THREE EASY-TO-DO MAKEUP TRICKS

These makeup tricks are so easy to replicate, you can practically start...NOW!

Here are three little tips to make your look naturally glowing:

1. Use brow pencil as liner for a more natural eye look

Using Maybelline Brown Pencil in "Dark Brown"

Gives eyes a softer lining

2. Dab a little shimmer to the middle of your lips to make them appear fuller

Using E.L.F Shimmer Eye Shadow

Dab a tiny amount in the middle

Top with a consistent coat of gloss for full, voluptuous lips

 3. Dust bronzer on the apples of your cheeks and the tip of your nose to give yourself a healthy, sun glow

 
Using Cover Girl Bronzing Powder

 
A little on the cheeks, a little on the nose, a little bit of sun-kissed glow

KATE MIDDLETON CHOOSES SARAH BURTON OF ALEXANDER MCQUEEN WEDDING DRESS

As Kate Middleton stepped out of the car today, on her way to marry the man of her dreams, she wore a beautiful, ivory dress by Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen design.

With a corset top, cinched in waste, lace details and V neck, the dress looked absolutely stunning on Middleton.  Underneath a simple veil, Middleton smiled through the ride to Westminster Abby while waving to the crowd.

Though many speculated that England's newest Princess might choose a more traditional gown, she has proved a modern queen, and bride, by selecting this chic McQueen design.


Beautiful!  Simply beautiful!

 

ROSS HAUL

Don't you just love a good deal?  

Recently I stopped at Ross to browse around - browse as in a 5-minute stop after getting paper towels from Target.  Little did I know that Ross had so many fashionable stuff and for such good deals that I practically spent the night there.  

Here are my great finds:

A body-hugging LBD (almost) for date night with the hubby

$14.99

A top with crazy patterns to show off my wild, adventurous side

 $3.49 (gotta love clearance)

A long top with "hot shoulders" to wear over jeggings

 $8.99

A flowing, flower-print shirt for the spring

$6.99

My favorite: a long muscle tee perfect with ... anything!

 $8.99

 

APRIL HUNK ALERT: GARRETT HEDLUND

It could be his deep voice, his smoldering gaze or his hunky build.  Whatever Garrett Hedlund has going for him made us girlie girls swoon.  The Tron:Legacy actor was once cast as a Brad Pitt look-a-like - not many guys can pull that one off - in 2004's Troy.  Now, he is the leading man in the 80's scifi remake of Tron.

Growing up in a small town in Minnesota, Hedlund inheritted the farm boyish good looks of messy strawlike hair and casual dress code.  

Not until he was fourteen and moved to Arizona did Hedlund take an interest in acting, which eventually landed him in Hollywood.  And Hollywood seems to welcome the handsome 26-year-old with open arms, as he has quiet a few projects ahead, including 2011's On the Road.

We look forward to seeing this handsome hunky hunk very soon!

Photo credit from flickr.com

NUMB3RS ON DEMAND

Guest post written by my buddy Aldo Mays

My favorite television show is no doubt numb3rs. Although their show ended in 2010, I can always watch them on my free on demand channel, which is great. The numb3rs character cast has won the hearts of millions, and they have remained popular long after their show.

David Sinclair, Don Eppes, Alan Eppes, and Charlie Eppes were the four main stars that made it from season one to season six. Amita and Larry were also two side stars that made it. Numb3rs has had millions of viewers of all ages, and almost everyone can relate to one of the numb3rs characters.

My personal favorite character, Colby Granger (portrayed by Dylan Bruno) joined the show in season two. His character had to be one of the most honest television characters on T.V from BestChoiceTV.com. until he was revealed as the FBI mole in season three. Luckily, in the season four opener, he was revealed as a triple agent, working to flush out the bad guys of the FBI.

I like the numb3rs characters because they promote family friendly content (albeit with the occasional shootout). It's a great show for anyone to watch, and almost anyone can learn about math from Professor Charles Eppes. With so many great characters and a lot of good action, what's not to like?

VICTORIA'S SECRET SWIMWEAR

In just a few months, it will be summer again: sunny days, toasty weather, and perhaps a chance to wear a new swim suit.

