Stuck

I really can't decide.

You see I absolutely ADORE my earrings I purchased from TribalStyle back before camp.

And I definitely need another pair. A different style of course!

But I'm stuck...between these two lovelies...

Company with a Cause: TOMS SHOES

I like organizations that work for a good cause.
Not the fakey ones or the ones that are making a gazillion dollars off of it.

The real ones.

My favorite, and ones I support include TWLOHA (To Write Love On Her Arms), World Vision, Love 146, and the topic of this post...TOMS Shoes.





I've known about TOMS since...well, just about their beginning.

But its only been in the past several months that I've really started paying attention to what they do and just how much it means...and how cute their shoes happen to be ;-)

One for One


TOMS Shoes was founded on a simple premise: With every pair you purchase, TOMS will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need. One for One. Using the purchasing power of individuals to benefit the greater good is what we're all about. The TOMS mission transforms our customers into benefactors, which allows us to grow a truly sustainable business rather than depending on fundraising for support.

Giving Is Catching On...
The TOMS mission of giving shoes has attracted other brands, resulting in unique and successful collaborations. Ralph Lauren sold co-branded Polo Rugby TOMS, giving a matched pair with every pair sold. Element Skateboards has issued limited edition TOMS + Element shoes as well as a One for One skateboard. With every skateboard purchased, one will be given to a child at the Indigo Skate Camp in Durban, South Africa. It is TOMS’ hope that as our One for One movement continues to grow, more and more companies will look to incorporate giving into what they do.

The TOMS Story
In 2006, American traveler Blake Mycoskie befriended children in Argentina and found they had no shoes to protect their feet. Wanting to help, he created TOMS Shoes, a company that would match every pair of shoes purchased with a pair of new shoes given to a child in need. One for One. Blake returned to Argentina with a group of family, friends and staff later that year with 10,000 pairs of shoes made possible by TOMS customers.

As of September 2010, TOMS has given over one million pairs of new shoes to children in need through Giving Partners around the world.

Its that cool OR WHAT?! haha

And not only do they have a bunch of cute styles and colors for men, women and children they also have a wedding collection.

Awesome? I think yes!

Just a few weeks ago TOMS had their 'Day Without Shoes':



I really, really, really wanted to do it...and I did for the most part...except for when I had to go to the grocery store...the won't let me in without shoes (health laws lol).

TOMS just keeps growing more and more and almost everywhere I go, I'm seeing at least one person sporting TOMS.

And because I've been suffering from some serious shoe-lust over
these beauties, not to mention I'm willing to save for the price because its buying shoes for not just me...



I do believe I know where my next pair of shoes is going to come from!!!
(And did I mention their rave reviews??? Apparently comfort is an understatement with even these...I SO want to try that out for myself!)

Eye Shadow, Primer & MakeUp Oh my

I've been getting into makeup and hair like never before.

I've always really paid attention to clothes and stuff but makeup has never been my thing...but I've been getting into it lately.

I don't really have much make up...which means I've assembled a wishlist of sorts...things I can afford and will get eventually, and things that are...umm...lets just say way out of my price range...like...ever. (Unless of course I really, really want to splurge.

So I'll start off with the shorter list...the list of things that I highly doubt I will ever buy unless I find some really epic sale (online considering I haven't physically been shopping in over a year...).

The first is a primer from Fresh.

Now, I've never used a primer, but I really want to try one because they're supposed to really help your makeup stay on. Which is something I have a hard time with because my skin is combination (leaning more towards oily) and makeup doesn't stay on so well.

I've been hearing lots of rave reviews for their Rose Freshface Primer.

Second in the out-of-my-price-range category is a liquid eyeshadow from Bare Escentuals that comes in this interesting little bottle/applicator...yes its the High Shine Eye Color.

I've learned that my eyes pretty much always look just brown, but when you look really close there's some really cool green and flecks of gold and bronzy-gold colors really bring the other colors in my eyes out.
Which makes this color awesome...and I think the applicator is cool too...half of what caught my eye.

Third in the category is an eyeshadow from Urban Decay that I think just looks ah-mazing.
The Urban Decay Stardust eyeshadow.

The final item in the out-of-my-price-range-category would have to be something I have heard rave reviews about as well...the Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Liner.

Now, a couple of products that I've heard rave reviews about (as well as them being much more within my price range) are two mascaras...

The Lo'Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes**...

And...Maybelline New York Volum' Express Waterproof Mascara**

I think this is the one I might just choose out of the two because it being waterproof = good for summer oh yah.

**note** the link goes to WalMart...which I happen to not shop from for various reasons...unless absolutely unavoidable...

Now, keeping that in mind...the coming summer I mean, I've had my eye on Physicians Formula Healthy Wear SPF 50 Powder Foundation.

