Poetry Corner-untitled

Love is always sweet
When it's forbidden
Stolen moments
Turning into seconds, minutes, hours
Time flying faster than a locomotive
Kisses hotter than a coal-hot oven
Temperatures rising faster than Mercury
Hearts fluttering like a million butterflies
Silence
When there isn't a word that needs to be said
Sadness
When time runs out
Memories
To hold on to
'Til the next time
When it begins again...

Disclaimer: All poetry featured here is my own work, product of my mind. Do not copy or steal my words! Thanks! :)

Poetry Corner: a haiku for you

Occupational Hazard

This place is the pits
And I worked so hard for this
I need a re-do

Urban Decay

I am so excited! I finally broke down and bought the 15 year anniversary eyeshadow collection from Urban Decay. It's a little pricey ($55). However, it's limited edition and I couldn't be left out. The packaging is amazing (you get what you pay for). I have not swatched it at all. I hate to ruin it. Hehe. I can't wait to see what it looks like on me. I've seen lots of swatches on YouTube but everyone's skintone is unique and I think the colors will look great on me. Urban Decay's shadows have excellent pigmentation. Their Naked palette is my favorite. I will post an update once I use the anniversary palette.
In other Urban Decay news, I visited their website and they were having a sale. I just bought the anniversary palette (see above), so I wasn't planning on buying anything. However, they had pigments for $1 each!! Now, I am new to makeup so I've never used pigments. However, for $1, I can experiment :). I bought every color they had (1 was out of stock). I also read the reviews. Most ladies said that the packaging makes it difficult to use the pigments. One reviewer said she was going to pot them. Now, I've never put pigments in a pot but 1. that's what YouTube is for and 2. they were only $1!
A review will be coming soon!

Smooches and Deuces!

Inspiration

I returned to work yesterday and the stress quickly overtook me.  However, as I was putting my classroom together, an idea popped into my head for a novel. I have so many ideas that come into my head all the time. It's hard to know which writing project to begin first. I have to start somewhere though. I'm going to put this new idea on my list of upcoming projects. For now, I'm still working on the Glamour entry. Good night all!

Smooches and Deuces!

The blossoming writer...Maybe

My current writing project is an essay contest for Glamour magazine. It's a 2500 word essay about a life experience. I am not a fan of nonfiction. I much prefer fiction. True stories are so personal and therefore more difficult to write. My poetry is personal but that's different. I decided to write about something very personal and it's very difficult. I'm only at 800 words. I don't know if I'm going to make it...Ugh.  Keep grinding.

Smooches and Deuces!

Lip Chronicles

I've spoken of my obsession with lip products. My latest obsession: Yves Saint Laurent Volupte Sheer Candy glossy balm crystal color. It comes in 6 different colors. The packaging is beautiful. I have it in #2 (dewy papaya). It smells amazing. It is not a lipgloss but a lip balm so you won't get much color payout. So if that's what you're looking for, this may not be the product for you. It is also a bit pricey ($30) but it's well worth it. Your lips will feel wonderfully soft.
This product is available at http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P287104&categoryId=C15812

Until next time
Smooches and Deuces!

Updates and New Ventures

Hello there! It has been such a long time since I posted. I had to work this summer so I've been very busy. I'm finally off for a whole week before I go back to work. Usually, after the summer, I'm feeling refreshed, ready to greet my new students and start a new school year. This year, however, I am burnt out already. It pretty much sucks. Oh well. C'est la vie! Anyway, I had an epiphany the other day and I thought I would share it. I used to love my job. In fact, I still love my students and it is an enriching experience. However, dealing with adults is no picnic and it leaves me feeling hollow. Recently, a colleague of mine told me about a writing contest open to high school teachers. I was very excited about it and I submitted an original fiction piece. I've always wanted to be a writer but never thought it was feasible because I already have a job that I have to keep. However, what dawned on me is that I can still write and work. So my friends, I am going to start writing. I would love to do some freelance work but I realize I will have to work up to that. My next venture will be a nonfiction essay contest being given by Glamour magazine. Baby steps...So from time to time, I may share some of my writing here. We'll see.
On the fashion note, I am ready for the school year thanks to Ann Taylor factory store. I love that place! If you have one in your area, check it out! What I love is the range of sizes that you can't get in a regular Ann Taylor store. 2-18! The clothes are really nice.
Beauty news: There are a few products I'd like to share with you all. Be on the lookout for them.
Well, busy bee that I am, I have to go. I promise I'll be back soon.

Smooches and Deuces!

*Sigh*

I know. I have been a horrible blogger. I started this blog so I could have an outlet but real life is so overwhelming. I'm taking an online class that I wish I hadn't signed up for. Between that and working full-time, it's too much. And now I have a sprained foot (ouch). So, I'm still alive peeps, just sadly absent. Until next time...

Smooches and Deuces!

