Nashville Makeup Artist - Amy Lynn Larwig

Movin on up

2009-10-29T19:23:00.001-07:00

Ok, mission complete! So let's all move over to the super fab NEW BLOG!

excuse me!

2009-09-28T04:28:00.000-07:00

Please excuse my blog mess while it gets reworked. I've decided to umph it up a bit, and it's in the beginning stages of its awesomeness, which makes it temporarily even uglier.

my lip gloss is poppin

2009-09-14T09:08:00.000-07:00

Lil Mama said it best:
MAC, L'Oreal, yep, cause I'm worth it
Love the way I puts it on so perfect
Wipe the corners of my mouth so I work it
When I walk down the hallway they can't say nothin
Oh, oh oh, my lips so luscious
The way I spice it up with the MAC-MAC brushes
L'Oreal got them watermelon crushes
That's probably the reason all these boys got crushes

At some point in my life, I've been a Mark Kay, Avon, and BeautiControl representative. Scary, I know. I am the worst salesperson ever. If something stinks, I'm gonna tell you. If it's amazing, I'm gonna tell you. So selling beauty products never worked out for me and I tend to shy away from those lines minus a few select items. One of those items is in Avon's Mark line. Glow baby Glow hook up lip gloss is awesome for several reasons.

First of all, each gloss is super compact and fits ideally into a purse. And if you buy two hook up products, you get a free connector, which connects any of their hookup products together. So lip gloss paired with mascara for quick touchups on the go? It's super convenient and doesn't require carrying a giant cosmetic bag in your already overloaded purse.

Second, the colors are great. The glosses come in an array of colors, "pink crush" being one of the most popular. I'm also a big fan of "peek a boo" which is a creamy nude. Being a big gloss wearer, it's easy for me to get annoyed with my hair sticking to my lips, or the shimmer clumping around the corners of your mouth. Not with this gloss. It delivers shiny, pumped up gloss, without the gloopy stickiness. And the amount of shimmer is just enough to add some dazzle, not stick around after meals to glob around you lips' edges.

Third, the PRICE! At $5.50 a pop, who can resist?!

So look up your local Mark rep or just order online. So your lip gloss can be poppin!

Fall Makeup trend #1

2009-08-29T17:28:00.000-07:00

Earth Tones

Think greens, golds, browns and greys, but smokey. Velvety texture, but with a smidge of shimmer.

so fresh and so clean, clean

2009-08-21T04:43:00.000-07:00

My best friend is getting married in 2 weeks and I am doing her makeup. Duh! Now, Eva is a gorgeous girl all on her own. Long brown hair, big green eyes, and a perfect silhouette. Her personality is quirky and fun. She's enough on her own that she doesn't need a ton of makeup to bring her out. So when I asked what she wanted for her wedding day words like "illuminating, radiant, and not matte" were used. She sent me a picture of Leighton Meester that illustrated the type of finish she was looking for.

Eva is having an outdoor wedding, in a garden with a relatively simple dress. Her colors are dark plums and greens. So a very fresh atomosphere. Her makeup should also reflect that and I'm glad she chose this picture of Leighton as a base. In order to get a light, dewy looking skin, you have to do several things. You can either use a foundation or not.

If you choose not to: Use a good moistuizer all over. Then use a highlighter across the cheek bones. Place a creamy concealor where needed. Use bronzer as cheek color, one with only a smidge of shimmer, on your apples sweeping lightly back toward yoru temple. Keep the rest of your makeup light as well.

If you decide you need more coverage and would like a foundation: Add a sheer highlighter such as Fluid Sheer to your foundation. Apply as normal. Use bronzer as cheek color, one with only a smidge of shimmer, on your apples sweeping back toward your temple.

Now you saw I mentioned Fluid Sheer. It's great. Fluid Sheer is a product that can be worn alone or mixed in with foundation. It is a liquid filled with tiny little illuminators that really give your skin a radiance beyond belief. Now dont' be intimidated by all the shade options! I recommend sticking with Porcelain or Golden Sand for starters. Porcelain gives you a radiance as if you are lit from within. Golden Sand is more of a light sunkissed glow. Once you feel confident, you can brave the other amazing colors. Armani actually has these in sample sizes to test out.

So appearing kissed by the morning dew is not only beautiful, but easy to achieve! Can't wait to show you pictures from Eva's wedding!

sneak peek

2009-08-15T16:59:00.000-07:00

here's some quick images of a shoot I did last week. Details to come...

Nashville...in August

2009-08-14T04:33:00.000-07:00

Today's high is in the low 90s. Needless to say, it's hot. So when planning one's makeup for the day, certain products get better results. One of the worst things ever is to get your face totally done, and after 15 minutes outside, your pretty baby pink blush is streaking down your cheeks and onto your neck. Or even worse, to have it caking with foundation and sweat to form a nice layer on top your dimpled apples. Ugh. So how to you get a blushing cheek without being streaky or cakey? Cream blush. Cream blushes are the perfect way to get just a dab of color in your face, as if you've already been outside, without being heavy. You only need a small dab of a light pink or peachy color to smooth in circles onto the apples of your cheeks and lightly blend up towards your temple. You can apply it alone, or under a tinted moitsurizer for a sunshiny cheek that will stay on your skin, not run down. Since it blends into the skin and doesn't sit on top of a foundation, it will stay put much better than a powder blush. Avoid products with sparkles or a ton of shimmer, as they can appear too shiny and make you look sweaty. Try Maybelline New York Dream Mousse Blush. Or Smashbox has one called O-Glow that works with your skin to create a custom color that matches your natural blush. makeup above by Yumi at Frank Reps

told you so...

2009-07-25T13:58:00.001-07:00

It's the best. Thanks Jessica!

Facial Paradise

2009-07-18T06:20:00.000-07:00

Those of you that know me, may know I've been battling a bit of a skin problem the last few weeks. So when I was offered a facial by Kalli at Unruli, I was ready to try anything. She is a new esthetician at the salon in downtown Franklin and she is AMAZING. Kalli has this snuggly little room upstairs, with the dim lights and spa music playing. On Thursday I got cozy for 1 hr 45 mins of bliss. I don't usually keep quiet for anything, my mouth is constantly running, but after 5 mins I shut up for the entire experience because it was just that relaxing and wonderful. She starts out taking you on a "sensory journey" where you allow your nose to pick an essential oil for her to work with. Mine was cinnamon bark and clove. Warm, sweet, but invigorating. Then she massages your face with countless Aveda products, each one feels more awesome than the one before it. She rubs down your arms and feet and wraps them up in these warm little bundles. It really is the greatest thing ever. So now it's Saturday. And I woke up this morning to my sweet husband getting ready for work and he stops and looks at me and says "Wow...she did a great job. Your skin looks so smooth!" Best words I've heard since he said "I do". Kalli is a super nice lady and she is very knowledgeable about what your skin needs and what your body needs as well. I'm going back next week for a second treatment and anticipating the glory. But I know with everyone's pockets being pretty empty, these things are hard to indulge in. Thankfully, this full treatment is only $75!!! So if you lay off the Starbucks and one restaurant dinner this month, you can use the extra cash to show yourself some Aveda love. Even if it's just once a month, this treatment makes you feel so awesome. And I know if I can see results after one treatment, within 2 days, and I have a major skin dilemma, then anyone can benefit from a visit. Tell her I sent you and I'll give you a free custom lip color and goodie bag!

airbrush: greatest application or just a trend?

2009-07-15T20:03:00.000-07:00

I had a bride contact me a few weeks ago about being airbrushed for her wedding. She had heard about the technique and really wanted to have it for her big day. After much discussion and a few trials, we decided to airbrush her foundation using Makeup Forever's HD foundation. Now, this bride was adamant about using the airbrush because of the good things she had heard. There is a lot of talk about using airbrush, especially for HD film and TV. It provides a nice, solid coverage and works well for HD because of the way the product is misted onto the face, leaving no area uncovered. However, it has it's limitations. The airbrush is just a tool, like any other brush. If I put foundation on with a toothbrush, it's going to look different than if I use a sponge, blush brush, or foundation brush. The finished look of the makeup depends greatly upon the method of application. So the airbrush is just another alternative to traditional brushes. It is great for 2 purposes...1)textured skin (acne, scars, rough) benefits from using the gun because the mist gets into all angles of the face, leaving no space untouched. It ensures coverage of all these areas. 2)those with skin conditions are also good candidates because there is no physical touching involved. Certain skin issues are made worse by touch (ex: Rosacea) so we eliminate that problem because using the airbrush means we don't have to touch the skin at all. But a great looking foundation can be achieved even without the airbrush. As soon as her wedding pictures are available, I'll be sure to post them!

review me!

2009-07-14T17:30:00.000-07:00

I need reviews! It is super helpful, when people are deciding on a makeup artist for their event, shoot, or wedding, to have testimony from other clients. So anyone who felt their experience with me was a positive one, it would be amazing if you could write a short bit on it.

Click my listing . Then add review.

The most powerful way to gain business for me is word of mouth, so I can't tell you how much it does for me when you tell others about your experience. Thank you!

orange, green, blue, and embroidery

2009-07-03T08:06:00.000-07:00

Sound like 1973 living room decor?

