I'm Back!...

We will just ignore the fact that I haven't blogged on this blog since May and it's now January of a New Year! I wonder if anyone is still out there...?

Anyhoo...

Let's catch up. It's January 11th, 2012 and the first real burst of cold weather we've had. I welcome it. I am GRATEFUL for this cold. It snaps me back into reality. No more vacation. No more lounging. Time to get busy.

I have a little over a week before we exhibit at the Wonderful Wedding Show (so excited!), about 2 months before we move into our new house (more on this later) and roughly 7.5 months before I get married. Phew! That's a lot of stuff going on with LIFE sneaking it's way in the days between. I AM BLESSED.

So first, that Wonderful Wedding Show is happening at the convention center January 21st & 2nd. It will be our second year exhibiting at the event and my first year as a bride at the show! Very excited! There are so many wonderful booths and that atmosphere is always energetic and happy. I love it when I am able to interact with people one on one. Splurge beauty will be showcasing Lash extensions demos, FREE mini makeovers and create your own custom lip gloss! Come check us out at booth #w8 and fill out an ballot form to win a free bridal trial!

Onto other news...we FINALLY bought a house. We have been searching for months and when we did find something we wanted to put a bid on we got squashed and it was heartbreaking. They always say you shouldn't get emotionally attached to houses while you're shopping around but it gets hard, seeing house after house go to someone else when you already picked out where your furniture would go in your head and the paint colours you wanted to use. I'm happy to say we finally found "the one" and move into our new home in the spring!

So before we bought a house, I bought a stove. This might sound pretty backwards to some, but I happen to stumble upon my dream stove one day while innocently browsing through a store (that doesn't even normally sell appliances) and BOOM -- I had to have it. It was calling me. And when you see the stove you will know why...


I LOVE IT! I love it's cherry red goodness! And I'm very excited I found it a home. :)

Bringing it back to the Basics...

I'm back. I tried Tumblr...creating my own blog from scratch and let's just say it hasn't been the same. No motivation to blog. So I decided that some times keeping it simple to bringing it back old school is just what I need. I love this blog. It has history. It's my outlet to share a bit of my voice with the world (for whoever will listen for a moment) just to say hello.

hello world.

This weekend has been filled with ups and downs. I guess you gotta take them both as they come.

Ups:
- I gotta a surprise phone call and was picked as Xtreme Lashes May 2011 Featured Lash Stylist of the Month. BOOYAH! That ROCKS. For the kind newsletter write up about Splurge click http://www.xtremelashes.com/Newsletter/2011/Stylist/1105/1105.aspx

Downs: It snowed (in May?!!?!).

Ups: It's now melting.

Downs: My dentist canceled on me this morning.

Ups: More cuddle time with the pup.

Splurge Beauty Booth at the Ultimate Womens Show

This weekend we were at the Ultimate Womens Show and it was a lot of fun. I love exhibiting at shows because it gives me one-on-one face time with people and I love to share my passion with them. Not everyone gets why lash extensions are important. Not everyone gets that saving an extra five minutes in the morning so that you can have 5 extra minutes in bed cuddling with your loved ones makes a difference. Not everyone gets that waking up and feeling like you already look your best matters. But I get it...and so do my clients. So it does make a difference and it's why I love my job. It's not just a beauty thing...it's a feel-damn-good thing. And any time you can do anything that makes you feel better--gives you an extra little umph in your step I'm all for it. Rock on ladies.


My beautiful model Lisa at the Ultimate Womens Show this weekend who was gracious enough to lie still for me for a few hours so I could demo the lash extensions. We ended up doing one eye first so that ladies could see the difference with and without extensions. Don't worry, we fixed her up and did both eyes by the end of the show and she is now loving her new lashes!

Today:
- Laundry needs to be done, it's been piling up for way too long.
- Finally getting my engagement ring sized! It's legit and official once it's sized -- no going back ;)
- I may try and sneak in a precious nap or two with this little guy because we're an afternoon nap kind of family.

New stuff...

Hello!

I recently moved all of my blogging and update the splurge website so please go to www.splurgebeauty.com

links to the new blog are on the homepage!

Thanks!!!

Cuddle-it-out...

We have a rule at our house: 5 Minutes of Cuddle time. That means whenever we get home--no matter how many things are on our to-do-lists, how cluttered the mess may be on the kitchen counter, and how late we get in we make sure to have 5 minutes of cuddle time. 5 minutes of uninterupted closeness that melts away every worry/negative thought/frown that happened that day. And now we're throwing the dog into the mix so I really think we should up it to 10 minutes because really...she loves cuddle time jsut as much as we do. That's how you know you have the perfect pet--they fit right in.

More catching up...

