jewelry takes people's minds off your wrinkles.

In a recent post, I mentioned that my boyfriend and I were celebrating our two year anniversary. It was absolutely wonderful. He picked me up and surprised me with pink roses and a heart shaped box of chocolate. Then, we did some shopping where I bought his gift (had to make sure it fit right!)...and then he took me to Pandora. Over the Christmas holidays, he gave me a Christmas charm bracelet that I fell in love with. He thought a charm bracelet I could wear for the rest of the year would be perfect. It was such a sweet idea!

I ended up choosing a Pandora bangle with a heart shaped charm. Technically, it's out for Valentine's Day but hey, it was perfect for our anniversary! What I really loved? The fact that the heard splits in two. One one side it says: me, and on the other side it says: you. Absolutely perfect!

After shopping, we went to dinner and then went on to see American Hustle. (The costumes, the makeup...ahh! Loved it.) It was a definitely wonderful night from start to finish. I feel so lucky to be with him every single day and our anniversary was no different.

What do you think of this bracelet? Do you own anything from Pandora?

xo Shannon

do you realize if it weren't for edison we'd be watching TV by candlelight?

Okay, I admit it....I am a TV junkie. I watch a lot of shows either while I work or as a way to unwind after a long day. One of those shows? Steven and Chris. If you don't know this one (it only airs in Canada!) it is a talk show focused on home decor, fashion, and self-improvement. Recently, I got my mom and I tickets to one of the tapings in Toronto.

We have gone a couple of times in the past and it is always lots of fun! The tapings are early in the morning but they are super high energy, which is always a good thing. This particular episode was about finding the perfect denim, restaurant decor, and workout gadgets. It was definitely a good time.  In between segments, there were games and prizes, too.

The most exciting part of the whole thing? Finally finally getting to meet Steven and Chris themselves! After the show, they were nice enough to stick around and take pictures with people in the audience. I was thrilled. Every time my mom and I have gone to the taping, they always seem to be running behind and can't get to everyone. Not this time. They were super sweet and okay, I maybe shamelessly hit on Chris. (I couldn't help it....he's too gorgeous!) Our picture turned out really cute and my mom and I both left the studio feeling happy and excited.

Here is my picture with the amazing Steven and Chris:

As we we leaving the studio, we were given some parting gifts: Nicole by OPI Oil to Go for cuticles along with three OPI top coats. Definitely a nice surprise! While I was there, I also picked up this super cute Steven and Chris glass water bottle. It almost seems too nice to use at a water bottle, so I'm going to fill it up with some glass beads and put it on my shelf. Instant decor! Take a peek at my gift bag and water bottle:

Overall, it was a really fun day. After we left, I took my mom to lunch and we did a little shopping downtown. It was definitely a great way to spend some time together!

Have you ever gone to a TV taping? What did you think of it?

xo Shannon

just because something isn't a lie does not mean that it isn't deceptive.

Any Pretty Little Liars fans out there? Then you probably want to get yourselves to Aeropostale pretty soon! I don't usually shop there, but when I saw the window display of PLL clothes, I couldn't resist! Why? I am totally addicted to that show. Love, love, love everything about it. Right now, Aeropostale is selling an outfit inspired by each of the characters, so of course, I bought Hanna's dress.

When I got to the check out, I was pleasantly surprised to receive a free "LIARS UNITE" t-shirt. It is a super comfy and cute t-shirt. Since I have been wearing this t-shirt an awful lot lately, I thought that I would do a quick makeup look of the day featuring my "LIARS UNITE" shirt! When I was deciding what to do with my makeup, I was really inspired by the darker tone of the show....which you'll probably be able to tell!

Ready to take a peek at my Pretty Little Liars shirt and makeup? Here goes!

Products Used: Too Faced The Return of Sexy Palette, MUA Black Eyeliner, Maybelline Stain Gloss in Blissful Brown, NARS Deep Throat blush, Rimmel Stay Clean Foundation.

There you have it...my Pretty Little Liars inspired look. I may not look quite like Hanna, but hey, maybe someday!

What do you think of this makeup look? Who is your favourite PLL character?

xo Shannon

as long as i am breathing, in my eyes, i am just beginning.

Now that January is almost through, I thought it was the perfect time to do a little update on my New Years Resolutions. They were: to spend more time on myself, to build my writing career, and to have a more positive attitude in my day-to-day life. Even though it is early days yet, I am doing my best to live up to those goals.

When it comes to spending more time on myself, I've been working out loads, eating better, taking proper care of my skin - and actually turning off my computer to relax! As for my social life, there haven't been any major changes there. I still spend the majority of my time working...but fingers crossed things will change soon!

In terms of building my writing career, I've been working my tail off to do just that. Not only have I been keeping up with my freelance jobs, but I have been actively applying for more freelance work, full-time positions, and internships. I have to believe that my hard work and perseverance will get me where I want to go. 

