Christmas, what a perfect day

Hello people!  It has been forever since I have posted.  This blog is supposed to be about all the ways you can make life more beautiful. It seems that most of my blogs have been makeup related.  I DO have other things that happen or that I do that I think make for a beautiful life.  So, future posts will be  a little less cosmetic related and more mishmashes topics that I find interesting and think you will find interesting as well.

Recently I watched a show on hgtv that I hadn't seen before.  It was called Donna decorates Dallas.  I found it pretty interesting.  I would watch it again.  Anyhow, they made some feather trees and they Rocked!!!  It was something that totally fit the nitch of making life more beautiful.  So, off to hobby lobby I went.  Once I had my supplies (bags of feathers, a new hot glue gun and a Styrofoam Christmas tree) I went home and whipped one up.  Below you will see a photo of the finished tree.

Feathered Christmas tree

These feathered trees are Victorian in origin.  They started making these trees in Germany in the 1800's.  They made them out of goose feathers and a paper tree form.  The Victorians used black feathers because they considered them to be more elegant.  These trees became a popular and cheap option in the United states in the 1920.  There are antique trees from that time still around and lots of people collect them.  Maybe someday I can get a fortune for my cheapo feather Christmas tree. LOL.  While I am waiting to make my fortune, it is just a tree that decorates my home and give me a more beautiful life.

Should you decide to make one, just let your imagination go wild.  The one I saw on Donna decorates Dallas had feather, leopard skin ribbons, and lots of glitter.  Mine just is fancy feathers.  You can find all sorts of example on youtube, and other craft sites around the web.  Happy Crafting!!!!


Thanks for stopping by missditz-thebeautifullife.com

Leslie

Updates, new products, and Christmas cheer.

Hello People,
It has been a while since I have posted.  Since You last heard from me I have moved (twice, because we stayed with my mom between moving to Colorado and moving into our house)  The whole moving process took a long time.  I have already settled into a routine with my new oncologist.  I have a whole month of treatment under my belt.  So far Parker Colorado is pretty decent.  This country living is an adjustment though.  Everything takes a lot more planning.  When you run to the store it takes half the day to drive to town and do the shopping and return.  You don't just run for a gallon of milk!  Other than making me a better planner, I am hoping this new life helps me to relax more.

It gives me plenty of time to search my favorite sites.  Such as www.limecrimemakeup.com.

Here are a few of our favorite things:  Loop-De-Loop (midnight blue with iridescent sparkle), Cherry On Top (pink-red with rainbow sparkle), Golden Ticket (lamé gold),  Kaleidoscope (plum-purple with turquoise sparkle) and Candy Apple (ruby red with crimson glitter).

Carousel Gloss is Limited Edition and expected to last through the end of winter, so be sure to put it on your Christmas list! Retails at $17. Vegan & cruelty-free.

They are always coming up with new things.  Recently they came out with the candy eyed shadow primer.  This works great as a lip primer too!  But for the holidays they have created a new lip gloss.  The colors are fantastic.  Very whimsical and fun.  I can see myself using the orange and red or even accenting with the gold.  Heck, I might even use the purple.  Blue is a bit bright for me, but I know that there are some brave fashion forward people who read this blog, and for them blue is the bomb!  So, if you are looking for a great stocking stuffer, or a little gift for yourself, it is very affordable at $17 for the whole set!!

Here is a recipe for a drink that you can use for holiday toast.  It is called Christmas cheer.  But you could have it at Thanksgiving.  Remember, Don't drink and drive!

Servings:

9 

per drink

• 1 1/2 fluid ounces green apple vodka
• 1/2 fluid ounce triple sec
• 1 teaspoon grenadine
• 3 fluid ounces cranberry juice

per pitcher

• 12 fluid ounces green apple vodka
• 4 fluid ounces triple sec
• 2 tablespoons grenadine, plus
• 2 teaspoons grenadine
• 24 fluid ounces cranberry juice

Directions:

1. 
   
   Drink makes one and the pitcher makes 8 (unless the drinks are large, then maybe 5-6).
2. 
   
   Mix and serve over ice.
3. 
   
   Happy holidays!

you could probably remove the alcohol and make  a virgin rendition of this drink.
Have a happy thanksgiving.

Leslie

Here are a few of my favorite sites.

