Beauty with grace

2011-07-01T09:39:00.000-07:00

Hello, my name is Grace. Now what does that mean? I have no idea...but I want to learn. Here's a little story...I went to Chinese New Year this year with my dear friend Summer Lydick and her mama Micah. During this ceremony, you receive a prayer bracelet, much like a friendship bracelet from the priest at the Buddhist temple. When he ties it on your wrist, you make a wish for what you want to receive in the year. Then, when the bracelet falls off, your wish has come true.

This year, I wished for grace... So, I'm wearing my bracelet and wearing my bracelet, always a little reminder of grace near me. I accidentally cut part of it one time when I'm cutting some wristbands off, so I think it will fall off rather quickly. Nope, it stays around for a while. One day, I finally notice it's gone. And I realize it's been gone for a few days. I've also been noticing this thing, on the floor in my bedroom, lying there like a little piece of trash or something. I don't think too much of it, and I've been too busy to sweep, so it just stays there, small but noticeable. Finally, I get a few minutes and use my little hand broom to tidy up. I bend down to sweep up this little piece of trash and realize, there it is, my grace, here in front of me the whole time, in plain sight, in my room where I live, not lost somewhere out in the world, but close to me, just waiting for me to notice it. As a friend just told me, no more asking for it. Just claim it.

2011-02-04T12:28:00.000-08:00

So, this is gonna be a quickie...as I was searching through style blogs for my other blog as a freelance fashion columnist with the Beaumont Enterprise (yay!), I happened along this beauty: Advanced Style.

Now, this is personal style. What an inspiration! I can't wait to continue developing my own style and hope to be as classy as these fab ladies!

New Year means New things

2010-01-01T11:17:00.000-08:00

HAppy New Year!! You must imagine me saying that in a deepish jolly voice, cause that's how it sounds! So, being the perfectionist that I am trying not to be :), I normally attempt to post only when I have a photo to go along, to make it more interesting, ya know...But alas no photo today.

However, it is the beginning of the New Year, 2010. The perfect year. 10 is half of 20. A time for adventures and new things. A time for a blog post with no photo. Cause maybe just maybe, one person will read it and smile!! Even without a photo. And okay, I have to tell the whole story...I have been inspired by Julie and Julia. You know, the book that inspired the movie with Amy Adams and Meryl Streep. Which I haven't seen, but would now like to.

So, if you've lived under a rock, I'll fill you in a bit. Julie Powell is a real person who cooked her way through Julia Child's classic cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking (or MaTArOFCo, or something along those lines.) She blogged about her trials and tribulations in a very honest way, shall we say, in her own voice, potty mouth and all. All this she turned into a memoir/novel which I find very charming, and then it was turned into a movie. With Meryl Streep and Amy Adams.

So I'm doing all this in order that one day I may have a movie made about me. Maybe with Dakota Fanning. JUST kidding :) But really I do like to write, and it's the first day of 2010, so I thought what the heck. My beautiful fam is bugging me to go eat pork, cabbage, and cornbread with them...guess I should :)

May we all have an exciting year full of yummy food, family, and doing what we love. AMEN!!

Music and Makeup Movies

2009-12-03T14:48:00.000-08:00

Beauty comes in many forms...My favorite of which is beautiful music.

If you are a lover of beautiful music, then you MUST go out and buy this album!! And I do mean the album "O" by Damien Rice. Not the I-tunes! Because then, you would not be able to flip through the provocative and haunting images that he has created in the liner notes.

A couple of my personal faves on here: Volcano, Blower's Daughter, and Cold Water.

Hopefully my lil' sis and I will eventually play Cold Water at Log On Open mic night!

Why is this album so necessary? It is full of beauty, melancholy, and hope. There are so many beautiful musical surprises that will astound you...the vocals are haunting and amazing. The lyrics are powerful, simple, and true. The melodies, harmonies, and dissonance throughout will humble you and break your heart.

Mr. Rice has shared his soul and I hope it warms your heart as it has mine. Go buy it today!!

And on another (non-musical) beauty note :)...Thanks to all for watching my Merry and Bright video this week! I am the Elle Video Star for the week!! OMG!!

