Thoughts: Confidence

Today my loves we are talking about confidence.
DUN DUN DUNNNNN.
Talking about confidence can be scary, I know.  A lot of people have so many insecurities that trying to be confident can actually be just another insecurity for them.  However, confidence is something you need to grasp a hold of as soon as you can.  It can take a while to build confidence, but as long as you're working on it that's what matters.  I know a lot of people do posts or videos about confidence (confidence, confidence, confidence - I'm going to be saying this word so much lol), so I want to give you the Lydia outlook on it. :)

1.  Identify what you are insecure about.  For most girls, and some guys even, it's outward attractiveness that gets them the most upset about themselves.  For others, it's something about themselves like not being very outgoing or feeling that they come across as too overbearing.  Whatever it is, WRITE THAT SUCKER DOWN.  Admit to yourself, "Yeah.  This is something I feel really insecure about and consider one of my flaws."  Own it girl, own it.

2. Pick some things that you like about yourself.  It may only be one thing, but choose it.  Your hair color, your personality, your eyes, your little toe's nail, whatever.  Write down some things that you like about yourself.

3. Now go back to what you are insecure about and find something about that insecurity that you can be confident in.  For example, say you are insecure about your ears.  Say something to yourself like, "Yep, I'm insecure about my ears because I think they are too big.  But I'm confident about the fact that I'm a really good listener with them."  See?  Now you have something about them that you like.  You can go on to name the things about your ears that you are thankful for, too.  "I'm thankful that I have ears.  I'm thankful that I'm not deaf.  I'm thankful that I have long hair to cover them if I want."  Also remember that as far as outward appearances go, people see you as a whole, not a bunch of parts (or they shouldn't - if they do they're really weird o.O).  Remind yourself that body parts serve a function greater than just being the prettiest - they're for eating, hearing, talking, smelling, seeing, touching, walking, holding, etc.

After you've done that last step for everything you are insecure about, you'll actually find that a lot of the things you are insecure about are pretty insignificant and you may actually begin to LIKE that unique characteristic.  And even if you are still convinced that what you are insecure about is ugly or whatever, you'll have to admit that there are a lot more good things about that flaw than there are bad.  I'm going to do another post dedicated to haters (hey y'all ;D), so keep an eye out for that.

How do you stay confident?

Some recent Tumblr likes.

Hola!  I wanted to let everyone know that I created a new Tumblr.  It's the same URL (you can visit it HERE) but it's got new content and everything. :)  In this post I also wanted to share some of the photos that I liked on my Tumblr dashboard but didn't actually reblog.  Most of it is fashion and makeup related (and also mostly Korean because...well....I really like their fashion and makeup).  Enjoy! ^_^

Cute/Ulzzang Eyeshadow

A few weeks ago I wanted to do a cute, everyday makeup look.  I looked up some tutorials on YouTube to get some ideas, and here's what I came up with!

1. First, put on all your face makeup.  Use a brighter pink colored blush for your cheeks.  I used Tarte's Glisten for mine.

2.  Take a little bit of a brownish/orange color and cover your whole eyelid.  I used Shimmering Gold by Tarte, which isn't nearly as gold as it sounds like.

3.  Use a brown eyeliner pencil and line your upper lash line, winging it out quite a bit until it reaches your last eyelash.  Bring the wing down to your lower lash line and line your lower lash line half way.  Blend the lines with a brush to make it softer and more sweet.  If you have black hair with tan skin, you could use a black eye pencil but brown looks good on fair skin, light hair, etc.

4. Take a light sparkly/shimmery champagne or other light color and line your inner tear duct.  Line the rest of your lower lash line with this color.

5.  Finish off the look with a berry red lipstick color.

Holiday Dress Ideas From Shabby Apple!

IF YOU GIVE ME A MINUTE A MAN'S GOT A LIMIT I CAN'T GET A LIFE IF MY HEARTS NOT IN ITTTTTTTTTT!
Okay.  This is what happens when you are listening to "The Importance of Being Idle" by Oasis when you are publishing a post early in the morning.
Anywho...
I wanted to give some ideas on outfits you could wear this holiday season. All of these are are women's dresses from Shabby Apple and can be bought at the site, which you can get to by clicking the previous link. :)

Thanksgiving!

