Day 12: What I love most

I do think it's interesting the way in which the 30 day photo challenge requirements go. Personally I would go from what I love most to what I "hate", as you can see one extreme of a person to the next. But whatever works, I must continue to go by what the list tells me to.

Speaking of, I am horrible at actually getting around to getting these blog posts up...at least during the weekends. I blame my friends here for distracting me with awesome food, drinks and hilarious drunken debauchery!!! I really do wonder what in the world I did before both my mister and myself were inducted into the group that we more often than not hang out with during the weekends this past year.

Day 12 - A picture of something you love

My goofy mister, summer 2009

Now I know it says something you love, verses someone you love. But I can love the silliness that my husband brings into my life. Which at times can drive me a bit batty, to where I swear up and down he is the reason why we don't always go out in public.

Being married to a "crazy" man does have its high points and it's odd points. Example being it is really never a dull moment when we are out and about. Joe always seems to be able to do something random that will make me laugh...or at least make me look at him and go "really?".

However when he isn't feeling something, place, what we are doing...his goofiness can be really annoying, Example, when my family was visiting us here in Europe this past summer and we all went to Paris, France for a few days. Joe was not at all feeling France, true it was raining the whole time we were there. We had to walk everywhere, which hurts his feet, and the French people were rather rude (because we were American)..thus every picture I have with him in it. He has making some god awful face because he is unhappy and quite grumpy. Thinking about it now, it's funny that his misery is so evident in the pictures. But I know at the time when I would flip back and look at the pictures, I yelled at him for ruining the picture.

Oh well live and learn I suppose.

It is his randomness and slight craziness that makes me laugh most...and I think that is why we are a pretty good match for each other. I'm more of the serious planning type, while he is the go with the flow silly type. If he wasn't like that...I don't think we would've lasted...and I'm pretty happy that we have!!!

Winners of My July Giveaways

Finally got around to getting the official video up for the winners for my Nails & More giveaway that I was doing on my YouTube and Twitter.

It is interesting to me that I did actually get a good handful of more subscribers on my YouTube channel for this particular giveaway. I'm guessing there are a few more people who are really into nails...which makes me rethink a bit of where I want to take my channel.

I have been majorly focused on make up, hauls, tutorials, reviews and whatnot. With the occasional video here and there about living in Germany, sharing recipes and random vlogs here and there. But I'm thinking maybe I should do more random beauty videos.

Though from doing this giveaway, I'm pretty sure I am going to try to do a once a month giveaway of a product. Rotating with the different types of products that I talk about on my videos. Since July was nails, I was thinking about August being a make up brand that is found in Germany. September be random German novelities (since it will be around Oktoberfest) and we would have to see about October.

I'm hoping that sometime soon I will be able to start off my 1500 subbie contest...though I'm waiting til I get to that point. More than likely I will be doing a video about it soon, at least a vlog like video. As I have been slowly but surely collecting things here and there for prizes for the contest.

Anyways the winner of the YouTube giveaway was actually someone who I have done a swap with early in the year, Yaya8212335 and for Twitter it was, Phatgirlzrule!

Total irony that these two lovelies won, however if you watch the video you know that it was via the fruit machine!!!

Congrats to both those winners and I hope to be posting soon of future giveaways or a bit more about my 1500 subbie contest!!!

Day 11: I don't wanna

Today's photo of the day is an interesting one, I personally didn't really know how I wanted to answer the requirement. As I personally think Hate is a very strong word.

I was brought up to never use the word Hate, as it is one of the strongest feelings possible. And honestly, if you hate something...then at one point or another you actually loved it. Or at least it invokes just as much feeling to hate someone as it does to love someone.

Day 11 - A picture of something you hate

I personally extremely dislike (I'm not using the word hate) liars. Anyone who says one thing or does another, or likes to twist the truth to their benefit. Or merely someone who says they won't tell anyone a dirty secret of yours, and then you find later on has been running their big mouth to a person here or a person there.

Now I can't say that I haven't lied before, but what pisses me off the most is when I catch a person in a lie. I think I got that from my mom, as she always told me. It's better that you tell me the truth in the beginning, because you will be in even more trouble if I find out otherwise.

I have caught quite a few people who I have been very close with, lying to my face. It really took everything in me to not call them out on their lies, and to not want to punch them in the face. Yes, I do have my moments of violence (it only comes out when I'm really really really pissed off).