I've heard great things about this. Because its simple and easy to apply as well as SPF 50 great for summer!

Keeping with the foundation aspect of makeup I've also been hearing that this lovely new foundation from L'Oreal is ah-mazing.
L'Oreal Magic Smooth Souffle

And finally to end out my wishlist is something that I rather need seeing as I only have a couple brushes...well, it's just about every brush from EcoTools. haha

Bamboo 6 Piece Eye Brush Set

features these lovely brushes...
• Large Eye brush
• Angled Crease Brush
• Petite Eye Shading Brush
• Highlighting Brush
• Smudge Brush

and a nice hemp & cotton case to carry them!

The 6 Piece Brush Set

• Blush Brush
• Eye Shading Brush
• Angled Eyeliner Brush
• Concealer Brush
• Lash & Brow Brush

and of course the lovely hemp & cotton case!

Then of course there's the assortment of other brushes...

Bamboo Powder Brush	Bamboo Bronzer Brush	Bamboo Foundation Brush
Bamboo Kabuki Brush	Bamboo Smudge Eyeliner Brush

Now to wind things out...just had to share some of the cute stuff in EcoTools new collection!

Pencil Case

Cosmetic Bag

Train Case

Hanging Valet

And so that is my probably not much ever going to happen but maybe some of it is possible wishlist ;-) that I seem unable to have decided on a title for...sorry boys ;-) but there wasn't anyway this post could avoid being girly! haha

Hope you're all having a good week, I'm busy working!

Hair Woes...Relieved

Yes...again...me and my hair...and no, thats not reLIVED thats reLIEVED...as in for the first time ever I went to a salon and got my hair done! *gasp*

Rather surprisingly, it was my dads idea...with my presentations and trip to district Fine Arts coming up...but there was definitely no way I was going to say no!

And, I finally got my hair cut and styled the way I've wanted for quite a while.
Mom tried back in the fall...she really did...and really it was my fault for forcing the need for a haircut on her (all my hair was hurting my neck dreadfully bad).
So we did the best we could at home...it didn't turn out but my ton-of-hair related headache went away.

But back to the present.

I love, love, LOVE my hair now!
And that is definitely saying something...which some of you will know after my previous post.

Now its just a matter of the moola to be able to do my hair at home...

Because, you see we don't have a flat iron...or a blow dryer...as well as the products she used on my hair, which were AHmazing!

So bloggie peeps, girls in particular, what are your picks for affordable flat irons and blow dryers?

I'm currently looking at BaByliss because I've found some of their stuff on Amazon for good prices with great reviews.

Opinions anyone?

Hair Woes

I have realized I do not post much...which is kind of the point of having a blog, no?

Though in some ways I really should tell you people, you're rather lucky, when I had my private blog (only peeps I invited could view it) I blogged up a storm...and really, I do mean that...randomly posting things once if not twice a day a lot of the time. All of it written from my wacky and cynical perspective...it was rather nice...I may be doing a bit more posting if I can find the time...

So, last week, aside from being abed with the flu *bleck* I was been doing some serious hair coveting!

My hair has always been my one feature that I really wish was different.
Of course, just what kind of different I want it to be, tends to change a lot.
Fickle? I think yes.

My hair is my constant struggle, its not straight enough to be straight, not wavy enough to be wavy, and not curly enough to be curly. Its really kind of a little bit of everything.
My mom's hair is really curly, my dad (well...when he had hair...) was really straight and my brothers is...well, a mix similar to mine if he lets it get too long.

I guess, to summarize, my hair is everything and nothing...which makes it really hard to get it to do anything!

Some hair accessories won't stay in because I have too much hair, but my hair is also really fine and so that is another obstacle.

But enough of my poor hair pity party...I'm beginning to get on my own nerves, so I can only imagine how you all feel about it!

Because of all my hair woes, I've lately found myself loving the hair of others...lately someone who's hair I am totally coveting is the lovely miss Taylor Swift.

Now, I don't particularly care for her music (not exactly a fan of country...or..er...her style I guess really) but not only is she gorgeous herself, her hair is just fabulous!

I remember reading somewhere that she's always struggled with her hair being curly but has learned to live with it...and I know every hair type has its own little problems, but so often I just with that mine would just do something for once! Too often its just...nothing. Trying to do too many different things at once that its just a whole lot of nothin' goin' on.




Also among those-whose-hair-is-awesome would be...

Coppelia from Air1 Radio

Hayley Williams from Paramore

And this concludes my "oh the things I wish I could do with my hair" post. haha

Branding

Its so ingrained in our culture.

That the value of things are decided by the name on them.

