Thong tha thong thong thong

Are you ready for a life changing tip?  Seriously, get ready:  Hanky Panky.  Oh my good Lord is this underwear ever amazing!  It's literally like slipping on a pair of clouds (at least as cloud-like as thongs can feel).  I discovered them in Toronto, when I was up there earlier this year, and since they are a bit of an investment ($18/pair), I bought only 2 pairs.  Well, I found myself getting depressed whenever I had to wear my other thongs, so I bought some more (2 more).  It's not enough.  I need more.  I refuse to let any other underwear near my whooha...  It's the little things that matter right ladies?  I've told a few of my close friends about this find of mine...  One actually stole a pair "by accident" on her recent visit.  I'm still angry at her.  But I actually can't blame her...  I mean we're close, but underwear stealing close isn't really an area we've ventured into; until Hanky Panky was brought to the table.  The results are in, and every lady has the same reaction:  "life changing".

As for the makeup/beauty routines I've been drawn to...  It's all about the matte bright red and pink lips for me!  Behold some inspiration:

This look is not for the shy "don't look at me" type.  This look gets attention, and deservedly so.  I've always thought that I look like a bit of a blow-up doll with red lips; however, I have discovered that if I keep them matte, and not glossy, it works for me.  I tend to go big on lashes, and bronzed skin, but that's it when I sport a bright lip.  I've also been skipping the lipstick, and using only lip pencils to fill in my lips for better staying power, no cakey-ness and a distinct matte finish.

In preggo beauty news...  I'm almost 33 weeks people!!!  Eeeeeek!  We had our prenatal classes the last couple of weeks and they kinda freaked me out a bit, however I'm still oddly mellow about it all.  Our nursery is looking amazeballs...  I'm so into it; very glamorous and mid-century modern.  The lil' Jujube has more expensive furniture than us, literally.  I noticed a couple of things in the preggo videos we had to watch....  Clearly there is a lot of pain involved (and sweating?), and the whole thing is overall the opposite of glamorous; but then there's the predicament of having a million photos that will be taken right after pushing that baby out, and you're at your peak haggardness...  What's a beauty minded girl to do?  I think I may just get lash extensions a couple of weeks before the expected delivery...  At least I won't look too much like a 12 year old, sweaty boy then?  Oh "pregnant girl problems".

What the hey ho is going on with Jessica Simpson?  That's my question of the day...

xo T

Nesting OCD

I think the term "nesting" could be another term for "OCD"  - Reduces any negative stigma to make us crazy pregnant ladies feel less crazy.  I'm OUT OF CONTROL: My crocheting is next level:  2 pairs of Ugg style booties, a pair of bunny baby slippers, some galoshes, a newborn photo-shoot outfit including a diaper cover and lil' hat with ears on it, and a coming-home-from-the-hospital hat... in pink cashmere of course.  I am currently working on her Christmas stocking, which will naturally be better and more elaborate than Earl's, mine, or Dugg's (obvy Dugg has a stocking).  We've also recently moved to a more "baby friendly house" and I'm LOVING it!!!!  Who knew that a garage, pantry, and his and her walk-in closets would be such marriage savers??  

It's been a fabulous, busy, and crazy few weeks.  The most notable development has been my burgeoning baby bump, and the news that we are having a GIRL!!!  Oh man, obvy I would have been excited either way, as long as the babes is healthy, but I mean, to be honest, having a boy the first time around would be a lil' more daunting...  All I would be able to think about while waiting for the birth is whether or not I should circumcise the lil' guy, and whether or not he would be interested in wearing a tutu (have you seen those baby tutus???  Wholly shiza they are adorable.  I've bought one already for our lil' Jujube).  I've also started the decorating of the nursery.  Literally she has more expensive furniture than we do...  The theme is mid-century modern/glamourous.  No kitch, no cutesy-ness...  She has a mirrored credenza for drawers, an amazing twin pull-out chair in there with the most delicious throw pillows you can imagine, and a pristine white crib (in the mid-centruy style of course) thus far; oh, and some pretty gorgeous art as well.  Husbo is a SAINT and is right on board with the baby craziness.  Here's a few photos of the crib assembly:

Dugg attacking the instructions
(that's right!!  Duggy is back for his Vacation in Canada with the parentals,
Mandy, and Kate... What a lil' trooper) 

Anal retentive taking over checking the husbo's work

You have something in your belly

Success!!!

I've also discovered - well my fellow beauty lover and fabulous girlfriend discovered - a new favourite beauty product!!!  I don't know how I've been functioning without it for so long!  It's a primer, tinted moisturizer, and sunscreen in one:  Behold, Fusion PrimeResults!  I am LOVING using it as part of my double layer technique, with Laura Mercier's Mineral Pressed Powder, and of course a good dose of bronzer.  Even in the record breaking summer heat of Houston, my makeup lasts all day, and has the perfect combination of glow/soft focus/coverage.  You can also wear PrimeResults on its own when you're in a rush - it gives a little coverage, and makes your skin feel velvety smooth.  It's definitely on my list of must haves for any makeup wearing woman!!!