Overall, liars are no BUENO! I understand a little white lie here and there...but if you are flat out lying to someone's face...and they know the truth.

Day 10: Caguama for LIFE

Today entry is again a day late, I got busy with actually having to run errands for the household that I forgot to do my new morning routine.

However this actual blog entry is probably going to be one of my favorites, reason being is it gets to talk about someone very near and dear to me. I have mentioned this person both on my YouTube, and on my personal Facebook. Though I'm pretty sure she is also on my make up Facebook page!

So let me get right into it!!!

Day 10 - A picture of the person you do the most ****** up things with

Me and Wingo at the beach, May 2011

Wingo, whose real name is Christina..though I have been calling her Wingo now for quite sometime is family...she is and always will be my sister. She was officially inducted into my family about 7 or 8 years ago, at a camping trip in Mexico in front of a large crowd of my parents long time friends.

And just like sisters, Wingo and I have had our good times and our bad times. Any of our bad times, do happen to involve a decent amount of alcohol drinking...as we both like to party and CAGUAMA together.

Wingo...Christina, is really the only person who will ever truly know what Caguama means. You can Caguama for the good times, you can Caguama during the bad times, as she puts it best "Caguama is a way of life".

Now, you are probably wondering what exactly do I mean by Caguama...well here's a picture to show ya what I mean. It kinda goes along with the idea of crazy s*** that I have done with Wingo.

Wingo's Tattoo

Literally, Caguama means tortoise. And we originally got the idea and huge story background with Caguama from the actual beer brand pictured next to the tattoo. It goes back to the same weekend that my family adopted her into the family....so you can imagine it is quite a tale!

Anyways, once Joe and myself got the orders that we would be moving to Germany for 4 years, It was a must that Wingo come out to California at the time to visit and say our final goodbyes. I had agreed on a time back, to get a matching tattoo with Wingo..though thinking about it I don't really know if I completely meant it at the time I agreed to it. Nonetheless, when it came to be time...I wanted to get it. Actually I'm the one that came up with the idea of the flower in the middle of the turtle's back.

Sadly Wingo's isn't an exact match to my tattoo as she separated the Caguama and the turtle, putting one on her back and one on her foot. While I did both on my shoulder, the only other difference is while her flower is an orange center that fades to yellow. My flower is a yellow center that fades to orange.

Now, when it comes to tattoos they have to have personally meaning to you and you really have to want it (as it is on your skin for the rest of your life). As I mentioned before in a different blog post I want to eventually have tattoos on my back, and I want all the ones on my back to mean something. I am forever imprinted with Caguama and my turtle, a tattoo that only one other person in my life shares.

For good or for bad, Wingo is my sister. And for good and for bad, we will forever Caguama together!

**I'm a little sentimental as I write this blog post entry. Wingo is currently serving a year tour in the desert in the Army. I worry about her, but know I will see her again soon.**

FOTD: Providence and Grace Smokey Topaz

I did this look awhile ago, however as everyone does notice it does take me a bit to get the blog posted.

This is an entire eye looking using Providence and Grace Fine Cosmetics, as at the time I did this look. I was getting final opinions of the products for my formal review. *If you are interested in finding out my thoughts on their products that I was sent check out the video.

I got quite a few compliments the day I rocked it at work, as I was told it made my brown eyes really shiny. I guess I will let you be the judge of that!

When I originally picked out the colors from Providence and Grace to review, I had a certain idea of what type of look I wanted to do. So I actually challenged myself to attempt a second look using the exact shadows but somehow making it different.

Thus I came up with a Smokey Topaz eyes which I paired up with a nude lip (cause I wanted to try out my new Lady Gaga 2 Dupe).

Face Products:

Rimmel 25 hr Foundation in

Maybelline Dream Mousse Concealer in Light

Cover Girl Professional Loose Translucent Light Powder

ELF Esstential Bronzer in Sun Kissed

Eyes:

Providence and Grace Eye Primer

NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Yogurt

Providence and Grace Antique Copper Shadows on lid

Providence and Grace Baby Shadow blended into crease

Providence and Grace Shine Shadow highlight and inner tear duct

Wet N Wild Cream Liner in Black water line

Maybelline The Volumnious Mascara in Black

I really liked the way Antique Copper looks as a lid color, however I was a bit worried that Baby blended into the crease would be a but hard. So what I did decide to do was apply Baby wet and then added blended it again dry. Layering the color made it darker which is exactly what I was hoping for.