That if you wear "such and such" clothes, "such and such makeup", have "such and such" kind of whatever etc. etc. that you belong "to such and such group".

You are branded by "your" brand.

Labeled by "your" labels.

Defined by the name.

"We are what we wear" mentality.

And we all buy into it.

We let others, the names, the people, define us.

Even I do it.

I realized recently just how much I let it define who I am.

My worth.

I'm SO proud of my iPod. SO proud to be carrying around a little piece of the all known 'Apple' brand. Something that says "hey, look at me, I have this awesome over-advertised electronic, surely that makes me better than you somehow..."
Even though I did originally buy my iPod because it was time for a new portable music device and it was what I had decided was more bang for the buck.
I still have succumbed to the branding of it.

Sure I don't wear American Eagle, Hollister, Hurley, Volcom, Abercromie & Fitch, Roxy or any of those oh-so-popular brands...they've never been attractive to me...too...preppy.
But when I get my hands on something Chanel...Prada...D&G...BCBG...yeah, then y'all better watch out.

Its the world.

The world, our culture, is trying to sell us something.

Everyday.

And thats the truth.

Everyday is a promotion.

Giveaways.

Sales.

Brainwashing us into believing that we need what ever it may be.

The mentality is so toxic its seeped in and tainted even the good stuff...even in the world of Christian apparel, there are certain 'brands' that seem to be "better"...that are more awesome to wear the certain tag.

But here's the truth of the matter.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?" -Matthew 6:25 NIV

Sure, our clothes can help express who we are and what we're all about, but a person is more than the clothes on their back.

And that's the truth.

SteamPunk Fever

I don't know if any of you are familiar at all with steampunk, but its one of my all-time favorite styles!

Steampunk (aka Victorian Punk) is a cross between the fantastical, the fictional, and the historical with a hint of gothic (but not the death kind).
According to Dictionary.com:

n; a genre of science fiction set in Victorian times when steam was the main source of machine power

Some of you may be familiar with the epic novel Leviathan by Scott Westerfield?

Well, thats steampunk.
Another good example is the not-too-well-known Sean Connery movie, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.



I've liked it for a long time, the whole style in general...clothes, jewelry, books, movies...but I never knew what it was called 'til earlier this summer when I ran across this dress...

NOTE: this is NOT my picture, however due to content deemed [by me] offensive to most of my readers, I have not included a link to where this picture/item is sold at

...which was described as "steampunk".
Now, I'm not typically one for dresses, but this is definitely an exception! (However, let it be noted I, would in all likeliness wear it with a t-shirt and possibly leggings)
And so it was, that I finally had a name, for the style.

Though I have an Etsy shop I have never quite browsed the site before.
I, being the fan of leather journals that I am (see post here) decided yesterday to peruse the potential that Etsy had to offer.
And boy was I surprised, because not only were there some fantastic items but I officially and totally LOVE Etsy!!!

Here are some of the fantabulous journals I found!








These, while not leather, are definitely worth mention because this is some cool sewing going on with the first one, and the second one not only has a TON of space for drawing and writing but its eco-friendly.



While on my epic journal hunt, I stumbled upon this cool piece of writing material:




And of course, that got me set on a steampunk well...frenzy!
And Etsy is an epic source in itself!

I thought this was just SO cool! Its Kat's pin from The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins! 

And I LOVE these! The first is a ring, and the second a locket. Steampunk style!


This butterfly necklace is SO cute! And the antiqued copper mask is a nice, and truly steampunk touch. The copper flower though, L-O-V-E it! My mom used to work with copper quite a bit and I've always loved it.

This choker is fantastic. I love layering lots of necklaces, and a choker makes a great top layer.

Now this, is a cool necklace. Not only does one side have a cool dragonfly motif but its also reversible!!!

And being that I love hats and scarves, I of course couldn't pass up mentioning this brooch with steampunk flair!

Finally, since I'm sure you're all tiring of this, my final two installments of discovered steampunk awesomeness...shoes!

These beauties are yummy! With their lace up appearance, easy access side zipper and not-too-high kitten heel, not to mention the fantastic dark caramel color! Unfortunately, the fact that their WAY above my price range (at $115) combined with the fact that they don't come in my size (sad day), these boots and I just aren't meant to be.

These, on the other hand...while not vintage and having a higher heel, are still fantastic! And they come in my size *squeal with delight*. Did I mention they're a fraction of a price of the others? (Coming in at a slashed $69.48...which is still rather too much for my budget!)

Though there was much, much more steampunk epicness to be seen, I didn't want to include it all and overload!

Hoping you're all having an epic week!
I myself am off tomorrow to see my best friend, who I haven't seen since July and usually only see once a year! Awesome times to be expected!

blessings~