Happy Valentines Day!

I know that many people don't celebrate Valentines Day for various reasons. Truth is though, it doesn't have to be all about love between you and a significant other. You can have just as much fun on Valentines Day as all those going out on dates. And let's be honest, how much fun is it to wait 2 hours for a reservation anyway? Whether or not you celebrate V-Day, here is a fun look you can do for the day.

Photo Credit: Cliff Gull with 2point8 studios

Model: Anna Vega

Step 1: Apply moisturizing Primer. I recommend Hydro Pearls Makeup Primer because it is a water based primer so it won't trap dirt and bacteria into your skin like so many other silicone primers can do.

Step 2: Contour your face depending on face shape

I used Gerda Spillmann Bio Fond Foundation and highlighter and bronzer (Bronze Special). I love this line of foundation because the concealers, bronzers, blush and foundation are all made of the same ingredients which makes for flawless blending. As an added bonus, this makeup is the last step of their skin care line. That means that is is good for your skin. It is also anti-aging and it has a physical UV block so you don't have to reapply to get that protection that our skin needs. 

Step 3. Eyes. Prime your eyes. You don't want all that eyeshadow coming off, smearing or creasing. I recommend Urban Decay.

Step 4.  Here, you can choose any way to apply the red to your eyes. For this look, I wanted the red to really stand out so I put it heaviest on her lids and faded it up. I put a darker red in her crease and under her eyes for a little more drama. Helpful Hint: Red eyeshadows tend to look more pink when you apply them. To counter this, wet your brush first so that it becomes more of a paint. Test it on your hand first if you are a little nervous as to how pigmented it will be. I used colors from various collections of the Naked Cosmetics because they are super pigmented. 

Step 5. Fill in the eyebrows with red lip liner and then apply some more red eyeshadow over top. 

Step 6. Clean up around eyes (you will probably have some loose pigment that fell off the brush). 

Step 7. Apply your Blush. I kept a pretty light hand here with the blush. I used Gerda Spillmann Bio Blush. I love this blush. It is nice and creamy so it helps keep you looking moisutrized throughout the day. It can be applied very lightly or darker as well. Plus, one color fits all. Seriously, I have put this on all my models, brides or whatever and it has been perfect for everyone. And it tends to look different on everyone according to skin tone, too. 

Step 8. Apply your Mascara and fake lashes (if desired)

Step 9: Apply the fun stuff to your face! Here, I used crushed up candy canes. I attached each piece with eyelash glue. You can do this with sequins, diamonds or whatever floats your boat :) Just as long as the things that you use are light enough to be held on with the glue. I actually had her tip her head to the side while it all dried on.

Step 10. I dabbed eyelash glue to my fingers and then dabbed it on with the candy canes. I then applied glitter.

Step 11. Cover your lips in red lipstick and then in eyelash glue (good thing it's cheap!). Sprinkle a pile of glitter into the palm of one of your hands, pucker up and kiss the hand into the glitter. Keep your mouth like this until it is dry. If you open too quickly, you will have glitter all over your teeth. I learned that the hard way. You can kiss more than once if you want more glitter, just as long as the glue is still wet. Do it pretty quickly if you want. 

Step 12. Clean up around edges.

All done! Practice a couple times if you need to before you want to go out. It's a fun look but it's still beautiful. Have a happy Valentines day, even if you're single!

Cyber Bullying -- A Bigger Problem Than We Realize

I have often heard people refer to Facebook as "Not-to-your-face-book." Why would people call it that? Really, if you think about it, people say hurtful things to their "friends" via Facebook that they would never dare say to their face. Same thing with other social networks and blogs. Hurtful comments go back and forth among peers to the point that they destroy their friendships. Many times, there are hurtful comments made on a public forum to complete strangers. Cyber attacks like these happen daily and it's not okay. The definition of Cyber Bullying on Wikipedia is "the use of Information Technology to hurt or harass other people in a deliberate, repeated and hostile manner.... Cyber Bullying could be limited to posting rumors or gossips about a person in the internet bringing about hatred in other's minds; or it may go to the extent of personally identifying victims and publishing materials severely defaming and humiliating them." Is that not what we do to each other via internet when someone does not agree with our opinions??? We personally attack them and anxiously wait for their response so we can continue the ridiculous argument without inserting any kind of emotion. If they attack back, the fight goes on. Sooner or later, other people get in on it supporting one opinion or the other and the hurtful comments, insults and bickering continue. Only growing larger and larger. We have all seen those posts. There are one million likes and 400,000 comments or something crazy. People are tagging each other so that the other person knows that they have responded to what was previously said. I have seen people threaten to go to someone's house and beat the other person up. I have seen people threaten to kill someone. A poor girl had her home address posted online after something she did so that people really could go get her! I have seen people openly defame their friends and family for the world to see. WHEN DID THIS BECOME SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE???????? WHEN DID WE LOSE ALL FEELINGS FOR EACH OTHER??? WHEN DID WE DECIDE THAT WE DO NOT NEED TO BE KIND???? As you can see, I feel very strongly on this. So, so many people have chosen to take their own lives because of Cyber Bullying. It has been common among teenagers. It is also common among adults. 

