OOTD: Scene Queen Chic!! Plus Beauty Haul!

Since posting this picture the other day I got quite a few questions regarding the outfit and where i got it so I decided to do an OOTD on it.

I absolutely LOVE this outfit because it is super cute, bright and a little funky. The best part? Every single piece of it was a steal of a deal!! Here's the breakdown..

OOTD: Scene Queen Chic!

Hello Kitty Sweater: Giant Tiger (Little Girl's Section!) for 12$

Distressed Black Skinnies: Urban Planet for 34.99$

Black Halter (Underneath Sweater): Urban Planet for 12$

Neon Leopard Ankle Socks (LOVE them!): 3pk for 12$ Got them from my sis-in-law, not sure where she got them though. Will check and update...

Hot Pink Pumps (3' heel) Size 8- Suzy Shier for 25$

Dolce & Gabbana Sunglasses (knockoffs!)- Bought for 15$ off Kijiji (They have a leopard print on the arm..I <3 Them!! Can you tell I LOVE animal prints!)

Black Bow Barrette (In my hair...Kind of hard to see...) Dollarama for 1$

Black and Silver Necklace: Urban Planet for 6.99$

Silver Beaded Bracelet: Urban Planet for 5$ for pack of five

DID YOU KNOW???

You can now shop online at Urban Planet and Suzy Shier, along with many other stores including Bluenotes, Aldo and La Senza, with your debit/Interac card!! This is awesome because I don't have a credit card, nor do I want one, yet I love shopping online. All you need is money in the bank and an online banking account for your bank (If you don't already have online banking simply ask your bank how to set it up, it usually only takes a few minutes and is so much more convenient). I have already purchased a few things this way and they arrived very quickly and the best part is each of the sites have a "Sale/Clearance" page:) For a full list of online retailers who accept Interac CLICK HERE! And don't worry, there are no fees to shop online with your Interac, unless they are fees by your bank, but I know I didn't pay any.

So, I recently went on a little shopping spree for some new makeup and ended up picking up quite a few things. My camera is among the missing right now so I apologise for not being able to take pics, but I am going to use pictures from the good 'ol Internet so you can still see what I got. I will include prices and stores purchased at when I can.


Beauty Haul:

Revlon PhotoReady Foundation with SPF 20 in shade 005 Natural Beige, 30ml: Shoppers Drug Mart for 13.99$ I am hooked on this foundation! It truly does give you an airbrushed look and covers blemishes very well. I like that you can apply more or less layers to customise the amount of coverage you need.

Lise Watier Mineral Compact Powder in shade Naturel- Shoppers Drug Mart for 34.99$ (Lucky for me I didn't actually pay that, I bought it off someone for 5$ brand new:) This is my new fave powder hands down. It also comes with oil blotting papers right in the compact in a little flip open tab...It sets my foundation perfectly, doesn't cake and is Canadian made!! It is a bit pricey but it is totally worth it!

L'oreal Paris True Match Roller in shade C3 Creamy Natural- Lawtons for 14.99$ (I got it on clearance for 3.99$..STEAL!) I really like this roll on foundation, it offers great coverage but doesn't go on super thick like you would think it would. I feel kind of funny basically rolling foundation on my face like I am painting a wall but the end result is fabulous coverage! (You should have seen hubby's face when he saw me putting it on for the first time, just rolling away haha...)

GOSH Perfect Lift N Shape Mascara in shade Black- 12.99$ Bought of someone also brand new, not sure where it was from.You can buy it off the GOSH site though, but I don't think they sell it in the USA.
Overall its a pretty good mascara, goes on sleek and clump-free. I never use just one mascara though, I always layer on two different kinds. When it comes to lashes I believe in Go BIG or go home:)

 
Rimmel London Extra Super Lash Mascara in shade Black- Shopper's Drug Mart for 9.99$ (Got it on sale for 5.99$) Loving this mascara. It goes on super dark and doesn't clump, plus is allows you to build as many coats as you want for thick and flirt lashes without clumping or sticking together. I have been using it as my everyday mascara (layered with GOSH Lift N Shape) since I bought it.