Hello People,
I have a confession to make.  I am a purpose driven shopper.  Yes, that's right.  I don't usually like to go shopping unless I have something in my mind.  It is usually something that I have made up in my head.  For instance I may want a shirt and have an image of what it should look like.  I go shopping, and of course I won't find what I want.  There won't be anything that is exactly what I want.  This makes me cranky!  It makes me not want to go shopping at all.  Another confession is that I love presents!!!  When a package arrives in the mail with  my name on it it makes me giddy inside with excitement.  You would thing this would be a temporary rush, but nope.  It is long lasting.  I buy for long term enjoyment.  The clothes I buy are investments to me.  If I buy something to wear I usually go for something classic that can be added to or taken away from and will not go "out of season".  So there are a few retro or vintage type sites for clothes.  Here is a little list of some of the clothes sites I like to shop at. 
Pinup girl clothing is a great site for all shapes and sizes.  It is great for a girl like me who has curves.  You can easily order clothes there and not worry that it will be the wrong size.  There are clothing charts and the outfits are very tailored and stylized.  You will LOVE the retro-ness of the site.  The clothes are very "mad men" looking.  I enjoy day dreaming.  To check it out personally follow the link below:

http://www.pinupgirlclothing.com/

You also may have heard me mention Mod cloth a time or three.  LOL!  My daughter and I really LOVE this site.  There is such a wide selection of fun and funky classic clothing.  You'll also find housewares, jewelery, shoes and other accessories.  They have a blog with recipes, fashion and decorating ideas. It is fun to read, the writers are interesting. There is even a section of vintage products.  It is a popular part of the site.  They get snapped up pretty quickly.   The link is:

http://www.modcloth.com/

The third place on line I like to shop for clothes is Ruche.  It is a beautifully done website with great sections.  There are great clothing varieties, home and office, swim suits, curvy and plus sizes.  It also has an interesting blog to read.  I always learn a little something when I visit the blog. It has great people writing.  The photos and layout are really exciting! 

 http://www.shopruche.com/


It is a bit more expensive than my usual haunt of Target.  http://www.target.com/  They have some pretty fun clothing in their campaign international line.  But it isn't that much more pricy.  When you spend a few more dollars at these sights you will find clothes that have double seams, blind hems, french seams, and beautiful decorative stitching and embroidery.  All high quality items that you can wear for many years because retro never goes out of style.  Style never goes out of style.  Plus Fun clothes are always fun. 

Thanks for stopping by.  Take a moment to subscribe.

Leslie

Fried pasta with sun dried tomatos and artichoke hearts

Hello people,
This is a simple 10 minute meal from start to finish. It is what I call jar cooking or dump and stir. Using the ingredients you keep stocked in your pantry, you can create a bunch of different versions of this recipe. It is super yummy, easy to make and quick!! Enjoy. Also, if you do make your own version, post a video or share the written recipe.

Leslie

Make a video - it's fun, easy and free!
www.onetruemedia.com

Tee shirt revamp project

Hello people,

I have a project for making over a basic tank top tee shirt.  What I have done is taken a2 yrd tulle trim edging and sewn it it into a a circle by sewing the ends together

Then I have taken a 3/8 inch wide elastic, measured my waist and removed 3 inches.  Taking the elastic and stretching it as I sew, I have sewn it to the the tulle.

By stretching the elastic as I sew a zig zag stitch (at the widest and longest setting) to the tulle, it creates a gather and makes the tulle ruffly. 

After turning the tulle into a ruffled circle I pin it to the tee shirt and then sew using the existing stitch line at the hem of the tee shirt as a reference point to sew the two pieces together. 

Then viola!!  Here is a picture of the finished shrt. 

This is a nice little pop of whimsy to just a plain tee shirt!  I love being a girl.

Can a girl ever have too many ruffles?

Thank you for stopping by to check out this project.

Leslie

Advice on makeup primer and a little advice on life

This is a quick video with a little makeup tip and a bit of advice on living!

Make a video - it's fun, easy and free!
www.onetruemedia.com

RapidLash experiment

Hello people,
As You know I have lost my lashes and brows due to chemo.  My brows never really grew back healthy after my chemo in 2001.  So, with this round of chemo the eyelashes are gone and the brows are not far behind.  I can easily get a prescription for the latisse.  It isn't something that they do a lot of at my chemo office.  For now I think I will try the over the counter option.  The Rapid lash ranks second under the latisse as an eyelash and eyebrow regrowth product.  Starting today I will begin using the rapid lash at bedtime.  They say that it takes 14 days to begin to see results.  That is the pretty much the standard with the top four lash products.  They all say that they take 14 days to begin showing results. 

Gross close up, but you can see that I have only 8 or 9 lashes left and the other eye is bald.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fall Fashion hunt

Hello people,
I have been on a Fall fashion hunt.  My current search is for Long sleeve tee shirts that are fitted and feminine looking.  I have had a little luck finding shirts at forever 2, I got two long sleeve shirts while there I also treated myself to some awesome boots that will be trendy but in style for a long time if I take good care of them from mod cloth.  I also got a really cute messenger bag that is tan and red. It smaller version of a standard messenger bag.  It gives it a delicate, feminine style.  Last Spring I purchased an adorable coat that I haven't gotten to wear yet.  I'm waiting for cold weather to get here.  Hurry up Autumn!

So, here are the photos of the shirts, boots and purse.

this is a hoody tee shirt.  I love these, because I can cover my head and stay warm

This is a really roomy purse, with lots of pocket.  It should match a lot of outfits.