Keep the makeup polished, and skin hydrated.  Everything else will sort itself out :)

xo T

Doll Eyes mascara review

It's been 8 days since I've used Lancome Hypnose Doll Lashes Mascara.  I like to give new mascaras a full week of use at least before judgment because sometimes they take a while to get in the right flow of things.  As I mentioned in my previous blog, this mascara is quite pricey ($27), but because of all the positive reviews it received, and the "7 years of research" that went into this product, I splurged, and purchased.

My favourite part of the mascara is the brush.  This alone is worthy of a price increase.  It's very tapered, which allows for great accessibility to the inner and outer corners of the eyes.  The brush has quite firm bristles as well, so it makes combing between the lashes easy and smooth.  There is absolutely no clumping issues with this mascara, and you can layer without issues.  So why aren't I losing my mind over how great it is?  Well, I like the SUPER DRAMATIC "are you wearing false lashes?" look...  This mascara coats every lash and gives amazing separation, and length, but I like my mascara to go on a bit thicker.  If you like full lashes, that are perfectly separated, with zero clumps, and a light-weight feel, then this is the mascara for you!  Even with the price tag, the brush really is amazing and worth it.  However, if you are like me, and want dramatic lashes, that are SUPER volumized, as well as lengthened, then this may not be worth running to the store for unless you are prepared to pile on 4 coats (which I do and it's great but takes like 10 minutes to do mascara alone).  I did try using a thicker formulated mascara that has become a bit too goopy, and brushed it on for the DOLL EYES brush, and that worked awesome.

Hope this helps your purchase efforts :)

xo T

How the hey ho are ya?

I'm feeling more and more like the old hyper Théa every day...  Puking is no longer a daily part of my life, and nausea bouts are few and far between...  Oh pregnancy, what a joy you've been.  I find out today whether I got a lil' guy or lil' gal in there and am just over 5 months prego.  I'm almost over the awkward stage where it looks like I've just let myself go; a bump is starting to showing; however what IS awkward is my newly developed boobs, which I have NO idea how to deal with.  There are daily moments of inappropriateness.  Jugs are overrated.

So what have I been doing for the last month??  Well, there's been a LOT of traveling, which has been FABULOUS.  A lot of weddings, makeup lessons, and visiting with a few of my favourite people in the world.  Husbo and I just got back from a cabin adventure with friends up in BC, and are now in the process of finding a new place in Houston to move to.  Our place right now isn't baby friendly per say.  Behold some Canadian good times:

In Houston at the Maple Leaf Bar for Canada Day...
There were Canadians and wannabe Canadians everywhere

3 days later, a July 4th celebration complete with "America Cake" and fireworks

At the cabin:  A turkey dinner by Lizzy and Ben, and all of us in our new puff-paint t-shirts.

At the cabin.  Erinn got a special custom made necklace to go with
her new t-shirt.  Very Jersey Shore

Duggy joined in on the fun of "T-shirt time"

Very nice

There was some serious eating...  Each couple was in charge of a lunch and dinner.
We ate a lot of animal.

In makeup news, I have recently heard about Hypnose Doll Eyes mascara by Lancome.  Created from 7 years of research, it's inspired by the shiny, thick, separated lashes of the dolls of our youth.  I'm literally going to buy myself a tube today and will report back on its lusciousness.  It's a bit pricey, and I usually don't spend big moolah on mascara (I love me some Maybelline and Cover Girl), but a girl obsessed with lashes and mascaras has to sacrifice at times...  Speaking of obsessed with lashes; I knew that up at the cabin, I would be swimming a ton and mascara wouldn't be on my priority list, so instead of risking looking like a 12 year old boy (which unfortunately is what I look like sans mascara), I opted for a lash tint.  It cost about $20, and was NOT worth it!  It stung my eyes out of their sockets, and was kinda pointless.  Alas, the 12 year old boy version of Théa was out to play for a solid week (albeit with boobs this time... yeah prego hormones!).  Good GOD did it feel GREAT to put on makeup when I got home though!!

I'm jealous of you naturally black-lashed beauties.  Blondies, sometimes life just isn't fair.

xo T

Human growing

It's time to share the news:  My oven is full - Uterus oven that is - I'm baking a human in there.  Yup, this lil' lady is almost 15 weeks prego, and it's been quite the interesting ride thus far.  I suppose a highlight reel is in order, as it turns out being prego is kinda a big deal.  First, Husbo and I found out about this lil' SURPRISE on our last day in New York.  When we first arrived there, the smell of the street meat trucks made me salivate and I was oddly excited for our daily vendor adventure; however, by the second to last day, the meat trucks started making me gag, and I was convinced they were all conspiring against me and cooking up rotten dog food (hint number one).  I also thought that some of the cocktails we were being served tasted like turpentine (hint two), and I would get random slam-me-in-the-face exhaustion (hint three)...  And thus, after a particularly lovely meal, and before a weird late night show, the Husbo and I bought some pee on a stick tests.  Husbo had them shoved in his pocket the rest of the night, and when we got back to the hotel he told me to take one.  I refused, because for some reason I wanted my "pee to be potent" and convinced him I had to wait until the morning (when we were leaving).

