look to the skies, listen for sleigh bells...

Merry Christmas! It is difficult to believe that the day has arrived already. Though the holiday season is always busy, this year, things have been especially hectic since my loved ones have been under the weather recently. It delayed all of the decorating, wrapping, and baking that normally takes place at my parents house throughout the month of December. Ultimately, everything became rushed and last minute...which took a bit of the fun out of the season. Despite all of that, I did my best to make Christmas as special and magical as possible. (There have been lots of movies and Christmas carols.) I hope that your holiday season has been wonderful and exciting. And I hope your Christmas Day is everything you imagined it would be. 

#FOTD: mera inspired makeup + why i'm seeing the new aquaman

Am I a superhero kind of person? Not really. I've seen my fair share of superhero movies over the years, because my husband enjoys them and because some of them are decent. (I like the Guardians of the Galaxy movies and the occasional Spiderman film.) But despite that, I am not exactly a fan. So, it felt kind of strange to purchase movie tickets a month in advance for the opening night of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. Truth be told, I only watched the first Aquaman movie very recently...and I only watched it because I am currently working my way through the filmography of Amber Heard. Despite not totally loving superhero movies, it was important to me to see the new Aquaman movie right away, to support a recognized survivor of domestic violence - a survivor who faced one of the most horrific smear campaigns in modern history. I will always stand with survivors, publicly, privately, and even when I head to the movie theatre. Though I have known about Amber for many years, thanks to my obsession with the 00s television show, Hidden Palms, I didn't become a fan until more recently. First, I supported her simply because it was the right thing to do. (Disagree? Read the Amber Heard Open Letter signed by literally hundreds of domestic violence experts and feminist organizations, read the UK judgement, where her ex husband was found to be a wife beater, or look at the mountain of evidence in her favour.) However, as time passed, I became a fan of her as a person thanks to her long history of charitable endeavors, her outspoken stance against injustice, and her dedication to standing with survivors. I also became a fan of a lot of her work on television and in movies. So, for me, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom was a movie I needed to see on opening night. It was only right. Going in, I knew that I wanted to create Mera inspired makeup.

life lately (holiday decorations, cookies, seasonal outings, and more)

Life has certainly been busy lately. I suppose that is always the way around Christmas time. There is so much to get done...there are so many activities...and of course, there are so many holiday specials to watch! This season has been a bit different. Unfortunately, some of my loved ones have been under the weather. (COVID strikes again.) That has put a damper on the season - and has made all of the decorating, wrapping, and baking at my family home feel very last minute and thrown together. Normally, we do things bit by bit over the month of December, but we really have had to just do our best with the time remaining. The next couple of days are sure to be hectic, as we desperately make up for lost time. In the meantime, I am taking a moment to pause and look back at a few seasonal highlights. This month, there have been trips to the mall, advent calendars, holiday movie nights (my husband and I went to see The Grinch and The Polar Express in theatres), gift drop offs to friends, and drives around to look at all of the Christmas lights. Even though this holiday season hasn't been exactly what I imagined, I am doing my best to focus on the good. So, here are some pictures of my decorations, some sweet treats, and even some holiday themed makeup brushes that I have been using recently. Keep reading for some seasonal inspiration...

holiday obsession: perennial pictures cartoons

It was February 2020 and I was stuck in bed with a terrible cold. I remember that I had called in sick to work for a few days and was feeling especially miserable and restless. (I never could have predicted how much life would change just a few weeks later, when the COVID-19 lockdowns happened and toilet paper became the most sought after item in town.) While resting in bed, surrounded by tissues, I scrolled through different streaming platforms for Christmas cartoons in an effort to cheer myself up. Enter Perennial Pictures. On Amazon Prime, I found a cartoon called Up On The Housetop from 1993. It filled me with an indescribable sense of joy and safety. I felt better than I had in days. Next, there was a recommendation for another cartoon from the same company, then another, and another. Soon, I was looking up the Perennial Pictures website to make sure I didn't miss one single moment of animated bliss. I watched everything I could get my hands on...and then watched it all again.

review: rare beauty blush and glow four piece mini set

Rare Beauty is not a brand that I have tried a lot from, but everything that I have tried so far has been stellar. Something I love about the holiday season is the fact that there are normally different sets released. This year, the brand had the Blush & Glow Four Piece Mini Set available. It came with two liquid blushes and two liquid luminizers. Since my previous experience with those products was positive (check out the Selena's Faves set review here)...I decided to treat myself to this holiday set. 

what i've been reading (christmas edition)