Well, it was Ashley Rowden (now Whiteside)'s wedding ambiance! When i met Ashley at Panera for the first time, I was so enamored with her soft demeanor and bright smile. We were there to discuss my potentially doing her wedding day makeup. She showed me a picture of a very delicate, peachy toned makeup she had pulled from a magazine. As with every bride, I asked about the details of her wedding, to get a feel for her style. She begins to show me images of green, earthy details with splashes of orange and blue. Words like "quilt" "birds" and "natural" are thrown around a lot. Now at first, I was a bit concerned for how all of this was going to come together. But Ashley's gentle and focused tone convinced me that this wedding was going to be unique and beautiful. S0 when I arrived on May 23rd to get Ashley's wedding day look pulled together, she remained the same; calm, easy, and glowing. You could tell she was very ready for this day and for all the right reasons. Standing there giving her the finishing touches, I knew she looked amazing. But now that I've seen the pictures, HOLY MOLY. She honestly, was radiant. I don't think I've ever seen a bride look as healthy and illuminating as she. Ashley's skin was a great match for the Smashbox Halo I rave about. We kept her look very warm and clean, using peaches and apricots. All the colors and natural elements she chose worked so well together for her wedding details, and the softness she evoked just wrapped it all up. Congrats Ashley and Brandon! And thank you April with Evoke Photography!

Body Painting

2009-06-29T08:02:00.000-07:00

***CAUTION: BOOBS BELOW***

Had to put that out there before you scrolled too far down. Didn't want to catch you off guard!

Occasionally I get asked to do creative shoots with photographers and models. And I'm always up for stretching my artistic side. So Bruce Yonce contacted me a several months ago and we just recently found the time to get together and play around with some stuff. Bruce had been wanting to do a graffiti shoot. Some of you may recall some graffiti work I did in Vancouver last fall.

I haven't used my airbrush much since I've been home, so I thought working with Bruce would allow me to get reacquainted with my sweet little air gun. We decided to do a piece that illustrates our society's inundation with ads and logos. So I used corporate logos and the word "Takeover". It turned out a little more rough than I planned, due to a cream base that wouldn't dry. (I know not to use that one again) Thank you Chimere for being still and patient! And thank you Bruce, for letting me make a mess!

Bridal Event

2009-06-22T07:57:00.000-07:00

CJ's Off the Square is hosting a bridal event that is sure to be filled with juicy info. Wedding planning is a pain in the tush, if you ask me, but these ladies know how to make the process super easy peasy. And as a bonus, they're super fun to hang out with! This event will get into the nitty gritty of the marriage/wedding process, beyond flowers, linens, and favors. Sure to be a good time!

face full of sunshine

2009-06-15T04:19:00.000-07:00

Bronzer can be your face pick-up any day. But it can go terribly wrong very quickly. Bronzer is meant to be a way to give your face some light. It provides highlight, glow, and warmth. It is not meant to give you an instant-just-got-back-from-Cancun-tan. Especially if the rest of your body is mid-December pale.

yeeps!
Apply bronzer, lightly, where the sunlight hits your face. Across the cheekbones, forehead, down your nose, and on the tip of your chin for a natural sunshiny glow. Beware of bronzers that are super shimmery, or orange.

Good ones to try out:

MAC has a bronzer that is a pretty safe bet. It comes in various shades. I like it because it has just the right amount of shimmer to it, without making you look like a shiny bronze statue. It's also pretty light, so you can gradually build it up instead of being surprised by a glob of orange dust on your cheek with the first brush stroke.

I also like skinLights by Revlon. Not only is it super affordable (about $9 for a bottle that will last forever) but it's easy to apply. It is an oil-free liquid, but it can be a little thick. The trick is, to mix about half a pump in with your moisturizer. Then apply it in the appropriate places. You can put it on directly, but it is a bit intense. Wear it alone for a dewy sun kissed look, or underneath your foundation for more coverage. Plus it has an SPF of 15!

So bronzer can be your summertime staple, if you treat it right.

much better...

Ohmmmmm....

2009-06-12T04:54:00.000-07:00

I'm a big advocate for natural healing and living chemical free. Switching to all natural cosmetics is a giant part of that and quite a difficult transition. Think of all the products we use on a daily basis: shampoo, conditioner, face wash, body wash, shaving cream, exfoliator, toothpaste, lotion, facial moisturizer, toner, zit treatments, deodorant, All the makeup, hairspray/pomade/polish, etc. The FDA doesn't regulate cosmetics, so companies can put anything from petroleum based parabens to carcinogenic EDTA to formaldehyde in the products we use. Now, obviously as a makeup artist, it would nearly impossible for me to switch to all natural cosmetics in my kit and still get the same results on camera. So my kit contains a variety of cosmetics, most of which are not natural at all. But for everyday use I choose differently. What does "all natural" mean? I can walk through Walmart right now and find many products who claim to be natural, or have names such as "Nature's Peace" and other frou frou misleading titles. To ensure a product is truly natural, you have to read the label. So in my personal quest for skin care and other body products that were chemical free, I found Saje. Saje is a Vancouver based company that makes totally pure products. They have everything including skin care, bath products and remedies. I've used several of their products and have been in awe over each one. They honestly use only essential oils, water, and plants. Saje is free from petro-chemicals, preservatives, artificial colors, fragrances, synthetics, animal products, byproducts, or testing. One of my absolute favorite remedies they have is called Stress Release Mist. It is a blend of essential oils and water that you mist on your face when you are feeling overwhelmed, tummy butterflies, irritable, angry, fearful or nervous. It balances the nervous system, creating a calm, more relaxed you. I use it for brides and they can't believe how well it works. So if it can tame the nerves of a day-of bride, it can tackle anyone's daily stresses! And the best part...no chemicals! So you don't have to worry about side effects, allergies, nothing! Just spritz, breathe in deeply, and chill. They've got such an inventory of awesome products, a few of which I plan to highlight soon. But for anyone needing some anxiety reduction in their life, this is cheaper, safer, and more convenient than Xanax. And it smells nicer too!

Check your labels here

Halo = amazing

2009-06-10T10:09:00.000-07:00

So last summer I fell in love. With a face powder. It wasn't love at first sight, but it just seemed to grow on me. I'm not a real sucker for flashy sales people, pretty packaging, or cheap pitch lines. So when the Smashbox rep told me this Halo powder was "five foundations in one! and it has GOLD in it!", I wasn't impressed. And even after using it on my own face, I still wasn't ready to sign my name on the dotted line. Several days later, another artist I knew had picked it up, allwoing me to see it in action once again. Hmmmm....maybe it was worth at least one date? So I forked over the $60 for Halo in light. After using it to it's full potential during a photoshoot, I couldn't let it go. It is absolutely one of the most important products in my kit. Halo has several qualities that any girl could fall in love with. First of all, it does have gold in it. But the gold, along with other various minerals and light reflecting particles, work wonders in front of a camera. The light used for a pictures, whether it is natural or artificial, hits the face and all the light reflectors bounce it back, creating a glow for any complexion. Hence the name, Halo. You essentially have a halo around your face. It's gorgeous. It is also hydrating, which means that it keeps your skin from getting that powdery cakey look . Instead of sitting on top of your face, the powder buffs into your skin, making it a very supple application. Halo comes in four shades: fair, light, medium, and dark. Now, I know some people are like "Soooo, where does that leave me?". This color system will adjust about five shades. So if you're not sure where you fall between light or medium, it will work with your natural color to settle into a perfect fit. For those who get a smidge darker in the summer, this works great because you don't have to go out and purchase a brand new foundation. It also has amazing packaging, which has won awards! it shaves off a minimal amount of powder to avoid all that messy fluff you get when dipping your brush. No waste! Plus, it comes with a mini brsush and sample primer! And who doesn't love freebies?!

I use Halo in every shoot I do because it has worked so well. Brides love it because it can be used either instead of or on top of a foundation. And it makes any face look flawless on camera. As always, if you purchase it at Sephora, if you hate it, you can bring it back. But I know, you'll find the love of your life, just as I did.

Brittany, in sunlight

Brittany outside

Fabulous skin both ways! Halo love

Thanks to Mike Cowart at Myrick Studios for these!

Here's Becca wearing Halo, taken with a digital camera. Notice her healthy glow?

wedding day glam

2009-05-22T09:37:00.000-07:00

reason #1 to hire a pro artist for your wedding day-

your "normal day" makeup is NOT the same as your "camera-ready, want to look fabulous, this lighting is crazy" makeup.

Case in point:

Need I say more?

Not such a bad Habit

2009-04-30T06:14:00.000-07:00

So I rarely get to do any fashion work considering Nashville is just a baby when it comes to fashion. There are very few photographers that do it, mostly because they've got to eat and the work just isn't here! Well, I met Evan Baines at the bridal show this past January and we had been touching base periodically, when he called me Monday. His sister, Lindsey Boland, is a designer in Chicago. Now, I've heard a lot of people consider themselves designers, so I never know what to expect. But this girl not only makes her own clothing line, she owns a boutique called Habit. The goal of Habit is to promote the work of up and coming designers by offering their clothing and accessories for sale. Most of the pieces in the store are one of a kind or created in small quantities. So if you're looking for items that are original and everyone else isn't walking around in, this is the place to go. Check out this earring set from Alisha Louise Designs

adorable

Or this springy dress from Filly and Modaspia.

Love the pockets!

So you can see that there are super awesome duds going on in this store. But here is the real kicker. So Evan calls me because Lindsey has designed a dress that she needs photographed. He has lined up model, Crystal, to wear the piece and our goal is to really focus on the dress as it does have so much work put into it and such a large amount of detail. My job then, is to keep things simple, without being boring. Since it is fashion, and it is not a runway, there has to be something going on on the face. Alot of runway makeup is super minimal, which is fine, because the girls are moving so quickly and you want them to all blend together. No one face should stand out on a runway, which is why things are kept simple. But in a fashion photo there is a little more room for color and shape. Since Crystal is the only one in the image, we didn't have to worry about consistency. Also, the viewer will be looking at her a lot longer than someone sitting at a show, so we have to make sure her face is visually entertaining as well, without distracting from the clothes. Lindsey's dress was enough excitement on it's own, and with Crystal's loooooong body, things worked pretty well together. Here's a sneak peak!