I love the detail of the buttons and how the flap folds down, the double stitching and the nice heel pegs on the heel.  Plus they sent extra heel pegs for when these wear out.  

 

 

 

 

 

So, my plan is that with jeans I already have and pants and skirt, I just need to add long sleeve shirts and sweaters to the equation.  Do any of you have ideas of online shopping or places that are chains where I can get shirts that are cut in a bit at the waist line to make the sweaters and shirts more feminine and less boxy looking?  I would Love for your to share your advice with me.

thank you for stopping by to look at my photos.  Take a moment to subscribe or follow.

Leslie

Eyebrows are the windows to the soul.

People,  my transformation is complete.  The chemo I have been going through has completely removed my lashes and brows.  My current fixation is with finding ways to make  my eyes have the two little accessories they were born with.  So, I purchased a benefit brow zing.  I have used other eye brow products in the past.  They are great if you already have brows to accent, but the brow zing is different.  It is more suited to drawing in brows that don't exists. 

The product is in a nice small kit.  It comes with two small brushes and a small pair of tweezers.  I use the rounded brush to put the dark wax on and then use a longer brow brush of my own to apply the lighter color that simulates the individual hairs that you shade into place.  It looks quite natural when you practice a bit.

How do I look with my newly drawn eyebrows?  I think the chemo chic hairstyle is what makes the whole look flow.  LOL!

Thank you for stopping by,

Leslie

Shelac manicure

I intended to post this last weekend, but couldn't get the picture to load from my cellphone to blogger.  I am home now and able to load the photo.  Here ya go.


You won't believe what I did today People! I went amebas one of those fancy new Manu heed. It is called shellac.it is just like polish and comes I'n a wide array of colors. I chose a light purple. First comes a clear base coat of shelac. Next they applied two coats of the prple.'then a couple of top coats. The final step is to cure it under av light. The final thing the nail tech did was to put some shiny oil on with acotton ball and buff the polish to shine. That sort of freaked me out. Cause you know you would never run cotton through your freshly polished nails!?! But this just made them so sparkley.
The difference between a regular Mani and a shellac Mani is that the shellac is thicker. More like acrylic in a sense. They tell me I won't have to polish for 4 weeks. The pplush will not chip or peel lime polish. It will stay newly manicured looking other than a little gap at the base of the nail with new nail growth. I didn
T take the time to ask for sure, but I suspect you'd use polish remover to get it off at home. I'll find it and let you know in a future post. Here is a photo of the finished product.

You won't believe what I did today People! I went amebas one of those fancy new Manu heed. It is called shellac.it is just like polish and comes I'n a wide array of colors. I chose a light purple. First comes a clear base coat of shelac. Next they applied two coats of the prple.'then a couple of top coats. The final step is to cure it under av light. The final thing the nail tech did was to put some shiny oil on with acotton ball and buff the polish to shine. That sort of freaked me out. Cause you know you would never run cotton through your freshly polished nails!?! But this just made them so sparkley.
The difference between a regular Mani and a shellac Mani is that the shellac is thicker. More like acrylic in a sense. They tell me I won't have to polish for 4 weeks. The pplush will not chip or peel lime polish. It will stay newly manicured looking other than a little gap at the base of the nail with new nail growth. I didn
T take the time to ask for sure, but I suspect you'd use polish remover to get it off at ho
E. I'll find it and let you know in a future post. Here is a photo of the finished product.
You won't believe what I did today People! I went amebas one of those fancy new Manu heed. It is called shellac.it is just like polish and comes I'n a wide array of colors. I chose a light purple. First comes a clear base coat of shelac. Next they applied two coats of the prple.'then a couple of top coats. The final step is to cure it under av light. The final thing the nail tech did was to put some shiny oil on with acotton ball and buff the polish to shine. That sort of freaked me out. Cause you know you would never run cotton through your freshly polished nails!?! But this just made them so sparkley.
The difference between a regular Mani and a shellac Mani is that the shellac is thicker. More like acrylic in a sense. They tell me I won't have to polish for 4 weeks. The pplush will not chip or peel lime polish. It will stay newly manicured looking other than a little gap at the base of the nail with new nail growth. I didn
T take the time to ask for sure, but I suspect you'd use polish remover to get it off at home. I'll find it and let you know in a future post. Here is a photo of the finished product.

Repair broken eyeshadow or repot eyeshadow into another palette.

Hello people,

If you have ever had a favorite eyeshadow or blush break, you know frustration. Cosmetics are pricy and to spend a baby fortune and have it break is a huge bummer.  But there is a solution. 