Shopping

Hello Peeps! I'm here to talk about my favorite pasttime: shopping. First of all, I wanna say please do not assume that I have tons of money just because I'm shopping most of the time. In my years, I have learned that you can afford to shop just about anywhere. You just need patience. Think about it. Stores get new clothes all the time. If they didn't sell anything, it'd be one full store. So, they have sales. And if you wait long enough, they will keep marking it down until you're able to afford it. For example, yesterday I made a purchase at Soma Intimates. I've been seriously sleeping on this store. They have very cute lounge wear and travel wear. Anyway, a few weeks ago, I saw a pajama set I wanted. It was $45 for each piece (pants and top). Yesterday, I got both pieces at 70% off and paid $27 for the whole thing. Woo HOO!!!


Well, that's all for now. Until next time....

Smooches and Deuces!

Weightloss Journey

Well Peeps, I am so excited. I have lost about 5-6 lbs. I haven't been very strict on myself. I have just been trying to make some better choices when it comes to what I eat. I've also increased the number of meals I cook at home. This has been a huge help. I have a very hectic schedule so it's difficult to find time to cook. I have a 45-minute commute (1-way) everyday. And dealing with teenagers all day does not put me in the mood to put out a 4-star meal at the end of the day but I am trying. I am trying to get back to weight I was before I gained it all. A little back story: I suffered back-to-back miscarriages. I gained the weight and some of it is still here. I want it gone. Slow and steady wins the race.

Smooches and Deuces...

My absence...

I've been a little absent as of late and I'm sorry 'bout that. I'm sure the 1 reader I have will be devastated. Anyway, I got my Urban Decay Naked pallette and I LOVE it! My next post will be all about my current obsession. Until then Peeps...

Smooches and Deuces!

Lipgloss-Oh My!

I am a ligloss addict. There. I said it. My quest for gloss started when I was in high school. You see, I had one of those mothers who frowned on lipstick so I was always on the hunt for a tinted lip. Chapstick with Vaseline on top, drinking a red icee and aplying clear gloss on top...You name it, I tried it. Finally, when I was able to wear lipstick, I couldn't find anything that I liked. I preferred sheer lip colors. My very first decent lipgloss was a MAC gloss called Oh Baby. I loved it. It was neutral and sheer and fabulous. Then I started wearing lipgloss exclusively. You will rarely ever see me in a lipstick. Up until recently, my very favorite lip gloss was Dazzleglass by MAC in Date Night. OMG it was amazing the first time I put it on. I then proceeded to go through about 4 tubes of it because apparently those sneaky people at that company make it run out quickly. Well played MAC. Well played. Anyway, then I tried Superglass. I have it in Superflash. It was okay. I also have a Bare Minerals lipgloss called Plumtini. I like it but it's a little too sheer for my taste. Here's what I'm loving right now:  Estee Lauder High Gloss in Honey. It was free and reminds me of Oh Baby but not as sticky, which is a good thing. Philosophy bubbly lip shine. I'm not sure of the scent but it kinda smells like champagne (yum!). And last (but definitely not least) is my new Nars lipgloss I just got in the mail and you can see on me in my previous post (The Look-#2). First of all, shout out to ThesPNation for introducing me to Nars. I. love. this. gloss. It goes on like butter. It feels amazing. Now that I've tried it, I'd like more colors. My next color: Super Orgasm. (What's up with the names?) Anyway, what's your cosmetic must-have?

Smooches and Deuces!

The Look- #2

Here is another look I tried. The foundation and powder are the same. The eye makeup is different and the lip. Here's the breakdown: Luxe pallette by E.L.F., Mac shadows in Cranberry (frost) and Era (satin); liquid liner from Dollar Tree (yes the Dollar store), and mascara from Wal-Mart. Lips: lipliner by Mac in Nightmoth and gloss by Nars in Bouganville. Post to follow on the gloss.

Thoughts on this look? Which do you prefer? Look #1 or #2?

Smooches and Deuces!

The Look

This is me world! As I've stated in earlier posts, I'm working on my fierceness this year. So, here is a look I tried out today.
What I'm wearing: Hair: Bobbi Boss (no name; came from local beauty supply)
Face: Mac studio fix foundation (NW45); Mac sheer loose powder (NW45); Chestnut eyeshadow palette from E.L.F.; Mac lipliner in Chestnut and Estee Lauder lipgloss in Honey. Glasses are Rampage. Tell me what you think!

P.S. Next makeup look will feature my brand new Nars ligloss! Yay!

Smooches and Deuces!

The Biggest Loser

One of my favorite reality shows to watch is The Biggest Loser. Why you may ask? For the most part, it's inspirational. I usually watch it while eating a pint of Chunky Monkey ice cream. However, this season, I am trying to make positive changes as well so I found the season premiere very encouraging. I am no where near obese as these contestants yet they have the drive and motivation to lose the weight even though they have such a daunting task ahead of them. I don't have nearly as much weight to lose so I will be drawing on these guys for support. Look for my updates each week. My absolute favorite show, Grey's Anatomy, is coming on tonight after a holiday break and I cannot wait. Talk to you soon!