Thanks Evan, Amanda, Crystal, and Lindsey!

more to come...

Mijune Pin Up shoot

2009-04-16T04:35:00.000-07:00

Ok, so these images are a tad old, meaning from last November or so. This was a shoot I did in Canada with the lovely Mijune. Mijune is a gorgeous, super thin, and fun model. She wanted to do a Pin Up inspired shoot with Allen Ko and they invited me to join! Allen became a friend of mine during my time in Vancouver and we shot together often. He is so organized and knows exactly what he wants, so our days usually went by smoothly and with great structure. And being that his "day job" is with Lays, he always had delicious new flavors of potato chips for us to try out. mmmm...chips. So this shoot comprised of Mijune, Allen, myself, and a fabulous hair stylist, Victoria and outstanding stylist, Beverley. Beverley came up with some unbelieveable vintage pieces and combined with Mijune's mother's fur, it was an incredible ensemble. I'm always amazed at people who can put together random articles of clothing and create something that completely works and looks amazing. So with lots of fur, low sodium dill potato chips, and red lipstick, here's what we got:

Other images are available at Allen and Mijune's sites.

FUSION

2009-04-02T05:03:00.000-07:00

I was invited about a month ago to participate at Fusion this year. Fusion is an arts event held at The Cannery Ballroom as a fundraiser to support the Minnie Pearl Cancer Foundation. Good times, let me just say. Myself, Robin Geary, and Amy Vasquez were the artists for Truly Alverenga's line. She uses such bright colors and flouncy fabrics. Think mutil colored tutus. So Robin and I did the base makeup for about 16 girls, and Amy finished them each up with a spash of color across the eye. (view pictures here) It was definitely in line with Truly's super exciting pieces. There were several bands and artists playing and an art show! So I've decided that when I'm all grown up, I'm going to buy art. There was some gorgeous work there and absolutely talented artists. I especially loved these pieces in particular that involved hanging glass with old chemical reactions having occured inside, creating patterns and bubbles that were illuminated by the sunlight. Sadly, I couldn't find the artist's info anywhere. boo. The day was filled with tornados and scary storms, with rain creeping in under the doors. (Yeeps! Watch the curling irons!) The Cannery is a very old buidling, so I was pretty confident it wouldn't be blown away. But either way, it was super cool times and I hope to be invited again next year.
oh! and p.s.- I'm on the 4th page of Google now! YEAH!!! www.amylynnlarwig.com

SEO

2009-03-26T11:11:00.000-07:00

Search Engine Optimization STINKS
So I tried this link and I'm supposed to post it so that the search engines can find me.

http://www.addme.com/submission/free-submission-start.php

I'm trying to come up with ways to help google find my website, because as of right now, it doesn't. Boo. Any suggestions?

Two Timin'

2009-03-25T05:30:00.000-07:00

I've been waiting on images the past few weeks, so excuse my lack of blogging excitement.
But alas! They are here!
A few weeks ago, I was invited to a shoot with The Two Timers. They are two really fun and talented ladies who are jammin out the local music scene. As a country duo, their music is similar to SheDaisy, upbeat and girly. It's the kind of music you sing extra loud in the car, coming down the interstate. Margaret is super sweet and gentle and Julia has a bit of an edge with her tattoos and bleach blonde hair. So the girls were in need of some new images and asked Adwina to shoot them. Adwina is incredibly accomodating and so easy to work for. I always love an easy going, but structured, photographer, as it makes the shoot so much more fun and productive. These images are great for someone like me, who needs to showcase their work with no distractions. The images are clean with very little to take away from the subject.
So here are the results of parmesan and garlic triscuits, free reign, and fun people:

Margaret was so excited that I could put makeup on her legs! No detail left undone.

Who doesn't love a girly curly faux hawk rendition?!

Humana Banana

2009-03-10T04:24:00.000-07:00

I'm getting a cover!!! Ok ok, so it sounds a lot cooler than it actually is. But Humana puts out a quarterly publication for all their senior members. They ask for submissions of photos and little life blurbs from their patrons and they select certain ones to be featured in the mag. Well, a delightful man from Lewisburg was chosen for the spring issue and I was asked to fancy him up for his big debut. Now, I believe I've been sworn to secrecy on the details, so I can't induldge further. But let's just say, this shoot was buck wild. One of the highlights of the day: getting to hold a two day old baby goat! Absolutely one of the coolest things ever! Little wrinkly face, floppy brown ears, and they cry like babies! But being the scatter brain I am, I didn't bring my camera to document this amazing event. *sad*
Thanks to super talented photographer Kristina Krug for having me out on such a beautiful afternoon. Kristina does a lot of advertising and lifestyle work and she also does an awesome exploration of the ladies of Magdalene. Being that I spend my days at The Domestic Violence Program, I also have an interest in this project that Kristina has created. (ps- the ladies at Magdalene and Thistle Farms make AMAZING hand lotion. All natural and super moisturizing, love it!) Definitely check out her work and keep an eye out for that Humana magazine!

Greek girls need lessons too

2009-03-02T05:55:00.000-08:00

Last night I had the pleasure of working with the girls of Kappa Delta at MTSU. They are doing a series for their girls involving presentation, attitude, communication, and enlarging your horizons. Now, usually I'm not a big fan of sororities. But Mary Ruth is a doll, and when she invited me, how could I resist? Besides, any opportunity to talk about my work and play with different faces sounds like a good time to me. I was supposed to fill 30 minutes of time, but it ended up being over an hour! (whoops!) These girls were just full of great questions and having such an awesome time, 30 minutes just wasn't enough. We discussed skin care, appropriate foundations and how to apply them, eyebrow shaping, lashes, and smudging eyeliner. I love to hear myself talk, so I am absolutely a fan of being able to discuss this stuff with an interested group. These girls were so receptive and really a lot of fun, so thanks to them all for listening to my rambling!

The early bird

2009-02-25T05:38:00.000-08:00

Here's a sneak peek from the birds shoot I did a few weeks ago at Nossi. T was a photographer in the class and she passed these along to me. Thanks T!!!

You can't really see the birds but more to come super soon!

eyeballs, eyesquares, eyetriangles

2009-02-19T04:26:00.000-08:00

Last night I met with Brittany, my April 4th bride for her consultation. Her Grandmother so graciously gave me reign over her kitchen table to spread out my ridiculous arsenal of supplies. And her mom was close by to oversee the process. I love working with brides because they are so cheery. Getting gussied up is one of the most fun parts of their wedding day, so they are usually super friendly to their MUA. And Brittany had some great ideas for how she wanted to look for her outdoor wedding at Baber House in Gallatin. As I was designing a look for Brittany, I discussed with her the shape of her eyes. She has these great, dark seductive eyes. In Brittany's case, her brow bone is more dominant than the rest of her lid. She doesn't have much eyelid, so her upper lid (the brow bone) is what you see when she is looking at you straight on. Everyone's eyes have different shapes. Some are too far apart, close together, droopy, protruding, deep set, etc. And the application of eyeshadow can really have an effect on that. The goal in applying shadow is to enhance the eye shape. In Brittany's case, it's important for us to push some of that dominant brow bone back in order to see the shape of her lid. Dark colors push back, light colors and shimmers bring forward. So we applied a darker color a smidge above her natural crease to push back part of that dominant lid, hence creating a higher crease. (is this making sense? are you taking notes?!) There are so many eye shapes, it would take forever to explain the application for each one. Now, you don't have to stick with the exact same application everyday. It's ok to wear colors in a way that is fun for you, but might not neccesarily be "for your eye shape". Who cares?! But for special occasions and any event involving pictures, you want to make sure you look your best. Which is why being aware of your eye shape and knowing which type of shadows work best and HOW they should be applied is super important. Makeup artists are trained to know things like this. We can look at a face, determine the shapes of that face, and use our products to enhance or diminish what we need to. So for days when you want to look A+++, bringing in the big dogs (aka: the MUAs) is never a bad idea.

Birds and Hairspray

2009-02-13T04:58:00.000-08:00

I really need to get better at this whole blogging thing.
So yesterday I had the pleasure of being invited to Nossi College of Art to help a photography class with their fashion assignment. The instructor, Grant, was great and the students really seemed to enjoy themselves. I was given free range (which I love!) to do whatever I wanted for hair and makeup for two girls that would be taking beauty shots. Being in Nashville, I don't get to do much involving quirky ideas and bold statments. Most everyone here is either a) a bride or b) in the music industry. So their makeup goals are to simply be "pretty". So rare is the occasion when I get to go wild. But at Nossi, I was given that freedom. Which is why "freedom" was kind of the theme for the look. I began thinking about how alot of my creative work has centered around negative emotions and feelings of entrapment. This is a new time in my life, and hopefully one of progress and positive building. I'd like to break away from all those negative emotions. So I was pondering this new found sense of freedom and decided to put it into a visual representation. BIRDS! Birds are a definite symbol of freedom and openness. So for this shoot, I did two looks. One with two fat red birds in a "nest" of hair. The other a white dove in a "cage" of hair. I feel more confident about the red birds rather than the dove, due to an unexpected change in models resulting in hair that is not easily formed. (long story) The CDs will be ready in one week and I will be sure to post the images. YEAH! Thanks to Katheryan and Amanda for letting me pin birds in their hair!

furry little face caterpillars

2009-02-06T04:35:00.000-08:00

Eyebrows... how scary they can be. Many times, eyebrows are so intimidating, they are left as unruly fuzzies atop the peepers. Others choose to subject themselves to painful hot wax or tweezing each individual hair one by one. A majority of people have no clue what they are doing, resulting in pencil thin. shapeless lines across their face. Or they give up altogether.