What you need.
Broken eyeshadow, blush or just a cosmetic you would like to place into a different palette.
Palette to place it in.
Rubbing alchohol.
Wax paper.
Jeans if you want to create a cross hatch or a patterned paper towel to create a design. ( do this when it is almost dry)
Step 1: Mix your eyeshadow with a few drops of rubbing alcohol.  Stir it with a tooth pick or a q-tip that has the cotton bud removed.  Just before your shadow is still damp but NOT pastey from repairing your shadow with alcohol (you should be able to press on it with your fingers)
Step 2:  Place of wax paper over your shadow and firmly press down all over your eyeshadow. Even it out as smooth as you can.
Step 3: If there are cracks, mist it again lightly with your rubbing alcohol. 
Step 4: In order to make the cross hatch patter, take a piece of old jean fabric and press it down onto your slightly damp surface.  You don't have to do this, it just makes it pretty. 
Step 5: Carefully take one of the insideout legs and put it over the shadow and press firmly all over.
Step 6: There you go people!  All done. Just make sure that you let it dry completely.


Here some photos of the process I did.  These shadows are from the Lorac palette I got at Christmas time.  It is still pretty new, and in great shape.  But there are only a few shades in it that I use.  I have this amazing compact mirror that I won a while back and I hated all the shades that were in it.  So, I popped them out and replaced them with the favorite colors of shadow and the three lip shades that I like from the Lorac.  Below you will find the photo tutorial on how I did this. 

Old favorite purse compact

Lorac Christmas palette

internal pop out compartments of the compact

Rubbing alchohol

Wax paper

I used paper towel to create my pattern

 

 

It took 30 minutes to do the whole process.  From popping out the old shadow from both palettes, to putting them into the new ones.  I can't bake this shadow because there are plastic components in the compact.  It should dry at room temp in about 12 hours.  At least that is how long I plan on letting it dry.  I can hardly wait for it to dry out so I can use it. 

Thanks for stopping by people!

Coastal scents eyeshadow and a few of my most favorite things.

Hello people,
today I want to talk to you about a new palette that I have from coastal scents.  I also want to talk about a few of my most favorite brands and why they are favorites.

I ordered the smaller of the coastal scents palettes because when you order the 88 colors you end up with dozens of them you just don't like or won't use, and to me that just seems a waste.  So, I ordered the smaller one.  It arrived on Friday, and I have some swatches of the colors for you to view. 

The swatches are the colors from left to right, top to bottom.  So, the first arm swatch is the first three colors on the left and then so on to the right.

These three colors blend and wear very well together.  I have already worn them together and alone several times.

The yellow in this wave comes off looking golden when applied.  I really like the look.

These three are great for a smoky look with a hint of grayish green.

These are the colors that are in the last row.  They are very pigmented.

I do enjoy this palette.  I wish that it was magnetic so that the individual pans would stay put in the flat.  Overall, that is just one small inconvenience. The price on this product is a reasonable one.  The colors are great and the pigments is beautiful.  Plus it really stays put once on.  But I credit that to the Candy eyed eyeshadow primer from Lime crime that I use.  When you use this primer your shadow will not crease or move from your eye.  It truly extends the wear ability of The shadow.  The one that I just finished off was purchased in January.  So, one tiny little pan of eyeshadow primer gave me 8 months of product life.  That is really reasonable for how great it works.  Especially when you factor in the price.  It is only $17.00 for 7 grams/.25 ounces.   That amounts to pennies a day.  I just love that.

Another product that I am loving right now is burts bees beeswax lip balm.  I put that on every night before bed and it really has made my lips soft and kept them from having any Summer time dryness.  Plus it tastes good. 

I want to share with you a photo my daughter took of me last night.  It shows a photo of me when I was four months old and a photo of me in my current fuzzy head chemo condition.  The more you change the more you stay the same. 

Thank you all for stopping by.  Please follow or subscribe.

Awesome new wig from Paula Young wigs.

Hi people,

I had mentioned that I was going to be doing a guest post on http://paulayoung.com.  In exchange for doing this post,  I was given a wig of my choice.  With my daughter helping out I chose a wig that was darker and shorter than I would normally go for.  It was a very pleasant surprise.  Here is the link to my guest post:  http://hairsolutionsfortoday.wordpress.com/

Check out the site if you have been thinking of trying out wigs or extensions. 

Here is a photo of how the wig looks on:

I really like how the color looks on my.  Plus it has a great length and shape.  It is a different style of wig the others that I have.  I don't know much about the different types.  It has a little mesh piece at the front and has hand tied pieces of hair all the way to the front.  It is really comfy.  Anyhow, what do you think?  Does it look good to you?  I think I look pretty good in darker hair.  Some of the blonde makes me look a bit washed out.  But this color brightens my features.

Thanks for stopping by.  Take a moment to follow or subscribe.

