Purple Bronze Eye Makeup

For this look I used my regular Rimmel Foundation and Stay Matte powder with Covergirl blush as well as:

1) Primed eye with Ulta Jumbo Pencil in white along top and inside of eye, and then the same pencil in bronze along the outer corner. I smudged all this out and blended it in the middle and at the crease with my finger.
2) I then applied eye shadows from the NYX Mysterious Brown Eyes palette as follows:
a)light purple shimmer in the inside corner up to the crease and first third of my eye lid
b) from the edge of that third out to the other 2/3 of my eye lid stopping just above the crease I used the dark purple shimmer.
c) I used a very small brush to apply the dark bronze shimmer from the outer corner, along the crease and along the lash line on the outer 1/3 of eye. I also applied this shade with the same very small brush along the outer 2/3 of my lower lash line, just along the lashes.
d)I used a fluffy brush to blend all shades together so there were no hard lines and they blended nicely.
3) I used Ulta eyeshadow in a creamy white along my eye brow and in the inside corners of my eye and blended them out with a fluffy brush to add highlight.
4)Curl lashes and apply Covergirl Lash Blast Waterproof Lengthening mascara to top and bottom lashes.
5)Using NYX Skinny Line black eye liner pen, make the thinnest line possible along top lashes and outer 2/3 of lower lash line. This line should be right against the lashes and very very thin. You want to accent your natural eye shape, but not make it look like a dramatic eye line.
6)Apply false eyelashes as follows:
a) cut one set of lashes in half and apply adhesive very lightly
b)allow adhesive to dry for about 45 seconds so it becomes tacky
c)apply lashes so that the longest section of lashes is in the outside corner of eye, they should only go to about the middle of your lash line
d)make sure lashes are secured to your lashes against your lid, but not on top of the lid (you can see the lash "seam" in the close-up photo above, this is not what you want, I was having major issues with my lashes today, LOL)
*If you can't get lashes on your own lashes perfectly make sure that after about 3 minutes you take your Eye Liner from step 5 and go over the "seam" so that it flows along with your eyeliner and doesn't stand out too much.

Clean up any stray eye shadow or unblended lines and you are all set!

Glamour Inspiration

This look is from the training that Sue Bryce provided in her Creative Live class last weekend, and I love it! She emphasizes the eyes with different levels of smokiness and natural face and lips to make sure the eyes are the focus. I didn't do my hair for this pic, as I was trying to just mimic the makeup tips she provided.
I did a very light application of makeup to my face, with a tiny smudge of blush on only the apples of my cheeks.
I used different shades of brown and white on my eye to give highlight just under my brow and in the inner corners, and to have the darkest point the outside corner and outside crease.
Sue said to make sure you have a thin black line on the top lash line to really make the eye pop. I have found through much reading in various places this also makes the white of the eyes appear whiter due to the contrast.
I had never done "water lining" but I did it here, and I think it looked nice, but it only lasted about 30 minutes and then it had worn into my eye, so I probably won't keep this as a normal daily technique.
I did not use any false lashes for this one, but Sue swears by them and wears them everywhere she goes, even to jog. I have worn them for special occasions and even have them on now, as I am going to try and incorporate them into my regimen. They make the shape of the eye pop more and I have very thin sparse short lashes. I love my eyes themselves as one of my best features, but my lashes never seem to frame well enough, I will let you know how the lashes work out.
That is basically it!

Makeup

I haven't done any posts in a long time, and a new passion of mine is Makeup! I guess this isn't a new passion, I have loved playing with makeup since I was about 5, like most little girls I guess. But, I have really started playing with colors and venturing a little further from only doing a natural look. Using eyelashes has also been an addition lately. So from time to time I will come here and show a look and also talk about what I used to achieve it.

Salt of the Earth

I have never been a fan of taking baths, I much much much prefer a shower. Taking a bath is a claustrophobic nightmare for me, mostly because bath tubs these days are sooooo small. You can't actually get your entire body underwater. And if you try you end up smooshing yourself into a not comfortable position. I love really hot showers, but to take a hot bath and have all that steam just sitting there adds to my nightmare. I get hot and I am in a cramped space. Not fun for me at all. If I stay in a nice hotel room with a huge jacuzzi tub though, I will indulge quite happily. It is much more relaxing when you can actually get comfortable and be hot.