Eyebrows are a big deal, people! They can totally change someone's face, making them appear more alert, bright, and even younger. Overplucked brows are never a good idea and usually make you look like an alien. Brows that are totally untamed, or create the infamous "unibrow" can make the face look unkept and hard. So it's important to keep the eyebrows cleaned up. Eyebrow shaping is really not all that difficult. There are simply three lines to follow. A) Using a pencil, line it up against the nostril and draw an imaginary line straight up. Your brow hair should never come any further in than this line. B) Draw another imaginary line from the outside of the nostril through the outside of the pupil. This should be the highest point of the brow. C) Once again, outside of the nostril to the outer corner of the eye, the imaginary line should show you how long your brow should be.

I've seen alot of crazy looking brows. But this is the basic method I use for shaping all women's. Anytime the brow is not long, high, or full enough, it should be filled in with a color that matches the hair color and combed through. Still, some of you are going to be worried to attempt this one yourself.

I have the solution!

I offer eyebrow shaping, using two methods. First, is the basic tweeze. Most women are familiar with the tweezers and are comfortable with that level of pain and the end result. But, excitingly, I am learning a new method! It is called threading and is used in India. I learned about it while I was in Canada, hanging out with all the East Indian girls in my class. They threaded my eyebrows and WOW! I've never looked so open and vibrant! Plus, it is not nearly as painful as waxing, and it doesn't pull the skin like waxing does. And we all know, pulling on the skin so harshly and so often can result in a saggy eyelid later on. No sense in guranteeing the need for an eyelift! Another benefit to threading is it gets all the tiny baby fuzz. So that little mustache you have when the sunlight hits just right?...it can be gone too! Threading is great for facial hair and the results last for weeks with minimal tweezing in between visits. And considering the only eqipment needed is a spool of thread, the cost is low ($5!) and the service easily transportable. So for all your eye opening needs, I'm available!

Here's a before and after of my own threading experience

I used to shape my eyebrows very basically. Clean them up, give a bit of an arch.

After experiencing threading, this is what I got. Much thinner, but still a nice shape and a real eye opener.

Now, my eyebrows are very much like this, but with a little more oomph in the front of the brow. East Indian girls prefer brows much thinner than typical American girls, so I've altered the shape slightly. But you can see how much a little cleaning up can really brighten a face!

transmissions are poop

2009-01-26T12:51:00.000-08:00

Mark's car funked out on us this weekend. It's the transmission. Of course. Of all the parts to break, it had to be that one. Oh well. We'll figure it out...$2700 later. *grrrr*

So, to cheer myself up, I decided to look at potential wedding ceremony locations for my May wedding. We're a little behind, I know. But a 6 month trip to Canada throws things off just a tad. So then I got to thinking about how, if Mark and I were having an average wedding, I'd be totally freaking out right now, with no venue and all! (Thankfully, our wedding is teeny tiny, so I have no worries) But there are these little angels sent down to help a bride to be in her times of distress. These angels are more commonly known as wedding consultants. They will save not only your hair from being torn out, but your sanity as well. I had the privilege of meeting an awesome consultant named Courtney Hammon a few weeks ago. What a cool lady! First of all, she has FOUR adorable furry friends in her home that just love being where all the action is. I'm a big fan of fuzzy babies, so I welcomed their puppy love. And she also is a wedding consultant, from Disney World in Orlando! Now, seriously. Who wouldn't absolutely love to have a Disney wedding?! She has brought her expertise to the Nash and now does the coordination at Opryland and on her own. So I went to Courtney's house to fix up her makeup so she could have a super glam day. And not only does she have fluffy friends, Disney experience, and the hookup at Opryland...but she's also super nice! So, for those brides who are seriously considering the wonders of Xanax to tone down their moments of wedding panic, replace those anxiety provoking thoughts with a great consultant.

Now if only wedding consultants could fix transmissions...

party, pizza party

2009-01-23T07:11:00.000-08:00

http://www.williamsoncountyweddings.com/registration.html

So check this out. Amy Parman from CJ's Off the Square sent me this awesome invite to display to the world! They are having an open house so that everyone can come by to see their super fab invitations. They have all the frou frou and cutesy invites for your celebration needs! And the best part is, they are awesomely friendly and sweet ladies. And who can resist such nice people?!

Grand Canyon + beautiful people = a little MU help

2009-01-14T09:30:00.000-08:00

My friends Chris and Adrienne just got married last month. And they are fabulous. But I got a email from Adrienne last week asking for some help. Chris is out in the desert now, attending an event for photographers. Phoenix, Arizona to be exact for the Digital Wedding Forum Convention. Sounds intense. So anyways, being that Chris is there already, they've decided to do a followup bridal session in the GRAND CANYON! How awesome is that?! So here is where I come in. I get this desperate cry for help email because Adrienne is going to be having pictures done, but I obviously won't be there to do her makeup! So she needed a little lesson in making one's self glorious for the camera. Of course, I can't let my friend go all bare faced for this outrageously cool photo session. So I dropped over to her house and we had some one on one time. Makeup is undoubtedly an art, but majority of us cannot afford someone to come over every morning at 6 am to fancify us. We have to become our own mini artists. I enjoy giving out tips and how to's so that sitting in the bathroom at 6:30 am, baggy dark eyes, skin all dry and flaky, eyebrows going every way they aren't supposed to, it doesn't seem so hopeless. Knowing a cool way to apply eyeliner, or how to make your lip color last longer can totally change your look and give you a boost! One thing I would suggest to revamp your makeup: invest in brushes. If you are using those ugly little spongy things that come in the eye color pallette, shame on you! An eye color brush, lip brush, and cheek brush can transform the way your makeup goes on. Even the ones from Target are fine. You don't have to spend $50 on a brush or anything, just have the basic ones and your morning makeup routine will become so much easier. I can't wait to see the pictures from the Grand Canyon, as I am sure they will be breathtaking. With faces like Chris and Adrienne's, there's no way they could be anything less than fabulous.

I forgot about you

2009-01-06T09:05:00.000-08:00

oops...so I guess you want an update on what happened to me.
Well, I spent my last week in Canada packing my things and saying goodbye to people. I was in such a full force mode, I totally forgot blogs even existed. Some goodbyes were tearful, but I was so ready to go, those tears dried quickly. I got home December 3rd and spent the next few days reestablishing contacts and enjoying my time. Mark and I hit the apartment search hardcore, but to no avail. It's difficult finding somewhere to live. So we headed to VA for a Christmas extravaganza and two days after that return, we moved into our new place at The Players Club in Brentwood. We've spent this last week getting settled in. I picked up a contract spot back at my old job. I'm doing sexual assault education. I know I know, not at all makeup related. But a girl's gotta eat! It's only a 6 month spot, so it'll get us on our feet and it's super flexible which allows me to work freelance as well. I've done a few shoots since I've been home. Zach and Jody had pictures done for the launch of their new site. Check those out. They are incredible photographers and have helped me out tremendously. I also did the makeup for Chris and Adrienne's wedding. Those images are available in their blog. They, too, do unbelievable work and are good friends of Mark and I. They are also shooting my wedding! Love them, for reals. I've been keeping busy and hope to continue. But for now, I'm closing off this blog. I'll be starting a new one this month devoted strictly to my life as a makeup artist. It'll include images of my work and the juicy details on Nashville latest and greatest in the world of entertainment & bridal makeup.
Love.

tying loose ends

2008-11-25T19:15:00.000-08:00

Here's some more interesting Chinese cuisine. Always an adventure going to eat with Zach. One thingI can say about Chinese food, they don't waste ANYthing. No animal part goes into the trash, it's all eaten.

Fried chicken feet

tendons

balls of meat with caviar

Vanessa and me

I graduated last night. It's kinda silly because I actually have to attend one more class on Sunday. But I received a card and flowers. So here are all of us, minus a few girls who refuse to be friendly.

The lunch table, where many inappropriate conversations took place.

I really began packing today. It's probably still too early, but I couldn't help myself. 9 days left...get ready Nashville.

2 week mark

2008-11-19T17:58:00.000-08:00

2 more weeks. yessssss.

So I had a meeting with the career coordinator at my school on Monday. I wanted to discuss the marketing plan that I've come up with to promote myself as a freelance artist. Well, she basically told me that my plan was crap and that I was self centered. Long story short, she has made me second guess myself and now I'm kinda freaking out. I know in my gut that I am very good at what I do and that I can be successful in my career. Last week I was definitely confident and feeling like things were looking up for me. Now I'm scared to make a move. Frustrating. Things are winding down and I feel like I've utilized my time here well. So now is the point where I need to be proactive and lay things out before I get home so that I have work waiting for me. But gathering the courage to do so is starting to sike me out. ugh...

we didnt start the fire, it was always burning...

2008-11-16T20:29:00.000-08:00

18 days
So I have completed my resume and am taking it for review tomorrow. I'm feeling pretty confident about coming back and working.
I was at school today and in my efforts to save money, I got a kiwi and apple for lunch. total: $.82. Then my friend had some pineapple that she claimed was making her mouth burn. She was going to throw it away, so I told her to give it to me, since I was still hungry. Halfway through my second piece, I realized, she wasn't lying. For the next 2 hours, my mouth was on fire, my top lip got a blister and swelled, and all around my mouth and down my neck was tingling! I was itchy and red and it hurt like the devil! That pineapple was laced with cocaine or something, because it was horrible! It finally subsided.
I came home and changed into my PJs, when I noticed more burning. This time though, it was in my armpits! So now, as I type, my armpits are flaming and turning red. I keep spraying neroli oil on it, which provides relief for about 30 mins. I don't know if this is a result of the pineapple or is I'm having a sudden reaction to my deodorant for some odd reason. I've always heard that you sweat out toxins and such, so I guess it is possible that the bromelain (which is the enzyme in the pineapple that tried to keep me from ever eating again) could be coming out of my sweat glands in my pits. Weird.
Who knows what is going on with my burning flesh. But I thought I'd share, none the less.