Paula Young wigs

Hey people,
If you are feeling bored of your hairstyle and want instant change, you should check out this site. As I have shared recently, I have been getting wigs to cover my baldness. But you don't have to be bald to wear a wig. All you need is a desire to change your hair. If you are blessed with hair and want to make it longer they also have hair extensions. The variety of wigs is what I find exciting. They have synthetic, and human hair as well as a blend of both. Then there accessories for hair and also clothing and excessories too. I haven't bought from them before, but in all my searches I keep coming back to their page in hopes of shopping there. I didn't an article as a guest blogger that should appear on their site blog by next Tuesday. In exchange for this I will be getting a really cute little wig. I'd have been happy to write the post anyway, but getting a wig when you are bald is a nice bonus. When I receive the wig, I will snap photos and share them with you.

www.Paulayoungwigs.com
Take a moment to subscribe or follow please!

Leslie

Black eyed pea summer salad recipe

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Here is the recipe:

2 cans of blackeyed peas rinsed or half of a bag of black eyed peas cooked following the directions on the bag

1 tomato diced
1 bell pepper cut into chunks
1 small sweet onion cubed
1/4 cup of parsley fresh or dried
3 Tbsp of balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp of olive oil

Chop all your veggies and add to the black eyed peas. Mix the balsamic vinegar with the olive oil adding parsley and some black pepper and sald to taste.

YUM!

Leslie

Madona, the material girl, launches new products

 

 Here's the scoop my people,

 

 

Madonna (yes the material girl) and her 14 year old daughter are working in the big leagues now.  The are expanding Material girl brand to include cosmetics, polishes, lip glosses an d body sprays.  Apparently in England body spray is used a deodorant.  Interesting eh?  While this is Madonna's brand, Lourdes had her involvement in the creation of the body scents.  She picked the names and sampled the scent that went into each of the sprays.  The new body products have fun names like Wicked Watermelon, Flirty Fruit, Midnight Magnolia and Sinful Sugar.  

 

In addition to the cosmetics and body products, they are also coming out with bras, and bustier.  Here are a few photos:

If you find yourself excited by the prospect of these new products, You can find all of them  this Fall at Macy's. 

Thanks for stopping by.  Please feel free to leave feedback, or subscribe of follow.  The link to subscribe is in the right sidebar at the top.

Leslie

How to do hairstyles when you have lost your hair.

Hey people,

You may wonder what people who lost their hair to cancer do to be stylish.  Well, aside from the obvious buying hats and scarves, There are a lot of wig options out there. So, If you want to change styles, just change wigs. Most insurances offer a prescription for a person with cancer or alepicia to receive a wig.  Once you get that you find a wig shop and they help you to find a wig that suits you.  Most wigs are not in stock but are ordered to your specifications.  Then when it arrives you can have it trimmed to a style you like. 

You have seen my wig.  It is a bit shorter than the hair I had prior to the chemo hair loss.  I felt like it didn't give me much options for hair styling.  So, I went to a couple of wig sites.  One is:
http://www.paulayoung.com
There is quite a select of lengths, colors and types to choose from.  Human hair or synthetic hair.  Plenty of colors to look at, and layered or straight.  It is a cool site.

I ordered my second wig from http://www.wowwigs.com.  I decided to go with a longer one that was closer to my color. The new one is a human hair synthetic blend.  You can actually us a curing or straightening iron on it.  So, now I have variety.  With all those hats, scarves and two wigs to wear depending my mood.

Here are a few photos of my many looks.

I went with bangs on the longer wig.  Mo likes bangs.  I'm not sure he liked these until we had some of the hair around  my face cut to frame it more.  I really like the longer wig.  What do you think of it?

Thanks for stopping by,

Leslie

Exciting blog find @ Beauty Diaries.

 Hello People!  Happy Day to you all!  This morning as I ready my Google alerts about all things beautiful, I discovered a truly incredible blog.  It may have been around for awhile, but it all new to me.  It was so much fun exploring this site.  Here is why.

Site administrator is a very unique woman who lives in India named She is a software engineer, and a Lover of all found and yet undiscovered beauty products.  Kimi posts on July 9th about Channel's rough allure Velvet.  It will be launched this coming Autumn. You should head over there and check out the post.  Since it is already the 10th of July in India, you can read tomorrows post today!!  Here is a link to the blog:

http://www.beautydiaries.com/2011/07/product-launch-chanel-rouge-allure.html

This is a beautifully laid out, very informative, terrific post that are well spoken.  I only hope you enjoy this blog as much as I have.

Quick update on my chemo.  This was my two round week.  I did much better this time because I didn't get sick.  But I know that the drugs are working, because I am in pain everywhere that there is cancer.  Hips, arm, chest and sore lungs.  So, for today I embrace the pain knowing that it is a healing pain.  Thanks all for all your thoughts and prayers.

Leslie

Stila item giveaway at beauty blitz.

Hi People,

I think that I have mentioned beauty blitz to you before. It is a really cool site that has daily giveaways. I enter every day and have one 3 items over the past two years! In addition to having the giveaways they have articles and weekly features. Free style, insider tricks, celebrity editors, features, beauty stalker, meet the pros,and on the front page is a really cool ongoing article called the daily blitz. It is a really fun, fresh and exciting place to visit.