My resolution to have a more positive attitude is going okay....but it can certainly be challenging while I'm at my full-time job! I am doing my best to look on the bright side and not get bogged down by negativity.

Maybe my resolutions will work out and maybe they won't. Whatever happens, though, I'm proud of myself for trying. So far, 2014 still feels full of promise.

How are your New Years Resolutions going? Have you been keeping up with them?

xo Shannon

in all the world, there is no heart for me like yours.

It's amazing how quickly time passes. It feels like only yesterday that I was meeting my boyfriend for the first time...getting butterflies in my stomach every time he looked at me. Now, today is our two year anniversary. Even though we're been together for two years, I still get butterflies when he looks at me.

The past couple of years have without a doubt, been the happiest of my life. Every day, I wake up feeling so incredibly blessed. I just can't wait for all of the amazing things we are sure to experience in the future. Since today is our anniversary, I wanted to take this opportunity to show my love and appreciation for the most important person in life. I love you, babe.

xo Shannon

the blush is beautiful, but it is sometimes convenient.

It's been a while since I have been ridiculously excited about new drugstore makeup. For too long, it's been okay or pretty good. Finally, Maybelline has knocked one out of the park. Chances are, if they haven't already, you'll soon see the Master Glaze By FaceStudio Blush Sticks popping up at your local drugstore.

At first, I bought Pink Fever (the bright, vibrant pink, pictured above). The colour was so fun and fresh that I simply couldn't walk past it. When I got home and tried it out, I was amazed. Talk about colour! The colour payoff was incredible. It was a bright, bold, and totally girly pink. It blended well across the skin, you could really build up the colour nicely, and it lasted throughout the night. Talk about impressed.

So, it's probably not a surprise that I went back the next day to pick up three more shades. (There are five in total. I skipped out on the coral shade, simply because I already have way too many corals in my blush collection as it is.) The other shades I picked up were Just Pinched-Pink, which is a lighter more every day kind of blush shade, Warm Nude, which is a gorgeous slightly shimmery bronze blush, and Make a Mauve, which is a really gorgeous berry shade.

Here are some swatches of the Master Glaze Blush Sticks:

Left to Right: Pink Fever, Just Pinched-Pink, Warm Nude, Make a Mauve

Just like Pink Fever, all of the other shades in this collection behaved very much the same. They blended well, had tons of colour payoff, and had great longevity. For about $9CDN, they were quite the steal. Since buying them, they have been my go-to. They are perfect to use alone or as a base. Plus, they are great for on the go. Just toss one into your makeup bag and you're good to go!

I don't know about you, but I cannot get enough of these gorgeous colours! Here is a little makeup look I put together, with  Pink Fever on the cheeks.

So, there you have it! Some new drugstore items to actually get excited about. If you're a blush addict like I am, these are an absolute must-have. Trust me, you won't regret adding a couple of these shades to your makeup collection.

Have you tried the Maybelline Blush Sticks? What do you think of them?

xo Shannon

who says makeup has to be serious to look good?

It's time for another review! I have been trying out tons of new makeup products lately...including a few from Bourjois. I've heard great things about this brand in the past but had never tried anything from them. This Christmas, I was given the Khol Kajal and the 3D Effet Lip gloss. 

The first part of this review is going to look at the lip gloss. It is a shimmery red colour in the shade 06. As you can see from the swatch below, the colour is very true to how it looks in the packaging. This really impressed me because so many lip glosses out there look like one colour in the tube but come out really sheer on your lips. 

When it comes to lip gloss, I am pretty picky. I don't like anything that feels remotely sticky. Unfortunately, I find the majority of glosses on the market are either sticky or have very little colour payoff. (That is why NARS lip glosses are my absolute favourites. Not sticky and still super pigmented.)

That is why when I tried out the Bourjois 3D Effet Lip gloss for the first time, I was a little bit hesitant. Would the colour last? What would it feel like? After trying it, I found myself happily surprised. The colour looked gorgeous, it lasted for several hours without needing to be touched up (though not quite as long as that 8 hour claim!), and it wasn't the least bit sticky. This is definitely a good quality lip gloss that I can see myself reaching for a lot.

Now, moving on to the Khol Kajal. This is essentially a kohl liner with a pointed tip that gets wider the further down it goes. I don't have anything quite like this in my makeup collection, so it was fun to try! There are things that I like about this and things that I don't love quite so much.

What do I like? The fact that the colour is super pigmented. It's quick and easy to use and it looks great. What I don't like as much? The fact that once that pointed tip starts to wear down, it will be much harder to have control of the product. Also, this isn't as creamy to apply as I hoped it would be. Overall, though, it's a decent - if not spectacular - product. I'm excited to get creative with this one!

To end this post, I thought that I would show you the makeup look I created using the Khol Kajal.

So, that is my first experience trying out products from Bourjois. There are a few more that I have on my wish list...it's just a matter of time!

Have you tried anything from Bourjois? What do you think of these products?

xo Shannon