The next morning when I got up, I took one of the tests.  These things are expensive, and I'm a cheapo, so I bought the cheapest set of three...  They're all the same right?  WRONG.  These stupid pee sticks were completely unreadable in their results: "what's a foggy plus sign mean?  Is that a plus sign?  Does that mean "kind of" pregnant?"  Husbo came close to crazy, and force fed me water so that I ended up taking three tests in 30 minutes, all giving the same, cloudy, confusing results.  At this point we had to leave, so it was onto the plane with us, and back to Houston, still unsure as to whether or not I had a human growing inside me.  Upon our arrival, we went straight to the CVS, and the Husbo bought the most expensive, digital pee sticks he could find, and sped home.  Basically he watched over me like a military man (I don't know if military men do that, but I feel like they would) as I peed, and we waited by the stick.  Here's what it looked like:

Seems pretty clear

Somehow we didn't believe it and took 4 more tests.  They all read the same results:  I'm a prego lady.  For the next two weeks, I was nervous, but excited, and still unbelieving a little bit.  I felt EXACTLY the same; I had bouts of feeling tired, and got thirsty a lot, but it's hot in Houston, and I'm a sweater.  I even got a little cocky, and at our first doc appointment, at exactly 6 weeks, I stupidly said "I feel great!  Not nauseas at all, super happy, all is well!"  Idiot.  The moment we left the doc's office, the metallic taste creeped up my throat, and the puking began.

I was one of those a-holes that said, "when I'm pregnant, I'm going to work out every day, and make sure I keep a normal life, and try and eat healthy blah blah blah".  Some higher prego-powers heard me, gave me the finger, and a mean case of wanna-kill-yourself-nausea.  Touché.  9 weeks later, I think things are starting to get better.  Instead of all day nausea, where I couldn't even move my head without throwing up, I now have nighttime, and the occasional afternoon nausea visit.  It got to the point where the Husbo was convinced I had the Ebola virus, and not just growing a Vampire Jubejube (that's what we've lovingly named our lil' growing human:  It's sucking my blood, and is cute like a lil' jubejube.  Fitting, no?), and the doc put me on some stuff that would help me keep my food down.  Oh and this "healthy eating" ignorant goal of mine?  All I could stomach for the past while has been potatoes, rice, crackers, toast, and eggs.  And exercise?  I tried the gym once:  Got rage at everyones' smells (the Husbo calls me his blood hound because my smelling ability is uncanny - the police should hire me for their canine unit), almost passed out and started to cry when there were no magazines for me to read.  Perfect.

On a high note, I have boobs for the first time ever.  Do you know how many nights as a teenager I PRAYED for boobs?!  Like literally bargained with the boob Gods: "I'll stop whining about not having my own phone line if you at least grant me a FULL A cup, and I'll always help old people across the street".  Apparently my offer wasn't good enough, because at 29, I'm built like a 12 year old boy; until, that is, Vampire Jubejube came along, and granted me a full C of booby goodness.  I have terrible boob etiquette though.  I forget that bras are no longer "optional", and don't realize that my low cut shirts, which were once cute, are now slutty (Cleavage has a different effect than boney sternum turns out).  The Husbo lives in fear of my wardrobe malfunctions, and has deemed all my bathing suits inappropriate.  Another plus?  My hair is LUSCIOUS - Silky, thick, and grows like crazy.  I'll take it.

At this point, I'm at that awkward stage, where I don't look pregnant yet, but I have a weird pooch that looks like I just let myself go.  Sometimes I'm tempted to tell randoms that "no, I'm not getting chubby, I'm growing a human a-holes", but the Husbo says, that would be weird, and that no one is thinking that.  I'll take his word for it.

Dugg doesn't know about Jubejube yet.  I think he'll be happy.  I imagine he will fart.

xo T

Poo magnet, teeth whiteners & mascara quests

I'm on the prowl for a good teeth whitener.  I've tried Crest Whitestrips and after one use it feels like someone has taken razor blades to my gums, so that's out.  I've also tried Go Smile and it's results seemed average (although the razor blade gum situation wasn't as bad).  I'm willing to give Go Smile another chance because I tried it 2 years ago, and probably never did the full ten days worth of teeth torture, so I shall keep y'all posted.  In the meantime, if y'all have any teeth whitening tips, I'm listening!

I'm feeling concerned that Dugg isn't missing the Husbo and I at all.  My parents are sending lots of photos of Dugg's Canadian adventure, and I'm pretty sure he's stoked to be at our cabin on a lake in perfect weather, as opposed to sweltering away in the Texas heat.  He's also suspiciously cuddly with people, which I'm choosing to ignore, because I want him to only be that cuddly with me!!  I'm a jealous mum.  One more thing I'm concerned about re Dugg:  As we know from previous blogs, I have a tendency to get Dugg's sh*t on me at least once/month.  This, turns out, is not normal.  It never happens to anyone else.  I'm working on this dilemma:  Poo magnet.
 

