someone told me it's all happening at the zoo.

This summer, life has been really busy. I've been juggling an awful lot of responsibilities and sometimes it seems impossible to tear myself away from work. The good thing? I have people in my life who are supportive - and who know exactly when I need a break.

Which is exactly why my boyfriend decided to take me to the zoo a little while ago. It was such a fun (but exhausting!) day. Instead of spending a beautiful Saturday working, I spent it with my favourite person....and a ton of super cute animals!

The weather was crazy hot and the zoo was packed, but it was definitely worth it. We had fun taking silly pictures and oohing and awwwing over the different types of animals. Unfortunately, we didn't make it through the entire zoo. (That place is massive and it was super hot out!) But we did see a lot and it was a really special day. I was sad once it was over....back to reality again!

I am so grateful to have days like this. And I'm even more grateful to have someone in my life who knows when I need them! Here are some of my favourite pictures from the day:

When was the last time you went to the zoo?

xo Shannon

guest post: Beauty O'Holic - bargain beauty.

Hi everyone! I just wanted to take a minute to introduce today's post. It has kindly been written by Meredith from Beauty O'Holic and it's all about bargain beauty. (Something I'm definitely a fan of.) I hope that you all enjoy Meredith's guest post:

I used to believe that if you wanted a name brand cosmetic product - the best thing was to write down what you want and wait a few months for the price to go down - especially during Friends & Family Events. But, I learned that isn't the case with 80% of name brand cosmetics.

 

While waiting for something I wanted really helped me decide if it was because of the hype of the beautiful ads in the magazines or if I kept going back to the product (testing out different shades in the store, having a Sephora lady apply a tester amount, etc). Most of us, well at least I do - if I keep coming back to something that I've been talking about and wanting for months, then I obviously need to complete the purchase; but, if I stop talking about it or have the need of wanting it after a few months, it was obviously the hype of the product or brand.

 

I would like to sit here and tell you that the best bargains are when you hit the clearance racks at clothing stores or the end of the aisle at department stores. But, ask yourself this...brand or generic? If it's a brand item you desperately need, want and can't live without. Try not purchasing the product for a few months and see if you keep coming back to it, if you do...make the purchase. If it's a generic item you want, shop around. No one is going to make fun or think poorly of you if you want to shave a few cents off your receipt.

What To Look For:

-Sales

-Friends and Family Events

-BOGO

-Clearance

-Discounts

-Coupons

Sales, Friends & Family Events, Clearance and Discounts are my weakness. I have walked into many stores and see that fabulous SALE sign and know my wallet is going to spend more. But, if you prepare yourself and cut out coupons (I know, I hate carrying them around - but, when I want something and can get it for $1.50 instead of $5...that's a bargain).

So, before I start rambling...be sure you prepare yourself - generic or brand name - know your prices before you go into a store blind and spend more money than you wanted.

 

outfit of the day: SamCas Designs

Like a lot of beauty bloggers, I love accessories. It's amazing how the perfect earrings or bracelet can totally pull an outfit together. I love that! Recently, I was lucky enough to receive a couple of gorgeous bracelets from SamCas Designs. If you don't already know Samantha from her blog, she is an incredibly talented fashion designer. (As you can see from the bracelets she designed!)

Let me just say, I love the bracelets! They play with colour so well - and of course, there are those amazing skull accents, which I adore. When I was thinking about the type of outfit to wear with these, I was torn. At first, I thought I would wear a bright coloured dress to really play with bold colour. But ultimately, I decided to go a little bit simple. I wanted the bracelets to be that fun pop of colour I was looking for! 

My outfit of the day consists of: a simple navy Garage tank, patterned navy and cream shorts, Guess earrings, and of course, SamCas Designs bracelets!

If you haven't yet, be sure to check out SamCas Designs or follow her Twitter @samcastweets. There are tons of different bracelet designs to choose from and they are all so fashion forward. Definitely take a peek at her store!

What do you think of this outfit?

xo Shannon

the quickest way to know a woman is to go shopping with her.

As summer comes to a close, so does the joy of summer shopping! From here on out, it's time to be a lot smarter about my spending habits. Alas! To be fair, I did a fair bit of shopping this summer....which is probably why it'll be hard to go back to penny pinching.

On the plus side, I ended up getting one last shopping trip in before the season ended. My favourite? A pair of blue Burberry sunglasses. (I know, I know, my sunglasses addiction never ends!) So, without further ado, here is my last summer shopping haul!

Well, those are the recent additions to my wardrobe! It'll definitely be tough to keep myself away from the mall from now on....

Have you done any shopping lately?

xo Shannon

we're born to shimmer. we're born to shine.

Time for another makeup review! I'm sure by now, you've heard a ton of great things about the L'Oreal Paris Infallible Eyeshadows. I already have a couple of the shades in my makeup collection already, but when I saw Amber Rush, a coppery-gold shade, I instantly fell in love.

These L'Oreal shadows are essentially super shimmery, highly pigmented, and long-lasting shadows. And by long lasting, I mean long lasting. Not long ago, I fell asleep with my makeup on (such a bad habit, I know) and when I woke up in the morning, my makeup still looked perfect! The shadow hadn't budged. It was amazing!

