Pampering time

Being able to pamper yourself is fun! I mean think about it - all the fun without the cost! My favorite thing to do to pamper myself is paint my nails! I have gotten a lot better, I think, over the past few months. I can do French manicures, Ying Yangs, Zebra print, flowers, plaid, and checker boards! Not only do I like to paint my nails, but I also like to paint other peoples nails! So the other night I painted both my nails and my moms while we watched some weird move on LMN (lifetime movie network).

Samson says, "What are you going to do for me?"

Mom's turn: A Princess Again

Christina fell in love with her first vintage gown from her grandma so much so that she wanted to go vintage again for her prom. We found Christina’s prom dress at Time Warp, a beautiful, full length, peach, ‘80’s gown – I couldn’t be more proud having had my prom in the ‘80’s. First step was taking it to Mrs. Chris, our fabulous dress fairy godmother! She can make miracles happen with material…and we weren’t disappointed. She turned it into a perfect gown that Princess Aurora from Sleeping Beauty would be proud to wear! She changed the straps to make them wider, added more layers and sparkles (that didn't show up well in the pictures) to the skirt, and a corset back to add a modern touch.
So on dance day the first stop on the “getting ready” list is getting nails and toes done. This was provided by her closest friend for a belated sweet 16 gift (on top of a home cooked dinner, a personal mini-birthday cake, and lunch – WOW!). Next would be the hair style. She wanted something different, so she opted for a partial up-do with live flowers in it – picked to match the boutonniere she ordered for her date, of course!

On home for make-up and pictures…about a thousand – “MOOOOOOOOOOOOM.” Okay, well I didn’t get as many pictures as before because I didn’t have a cooperative audience :-/

Daddy was teasing her about being so tall in her high-heels...but he was actually squatting down a little to make it more of a visual impact. Silly - always picking on her!!!

But I managed to get just a few :-D Her grandma’s contribution to this night was the elegant gold cross necklace Teeny received for Christmas a few years ago that finished the outfit. Teeny and her boyfriend decided on LPK, where they met up with a few friends, for their dinner date before the dance. Then on to the dance. This dance was held at Boudreaux’s, a nice wedding reception hall, so it was a bit classier than the first one. They had food, drinks, decorations, and a DJ! Teeny was excited and had a wonderful time!

Mom's turn: Memorial Day memories

This is a day that we are supposed to be thoughtful and remember those that have given their life for our freedoms and country…most people spend it partying. I suppose celebrating freedom by living life is one way to honor the veterans that made it possible. I, however, have always chosen a different route. I spend it in a much more somber way as it is also the day my mother passed away 26 years ago. I try to remember the joy and beauty in her, which is hard, and to forget the pain and tears of drugs and alcohol, which is even harder. I try to remember the way her hair smelled, her smile looked, her touch felt, and her voice sounded. I often wonder what she would have been like as a grandmother or if life would have become easier or harder for us if she would have lived longer. I am grateful for the good parts of her legacy that continue living in me and now my daughter and celebrate life remembering a different type of hero who fought the demons of her mind and lost at a very young age – my mom. The uniqueness of my childhood made me who I am today…so there is no bitterness regarding the past only gratitude for being given the opportunity to make a better future. In loving memory of my mother, Juli…

Mom's turn: New and Improved…maybe

What have I been up to??? WELL – today I decided I needed a new haircut because I’ve been watching that goofy program 10 Years Younger…so I went drastic with the hope of improvement! I was doubtful as I sat for my “consultation”, and even more so when she wired my head to receive signals from Mars, but after a relaxing massage and shampoo…I was putty in her hands. Besides, any place that lets their dog hang out can’t be all bad, right? So, I let her do what she wanted - after the first cut there is no turning back. A nice summer do is what she came up with so now I can be carefree in the bug. I was satisfied with the new look, although I think we missed on the whole “10 years younger” thing!!!

Mom's turn: It's all in the name

My new summer color is definitely ele-FANTASTIC!! I love it and I'm sure I couldn't have done better than by trusting in something named in honor of an elephant!

Mom's turn: Phantastic Pachaderms

My elephant obsession has taken me to a new low. I purchased a fingernail polish, sight unseen, simply because it had the word “elephant” in it’s name: ElePhantastic Pink, by OPI. After looking it up on their website at least it appears to be a pretty enough color…I’m so ashamed, not! I LOVE ELEPHANTS, and I thought this was very witty and charming play of words on OPI’s new summer collection based on culture and colors from India. I’ve also purchased Color of the Zen-tury, from their Japanese collection for Christina. I think it’s a fun and simple way to enjoy our passions more and can’t wait to show off my summer toes when it comes in!

Mom's turn: Time to be spoiled

Today was the grand opening of Sephora, a beauty chain founded in France that has intense, eye-catching makeup colors similar to M.A.C. Christina found this store last year while she was in Arizona visiting a friend and then again in Miami. She has been dancing in her pants every since she found out we were getting one at our mall this spring. SOOOO of course we needed to play hooky and hit the opening day and it paid off BIG. She was fortunate enough to get a time slot with Emily Massa, a make-up artist on Sephora’s Pro Beauty Team. She was in from Chicago to help with the opening day only and was doing make-up consultations. Christina was able to get a total makeover, ask questions for her skin type, eye color & shape, and learn day & night techniques.

As a bonus she found out about the schooling Emily had gone through and the fact that her job (playing with make-up, what girl wouldn’t love that) now takes her traveling across the world! She was originally from New Orleans, too. They hit it off great and Emily was a wonderful help. The way the artists teach at Sephora is that they makeover one side of your face and you follow along on the other side; I find that much more helpful than other places doing it all for you and you forgetting by the time you get home.

more practice when we got home...

fairy dusted fingers

Pretty much every girl loves getting her nails done! Well I have always loved to try new designs and stuff on my nails. And I would really like to try and buy some stuff to work on more detailed and professional designs like these

my version of her "simple nail" design...I like how they sparkle in the sunshine!

There are so many things you can do like:

You can buy supper thin tape to do designs.

You can put a hole threw your nail and let something dangle from it. (not my favorite)

You can paint on them with acrylic.

There are 3D stickers.

And my favorite product…crystal appliqués!!

Hair to DYE for

Rainbow hair

I LOVE putting wild colored streaks in my hair. I have dyed my hair 4 times, but I plan on trying different colors! The two different colors I have tried are blue and pink. I have done pink 3 times and blue once. It has only been very successful once.
I think it is really cool that my mom lets me dye my hair. She has actually put the dye in twice. I am trying to go for the Averill Lavigne. So far if have not gotten it down.