Lips:

MNY Lipstick in Uptown Girl (dupe for Lady Gaga 2)

ELF Glossy lipgloss in New York

Overall, I really liked the way the look came out. If you haven't already checked out Providence and Grace Fine Cosmetics, I would recommend it. I'm big into indie mineral make up/shadow companies!!! And I only recommend companies whose products I am willing to spend my own hard earned dollars/euro on!!!

Hope you enjoyed this little post!!!

Drama Mamazz Mineral Make Up

I recently reviewed this mineral make up company on a formal video on my YouTube channel.

However I wanted to do just a few extra notes on my blog as to explain how I give overall rating to the Drama Mamazz Mineral line a 3.5 out of 5 stars.

I break down all my reviews into different sections: Customer Service & If there are any issues how are they handled, Price Compared to Amount of Product, Shipping & Handling Prices for Products, Pros to the product(s), Cons to the product(s).

Now some of the sections might seem like they below within the same category, but I keep them different so that they can make up the FIVE star ratings. And two, although a company or product can do well in one section (let's say price compared to amount of product) they could do poor in another (Shipping and Handling Prices for products).

Customer Service

DramaMamazz got a point in this section because of how quick they were to inform me of a problem they had with my order (ie ran out of an item). They informed me, offered me other choices, and followed up quickly after I sent in my change in order.

Plus they informed me when the items were shipped, which was within 3 days after placing my order and paying for my order. Overall the items took a total of 7 business days to arrive to my post office Box in Germany.

Point +1

Price Compared to Amount of Product(s)

Currently DramaMamazz are offering 5 gram jars of shadows for $5.00 which equals out to $1.00 a gram, which isn't necessarily a bad price for shadows. However when I placed my order back in June 2010, I was able to purchase sample sizes of the products. I paid $1.00 for a sample baggie of product (which was anywhere fro 1/8 to 1/4 tsp of product...which has lasted me quite sometime). That sadly is not an option now (unless you email DramaMamazz and find out).

Also at the time I placed my order they offered small inexpensive jewelry which is now no longer available, I think it was nice. To get my fix of make up and find cute cheap accessories (cause you never know when you can tie in your make up and jewelry together to make a cute look).

Point +.5

Shipping and Handling of Product(s)

Currently DramaMamazz offers $2.00 intial shipping and handling fee with additional items being $.50 a piece added to the overall shipping price. Which relatively isn't that bad (considering you are getting a 5 gram jar of product). Keep in mind this pricing goes for international or stateside first class mail shipping.

However when I purchased my items in 2010, I was charged $5.00 Shipping and Handling fee when I only purchased over 10 items (8 shadow sample baggies and 2 rings..thus my order before s&h was $10). So you can imagine I was slightly dismayed at the fact I was paying half of my order in shipping and handling fees. Plus considering the items were very light weight and were shipped off in first class padded mail envelope, I did feel like it was very high.

Point +.5

Pros to Products:

Pigmented

Easy to apply and Easy to blend

Good selection of color choices and types of shadows (ie mattes, shimmer, shimmer with glitter)

Little bit of product goes a long way

Point +1

Cons to Products:

Has lots of fallout (especially Shimmer with glitter shadows)

Requires a higher quality primer to keep shadows from creasing

Colors I purchased were no longer available on the site (only 14 overall colors available at the time)

Needs a sticky base Or products foiled to keep products from wearing off

Shadows that were Shimmer with glitter swatched/blended streaky (nude spots)

Point +.5

Overall Score: 3.5 out of 5

In The Kitchen: Milanese AKA Crunchy Meat

One of my favorite items to make is Milanese, which I grew up calling Crunchy Meat. I learned this recipe from my Nana, who is the closest to a grandma that I got to see on a regularly basis.

My nana actually is my mom's Godmother...but due to the fact that my maternal grandmother past away before I was born. My nana has been a stand in for me, I did get to see her when I was down in the states this past May.

Anyways, whenever I make this dish I always think about her and all the memories that I had while over at her house. It also helps that Joe loves this dish, I have to make it at least once a pay check. And even though I normally make a ton of this, I dont end up with many leftovers...cause Joe attacks this dish like it is his JOB!!!

It is very similar to Country Fried Steak, though the actual batter is a bit different. Hence why in the video I call it Pan Fried Steak!!!