working willingly with wool...

 Knitty Love...

I taught my co-worker turned friend to knit in 2003. I was new to the yarn scene and needed a comrade. She braved on with me …When I started a local knit group, she supported my efforts and she always drove to our outings with no complaints!!!

To this day, even though she has moved and no longer knits, she sends me gifts in the mail…
RAOK (random acts of kindness)
A few months ago, she sent me some sexy hand-dyed, virgin wool along with lip glosses and dresses for my daughter…I love surprises!
Here is the yarn for my next project …Loving this color!

I’m happily knitting up this wool!!!!

Ms.Villa, if you’re reading this, know that you are appreciated & loved …

Thank you for those knitty nights and the Tacos and Salsa…

Non toxic nail polish makes me wanna bite my nails ...

Zoya seems to have a wide range of color. I read that these polishes are free of the bad stuff like toluene, camphor, formaldehyde, and dibutyl phthalate (DBP)  ...
That is great to know. Does any one know of the lasting power of this polish ? I'm loving that they are reasonably priced and there is a variety to choose from ...but do they last? This vegan nail polish sounds tasty and I want to invest in a few. However, my inquiring mind needs to know that after cooking, cleaning, knitting and general mama duties that the color will LAST more than a couple days!!!!...
Has any one had any good results with this brand? If so, tell me something...

Simple Sista Girl Swaggga ...

                                                             Ituen Basi

                      My creative juices are splishing and splashing.. My heart beats loudly...
                      My soul sings...

Not down with O.O.P

I'm ever inspired by a wide variety of "things" and persons.... It's pretty random and unexpected when I am tickled by inspiration...I've become used to this aspect of my personality...Tonight was no different. I was inspired by a piece I found by accident...but then there are no such things...right?
I was looking for a free knit snood pattern (scarf + hood) and was disappointed with what was available online. Either the pattern was not my type, way too complicated or just straight up ooogly! This is not unusual when I seek out that perfect knitting pattern...Is there such a thing any way ? a perfect pattern? ...I have a love hate relationship with knitting patterns. They often frustrate me. I'm bound to fudge up somewhere along the line leaving me quite PEEVED, ready to throw my yarn and needles in the driveway, jump in my jeep and run over my work several times until the anger, cursing and dramatic sobbing subsides. T'aint cute, my friend. Fellow yarn crafters know what I'm talking about. I take it personal when I put in time on my knitting and then the bells of doom sound and I realize I've made a mistake in the pattern and must UNDO what was done ... Ugh! It's like the knitting Gods are against me..LOL or they are trying to tell me something...
Soooo the Knitting Gods seem to be whispering to me to ditch the pattern and depend on my own knitting hands, sense and skills to create my next piece....I ain't down wit O.P.P ( other people patterns) and I must accept that fact....Hmmmm, quite interesting how my knitting always seems to relate to life in some way for me.
The release of another person's pattern enables you to see your self. Naked , naive and virginal. Who the heck are you with out that pattern your so used to?
You are forced to do something on your own. Device your own way/plan/purpose/pattern. It's never easy but always the most rewarding route.

Q.What protects you when you step out the comfort zone and rid your self of the "normal" ????????

A.Nothing, No one,  but you. You are confident, capable and strong. You can create your own path and begin the creation of your own, new and positive PATTERNS....Let go of O.P.P ..other people's patterns  ..and let your INspiration guide you .

On that note, Allow me to present to you my latest inspiration and challenge. I was taken by the possibility of remaking this lovely, woolly and warm snood...my way...The stitches within the knit are quite easy to emulate and the cable is not as hard at all. I adore it. This is my next piece for my personal collection.....There is no pattern so there will certainly be a variation and I welcome that. I will free hand this and write the pattern as I go. Bear with me, I'll show you my progress and pray you celebrate with me the FREEDOM that comes with letting go of O.P.P/ other peoples patterns and creating one's own. Even in the form of yarn...

I spotted the delish snood on accessoriestrends.com and was definitely attracted to the classic look. The generous amount of scarf ensures full coverage as I battle the Connecticut cold.  I love that it is long and flowy and full of versatile flyyness. I can already feel the wool warming my neck in the December nights as I drive to and from work. I definitely see no reason to pay the $150.00 that lynku.com was asking for it when I can knit this up my self. I can establish my own pattern based of the pics I see. So for so good .I'm looking forward to designing my pattern, my way...

Is there a stale pattern in your life worth letting go of?

Can you stand the challenge of creating your own pattern on your own terms?

I'm just saying ?

the knitting Gods made me do it ...

peace and love

Took the Pro out of Procrastinator...and moved on...