 So I've been working on arranging "One Thing" by One Direction to sound like an old, classical music piece.  Although it sounds easy, it is SO HARD.  Here's some things I learned though:
  First, you need to right down like, every note you like as soon as you come up with it.  I mean seriously.  If you do not - YOU WILL FORGET IT I SWEAR.
  Secondly, it's like time completely speeds up when I'm working on it.  It will be maybe 1:30, and then all of a sudden an hour has passed.  It's crazy.  Oemjeeee.
  Thirdly, it's really, really fun!  I wasn't so sure how hard it would be, but I actually like playing stuff that I come up with myself because it feels more personal and interesting.
  Okay so today is Thanksgiving!  And although I will probably post this tomorrow, I thought you guys should know that I am chilling hardcore in my sweatpants and cozy green sweater, watching the dog show.  Earlier I had me a piece of a cranberry/pumpkin loaf that reminds me so much of the holidays it's sick.  Also, I will be making my famous cranberry sauce in a few minutes to go with the stuffing, mashed potatoes, and chicken we will be feasting on later (yes, we eat chicken for Thanksgiving - it tastes better!!).
  It's soooo nice being on Thanksgiving break!  College life is busy busy.  Whoever said online classes were easier - LIED.  Ohhh but I do like online classes.  I DON'T GOTS TO GO NO PLACE.

Okay so I was just wondering - do you guys like these kind of rambling, personal posts?  Let me know in the comments! 

Random quiz time!

Who are you in Anne's Circle of Friends?

Don't remember her lol.  Seems semi-acurate, though. :)

By the way, I probably will not be posting much this week because it's Thanksgiving and I'm going to be busy, but hopefully I'll work on some posts for next week.  Happy Thanksgiving! :)

Tell me your results!

This week: One Direction, piano, so much school.

~ I feel like I've been kind of absent mentally here, even though I've been posting everyday.  Sorry about that!  I've just kind of had a lot on my plate.  Thanksgiving break is coming up next week, and I'm trying to finish all of my assignments this week so that I don't have anything hanging over me like an old dead goose when I'm trying to stuff myself. ;)  But anyway - I hope you guys are enjoying the things I have been posting about.  I'd also really like your requests, so if you have a post you'd like me to do, please let me know in the comments!

~ I'm thinking about arranging certain modern songs on the piano to sound like pieces from the Classical or Romantic periods.  Would you guys be interested in me posting sheet music of that if I decide to do it?  I'm thinking about starting with "One Thing" by One Direction, because it has such a nice melody.

~ I've been reading Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norell foreverrrrr.  I'm really enjoying it, but by the time I get done with school I don't really want to read anything else.

~ I'm trying to learn how to paint my nails perfectly.  I have really small nails though, so it's  hard lol.

I'd love to hear about your week!

Fake Bangs + Messy Bun

Hello my sweets.  This is just a quick hairstyle I wore recently as a change to the messy bun.  I don't have side bangs, but I faked some.  I'll show you how!

1. First, part your hair as if you had side bangs.  It's easiest to do with a comb, and you can see how I kind of did it in the last picture.

2.  Next, leave your faux bangs hanging in your face, and pull the rest of your hair back into a high ponytail.  You could leave it this way, but for a messy bun don't pull it completely through the last time, creating a loop.  Pin this loop into a bun on your head.

3. Now, take your section of side bangs, and pin it behind your ear.  If you have layers, you will probably only need one or two pins.  If you don't have layers (like me), pin the section behind your ear and then kind of pull it up into your messy bun and pin it.

And that's it!  You could add a head bang, some accessories like hair clips or flowers, too.  This is just a little more polished messy bun look. :)

Thoughts: No makeup

I'm going to be honest: I like makeup, but I am getting kind of obsessive over it.
Should I wear eyeshadow today?
Should I just wear mascara?
Is it weird to be wearing makeup even when I'm at home?
Do I look too young without makeup?
Does pink or red lipstick look better today?
Would a boy think I'm pretty without makeup?
Should I wear only this colored eyeshadow, or add this color too?
Is this coraly pink color or red-ish color blush a better look on me?
Should I contour my face?
Does this makeup make me look older?
And the list goes on.
Like I said, I really like makeup.  I like watching videos of makeup tutorials to try out on myself, and then coming up with my own creations.  I even like the act of putting on makeup because it's fun to see the transformation.  But seriously - I am getting too involved with it.  It is getting to the point where I can barely go a day without eyeshadow and the whole nine yards or else I feel kind of self-conscious.  So I've decided to give myself a challenge - I'm going to stop wearing makeup until I feel comfortable enough to go places without it on and feel confident in my natural, God-given beauty.  Now I'm not saying I'm going to go cold turkey.  For right now, I'm just not going to wear makeup at home but maybe add some eyeliner/mascara when I go out.  But eventually, I'm going to be able to wear no makeup and feel just as good about myself as if I had it on.  I know a lot of girls who don't wear makeup, actually.  In fact, I didn't wear much myself until last year (when I discovered eyeliner to completely surround my eyes) and this summer (when I started using eyeshadow).  So it's not like it's alien to me.  It's just...I need a break.  Everything is good in moderation, and I am becoming a makeup glutton. 