I have always liked Victoria's Secret swimwear.  Well, at least the bikinis and swimsuits look good on the models.  Here are a few of my favorites:

 Gold-trim Monokini

 Photo credit from Victoria's Secret

Push-up Halter Top

Photo credit from Victoria's Secret

Wireless Push-up Halter Tankini Top

Photo Credit from Victoria's Secret

Star Printed Banded Halter Top

Photo Credit from Victoria's Secret

GUYS ARE FUNNY: A TRUE STORY FROM THE GYM

Three young guys walked into the gym.  Two of them skinny and the other a little heavy.  They worked out together for about 20 minutes.

Skinny Guy No. 1: I think I'm gonna call it a night.

Skinny Guy No. 2: Yeah, me too!

Heavier Guy (in a loud, joking way.  But loud, so everyone in the gym can hear him): AWWWWWWWWWWWW!  You guys are such P*SSIES!  

Skinny Guy No. 2: Hey man!  It's not how long, it's how hard.
 


The Skinny Guys left.  The heavier guy remained and continued to lift weights.

Two

Short 

Minutes 

Later

Heavier guy looked around, grabbed his jacket discreetly, and headed out the door.

Why are guys are so funny?

Have a great weekend, everyone!

HIGH MAINTENANCE FOR A LOW MAINTENANCE LOOK, BY HARD CANDY

A few months ago, I received a gift from a lovely fellow blogger Marie, who writes Marie Loves Makeup.  One of the items, Hard Candy Eyeshadow in "High Maintenance," has become a favorite of mine.  

Its subtle pigment makes a great day wear, with sheen that brightens up the eyes in a sophisticated way.  

With just a sweep of the darker shade inside the crease, and blend the lighter hue all over the lid, an easy, graceful eye makeup is done:

THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE FREE

Strip away their fancy wheels, flashy designer clothes and extravagant homes, people are just who they are - people - people like you and me, who has loved and lost, failed and prevailed, lived and died. 

Of all the great things life brings, many of them tempting, elaborate and requires purchase, the best are - ironically - still free:

Laughter

Laugh and play with your family and friends.  

No one is there to judge you for being your silly self.

 

Hugs and Kisses

Give out as many hugs and kisses to your loved ones.

While at it, get some back.

Give and receive as many as you want, because they don't cost a thing!

Runner's High

Put on a pair of good shoes, or none at all.
Run around the block, the path, the park.
Set yourself free.
 

Unconditional Love

Love.  It's the best, and it's free.

Classic Reads

They are free to check out from the library,
and on Kindle :O)

Letting Go

When all is said and done, 
when you have lived life to the fullest,
when it causes pain to hold on.
your next best thing is just to let go.



Sunny Days (especially in Seattle)

 Sunny days don't come often.  
However, when they do, boy do they glisten your beautiful home!

BECOME.COM

Nowadays, shopping has become quiet a hassel.  Stores often throw massive amounts of merchandise at consumers' faces.  Just walk into any suburban shopping mall, you will find the same sundress in an assortment of brands, colors and materials - makes picking the right dress that much harder. 

Become.com, a website that uses "comparison shopping technology" is here to help us compare different products, save time shopping, and choose the right merchandise to purchase.  From automotive to electronics to clothing and accessories, become.com provides insightful knowledge, helpful tips and great deals on just about anything you are looking for.

Need a sample of become.com?  Just check out the following items:

Trixxi Dresses

Leather Backpack Purse
 

Gianni Bini Shoes

Of course, shopping is still fun, especially for us girlie girls.  But with become, shopping gets a little easier and with a little less hassel when we happen to look for something specific.

Skin Care Blog Post - Burt's Bees Citrus Facial Scrub

Does green equal clean?

While we all love the natural benefit of organic products, some of them don't possess the cleaning power we seek.  

However, I have often heard good reviews on Burt's Bees personal care products - a friend of mine boasts their lip gloss the best she ever tried - so I thought: why not?

And to the drugstore I went and picked up Burt's Bees Citrus Facial Scrub.  Let's find out if it worked:

The Claim, according to Burt's Bee website:

"...provide gentle exfoliation

...mild enough for daily use on all skin types

...help naturally remove traces of dirt and makeup

...moisturize your skin" 

Exfoliates, cleans, and moisturizes - Sounds like a winner, right?  Here's my take:

Likes:

• Fruity, citrus-y smell
• Took off my makeup
• Grounded texture did a good job exfoliating
• Left my face soft, clean and refreshed
• Came in a glass jar - very environmental

Dislikes:

• Direction was hard to follow, but eventually I got used to it
• My face felt a little oily afterward

 

Overall Rating: 4/5


Re-purchase? Maybe. I do like St. Ive's Apricot Facial Scrub better, and it costs less, so I will probably buy that instead. But please don't get me wrong.  The Burt's Bees Citrus Facial Scrub did work well.