How I became productive:

I am brutally honest with my self regarding my time and how it’s being used.

I started writing a daily list the night before and setting a time frame to accomplish my goals for the next day.

I wake up earlier and get started on my morning exercise ASAP before I lose the will power to move from the bed. then I fake it till I make it. (I am honestly still working on this one, but practice makes perfect)

My FaceBook diet has helped …I will do this more often. Weaning my self from excessive social networking was a tough task but it freed up my online time. I still love FB, It's been a great way to connect with new people...And I will continue to use it..However, one must limit one self every now and then and practice moderation.  

I stopped blog-hopping. I set a rule for my self ..I can not read any other blogs until my current post has been written, edited and blogged ! Only then I can take a mini tour of the blogsphere. I reward my self on Friday and Saturday nights with extensive blog surfing and e-socializing!


I do the stuff I hate RIGHT AWAY! I have to admit this works well at work too.


I let the voicemail do what I pay it to do.
 
I take notes of the important things that pop in my head…Ideas are not obligated to stay for long and I soon forget the good ones so I take notes.

I knit through all the waiting and PRODUCE a lot (doctor office, for children, store lines, red lights, meetings)

I break (dance) play and converse with my kids, call girlfriends, knit, indulge in some level of sexual activity and nap. Not everyday for everything, LOL and not in this order, but I get it in .....These refreshing activities keeps me balanced , sane and young at heart.
All work and No play is a sad equation !

I bribe my self. I love rewards and will work for them.

I nap. Everyday. 

most importantly,

I take my self , my life and my passions SERIOUSLY and every one followed suite !

Changing habits, cultivating and carving a life of love and laughter is what my focus is right now !!!

Ooooooooh, I'm focused man !!!!

On that note,
I gotta run, hun ...

       :)

Peace and Love
 XXXOOOOXXX

Awww, you shouldn't have !!!

I am excited to tell you that I received my 1st blog award ! You like me , You like me ! ( blushing)

Give thanks for the positive return. It is great to be recognized for one's efforts. 

This award was presented to me by Sharon and just made my
day !!!!

I feel honored ...

Thank You Sharon .

Peace and Love

Lusting after LUST

Okay so I had a Lucy moment again and learned a lesson in the end …

Wanna read it, here it go:

I walk into Walgreens and peeped some lovely WET and WILD palettes. Hmmm, one caught my eye …It turned out to be “Lust” the current must have from Wet&Wild. I hadn’t’ know about the current rage these colors were causing at the time. I hadn’t seen any reviews or vids on it. I just immediately liked the palette…
(Apparently EVERYBODY does)
I wondered how the color would look. So I was sneaky and opened the package right in the store …I know, tacky... hush!
It turns out I LOVED that sparkly wine color!!!! Uhm ma God!!! I was like okay, I’ll get this, but I want a “new” one… not this one I just opened…(bad girl…I know, I know). I decided that would be wrong and I kept the opened one…besides, I opened it! LOL…

In that same moment I remembered that I needed to pick up some thing for my son and made a quick turn into the next aisle…
Would you believe that the palette FELL out of my hand and dropped on the shiny linoleum…You know palettes don’t like to fall! You know they get all jacked up after that!!!! Ahhh, so I picked it up from the floor, and put it down next to the magazines rack as if I knew nothing. I walked back to the display to get another one.

I looked and looked but that seemed to have been the last one left ….(In the whole Connecticut!) LOL …
There was no more on the shelf! I was bummed and did not buy the cracked up one ….I could not stop thinking of it though…LOL ….LUSTING after the LUST palette ! smh!!!!
Naturally, over the course of the next days I went to all the local Walgreens in my area. And guess what was sold out in all the Walgreens I visited???? OMG, you guessed it. The Lust palette seems to be very popular around these parts. I looked online to possibly purchase through E-bay but had no luck…I figured I’d just forget it…
                                    
I ran into Walgreens yesterday for my son and what do you know??? The broken, beat up palette was put back on the shelf (YES THE ONE I DROPPED DAYS AGO!) and waiting to be bought. I thought to my self “Daaaaang Walgreens have you no shame?” …I quickly grabbed it, trying carefully to prevent cracked shadow from falling out even more…I walked to the register and spoke to the manager:

“Uhm, this is broken and there is no more. Can I get a discount on it?” I asked the manager, who gave me a puzzled look
“Yes, I can give it to you for a dollar, but you SURE you really want this thing?” he seemed to scorn me and my beat down  palette!
“Yup”

$1.06 later I became the newest owner of the Wet&Wild Lust palette.
I’m still shaking my head at all the drama…all the lusting….LOL…
I went home packed the broken powder down as well as I could and now it’s good to go!
SMH like a bobble doll !



