Winter Favorites! 2014

Hey cuties! I'm trying to get back into the habit of blogging regularly. I've been pretty swamped lately but spring break is coming soon and we need spring sooo badly! I swear, this has been one of the worst winters of my life because we had 6 snow days! And this is Minnesota we're talking about, there is hardly any snow days if we can help it. One time, it got to about -40 degrees with the windchill! But, as Minnesotans, we went to the movies that day. That shows how crazy we are. Funny thing is, we saw Frozen. Best. Decision. Ever!

So there's actually a point to this post, and that's my winter favorites. It's just easier for me to do seasonal favorites rather than monthly favorites. If I did this monthly, they would be super short and really boring and no one wants that. 

1. Dusty Rose Cardigan from Target- I've been trying to wear pieces that are a little out of my comfort zone, and this long, cardigan is something that I wouldn't usually go for because it's long but I love it! I'm so glad I got it because I literally every week. I would pair it with a white tank top (or my next favorite) and a long necklace and some black pants. 

2. Jhameel T-shirt- I mentioned this T-shirt in my Fall Favorites but I'm still in love with it! It's my Jhameel shirt and if you haven't listened to his music, I definitely suggest giving it a try because he is amazing. I can't wait for his new album to come out! I plan on getting his other t-shirt soon, as soon as I can spare the money. ;)

3. Boots from Shoe Department- In my last haul, I told you guys about the absolute bargain I got these shoes for! They were originally $125, but I got them for $19.97! These are definitely not winter shoes because they have no grips on the soles and I slip and slide on the ice, but they're so cute I don't even care. In the spring they will be absolutely amazing.

I've been into nudes this winter, is that weird? I feel like everyone was wearing deep, dark tones and I just wore nudes. I just wanted something that was no-fuss and was easy.

1. NYX Butter Glosses- review here. I feel like I've worn at least one of these every day since I got them. If  you want to know more, I have more information in my review.

2. Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Pink Cognito- This is basically the exact color of my lips, but a tiny bit pinker. This formula is nice because it's sheer and it's very moisturizing and shiny. If you are looking for a very simple lip color, this is a good one.

3. Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick in Totally Toffee- One of the many nudes I've been wearing. This a little darker that the rest, but it's still really pretty, especially paired with one of my NYX Butter Glosses.

4. L'Oreal Colour Riche Lipstick in Fairest Nude- This paired with the Tiramisu butter gloss is a match made in heaven. I swear, they are made for each other. The colors match and the smell of the butter gloss masks the terrible smell of the lipstick. That's probably the only bad thing about this lipstick.

1. Clio Gel Eyeliner Pencil in Golden Black- I did a rave review on these pencils. They are so pigmented and smooth and they stay on your eyes all day. Plus, there's a built it sharpener. There's nothing else to say, it's just great and I've been using it every day.

2. Too Face Primed and Poreless Pressed Powder- Claire Marshall was talking about this powder in one of her videos, and anything that Claire likes, I have to get. And oh my goodness, it makes your skin look so smooth and matte. And it keeps me matte. For an oily girl like me, that's perfect. I was going to do a review on this, but before you know it I hit pan and it wasn't pretty anymore. Once I finish it and repurchase it, I'll do a full review.

3. Vera Wang Princess Perfume- I've been wanting to find a fragrance, and I really want the Prada Candy L'eau but I have to save up for it. So in the meantime I got the Vera Wang Princess rollerball and this smells amazing. It doesn't last really long but I don't really mind. Reapplying isn't a big deal. It's more affordable as far as perfumes go so if you don't want to break the bank but you still want to smell nice, Vera Wang is the way to go.

1. L'Oreal Total Repair 5 Line- My hair has been loving the this entire line of hair products. It makes my hair so lightweight, soft, and silky. The harsh weather has really taken a tole on my hair and this fixes it right up!

2. Hada Labo Replenishing Hydrator- This is a Japanese brand but it's sold in the US. I'm not sure if it's the exact same product but I sure hope it is. My skin has been so dry and ever since I started using this as a toner, it calmed down. I wouldn't use this alone because it's just not enough moisture for me, but as a toner it's amazing.

Mango Green Tea I love mangoes, and I love green tea. This makes me feel like I'm on a cozy, topical vacation and it's a relaxing morning by the beach. 