My Kun Kun

2008-11-12T23:45:00.000-08:00

Seriously, one of the coolest kids I've ever met. Zach made this video for me and I am completely in love with it. He's been so awesome to me and nothing I could say or do would ever pay him back for the amount of friendship he's given to me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weq0rihhodA

It has launched

2008-11-12T00:14:00.000-08:00

www.amylynnlarwig.com

Go there, blow your mind, and tell all your friends about it.

career blast off!

2008-11-09T20:42:00.001-08:00

My website is almost completely updated! I'm going to be posting it ALL OVER the web once it's done. YEAH!!!
I'm also rewriting my resume this week with the help of my instructor. So next week, it will be sent out to several cosmetic counters/stores in Nashville.
The goal is to "wow" everyone before I even get back. If I can show my work to as many people as possible, there is no doubt that jobs will be ready for me once I get home. I need to work, I need to make money so Mark and I can get back on our feet, I need to pay for a wedding, and I need to make this career choice explode with possibility. I didn't come spend 6 months in rainy, cold Vancouver, alone!, just to end up selling Mary Kay. So, my faithful friends, start running your mouth about how fabulous I am to everyone you know!

Canada

2008-11-06T15:26:00.000-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QgSuVJ7Jpg

hilarious

This is what a feminist looks like.

2008-11-05T13:22:00.000-08:00

This was my last school photoshoot. I've got one more shoot scheduled for this weekend and I may schedule one more before I go. My website is being updated as we speak. I sent out an email for a job this morning. The ball is rolling.

So guess what...

2008-11-01T12:11:00.000-07:00

It's November!!! ONE MORE MONTH TO GO!!!

Things about November thus far:
I saw a man with a hook today. Like Capt Hook. It was really attached to his arm, no lie.
I have a final in 2 days and am freaking out.
There's no food in this house at all, so I'm hungry.

Tasks for the day:
buy barrier cream, mascara, and sponges for final
STUDY
PRACTICE

Mark your calendars. 12-03-08

keep on rollin

2008-10-31T11:36:00.000-07:00

4 weeks, 4 days.

I'm keeping busy with photoshoots and practicing my airbrush and updating my website. There will be several new pictures going on there in the next few weeks. My airbrush final is on Monday and i'm pretty apprehensive about it. I don't feel confident at all. 2 weeks to learn to use a new tool and plan a shoot just isn't enough time. I need more than that to really develop an idea and a skill. But after this comes the career portion of the course! I'll be rewriting my resume and updating my porfolio. I'm hoping to have a job waiting for me when I come back to Nashville. Until then, here's some recent work:

This is my roommate, Christine, on her way to a wedding. I did her hair and makeup that day.

This is Alana. Pictures by Lebrone Wade Photography. Hair and Makeup: Me

I'm grumpy

2008-10-22T16:12:00.000-07:00

6 weeks left exactly. HURRY UP!!! I'm on the home stretch and am so ready to sprint through. I walked outside today and headed down the hill, on my way to pick up some groceries. It was such a clear day. Well, since I'm on a hill, i looked out over all the houses and such and there it was...AMERICA! I saw Mt Baker, which is in Washington. A few months ago, Jameson took me high up a mountain to look out over all of Vanouver and from there, I first saw Mt Baker. When you're in the Space Needle in Seattle, they tell you that for only 90 days out of the year it's visible. So I was quite surprised to see it peeking over the skyline. It gives me a little thrill to see it there, because it makes me feel closer to home. It's weird how something so far away can make you feel so close.

Here it is from the Space Needle, in the background. I saw it even more clearly today from the top of my hill!

I also saw this big rainbow the other day on my way to school. It was a full complete arch across the sky. Maybe seeing these two surprises are little signals to keep being strong. I'm almost there.

Fashion Final

2008-10-21T17:31:00.000-07:00

So here are the pictures, but with no retouching yet. I'm going to mess with the lighting and stuff when I learn photoshop next month.

downhill

2008-10-18T18:14:00.000-07:00

I'm back from VA. What an awesome 10 days. I had a party for Mark, where I rented a theater and showed his short film from film school for all his friends and family. He was so surprised! We went shopping for fall clothes, I saw old friends from high school, and Mark and I got a lot done in preparation for my permanent homecoming. I also got to spend a great deal of time with Mark's sister, Tina. The more we talk, the more I love her. I really feel a closeness to her that I didn't before and I am so happy that we are beginning to form that sisterly bond.

But I'm here now and my countdown is officially started: 6 weeks, 3 days. The next month and a half is going to be very busy trying to get stuff done before I come home. I'm so thrilled though to be this close to completing this journey. Leaving Mark definitely doesn't get any easier, it actually gets more difficult. Each time I see him, I find more things that make him such an amazing man and I appreciate him so much more. So the more I discover what it is that comprises him, the harder it becomes to leave him behind. This time apart though has truely given me a new appreciation for our relationship and for how we fuel each other in life. I can't wait until I can call him my husband! For the next 6 weeks, I'm going to keep focused on the end result and on getting back to him safely so that we can finally start our lives together.

My goals in this last month and a half of my Canadian adventure:
- contact ALL local wedding vendors to inform them of my arrival, so they can get my name out to all upcoming brides
- find a steady job for that guaranteed paycheck
- make appointments with apartments for us to check out ASAP
- make appointments to view wedding locations for us
- update website with all new images from school/photo shoots
- rock out in the airbrush module

Send me love

I rocked it

2008-10-07T00:36:00.000-07:00

So I had my fashion final tonight. It turned out awesome. I was so relieved because I spent so much time preparing for this one and really thinking it through. Here are some pictures I took, but the professional ones will come in a few weeks.

I call it "Chaotic Misery".

Yeah for me!!!

Tomorrow, I'm traveling to Seattle, where I will catch a plane to Norfolk. Then I get 10 days with my sweetheart! SO EXCITED!!! Wish me a safe flight!

more of Sahar

2008-10-03T09:17:00.000-07:00

photo shoots

2008-10-01T00:05:00.000-07:00

Juliana is always a joy to work with. She's gorgeous.
www.paulmphoto.com

http://www.modelmayhem.com/137342
This is Nicole. I wasn't greatly thrilled with this shoot, which took place when I first got here. It was rushed, the wardrobe selection lacked, and I wasn't happy with my work. Her foundation was a terrible match, but I couldn't tell because we were in a bathroom with yellow lights. Well, when we got into the natural light outside, it looked pretty grimey. So I can't use of the images from the shoot for my book. Oh well, at least I learned something from it. Do makeup in the light you will be shooting in!

Basic actor shots. I sprayed him down with a water bottle! ha ha! good times!

This is Sahar. Beautiful girl, so I didn't have to do much work. I wanted her to look very sunkissed.
http://www.modelmayhem.com/47219

It was fun to do something different with Carly. She's very new to the game.
http://www.modelmayhem.com/717845

Bmac

2008-09-30T23:27:00.001-07:00

I went to that fashion show last weekend I must say, I wasn't impressed. It was totally disoragnized and the model were literally bumping into each other in the runway. Don't any of these girls watch America's Next Top Model?! I mean, hello! Learn to walk, please. I did not spend $30 on a ticket to watch you zigzag down the runway. Their incredible akwardness made it difficult to see the clothes as did the seats we had on the third floor balcony! Geesh! I looked good though, so that's the most important thing!

Dresses made entirely of paper. By far, the coolest thing there.

Dang, I'm good.

So I decided to post some more pictures from school. That is why I'm here! We've been working on B&W makeup recently. So here's some stuff just from my digital camera.

This is Ana. She's Mexican and hilarious.

This is Jas. I did her face. I'm getting alot of experience with various skin tones, which is super helpful.

This is Sonia in her Indian garb. Indian bridal makeup consists of lots of bright colors, gold, black eyeliner and pretty sparkles.

This is a runway look I designed. I didn't physically apply the makeup here, I just told other people what to do and how I wanted it to look.

Jas turned me into a 1984 hooker. Our midterm was to do decade makeup, so she chose the 80s obviously.

Some girls from class are coming over tomorrow to do practice runs for our final. I'm sure many pictures will be taken.

huh?

2008-09-30T00:48:00.000-07:00

Does anyone even read this crap anymore?

Going to VA next week to see my lover.

mini China

2008-09-18T13:50:00.001-07:00

Everyone knows that Vancouver is filled with Asians. It seriously is a mini Asia, being that white people are a minority. And I've seen probably 6 black people since I've been here. No exaggeration. Therefore, I've been exposed to many new foods and cultural tid bits.

I've been spending alot of time with an 18 year old Chinese kid named Zach. He goes to the Vancouver Film School and he has been here for 2 years. When he came, he didn't speak any English so he's been through some tremendous transitioning in the last two years. I helped him out with a video he was working on, and in return, he took me to eat. Since then, we've been to eat several times and let me tell you, there are some quite interesting Chinese munchies. Sesame chicken is NEVER on the menu. Our American version of Chinese is nothing like the real thing.

We went to a sushi bar (which is technically Japanese) last week and I ate tempura vegetables, edamamae, miso soup, coffee flavored Jello with cream, corn cakes, avacado rolls, etc. It was all you can eat so you know I got down.

beans = delicious

squid looks like guts. Zach's favorite. Ugh...

Many Many Jellos later

Then a few days ago, we went to a traditional Cantonese restaurant. I was literally, the only non Asian in the building, making for quite an akward lunch. The tables have plastic table cloths that are replaced after each guest, in my opinion, because Asian people are the sloppiest, loudest, diners in the world. The waitresses walk around with carts filled with food, and when they pass, you just stop them and ask for whatever you want off their cart. They walk around like stadium vendors, shouting out the types of food (in Cantonese) they have on their cart. I ate various dumplings and such. But my favorite thing was this "Chinese hamburger". It's not a hamburger at all, but more of a dessert. It's like a white cakey bun, and inside is this yellow stuff. Zach says it's milk, egg and sugar. But it's awesome. I got some to go and have been snacking on them for three days. By far, my favorite.

best hamburger I've ever eaten.

