it does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.

2013 is underway, and I couldn't be happier about it!

One thing I have been trying to do this year is to take time to be social and have fun. Last year, I got so caught up with trying to be productive all the time, that I stopped letting myself have a life. So, with that said - here are some of the highlights of my life lately.

 

 

What have been some of the highlights of your life lately?

Also, don't forget to enter the giveaway for the $80 Msdressy Gift Voucher!

xo Shannon

love is when you meet someone who tells you something new about yourself.

"I love you - those three words have my life in them."
- Alexandrea to Nicholas III

The last year has been the happiest and most fulfilling of my life.

Thank you for everything you are and for everything you bring out in me.

xo Shannon

rich and rare were the gems she wore.

Sometimes the perfect accessories can inspire the rest of your look. This happened to me recently!
I was lucky enough to receive a couple of  new accessories, and they totally inspired my hair, makeup, and outfit for a night out.

The gorgeous Paris-inspired earrings are from Clothing Loves (Left)

The heart-shaped ring is from eFoxCity.

Going to dinner and a movie, I wanted to incorporate these accessories into a casual look, but keep it classic and polished at the same time. So, I opted for a simple updo with a bit of volume, a smokey cat-eye look with glowy cheeks, and pastel colours for the clothes.

This is how the look turned out:

What accessories have you added to your collection lately?

xo Shannon

confessions of a blogger.

Recently, Meghan from Mainly Meghan tagged me in her "Confessions of a Blogger" tag. I really loved reading her answers, so I thought I would post my own.

When did you start a blog?
I started the creation of beauty is art. in July of 2011. 

Have you had any past online presence before? (Other blog, youtube, ect.)
I briefly dabbled with another blog - one focused on music. The posts were more like random articles I had written about new CD releases or a review of a concert. Beyond that, nothing major. 

Why did you start a blog?
My dream has always been to write. After I graduated from University, I was having trouble finding writing jobs or an internship. I started this blog as a way to keep myself motivated and to showcase what I could do. 

When did you become serious about starting a blog?
One day, I was hit with inspiration for this blog, and it has been a big part of my life since then. 

What was your first post?
My first post was an introductory post that outlined my reasons for starting a blog.

What has been your biggest challenge about blogging?
 My biggest challenge has definitely been making sure that I have enough time to really put my all into every post. Sometimes it's hard, but I've done my best!

Where do you see your blog in 1 year?
You know, I really hope that it just continues to grow and get better in the next year. That's all I can really hope for and work towards. 

What is the most rewarding thing to you about blogging?
Being able to express myself and to write for an audience is an incredibly rewarding experience. I feel very lucky that anyone reads my blog at all. 

What is the most discouraging thing that has happened to you?
In terms of blogging, there hasn't really been anything thus far.

What's your lasting source of inspiration or motivation?
Beauty and fashion are a huge inspiration to me on a daily basis, so this certainly helps to keep me motivated. Also, reading other blogs is a great source of inspiration as well. 


I tag - all of the amazing bloggers out there with a story to tell!

xo Shannon

perhaps all the dragons of our lives are princesses who are only waiting to see us once beautiful and brave.

This Christmas, I was lucky enough to receive a couple of things from the Cinderella line at Sephora. The first I am going to be reviewing, is the Fairytales Do Come True Storybook Eyeshadow Palette.

As you can see from the picture above, the packaging is lovely. It definitely maintains the elegance and romance you would expect from a Cinderella line. One detail I really love about this palette, is that the case is lined with velvet, and the set of eyeshadows can pop out. This leaves you with a really nice little jewellery case, if you so wish. Such a pretty detail!

Now, onto the eyeshadow reviews and swatches!

To start with, I adore the names of the eyeshadows. They are so cute! From Pumpkin Coach to Gus Gus, they really stay true to the theme of the line. There are also a lot of really fantastic shades in this set...and some that are just meh.

If you love matte shadows, then definitely give this palette a miss. This set is all about shimmer! I personally love a good shimmery shadow, so these worked really well for me. There are a couple of matte shades in this set. However, I didn't feel like they gave a whole lot of colour pay off. You really had to work to build the product up.

The first two rows of shadows had some good, light shimmery shades, and some not so thrilling matte shades. However, the bottom two rows of eyeshadows are incredible. They are rich, pigmented, and the colours are stunning! Standouts are Chateau, Palace, Cinders, and Jaq.

The top two rows from the Fairytales Do Come True Palette

The bottom two rows from the Fairytales Do Come True Palette

Overall, I quite liked this eyeshadow palette. If you love cute packaging, Disney princesses, shimmery eyeshadow shades and a smokey eye, then the Fairytales Do Come True Storybook Eyeshadow Palette may be something to consider.

Have you tried anything from the Cinderella collection? What do you think of it?

xo Shannon

everyone has his own style. when you have found it, you should stick to it.

Every girl who loves fashion and beauty knows Lauren Conrad. Like most people, I became a fan of Lauren on reality TV. Since her MTV debut, she has developed a multifaceted career to be proud of.