Do you feel confident without makeup?

INPINK Bangles Review

Recently, I won some bangles from Jeans and a Teacup. They came from INPINK,  and they are so pretty!  I loved the packaging - the bright pink with the little beads was a really nice touch.  The bracelets themselves are a little big for me, because I have a really small wrist, but they work super well over a sweater.  You should out check out INPINK. 30% off sitewide + free gift card equal to savings on original order for use on future purchases. (excludes nail polish and gift cards) Code: INPINKBLACK30: valid: 11/23-26, 2012

^_^

October Favorites 2012

Sorry this is kind of late!  I've been so busy with exams that I hadn't gotten a chance to  categorize my favorites of October.  It's not a very good variety (all makeup), but I think you'll enjoy it. ;)

I'm Currently Reading...Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell (Final Review)

  As I have stated over and over again, I first read Gone With the Wind when I was 12 or 13 (I've actually forgotten - isn't that the  mark of being old?).  I remember I thought it was absolutely well written, extremely long, romantic, and even a little scandalous to my then unworldly mind (sometimes I wish I didn't know as much as I did. >:/ )  I had been wanting to reread the story at my then mature age of 17, so when I discovered Fanda's read along for the book, I decided to dive in.  I will also warn you that the following review has some spoilers like my updates for this story.  Just thought I'd let you know! :)

  Gone With the Wind was first started in 1926 when Margaret Mitchell was bored during convalescence after an auto-crash.  She wrote the final moments of the book at the very beginning, and then built off that.  After an editor saw her work and found it to be a great story, it was published in 1936. It went on to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the National Book Award.  Of course it also was made into an award winning film staring Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh. 

DIY Sparkly Nails Tutorial

Who doesn't want super sparkly adorable nails?  You could buy a glitter nail polish, but for lots of sparkle these polishes will be less than satisfactory.  For the upcoming holiday parties you might be attending, or if (like me) you just got bored and wanted a change, follow my easy-peasy steps below.

Casual and Comfy OOTD

Casual Saturday Wear by aidylvice 

  Hello my lovelies!  Today I thought I'd share an outfit idea based on what  I wore this past Saturday.  I wanted to throw on something casual that I could lounge around in.  Call me high maintenance or whatever, but I also wanted to look cute (okay, c'mon, who doesn't?!).  So I threw on a green sweater that was semi-off both shoulders (it's cold here in the south), some sweatpants, some socks, and of course my hair was put into a messy bun.  I kept my makeup simple - just a little bit of foundation, blush, mascara, and eyeliner only on my upper lashline.   I've been looking online forever on a way to look cute, comfortable, and without looking like you obviously tried to hard.  I was never able to find something, so I did it on my own. ;)

Battle of the Boots Part Two: Tall Boots

This is the second and final part of Battle of the Boots (you see part one here).  Until this year, tall boots were the only type of boots I wore.  I really like them with pants tucked in and that's how I generally wear them.  The picture of Cameron Diaz is an example of a perfect way to wear them (and may I say, I think her whole outfit is really classy?).  I also like them with socks, but I've never worn them that way.  Below are some cool photos. :)

Leibster Award One! :)

Soooo I've been tagged in a few things recently, consisting of two Leibster awards and a question tag.  I'm going to post the first Leibster award here.  Thanks Emily! :)

Rules:

• Each person must post 11 things about themselves.
• Answer the questions that the nominator set for you, plus create 11 questions for the people you've nominated to answer.
• Choose 11 people and link them in your post.
• Go to their page and tell them.
• No tag backs. 

11 Things about me:

1. I'm an introvert.

2. I don't like pineapple.

3. Owl City is my favorite musician.

4. I like to drive around kind of aimlessly and just think.

5. I love photography, but I don't have an expensive camera.

6. I'm staying pure until marriage.

7. I voted for the first time a few days ago!

8. I have a cherry red laptop.

9. I like the smell of books.

10. I don't like superficial people.

11. I look young for my age.