But a doctor has suggested I start taking warm baths with Epsom or Sea Salt and Lavender each night to relieve the tension in my body and help me to sleep more peacefully so my body can heal and re-charge at night. I told the doctor I don't like baths, but I will make an effort. So I have started nightly taking a bath with a nice Sea Salt and Epsom Salt mixture and good hot water and Lavender oil. I put on some very soft relaxing earthy music and actually relax! I breathe very deeply and close my eyes and let my body soak in the water and minerals. And you know what, that stuff actually works! I was shocked when I actually dozed off last night. But what really got me was the research I have been doing.

Epsom salt and Sea Salt are different but both have many many positive attributes for the body. When you take a bath your body uses osmosis to soak in the minerals and the water. The minerals in the salt are usually needed in your body and so you start to repair tissues by absorbing these through your skin. One of the properties of this is that your Nervous System calms down (partially from the heat and partially from the minerals and lavender)so that your body can work internally to repair and heal. Deep breathing helps because it acts as a pump for your circulation system to get more oxygen through your body, which also helps you move tension and junk in your body out of your body so it can be expelled. The minerals help with this as well, as the osmosis takes place your are pulling in good things and bad things are being pushed out into your bath water.

Not only is it helping me greatly to learn to relax, but it is healing my body. My nightly aches and pains are diminished and I even noticed bruises healing quite quickly (it normally takes me a few weeks to get a bruise to go away). So I am urging you to buy some cheap Epsom salts at the store, any place that has a pharmacy has it, and add a cup or two to your warm bath and reap the benefits that pure salt can have for your body!

More Photos

More Photos

More Photos

More Photos

Photos

I was told that I should possibly start a photography blog. So I am going to try out posting photos here and see how I like it.

God's Love

God is Love, God created Love, and God teaches Love.

I posted how I read Crazy Love, and since I finished this phenomenal book, there have been many ways God has shown me how He loves and how the world loves. They are very different. The way I see it the most though is when people who say they are Christians and are followers of the same God and Jesus Christ that I am , use this "relationship" to belittle and hurt others! This is not what God says to do at all!

My first thing is this: Judgment is GOD'S JOB! NOT YOURS!
* God teaches us this: "For we mus all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil." (2 Corinthians 5:10) This means that no matter how angry we get or how wrong we think someone is for whatever they do or say, it is not our place to judge them for it. Yes, hold them accountable; go to them and tell them that they need to check themselves against the Holy word of God, and let it go at that. You are not told to preach at them or to ask God to smite them, or to go out and gossip about them and tell everyone you can what an awful and sinful person they are! It's not about you, so get over it and move on!

Second point: Love THEM!
*This is what God says about Love: "this is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue, but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. " (1 John 3:16-20) Here's how I feel about loving each other: every person on this Earth is here because God has a plan for them, and if they come in contact with you your job is to show them God's love and His word and Saving Grace. You are not to show them how wrong they are and make them feel bad and then when they find out you are a follower of God they say they don't need that God, He is no different than any of the other people and things they have encountered in this hard world. How would you feel if you get to heaven and God asks you why you treated all the people that He loved so much SO BADLY? How will you answer Him?

Third Point: FORGIVE and FORGET!
*Colossians 3:13 "Forgive just as the Lord forgave YOU" (emphasis mine)It is not much simpler than this, when the Lord forgives us He puts it as far as the East is from the West, and it is gone forever. Never to be pulled up again, never to be brought up again. Christ died on the Cross for our sins and paid the ultimate price for our forgiveness. We are not Holy enough to do this, so leave the grudges behind and move on, sincerely forgive someone for whatever they have done to YOU (this is all that matters, if it wasn't done to you, then you shouldn't care at all) and forget about it and move on with life and your relationship with that person.

This is easier said than done, but a lot of people out there are saying that we need to hold grudges until we feel like it is over. They are saying we need to have vengeance and if we aren't going to get it ourselves we need to pray to God to smite that person down. God says not to do this, and His word is the ultimate one. He gives us life, each breath we breathe is GIFT FROM GOD, so don't you think we should be living by what He says and not what society or some backward mixed up "preacher" says?!