Wet 'N' Wild Silk Finish Blush in shade 171 Threesome- Dollarama for 2$ (!!!)
I am so psyched that my local dollar store carries Wet N Wild Cosmetics right now for...get this...2$ each!! I went and stocked right up:) They are actually very good quality considering they are so cheap. I have been using them every single day. This blush gives a perfect rosy glow and it is my new everyday blush.

Wet 'N' Wild Bronzzer Powder Compact in Shade 741 Bali Bronze- Dollarama for 2$
Again, you can't go wrong for 2$ bronzer. It works pretty good and doesn't have a lot of shimmer as most bronzers do, which I like because it looks much more natural. I think this shad may be a bit dark for me during the winter months but during the summer will probably be perfect. Luckily, at just 2$ I got one of each shade!

Wet 'N' Wild Ultimate Minerals Loose Powder in shade 270 Fair- Dollarama for 2$
I was pleasantly surprised by how well this powder works. It goes on very smooth, provides great coverage and sets my foundation very well. I grabbed it when i ran out of my old powder (before i got my new one) and actually really like it. I still can't believe I got it at the dollar store!!

"Neon Orange" above left and "Sunshine Disco" arrow on right.

Cherimoya Vernis Classique Nail Polish in shades 'Neon Orange' and 'Sunshine Disco' Lawtons for 6.99$ each I am hooked on these polishes. For one they are neon (They yellow polishes is the exact shade of a yellow highlighter) and I LOVE neon anything. They go on very smooth and the color is very intense and pigmented. I absolutely love the look, they are almost jelly looking when dry and have a high shine, plus they one require one or two coats for full, even coverage. They are featured in my Neon Leopard Tutorial above...


If you are into beauty then you should definitely check out TAAZ. It is a beauty website with an amazing makeover tool that allows you to try on hundreds of different makeup looks and hairstyles. Unlike some makeover tools this one is actually super realistic looking. It is definitely addictive. The site also features your own profile page and allows you to give and get beauty and fashion advice, share deals, post how-to's, share images and videos, earn badges for your participation and Follow people whose style you like! It is one of the best beauty communities I have tried thus far and I love it. Be sure to check it out. You will have hours of fun (Or at least I did!) trying on hundreds of crazy hairstyles! Great tool if you are thinking of trying  a new look but not sure how it will look. You can even try on celebrity looks like Rihanna's infamous red hair or Katy Perry's blue locks she sported while in Paris recently. Check out one of my makeovers below!

That's all folks!!Parting question: Which hairstyle or look have you have always wanted to try but don't have the balls to go through with?? I have always loved Rihanna's short hairstyle but don't have the jam to cut my hair that short...Although I used to have super short hair in middle school (Seriously, like less than two inches) but that was my mothers genius idea. To be fair it didn't look that bad but I don't think I would ever do it again...

Simple Neon Leopard Nail Art + My New Look...REVEALED!!

So, before we begin I would like to take a second to apologize for all but neglecting my poor little blog.

Things have been hella busy and i just have not had a second to breathe, let alone crank out a blog post. I am, however, going to make a conscious effort to blog regularly again. There...that's outta the way. Now lets get this show on the road!

If you have even the remotest interest in fashion or read fashion and beauty magazines then it probably comes as no surprise to you that neon's are HUGE right now. I personally have always loved neon colors, even way back in middle school when i used to color my nails with highlighters. So, I decided that I wanted to do something cute on m nails using neon's, something a bit more sophisticated then coloring them with markers. I was browsing nail art tutorials on YouTube because I am on a nail art kick right now when I happened upon an adorable neon leopard nail design. I had recently purchased some neon polishes so I HAD to give it a shot. We'll it actually turned out great and I wanted to share the how-to with you guys. So, without further adieu...

Neon Leopard Manicure Tutorial

I apologize for the blurriness...Had to use my five yr olds camera...