Smooches and Deuces!

Shopping, Diet and Motivation

Hello there! I've been rather lazy with updating, but all is well. I'm back now. Yesterday, I found true motivation to change my eating habits and lose some weight. I am looking for some very specific clothing items. I spent 6 hours (yes, 6) looking and didn't find anything! I saw things that were well-suited to my needs but did not come in my size. I quickly became frustrated with the whole process. When I was smaller, it was much easier to find nice clothes and I knew if it came in my size, I could wear it. Now, I have to try on EVERYTHING. Ugh. So annyoing. Anyway, so I am watching what I eat and looking at setting some goals and deadlines for myself. AND one of my favorite shows The Biggest Loser premiered last night. I can't wait to share my thoughts on it. Look for that in my next post. But for now, I have to go back to the stores to look for the items I couldn't find yesterday. Wish me luck!

Smooches and Deuces!

Diet- update

Um, yeah. I didn't really eat well today so...moving on!

My Hair Story

Most people don't give a second thought to their hair. However, for me, I started losing mine when I was in my early 20's. I was in college and my hair was really important to me. I made sure that it was always nice. The hairloss was about dime-sized at the crown of my head. I went to a dermatologist and he basically told me to stop getting relaxers (perms for those that don't know). I was horrified. I had been getting relaxers since I was young and I didn't know any other options for nice looking hair without a chemical straightener. I sought a second opinion from a dermatologist who specializes in African American hair. She did a biopsy of my scalp and I was diagnosed with scarring alopecia. I had never heard of this type of hair loss. Basically, there is scar tissue in my scalp from chemical burns (perms) and the hair follicle is DEAD i.e. never growing back. The doctor recommended some places around town where I could get extensions and so forth to allow my hair to rest from the chemicals. This, however, turned out to be bad. I got extensions which furthered my hair loss from the pulling on my sensitive scalp. Then, when the hair loss got to become rather extensive, I went to another salon that caters to women with hair loss and got what is called a unit. The hair was beautiful but the prices were very expensive. Eventually, it became too much of a financial burden to continue to pay them for hair that was decreasing in quality. I went back to wearing wigs. Now, there are some really nice ones out there that don't look like the wigs my grandma wore. (R.I.P. Ma) Anyway, I really wanted a lace front wig but I wasn't very knowledgeable about the subject. So, I went to You Tube. I know. I know. I didn't expect to find anything. However, what I found was an entire community of ladies (and men) who were giving tutorials on lace wig application and a number of other beauty topics. After watching a number of videos, I finally got the nerve to buy a lace wig and apply it myself. I am still by no means an expert but I am able to apply my wigs to the point where I'm not nervous when the wind blows hard if you know what I mean. There are also many tutorials on makeup and I'll be studying those to work on my makeup this year. But, I digress. I am so thankful for the YouTube family for helping me. So, from time to time, I may come on here raving about some new hair. Just bear with me. LOL.
Shout out to some of my favorite YouTubers: muffinismylovers (first lace wig video I ever saw. changed my life!), lovekisses99, twinkeez2003, PhillyzJamPoet, ThesPNation (Faboulous. A must see for fierce makeup tutorials and a good laugh), and 1SEXYTINA1 (amazing cooking vids). That's all for now peeps. Until next time...

Smooches and Deuces!

Plus-size shopping, weight loss, etc...

So, I engaged in my very favorite hobby today: shopping. However, shopping is not as exciting as it used to be for me. Right now, *intake breath*, I am the biggest I have ever been. Being overweight is not something that just happens overnight. At first, I was horrified when the numbers went up on the scale, but for the most part, I could still find clothes just about anywhere that would fit me. Now, that is not the case. One of my favorite stores, Ann Taylor Loft, stopped carrying my size in their stores. Sure, I could order online, but part of the problem in being larger is that you kinda need to try things on BEFORE you pay for them. Anyway, it's gotten to the point that many of the places I like to shop don't carry my size or don't have a large selection in the larger sizes. Don't get me wrong I love my curviness; it's the lumpiness I can't deal with. (The fat on my sides aka spare tire, I lovingly refer to as the oompa loompas.) So every year, Jan 1, I always say I'm going to lose weight, exercise, etc...So, I usually join Weight Watchers, watch what I eat blah blah blah. But it never works! My friends will tell me that I usually never follow through with this so instead of doing that, I'm going to do this weight loss thing on my own. I'm thinking about maybe blogging about what I eat daily on here and keep you guys posted on my weight loss. Either way, I'd like to see changes in my body by the summer so I hope I can get it together! Well, that's all for now folks. Until next time!

Smooches and Deuces