Crazy Love, by Francis Chan

If you haven't read it yet, pick up this short little book at the library or buy it and then pass it on to someone else. Or do as I did and check out the MP3 Audio Book on your library's website. You won't regret it, however you go about experiencing this book.

Crazy Love, Overwhelmed by a Relentless God by Francis Chan

This pastor is so passionate about the love of our Lord and Savior, you can't help but realize things that you have heard all your life as a Christian and then hear them in your heart. I am not going to tell you everything in the book, you really need to read it. I don't often "promote" books, but this one needs to be read by every Christian in America. The fact that this book points out why so many people in America dis-like Christians because of the way we have created our stereotype is a brave and eye opening journey creator. How many people, Christians and Non-Christians, have you heard say that they don't go to church because they don't feel loved and don't feel that they need to be there to feel God. I have even heard people say they feel God more in a Bar than they do in a church. And in some churches I can definitely understand that. This book goes over why this is happening.

The way the book is written felt more like listening to a long sermon than listening to a book. The scripture references are to the point and vast, and some of them I had never really heard, but they apply so well to the life we are to be living. I am going to share a few passages of the book that really stood out to me, enough so that I stopped the recording and wrote it all down.

*Be real with God when you talk to Him
*Actively run TOWARD God
*Loving God = Loving your neighbor
*It should be our business everyday to prepare for the last day
*Hebrews 11:6 Read it
*God doesn't want Religious Duty, He wants an Intimate Relationship
*We don't LOSE Joy, we choose it and WORK FOR IT
*A lukewarm Christian is an oxymoron
*Are we more concerned with going to heaven, or Loving God?
*Luke 18:27 Read it
*God decides whether I take another breath, He deserves MY best!
*It's not what you advertise that counts, its what your really made of!

These are snippets of the book, it is literally full of in your face realizations. It only takes 4 hours to listen to the MP3, you can probably read the book in about the same amount of time. But I strongly urge you to find this in one form or another and take the short time to read or listen to this book.

New Year, New Me

Well, once again the New Year is here, and so far I have worked out every day of the new year! This is pretty good for me, if you know me, you know weight has been a losing battle of mine for most of my life. But now it is a little more of an important battle than it has been in the past.

The main reason is that I am noticing more health issues from being overweight. I have a very very tiny Cholesterol problem and my blood pressure is still considered "normal" but it is getting higher than my "normal". This is just the clinical proof, the other proof is in being out of breath at the top of stairs and having aches and pains and not being able to do things I used to. Along with clothing getting more depressing to purchase and more expensive.

My goals are pretty high, but I am breaking them down into smaller more attainable goals that don't feel so overwhelming. Losing weight is a slow and steady race, not made for people who need to hurry through in unhealthy attempts just to lose the battle again. So I am setting 20 pound goals and realistic time frames for them, so I obtain a goal and reward myself with something small and then continue on the next goal, another 20 pounds.

The tools of my plan are pretty simple. Wii Fit Plus, Biggest Loser for the Wii, and working out with my husband doing Army drills to build stamina. My favorite thing: Wii Fit Plus Free Run, Rythem Boxing, and Free Walk (this is done by walking on the Wii Fit board with a metronome in the Wii Remote and watching whatever I want on TV, it counts your steps and keeps the time for you!) I highly recommend the Wii Fit system, it is in your living room, you don't have to go to a gym with people that are shopping in a meat market setting; you don't have to go outside in the elements, which in Ohio is a big deal most of the year; you do it all barefoot, no crazy shoes to buy; you keep track of your progress every day! This is one of the best investments in our health that our family has purchased and I recommend it to everyone!

The hardest part of weight loss for me is to eat correctly all the time. I can do it most of the time, but S U G A R is the enemy for me. I get rid of sugar and then it somehow finds a way to creep back into the home! It is like a bug!

I have plenty of motivation, for instance: photos of myself at various stages of life; the possibility of having kids in the next five years and needing to be healthy to do that; being healthy because I am in the health industry and it is a little contradictory to help people get healthy when I am not; to have the body God desires me too, taking care of the temple He has given me here on the Earth.

Lets all encourage each other in our endeavors in this New Year! Share your plans with me and we can encourage each other as we go!