Today's giveaway

Stila natural eyes eyeshadow pallet.

Info on the palette from Beauty blitz web page

Stila Naturaleyes Eye Shadow Palette 150
Stila Naturaleyes Eye Shadow Palette
Get a head start on your autumn makeup look with this eye shadow palette from Stila's Fall 2011 Collection, which was inspired by color trends right off the runway. It comes complete with 10 (award-winning) shades of trendy fall colors including shimmery pink champagne and a matte light coco. The palette also includes a waterproof eyeliner in a matte brown shade that compliments every shadow color perfectly, and an eight-page look book that gives you great tips and how-to tricks. This is one palette you won't want to live without this fall. We've got one up for grabs!

Looking at life through a haze of pink ribbons

The following is not opinion these are fact that I state sources for. So, in advance of reading this article I ask that if you get angry, don't direct it at me. While I state that I am saddened by this information, I didn't come up with it out of the top of my head. You can google it yourself and come up with the same information that I have found or just visit the source that I site.

Thank you,

Leslie

Just the facts on breast cancer's pink initiative. Don't get me wrong, I think breast cancer awareness is a wonderful thing. It has been a terrific boon for the drug companies. Does that comment seem strange to you? Let me clue you in to some irrefutable facts.



Fact one: there isn't any place on this planet that a person wouldn't recognize a pink ribbon as the symbol for breast cancer. ( info from Susan G. Koman wikipedia page that states: Today, Susan G. Komen for the Cure is active in over 50 countries with its largest affiliates in Italy and Germany.)



Fact two: Out of all the money raised in the walk for the cure, race for the cure and other such events, as quoted in a New York times article January 7, 2011, "only 1% of the $5 billion annual cancer fund was devoted to any stage IV (metastatic) cancer, despite the fact that stage IV causes 90% of cancer deaths."



Before adding more facts I just want to go on record as saying that I think this is really sad. Let me educate you. There is a big difference between having localized breast cancer, having it removed and then receiving either chemo alone or with radiation, and a woman or man having metastatic breast cancer. The woman or man with localized cancer will be pronounce cured at the end of their treatment. The patient with metastatic breast cancer is told as I was that you will be on one form or another of chemo for the rest of you life, and most likely this will be what you die from.



Fact three: Just in the USA 155,000 patients a yr are diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. 90% of the people who die from breast cancer are metastatic patients. Again only 1% is used to research this killer disease. ( info from American cancer society)



Fact four: All the money raised for research does not go to research. All those little goodies you get for "free" when you participate in an event that is to raise money for research are actually paid for out of what the event raises. Not to mention the overhead that comes right off the top before any of the money is actually given to researchers. By overhead I mean media (print ads, commercials and awareness information, and literature, magazine ads) Not all of the people who work a fund raising event are volunteers. Some of them are paid staff and are paid out of the funds raised. Where else do you think the money comes from? My source for this information is the Mets matters blog, The cancer chronicles, I hate cancer, and breast cancer news.



Fact five: 45,000 women with mets breast die from it yearly. The majority of patients with localized cancer (just in the breast) have treatment and considered cured at the 5 year mark with no reappearance. S.H.E.circle.org states that survival rate at the 5 year mark of women with localized breast cancer is 97%. 178,480 are diagnosed each year with localized breast cancer.Try as I might I could find no figures on the rate of death in patients with just localized breast cancer. By my math that means that 5354.4 women with localized breast cancer die yearly in America. I did find an obscure article from 1999 that states women who die of localized breast cancer usually die as a result of secondary infection post surgery or die from surgical complications. ( info comes from the American breast cancer society, wikipedia, answers.com)



You may be reading this and think "Gosh she sounds angry" I am not angry at all. I have what I have and I deal with it daily. It is just a part of life now. Most people don't know what will probably take their life. Unless I get hit by a bus, this is probably it. If I am angry about anything it is that we are lumped in the pink ribbon contingent. I don't see myself that way knowing how little is spent to find a cure for me. I am definitely not a part of the pink army. But while I did have localized breast cancer and didn't know all the facts, I was blissfully unaware and drowning in a haze of pink.



Let me leave you with this. I am blessed beyond measure with supportive family and friends. I am blessed to have a situation like this show me who my real friends are and the ones who are just there during the good times. I am blessed to live in a free country. I am blessed to have a relationship with Jesus Christ my savior. I thank God for my life, and I thank God for YOU!

Happy Fourth of July! Video of fireworks from our Nations Capitol

Hello People,

A Happy Fourth of July to you all!  Today we celebrate our Nations Birthday and our Freedom.  It would be so awesome to watch fireworks with you all.  Since I can't be everywhere at once, I thought I would post an amazing video of Fireworks that happened in our Nations capital.  It is really a good video.  There is a lot of background  noise but you do get the booming effect of all the fireworks!  Enjoy the video.