Polish used for this tutorial:

• -Cherimoya Vernis Classique in 'Sunshine Disco' (This is basically a highlighter yellow)

• -Cherimoya Vernis Classique in 'Neon Orange' (Pictured above, although MUCH brighter in person)

• -Nicole By O.P.I in 'Respect The World' (A bright turquoise color but with more blue in it)

• -Sally Hansen Sheerly Opal in "Natural White' (This is part of the French Manicure Kit. I had to use a different brush though because the one with it is tiny as it is for french tips)

• -L.A Colors Color Craze Polish in "Lightning" (A super-bright neon Pink)

• -L.A Colors Color Craze Polish in "Voltage" (A clear polish I use as a topcoat)

• -L.A Colors Art Deco Nail Art Lacquer in "Black Sparkle" (I used this for the actual leopard spots, but you could also use any black polish with a small brush or bobby-pin, etc)

 Directions:

Step 1: Apply a base coat.

First off, apply a clear base coat to protect your nails and to allow the polish to go on more smoothly.

Step 2: Paint all of your nails white.

Paint all of your nails white. Be sure to apply at least 2 or 3 coats, allowing them to dry in between, to ensure even coverage and a nice solid base.

Paint all nails with two or three coats of white polish.

Step 3: Draw on your leopard spots.

This can be done using either a nail art pen or dumping a tiny bit of polish onto a piece of paper and dipping a small brush or even a q-tip or bobby pin in it. You can even use a black Sharpie marker! Draw a leopard-like design on all off your nails, on top of the white polish you applied. To create a leopard print simply draw a bunch of small uneven circles and "C" shapes, leaving the center of them uncolored. Add a few black dots to fill in any spots where you cannot fit a bigger "spot". Do not worry about them looking perfect because they are supposed to be uneven and jagged looking. Make sure to leave the centers of your leopard spots empty because we will be filling them in on the next step. Allow your spots to dry completely to prevent smudges during the next step.

**NOTE** If you want to you can switch steps 2 & 3 and it will still come out the same. Some people prefer to do the colored dots then draw the leopard print around them instead of drawing the spots then filling them in after. It is your call and they will still look the same in the end.

Step 3: Fill in your leopard spots with your neon colors.

Draw leopards spots like the ones pictured, leaving the center empty.

 Fill in the centers of your leopard spots with you neon colors. Do this by putting only a tiny amount of polish on your brushes and placing a dot in the center of each of your black circles and "C" shapes. Alternate between each of the colors you are using on each nail until your have a rainbow effect your are happy with. You can do this with either the polish brush included with each bottle or by using a dotting tool. If you do use dotting tool then be sure to wipe it off completely before switching colors. I found the easiest way to add the colors is to do all the dots of one color on all your nails, then do your dots of the next color on all your nails and so on until you have used all your colors and each dot is filled. This prevents having to keep opening the same color over and over for each nail. Allow them to dry thoroughly before progressing to the final step. Feel free to use whatever colors you wish and as many as you want. You can also leave some of the pots empty as shown is the image for this step.

Step 4: Apply a clear top coat.

Once your design is completely dry apply a clear top coat. This will add shine and protect your hard work from chips. 

Step 5: Enjoy your fabulous new mani!

I found this pic online of the same mani so you can see better.

Now go on, skedaddle outta here and go show off your new sexy tips.

**TIP** Reapply the clear top coat daily to prolong the life of your nail art and ward off chips and flaking.

Oh, there is one more thing I have been dying to share before I sign off. 

 So, for any of you who have seen pics of me you will know my hair was super long (too my bum!) and I ALWAYS wore it just thrown up in a messy bun so I didn't have to deal with it. This infuriated my hubby because he always loved my long hair but never EVER saw it down. Well, I got sick and tired of sporting the exact same style every single day so I decided it was time for a bit of a makeover. I really wanted a "Scene" haircut, (Click on it if you aren't familiar with the term) which consists of short, choppy layer up top, longer bottom layer and side swept bangs. 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   So, I went to First Choice Haircutters (Mainly because it was cheapest) where an old friend of mine works and got my hair cut by her. I was forced to drag the munchkins with me while i got my hair cut because Daddy was working every day. Luckily, the ladies there were super nice and they let the kiddos sit on the hairdressing seats (You know the ones that spin and move up and down) which kept them pretty entertained. Well, that and Mommy's IPod Touch! Anyways, she did an absolutely amazing job and I freakin' love my new 'do . I hadn't dyed my hair since before Nelly was born so I decided to go full out and color it too. I bought a box of Garnier Nutrisse Cream Permanent Dye in #30, Intense Dark Brown and a box of Splat Semi-Permanent Dye + Bleach Kit in Luscious Raspberries.  