Snowflakes

I took this photo last night, on my apartment balcony railing. When I took the photo I did not really see anything special about it, just a bunch of fluffy snow on a black rail. I went inside and started editing the photos, and I cropped this one so it was centered more, when I cropped it, automatically it zoomed in, and I saw the snowflake in the center. When I fixed the lighting it popped out even more, perfectly captured by the flash of the camera to show it's glistening icy little appendages. I have been in awe ever since.

Snowflakes are amazing tiny pieces of art, God takes the time to make sure every piece of ice that falls from the clouds all over the Earth, is unique and different! You will not find two snowflakes that are exactly the same anywhere on the planet. The fact that these light as air works of art make it to the Earth's surface without being torn to pieces is another miracle. In the photo you can see the sharp edges of some of the other snowflakes and how they pile on top of each other and lay at all different angles.

I realized once again the Amazing power of God while looking at this photo. If He can take the time to create every snowflake and make sure it glides down gracefully in one piece to the ground below, through all the stormy winds and harsh conditions; then surely the people He created in His own image are much more important and He keeps His eyes on us as well. We go through many storms and harsh conditions and yet we can also glide through life, thanks to the watchful eye of our Lord and Creator. He made every one of us as unique as the snowflakes, and with much more care and purpose. If we take the attitude of the snowflake and just let Him blow us around in life and put us where He wants us and to fulfill whatever purpose He has for us, we will be just as graceful and beautiful; instead of bouncing around and falling where we may.

Take time today to thank God for allowing you to land where He wanted you to, and for creating you as a uniquely beautiful being, and thank Him for your purpose and your place and for helping to guide you safely through the storms and winds of life to get here.

Life in Columbus

It has been a while since I posted last, life has been changing a lot since August, so I will try to update as much as possible.

In August, Caleb and I moved to Columbus, Ohio. This put us a little more in the middle of our sets of parents in Dayton and Pittsburgh. We are living in Dublin on the Northwest side of the 270 belt around Columbus and we love our little area. We are a mile from each of our jobs and have a two bedroom apartment in a lovely complex.

Caleb is working the the Ohio Adjutant General's office here and loves his job as the Tricare Coordinator for Ohio National Guard. He works as a mediator/liason between the veterans and the current members of the National Guard and helps them with thier Tricare insurance needs. I think he likes the satisfaction of helping people who need it when insurance can be very confusing.

I am working at Target Portrait Studios, which I am finding out is kind of like working at a zoo around the holiday season. I love doing photography, which is probably surprising a lot of you, since I am actually a Licensed Massage Therapist. I had some opportunities here with massage that fell through, and with the holidays around the corner I wanted to get a job I knew would happen quickly, instead of waiting around for someone to call me about a position. So I applied for photog jobs and got one immediately and have been loving learning all about it ever since. Capturing milestones and family love all the time is very rewarding and also stressful at the same time.

We have had some big changes, but we are loving every minute of our new surroundings and new jobs. We have fun with new friends and love to see family more. We are getting to see all our old friends as well which is a great plus to only moving an hour away! The holidays are going to be hectic, but they will be great as usual. Hopefully hunting goes well for the Fennick men after Thanksgiving and they have a good time together. Life is always changing, and in that way, staying the same!

Recipe for Taco Balls

I invented something new tonight for dinner (new to me anyway), and I wanted to share it with you if you were interested. This may be a good kid friendly recipe. If you want to get kids to eat veggies more, puree some and them for some of the liquid ingredients.

Taco Balls
1 Pound Lean Ground Beef (Meatloaf mixture if you prefer)
5 TBSP Breadcrumbs
3 TBSP Milk (cream if you prefer)
2 Eggs
2 Tsp Worcestershire Sauce
2 Tsp Salsa (if you want more add more, but this will change your consistency, more bread crumbs may be needed and less milk)
1 Packet Taco Mix
½ Tsp Vegetable Bouillon (I love this, you don’t have to use it)
Pinch of salt
Enough Cooking Oil to fry balls in, unless you choose to bake them
Your favorite sliced cheese (mine is Sharp American) 5 Slices

Mix all wet ingredients first with a whisk, then add meat and stir well, then add dry bread crumbs. Mix until good consistency for meatloaf or meatball making. Add Taco Mix, you may need to add milk one tablespoon at a time if your mixture gets too dry.
Shape into balls about the size of a ping pong ball, maybe a little bigger and drop carefully into hot oil, fry until dark gold on all sides and done in the middle. (you can also bake the balls in the oven, set to 375 degrees, keep a close eye until they are done. )
Take out of oil or oven and immediately top with sliced cheese. Allow to sit until cheese is melted. Enjoy!