Finally, in celebration of Cowboy's (another Chinese kid) birthday, we went to a traditional Japanese restaurant. Well, it was.....different. I ordered Udon noodles with vegetable and prawn tempura. Safe bet, right? Not really. It was brought out on a box, with the veggies and prawn on top of the noodles. Beside the noodles is this little cup of liquid and a tiny speckled egg, top taken off, and raw. So, Cowboy takes the egg, dumps it into the liquid, drops in some wasabi, and stirs it up. Then he tells me to dunk each bite of noodles in the mixture! what?!?! Are you serious?! There's raw egg in there. In America, we call that SALMONELLA!!!! But, trying desperately not to be rude, I lightly dipped the tips of my noodles in the swirly mixture and swallowed it. It didn't taste like much. A little sweet I guess. But I couldnt get rid of my fear of death inducing food poisoning. I ate a few more bites and encouraged everyone else to try as much as they wanted. We also ate grilled eggplant & asparagus, two kinds of rice cakes, seaweed, edamamae, and tofu. I liked the grilled veggies best.

tiny bird eggs are not my thing

That's my food adventures as of late.

I'm also learning Chinese. It's pretty stinkin cool.

In other news, I had a midterm on Monday which went well. It was a recreation of the 1960s makeup. Kinda boring. I'm getting ready for my fashion final in 3 weeks, which should be really cool. I also booked a flight to Norfolk for Oct 7th, so I will be with Mark for 10 days. This is the longest we've been without each other and it's starting to eat away at me. I'm so thankful we worked it out so that I could come. And once I get back, there will only be 6 weeks left. I just couldn't go the rest of the time without seeing him. He's such a boost for me, giving me encouragment and drive, that without him I begin to find myself sinking into this dark abyss. Mark and are very good at maintaining our individuality. But we also are a part of each other. So it's important that we get to rejuvenate every few weeks.

Much Love...

is it time for the countdown?

2008-09-12T11:38:00.000-07:00

11 weeks, 5 days.

I made a new friend today. She just waltzed into my room, actually. I think she belongs to the people upstairs, but we keep our front door open on nice days (note: no air conditioning in Canada, must have circulation) so she just made herself comfortable. And we all know, I never met a friend I didn't like, especially the furry kinds.

So I had a few mini adventures this week. I went to purchase tickets to a fashion show that's coming up in 3 weeks. I'm super excited. Two girls from class and I are going and we're going to dress up in an attempt to look much more fashionable and money loaded than we actually are. It will definitely be good time. The flyer promises food, music, and acrobats!

I also went this week to buy my first ALL NATURAL skin care and hair care set!!! (see below for reasoning) WOO HOO!!! Needless to say, I smell divine. I'm looking forward to seeing how these products affect my skin and hair. Especially since upon coming to Vancouver, my face began accommodating many red, inflamed, ugly, uninvited guests who have absolutely out stayed their welcome. I am also really doing super well with my new eating plan. Rarely does something artificial or doused in chemicals touch my lips. And I'm sticking strongly to the meat free way. It's quite easy to let go of the meat. And considering I'm a southern girl who adores fried chicken and collard greens soaked with a fat ham hock, I would have never thought it possible. Unintentionally, I've lost weight which I guess is a benefit from all these changes. I'm anxious to continue on my all natural quest.

Speaking of all natural, I've been doing alot of thinking about chemicals in my products I use. And considering my line of work, it's pretty important that I know about ingredients and how they affect the body. I mean think about it. In one day I use the following:

shampoo, conditioner, body soap, face soap, toner, moisturizer, hairspray, toothpaste, deodorant, lotion, makeup (in various forms), shaving cream. Then on a fairly often basis I use: nail polish, foot oil, hair wax, hair polish, etc. WOW. That's alot of crap. So I started to look at some labels. Oh, and by the way, the FDA does not approve cosmetics, nor do they require ingredients be listed on the labels. So I'm checking out some of the product labels that do have their contents listed. Why can't I pronouce majority of these? So I start to do Google searches for them and am quite surprised by my findings. To find a comprehensive list of the chemicals in personal care products and their effects go here. Check your labels. You'll be surprised.

I'm doing a photo shoot tomorrow and am waiting on a few images from the more recent ones. Will be posting and updating the website as soon as I get some good ones.

Future plans include:

find natural makeup....huge challenge to undertake.

try to figure out a plan to visit Mark in October. Fund raiser, anyone?

do sketches for Fashion course final

Still missing home. Send some love.

happy brides

2008-09-02T11:59:00.000-07:00

Well, what do you think? Keep in mind, the images are totally unedited. I made the dress and did all her accessorizing, hair, and of course, makeup.

images to satisfy your curiousity

2008-08-28T11:50:00.000-07:00

I made a day trip to Seattle last week, so I figured I'd throw in a few pictures.

This place was called Sisters, it was in an alley and sold sandwiches and salads.

They made a perfect focaccia bread. And their cheese was unbeatable.

Mt Baker is in the background. I can also see Mt Baker from Vancouver.

Space needle

And we can't forget about graduation festivities.

The whole fam at Mark's grad.

*love*

wedding extravaganza

2008-08-28T11:38:00.001-07:00

We've changed the date...again. This time I refuse to change it. It's July 25th, officially. We decided adding on a couple of extra months would give us time to save more. Since I have so much free time and the weather is getting ugly again, I've taken up some hardcore wedding planning.

Here's the basics:

eco-friendly

outdoor ceremony

custom made dress!

hydrangeas

organic food

taa daa!!! that's what I have figured out so far. I'm getting a little excited about it again. I lost my luster for a while because I felt like no one was being supportive of the whole thing. My parents aren't exactly the type to get super involved, so I felt pretty alone in the excitement phase. I've reopened the books and started to nosy around online and I've rejuvenated my enthusiasm.

In other news, I made a dress this week. My bridal final required that my model wear a wedding dress. Being the cheapo that I am, i refuse to spend money buying a bridal gown for someone else to wear for a 10 minute photo shoot. So I went looking for a cheap white dress I could fancy up. It is definitely not the season for white dresses, so my next option was to purchase fabric and make it myself. I'm actually quite impressed with the final product considering I've never made clothes before in my life and I had no pattern. I'm used to making pillows and curtains, not wearable pieces. I'll post pictures of the photo shoot so you can all gawk at my talent. Final is this Sunday so cross your fingers for me.

Koreans are liars

2008-08-24T19:21:00.000-07:00

So here's the run down on things post-LA/Nashville trip.

I loved every second of my trip home. I spent much needed time with Mark and family. I loved it so much, that they had to basically force me on the plane. Since I've been nack, I've been having a very difficult time. When I first made this commitment in January, I did it under the impression that Mark would join me after he graduated in August. This would leave my last three months here, with him. Well, I now know that if Mark came here, he could not obtain a work permit and therefore, would have nothing to do, when he could be at home working and saving for us. So he's not coming. Which means I'm here alone until December. This is not what I signed up for.

So i moved into the new place and wish i hadn't. I miss my old friends and the comfortable atmosphere. Here, I feel like I'm living in someone else's space. It's very weird. i tried to get my old room back, but it's filled. School is fine and I was happy to get back to learning some new stuff. Vancouver is rainy again.

So anyways, since I've been back, my anxiety is through the roof. I just want to be home. I want to be away from this place. I feel like, "ok, I've had my experience, It's been fun. But I'm done now". I have been here exactly 3 months tomorrow. And I have three months and 9 days left. Halfway. I have no intentions of quitting, I'd be too disappointed in myself. But there are definitely times when I don't feel capable of being here anymore.

I decided to look into plan tickets for an october visit. They're looking to be around $400. Well, considering I have no job, $400 may as well be 1 million. So I talked soe Korean boys into letting me tutor them 4 days a week for $60 per day. They were all excited about it...until i get the call today that they "changd their mind". JERKS!!! If I had that job I could have gone home for a visit! Now, I can't! Thanks alot, korean boys, for RUINING my dreams!

I don't know if any of this made sense, but I tried. So yeah. Send some love my way. I'm sad.

me, only worse

2008-08-16T08:53:00.000-07:00

I haven't written in a while because all I can seem to say is negative things. I went home and had an awesome time. Mark graduated and our family was all together to be there for him. Good times. Then I came back here. And I realized how much I want to come home. So since my level of excitement for life has plummeted, I've decided to keep my mouth shut. No sense in bringing everyone else down too. Maybe next week I'll re-spark.

grizzly bears do NOT belong in cages

2008-07-28T12:39:00.000-07:00

So the internet has been atrocious for the last week and some. Therefore, my email responses, skype calls, and blog postings have been slim/nonexistent. But, good news! I found a new place to live. It's a basement suite with two other Canadian girls only 5 blocks from my current homestay. So that takes care of my dilemma as far as food/money/internet. I've had several mini adventures the last week as well. Including, but not limited to:

raccoons- went for a walk the other day and saw momma and 5 babies! Of course, being the genius that i am, I had my camera available and images of the furry family can be seen by clicking here.

Grouse Grind- 1.8 miles, 2800 feet elevation gain, and 2830 stairs to climb. It's intense and amazing. Afer taking 2 hours and 5 mins to complete, I chowed down on french fries and a "Beavertail". Being out of my character to induldge so heavily at one time, I felt like a bowling ball afterwards. But the Beavertail is undoubtedly a perfect sweet treat to reward yourself after a 2 hour hike up a mountain. A pita like flat bread, covered in cinnamon and sugar, it is impossible to stop eating until there just isn't anymore left. We also watched the lumberjack show and saw grizzly bears. I've determined that grizzly bears are terrifying and they will eat your face off.