Garnier Nutrisse Cream in #30, Intense Dark Brown, 7.99$

Splat Complete Dye & Bleach Kit in Luscious Raspberries, 14.99$

 The plan was to dye my hair dark brown with red streaks throughout (Not like a redhead red, actual fire engine red) However, after dying my hair dark brown I was a bit iffy about applying bleach, which is necessary on dark hair so that the red shows up. I had heard too many horror stories of peoples hair falling out or turning green. So, I did a strand test to see how the bleach would turn out on my dark brown colored hair (You can do a strand test by snipping a strand from the bottom of your head, mixing equal parts, about a teaspoon, of bleach powder and developer and dying the strand as directed). This not only lets you know how long to leave the bleach on but also lets you see the color it will turn out as and whether or not there will be any adverse affects from the chemicals. After 40 minutes the strand lightened to a strawberry blond color...It seemed to work fine so I decided to give it a go on my real hair. I still chickened out with the full head of highlights though and instead opted for a red chunk in my bangs. 

It turned out amazing though and it is the perfect shade of bright red. I absolutely loved the end results of my cut and color and I saved a ton of money by dying it myself as opposed to paying a salon instead. The actual hair cut cost me a little under 15$, the dye was 25$ for the two boxes, and then I spent another 20-25 bucks on some new hair products and accessories. So, the total was around 65$ and it was worth every penny. I feel like a whole new woman!! Here are some of my "After" pics, let me know what you think...

New & Improved!!

And what, bitchezz?? haha:)

This is how it looks in a pony...

I challenge all you ladies to go out and splurge a bit on something just for you!! Whether it be a full cut and color or just a new lipstick, just something to boost your spirits a bit. In order to be the very best Mom's that we can be it is essential to make an effort to take care of ourselves as well as our children. It is CRAZY how much more confident and happy I feel from something as simple as a new cut and color. And what better time then the present to get purdied up for the Summer! If any of you decide to treat yourselves please share the before and after pictures with me:) We all deserve some "ME" time now and then!

I've been robbed!! And other news...

Hello again...Long time no talk my fellow bloggy pals. I am willing to take full responsibility for my lack of new content.

Life has been pretty crazy and my poor blog ended up taking the back burner for a while. I had (and still have) lots of ideas and great posts in the works but every time I sat down and tried to pound one out I was interrupted by a whining child or a phone call or some other situation that required my immediate and full attention. I give major props to Mommy bloggers who post new content daily because it is NOT easy!

First of all, my house got broken into. Yeah, you heard me right, someone came into my house and stole my shit. Not just my shit but my son's stuff too. How freakin' low can you go! The person left all my DVD'S, electronics, guns, everything that a normal, reasonable bandit would nab and took...wait for it...My sons god damn model cars. Now this may not sound like that big of a deal but it truly is. You see, my son is five years old and throughout the past few years we have been buying him a new model car for each holiday, etc. These models were all still in the boxes and he had about eight of them. Do you know how hard it is to get a five year old not to open the boxes and actually play with the cars!! They were collectables and they meant a lot to my son. So, this really ticked me off and I was ready to kill to put it mildly. They also took some other things including random tools and a hand saw from our shed. But it is the cars that got me. I mean stealing from me or the hubby is one thing, but stealing from a child, are you fuckin kidding me?!? So we checked the local pawn shops starting with the one at the top of our street. We know the owner pretty well so we went in and asked if someone had brought in model cars and what do we see sitting on the shelf? The saw! Well, the owner gave us some BS story and a fake name until we mentioned that they had stolen from our son. As soon as we said that the owner's girlfriend was like "They stole from your five year old son?!" and I told her about the cars.