As for the colour? It's perfect. I have such an addiction for neutral shades - brown, copper, gold - and anything in between. Amber Rush fell perfectly into that category. It is a bold, beautiful, shimmery neutral. It's so pretty! Here is a swatch of the shade:

It is gorgeous! I've actually had to force myself not to reach for it every day and use other products in my makeup collection. Needless to say, I am loving this L'Oreal Paris Infallible shade. There are a few other newer shades that I've got my eye on, but I am trying to be good. We will see how long that lasts....

What do you think of this L'Oreal Paris eyeshadow shade?

xo Shannon

i like putting outfits together without much thought and seeing what the outcome is.

I love fashion. It hasn't always been that way, but my love for fashion blossomed slowly over time. Now, it's a full blown obsession!

On my blog, I don't tend to do a ton of outfit posts, simply because I don't have anyone to take pictures for me. But, recently I've been using a tripod and playing with the timer setting. The pictures are nothing special, but they're something!

Ready to take a peek into my wardrobe? Here are a couple of outfits I've worn in the last little while:

What do you think of these looks?

xo Shannon

my instagram life.

A little while back, I posted about Instagram. Even though my phone is ancient, I've been able to (sort of) use Instagram, thanks to a program on my computer.

So, I've been trying to update it every so often. Mostly though, I just like creeping other peoples pictures! It's nice to get a glimpse into the lives of my friends and some of the bloggers that I follow. With that said - leave me the link to your Instagram or feel free to follow me at: @TCOBeautyIsArt.

Here are a few of the pictures that I've posted to my Instagram so far!

So, that is a peek at my Instagram! If you want me to take a look at yours, post the link to your account or follow me at: @TCOBeautyIsArt!

xo Shannon

love it or leave it?

Sometimes, I am completely wowed by red carpet looks. When I saw pictures of Rachel McAdams at the screening of her movie, About Time, in Germany, I experienced one of those 'wow' moments!

There was just something about her outfit and styling that I completely fell in love with. Was it the retro beehive inspired updo? Her super simple, fresh makeup? Or maybe it had something to do with those stu-nning cut outs on her dress. Whatever it was, I couldn't get enough!

 

There wasn't much about this outfit that I didn't love! Her simple, classic shoes and accessories were the perfect finishing touches. I love how flowy the bottom half of the dress is, the intricate neckline and yes - those cutouts. (Probably my favourite part!)

The only thing I'm not 100% crazy about? That hanging piece of fabric at the back. To me, it just looked like a random bit that didn't belong there! (You can see it a bit better in the picture below.) I don't know if it's just me, but I think this look would be completely perfect - without that piece of fabric.

Rachel McAdams always has breathtaking style. Overall, I have to say that I love this outfit! It's gorgeous and perfectly retro.

What do you think of Rachel's red carpet look? Love it or leave it?

xo Shannon

for those of you in the cheap seats.

There are days that just feel like summer. A good friend, a great concert, and well, a few drinks. What could be better? Last week, my friend and I went to see the Backstreet Boys concert in Toronto.
 We had fun planning our outfits, hair, and makeup beforehand, and had even more fun seeing BSB and the opener Jesse McCartney. (Love, love, love!) Sadly, we missed seeing Pauly D, which breaks my heart. There were so many people trying to get inside the venue that it took forever!

The concert was great. It had amazing energy and I'm pretty sure I just about every person I've ever met was in attendance! The concert was crazy packed but super fun. Our 'seats' (we were sitting on the lawn) may not have been the best, but it felt great to have fun and party from the back!

What was the last concert you went to?

xo Shannon

one day you'll find a guy who ruins your lipstick, not your mascara.

I rarely fall in love with mascaras. There are ones that I know and love - and I stick to those. Typically, I wear either Dior's DiorShow during the day or Benefit's They're Real! when I go out. There have been no other mascaras that I've loved nearly as much. Until now!

My favourite eyeliner is from Eyeko London. The last time I bought their eyeliner, it came with a bonus mini Eyeko Skinny Brush mascara. So, I thought - what the heck, I'll try it! And. I. Loved. It. No, really. I loved it.

What did I love so much? The mascara wand did an amazing job of really adding length to my lashes. They looked fantastic! Plus, the small, narrow applicator wand made it super easy to coat my inner and bottom lashes. The thing I loved most about this mascara was how well it lasted. Even on those hot summer days, it didn't budge. No smudges, no flaking, nothing. It stayed put like no other mascara I have ever tried. It is truly incredible! I will definitely be purchasing a full-sized version of this - I was so impressed with it.

Have you tried this mascara? What did you think of it?

xo Shannon

if everyone could just wear new clothes everyday, i reckon depression wouldn’t exist anymore.

I swear, I have a shopping addiction. It's so awful...but so good too! Lately, I've been missing simple experiences - like going shopping with my mom or watching a movie (and not doing work through it!). So, when I had the chance to spend a few hours going shopping with my mom, I jumped on the chance.

I really am trying to be better with money. So, I tried to shop smart. My new rule is if I don't love it, I don't have to have it! Though, I confess, even with this rule, I picked up quite a few things. But, I tried at least!

My favourite new items? My Steve Madden sunglasses and the shopping is my cardio t-shirt. (It's so true!) Ready to check out my latest shopping haul? Here goes....

What do you think of these purchases? Have you done any shopping lately?

xo Shannon