Q: What would I have done differently?

A: I should have trusted my gut and bought the damn thing and not opened up the store’s goods in the first place.   :(  Next time, if I see a color that I like and it’s in my allotted budget I will not SLEEP it. I will get it and that should prevent another drugstore LUCY moment!

(Sigh)

But 1$? Broken or not, you can’t beat that! LOL…

What are you currently lusting?

man-shoes and me...

man shoes...me loves...

I'm headed to forever 21...eventually..........they got what I want...for a great price....But I already used my allowance for the week..yea, I said allowance...I got to keep a watchful eye on my wallet....There is rent to be paid ya know ...so shut up ego ...The inner child must wait ....( sulking and pouting)

I'm RICH !!!! I just struck oil !

My trip to New York was exactly as I expected. The streets gave me that “oomph” that I needed. Movement and people everywhere so full of life and energy.


I love that!

I never mind the hour drive to the city that never sleeps. My husband never lost his touch on the road. He is a human GPS and I’m always grateful when he mans the wheel freeing my hands to knit, my eyes to peak and my mind to wander. I love NY. We drove through Manhattan , Brooklyn and China Town with our son, enjoying the sights and sounds and munching on roasted peanuts as we headed to spots to get the our goodies…

I went to my tried and true oil spot Nicholas on 125th but because they mainly carry fragrance oils and not much medicinal oils I walked out with a bag of incense, and some black soap. Happy.
A few blocks from Nicholas I wondered into Walkers Natural Health store and found almond oil, grapeseed oil, aloe vera gel, brown sugar, honey... The basics … This was money well spent. It is also a great new beginning for my skin and I!

Of course I picked up tasty vegetarian foods and ate from my favorite vegan restaurant , The Uptown juice bar, before returning home.....

Sad to report I did not get any NYX eye shadows but I am most happy with the items I was able to buy.I will be returning to the city at the end of the month. I want grab a few things from Fordham Road and I'm pretty certain there is a cute shop there that sells NYX. No worries.

my natural face /hair care haul

 
Now in light of skin care~ I am on a mission to improve my skin and overall health of my skin over the next few weeks. I am seeking a glowing, blemish- free, buttery brown complexion. LOL …In order to become a expert at my own skin care I am studying the properties of oils and learning about the personality of my own skin....I think with a little T.L.C I will be the owner of that bronze glow I desire. Already it seems, my skin is showing signs of appreciation for the recent cleansing session I’ve indulged in using Castor oil. Yes, oil….Castor oil is essential to cleansing and it will quench the thirst of my skin and hair while not adding additional grime to my acne prone skin.


I am throwing away my facial cleanser and moisturizer now that I have unearthed and accepted this truth about the right way to cleanse my face.
If you are unfamiliar with oil cleansing a-k-a the Oil Cleansing Method (OCM) please check out the brief and informative videos below:

video 1
video 2 ( nice before and after)

So do you want to Strike It Rich too?
Here are some must have oils to help your enRICH your skin:

Almond Oil - Excellent emollient high fatty acids. Ideal in the treatment of very dry, chapped skin. Healing and moisturizing, with a sweet fragrance

Grape Seed Oil - Very light and odorless on oily skin, it absorbs easily through the skin

Jojoba Oil - Helps the skin and hair shaft keep moisture in. Does not go rancid

Olive Oil - A natural sun screen, Often used as a base , good for sensitive skin and babies.

Eucalyptus Oil- great for clearing the breathing passageway when your stuffy from a cold

Castor Oil- Great for any thing from constipation and childbirth to cleaning and moisturizing the skin

There are many more to name, above is a few easy to get basics...If you just have one or two , start with what you have, TODAY !

What other great oils do you know of  and use? Do tell !
Stay tuned for updates and pics of my skin improvements!

peace and luv

Kitchen Cupboard Beauty Queen ...

                         (photo source: http://www.nataliedee.com/)

I have always had a love hate relationship with my skin. From about the age of 12 on I have had breakouts, blackheads and large, painful ( ZAP the fun out of a girl’s life) zits that made me want to skip school EVERYDAY!!!!!! This was a pain in my arse as well as my mother’s. Mom tried to encourage me, even paid for dermatologists and skin care. I remember one day missing my school bus, because she caught me crying about my acne and forced me to look in the mirror and say over and over to my self  “I am beautiful”
(Some things your mommy did, you just don’t forget !!!!)