A little while ago, I was personally attacked on something that I had posted to a Facebook page. What I saw as an opportunity for people to expand their talents, others saw as an insult to what they do. I can't even begin to tell you the hurt and frustration I felt as I read comments that others had made to my post. People who have never met me. People who don't know anything about me. People who had no idea for my intent for the post. People that don't know what kind of feelings their rude comments brought up because of past experiences. People that probably didn't even realize how badly their comments hurt. My poor husband had to listen to me vent out my hurt and my frustrations. Do any of us like to see those we love suffer? Do any of us like to see even strangers suffer? Can we really think that our sly little comments don't affect those that they are directed to?

No matter what we say or do, we will never all have the same opinions. So, why are we going to punish each other? If I remember right, we are actually entitled to said opinions and those that don't agree with us are entitled to their opinions. There is no need to be hurtful in what we say. In fact, I have come up with a list that each one of us should consider before posting something online or before responding to what someone else has said.

1.Will what I have to say impact someone negatively?

2.Will what I have to say create arguments?

3.Am I being kind?

4.Am I willing to lose a friend so that I can try and convince them of how they should believe?

5.If I comment, is it worth getting angry when someone else doesn't agree?

6.Do I really want to build up feelings of animosity over the internet?

7.How would I feel if I was in the other person's shoes reading my comment?

8.How would I feel if a person decided to take his or her own life because of some form of Cyber Bullying?

9.Am I calm and collected as I post online so as to avoid any negativity and bullying?

10.Am I writing with the intent to be hurtful?

I am making a stand against Cyber Bullying and I will do everything I can to help those around me what is really happening. I think that part of the reason that it is so common is because people don't realize that they are being bully's. Just sharing their opinion. And yes, some people do just share their opinions and they don't respond to those that are directed at them positively or negatively. We should be good examples to those around us. Our children and teenagers are looking to how we act. If we put hurtful things on the internet, that will only encourage them to do the same.

As one of my favorite people, Ellen Degeneres, would say, "Be kind to one another."

Ballroom Romance

In October of 2013, I collaborated with Elyse Alexandria Holmes on an inspiration shoot (she did the pictures, I did hair and makeup:). The inspiration? Ballroom Dance. Turns out that she has some family on a world renowned Ballroom Dance Team and they let the two of us have some fun. At the time, I had never met Elyse but I loved her business name. I mean, what sounds more dreamy and perfect than Elyse Alexandria Photography? I don't know what it is but I love, love, love it. In fact, I'm seriously considering naming one of my girls that! Anyway, if you haven't seen her work, jump over to her website because you will not be sorry. She has a gift that so many people don't have. Everything she does is gorgeous! And, we collaborated for the New Years Eve shoot, which is also gorgeous.

Who thinks to stick two Ballroom dancers, who are madly in love (they are actually married!), and put them in the Utah mountains and photograph them? Elyse does.

Who knows how to make her models look stunning? Elyse does.

Who knows how to perfect the lighting and create gorgeous images? Elyse does.

And who knows how to work it behind the camera? Elyse does! I just can't get over these pictures. The models were perfect, the venues were so creative, I had a BLAST with her hair and makeup and his hair. So. Fun. I hope you guys love them as much as I do! Thanks for reading:)

Happy New Years!

I recently had the opportunity to work with a number of amazingly talented people to get this New Years Eve Engagement Party photographed. I was blessed to work on two of the three female models and two of the three male models. My awesome co-worker Kali Wengreen from Relik Salon took care of the third beautiful model and Brittney Evanson assisted me on the hair. Can I tell you how wonderful it is to have an assistant? I do all (I guess most now) of my work solo and I love it but it was a definite plus to have such a cute assistant working alongside me. There were also two photographers involved in shooting. This first set of pictures come from Breanna McKendrick.

Beautiful, right? And isn't this couple killer good looking? Now, here is where I was going to post the pictures that the talented Elyse Alexandria did but I can't seem to save her pictures to my computer so I guess I'll just call it a "Sneak Peak." I am not technology savvy :) However, all of this amazing work was published on Love + Wander where you can all enjoy viewing photos from both of these talented women. and all others involved. Happy New Years! Let's start it off great and finish it great :)

Credits and contact information:

Photographers: Elyse Alexandria Photography &Breanna Mckendrick Photography
Hair stylists/makeup artists: Lisa Frehner, @Kali Walgreen, Brittney Evanson
Models: Kristi Peterson, Michael Peterson, Katherine Kab Yeeb Ellis, Austin Ellis, Hailey Spung, Taylor Adams
Wardrobe Stylists: Gentri Lee & Lauren Cooper
Floral Design: Flowers by Adrien
Cake: Sara Elizabeth - Custom Cakes & Sweets
Specialty Drinks: Zero Proof Mocktails

Venue: Castle Park Utah

 — with Breanna Meldrum McKendrick, Lisa Frehner, Katherine Kab Yeeb Ellis,Hailey Spung, Gentri Trinnaman and Elyse Alexandria Holmes at Castle Park Utah.