Her latest book, Beauty was released fairly recently and is absolutely on my to-buy list. Until then, I am keeping myself content by re-reading her first beauty book, Style. 

 
I love the direct, to the point advice about fashion, makeup, hair, lifestyle, and most importantly - editing your wardrobe! (Something I have never excelled at!) The book offers great advice and is a wonderful read for any fashion lover. Being such a makeup junkie, I especially enjoyed all of the advice in the makeup section of the book. The tips on achieving her trademark cat-eyed liner were fantastic and really useful.

 

As great as all of Lauren's beauty and style advice is, my favourite thing about Style? The pictures! The photography is gorgeous. Lauren look stunning in every single photo - I am such a huge fan of hers. Re-reading Lauren's book has been my most recent source of inspiration. 

Do you own Lauren Conrad's first beauty book, Style? What do you think of it?

xo Shannon

makeup tutorial: christina aguilera

A little while ago, I posted about Christina Aguilera's "Your Body" music video. A bunch of you requested that I do a makeup tutorial on one of the looks, so today I am doing just that!

I love the makeup in this music video. The styling was perfectly retro and actually quite easy to do. So if you're looking for something sexy, bold, and quick, this makeup is right up your alley. Here is the look I decided to recreate.

 

 

Now it is time to recreate Christina's amazingly retro makeup!

What do you think of Christina's makeup? Would you ever wear this?

xo Shannon

inspired by: pixie lott

Whenever an artist has great music and great style, it is always a good thing. Lately I have been listening to Pixie Lott, well, a lot! Not only is she talented, but she has an incredible eye for fashion and makeup as well. She is one of my biggest style inspirations.

Pixie Lott is fun, fresh, and fearless. She takes classic pieces and mixes them with bold colours and prints. I love her modern take on these vintage inspired looks. She tends to pair feminine, sexy pieces with chunky accessories and dramatic makeup. Pixie Lott has memorable, girly style that always inspires me to take my outfit to the next level.

Something I really admire about Pixie's style, is that she is never afraid to take a risk. She doesn't play it safe when it comes to fashion. That is something I really respect about her. Sometimes her fashion choices work and sometimes they don't, but she is never ever predictable. In my opinion, when it comes to fashion and beauty, that is always a plus.

Here are some of my all-time favourite looks from Pixie. I hope they inspire you as much as they inspire me!

 

Are you a fan of Pixie Lott's style? 

xo Shannon

the makeup is simply an extension of the personality.

Now that the holidays are over, I am definitely trying to be better with money. Christmas is amazing, but it sure takes a hit on your bank account! That is why I am loving a couple of great, affordable makeup palettes.

If you're looking to try something new but are on a budget, here are my favourite options:  

Joe Fresh Makeup Set ($10 CDN) and Wet n' Wild Makeup Palette in Petal Pusher ($6 CDN)

Let's start with the Joe Fresh palette! I picked this up pretty recently on a whim. The price was so low that I figured I'd give it a shot. I have a couple of blushes from this brand that I really love, so I was hopeful that the quality would be the same.

This palette includes: 2 bronzers, 4 blushes and 12 eyeshadows. 

The lighter bronzer is a wonderful matte shade that works really well for me. The darker shade would certainly work well for someone with a darker skin tone. I quite like the quality of the bronzers overall.

As for the blushes, they are the stand out of this set! Each colour is beautiful and has a velvety finish to it. I love the range of colours as well. I have found myself going to this palette a lot lately for blush!

The eyeshadow shades are a hit or miss. Some of them are shimmery, super pigmented, and just beautiful. I find myself reaching for the gold toned shades most often. They are stunning and have no fall out. There are a couple of disappointing shades, however. I find that the light blue and dark purple aren't pigmented enough. You  have to do a lot of work to get any colour payoff.

Overall, I was super impressed with this palette by Joe Fresh. The blushes are outstanding and the overall quality was great, especially for such a reasonable price. The only thing I didn't like about this palette was the packaging. It is plastic and a bit cheap. It doesn't feel sturdy. However, the products themselves are well worth the money.

The Wet n' Wild Palette includes: eight eyeshadows.

Generally, I am a big fan of Wet n' Wild eyeshadows. I find the quality can be outstanding. This palette in Petal Pusher was a hit or miss for me, but had some great eyeshadows, especially for such a low price. 

The shades on the first side were quite light, natural, and pretty. These are great for anyone looking for a soft hint of colour. I personally love to wear a dramatic smokey eye, so I absolutely love the eyeshadow colours on the second side. The crease colour is my favourite - I find myself wearing this quite a lot. 

This palette is great whether you are looking for a soft or bold look. You can easily take your makeup look from day to night for an unbeatable price.

What affordable makeup products have you been loving lately?

xo Shannon

tag: 2012 reflection

We are just getting into 2013. I find myself looking forward to what 2013 has to offer, but also looking back at how much has changed over the past year. The wonderful Cami, over at CamiGMakeup4u2C recently posted a 2012 reflections tag. I thought this tag would be a great way for me to reflect upon the year that has passed. So, here goes!

