DIY Brush Cleaner

If you're a makeup junkie, fan of beauty vloggers/bloggers, or anyone in between, you've no doubt heard of the Sigma brush cleaning glove. It looks like an oversized, silicone over mitt, with raised patterns on it, for washing/rinsing/refining your makeup brushes. It's a great idea, it's pretty cute, and the sucker actually works. Thing is, it's nearly $40. For a bumpy oven mitt.

Really?!

I've seen a few resourceful types find cheaper alternatives (some have actually been oven mitts), some making squiggles on plastic clipboards with hot glue. If I've realized two things during brush-clean-a-palooza, it's A) I'm a lemming and B) my brushes can be SO MUCH CLEANER!! And without the hefty price tag!

I loved what SecretLifeofaBioNerd did for hers, with the clipboard and glue gun. I have no glue gun, even less cash, but still managed to pull off a similar project with I think decent results. Instead of glue, I used puffy paint. Yup, good ol', relic of the '90s puffy paint. I know for a fact this stuff will hang on until/unless you practically take a chisel to it. My mom "personalized" some insulated cups for us for Christmas one year, and after many, many dishwasher trips, the big C on my cup is just as gobby-blobby as the day she did it. Plus, glitter. My puffy paint has glitter.

I do not own lots of brushes, and none are really that large, so the different areas for each pattern aren't that big. I just dabbed until it looked right. I did roughly follow, to the best of my abilities (puffy paint bottle and arthritis permitting), the patterns on the actual gloves. It's obviously not exactly like the original, but I'm ok with it. Plus, if there's an area that doesn't work that well, I can try again on the other side, or scrape off and start anew. The best part? This puppy didn't even cost $4 to make! (Including tax!) So, if you're pining for that silly mitt, but can't/don't want to shell out the bucks, try making your own! These clip boards come in several colors, and puffy paint in even more, so you're likely to get a combo you love. And on the super-cheap!

Summer Favorites

Being a chubbster, one can (correctly) assume, I am no fan of the heat. Humidity makes me want to punch kittens. Combine the two, and you've got yourself the right conditions for Satan's taint. Oh don't act shocked I said taint in a public place, you should hear me cursing at the self checkouts in WalMart. That said, there are some things I do actually kind of like about the season- swimming, camping, the warm breezes at night, and looking forward to fall. Which, let's face it, is my main object of seasonal adoration. Sweaters and boots and corduroy, yes please.

That said, here is my list of things I have enjoyed this past summer. Not that it's over yet. And not that I'm not wishing it were. I've come to accept it as a part of life, and maybe, just maybe, when I am a more fit person, I will enjoy it more, because the minute I am of a proportionate height/weight/muscle combo, I will parade naked. Or, at the very least, in a cute, skimpy outfit, because, why not? Here's the list :)