I am not a huge fan of Salsa, so I think I will omit it next time, use it if you want. This recipe is easy and yummy, so try it one night this week!

Massage Signatures Survey, please help me with this info

This is a survey type blog post, I need lots of input!

Have you had a massage at a spa or resort that had some kind of signature move, set up, or adde bonus? Tell me about it please:

Would you enjoy a foot soak with relaxing warm water and aromas as your medical history is taken?

Would you enjoy a bowl of aromatic steaming water under your face while you are laying face down on a massage table?

Would you enjoy a hot towel with aromatic oils rolled under your neck while you are laying face up?

Would you like to have your hands dipped in paraffin and left to soak while the rest of your body is massaged?

Would you like a deep conditioning treatment on your hair while you get massage?

Would you like to have a sugar or salt scrub applied to your hands, elbows, knees, and feet while you get a massage?

Would a mini facial as part of your massage make you melt?

Men: what would make a massage memorable for you?

Pregnant women, women with children: what would make a massage memorable for you?

What do you wish you could get during a massage that you have never been offered?

I would greatly appreciate any info you can provide!! This will be applied to future endeavors in my career! Thank you!

Pizza Sandwiches

I made something new last night and wanted to share it with you!

Pizza Sandwiches:
1 loaf sliced Italian Bread
Fresh Mozarella (this will come asa ball or log, not dry shredded stuff in a bag)
Fresh Shredded Parmesan (this usually comes in a bowl container, it is not bright white, it is off white, yellowish clear and stiff and crunchy)
Pizza Sauce
Butter
Garlic (I like to get the little jar of Garlic, its ready to use anytime)
Griddle

Take as many slices as you need for tops and coat them in garlic butter, then "grill" them on the griddle until golden brown.

Take as many slices as you just grilled and use these for bottoms: spread pizza sauce on one side, then shred your mozarella on and sprinkle on the parmesan, then lay on whateber pizza toppings you like, we used pepperoni, tomatoes, and zuchini ribbons. Then lay these on the grill so the toppings are still on top and grill until golden brown on the bottom.

Remove from griddle when done and place the already grilled tops over them, then enjoy!

First Blog in a long time

Sometimes, you just need to write, and since I am a closet writer, that is what I do when I feel the urge. This post is just about life and how its been for me lately. I realize most people don't care, but some may find solace in the fact that the stuff that happens to them happens to others.

The JOB:
My husband got a great job workiing for the Adjutant General (Headquarters) of the Ohio Army National Guard. This meant he would work 8-5 in Dublin, OH; an hour and a half from our home in Dayton. So he commuted for two months while we did the military thing and waited for moving orders and everything to play out.

The APARTMENT:
I don't know Columbus very well, so I didn't have a clue what the good neighborhoods were, where anything was, where the jobs were. So I did lots of research and realized I would love to live close to where my hubby's job is, Dublin. I centered my search there and the third apartment I saw I loved, and so did he. I kept looking though to scope out areas and apartments and prices. After over 70 apartment searches, we settled on the third one, a mile from his office.

The DRAMA:
We didn't get to see the apartment together until a week before we moved in. I was told one price in the beginning then he was told a different price, then I was told a different price, then the apartment changed, then we couldn't talk with a manager, then the leasing agent got snooty. Yep, it was drama at every turn to get our dream apartment. Eventually I contacted the Property Management company that owns the apartments and they worked it out at the original price. All that was just APARTMENT DRAMA. Now comes the JOB DRAMA: I was looking for a massage job in Columbus and had applied at a lot of places, and got an interview at a beautiul spa in Dublin, very small and nice. I tried to work there but between the spa being closed and not telling me (I drove and hour and a half to get there) and the owner lieing, A LOT, I decided it was not worth the stress and had to leave before I really got to start.