There has been a lot of seasonal reading taking place lately. Truth be told, I always have a stack of books waiting to be read, but a few books were set aside specifically for this time of year. Some of the books in the pile were thrifted and some were brand new...but all were ready to make the holiday season feel a little more magical. Ready to find out more about the Christmas themed books that I have been reading lately? Here is everything you need to know about these seasonal stories. 

revisited review: too faced christmas bake shoppe makeup collection

It just wouldn't be Christmas without a little Too Faced holiday makeup. This year, I was gifted the new Let It Snow Globes Makeup Collection ahead of Christmas, and those mini palettes are currently being put to the test. (Expect a full review of that collection early in the new year. It will be one of my first posts after the holiday festivities.) Something else that has been in heavy rotation lately? The Too Faced holiday release from last year, the Christmas Bake Shoppe Makeup Collection. There were two posts dedicated to that set on the creation of beauty is art. (See them here and here). At the time, those palettes made me very happy indeed. Do they still? It is time for a revisited review of the Christmas Bake Shoppe Makeup Collection. 

seasonal favourites for 2023.

This is my favourite time of year. Even though there are endless lists of things to do (decorating, catching up with friends, mailing holiday cards, baking, cleaning, and more importantly, watching lots and lots of Christmas movies)...there is also a lot of joy. When I start to feel overwhelmed trying to balance it all, seasonal favourites to remind me how much this time of year means. They bring me back to a place of wonder and delight. Though there have been a lot of holiday-related items making me smile recently, from classic movies to songs on the radio...here are a few of the standout seasonal favourites for 2023.

current obsession: seasonal nail polish colours

Sometimes, the right nail polish can make all the difference. Especially during the holiday season when there is so much to see, do, and explore. After all, there are often dinners with friends and family, shopping excursions, twinkling lights to see, and hot chocolates to drink. It only makes sense to have fabulous nails for each and every seasonal moment. Though I am not super skilled when it comes to nail art or anything like that...there are some fabulous nail polishes in my collection that make life a little bit brighter during this time of year. Ready to see some of the standouts? Maybe you have something similar in your nail polish collection or are looking for a little inspiration this month. Either way, there is lots to love about fabulous nail polishes. 

five favourite obscure christmas cartoons.

In previous years, there have been several posts dedicated to obscure Christmas movies, specials, and cartoons here on the creation of beauty is art. The reason is simple. I love them...a lot. Though the more popular holiday movies and specials make me smile, there is something extra thrilling about discovering media that is lesser known. Something new-to-me. Something I might have missed before. I used to find all sorts of random Christmas movies at the dollar store and at different thrift stores. This year, I have managed to find some hidden gems on free streaming platforms. I absolutely love free streaming sites, because it is often possible to find lesser known media from the 80s, 90s, and 00s. How exciting! Today, I wanted to share five of my favourite obscure Christmas cartoons. Each one has been adding to the magic of the holiday season this year. 

#FOTD: cool winter makeup look

Brr! The temperatures are dropping a little more with each day that passes. It is definitely starting to feel like the holiday season now that it is chilly and damp outside. Though there hasn't been as much snow this year compared to past years (it is early in the month though, so anything is possible) it still feels cold and wintery. The last post here on the creation of beauty is art. featured a makeup look that was warm and inspired by the idea of curling up by the fireplace. Now? It is all about ice and frost. Ready for a creation that is seasonally inspired? This recent #FOTD is all about a cool winter makeup look.

warm winter makeup look feat. kylie cosmetics canadian kiss

Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful....Is it obvious that I have been listening to Christmas music non-stop recently? Between records, CDs, cassettes, and the radio, something is playing Christmas music at all times. My house is essentially my own personal North Pole at this point. While listening to "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" the idea popped into my head to do an icy winter makeup look and a warm fireplace inspired look to mirror the iconic opening line from the song. Since warm makeup looks are in my comfort zone, it made sense to start there. Especially since I had a couple of lip products from Kylie Cosmetics to put to good use. It is time to feel festive with this seasonal makeup look.

welcome december + nyx ultimate flamingo frost review

Ahh...somehow December is here again. Part of me is thrilled (snow and advent calendars and holiday movies) and part of me is sad (because this month always seems to pass too quickly). I wish there was a way to slow things down and savor every single moment of the holiday season. After all, it can be difficult to sandwich in the magic between work and other responsibilities! Despite the challenges, making time for holiday magic is something that I am focused on this month. Even when it comes to my makeup routine. This month, even my beauty products are holiday themed. Take the NYX Ultimate Flamingo Frost Shadow Palette as an example. Talk about festive! To kickstart the last month of the year, it is time to review a seasonal eyeshadow palette from NYX. Keep reading to find out how the Ultimate Flamingo Frost Shadow Palette performs.