• Queso con Mambo, Sao Paulo's, Austin. I could eat this frequently and not get tired. Fatter, sure, but I'm seriously debating whether or not that is a bad thing.
• Youtube beauty vloggers. ThatGirlShaeXO. Vintage orTacky. Grav3yardgirl. Leighannsays. XSparkage. Dkycutie78. Not my entire list of channels I've subscribed to, but these ladies make up the bulk of my watching time. I want a cupcakes and makeup party with them for Christmas.
• Not Your Mother's Beach Babe Texturizing Sea Salt spray. It smells really nice. It does provide texture, like bedhead, imho, and it will bring out any natural curl you have. Since I have little to none of that, I've used it before twisting my hair into 2 sections on top of my head, and going to sleep like that. The next morning, I have mermaid-worthy waves/curls. Sadly, I tried to make them stick around with NYM'S volumizing hair spray. Not a good plan. So yes, this works, I like it, but if you want the look you're after to stick around, use some good old fashioned max hold hairspray with it.
• Pastel Nails. I'm pale, and probably shouldn't wear neon colors. So my nails have mostly rocked the summer as though it were still spring. Except for the weeks I've worn Sally Hansen Complete Manicure in Mermaid's Tale. Let's just all agree now, summer= mermaids, mmkay? I also love Zoya's Pixie Dust in Liberty. I love blues hues.
• I've really enjoyed smelling like Pacifica's Wakiki Pikake (which I also scored a tube of the body butter @ TJ Maxx recently for $8!), Ulta's Creamy Coolada Crackling Sparkle Mousse and Dragonfruit Parfait lotion, and Escada Especially, despite the fact that it is not too long-lasting. It's light and sparkling and pretty, which is perfect for summer really, it's just got the lasting power of a sparkler. And as always, Pacifica's Island Vanilla, which is good year-round in my world.
• When I've applied my face, I've reached for my Naked 2 and Fun palettes, a Wet n' Wild mascara, the name of which escapes me (released earlier this year I think. Skinny, purple tube. Lengthening, I am almost positive), Pacifica's Berry Guava lip balm, Nyx Matte Lip Cream in Milan, Nyx Retractable liner in Deep purple, shadows in aqua/teal shades, and Palladio blotting papers. A few new items to this (meaning, I just got them within the last 2 weeks) are Nyx's Butter gloss, a Revlon Kissable Balm Stain, and Rimmel's Stay Glossy 3D gloss. I love the Nyx glosses, especially Strawberry Parfait on top of the Balm Stain in Sweetheart. It's a bold, hot pink, which I would have to say is my other lip signature for the summer so far.
• Accessory-wise, I've gone from dangling earrings to smaller (but not tiny) ones. My favorites are a pair shaped like anchors, in a blue and white stripe, that remind me of something Betsey Johnson would have designed. The others are some pyramid and round studs, of varying degrees of sparkle, that I got at Lane Bryant (which, your size or not, they have some seriously cute jewelry.)
• On the tv, Breaking Bad. Almost nothing but. I would get into a show just before its final season, but my god, chemistry and meth and crime after crime have never been so interesting to me before. I still have the occasional fling with the trash coming out of TLC, and the new Arrested Development episodes on Netflix. Netflix is usually it, as far as my viewing habits go. Oh, and True Blood, except I think Jesus doesn't want me to watch it during any season of it. I saw the first two episodes, then no more satellite until last week. Just in time for the last two. No spoilers, but seriously?! What the hell, True Blood? What the hell?

I think this about wraps up my summer favorites, and what a long list! Which is probably a good thing. Maybe my days of summer grumpiness are soon to be a memory. I am hoping, by next summer, we'll have moved to Austin, I will be in a better place, physically, and I discover plenty more favorites to share :) Hope you have had an exciting summer!

October Loves

I am so glad summer is finito. I hate hate HATE summer. Perhaps if I lived in L.A., not La., where temps year-round were not sweltering and too muggy to breathe, my opinion would change. However, I live in the temperate region I refer to as Satan's Taint. It's as unpleasant as that sounds.

Gladly, October has arrived, cooled things down enough to be bearable, so I am in a better mood, and thinking about the things I am loving now. First up, a new favorite blog. Beauty in Budget is written by Teresa, who regularly scours drugstores, Target, Ulta, Sally's and the internet, for the best deals in beauty. Her philosophy, that being thrifty does not equal being stuck with low-quality products, is a smart one. Her reviews are honest, especially helpful if you are a dry-skinned gal (but don't let that deter you! I'm oily and find her reviews insightful for my issues too), and her writing style reads like a chat from your very knowledgeable friend. She also shares her monthly gets from Birchbox, offers giveaways, and reviews any higher end products she receives (as either gifts or with great discounts.) If you love makeup, want to know where your dollars would be best spent, follow her blog. http://beautyinbudgetblog.wordpress.com/ 

Keeping in the budget theme, we move from the vanity to the kitchen. Our eating habits of late have left much to be desired. Frozen pizzas, drive thru, repeat...I'm sick of the same ol same ol. So I made a list one night, based on things we already have around the house, and built a menu from there. The two main aspects of this are 1) will this meal provide leftovers, and 2) are the ingredients able to be used more than once. I call that stretching. And it has changed how I cook. In the past, leftovers either went to waste, or don't exist (on chicken pot pie or enchilada nights, especially.) Now, I am planning leftovers. It's not quite once a month cooking, which I think my kitchen is currently too messy/disorganized/small to make work, but it's in that vein. I keep in mind the number of servings, what goes with the main, and will I be ok eating this more than twice a month? Because a nice pot of red beans and rice is great, but it's not my favorite, so the thought of eating it frequently does not set my heart aflutter. Which might be a shame, I do make really good red beans. It is on my list of to be mades, so sometime before this month is over, we will have some and freeze the rest. My goal is to stay out of WalMart as much as possible, not spend a ton on food, and stretch things as far as I can. I have a list of meals to make, how many servings they will provide, and I have tried to assign them to a day, so I can see how far they will go. It hasn't exactly worked out that way, because so far, two meals went to the freezer, and two more were eaten later in the night, or for lunch the next day. However, I feel I am on the right track, since starting this we have only spent about 200 on groceries, and I know I have enough to finish this month, and stretch into November. Fingers crossed that we make it to November 7th. Probably a lofty goal, but with careful planning, I see no reason why not :) I have a few other culinary favorites right now, but I am saving those for a possible future giveaway, so subscribe and stay tuned!