Free samples- Mario Badescu is a high end skin care line that I used to sell back when I worked n a retail cosmetic store. Several of their products have been featured in magazines, especially the miracle serum called "drying lotion" that claims to be a zit zapper from the gods. After battling with some pretty rough breakouts since moving to Van, I decided to try it out. It does work. And I do recommend it for anyone with little/giant friends that like to visit their face uninvited. Since I like this product, I was reading about their other products online. After filling out the skincare survey, I had to option to order free samples. I figured they probably wouldn't send me any, or I'd have to pay s&h of $20. But I clicked the link anyway, and to my suprise, I got a package in the mail with 6 new products! All in mini sizes that will probably last about 1 1/2 weeks or so! No shipping paid! It was honestly totally free! You should induldge. I mean, everyone loves free things.

Biggest news of all: I'm leaving tomorrow!!! I'm going to LA to meet with Mark. We'll spend 5 days there and then begin our trek through the southwest to arrive at my parents after 3 days driving. Mark's parents will meet us there and he will graduate Aug 9th! I am SO glad to be coming home. Sadly, I don't plan on making any visits. There just isn't enough time and with Mark's family being there, we have to spend our time visiting with them. But I would like to invite everyone to attend the graduation ceremony August 9th at 10 am at the Murphy Center at MTSU. We would be thrilled to see your smiling faces!
Expect many more pictures this time.

death by hair dye

2008-07-15T10:54:00.001-07:00

I'm in the hair module now, at school. Hair is absolutely not my thing. I'm not good at it and it frustrates me often. Hence the reason I pay someone else to do my own. But the module is suprisingly fun, and we've been having a good time just being girly. Above is a photo of what Upasna did to my do', then shortly after she placed a veil in it, which I wore the remainder of class. Veils always make a girl feel special.
The nexy photo is what I did to her hair. I was rather proud considering how much I detest my usual lack of hair ability. Upasna's hair is actually down to the middle of her back. So with a few twists and pins, we shortened it into a cute little fluff. My final is in 2 weeks, and I have much practicing to do. But I think I'm progressing!

Also yesterday I had a photo shoot with Jameson, my photographer adventure friend. We went to Golden Ears Park, which was goregeous. We visited the waterfalls and the water is so amzingly clear. You can see in the following photos how clean it is. The water is runoff from a glacier so its quite cold. It was an awesome place to spend the day, and the weather was perfect too. Hopefully some good images will come from it. These are a few I took with my camera.

I swore ET lived in this woods. I told Jameson that if ET ran out from the brush, I'd kick him in the head. I think that's him behind that tree. My foot was ready for a power punch to the dome.

Clear river. Cold river. I imagined that salmon would be jumping and swimming. But there weren't.

BC, "the best place on earth". That's their slogan. I have to disagree, but they definitely have some beautiful scenery.

So in my efforts to expand myself creatively and personally, I've been doing a lot of reading and thinking. Recently, I've been quite interested in the way food affects our health. Which then led me to think about how our lifestyles affect our health. Further, I thought about how the products we use daily affect our health. I could go on a wild tangent about my thoughts on this topic, but the bottom line is that all the chemicals we take in through food, personal care products, and household items cannot possibly be good for us. So I've decided to work on making a lifestyle change that will involve removing the chemicals from my body and home. Many of you have heard me on this rant before, and since moving here and into a home where rice, meat, and MSG are fed 3 times per day, I had given up my efforts. But there is no reason I shouldn't live in a way that promotes my general well being. My life is my business and for so long I've been making exceptions in my choices because of other people. I started eating meat again when I moved here to avoid hurting the host-lady's feelings. But I feel strongly about not eating meat from slaughterhouse animals. So why should I have to sacrifice my ideals for someone else? The problem is: I cannot live the way I desire within the confines of this home. I love these people, I love my room, I love the area. But I don't love the way I feel about my life and my body. I've been looking for other living arrangements the past few days and I feel confident I can find something else. This will enable me to cook my own food and strive to achieve a natural diet. Then I plan to take small steps to reduce my chemical use, and therefore help not only myself, but also the environment. There's a great book that puts these ideas about food into an easy to follow outline. It's called SuperFoods. Read it. Feel better.

afterglow

2008-07-10T13:46:00.000-07:00

So I came back from LA last Saturday night. I must say, it was well worth the trip. Seeing Mark was an instant rejuvenation. I undoubtedly feel closer to him now than when we parted and I think both of us have a more clear vision of our goals and how to achieve them together. We didn't do a damn thing. Just enjoyed each other's conversation out by the pool for 4 days. LA has perfect weather for tanning. It was nice just to be with him, with no agenda. I didn't take but one picture which is entirely too provocative to show.

This week had been filled with lots of pondering on how to get going on some more advanced photo shoots. So I've sent out multiple emails and postings and I have two shoots scheduled this week and several in the upcoming weeks. I am working on some sketches for new ideas to run by a few photographers and hopefully something more daring will take form, unlike the basic "pretty" stuff I've been doing. That stuff bores me.

I don't really have anything new to report. I'm going today to purchase thought provoking reading materials. Maybe that'll stimulate me.

spontaneity is neccessary to keep me entertained

2008-06-30T15:22:00.000-07:00

I can't stand it anymore. I'm going to LA...tomorrow!

Sometimes, you just gotta live.

Pictures will follow.

adventures!

2008-06-27T23:30:00.001-07:00

Ok, update.

I went to a park today, Lighthouse park. It was super cool and I saw the biggest slug EVER. So I had to post pictures of my adventures.

maybe there's a bear in there! Let's go see!

me, attempting to rock climb

biggest slug on Earth

That is the Pacific Ocean

I have a few pics from school, nothing too serious.

Kristina and I, one eyelash each

Upasna, with her lime green eyeballs, courtesy of me!

who drinks clam juice?!

2008-06-24T22:56:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I had a photo shoot today. It was for the same designer that I worked with before to get some more fashion-y stuff. He still wanted the drag queen extraordinaire. I became very frustrated with myself about halfway through because everything kept messing up on this girl's face! And the more I tried to fix, the worse it got. It turned out fine, but nothing like I had hoped. The second girl went much better. But the shoot took place in this really cool house with a Beautiful view of a golf course and a HUGE deck. The windows are doors were all open so air flowed through the house and it was a perfect day. Super blue sky, nice breeze, about 72 degrees, sunshine. I loved it. The shoot was very long (11 hrs) and I was obviously irritated, so by the end, when the home owner handed me a drink I was in desperate need. I wanted to take it and enjoy it in the wonderful weather Vancouver had so graciously and oddly bestowed upon me. What I thought was a vodka infused treat, turned out to be much more interesting. Imagine this:
pale red in color
a pickled bean and asparagus stalk
ice
smidge of vodka
clam juice

sound gross? well, it should, because it was horrendous! It tasted like the ocean mixed with V8. Nasty nasty Canadians. Needless to say, that drink remained in its cup.

I'm making a strong effort to be outside as much as possible. So yesterday during my walk I took pictures of flowers, for my mom. I'm keeping an online album for her. One thing BC has, is gorgeous brightly colored flowers. I also made a friend along the way. I named her Snuffles because she made my nose run when we met. She's in the album too. Check it out

I have several photo shoots scheduled this week, along with my FINAL for this module! Scary! Wish me lots of luck and keep an eye out for new postings of my images from these upcoming shoots!

no sheets=no sleep

2008-06-21T23:00:00.000-07:00

It's 11 pm and I'm bored out of my mind. I'm waiting for my sheets to dry, because I finally found those pesky bed bugs and had to change my entire mattress. gross. But I'm glad we found them and now have officially ridded my room of them. I was starting to look like I had a flesh eating disease. I'm supposed to be studying, but just like all my other 17 years of school, I'm not. Studying doesn't do much for me. I learn visually. So if I practice, I learn much better than if I read some outdated, misspelled notebook that some guy put together in an effort to make this class challenging.
I've been pondering today. I've been pretty homesick lately, and for those of you who know me well, you know that anxiety is something I deal with regularly and to an extreme. For those of you who don't know me as well, anxiety is something I deal with regularly and to an extreme, so now you know. My goal when I came here was to immerse myself in my art and to completely enjoy the city and all the new experiences. That is still my goal. But part of enjoying myself here is becomming realized by my total lack of an agenda. Apart from Sunday 10-6 and Monday 6-10, I have absolutely nothing to do. I can plan whatever I want, which includes complete nothingness. I've spent since age 15 working and going to school. After graduating, I worked full time. Now, I only have to account for 12 measly hours of my week. It is ok to spend a day sleeping until 12, reading in the sunshine, painting my toenails 4 times, and watching reality crime shows. I felt a little guilty for not having an event planned every day I wasn't in school, but now, I don't feel so bad. Because part of my fun in being here, is just doing alot of self reflection and enjoying life as is. That's my boredom rant for the evening. I guess I should go read some nonsensical wisdom that's supposedly going to improve my makeup skills now.

bed bugs and fish heads

2008-06-17T12:21:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to Sandi, Lela, Joey, and Alvin!

This week, 4 people in our house have a birthday. So last Friday we had a cookout! Some of the Chinese were quite puzzled by hamburgers. Alvin refused one all together. He says in China, people don't use a grill much, so the food usually turns out bad when they attempt. So he's not much of a burger eater. Gaby fixed his burger, complete with meat patty and bun. That's all. I think he's afraid of ketchup. We had cake and sang Happy Birthday, 4 times, blowing out candles each time. It took forever.