Dugg tanning on the new deck 

Dugg manipulating his grandma into a lil' treat.  I taught him this look.
I have it perfected.  Ask the Husbo.

So the whole fam damn is meeting in Toronto on Thursday to celebrate my mum's 60th and my sister-in-law's getting called to the bar.  Dugg gets to have a week with Mandy, one of my oldest and greatest girlfriends, to play on a farm with horses and various other doggy friends.  Seriously what a life he has.

Here's a few fun pics of the fun that's been going on in the last week or so for me...  It's been lots of exploring, mixed in with some great makeup jobs, and  fun visits from friends!

San Antonio River Walk: Sweating ballz off

One of my best GF's from high school, Sarah, came with her boyf from Austin for my 29th b-day!  
The Husbo took us to a glutinous breaky at my fav place, Benjy's.

One of these things is not like the other...
Sarah looking shrimpy beside my 6'5" Husbo, and her 6'4" boyf.

In makeup news, I've continued my never ending mascara hunt, in hopes of replicating my all time favourite, Maybelline lash stylist, which has been discontinued and kills me.  I was at MAC, helping a friend pick out some eyeshadow colours that would work with her look, and asked the sales lady what mascara she thought "created the most obnoxious lashes".  She directed me towards MAC's Zoom mascara.  My review is this:  I liked that it was a very "wet" mascara, because you could get a lot of product on the lashes quickly, however because of this "wetness" factor, it can also get all over your top eyelid VERY EASILY.  Also, you can't wait for it to dry between coats or it'll be clumpy.  It does lend to a more dramatic lash look, but I don't think I'll be rushing to purchase another one.  Sigh.

I'm off.  Say "yes" to queso.  It's delicious.

xo T

Wanna buy a pig trap? Or how 'bout some potato salad...

My frequency of posting is down.  I may have bitten off more than I can chew when it comes to posting almost every day...  However, I'm trying my bestest to blog when the time arises!  It's been a hectic/great/adventurous little while...  BIG WEDDINGS (9 bridesmaids ++!!) and lots of bridal shoots, which I love.  The Husbo and I also did a quick romantic jaunt to San Antonio for Memorial Day weekend, which was pretty cool; well actually it was scorching hot (100 degrees), and I've never seen so many tourists in my life; but we took the opportunity to order dessert in bed, and of course, my favourite part of staying in a hotel:  Breakfast in bed ($20 toast always tastes better).  We saw the Alamo, and tried to get a feel for the city, but it was sooooo hot, and the line-ups, and people were everywhere, so we just did our own thing, and ended up having a very romantic time.  I also was exposed to my first Buc-ee's: the HUGEST gas station/convenience store/restaurant/grocery/hunting supply/tractor store I've ever seen in my life.  Seriously, for a Canadian girl like me, it was pretty weird to see this PACKED pit stop in the middle of nowhere, with a couple in line in front of me holding a pig trap, and the person behind me buying tampons and a salami plate.

In about an hour, I'm off to Dallas.  I'm excited!!  It'll be my first time there, and I really want to check out a few of the museums, and see the site where JFK was shot.  There's also a mega hipster area that has lots of fun boutiques and restaurants apparently, so I'm stoked to see that (I'm due for a shopping excursion).  With all this travel and excessive heat/sweating, I've started a new makeup/hair routine.  It's serving me well, and I thought I would share it with y'all as the weather is getting warmer almost everywhere in the world, and I have a good couple of tricks to add to your repertoire of Théa-Fication.

Ok, so starting with the hair:  I'm not an every day hair washer.  Don't judge me. but I'm not, nor will I ever be if I can avoid it.  What I've started doing is after washing, I let it air-dry until it's just damp, then I run a little bit of Jojoba oil through the bottom half of my hair as it tames any frizz, and keep things looking polished.  I twist my almost-dry hair into a bun on top of my head to let it finish drying for the next couple of hours.  When I take my hair down, I have loose, luscious waves, and no heat damage or effort... optimal.

Next for the makeup:  With all the sweateing I've been doing, I'm using predominantly mineral makeup;  My favourite being Laura Mercier's Pressed Mineral Powder.  It seems to stay on the best, and I love the finish.  This is followed by LOTS of bronzer, right now I'm obsessed with Bobbi Brown's Rich Cocoa, and concealer.  I fill in my brows, because if I don't I look frightening, and move onto the eyes.  Lately I've been skipping the eyeshadow, and concentrating on smudging a thin line INTO my upper and lower lashes, and blending with my finger so everything is soft and smokey, and then lining my inner rim of my eyes as well so that it deepens the soft lining of the lashes, without looking "made up".  I follow this with a TON of mascara, and the overall effect is a soft, sexy, sultry beachy look.  