Final Impression: For an organic product, this facial scrub cleaned thoroughly. I guess in this case, green does equal clean.

Love the reusable glass jar it came in

 Very dry on the first touch

 Much softer and smoother after adding water

FITNESS AFTER PREGNANCY: SNACK ON CUTIES

Skip the cookies, ditch the potato chips, and definitely pass on the ice-cream.  Instead make room for the cuties.  These little mandarin oranges are easy to peel, sweet to eat, and make the healthiest snacks.  At 40 calories each, they are delicious and nutritious!

EYE MAKEUP REMOVER ALTERNATIVE: VASELINE

In 1859, petroleum jelly was discovered to protect and heal cuts and burns.  A young scientist named Robert Cheseborough then created a lighter version of petroleum jelly and mass-produced it as an ointment.  His first factory opened in 1870 and he named it "Vaseline".  Since then, Vaseline became a vastly popular item on drugstore shelves everywhere.


Overtime, people used Vaseline in more creative ways, including as a beauty product.  Like them, I am a huge fan of Vaseline and often use it to sooth chapped lips.  However, only until recently did I learn of this awesome, new trick: Vaseline takes off makeup!

Just look at all the mess that came off with two gentle wipes:

As a frugal girlie girl, I hated spending $20 on pricey makeup removers.  At $2 - $3 a bottle, Vaseline works just as well.  It also makes my skin soft and smooth, and doesn't irritate my eyes.  What a great discovery!

FITNESS AFTER PREGNANCY: FINALLY! GOAL WEIGHT! AND THEN SOME TAKEAWAYS.

After nine LONG months, I am finally - FINALLY - at my pre-pregnancy weight.  It took a lot of work, even more patience, and a little - okay, more than a little - tears to get my original weight back.  

When I saw that familiar and missed number of 108 (lbs) show up on the digital scale, however, all the hard work was worth it.  Because nothing felt as triumphant as achieving a goal with effort and persistence.

Pre-pregnancy weight: 108 lbs
Weight on September 15 post : 120 lbs
Weight on September 30th post: 119 lbs
Weight on October 13th post: 117.8 lbs (hehe.  technically it's 118)
Weight on November 2nd post: 117 lbs

Weight on November 22nd post: 116.2 lbs

Weight on January 9th post: 111.6 lbs 

Weight on February 20th post: 111.0 lbs 

Today's weight : 108.2 lbs (WOOHOO!!!!)

Of course, every process has takeaways.  Here are mine from "FITNESS AFTER PREGNANCY:"


1. YOU HAVE TO WORK OUT!

2. Although the weight came off, your body will most likely become different.  For me, the hips are wider, the overall tone softer and the curves are more obvious - not that it's a bad thing ;O)

3. Be patient and don't give up.

4. Breastfeeding helps shrink the uterus back to normal, but you can't depend on it to loose weight.


5. Drink water.  Drink LOTS of water.

Now, let's celebrate!

CHECK OUT MAKE YOUR HOLIDAY SING FOR YOUR NEXT VACATION

In June our family will fly across the Pacific to Shanghai for a family member's wedding.  Planning a family vacation is hard enough and now with a baby in tow, it get even harder.  However, there are helpful sources on traveling and vacation planning on the internet, such as Make Your Holiday Sing (www.makeyourholidaysing.com).

Make Your Holiday Sing (www.makeyourholidaysing.com) is a travel website dedicated to help people plan their next big trip.  With tips and tricks, Make Your Holiday Sing (www.makeyourholidaysing.com) is not only a travel guide but also a travel resource.  From top vacation spots to ideas for easy packing, this website gives you practical and useful advice.

Whether you enjoy an exotic location with amazing landscape, a relaxing cruise out on the sea or a fun-filled trip in exciting metropolises, Make Your Holiday Sing (www.makeyourholidaysing.com) will help you plan your next trip.

Check it out at http://www.makeyourholidaysing.com/.