Tin Tin
Our lettuce comes from the backyard!
Joey, the grill master
Nika

I've decided that shopping in Canada is not going to work for me. Everything is more expensive here and the tax is 13%. No thanks. But I did go to the biggest mall in BC with 270 stores. It entertained me for a few hours and I bought a bra, so I was satisfied. You can never have too many bras.

Yesterday I went to Granville Island. It's full of shops, art galleries, and good eatin! A photographer that I met (Jameson) took me and we walked around all the stores and galleries filled with Native American art. Apparently, that's a big thing here. There's a large Native population so there are lots of totem poles, carvings, and animal faces around. Then we went to a park and one of the "beaches". The beach was for dogs, no lie. There were probably 15 dogs running and playing in the water and sand with each other. Considering how much I love furry creatures, this intrigued me. The beach was somewhat of a let down. I'm used to lots of sand, gentle waves, and endless water. But the BC area is filled with jagged edges, islands, and rocks and trees. So the beaches look totally different. They are more like little sandy spots along the shore line of several bays and inlets. Jameson says that there is another beach where we can go and probably see whales and sea lions!!! I would absolutely pee my pants if I saw a whale. But the coolest part of the day was watching these guys, with giant kites skim across the grass. So bascially they have a giant kite that acts kinda like a parachute. It is attached to their bodies via a harness and they have a board on their feet with wheels. And they glide across the ground...fast. It is super cool. They can also do it on the water with a board that has no wheels. Unbelievable. This was the first day in 2 weeks that I got to enjoy the sunshine, which made a huge difference in my mood. I felt much more energized and bright. Thank God. But of course, today is back to cloudy. Ugh. Maybe tomorrow I'll be able to squeeze in a bit of vitamin D production.

I noticed yesterday I was quite itchy, and as I went to investigate the source of my discomfort, I was surprised bysmall red spots along my arm, back, and chest. hmmmmm...I know these spots. They're BED BUGS! Of course, I go into total panic mode and search the mattress, the sheets, etc, but I can't find any. Then it hits me. I borrowed a shirt from one of my roomates and didn't wash it first. GRRRRRR..... She said the shirt had been in a bag with some old clothes for a long time, so I'm 98% sure that's where they came from. Today I'm scalding all my bedding and clothing to make sure I get rid of them. gross. Until then, I'll remain itchy. But life could be a hundred times worse. At least I have an arm! So I won't complain.

Lastly, I found fish heads in the sink yesterday. Now, I am not a conesseuir of Asian cuisine. And there are some days, I don't know what is on my plate. But I usually eat it anyway and it's not too bad. After seeing fish eyeballs looking up at me from the sink, I couldn't eat the meal set before me. No thanks. Thankfully, Tina (the homestay guru) fixes more than one option for dinner, so the alternative to fishy deliciousness was actually my favorite meal of all, pancit. mmmmmm.... Gotta watch out for those creatures in my rice.

Power House Fashion Show

2008-06-10T12:13:00.002-07:00

Here are some better images of the models from the show.

I love rice

2008-06-07T21:54:00.000-07:00

These are 4 of my many housemates. I love them. We eat rice together every night.

Vancouver is for Trannies

2008-06-07T13:10:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the delay in updates. But I wanted to make sure I had lots to fill you in on. And I do. I hate Vancouver. It's cold (40s), rainy, and a lady was rude to me at the drugstore and made me cry. The bus is full of stinky armpits, people yell at you when you can't fit on the bus, and the door WILL shut on you, multiple times. No one has air conditioning, which makes every building very stuffy. Conclusion: Canada is for losers.

But on a much more positive note, I LOVE my host family. I live in a 3 story home with 17 other people. There are 13 students, the couple who owns the home and their 3 kids. I'm not joking. But you can't tell there are so many people here, because it is very quiet and SO clean. (Thank God) I have a little room and I share a bathroom with 2 other boys, Alvin and Gaby. But the best part: They are all Asian. Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Taiwanese, Filipino. I get three meals per day. I eat rice, lots and lots of rice. Everyone is so super nice and very helpful. The first night I was here, my internet wasn't working, so Alvin and Gaby helped me fix it all up. Since then, I've also gotten a couple of viruses, which they cleared. We all know I break computers so I, of course, appreciate their god given gift of Chinese computer wizardry. I love it and it makes me feel much better about the crummy weather and smelly bus.

And now, the best part. I got called last week to be the key makeup artist for a fashion show. Now, don't get too excited because it was just a high school designer and it took place in their gym. BUT, I got to take over the makeup department, had a team of 8 girls from my school (Blanche MacDonald), and over 200 people saw my work. The designer, Jack, although young is a tremendous talent. He has an obsession with transvestites and drag queens, and his collection features amazing gathering and free flowing sleeves all in prints and fabrics you'd find in your grandmother's decor. For the makeup, he wanted all the girls to look like drag queens. (doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but he's 18 years old and has 2,475 ideas flowing out at once!) So we did bright colors, sharp cheeks, BIG eyelashes, serious contours. It got a bit scary in there with all the glitter and hot pink! But it turned out well and everyone gave such awesome compliments. After 13 hours of work, I sat down to watch the show and was so overwhelmed by this feeling of total completeness. It really solidifies that this is the work I love. I'm so excited to finally be able to devote myself. Here are some pictures from the event. When the professional ones are available, I'll post them too! *love*

Here is my team of makeup artists!

Here are the Queens

pictures, finally

2008-05-28T14:31:00.000-07:00

These giant flower bushes are everywhere and in a bunch of different colors.

the mountains are HUGE, and they have snow on top! I'm going to get a better picture soon since this one doesn't do much for them.

this is my "crusie ship cabin"

This is the view from my room

school is cool

2008-05-27T17:14:00.000-07:00

I love my course already. I went last night and was so excited I could hardly sit still. It's pretty serious business. Missing more than 10% of any module, which range from 32-60 hours each, will result in automatic probation and with one more infraction, you're expelled. They don't play. There are quizzes and homework and studying all required. It's only 12 hours class time per week, but you're expected to go home and practice and study continuously. The director of the makeup dept really explained that making it in this business requires incredible work, but she assured us that this course will give us all the tools and knowledge needed to make it. FINALLY! Somebody gets it! I've spent so long trying to explain to other people what it is that I do and how I see my future, and no one ever understood what "makeup artist" meant. Everyone thought I wanted to work at Dillard's behind the Clinique counter. NO! I want more than that, and here, standing in front of me, was someone who knows how to get me there. It's awesome and made me feel better about being here. My goal is to totally immerse myself in this program and to breathe the art. I'm going to learn as much as possible and get the full feel for the creativity I have.

On another note; weird story. So I'm sitting in a coffee shop this morning getting really pissed off because the WI-FI signal is fading in and out and all I want to do is talk to Mark online. And this girl sits beside me. She asks if I'm looking for a roommate or a place to live. I tell her my situation and she begins to unfold this whole story about how she left Winnipeg for a boy and they broke up and now she has to move out and possibly move back to Winnipeg. She's 25, works one day a week, and has NEVER supported herself. Her mom has taken care of her from day 1 and her now ex boyfriends parents picked up where mom left off. Then she proceeds to ask me what she should do. Move back in with mom and finish her degree? Or attempt to stay here with a poor job and no money and move in with some guy she barely knows? now, wait. Why are you asking me? I'm minding my own business and you want me to tell you what to do with your life? By the way girl, you don't even know my name. So, I politely as possible tell her to do what she wants to do. Weirdo. I guess Universal Health Care doesn't include counseling of any sort, so perhaps she is forced to seek advice from strangers. Odd.

PS- sorry for the delay in pictures. Technology fools me at times.

Vancouver=scary

2008-05-26T11:47:00.000-07:00

So here I am. I'm in Vancouver, officially. The plane ride was no problem, smooth riding and a super lame movie made for a nice trip. I rode in a taxi for the first time ever which was quite an adventure. A little Arabic man that I swore was going to kill me before I even got to the hotel, managed to get me there in one piece for $25. The hotel is as expected: a shoe box. But it isn't too bad. No AC, so I sweated through the night. But it's clean and the toilet works, so I don't need much else.
This is definitely the most difficult challenge of my life thus far. I've never had a problem being on my own and really thought that this would be easy. but the closer that plane ride got, the more terrified I got. I spent my entire day yesterday crying uncontrollably. I'm sure I looked like an idiot sitting in the airport sobbing while eating my veggie burger. The reason I'm here is because I made a promise to myself to be the best possible person I am capable of being. I want to excel in my career so that I can provide everything for my husband and children. My ultimate goal in life is to be a great wife and in turn, a great mother. The only way to reach these heights is through sacrifice. I have to give up Mark, my family, my home, my comfort, so that I can attend this school and refine my skills, enabling my success as a high fashion makeup artist. So I'm feeling slightly overwhelmed and definitely sad. Totally scared. I hope that in 6 months I can look back at this posting and say, "I made it".

Leaving the Boro

2008-05-21T20:48:00.000-07:00

So only 3 days left. I'm kinda freaking out. I wanted to say thank you to all my loves at DVP. They threw me an awesome lunch party at Millers and gave me a very full money tree. But more than that, they were an amazing group of people to work with and offered many laughs and much support and encouragement. I'll definitely miss them.

So anyways, packing is an extremely arduous task with which I am still involved. The next fews days will be spent cleaning, packing, and trying to keep level headed. I'll write once I get there to let you all know if they let me in. If they know what's good for them, they really should think it over long and hard.

for you, my loves

2008-05-08T08:16:00.000-07:00

I'm super new to all this blogging excitement, so bear with me as I learn. I set this thing up so that all my dearests can follow me on my adventures in Vancouver and beyond. Over the next 6 1/2 months, I'll try to document through words and pictures all that occurs during my journey. Please, induldge.