You may refer to me as Paula Dean today

I'm feeling very proud of myself today; cocky even.  I played a good southern wife, got up early and made a delicious chilli, to simmer for 5+ hours before the Canucks play game 4 this afternoon, and a lil' southern style authentic cornbread from scratch.  Now our whole house smells like delicious meaty chilli and fresh baked bread, and the Husbo is feeling very pleased with this wife of his...  I did make him go to the store and buy embarrassing female products because I don't want him to think that I'm taking on the southern housewife role as a permanent thing; just when I get the urge.   Behold our deliciousness:

Deeelish!!!!

For those interested in the recipes I used, here ya go!!:

Game-Day Chilli

• 2 pounds extra lean ground beef (I used 1 pound)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 (15-ounce) cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 3 (8-ounce) cans tomato sauce
• 1 (12-ounce) bottle dark beer (I used a bottle of Shiner - Local delicious Texas beer)
• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can beef broth
• 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 to 2 teaspoons ground red pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• Garnish: pickled jalapeño pepper slices

Directions

• Cook first 3 ingredients in a Dutch Oven over medium heat, stirring until meat crumbles and is no longer pink.  Drain well.
• Combine meat mixture, beans, and next 11 ingredients in Dutch oven; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, and simmer 3-5 hours or until thickened.  Garnish if desired.

Authentic Southern style Cornbread

• 1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal (preferably stone-ground)
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 3/4 cups well-shaken buttermilk
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened

Directions

• Preheat oven to 425°F. Put a dry, well-seasoned 9- to 9 1/2-inch cast-iron skillet in middle of oven to heat. (The skillet is the key to making the cornbread extra authentic...)
• Stir together cornmeal, baking soda, and salt, crushing any small bits of baking soda. Whisk eggs in another bowl until blended and whisk in buttermilk.
• Remove hot skillet from oven carefully and add butter, swirling gently to coat bottom and sides of skillet. (If butter begins to sizzle and brown around edges, so much the better.)
• Whisk hot butter into buttermilk mixture and return skillet to oven. Stir cornmeal into buttermilk mixture just until moistened. (The batter doesn't have to be smooth—a few small lumps are good.)
• Scrape batter into hot skillet and bake until golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Invert skillet over a platter and cool bread at least 3 minutes.

This last week was a CRAZY one!!  Lots of bridal shoots, and prom, and new brides to be!  Wedding season is in FULL SWING here in Houston!  Speaking of Houston, the Husbo and I are considering moving to a different area of Houston called the Woodlands...  We're gonna drive out there tonight for dinner to get a feel for the the place, and see what type of vibe we get.  It's more small town/community-ish we think - which has it's positives and negatives - yet still has posh stores and fabulous restaurants (and a HUGE Sephora thank G)...  I think Dugg would be in HEAVEN there!  Duggy is in Canada right now with his Grandparents, and we miss him TERRIBLY!!!!  He's discovered snakes and cows, and doesn't know what to do with either (personally if I saw a snake I would shat myself, and well cows, they just stink).

Ok Game's on!  Go Canucks!!!!

Leggings aren't pants.  Just a reminder.

xo T

Minimalist embarkment

Something is wrong with me, and/or I've had a shift in my beauty psychology, as lately all I want is minimalist makeup, and no fuss looks.  For those that know me, this is a strange statement coming from me.  Maybe it's all the travelling, or the shift in Houston weather to HOT and HUMID, but all of a sudden I'm all about pairing down to the essentials for my day looks.  I've also always admired those women who have the "no makeup" makeup looks.  Anyways, lately I've been going for this, and with my rehabbed hair situation (no die has touched these strands in 7 months - another large accomplishment), I'm at risk of being a lil' too boho hippy, as opposed to boho chic (I have a deep seeded hate for birkenstocks, patchouli and dreadlocks - gag - so I'm not really at risk of the hippy lifestyle...  don't fret).  Anyways, I've decided that the minimalist makeup look can be gorgeous; some examples of what I mean are below:

The look concentrates on clean, fresh skin, and groomed brows.  LOTS of Mascara and a hint of colour on the lips brightens everything up a bit.  Both of these women are clearly wearing makeup, but I like that they look so fresh and not so made up.  I've been taking this look a bit more bronzy (as I have a bronzer addiction), and bronzing up my face (contouring), and adding a lil' extra highlighter to the cheek and brow bones.  I dig it.  I've had a few "you're glowing" remarks, which is better than "you're sweaty".

Give 'er a try!  You may just shave off a few getting-ready minutes and look glam all the same!

Off to play wedding dress up with another beautiful bride to be!

xo T

I'm Baa-aaack

Back in Houston that is.  I loved loved loved my trip, and all the makeup fun it involved!!!  Here's a pic of one of the fun group lessons I did in Vernon.  Very fun, with lots of laughs!!

The ladies learning to use eyeshadow as eyeliner.....

