psyduck (pokemon) inspired makeup look

Pokémon is not something that I have meaningfully engaged with over the years, but my husband plays all sorts of Pokémon games on the Nintendo Switch. Every now and then, there will be a cute character that catches my eye. (Some of the characters are ridiculously adorable.) That is what happened with Psyduck. I saw this cute little duck character waddling around and holding his head. My husband informed me that Psyduck gets headaches and holds onto his head until he releases tension with his strong psychic powers. I was immediately enamored with this character, from design to personality. So, my very thoughtful husband ordered me a little Psyduck plush. He arrived fairly quickly and has been keeping me company ever since. There are a handful of yellow eyeshadows in my makeup collection that I have not used all that frequently - and the arrival of Psyduck seemed like a good reason to put them to use. Here is a makeup look inspired by this adorable Pokémon character. 

accessories that i have been loving lately.

Do you ever find yourself reaching for the same things over and over again? Sometimes that happens to me with accessories. There are certain periods of time when the same few items seem to feel right...until eventually something else steals my attention and the process starts over again. I thought it might be fun to show you all a few of the accessories that I have been loving lately. These are the ones that seem to scream "choose me" whenever an outfit starts to come together. 

christmas in july part two: holiday movie mini reviews

Over the years, many Christmas themed movies have been highlighted on the creation of beauty is art. My collection grows and I continue to watch these movies, cartoons, and holiday specials over and over throughout the year. Lately, I have been giving extra thought to why these movies mean so much to me. The world is often cruel, dark, and selfish. It is a place where people lie, cheat, steal, and harm. In Christmas movies, selfish people become generous and giving. Liars become honest. Harmful people learn to be better and make amends for their past actions. The world is so rarely like this...so when I watch a Christmas movie, it is the ultimate escape from the way things tend to be. I can pretend for a little while that good wins out, that kindness matters, and that miracles happen. On that note, to celebrate Christmas In July this year, it seemed right to focus on some new-to-me holiday movie reviews. My husband found all sorts of discounted Christmas movies for sale and asked me a very dangerous question: Do you want any? Of course, the answer was yes. Keep reading for all sorts of mini movie reviews.

christmas in july part one: bath and body works semi-annual sale

Christmas In July is officially celebrated on July 25th, but thanks to an unexpected holiday release from Bath & Body Works, there are going to be two Christmas In July posts this year on the creation of beauty is art. My husband and I were out running errands a few weeks back and saw that Bath & Body Works was having a semi-annual sale. I love Bath & Body Works products (everything smells so good) but normally stock up in the fall and winter because the seasonal scents are my preference. We decided to walk through just to browse...but then found there were all sorts of Christmas In July themed items available. 

love it or leave it? lana condor

How long is your list? The trouble with so many streaming services, both free and subscription based, is that my watch list tends to grow and grow and grow...and then the shows and movies I want to watch slip my mind entirely. My current list is long and the chances of me watching everything that I would like to are slim to none. Unless I happen to win the lottery or am granted immortality. So while this post is all about style, it is also a reminder to myself to watch one of the movies on my ever growing list. Worth The Wait stars Lana Condor, Ross Butler, and many others in a movie about four different relationships. Since I have watched the To All The Boys I've Loved Before movies on Netflix more times than I should ever admit...a new movie with Lana Condor is a must. Especially since it is totally free to watch. (No seriously. You can watch it here. I will be watching it shortly!) Another must? Discussing the red carpet look that Lana Condor wore to promote Worth The Wait.

life lately: pop 2000s tour and ottawa getaway

Life has been busy lately. Busy, but fun. Most of the time, my preference is for life to be slow and steady....quiet and calm. However, it has been nice to mix things up a bit in recent weeks. (Though the idea of slow, steady, quiet, and calm sounds appealing again, as there is a need to recharge after so much social activity.) In a short span, I've been able to see a movie with a friend, spend a few hours shopping with my parents, go to a concert, and visit Ottawa for a couple of days. With so much happening in the last little while, it seemed appropriate to share a few of those highlights in this life lately post. 

current music obsession: beautiful chaos from katseye

It seems my current music obsession is one that many others have as well. Recently, the global girl group, KATSEYE, announced a number of tour dates in the fall. I tried my best to purchase one ticket for the show nearest me during the presale...and found that I was number 21,380 in the Ticketmaster queue for a venue that holds 5,000. Thankfully, my luck was much better during the general sale and I happened to refresh at the exact right moment. I will be seeing KATSEYE this fall! Even though I will be at the very back of the venue, I am so exited to be able to attend. In the meantime, their new album, Beautiful Chaos will be keeping me entertained. Since the KATSEYE releases come with all sorts of fun extras, it seemed only right to share some of the items that were included in my version of the Beautiful Chaos album and talk about the newly released music.