Apparently, nobody can be trusted...

Well, she spilled the beans and told us that they had, in fact, bought the models off of someone and told us exactly who it was. Turns out the person(s) who broke in were people we knew VERY well and had actually considered friends. They knew my son, knew the models were his and how much they meant to him and still took them. It is all pretty pathetic on their part, really. After several failed attempts to get the people who did it to get the stuff back it looks like we are going to have to buy it back. Now you may be wondering why we didn't call the police, so let me tell you why. Speaking from past experience, the cops are pretty useless when it comes to your shit being stolen, especially if you do not have receipts to prove you purchased the merchandise in the first place. And I do not have the receipts for the cars so there is basically sweet-f**k-all that can be done on that front. So yeah, looks like getting our stuff back is going to cost us.

In other news, my washing machine is a piece of shit. So when I moved in to my house the washer and dryer was included already. It isn't a brand new, top of the line machine, it is a Maytag top loader, but it gets the job done. So on Sunday I threw a load in and then when I went back in to check if it was done the clothes were sitting in a machine full of water. Huh, I figured I had simply forgotten to turn it on or something so I turned it on and left. Went back to check and the machine was off again. What the eff? I asked my hubs if he shut off the machine and he said no. I knew he wouldn't have anyways because he stays as far away from the washer and dryer as possible. So I turned it back on and stayed there to see what was going on. Well, it worked for like 30 seconds then shut off. WTF!? I turned it on again...same thing. I did eventually get the load done but it took FOREVER because it kept stopping. Then once it got to the spin cycle it seemed to e working fine again so I left it at that.

This is the Maytag machine I have...

Fast forward to the next day. I throw a load in and go about my business. I go back to check and the washer is full of water but will not agitate, spin or drain. So I tried everything i could think of including changing the settings, redistributing the clothes, taking some out, checking the door latch, I even tripped the breaker in case that was the issue but no dice. So now the washer is full of water ad clothes and I can't even drain the damn thing. I am going to have to take the clothes out and ring them out by hand I guess, although the are still dirty so I don't know what I am going to do about that. And of course the load was all of our best clothes because that is just how my life goes. I called and emailed my landlord that day and still haven't heard back so I am more than a little miffed. Not to mention my laundry pile is growing larger by the hour. I am going to have to bring a few loads up to the MIL's house so I can have some clean clothes for my son for school, hubby for work and the baby. I am NOT impressed and it had better be fixed soon.

Speaking of broken things, my toilet is also screwed. I went to flush it the other day and heard a snap and the handle went jiggling and wouldn't flush. I lifted up the lid and saw that the chain had snapped. Not only that but it had been jimmy-rigged with a hair elastic before it broke so I am assuming it has broke before and this was the previous tenants solution. So now i have to take the lid off and stick my hand in the nasty water to flush the toilet because the chain is too short to fix it. On top of all that, my house is STILL infested with mice and it is getting out of control. They are multiplying faster then we can catch them and I hear them EVERYWHERE, all night long scratching and chewing. I am putting my foot down and my landlord is going to have to send in an exterminator because it is growing increasingly obvious that a few traps here and there just ain't gonna cut it.

Okay, maybe he isn't a "slumlord" but there is definitely room for improvement.

I am at my wits end with this place, seriously. I DO like the actual house but lately it has been one thing after another as far as problems. And truthfully, my landlord isn't really on top of the repairs. He is always trying to send the dude upstairs down to fix it or do it himself (Neither of which, by the way, are actual "repair men"). I am guessing this is because he is too stingy to pay to have it done right. Whatever, I am putting my foot down and shit is gonna have to start being done right or I am going to have to move, as much as I don't want to. A few minor things here and there is one thing but a mice infestation and major appliances dying left and right is quite another.

