~**~~

Well, that does it for me!  I hope you enjoyed a peek into the things I love right now.  I can’t wait to see what you guys have to share!  And, be sure to visit again tomorrow as we share June’s project SCRAP templates!

BeckieBeauty & Fashion, Uncategorized 18 Comments

Hi, Karen here with ‘what’s in my beauty bag’ :o)

When I’m buying beauty products, I have to look for two things…low cost and products that can be tolerated by my sensitive skin.  I mean super sensitive! I think at one point I tried every make-up base our local discount store carried.  So, I am more than happy to be able to share with you some of my favorite finds that are easy on your face and that won’t break your budget.

I always start my routine with a layer of moisturizer.  My favorite at the moment is Purpose Moisture Lotion available at Wal-Mart, Target or drug store chains.

For my foundation I use Everyday Minerals Original Glo Formula available on-line. There are four foundation choices available for every type of skin. After trying another brand of mineral make up in the past I was really skeptical that this would work for me.  But, I ordered a free sample ($5 for shipping) and was shocked when I ended up loving it.  If you have dry skin like me, be sure and put a moisturizer on first.  Also, the last thing I do is get my brush a tiny bit damp and brush lightly under my eyes to remove any powdery look.

For color on my face I use Everyday Minerals Cheek.

For my eyes I use Everyday Minerals eye color in Hot Chocolate,

 Covergirl Perfect Point Eye liner in Charcoal, and Volum’ Express Waterproof Mascara by Maybelline, that I tested thoroughly last June at my daughter’s wedding.

And lastly, if I’m dressing up, a light, natural feeling lip color,  Burt’s Bee’s Lip Shimmer.

I hope I’ve helped anyone else out there with super sensitive skin by giving you a little peak inside my make-up bag.  Check back tomorrow for a fun hybrid post by Denise!

KarenBeauty & Fashion, Uncategorized 9 Comments

Hey everyone! It’s Lu today & I’m back to give you a little color inspiration. According  to the calendar, we’re winding down summer & headed towards early fall (not in my neck of the woods, however). Still, if you’ve been to the malls~ and who hasn’t, with school starting~ you’ve certainly noticed the fall attire. As with almost everything, the first thing I typically notice is… you guessed it, color! My goodness, the fashions these days take me back to my school daze … all the 80’s styles & neon color, not really as inspiring as they were when I was younger, lol! But one color that always grabs my attention, and thankfully one that never goes out of style (for me, anyway) is RED. And with a username “reddoor”, that is probably no surprise. There is a lot of symbolism associated with the color red, from power to prosperity, to love or anger. Basically, red conjures up strong feelings… and perhaps strong reactions: either an intense like or dislike for it. But regardless, red packs a punch & makes an impact. Whether or not it’s a favorite color, it is certainly one that most can identify with, at least on occasion. Specifically, we typically think of red for Valentine’s Day, the Fourth of July and Christmas. I also usually associate it with school: red plaids, a red apple for the teacher. So when I came across this fabric swatch, it just said “fall” to me & I knew this would be my next inspiration.

 On various online shopping excursions, I’ve spied lots of my favorite color (okay, one of my favorite colors. I can’t really commit to just one. Moving on…). Here are a few of the items that have caught my eye.

As much I love red, I was really intriqued by that fabric swatch & wanted to create a color palette based on this combo. I  love how the cool, sky blue tones down the heat of the red. The vibrant yellow brightens the palette & keeps it from becoming “muddy”. The sage green provides a bit of calm and the dark brown grounds it all. Although quite vivid, it is very much a “natural” palette (earth, wind & fire).

With my color scheme established, this is the layout I created.  In order to keep it balanced, I tried to assign about the same “ratios” of colors as my theme swatch. Although I am focusing on red, it can quickly overpower the other colors.

 And here is my credit list:

Brown  & Blue paper~ Believe

Red Damask paper, red stitches, red heart tag~ Sweetie Pie

Green paper~ Damask & Dots

White paper~ Hopscotch

Green & yellow flowers, yellow buttons, string with green buttons, red heart stitch, yellow scroll (recolored)~ Clementine 

If you’re interested in reading more about the symbolism of the color red, I found this article to have some interesting tidbits. There are oodles more, of course. I hope that this has post has you inspiRED & seeing red, lol! Don’t miss tomorrow’s post with Kathy, as she rolls out the “red carpet” for this week’s product spotlight. Okay, I’ll stop now.  Have a wonderful week & happy scrappin!

LuBeauty & Fashion, Inspiration, Uncategorized 9 Comments

Hi all, SP here :o)  Monday’s are generally reserved for some kind of beauty/fashion inspiration…so I thought I’d go along those lines, with a new ad inspiration challenge!!  We’ve had one of these before…and I enjoyed it so much!  I love taking inspiration from the beauty and fashion world…and well, i guess the pickle world, too, lol!  I’m sure many of you have seen (or participated in) AD INSPIRATION scraps before!  They used to be a favorite of mine…I loved having that little bit of a jump start to a layout…and I really enjoyed interpreting an ad in my own way.  Not to mention, it sure was fun to see how everyone else ’saw’ it, too :o)  I find it difficult anymore to look through a magazine without seeing all of the similarities with scrapbooking, lol!  Fonts, page design, colors – they all catch my eye and bring my brain right back to scrapping and how well they would translate to a scrapbook page lol!

The first thing that caught my eye with this ad…was the rounded corners and super cool (and huge) shape of the graphic!  I am a sucker for rounded corners, lol!  I thought it might be a challenge to scrap with this shape (and it was, at first, lol)…but also love a challenge and decided to go with it.  I always appreciate having dedicated spaces for journaling…and the little pickle jar and plate of pickles lend themselves so well to a small clustering of elements.  So anyway – this is the one I went with and I hope you enjoy it!

Of course, I had to create a template to share with you guys (see below for download link), lol!  When working with the template (or any inspiration, for that matter) – keep in mind that you do not have to be ‘literal’ with your interpretation!  Perhaps you are inspired by the colors – or maybe the ad makes you want to journal on top of your photo – or, you could just like the idea of the rounded corner squares :o)  Be creative and have fun!

First – let’s get to the template…CLICK HERE to download it (or you can click the graphic below)…

And, here’s a better look at the ad…

And, while I have had this ad saved for a while…I haven’t had time to work on the template…until the last minute!  As a result, the team didn’t get this in advance (they are seeing it at the same time you are, lol)…so you are stuck with two layouts of mine, lol!  I went in totally different directions!  Here’s the first (I worked with the Darling Paper Collection, Giggle Box, Hopscotch, An Affair to Remember and Sprout…I think that’s it, lol)…

and the other (I worked with An Affair to Remember, Clementine, Sprout and Giggle Box)…

Whew, I think that’s it :o)  I hope that you guys have fun working with the template…and that you post your layouts in the Shoppe’s gallery for all of us to see!

I also wanted to mention that the BLOG will be taking a TWO WEEK VACATION for back-to-school from August 30th through September 12th :o)  That’s a couple of weeks away…but I wanted to go ahead and let ya know!  I know that school starts at different times all over the country and world…and I’m sorry if we didn’t get yours in the two week window…we really tried :o)

THANKS AGAIN – have a great week!

Shabby PrincessBeauty & Fashion, Challenges, Free (not desktops), Uncategorized 12 Comments