1. Urban Decay Naked 3- This is not pictured in the collective favorite picture because I forgot to include it. But I could not do a favorite post without it. Urban Decay has set my standards for eyeshadow very high. Nothing compares to the color payoff and the texture. If I could marry makeup, I would marry the Naked 3 palette. The rosy tones are gorgeous and they make my green eyes pop.
2. Essie Nail Polish in Muchi, Muchi- I went to target looking for a nude polish, but when I saw this polish, it was just too cute! Muchi, Muchi, that's the name. How could I resist? My friend noticed and I told her the name and she ran out and got it the next day. This has basically been the nail polish we've both been wearing for the past month or so.
3. 4. and 5. Maybelline One by One, L'Oreal Butterfly Effect, and L'Oreal Telescopic Shocking Extentions mascaras I have 3 mascaras. Let's be totally honest, I haven't been wearing a lot of makeup lately, especially eyeliner. Having great lashes makes up for most of my laziness. I will use my Telescopic mascara and then either layer my One by One or Butterfly Effect on top. Both the Butterfly and the One by One are very volumizing on their own, but Telescopic gives in that extra length that I want on top of the volume. I got them all in the black, waterproof formulas because the regular formulas smudge on me, and I will not deal with panda eyes! No!

Okay, that is a super long post. I hope it wasn't too boring for you. I'm just so ready for spring. I'm already planning on a the makeup I'm going to get to with all of the fun, bright colors. Especially lipsticks! I just started getting into lip colors last year and it's gotten so out of hand, but I just can't help my self.

Tell me what you've been loving this winter and what you're excited for spring? I love hearing from you guys!XD

Family Camping Trip

Hello everyone! Yesterday I got home from a family camping trip with my dad, his girlfriend, her grandson, and my siblings and I. That all added up to six people in one RV. I know, staying in an RV doesn't really count as camping, but my dad wanted one really badly. Honestly, hiking up a tent and sleeping in there is so much better because RV campsites are basically trailer parks. But that didn't stop me from trying to have some fun!

We went to a national park to go hiking by the river, and these were some stairs leading down to the bank. You can really tell that we've had a pretty brutal winter, the grass is still fighting to grow.

We always have a tradition to go to Tobies Bakery for some snacks. Their caramel rolls are absolutely amazing and I think I've gained a pound just being in their store. (They give away free samples, too! They are trying to make me gain weight!)

Here's what we all got. Mine was the one with nuts on top. My poor brother's sugar donut got a little deflated. 

 My sister and I each got these little mice that are actually chocolate covered cherries!

Did you guys know they had these? They're flat marshmallows to make the perfect s'more!

Totoro Cookies!

Hello everyone! I haven't been feeling all too well with spring cold season going crazy over here, so I decided to make some Totoro cookies to cheer me up a bit. My Neighbor Totoro is one of my all-time favorite movies and I thought that this was such a cute idea. The original tutorial is here. This was not my creation, but I did change it up a bit to accommodate what I already had in my kitchen.

The finished product. 

Instead of gingerbread like in the tutorial, I used sugar cookie mix because they were having a sale and I just used black food coloring to make it a "totoro grey". Make sure that if you do this, keep a mental note that it will get lighter after you bake it.

I like to mix it manually because it gives my arms a workout!

Sorry I didn't document every step for you guys, but if you want to know, then just watch the video that I linked to. You can blame my cold for making me tired and forget to take pictures. 

For the icing, I used a trick that my friend's mom taught me. Take a bowl of powdered sugar, add a tiny bit of vanilla (or any other flavoring you want), water, and food coloring and mix it all together. There's not really any exact measurements for it since my friend's family never really uses them anyway, so just start slow and you can always add more if you need it. 

P.S. The water goes a long way in the powdered sugar so you don't need that much.

The icing dried before I could put the sprinkles on the soot sprite. I kinda had to press them on there.

Whenever I bake, I make a huge mess on all the tables and counters. Honestly, I showed you the only cookies that were fully decorated. The rest I gave up on because I was just so sick of cooking that I had to walk away. It's okay, they'll still get eaten in my house full of cookie monsters. 

I don't know if it's because my taste buds changed because of my health kick or my cold, but I could only eat a few cookies before it got way too sweet and had to switch to fruit. It might also be the fact that I drenched them in frosting, too. We all learn from mistakes. 

What do you guys do while you're sick?