It snowed in Atlanta!

Strangely enough, it snowed in Atlanta.

Say no more...

I always manage to tell my husband how much I love him...

A red purse for winter can make the difference!

I've seen that most of us are pretty much traditional when buying a purse. Specially in winter, we always try to buy a pair of black and brown purse.

Can we think of a more bright color this winter? Let me show you how a red purse can make the difference.  

I picked this Tommy Hilfiger red purse as an example. It's a bright happy color to cheer up winter times.

Now let's see how can we match a red purse with our usual winter color palette...

Match a red purse with warm or neutral colors.

I took pictures of different purses all together only to demonstrate that a red purse combined with clothes in different colors will match perfectly without the need of having to wear a brown or black purse.

Check out the following examples:

CLOTHES & COLORS

A dark orange blouse

A dark orange scarf.

Taupe pants or taupe ankle boots.

Dark or light brown pants.

Golden jewelry, as the perfect accessory.

Dressy black pants

Black jeans

Black shirt. (Banana Republic have the best ones as they totally fit your body and they are not "boxy"...)

Black boots

Dark olive cargo pants

Dark olive denim jacket

Dark safari scarf

Light and dark brown boots

Dark deep blue tweed skirt

Cranberry leather boots

Cranberry silk blouse

Dark orange, black or deep brown turtle neck

See? It's really super easy to incorporate a red purse to your winter wardrobe. Sometimes we get caught up in our own shopping routine. 

It's time for change. Go for it!

XoXo.

A design idea - Table Decoration

I love to host dinners at home and nothing makes me more happy than a good dinner with friends and great wine...

But I'm also a control freak so I have to have everything organized way ahead.

Once I chose the guests and type of food, I immediately start creating the color palette for that specific night. I like to change and always offer something new and different.

People love the unexpected and I think that it totally set up the tone for the night.

This time I wanted to create a warm space with a touch of bright colors. Winter is really monochromatic so I thought that a variety of flowers could cheer up the cold spirit...

Red place mats and flowers
Trader Joe's usually has great variety of flowers at very affordable prices and this time I only bought one bouquet that I split in two different vases. 

For the table flower arrangement I used a tall and thin cylindrical vase that I usually use for floating candles. I thought that they would look more modern in this type of tall vase.

Hurricane vase, white candle and cut flowers
Following my new obsession of bringing some "spring spirit" during winter times, I decided to cover the bottom of the hurricane vase with flowers.

I cut the smallest flowers and only added two big bright pink daisy's on top.

Kitchen counter
I like guests to feel comfortable and be able to move around and pick what they prefer.

Opening your kitchen counter and placing glasses, plates, condiments, drinks, etc, give your guests the opportunity to easily mingle with other guests and it's a great way of keep things moving.

I always like to end up the night with some kind of small souvenir. This time I created a small pink box with some daily beauty products. The kind of gift that will always suit any kind of woman.

It's all about giving and showing your love!

Xoxo.

Interview Series - Today: Rachel, a great makeup artist!

Today I'm so excited as I was able to interview one of the best makeup artists in Atlanta, Georgia.

I met Rachel from Brushworx when I was looking for a hair style and makeup artist for my wedding. As I'm not that good with my makeup I really needed to find the perfect makeup artist that would listen to "my fears" and that would work with me on my wedding day.

I'm so glad that I found her as she did not only made a fantastic job with me but also with the rest of the women at my wedding. Besides, they did not only loved her work but they were thrilled about her super sweet personality. If you want to have a relaxed and entertained session before your wedding then Rachel is for you too!

Rachel, what made you decide to become a makeup artist?

Ever since I was a child, I knew I wanted to be a hair stylist. As a toddler, I informed my Mom that I would be a "hair do-ist" when I grew up. As I got older, I was intrigued by the world of beauty. As a woman, I love the way it boosts our self confidence to put a little makeup on.

What is the best tip for a bride to keep in mind when choosing a wedding makeup style?

The best thing for a bride to keep in mind when choosing wedding makeup, is that she needs to feel like herself. You don't want to look like another person on your wedding day. That being said, you should feel more beautiful than ever on this day.  If you want your makeup to be similar to what you normally wear, but with a little added glamour, try some false lashes. These will really make your eyes "pop" and show up beautifully in photos. 

Which will be “the must do or have” at the First Trial Appointment?

The most important thing about your trial run, is being able to communicate to your makeup artist and hair stylist your vision for your wedding day hair and makeup. The best way to convey to your makeup artist what you are wanting, is to bring photos to your trial run. Bring a photo of how you usually wear your makeup, and one (or several) ideas for inspiration. Pinterest is a great place to find inspiration.

Is there any rule to pick your makeup palette if you are blonde or brunette? Or is it more based on your skin tone?

When choosing a makeup palette, you should take into consideration your skin tone, and eye color. Softer colors look better on fair skin tones, as it does not take a lot of color to show up on the skin. If you have a deeper skin tone, you want to stay with warmer tones, as cool tones (i.e. silver or grey) can look ashy on the skin. Neutrals are always a safe choice, and will never go out of style. 