The MOVE:
We packed up our stuff and moved August the 14th with a ton of help from friends and family that we were very very thankful for. Then realized, our hot water didn't work, a ceiling fan came away from the ceiling and is still hanging there funny after it tried to blow up, an exhaust fan doesn't work, one tub drain won't hold water, the washing machine will not balance for anything, a toilet paper holder is falling off the wall, a couple of lights don't work, and so on.

The UPSIDE:
We love our apartment despite its flaws. We have two balconies, one with a door off our bedroom. We have a gorgeous master bathroom with a large tub. We have an indoor and outdoor pool with a sauna and a full workout facility. Our internet is working and we are very close to my husband's job. I have interviews this week and we are making new friends here. We are half way between our parents, which makes visits much easier. There is a much better job market here than in Dayton. We are together and starting this amazing journey. Our closets are insanely awesome and we have a washer and dryer in our home, makes a lot of things much better. We are healthy, we can work out whenever we want, we have health insurance finally. My husband has a great job and we get to see eachother more now. We get to discover a great new city and area that has tons of things to do and sites to see and learn about and explore. We are both in a new place that we don't know, so no one has an advantage. God is providing and teaching us a lot of new things and we are very excited to experience them. The UPSIDE definitely out weighs the other stuff!

Do you think massage is for Skinny People?

I am finding that a lot of "heavy" people think massage is only for "skinny" people. That is just not so! If that were so then heavy people wouldn't have any health problems or stress, and to be quite honest: if anything, additional weight causes health problems and stress on the body!

Myth 1: I will break the table/chair!
Truth: You won't they are made to withstand a lot of weight, if you're really worried, go to someone with an electric table

Myth 2: The massage therapist doesn't want to see my fat!
Truth: Just like any other body, we don't really see the body or the nakedness, we see the need.

Myth 3: I won't fit on the table.
Truth: If this were the case neither would tall people. There are wider tables and there are table wideners. I have table wideners to accomodate larger people.

Myth 4: I have so much fat there is no way a massage will have any effect.
Truth: Circulation and body fluids and Fascia can still be accessed, and in some cases massage can work like exercise and help with fat. There are many things besides muscles and tendons that massage works on.

Myth 5: I hate the way I look so I don't want to take my clothes off.
Truth: THEN DON'T We do massage all the time with clothing on the client.

These are just 5 of the excuses I hear from people. Always talk to the massage therapist if you think there could be a problem. There should be a way to work around it, or many times you will find it is not a real problem at all.

Massage and your pregnancy

Are you pregnant? Do you have swollen feet, hands, and ankles? Does your back ache all the time? Is your baby pushing on your Sciatic Nerve? Do you have trouble sleeping?

There are many joys and many trials during the 40 weeks of pregnancy. But if you are in your second or third trimester you can get massage and help alleviate many of those trials. Massage can remove some of the fluid built up in your extremities and reduce your swelling. It can help to manage the pain in your sciatic nerve from all the pressure put on it. Massage can help to lessen the pain in your low back from the additional weight you are trying to hold upright when sitting and standing.

Any massage is good for pregnancy once you get through the first trimester. The first trimester is often when women lose children and massage is not recommended by most therapists until you get past that point. The best prenatal massage is with a special set of cushions or a special table meant to accomodate a pregnant belly; these set ups can give you an hour of relief from the weight of the belly and also your mammary tension because of special holes or wells for these areas. If the special table or cushions are not available your therapist can use pillows to frame your body and make it more comfortable. Somtimes sitting in a chair sideways is comfortable to have your back worked on and your extremities without the trouble of getting on a table.

Massage can also help you relax during labor, having your hands and neck and feet worked on during your labor pains can help you control your breathing and slow your heart rate. Keeping you in control of your labor helps you to enjoy it more.

If you already recieve massage and are pregnant, don't stop the massage all together, just wait until your first trimester is done and then resume your massages. Keep your therapist informed of your pregnancy trials so they know what to help you with.

If you are pregnant and want to try massage, call your local massage therapist and talk with them about thier comfort with pregnancy. You can find a good fit for you very easily.

Pregnancy massage is also helpful to get a bond with your therapist and then when you have your little bundle of joy, they can help you with some of the healing aspects of massage after the birth and help with massage of your little one.