Weekend Warrior

What's everybody doing this weekend?  Me?  I'm not going to do too much.  I think I'm going to take it easy this weekend and continue planning my birthday month's activities (November).  This year is a special year for me so I MUST prepare for a total blowout, ya feel me?

Anywho, this weekend I will be trying to learn Photoshop.  I tooled around with it a little today, but I really need to hunker down and tackle this big boy.  I have it on my computer and have never even used it!  I called my friend to see if he could help walk me through the basics, but - of course - he had no idea...  I'm on my own, y'all.

Oh!  The second part of my shipment from Inglot will be coming today so that's making me giddy.  And I did buy some cherry Jello...  Don't laugh!  I've been fiendin' for some Jello as of recent (don't know why) so I just had to indulge.  Got the Reddi whipped cream, too.  Yes, honey...

The weather has been sucky so I think that's another reason why I'm not going to be buzzing around the city.  I'm perfectly fine keeping my buns at home...  I'll prolly look up some toaster ovens on Target's website; I never really liked the idea of using nor having a microwave.  I mean, I can appreciate it when preparing my pup's food, but other than that I would prefer not to use it.  Zapped food tastes funny, plus I just don't trust it.  (I know I sound like an old bitty, but I can't help it!)  So, I'll be surfing for some old fashioned alternatives.

That's about it.  Nothing exciting.  But I'm just fine with that.

I'm Leaving

I'm leaving and I'm not going to look back.  This time around, I will not have a safety net so I have to keep moving forward.  And that's OK.  Kinda nervous, but OK.  Change is good, but I'm really looking to make a final change, you know?  I really want to set down roots somewhere and the tine is now.

I've really been mulling over the thought of becoming a New Yorker.  Years ago, I used to live in Los Angeles and I loved it, but driving cross country again just isn't appealing to me.  Been there, done that.  In fact, I really can't think of a place where I'm just dying to go to and live so NYC is kinda leading the pack by default because I have peeps there and I know I would be able to continue my creative pursuits there.  *sigh* But the cost of living... UGH!  And I've been driving for years now and bringing my car to NYC just would not be cost effective; public transpo would have to me my new mode of transport or, rather, old mode because I used to use public transpo for years in Philly and going back to the crowded, sullied netherworld of screeching metal and unapologetic aggression.  This makes me sad.

But I have to make a change in surroundings soon.  Like, yesterday.  I honestly can't think of anywhere else to go.  Maybe Europe?  LOL  No, seriously...  Maybe?  HELP!

Nature's Gate Herbal Poo

Okay, here's another shout out - Nature's Gate Herbal shampoo and Aloe Vera conditioner.  Love this stuff, especially the poo.  It smells just like the name suggests, but it isn't overwhelming or unpleasant.  At least not to me.  And it leaves my hair feeling clean but not stripped.

I use different serums in my hair when styling and, as you may already know, these can leave the hair weighed down as it gets dirty and leave a residue even after washing.  This residue can make hairstyling difficult, leaving hair limp and curls less bouncy.  So I needed a good clarifying shampoo effective enough to rid my hair of the lingering serums, but gentle enough to not strip my hair and leave it dry.  After scouring the counters at my local grocery store I stumbled on this dynamic duo to add to my arsenal and I'm very happy.

The product lathers well and at just $4.99, is very affordable.  The Aloe Vera leaves my hair feeling soft, but I don't use it as much because I LOVE my pomegranate con.  The Fresh one.  Oh, yeah, I went back to that one...

Anywho, I'm often asked what I use on my hair so I think I'll just post my full arsenal of HG (holy grail) products during the next week or so and a rundown of how I do my hair.  Guess it would help if you actually saw my hair as well.  I mean, I could be as bald as an eagle (they're not really bald, though; don't know why they're called that) tellin' you this and that, recommending all these products and can't even make myself look halfway presentable.  But these prods work for me...  And if me sharing could help someone then all the better.

INGLOT - My Experience

Well, my package finally arrived, ten days after the initial order online.  Not great, but not too bad considering I had to wait TWO WEEKS the last time I ordered to get my stash.  Both times were during a sale and things got a little hectic on their end, overwhelmingly so.  I still don't think they realize their presence here in the states and how ravenous we can be when it comes to certain products.  Don't know why they continue to underestimate when they have been plastered all over YouTube and various beauty blogs...?

Anywho, just in case you haven't heard of them, Inglot is a cosmetics company based in Poland that is well known for their potently pigmented eyeshadows, especially their mattes.  They have some brick and mortars in the U.S., including one in NYC, but not many.  Most people stateside order online via their website where all of their products are available for purchase.  This is my third order and I think I got all that I need... for now.

I ordered six shadows and one gel eyeliner in yellow (yes, I'm adventurous!).  The shadows with the "stripes" are their Rainbow shadows where three different shades of the same color are in one shadow.  So basically you get three eyeshadows for the price of one.  Genius!!  With this order I have fully filled all of my palettes and I'm ready to rock and roll!

Palettes w/lids

Palettes w/o lids

I didn't want to make this post extra long, but let me know if you would like a more in-depth overview of the products.  I absolutely love them!  The palettes are not like ordinary palettes as they are rectangular with strong magnets on the corners to keep the acrylic/plastic lids adhered.  LOVE IT!  And the colors are highly pigmented and smooth to blend.

And in all fairness, my last two orders were made during a website sale and - consequently - items took much longer to receive than when I made my very first order with them in which I received my items within five days.  Just FYI.

I will do another post on my Inglot stash as well as some of my other makeup items soon.   Who's amped right now?  ME, that's who!   LOL!

Searching for...

...my childhood.

You know, sometimes I get really sentimental.  Nostalgic even.  I miss a lot of things from when I was a kid (smells, foods, toys, etc.).  For the latter, I sometimes search eBay for my missing familiar.  I've searched for old Barbies, Disney movie albums and other things that I used to own and cherish as a kid.  I don't have much from when I was younger due to moving from my home and it being robbed a few times.  Remember Holly Hobby dolls?  Well, not only did I have the doll, but I also had the lunchbox - it was pink with Holly Hobby on the front, made of hard plastic by the company Thermos.  I had Baby Alive (one of the few dolls I was able to rescue) and Head to Head Football (I was a tomboy).  I had the red Transformer - he was a sports car, but I'm not sure of his name - and the Dungeons and Dragons game (remember that cartoon?).  I had the Mork n' Mindy as well as Cabbage Patch Colorforms, Smurfs Shrinky Dinks and Jamie Summers (Bionic Woman) doll.  And let's not even mention the Barbies I owned.  Gone... well, mostly all of it is gone.  I was able to rescue a few Barbies, Barbie clothes and my Cabbage Patch (the one that smelled like baby powder), but the rest are just a memory.  It really pains me to think that these are lost to me forever...

Well, I was having one of my moments and started searching the Internet and found the very make and model of a dollhouse that my dad bought my sister and me during one of his trips.  Couldn't believe it.  Can't believe the company still exists and still makes the model (in addition to other models).  It brought back soooo many memories for me; how my cousin had to put the wooden model together because my dad lost patience with all the little parts and gluing and such.  And how happy I was to see it assembled.  My sis thought it was cool, but I really LOVED it.

Am I the only one who does this... constantly traveling down and canvassing memory lane trying to recapture a lost childhood memory?  I guess not because of all the adult collectors of toys, but I dunno...

Anywho, guess who will be buying a Tudor style dollhouse in the next year or so?  By then I should have a daughter that I can share the experience with.  Eh, who am I kidding?  Daughter or not, I will be buying this dollhouse.  Another piece of my past recovered.  Well, kind of.