Name your  4 “MUST HAVE” makeup items that every woman should have at her makeup bag.

Concealer, Bronzer, Mascara and lipstick. These items are absolutely essential in every woman's makeup bag!

Rachel Rozanski of Brushworx on Location Hair and Makeup

Brushworx.net

Where is the sun?

I miss the sun.

I miss summer time.

I miss having a "healthy golden" color on my skin...

I've just got the Victoria's Secret Catalogue and after reading it I was convinced that I totally looked like I have been hibernating for over a year!

I decided that I would not give up my dream of looking less pale and I was determined to find any healthy way of giving my skin "some" kind of color.

I do not trust self-tanners (...yet!) and I definitely don't like tanning salons.

So the quicker option was to create some kind of tan color with makeup and I found these magnificent duo at Bed, Bath & Beyond:

Bronze Booster by Physicians Formula (shade: light to medium)

Maybelline lipstick (Nr. 300 Warm Latte)

I really liked its creamy texture and golden hints. It totally reminded me of summer time. Both products combined were able to take out the "super pale white/grayish" color from my face.

I really recommend both as an easy fix in winter times.

Now if you really want to go over the top, add the Victoria's Secret Rockin' Body Shimmer Powder on your neck and upper chest. It really rocks! 

Be careful! Too much of this stuff and you would look too tan.

Last but not least, I wanted to complete my "fake" tan look with a pretty pink lip gloss and I bought the Marvelous Moxie Lip gloss by Bare Minerals.

Guess what? It did not work for me. 

As soon as I tried it on, I started feeling a tingling sensation on my lips and after a few seconds my inner lips were totally burned!

Yes! burned...

So I went back to Macy's and immediately returned the product. I later found out that this line of lip gloss had some ingredient that made your lips looked fuller (?...)

Well I certainly did not need that. It might work on other women but it did not work well on me. 

Sometimes makeup technology can go too far.

I insist. I miss the sun!

Xoxo...

Pink for the New Year!

Ok, I do love pink! But...who doesn't right?

Pink makes me smile

Pink reminds me that is an honor to be a woman

Pink brings happiness

Pink peonies, are my favorite flowers

Pink makes me feel more feminine

Pink reminds me that deep inside...I'm still a little girl

Pink wrapping is great for women gifts

Pink clothes make me feel more pretty

Pink cures cancer!


So obviously I picked a whimsical pink 2014 Planner (Sugar Paper, Los Angeles) that I was able to buy at Target for a very affordable price.

My "pink wish & goal" for this year is to make this blog a safe place for women to join and enjoy reading it. We are all here to learn from one another.

My spiritual wish is for every woman to discover her own beauty and be able to celebrate the fact that she is the most precious person in this world!

Thanks for reading me.

Xoxo...

Interview Series - Today: Beautiful Nancy!

I'm starting a new series of interviews that I will be sharing with you so that we could all learn form other women's wisdom, tips and life experiences.

Let's start with:

Nancy P., a beautiful mother of 3 amazing daughters and grandmother of 5 fantastic grandchildren ages 10 months to 20 years. Baltimore, MD. 

Nancy you really look gorgeous all the time, can you tell us which is your basic skin care routine every day?

Starting with a good night's sleep makes an incredible difference. I can go from a "glow" to "haggard" all based on my sleep or lack there of. I rely on lots of vitamins. There is always controversy about vitamins. But when you are low on iron, calcium, vitamin D, etc. the first thing the doctor does is to prescribe a vitamin supplement. My face gets wahed religiously 2-3 times a day. And I have NEVER EVER gone to bed with make up on.

No fancy creams, no fancy lotions. But I have found that I get so much enjoyment when I am giving of my time, work and money to others. That along with being thankful for my many blessings will always reflect the interior beauty and contentment you feel to your outer self.

Which are the four makeup items you can't live without?

1. Mascara.

2. Concealer for those trouble spots. I am not at all a fan of foundation. I think it masks your glow and clogs up your pores.

3. Moisturizer, I like Neutrogena products.

4. Finishing with my favorite lipstick (I'm a red or go home chick) always brightens my smile.

I know that you like to suntan, which is your favorite product to protect your skin from the sun?

Since I have become a caregiver 24/7 to my 98 years old Mom vacations to sunny beaches are not in my schedule. Although in the good old days I have to say that I have never like the smell or feel of sun block. So I think common sense is the best approach for me. Thirty to forty five minutes on each side and then retreat to the umbrella.

Based on your experience, which will be your beauty advice for a younger woman?

Realize how beautiful you are right this very minute. Because one day you will look back at those pictures and be surprised at how lovely you are and wonder why you were so hard on yourself.

Nancy, so well said!!! 

We should all be thankful for all the blessings that we have right now. Thanks a lot for your honest answers, your wisdom and your great attitude!

Stay tune as my next collaborator will be a well-known wedding makeup artist...

Xo, xo.