You Can't Take the Sky From Me (But You Can Take My Money)

You know, if I weren't already broke, I certainly would be after today. First of all, I awoke this morning to see this precious sight on Ript:

Photo Credit: Ript Apparel

Malvin and Cobbes!!!! I love it!!!! For the next few hours, you can snag this shirt for ten bucks. After that, head over to Redbubble. It'll cost (quite a bit) more, but you can change the shirt color to one of your liking, and you don't have that evil timer counting down the seconds. While you're there, check out the artist's other works. Karen Hallion's portfolio is a pop culture fever dream of awesomeness. Subjects range from Harry Potter to Labyrinth, on to zombies, Doctor Who, and Disney princesses--often in mash-ups that make you think, "Wow! I never saw it that way, but now that you mention it..." She's good, y'all.

As if that weren't torture enough, a few minutes later, a friend of mine liked a post on Facebook. Martha, I am less than happy with you, now. I want these.



Photo Credit: Sweet Libertine Mineral Cosmetics

 Firefly-inspired mineral eye shadows!!!! I know, I'm using an over abundance of exclamation points today, but...really?!!! The names are fantastic (Inevitable Betrayal, Jayne's Hat, Captain Tight Pants, etc.), and the colors are very fitting. The bright yellow of Jayne's "cunning" hat, the blue gloves...spot on. My favorites are Companion, Leaf on the Wind, and The Captain's Wife, but they're all beautiful in the photographs.

Now, I've never heard of this brand, and I've definitely never tried them, so this is not an out and out recommendation. However, if you want to test them out for yourself, each shade is only $7, and the entire set can be purchased for $120. They've caught my attention, I'll tell you that.

Hunt For Nessie With Merida!

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

The latest Pixar movie, Brave, hits theatres this weekend, so I'm sure it'll only be a matter of time before kids everywhere are running around with pretend bows and arrows, and begging the parental units to cart them off to the nearest Disney park so they can meet Merida and her little bear buddies.

Please, for the love of God, don't let the kiddies know about this.

(However, anyone who wants to send me is perfectly welcome to. Please? Pretty, pretty please?)

You can now take a Brave tour of Scotland! Explore Loch Ness, experience the mysterious Callanish Standing Stones, learn horseback riding and archery, take a private after-hours tour of Edinburgh Castle, and so much more!

The trip lasts eight days, with accomodations and most meals included in the price. Airfare is extra. The recommended ages are 6+, with the age minimum set at four years. This would definitely be an experience of a lifetime, and it really sounds like the Adventures By Disney crew have outdone themselves.

(If you're unfamiliar with Adventures By Disney, click the above link to learn more. They organize family-oriented expeditions around the world. Very cool, indeed.)

The trips are not cheap. Not by a longshot. Pricing for begins at $5,619, with kids starting at $5,339. Seven family and one adults only vacations will run between March 24th and September 23rd of 2013.

So, when do we leave?

May the Tinsel Be With You!

Yeah, I know, I'm off...sue me. I saw this and thought of you guys:

Photo Credit (This and Below): yrchmonger.com

It's a Star Wars tree skirt!! Please check out the site to see how this went from a regular skirt to an awesome holiday decoration, and find out how you can get your own next year!

Isn't that gorgeous!! I don't even want to know how difficult it was to cut out those intricate patterns. My brain hurts just thinking about it. Well done!!

Photo Credit: G4TV

If You Eat the Outside, Is It Still Bigger On the Inside?

Pumpkin Bread. Cranberry-Orange Walnut Cookies. Sopapilla Cheesecake Pie. Sugar Cookies. Glazed Doughnut Muffins. Madeleines. Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins. Tiramisu. Red Velvet Cake. I could keep going with this list of yummy treats I like to whip up over the holidays, but you get the point. I like to bake. However, there does seem to be something missing from this list. What was it again? Oh! Yes! Gingerbread! I have never made gingerbread. At all. Period. No idea why. That said, should I ever decide to do the whole traditional gingerbread home construction thingy, this would have to be attempted:


Photo Credit: That's Nerdalicious!


I love, love, love this! The weathered shading, piped detailing (that's not easy), and--my favorite part--the itty-bitty Christmas wreath all come together to make a gingerbread TARDIS so full of win, I think the Doctor himself would be speechless.

The thing is, this time of year, I never have time to really decorate. My baked goods tend to be just that: baked and good (we hope). No one ever said anything about pretty.

Well, today I was digging around the interwebs, and I came across this silicone mold for a gingerbread house. All the detailing--shingles, log walls, windows--gets baked in, and then you can decorate as simply or elaborately as you want. Even better, the man who suggested this piece to OpenSky (the site I found it on, and a fantastic site for deals. I highly recommend it) noted that you could also use the molds to make the house out of chocolate. Holy Mother of Pearl.

Photo Credit: OpenSky

Of course, this is a man who knows his chocolate and his molds. He's none other than Mr. Chocolate, himself, Jacques Torres. I had the pleasure of working for him for a (very short) while, so I've seen first-hand the love and care he puts into his chocolate. His candy bars are like his children. If he says this is a winner, that's good enough for me. It's on my wishlist, and next Christmas, I hope to have a chocolate house to admire and devour. $20, OpenSky.

I Swear, I've Never Done This Before!

A little while back, I gave you all the heads up on a nifty little doo-dad over at Too Faced: custom palettes for half-price (roughly the same price as one of the three included items). That was a fantastic deal, and I'm completely in love with mine, but alas, all good things must come to an end, and the custom palettes are no more. However, all the items that went into the palette are still available, and they're pretty darn awesome, so I thought I'd share with you a quick review of each.