It's so interesting to me to hear and see the misconceptions out there about the application of makeup.  It's not fair for all this misinformation to be out there, and then expect people to know how to apply their makeup in the most flattering way!  I've put together a list of tips/tricks that most people did not know about/had trouble with:

Under eye concealer application:  I've actually made a video tutorial specifically for this purpose, which can be viewed here.  It's all about applying the concealer in a triangle formation from the inner corner of the eye, to the outer corner of the nose, and up to the outer corner of the eye.  Sound confusing?  Don't worry, the video makes it clear.

Eyeshadow colours and application:  Most women get in a rut, and use the same shadows over and over again.  What I want to show women everywhere, is that with the right application techniques, your shadow options are limitless.  There's a couple techniques that should be used, and BLENDING is always key, but for a day time eyeshadow technique you can follow the shadow principles of Bridget Bardot (you don't need to do the intense liquid liner shown in this video, an eyeshadow applied with an angled brush, or a pencil liner will do for most people!); or for a day time smokey eye, check out the following video.  If you want to deepen it up, and bring your day look to a night look, there's a video that shows you how here.

Lipstick that's to dark!!:  For whatever reason, there is am entire generation of women, rollin' around with lipstick that makes them look ten years older and kinda which-esk.  Dark maroon, plum, purple, and brown lipstick has to go!!!  It's so aging, and overall not cool!  Stick to the neutral shades of pinks and corals, and follow with a gloss.  Better yet, just go with a coloured gloss!  It won't travel up any fine lines of the lips, and looks luscious and beautiful!

Ok so those are the top three things I found to be an "issue" amongst the beautiful bevy of women I was lucky enough to work with last week!

Enjoy the tips, and use them.  People will thank you.

xo T

Idle hands....

Hi hi hi hi hi hi hi hi hieeeeeeee!!!!!!!!  Ok, a quicky between makeup lessons.  I've been a bad blogger!  However, that doesn't mean I haven't discovered a few DELICIOUS new buys recently.  I thought I would share them with y'all before I'm off to do a makeup lesson for a pair of beautiful ladies.  In case you've been wondering what the hey-ho I've been doing, let me just give you a taste (don't be jealous):

Meeting my new GORGEOUS Nephew Hugo.  I adore him and his chubby cheeks.

Going to game 5 of the Canucks vs Nashville playoffs with
some of my best friends in the whole wide world

Liz and I got in the hockey spirit and sported some SUPER awesome false lashes.  
All the guys loved them (more so than the ladies?).  Obvs.

In the BOX seating at the hockey game!!!  So awesome, with the most delicious
food and a waiter to fetch us our every desire.  SOOOO awesome.

Witness the boys making asses of themselves doing shots off a hockey stick.
There was a Jagermeister incident

Playing with Dugg the dog!!!  We brought him up to Canada with us, as he HATES
the heat in Houston, and it's only May!!!  So, he's going to be living with Grandma
and Grandpa this summer.  Oh man he loves it up here!!! 

Also on this list of my dream few days?  Going makeup shopping with my girls...  I bought pretty much the coolest limited edition Bobbi Brown Bronzer from the Almost Bare Collection.  I got the Rich Cocoa shade and it's perfection.  It goes on smooth and gives a natural bronzed look.  It's also Matte (which we know I love - I don't want to look dirty), and although slightly more pricey than your drugstore stuff, ($33) it's worth the coin.

I'm off to play makeup teacher!  

xo T

Royal Pooper

So I know it's been a few days since the royal wedding.  And I know I should have cared more, as someone that generally likes to be in-the-know about meaningless celebrity gossip, but I didn't.  The only thing I actually cared about was the dress, makeup and hair.

The dress was good; Grace Kelly-esk, and demure.

The hair was average; Half up, curled, yawn.  The tiara made is cooler.  Diamonds make everything cooler though.

Makeup that SHE DID HERSELF????!  Ah-ver-age.  I'm sorry, I thought this is like the historic moment of the decade (the Brits would like to think so ;)), and she is allowed to do her own makeup for the wedding?  If it was good, then I would have given her major props, but well, it just wasn't.

She looks a lil' weird, but this is a good angle of the makeup.  The skin is fine.
A little too much blush, but it's the EYES that KILL ME!!  Never should people put an
eyeliner LINE on their lower lashes.  It should always be smudged, but preferably use a
shadow.  The inner rim of the eye is another story.  That can be done as a solid line
(it's the only thing you can do with the inner rim though...)

Another photo:  She's such a beautiful girl!  She has so much to work with.
She needed some contouring and highlighting.  A bride should always look glowing, never flat,
which is why the contouring is necessary. 

I will give her some credit.  Girl was composed, and played her part well.
I can't imagine the kind of pressure she have felt/feels, as the future Queen of England.  

So, Kate, call me.  Seriously, I could help you.  We would probably be friends, except I'm not as polite as you are, but that way I'm not competing with you - polite properness could be your thing, I'll be the mouthy Canadian.

She's gonna call.  I can tell.

xo T

Nice head hair!

