Liebster Award!

I was just awarded the Liebster Award by none other than the fabulous Dar from Tales of an Unlikely Mother, which originated over at the lovely (and fun) Life in Pint-Sized Form.

The rules are that I tell you all 11 things about me, and deem someone worthy to have the award passed to.

1. I'm finally coming into myself as an adult.  I no longer feel like I'm a teenager playing grownup; rather, I feel like a grown up who occasionally wishes I could go back to being a teen.
2. My children are raised in a village.  We home share with my parents, my two siblings, a non-blood roommate, and my niece part-time.  My house is never quiet, and I don't know what I'll do when the day comes that I finally buy my own place.  I'll miss the noise.
3. I loathe doing dishes.  Doing dishes and floors.  I'll scrub the nastiest toilet, but please, don't make me mop or do dishes.
4. I've been known to not only talk in my sleep, but sing as well.
5.  My number of close friends can be counted on one hand.
6. At least one of those fingers is someone I've never met "in real life."
7. I have always been a computer geek. From bulletin boards to IRC back in the day, with dialup and the local freenet, to my current cable connection and blogger.  I don't think I could live without my computer.
8. I have never shoplifted anything.  Not even gum or candy as a kid.
9. No matter how bad the crisis, how devastating the loss, you put me with a horse and I'll be able to breathe.
10. My children literally saved my life.  I used to say I refused to live to see 30.  I'll be there in a few short months and plan to keep on kicking.
11. I don't like wearing a bra.

I'm choosing to pass this award over to KB at Wanderlust. Her life is tumultuous and would break a lesser being, but she manages to bend without snapping, and still find the beauty.  Why don't you go give her a read?

Soul Ravens

I have a little bit of an obsession with one of MSC's newer colors, Raven Feathers.  It's a dark, sultry, delightful color.  I can't get enough of it.  I also can't wear it quite as dark as I'd like to, because I don't do nights out to wear nighttime looks.  SO, I keep playing with it for day wear, and keep being tickled by the results.

Here's a look with Soul Dust, Pew Pew Pow, and of course, Raven Feathers.  Oh, Beauty School Dropout makes an appearance for highlight, too!

So, I picked up this E.L.F. brush set for $0.88, and decided that this look was going to feature these brushes.  Out of the package I was impressed - little shedding, tight ferrules, nice balance in the hand.  More thoughts on them after I use them.

Random Estee Lauder pallette for my brows, NYX white shadow base, MSC Soul Dust, Pew Pew Pow, Beauty School Dropout, Raven Feathers, Awesome Sauce, and Optimus Primer, Sephora Hot Hues liner pencil in sparkly black, and WnW MegaPLUMP mascara.

E.L.F. Studio Professional small smudge brush, crease brush, C shadow brush, Sephora crease brush, pencil brush, flat concealer brush, brow/lash tool.

BIG GLASS OF ICE WATER.  Seriously, this is one of the best kept beauty secrets- keep your skin hydrated by staying hydrated. 

Use that concealer brush with a dot of Awesome Sauce in the NYX primer to make it ALL TEH STICKY! 

Over your primer, that is.

Blend a bit with fingertips.

Pat on the Soul Dust to the inner corners, going up into the crease.

Now pat on your Pew Pew Pow, out to the barest part of your outer lid, taking it up to the crease and meeting it at where the Soul Dust left off.

Finish off the outer V's of your lid with Raven Feathers, and bring that up above the crease just a little.

Apply Beauty School Dropout above the Raven Feathers.  Blend everything gently with fingertips.

Do your brows, line your lower lash line, and add some mascara.

Voila!

I have to say, I'm impressed with the E.L.F. brushes.  They picked up pigment well, were supple to use, and seem to be well constructed.  Not a bad investment for $0.88 if I do say so myself.

Stay Madd, darlings!

Inspired by Treasure Planet

I LOVE the movie "Treasure Planet."  It's one of the most underrated Disney movies around.

It comes as no surprise, then, that I decided to do a look inspired by it whilst my daughter had it on TV.

Here's the still that served as my muse:

Are those colors not stunning? Absolutely lovely.

Now.  You know the drill.  Gather your products and equipment!

L to R: VERY large fluffy shadow brush, crease brush, medium fluffy shadow brush, medium dense shadow brush, medium pencil brush, concealer/shadow base brush.

WnW MegaPlump mascara, Sephora sparkly black liner, NYX shadow base in white, MSC Awesome Sauce, Optimus Primer, and Greased Lightening, Kablammy, Unbirthday Star, Bang Bang, Pool of Tears, Disco Biscuit, and T-Birds.

Ignore my ungroomed eyebrow.  Apply in this order: Optimus Primer, NYX Shadow base, and just the teensiest smudge of Awesome Sauce.  Allow the Awesome Sauce to dry until tacky, and then re-blend with the shadow base (using a clean finger) if needed.

Line your lower lash line.

Apply Greased Lightening to your duct with the medium fluffy brush.  Then, inner to outer, apply T-Birds, Pool of Tears, and Disco Biscuit using the firm shadow brush.  Don't worry about the fallout yet, or how even you get it.

Blend GENTLY with the XL fluffy brush.

Time to cut your crease, but double it!  Cut first with Kablammy using the crease brush, and then on top of that with Bang Bang using the pencil brush.

Apply Unbirthday Star above your crease using the firm shadow brush.  Blend down from Unbirthday Star to your blues using the XL fluffy brush.

Clean up your fallout, apply mascara.

Ta Daaa!!!!! A gorgeous, bold look inspired by one of the best Disney movies around.

Stay Madd, darlings!