Okay, I am done my rant now. I feel much better after getting that off of my chest. Maybe I should just forward this post to my landlord.  On a lighter note...I have a super cool post coming up next. I am actually going to be posting it later on today, I just didn't want to add it on to this post because it is too good to mix with this rant. So, I am always surfing YouTube checking out new music videos and artists, looking for some new tunes to listen to. I love hip hop and frequently come across young artists who are trying to make a name for themselves in the industry. You know, you have all seen the comments on YouTube that are like "I am an aspiring rapper/singer/actor and I am trying to make a name for myself and reach my dreams. Please thumbs up this comment so more people can see it and help make my dreams come true..." or something along those lines. Most people ignore them, and I usually do to, but I came across a comment along those lines a while back and clicked on it out of curiosity. What I found was a talented young rapper who is trying to get noticed and gain a following on Youtube. I checked out a few of his tracks and was pleasantly surprised. So, to mix things up a bit I am going to do a bit of a feature on this rapper. It will be an interview and if you like hip hop I encourage you to check it out and give the kid a chance. Check back later for the full interview and more.  Lates!

Oh and please bear with me as far as pictures go. My camera is among the missing so I haven't been able to take any new pictures of anything for posts. I am hoping to find it but in the meantime I have to resort to using pictures that are already on my computer. Sorry!

Poetry Picnic: New Poetry Book "Mixed Up Musings Of A Broken Soul"

If you enjoy dark poetry based on real life experiences then I have the perfect thing for you:)

First, I want to say sorry that I haven't been posting as much as I usually do. I do have a few juicy posts in the works though. In the meantime I wanted drop by to tell you guys that I would LOVE it if you could take a minute out of your super busy Mommy lives to check out my book of poetry that I am working on. It is a work in progress so there are still many more poems that need to be added, however, there are presently about thirteen poems in it. It is a darker style of poetry based on topics such as life, addiction, personal struggles, despair and love. If you dig dark and haunting poetry as well as poetry based on real life experiences then I can guarantee you will enjoy reading it.

If you do stop by to check it out please leave me a comment letting me know what you think. Whether you liked it or not, if you could relate to it, what your first impression was, etc. I love hearing how people are affected by my poetry and it makes the writing process so much more worthwhile when you know you are reaching people on a personal and emotional level. I will still continue to post poems randomly on my blog but I thought it would be cool to have all my works together for those who enjoy reading poetry.

Well that's all for now. I will getting back to regular posting within the next week so bear with me. We have a few great posts coming up including a super cute and cheap Lollipop Flower Valentine tutorial, a few more OOTD'S and one I am especially excited for, a feature and interview with and up and coming rap artist.
In the meantime GO CHECK OUT MY POETRY BOOK HERE.

"I am forever is what she said...Lost in a dream that she never had." -Jennifer Rawlines

Poetry Picnic: The Wanderer

Okay, so as I said a few posts ago, I am going to start posting some of my poetry I have written over the years.

Poetry has always been a hobby of mine and a way to cope with different emotions and situations. The majority of my best work is from my high school days, probably as a result of all that teen angst, so that is when most of it was written. I will include the dates of when it was written on as many as I can. I am going to make it somewhat of a regular feature so you know I had to pick a catchy name for the title. So, without further adieu I present to you the first edition of my Poetry Picnic. This poem was written in 2004 when I was the tender age of 16. Enjoy:)

This picture from favim.com describes this poem perfectly

The Wanderer

Fear, Love, Pain, Denial,
Staring out the window through the eyes of a child.

Eyes full of fire, spirit gone wild
Wanting to run, the finish the mile.

Fought it, wanted it, lost it, gone.
End of flowers, End of song.

Stumbling, Falling, Moping Along.
A picture of pain so delicately drawn.

Won some, lost some, from high to low.
Seeds of ambition that we'll never sow.

To return I first must go,
You'll probably never even know.

Sinking, drowning, flailing, crying.
Through I'm living, somethings dying.

Gave up wanting, even trying.
Reached the stars, No, I'm lying.

Fought it, wanted it, lost it, gone.
A picture of pain so delicately drawn.

Been better yet best forgotten.
The fruits of life are bruised and rotten.

Waited outside to be brought in.
Left behind is all I've gotten.

Shouldn't, could have, didn't, don't.
Wished and wanted, now I don't

Always petted yet never stroked.
Screamed and yelled but never spoke.