Thank for stopping by. Have a great Fourth of July!

Leslie

ELF cosmetics month long 7th birthday celebration!

In the article below, ELF cosmetics announces that the month of July will be a big month on the site.  They are celebrating their 7th birthday the whole month.  There will be prizes, giveaways and sale! 

Plus, if you go to ELF's facebook page and like them you are automatically entered to win prizes!  Who doesn't like winning prizes? 

http://www.facebook.com/elfcosmetics?sk=app_156424251035035


The press release is below:

Eyes Lips Face, commonly known as e.l.f. cosmetics, is nearing their seventh birthday commemorating the brand's 2004 launch in New York. During the entire month of July, e.l.f. cosmetics will be host to a 24/7 party on their website, EyesLipsFace.com, with makeup giveaways, product discounts, and contests for cosmetic connoisseurs around the globe. Makeup lovers are encouraged to join the festivities to snatch up the industry's favorite economical brand of premium makeup: Eyes Lips Face.

This year, e.l.f. cosmetics will celebrate the latest company milestone by inviting their beauty-craving clientele to a month-long online party filled with daily giveaways, huge discounts, exciting contests, and many more web-based events to engage with faithful online followers of the brand. Eyes Lips Face will switch up tradition-giving customers gifts for a full thirty-one days of celebration filled with a plethora of promotions, including the chance to win the grand prize of seven years of e.l.f. makeup products. Even though only one will win the grand prize, all Eyes Lips Face patrons will have a chance to snag their favorite items with an undisclosed discount that will be the largest offer ever in the history of the company.

Founded by Joseph Shamah and Scott Vincent Borba, E.L.F. Cosmetics has catapulted to the top of the premium makeup charts with their wallet-friendly makeup product prices. Launched in 2004, e.l.f. cosmetics has expanded over the course of seven years to be available in 17 countries, over 1500 Target stores, and many more retail locations across the United States and Canada. Retail availability is also complimented with the EyesLipsFace.com website, which acts as the digital hub for over 300 different cosmetic items separated into four distinct product lines: Studio (professional makeup), Minerals (mineral makeup), Essentials (everyday makeup), and Bath & Body.

About e.l.f. Cosmetics:

e.l.f. Makeup & Cosmetics was created in the belief that innovative technology, quality ingredients, and superb delivery systems should not be limited to prestige retailers-every woman should have the opportunity to experience luxury cosmetics without sacrificing her budget. Since the brand's introduction over six years ago, the EyesLipsFace.com website has grown to include over 2 million members and has become a global source for savvy beauty consumers looking for superior quality cosmetics, professional expert tips and valuable feedback.

Thanks for stopping by to check out missditz-thebeautifullife.  

Leslie

Makeup organizers, and storage ideas

Hello people,
I've shared photos of my makeup storage in the past.  It really is a more temporary solution.  Sort of the college dorm version of how to store cosmetics. I really want something pretty, and grown up looking.  So, I've been going through ideas found online and here are a few that you may find interesting.

For one small payment of $679.00 you can own this very bright pink toolbox.  From the company pink toolbox.  You can find this at http://theoriginalpinkbox.com

There are a lot of drawers of varying sizes.  This makes it possible to store all sizes and shapes of cosmetics.  Making it a very organized and spacious place to keep your girly items.

You may just need a small box or two to place things in hiding.  For that you may find these boxes useful.  They can be found at www.stacksandstacks.com

This is perfect for the woman who has a few items and wants to keep them at arms reach

This is a nice way to store your curling iron, flat iron and blow dryer.  Plus has a few cubbies and a drawer for small items.  

Here is the idea I like the best.  It was found on
http://www.youtube.com/user/MissChievous

Here is the video of where I borrowed the idea for what I would like to do.  I totally credit Misschevious for this idea.





I would like to just use the table top lighted makeup mirror that I currently have. Although it would be nice to use the same mirror as in the video or one similar to it.  It comes in white, black and a dark brown. It is only available in the store, not online.

When I get all the things together to create my adult looking makeup table storage area, and have it all done. I will take photos and a video and post it here on missditz-the beautifullife.

Thank you for stopping by.  Take a moment to subscribe or follow.

Leslie

New guilty pleasure, extreme couponing on TLC

Okay people, It is time I fess up.  It's true that I have a hidden talent.  I have in the past been a coupon queen.  I have also been known to dumpster dive.  There, I said it.  Now the secret is out.  I began my coupon saving journey using a site called The grocery game.  http://www.thegrocerygame.com/.  On this site you will receive a list for the store you choose.  It will match up the in store sales with the current coupons available for the maximum savings you can get.  It makes it easy to use this list as all the work aside from coupon clipping is done for you.  It really helped us out of some rough times to have this skill.  I have fallen out of the extremeness of it and just shoot for savings, instead of living with a zero grocery bill. 