1. What was the most exciting thing that happened to you in 2012? 

There were so many great things that happened to me in 2012. I was able to interview and meet Scott MacIntyre from season 8 of American Idol, I traveled, and I've been fortunate enough to have freelance writing jobs. Out of everything though, the most exciting thing that happened to me in 2012 was officially starting to date my boyfriend. He has really made the past year special. I am very very lucky.

2. What was your favourite post that you wrote this year? Why?
My favourite post from this year was easily my interview with Scott MacIntyre. I know I have talked about this a lot in previous posts, but it truly was a personal and professional honour to speak with him about his book, "By Faith, Not By Sight." I am such a huge fan of his. This will always be an experience that I cherish. (You can read the interview here!)

3. What was your favourite new product in 2012?
Oh this is an easy one for me! This year I absolutely fell in love with Benefit's They're Real! mascara. I have always been a massive fan of Dior's Diorshow mascara, but the moment I tried They're Real! I was hooked. I love how dramatic and bold it makes my lashes look.

4. What new thing are you glad you tried in 2012?

One new thing I am glad that I tried in 2012 is applying for freelance writing jobs. Before that, I was mainly focusing on internships, but in 2012 I finally felt that I was ready and worthy of being paid for my writing.

5. What is the most important lesson you learned in 2012?
That dream really are possible. 2012 was definitely a year of accomplished dreams for me - I fell in love...real love, and I worked hard every single day to get closer to my goals. This year, I learned that I can have the life I have always dreamed of with persistence and hope.

6. What was the best movie of 2012?
What a hard question! I saw a ton of movies this year. Some I loved and some not so much. I am going to say...The Perks of Being a Wallflower. That movie just connected so deeply with me. The writing was incredible and the actors all did a fantastic job of bringing those characters to life. I was so moved by that film.

7. What was the best song of 2012?
Yet another difficult question. I listen to a lot of music. A lot. It's hard for me to pick a favourite song for the year. So, I am going to cheat and say: Your Body by Christina Aguilera, Beauty and a Beat by Justin Bieber, Rabbits by Our Lady Peace, annnnnnd ..... Last First Kiss by One Direction. 

8. Best TV Show?
This year I started watching Storage Wars and Pawn Stars with my boyfriend....I actually have quite the Pawn Stars addiction now! That, Gossip Girl, Drop Dead Diva and X-Factor have been favourites.

9. What one product do you hope someone releases in 2013?
Anything Audrey Hepburn that I don't already have. An Audrey Hepburn perfume or something! That would be pretty much fantastic. 

I tag anyone who wants an excuse to reflect on 2012!

xo Shannon

celebrating 300 posts.

It is hard to believe that I have written 300 posts since the creation of beauty is art. began! I started digging through my blog to bring you my top five favourite posts.

5) My Style Inspiration: Victoria Beckham
we live not according to reason, but according to fashion. 

This post was the one I felt really changed the direction of my blog. Somehow, all of the pieces started coming together, and it started to find its' focus. Plus, Victoria is stunning!

4) Britney Spears Makeup Look
mini-makeup tutorial: britney spears 

I am a huge Britney fan. I re-created this red carpet makeup look in September of 2011. When it comes to my makeup, I tend to avoid bright colours, so I liked that this look pushed me out of my comfort zone. Looking back, I'm still happy with how this look turned out!

3) Red Apple Lipstick
review: red apple lipstick

There are few things I love more than trying out new makeup products. I was lucky enough to try out some from Red Apple Lipstick and found a brand that I really loved. I was so happy with how this post turned out, so it simply had to make my top 5!

2) Inspired By 1970s Pop Stars 

the twelfth of never.

Music is such a huge part of my life. One of my first posts on the creation of beauty is art. was all about how music transcends generations and decades. I love pop stars from any time period, but this post was all about the 1970s.

1) Interviewing American Idol Season 8 Finalist, Scott MacIntyre
LEAP OF FAITH: My Interview With Scott MacIntyre 

...I'm sure that this surprises no one. But, my favourite post from the blog has to be when I was able to interview one of my favourite singers ever, Scott MacIntyre, about his book By Faith, Not By Sight. It was such an honour and an absolute dream come true for me. I was so thankful for the opportunity.

So, those are some of my favourite posts! Thank you for all of the support.

xo Shannon

i believe in presents from the heart.

At Christmas, I am always so spoiled. Sometimes I don't feel like I deserve all of the wonderful things I receive! Nonetheless, I feel very blessed for all of the gifts I was given this Christmas. I thought I would share some of them with you.

I was given a lot of makeup for Christmas as well, so expect reviews in the future on some of these products!

Yikes! I certainly was spoiled. I was also given a TON of chocolate for Christmas (a 1 kg bar of chocolate from my sneaky boyfriend) .... eesh! I'd like to say I will never finish it all, but I most definitely will!

Were you spoiled this Christmas?

xo Shannon