Yesterday I finally tied up some loose ends and got together with Sabina (Winner of the Splurge Grad Photo shoot contest) and Mignon of Mignon North Imagery (http://mignonnorthimagery.wordpress.com/) for the actual photo shoot. Our schedules finally collided! First off Sabina is a gorgeous girl so no matter what kind of makeup I did I knew the photos would turn out awesome. Especially with Mignon being the photographer! She's super talented and I'm envious of her mad photography skills (and her giant Nikon lenses). It's always fun to do photo shoots and I hope to join foreces with Mignon for another contest next year. *hint hint* :P

*Acessories and Floral trench coat available at Splurge - 478 River Avenue)
*Photos Courtesy of Mignon North Imagery
*Makeup: Siuleen Thai

For more photos check out Mignon's blog at http://mignonnorthimagery.wordpress.com/
So after the photo shoot last night I got together with my best friend for some good catching up. It was awesome. Some times you forget how nice it is to just sit and chat. Especially with the people who know you best. We had a conversation about where we are in life...our career paths...what changes we want to make..hope to make...trying to find the courage to make...and the subject of practicality vs. passion. Back in high school--university, we were always told to follow our dreams and find something we're passionate about. I'm very fortunate that I've had the opportunity to do what I love to do. I mean, what girl doesn't want to be surrounded by makeup and pretty things? And I thank every person who has helped me get here and I pray every day that I do them proud. But every now and then I think about the other side of the road--the practical side of the road. The side that has a 401k plan and dental benefits. It's not always easy being your own boss. Being accountable for everything. Some times it wears me down and I think about... what if I had been more practical?

Today: Is a gorgeous day and I'm planning on making sure the pup gets to go out and romp in the fall leaves (maybe eat a few blades of grass) and then snuggling up with a pot of flowering tea.

House Candy...

These are photos I said I'd post ions ago, and I'm FINALLY getting around to it. After I moved in with the bf almost a year ago I was super pumped with paint on my hands and thought of furniture pieces floating around in my head and since then I've completely lost my Martha Stewart Mojo. We were going to rip up carpet this summer, maybe do a bit of landscaping (at least patch up the once existant garden) but alas, the summer came and gone and nothing got done. Instead we indulged in mini road trips and added a 5 lbs. puppy to the mix. Time well spent I say. :)

This is the bedroom...well an angle of it anyway. We debated between having a yellow or red accent wall and I'm quite pleased witht he red, although it took probably 5 coats to get to the color it is now. I had this awesome idea to get the wood branches beside the bed and I guess I didn't do such a good job describing it because the bf fought me on it the whole time. Said he didn't want to live in a forest...I sure showed him. It's now my favorite part of the room. :P

In the kitchen we decided to get crafty and paint a chalk board on the back of the door. It's great for shopping lists, little messages...and a few games of hang man. Since this photo we swaped out the fridge for a stainless steel one but I have to say I'm looking forward to the day we move and I get my coveted retro style buttercup yellow fridge. *sigh* still lusting.

Another attempt at breaking the norm we painted a back accent wall in the livingroom. It was probably the most nervous part of all the household renos. I mean, who paints their livingroom wall black? We do. And then we custom order a big ass dandilion wall decal to slap on top of it.

And finally we couldn't let the front door go unscathed so we painted it red...or attempted to...SEVERAL times. Yeah, we pretty much damaged that bad boy. You can't really tell in the photo but let me tell you, you can't trust the people or home department stores about what paint to use on a metal door. Someone should have just stopped us. It peeled, clumped, and was overall a mess but in the end, it was an experience--one of many that this house will hold for us.

Today: I promised the pooch I would take her for a walk after work and seeing that the sun is out and rain is out of sight I'll damn well deliver on my promise. Re-organizing my hours for fall/winter and eating leftover Magic Thailand for lunch...mmm...this day rocks.

Siu Style...

Last week I was invited to dinner at the bf's parent's place and when asked if we could bring something someone had already signed up to bring cake. Did I mention I LOVE baking? Craving the feeling of my spatula since it's been awhile. Much to my dismay I was left with the task to bring fruit. So...I made a fruit bouquet. No one put's Siu in the corner... (photos this post are courtesy of the Bf's sis).
Today I am full of guilt. Guilt for not keeping up with this blog-- It's starting to look wimpy. Guilt for not taking more photos with my fancy camera that I loved and stroked and whispered sweet nothings to with empty promises of hikes together and many hours of "Siu-and-D90 time". But lately I feel like I've been having too much "Just-Siu time." This morning it was my turn to take the little one out for potty and breakfast duty and I was so sleepy I begged and pleaded not to have to get out of bed. It wasn't any better when the pup decided to wake up at 5:30am instead of her usual 7 am. So, I showed restraint and let her whine. Which, many will think is evil but at 5:30am my scrambled brain was still dreaming away and I was feeling like a fiesty fat kid at a buffet--MUST HAVE MORE! THANKFULLY, I have the bestest-greatest-most-thoughtful bf who got up and took over for me. When I finally got out of bed this morning (late by the way) I was stuck looking at this sad little puff ball...

So I turned the blow dryer off. Sat down. And cuddled the Sh*#! out of her.

*Sigh* Life is too short to go through it with your eyes half-open.