So, recently there has been this show on TLC called extreme couponing.  I assure you that I never was this serious.  It has renewed the interest in me.  Because face it, who can afford to throw away money.  I am no longer using the grocery game list.  I do compare lists such as http://www.couponmom.com/.  Here, for no cost at all, you will find similar lists to the ones that the grocery game produces.  You will find them for any store, including the drug stores.  It is very helpful.  She does suggest that you donate the freebies to someone who needs them.  That is all up to you. 

I don't clip coupons as I receive them.  I place them in a folder with the date they came out, and then as I need a coupon the list tells me what date it came out, and then I clip it.  It is much simpler this way.  I keep the folders in a big binder and then just sort as I go. 

If you haven't had a chance to watch any of the extreme coupon shows, here is the link.  http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/tv/extreme-couponing.  The site has excerpts from show.  It is very entertaining.  Now you know my guilty pleasure.  There is nothing like seeing the price on the register roll backward.  Check it out and let me know your thoughts.

Thank you for stopping by.  Take a moment to follow or subscribe.

Leslie

Sally Hansen salon nail effects

Inspired by all the people who are trying Sally Hansen nail effects, I decided to try them as well. I confess that Doe Deere from Lime crime blogged about these, and I just had to check them out. I have blogged about the OPI nail stickers in the past.  So, this blog is focused on comparing the two products.

This is definitely the grooviest manicure I have ever had.  

Having tried the OPI and now the Sally Hansen, I say they are so different from one another.  The OPI is thicker and bubbled when I put it on.  It also bubbled and I couldn't unattach it and reapply.  The design was beautiful and it did stay put for about 5 days.  There are 16 designs to choose from

The Sally Hansen was thinner, easier to pull off and reattach.  It also has more nail strips so you can get a more perfect fit for each nail.  There is a lot of choices in nail designs.  23 designs to choose from.  Reading the Sally Hansen blog, people are saying that the strips can last up to two weeks.

They are both great products.  I like not smelling the polish or remover.  Between the two I favor Sally Hansen.  Only because I can remove it and place it better on my nail.  With OPI, once that puppy stuck it was impossible to remove and reposition. 

I hope you will take some time to treat yourself with one of these products.  It is nice to have a pretty manicure.  You deserve it.

Thank you for stopping by the beautiful life.  Take a moment to subscribe.

Leslie

Mod cloth, keepin it cool on a Summer day.

I feel pretty, oh so pretty.  Wearing vintage style clothing from Mod cloth.  I ordered some sun dresses a few months back in prep for Sunny weather.  Since my diagnosis, I didn't think I would feel up to being dressy.  I decided today, that I don't need a special occasion to dress up.  Every day is special.

I put this pretty sun dress on, and did some light makeup.  Viola'!

I just love the tulle peeking out from the skirt.  It is so pretty and airy.  But check out those blinding white legs!  Time to get a fake & bake.

About those white legs, does anyone have a suggestion for products that don't leave you streaky and blotchy?  I haven't had much success with tanning lotions.  They always turn me orange.  If you have any tips, just leave a comment.  Thanks.

Thank you for stopping by the beautiful life.

Leslie

Look good, Feel better

People, it is no secret that I believe when you feel yucky you can make yourself feel better.  The secret is to dress and makeup like you do feel good.  Thus tricking your mind and body to feel better than you actually do.

Apparently the American cancer society feels that same way.  Or maybe they have just been reading my blog!  They hold classes across the country called look good Feel great.  The classes are focused on helping women deal with the rigors of cancer on the skin and their hair.  The class covers makeup application, scarf tying, wig styling.  All the makeup is provided by major makeup lines.  Let me tell you it was great stuff.

So, I dragged my tired body to this class and found it to be serious fun.  There were a lot of different ladies there with different circumstances.  This opened up a lot of discussion to help with each special need.  Dark circles, dry skin, camouflage for spots. 

There is also a website that has much of the same info on it, but you don't get the makeup.  The makeup is full size versions, not sample sized.  No matter what your health is, this website can be very helpful in learning something new about makeup and beauty.

http://lookgoodfeelbetter.org/

I got so many things in my kit.  Estee Lauder, clinique, Bobby Brown, NYC, Mary Kay, Aveda, Lubriderm, Physicians formula, Clarins, Botanisourse.

This is what I looked like when I arrived

Wonderful teacher from the American Cancer society

Kelly, who takes such great care of her patients on chemo day.  (I think she was trying to scam makeup out people) Joking!

Most of the makeup on this face is Bobby Brown.  It is more of a natural look.  But you can tell that I darkened my eyebrows a bit.  It really made a big difference in framing out my eyes. Although I prefer a powder instead of a pencil.  Overall, It looks great!

 

The afternoon went fast.  I am so glad that I went.  I for sure look good, and now I really do feel better