Happy Tuesday!  It’s Emily here with another inspiration post!  Ever since composing my first inspiration post a few weeks back and loving Aubrey’s inspiration post, I have been keeping a keen eye out for things in my everyday life that could inspire my digital scrapbooking. Before winter break, a colleague of mine paid me the nicest compliment by telling me that I had an eye for putting outfits together and that my color and pattern choices were such an inspiration!  Well…I got to thinking….maybe some of the colors, patterns, and textures I choose to put together for fashion purposes could also be used to scrapbook!  Anyone who knows me, knows that I LOVE style and fashion.  I am a fashion blog geek (Check out the bottom of this post–I’ve snuck in a few of my faves!) and am constantly trying new looks that I see.  I think it all really comes down to my love for colors, patterns (stripes! polkadots!), and textures.  Really, I think it is those three things that are the foundation for all my creative loves! Who knew?!  I started having my hubby take pictures of outfits that had interesting color combinations (Boy do I love my pink skinny jeans!) or patterns over the last few weeks.  Check out the outfits and then the layouts I scrapped based on the color palette or pattern from the outfit.  This was such a fun challenge for me and I hope you join me and try one of your own!  Post it to the gallery please!

Fashion Color Palette #1

Fashion Color Palette #2

Fashion Color Palette #3

Fashion Color Palette #4

Here are a few of my favorite blogs!  Watch out…you can really whittle away time on these!  Don’t say I didn’t warn you!

J’s Everyday Fashion Blog

Putting Me Together 

Lilly’s Style: Pinterest

Carah Amelie

Thank you so much for stopping by today and checking out my last post for SP!  Although it has been short, this experience has been a creative and inspirational highlight that I will not soon forget!  Let’s keep supporting one another in the gallery! Love~Em

EmilyBeauty & Fashion, Inspiration, Uncategorized 5 Comments

Happy Friday from the Shabby Shoppe!  It’s Beckie here with you again, and I’m ready to dish about some of my very favorite beauty products!  I’m kind of fickle and I love giving new things a try and I’m eager to share a few little gems here with you today :)

Starting off…we have my favorite cleansing and toning products!  I’m going to confess right now that I need a low maintenance cleansing routine – and the Olay 7-in-1 cleansing cloths perfectly fit the bill!  These cloths easily remove all my make-up and leave my skin cleansed and moisturized.  I follow it up with a few spritzes of the AMAZING botanical kinetics toning mist by Aveda.  It smells delightful and is very light and refreshing.  Together, these two items give me the quick and easy cleansing routine I need for my hectic schedule :)  And at just $8.99 for 30 cleansing cloths and $17 for the toning mist, I can come clean with a clear conscience over the cost :)

With the arrival of warmer weather, I made a  trip to Sephora with a girlfriend and we indulged in some new spring make-up!  I asked the associate to help me find a lightweight liquid foundation that would leave me looking fresh, healthy, and natural.  I also like having built-in SPF in my foundation, as I find myself outside in the harsh summer sun quite a bit with the kiddos.  I’ve been wearing my new makeup for about a month now – and I still love it!  First off, I got the Radiance primer by Laura Mercier.  I apply it to my cheeks, and it gives a subtle shimmer to my makeup finish.  (There’s a non-shimmer version available as well!).  And over the primer I apply LORAC Breakthrough Performance Foundation.  With SPF 15 and anti-aging ingredients, my skin feels fresh and healthy all day long.  Oh, and one really neat tip – the girl applied my foundation with a mineral powder brush.  The short, tight artificial bristles make it super easy to brush on consistent coverage.  You can use any artificial bristle kabuki/mineral powder brush, but I went with the Sephora brush.

The last time I talked make-up here on the blog, I mentioned the Nars Multiple…well, it’s still one of my favorites.  And I learned a new tip!  Not only can you apply the creamy color to your cheeks, you can apply it to your lips and cover it with clear gloss for a new look!

I recently had lunch with another girlfriend whom I hadn’t seen in several months.  I immediately noticed how youthful and healthy her skin looked and I asked her about it – although I was slightly dreading the answer because she has very expensive taste!   She started laughing and said “You’ll never guess…it’s Vaseline!”.  She said she puts it on her face before bedtime 2-3 times per week and had been doing so for several months.  She said it made a huge difference in the health of her skin – and from what I saw, I totally agree!  So out of curiosity, I googled Vasline and found several articles that also hailed the benefits of this quintessential beauty product.  Another great tip for Vaseline?  Mix your leftover lipstick with a little Vaseline to make your own lip gloss!  Best of all… you can pick up your very own tub of Vaseline for less than $2!

That’s all I have to share with you today!  I would LOVE it if you’d share some of your favorite products and beauty tips in the comments section!  If you’d like to take a peek into some of our other Shabby Artists’ Beauty Bags…CLICK HERE!  And I hope you all have a wonderful weekend…Jenelle will be with you on Monday for LOTW!

BeckieBeauty & Fashion, Uncategorized 2 Comments

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 19 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