Blogging Beauties

2009-11-28T13:17:00.000-08:00

Hello friends! This is a very quick post, cause I gotta go get ready for my second job...BUT I just wanted to say hi! I am so inspired by my fave makeup blogger Kandee...she is actually in the lead for the Elle vid this week :) Just wanted to say, take a look at the videos! Somehow, mine got thousands of votes!! Who knows what's going on....but I won't complain :)

http://videostar.elle.com/videos/34160145001/merry--bright-everyday-holiday

And follow Kandee's blog here:

http://kandeethemakeupartist.blogspot.com/

The beautiful city of wind

2009-11-08T19:59:00.001-08:00

And here are some images from one of my most fave cities...Chicago! I have had the great fortune the past three years to go to a national Food Bank conference there, and I always have a great time!

I LOVE the architecture, LOVE the changing leaves in the fall, and the SNOW! I also LOVE the fact that public transportation is so easy to use! I was so proud of myself when I took the bus from my friend's street (with my giant suitcase), through town, to the train stop, and on the train to the plane! And basically for FREE! I purchased a 24-hour fun pass the day before and had used the value already in 2 bus rides! Hello, Beaumont, at least put in some sidewalks :)

And no...You are NOT dreaming, this is actually Holly Golightly (Audrey Hepburn, Breakfast at Tiffany's) and a real-life unicorn. They were spotted out on the town the night of Halloween, oddly enough...

Thanks to my new friend Heather for opening her adorable home to me the last weekend. I had a Mah-velous time dahling! And if you've never been to Chi-town, go ASAP!!

Jazzy for the Blues

2009-10-01T19:21:00.000-07:00

Here I am, All Jazzed Up, ready to listen to some blues at Log On Cafe....where I am typing this very instant, enjoying some inexpensive chardonnay :) and priceless music that just gets ya right there. I am so grateful to have found the blues...I feel it in my soul and know that one day I'll get the chance to share my blues with the world.

All you pretty ladies...

2009-10-01T19:08:00.001-07:00

Well, this is kinda hard to read but it's very exciting! If you go to Sarah Evans blog, (see the link to her website in the previous post) you can find this ad for a boudoir session that includes makeup with ME!! If you've never seen boudoir pics, they are classy and beautiful and a great gift for Valentine's Day (or anytime).

Makeup and computers just might mix

2009-09-30T19:13:00.001-07:00

Here with the girls lookin at makeup stuff! A New Years pic of hair and makeup I did for one of the lovely ladies helpin' me learn how to use this dang blog!! Thanks miss amy ;)

And here is the other beautiful lady helpin' me. Too bad it's the back of her sexy head! Thanks Katie ;) This is from a photo shoot we did in Spring '07.

SETX Wedding Preview

2009-09-25T13:38:00.000-07:00

Okay, so it's been over 2 months since my last post, and I'm the ONLY person who's even read that :) I AM going to be technologically advanced (she says in the mirror 10 times every morning....hmm maybe that is a good idea)!

And so, here are some pics related to the Southeast Texas Wedding Preview this past Sunday at the MCM Elegante in Beaumont. I was "the makeup lady", doing makeup on anyone and everyone who would let me!! It was a lot of fun!

Thanks to Ashley Behn of beaumontbuzz.com and southeasttexasweddings.com for making it such a success!

My wonderful friend Daylis was an amazing model! I also had the privilege of doing makeup on Sarah of saraheevansphotography. Look at some of her amazing stuff here:

http://www.saraheevansphotography.com/

I had a LOT of traffic and did makeup for 3 hours non-stop! I was either making up Daylis or anyone else who stopped by and wanted a little touch-up!

And here is the incredibly beautiful "Bride Daylis"!!!! If you look a little closer in the right-hand corner...that pic is the bridal portrait by Sarah Evans that I did makeup for and was used on the billboard for the preview!!!

Opening my heart via computers

2009-07-14T13:10:00.000-07:00

Hello world! This is me, trying to be technologically advanced and share my love of makeup and all things beauty with all of you. I hope we can all learn something new and amazing along the way. Thanks!!