Now that this wretched death sickness appears to be easing up, I've managed to edit a video I filmed a while ago...  It's all about beachy, imperfect curls!  Super sexy, and a great look for going out, weekend fun, or any other time you wanna look mega cute!

You can also watch the video on my youtube channel here.  Editing the video made me feel better about myself, as at the moment I'm looking like a haggard zombie.  Stomach bugs need to piss off.

Sorry for the less than stellar posting this weeks peeps!  It just means I will have a lot to say over the next few days :)

xo T

Picasso tools

As the creator of "Paint Me Perfect", I suppose I should inform everyone on the brushes that I cannot live without!  There are a few, and they can truly turn everyone into a much more talented makeup artist.  Let's start with the foundation:  Depending on what type you use (liquid, mineral, powder...), there are a couple of options for best brushes.  For liquid, Makeup Forever's N55 brush is a necessity for any woman who wants even, flawless coverage, and an airbrushed effect.  For those mineral foundation ladies, a kabuki brush, specifically Sephora's kabuki brush is life changing.  Bare Escentuals handy buki is awesome as well.  For concealer, I always use my finger, as I think the warmth of my hand helps the product spread more easily so there's less pulling on the skin.  For bronzer and blush, it's really a personal choice; but I use a separate brush for each as they are both doing different things and should be applied differently...  You risk looking clownish if there's any blush residue on the brush when you're attempting to put on bronzer ya know??  I use triangle sponges to apply powder under my eyes to set the concealer, and a fluffy powder brush for light dustings of powder on my face (TRICK:  Apply powder only where you tend to get shiny - The tee zone usually - as it will keep you from looking too one-dimensional, and flat).

Onto the eyes.  There's this one fluffy shadow brush I have, that Dugg has chewed the end off of, and I've had for years, but I'm absolutely obsessed with it for shadow application in the crease.  I can't see who makes it as it's been chewed and worn off, but Sephora has a brush similar to it.  Essential for the eyes as well, is a short bristled brush to blend shadow along the lower lash line, or blend an eyeliner.  An eyeliner brush (for liquid/gel liner applications), and an angled brow brush will finish off the collection of necessity makeup brushes and you are ready to apply like a pro!  Now don't get me wrong...  I have about a million more brushes than these listed here, but these are the must haves :)

Go Picasso your face!

xo T

Day time smokey eye tutorial!!

Heyoooo!!  So it took a while to get this done today, but between domestics due to the Canucks losing TERRIBLY, I've managed to post this delicious video.  It's perfect for day time when you want to look a little extra spicey! 

Click here to view this video on you tube, or here on my you tube channel.  FYI, I forgot to mention what lipstick I used:  It's MAC's Angel lipstick, and it's amazeballz for everyone.

Roll on the ground and snort with happiness (a la Dugg)!!

Happy Easter long weekend!!!!

xo T

Jessica Simpson's best assets + Nose hair waxing??

Have y'all read People magazine's 50 most beautiful people?  Jennifer Lopez is on the cover looking so ridiculously gorgeous, it's not normal.  I have such a female crush on her...  I used to have a female crush on Jessica Simpson, mainly because she seemed to lack shame, which I can relate to.  That crush has since crashed; however, She is lookin' pretty hot in the People's most beautifull magazine... Especially her makeup.

Today I'm going to give Mendy, the owner of Just Wax It, a makeover featuring a dramatic smokey eye inspired by Jessica Simpson's People shoot.  She's always wanted to learn how to do a smokey eye, and has recently bought a delicious amount of makeup, so I'm teaching her how to use some of her new treats to create a dramatic and sexy look!

We're starting with a fresh face, and "building" the look.  A successful smokey look is all about layering, and blending!

I started by drawing an imperfect line with a smudgy
black eyeliner across her top lashes

I then filled in the shape of the smokey eye...  This is pre-blending, so don't worry!
It's all part of "building" up the smokey eye.  I blended the black eyeliner
with an angled brush along her lash line, and from the crease of her lid down,
 I shaded in a dark purpley-grey shadow.  I concentrated the shadow at the
 outter 2/3 of her eyelid, and blended it in to the inner corner,
forming a semi circle of the shape of her eyelid + brow bone

I took the same purpley-grey shadow and blended in along the lower lash line.
I then took a shimmery champagne colour along the brow bone, and at the top of
 the "semi circle" we created, to blend out any solid lines.  I also brought the champagne
colour into the inner corner of her eyes to soften everything up.

I lined the inner rim of the top and bottom lash line with black waterproof eyeliner,
Filled in her brows with an eyebrow pencil, and added mascara

Under eye concealer, bronzer, highlighter and lip gloss, and the look is complete!