The other loves of my autumn are pretty much required for this time of year. Halloween, pumpkins, candy, nicer weather...the usual. I loved Halloween as a kid. I was always very shy, but putting on a costume seemed to help some of that float away, at least for the night. I love the holidays, despite their inherent insanity, so this time of the year is like the best of both- fun days are coming, but things haven't gotten nutso stressful just yet. And fun sized chocolate everything is everywhere. Love that! ;)

Summer So Far

Unemployment, relationship woes, non-working vehicle- so this is my summer. Let me clarify: April, I quit my job because my ovaries are bitchfaces. May, I broke up with the fiance and then convinced him we should reconsider the break. We are back together. My car overheated and stopped working on my way home from Lafayette, and hopefully will be repaired soon. I waited almost 2 months for my dad to come take a look. Mechanic dad is, in my imagination, as good as doctor dad or dentist dad or carpenter dad. If he were "mechanic-I'll never make spaghetti again in my life-here's some money for all the years you never got an allowance, aka 'all of your childhood'-I quit watching Fox News because fear mongering and lies are not cool-I have a magic box that makes appear before you any food you could ever want" dad, well, I might have to move back home. But I hate spaghetti. And Fox News. But I love my dad, and can usually count on him to maybe not agree with my food/social oddities, but understand them, because he's pretty much the same. Hell, I had to get it somewhere. I will say this- he is very odd where cheese is concerned. I am the same way with my fruits and veggies, so perhaps I should not go "ok, weirdo," next time he's all "how can you eat THAT <points to slice of Swiss cheese I'm shoving into my face gap> straight from the fridge? At least melt it first!" Ok, weirdo.

Perhaps the second biggest thing of the season for me is Pinterest. I have become a pinning fool. I'm also considering starting a Dirty and Girly Pin page, but then I would get even less done, and I have to sleep at some point. Someone mentioned if they were paid to pin, they'd be rich. I'm approaching that faux income bracket quickly myself. I think I'm over 600. If one received five dollars per pin, that'd be 3,000 dollars. I'm willing to sign up for this. Other things I am considering are a mobile beauty service (I watch too much Jerseylicious. And I would need to go to beauty school. But it's a goal!) and possibly start working towards a degree in Pre K-3 education. It is hard to get a teaching job in this area, however. And I doubt "opening a homeschool" counts or is even a good idea. But since I was about 4, I claimed I would teach kindergarten during the school year, cut hair during the summer. I keep going back to those two, possibly because Vet school is 8 years total. And I would like to finish before I'm 40.

The biggest of all.....my newest niece! Kaitlyn Elizabeth, born July 8. She was not due to meet us until August 4, but she decided earlier was better. Hopefully she keeps that in her little bag of virtues; my mother is late to everything but work and dessert. This has somewhat trickled down to my sister and me. The day we show up to Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner before everyone has eaten is record-shattering. Kaitlyn, our little early bird, is also the first July baby in a while for the family. She is sweet, calm, smiley, intrigued by whatever may be going on around her, and completely photogenic. I don't say this as any sort of bitchy remark, but babies are not generally a pretty lot. Unless you find raisins and aliens pretty. There are plenty of cute babies, and I can think of one gorgeous baby (to whom I am also related, my little Brookey, sweet west-coast cousin) but Kaitlyn, she is so pretty.

And don't tell me I'm biased, this kid is clearly ready to take the world by storm. After her nap.

I am allegedly starting a new job soon, so I plan to blow most of my income on getting out of debt. And nail polish. And on the Nyx website. And books. And magazines. And probably cheese. Now I intend to look forward to fall, and hoping that it's going to be a cool one. A frigid one.
Praying for a September blizzard,
-C