As I grew up, I learned that my oily skin would probably always be oily and I taught my self different ways to maintain it. I was the girl who made “natural potions” and kept them in the fridge until my mom got annoyed. I read scores of articles in teen magazines and tried to create my own products in my mother’s kitchen. I can still remember the feel of my first oatmeal scrub and the smell of the egg yoke facial that I forgot to remove from the fridge after use. LOL

Getting older and getting busier, I gave up on creating beauty products in the kitchen when I hade to actually make food and feed a family in there. To save time and sanity I started seeking out the store bought stuff and some times even relied on basic soap and water and even rubbing alcohol to cleanse and soak up the oil from my skin!!!
Side note: THIS IS NOT GOOD.DON'T TRY IT AT HOME!

To this day, I admit, I have found nothing better to combat my stubborn skin than those ingredients hidden in mommy’s cupboard.

Wow … I am not surprised ….We know what is best for us , then some one , some thing , or maybe some advertising tell us differently and off we go taking another route than the one we should be on. This is what happened in regards to my skin care…It seems, even as a little girl I already knew how to love and pamper my skin …Then some how, through life and it’s demands, I lost touch with that self knowledge…

I’m still oily, still breaking out, and still having those painful flare up right before “Auntie Flow “arrives in her scarlet dress to hang out with me!

Ugh …I am fed up …I must take action ….and NOW!

I am reclaiming my natural beauty and re-entering the kitchen to make it happen!
This weekend I will stock up on oils and tools that I need to protect my skin and hair this winter. “NATURAL FACE/HAIR CARE HAUL”, you can call it that…

I am done with all these cleansers and moisturizers that don’t help me…Letting go won't be hard to do because I’m not a product junkie …Just a few staple products that get the job done is what my wallet and I like….
As I make these changes and create a new skin care regimen for myself I rest assured that the turn out will be awesome!!! I am armed with basic skin care know-how, a few good books and articles, the advice from beauty bloggers like you and some great YOUTUBE vids. LOL… I am committed to getting that great skin I always wanted ...

Action plan :
Tomorrow I’m heading to NYC for some shopping and a little lunch…
(And I hope to find a store that carries all the NYX eye shadow colors too!)

Here is a sample of my MUST HAVE list:

Honey
Brown Sugar
Castor Oil
Olive Oil
Almond Oil
Spray bottle
Small glass bowl
and a few more things ;)




2.B.continued ………….

I am a GOAL keeper with a tendency to dream BIG !

(photo source: http://vi.sualize.us/)

Lately there has been ALOT going on!


This is not a post about guilt however. I know I have been away more than I'd like to admit …Yet, I don’t feel bad and will not apologize because LIFE is happening! That's a good thing ....I won’t make it a habit of disappearing though because I love conversing with you all!

I have been knitting and homeschooling and staying focused on my kids…I am enjoying the process and learning my lessons. With every choice there is a reward or a consequence...
I'm choosing the route to REWARDS !
Every thing is NOT perfect, but I’d probably be bored if it was...
I have been trying to stay FOCUSED on my goals as well …. I get sidetracked easily!!! And everything is just not meshing the way I like.
so~
I have stepped back and am looking inside, pinpointing my issue….
Hmmmm…Being proactive is the best medicine….


*Remember on 10/10/10 when I said that it was a special day and I was personally challenging my self to 90 days of positive action to change my life?

I went back to reflect on the questions I asked my self that day. WTF do I want? It is important to do personal check in with your self to ensure you are living the life you want to be living and if not then you must make the necessary changes. This is easier said than done. But it CAN BE done. It may require you taking baby steps…but steps none the less…

So I’m reflecting … Re-analyzing and Refining my self …
So far here is what I have come up with:

I want to home school all my kids…They are doing better and we have all gotten closer since I started with the teens.

I have a love hate relationship with corporate America. After 11 years I want out! I feel trapped behind my desk…I'M LEAVING !

I want to create a successful makeup business and pursue yarn crafting full time…

Opening an Etsy shop, selling goods on EBay and writing/selling books on the side sounds like the good life.

I want to live a creative life and learn to live HAPPILY on less, until I can make more.

I want land. Green and fertile. My own back yard with a rose bush and an herb garden

Renting is not the bomb! Home ownership is where it’s at!

I need a room all of my own….for crafting, make-up, writing and anything else I choose!!! A room with a lock!!!

My kids need more space and Hubby needs a place to clank around his tools and keep messy “man stuffs”

I am ME! I am not so into heels ladies, wearing them everyday would kill me…It’s just not for me! I like flats and “man shoes”, like oxfords…idk...it’s just so...( random , i know)

I like make-up and dresses and (not sooo trendy) vintage fashions that express who I am.