 I love being able to transform people's faces, and teach them new makeup looks...  I think we all get in makeup ruts, and end up wearing the same thing, or going to the same look day after day...  It gets boring people!  The beauty of makeup is that EVERYONE can achieve most looks, as long as it's done in a way that's polished and not tragic.  Speaking of tragic, let's talk about the awesome experience I had today concerning nose hairs.  As my readers may remember, my former self, Peaches the Hairless cat, has had a strong influence over my present day loathing of all body hair (except on the head, lashes, and eyebrows).  Therefore, today when one of the girls that works in the salon said "oh man I need to wax my nose hairs", my ears REALLY perked up!  I didn't even know this was possible!!!  Don't pretend like you haven't plucked a stray nose hair or two in your time...  It's a necessary evil for us well kept women, but waxing????  I'm in!  So, shameless as I am, I took a couple of snap shots of the procedure to shaw y'all how EFFING FABULOUS this procedure is!!  It takes 20 seconds, does NOT hurt nearly as much as you would think, and results are PERFECTION.  I wanna show everyone the inside of my nose.  Like I'm seriously proud of it, deviated septum and all!  Behold:

They apply the wax to the inner part of your nose with a wooden stick,
wait for 20 seconds or so while the wax dries a bit and then.....

YANK!!!  Look at that stick!!  So gross, but I inspected it in amazement for like 7 minutes.
You MUST get this done.  It may change your life.

I'm gonna start holding my nose in the air - That's right, I may just become a snob. 

xo T

Cookies and Milk edition 3

It's been a while since I've done a food bloggeroooooo, and this evening provided the perfect opportunity.  I'm feeling quite pleased with myself for managing to make these delights:

Oh. My. Sweetness. 

Seriously these Cinnamon Rolls were amazeballz, and I couldn't help myself and had two and now I have a well deserved food baby kickin' around in there.  The husbo is in worse condition...  He went for three after an obscene amount of pasta and now he can't cheer/react fast or loud enough while watching the Canuck's play game three of the playoffs.  It's funny - reminds me of a turtle that's stuck on it's back... But the Husbo doesn't have a shell holding him down; just piggyness.

Gooey deliciousness

The Cinnamon Roll Recipe that I searched out on the internet is below.  I've scratched out the stuff I didn't do to make the sweet delights slightly less fatty, and they still turned out extremely decadent!!

Dough Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

3 Tbls. ground cinnamon

(2) .25 oz. pks. active dry yeast (I use 2 TB instant yeast)

1 tsp. granulated sugar

1 cup 110 degree water (approximately)

1 cup warm milk

2/3 cups granulated sugar

2/3 cup melted butter OR margarine

2 tsp. salt

2 eggs – slightly beaten

Up to 8 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup melted butter OR margarine

1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts or pecans – optional

1/2 cup melted butter OR margarine

1/3 cup granulated sugar

• Mix together 1 1/2 cups sugar and the cinnamon; set aside (this will be used later to spread on dough)
• In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 tsp. sugar in warm water; set aside (if using instant yeast, you can skip this step)
• In a large bowl, mix together milk, 2/3 cup sugar, 2/3 cup melted butter, salt, and eggs; add yeast mixture and 4 cups of flour to mixture; beat until smooth; stir in enough flour to form a slightly stiff dough.  (I used about 6 Cups in total)
• Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface and knead for 8 minutes. 
• Place dough into a large greased bowl, cover, and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 – 1 1/2 hours. 
• Punch down dough and let rest for 5 minutes.
• Roll dough out onto a floured surface into a 15″ X 20″ rectangle.
• Brush 1/2 cup melted butter over dough; sprinkle cinnamon sugar evenly over dough; sprinkle nuts evenly over dough, if desired.
• Tightly roll up dough and pinch edges together to seal; cut the roll into 12 – 15 slices using dental floss or thread.  (I used a serrated knife)
• Coat the bottom of a 13″ X 9″ X 2″ baking pan with 1/2 cup melted butter; sprinkle 1/3 cup sugar evenly in the bottom of the pan. (I just greased the pan to be a little less piggy than this suggestion)
• Place cinnamon roll slices close together in the prepared pan; cover pan and allow to rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes or just eye ball them.
• Bake rolls in a 350 degree oven for 25 – 30 minutes, or until golden brown

Cinnabon like Frosting

• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 8 ounces margarine
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 tsp lemon
• 16 oz. powdered sugar

Beat together, margarine, sugar, and vanilla. Spread frosting on warm rolls and eat until you have a food baby.

In other news, this morning was an early one as I had a bride and her entourage coming over to get beautified for her Bridal shoot.  It was so much fun!  I'm always so inspired with each bride I work with.  Camden (today's beauty bride) brought over some clip in hair extensions that matched her hair perfectly, and when I curled and strategically pinned them, looked FABULOUS!!!  She has these super intense blue/green eyes, and perfect cheeks, and I can't wait to get some photos of the shoot to share with you!!  Her close friend who came over today, happens to be her photographer as well, and is actually moving to Houston in August, so she's another perfect talent for me to play/work with!  Oh man I love love, weddings, makeup, and cinnamon rolls.

A tip: Don't grunt aggressively at the gym when lifting heavy weights.  It's unattractive and annoying.  Just sayin'.

xo T