Photo Credit (This and All): Too Faced

First up, the eyeshadow duo that came with my palette was Totally Toasted. The right side of the duo is a pink-tinged beige, while the left is a rosy brown. I love this eyeshadow. It's creamy, but not so soft that it breaks when you look at it funny (I'm looking at you, Stila), and pearly without being too glittery. The lighter color completely brightens your eye area, too, while the crease color adds just enough definition to be polished without screaming "I'm wearing makeup!!" They also blend together like magic. I've been pairing mine with a black liner pen on the top lashes, a smoky gray shadow liner on bottom, and black mascara on top lashes only. It's a little mod, and a little pin-up-y at the same time. Currently, Totally Toasted is out of stock, but that seems to be a temporary situation. If you're desperate for a substitute, though, Sexpresso & Peach Fuzz (sorry, Mom) seems to be the next closest duo. $17.00, Too Faced. 10 out of 10.

Next up, the brightening blush in Pinch My Petals Pink. Now, I'm more of a warm-toned girl; between the auburn hair and green eyes, I didn't have much choice in the matter. However, sometimes you just need to wear pink blush, especially when you're as into pink as I seem to have gotten in my advanced age. (Seriously, my pink phase has just happened over the past couple of years. What happened? I mean, I've always liked pink, but this has gotten out of hand...anyway...) It's just never been my best blush choice. I've tried everything from baby pink to fuchsia, to no avail. This blush, for some reason, works. It's pink--there's no doubt--but it's very subtle, with a hint of warmth, and it's just lovely. It also glides on silky-smooth, and looks very natural. This is a keeper. $20.00, Too Faced. 10 out of 10.

Lastly, the Mirror Mirror lipgloss in I Love Myself. First off, let me just say that I adore the names of these glosses. Each one is a little ego boost. My next purchase may have to be "D*mn, I'm Hot", just because it'll make me giggle pulling it out of my purse. This gloss is hot pink in the container, but goes on sheer with just a hint of rosy color. Now, they weren't kidding when they called it Mirror Mirror; this stuff is vinyl-like in its shininess! Thing is, though, it's not even slightly sticky, feels moisturizing, and lasts for a good long time. Again, pink isn't the easiest color for me to wear, but this is extremely flattering. Bonus points for smelling and tasting like pink grapefruit. My only gripe: the deluxe sample they sent me isn't nearly big enough! I'm going to actually have to buy the full-sized. $14.40, Too Faced. 10 out of 10.

And that, ladies and gents, is a first. I've never--NEVER--given a palette all 10s before. It's a Festivus Miracle!!

A Little Less Conversation, A Little More Action

I have spent today in total embarrassment. See, I am in desperate need of a hair cut and color. This is not one of those, "ooh, my bangs look a little shaggy, maybe I need a trim," kind of deals. This is serious. My last haircut was before Christmas, and my last coloring was, oh, Thanksgiving, I think. Right now, I'm sporting a look that could be best described as Swamp Witch, and that's on a good day. There are currently 210 hours until my appointment, and this morning, all I could think was that it couldn't get here soon enough.

You see, around these parts, you have to be strategic with your hair appointments. Right after Christmas, all the really fantastic stylists are immediately booked for Mardi Gras balls, debutante cotillions, and all the other high society shenanigans and goings-on of the Carnival season. My stylist, who is one of the best in town, is a childhood friend of mine. This time of year, she's completely stressed out, with no shortage of clients. Had I been in on the festivities, then sure, I'd have booked an appointment well in advance, but I wasn't, so I didn't. I could wait. However, wedding season is fast approaching, so I had to try to hit that sweet spot in between, or risk being confused for a withered old crone until August. The horror!

Yeah, you could say I've put a lot of thought and energy into how to keep my hair looking decent. This morning, I put in all sorts of oils and creams to try to make the end product of my blow-out less Wookie and more Supermodel. That turned out about as well as I'd expected, so I spent the rest of the morning trying to hide my frizz behind my purse; a miserable failure. I was so worried about how horrible it looked--hence the countdown clock.

Then I got a wake-up call. A very wise woman was recently quoted, "A girl doesn't need hair to be beautiful. It's the inside that really counts, not the outside."


A wise woman at the ripe old age of eight.  Color me embarrassed.
 
Anna Tarnowski, 8, of Sheboygan, WI, just shaved her head for a friend. The pretty little girl lost her caramel curls at a St. Baldrick's celebration fundraiser. Anna wanted to show support for 14 year-old Alyse Zabel, who is fighting myeloid lukemia. Anna understands the importance of the gesture, since last year, her friends and family shaved their heads for her.
 
That's right. Anna has only had her head full of hair for one year. Up until that point, she'd been on chemotherapy, fighting the same disease Alyse now battles. She said she was used to being bald, so this was nothing new. As Anna's locks hit the floor, Alyse held her hand.
 
St. Baldrick's is a charity organization that raises funds for children's cancer research. It started as a St. Patrick's Day challenge among 20 friends to raise $17,000 for cancer research by shaving their heads at a party. They ended up raising over $104,000, and the St. Baldrick's (get it?) organization was born. Now, all over the country, folks are having shaving parties* to raise funds. The events are fun, celebratory, and anything but somber. Yes, a few tears may be shed, but the overall tone is joyous and hopeful.
 
Anna's parents were a little struck when she announced her intentions, but her dad pointed out, "She has certainly earned the right to do whatever she wants with her hair. If she wants to buzz if off or paint it pink, I don't care because honestly it doesn't matter as long as I've got my girl." Then he and Anna's thirteen year-old brother met the razor themselves.
 
Anna's planning to do it again next year, too. With inner-beauty like that, who cares about something as silly as hair.
 
I'm going to stop complaining.
 
*To find a St. Baldrick's even near you, click the link here. To organize your own, click here.