I love my natural hair and will continue to honor and love the tresses on my head….I am learning to care for it and will GROW my poof like wild flowers!

I will become the hairdresser that I never had for my daughter and my sons and hubby too...

I will grow spiritually! Representing for the divine mothers and daughters who came before me and leave beauty and more divinity for those coming after.

I WILL JUMP HEAD FIRST INTO ‘LIVING’ THIS LIST AND CONTINUE TO REMIX , REFINE AND REMIND MY SELF OF MY GOALS ....



So in short I will focus my energy on:

Moving into a better home!!!!!!!!


Doing make-up artistry full time (in store or freelance)


Create my own line of knit accessories and T shirt apparel


Writing and Blogging


Spirituality and Honoring Self


As you can see I am gearing the mind, body and soul for 2011!!!

No time like the present to treat life like a PRESENT!

I AM!!!!!

Beauty is being the best of who you are!

Thank you for taking the time to see what I am working on!



Now tell me, what’s in the works for you?

2011 is knock, knock, knocking ….





Peace and love beautiful

Meet Martine....My M.U.A. of the moment !

The word “POP” never meant anything until I met Martine. This woman is an eyeshadow maven! Her hands are skilled in creating the most delicious looking eycandy and face art!

I was totally impressed when I saw a picture of her work floating around Face Book. I had to friend this artist…I learned that not only does she look fierce and has her make-up game on point but she is a sweet hearted and quite humble lady who just has happens to have a passion for flashing hot colors and vivid makeup looks. Her make –up color choices scream:
“ hey world , STOP, LOOK and LOVE ME!” I do LOVE how she works it !

Martine can cut a crease like a razor. She beats face like a boxer and express her creativity with colors like Queen of Crayola ! I can't get enough! You may have peeped her on YouTube or perhaps know her from other Internet circles, maybe she even did your make up! ( lucky you). She introduced me to MILK from NYX and that changed my outlook on eye color! Thanks again Martine!
So, when she agreed to be my first inner view for my M.U.A of the moment series I couldn't wait to share her with you!

Martine please tell me when you discovered your love for make-up.Were you a diva as a little girl?
I used to do my mom's makeup all the time and I always did makeup for my friend in high school but I was always a tom- boy. I didn't wear heels or a dress until college...

Are you self taught or did you got to school?
I am self taught

Do you think makeup artistry schooling is necessary?
There are a lot of makeup artist out there that have raw talent with no formal training however I would never say its unnecessary. If the opportunity is there i say take it!

What are your favorite looks to do on your self?
I wear bright bold looks almost everyday. I love color.

How often do you purchase makeup?
OMG! I can't answer this. LOL...At least once a week!

Have you ever had a bad makeup day where things were just a tad off?
Of course!

How did you handle it?
Stayed home! LOL...No, but I have my days where the look did not come out the way I wanted it to but I still rock with it.

What is your favorite product right now?
Revlon Colorstay Foundation

What is your favorite brand and why?
There are too many to name. I don't really have a favorite brand...I feel that real makeup artist should be able to work with different mediums, brands, etc. Part of my top 10 is the 120 palette by BH cosmetics. It is a must have and NYX, MAC Glamour doll eyes .

What is your least favorite and why?
There are specific products that may not work well for me as well as others but as far a least favorite brand I don't really have one.

What product would you not be caught dead without?
Liner and lashes

Name three must haves for every girl’s make-up bag.
Lipgloss, mascara, liner

Where can we find you Martine?
www.youtube.com/colorexcessive
www.facebook.com/martine.dulcer

So there you have it ....The M.U.A of the moment!
Please stop and say " hello Pretty " and tell her I sent ya !

peace and love

M.U.A of the moment ...she sets the tone ....literally !!!

The Mua of the Moment !

A good M.U.A can come and go like your favorite lip color. So you gotta scoop 'em up while you can! I love being a part of the online beauty community and I get daily inspiration on everything from hair care , fashion and my favorite, MAKE-UP. I will be featuring make-up artists that I meet (mostly online) and have been inspired by in some way…I hope to increase their online popularity and prestige by posting profiles and contact information and  pics of my fave makeup people !!!!

So check me out and find out who is the MUA of the moment for me !!! SheDoesMakeup promotes not only me , but all my M.U.A family ! SHE DOES MAKEUP ! Repping for the make-up artist near you ! Stay tuned for mo’ MUA power !!!!!!


peace and love