Halloween Decor Shopping - Come Along!

Shopping for fall and Halloween decor is one of the things I look forward to most about this time of year! I spent a couple days traipsing around a few of my favorite haunts looking for new treasures to add to my collection. I had never been inside a Kirkland's store before but was impressed with quite a few of their seasonal selections including a stunning black and white 'Boo' pillar set. The shopping in Pittsburgh seems to be improving every year and it's getting overwhelming with all of the wonderful choices. I still appreciate my thrifted finds and upcycled crafts more than anything you could discover being mass-produced on the market today, but I can never resist a gorgeous velvet pumpkin, charming throw pillow or adorable country primitive black cat. Enjoy and please subscribe to my YouTube channel!














Now Playing: "Spooky" by Dusty Springfield

Big Lots Beauty Haul

Since I posted my first (albeit average) YouTube video, I decided to do an accompanying blog post. Here are the beauty product thats I hauled from Big Lots!

elf Hypershine Gloss in Fairy $1


Revlon Superlustrous Lipstick in 619 Rose & Shine $2


Diamond Cosmetics Eyeshadow Brush $1


elf Nail Polish in Desert Haze $1


Cover Girl Outlast Lipstain in 410 Bit of Blossom $2


elf Lip Gloss & Conditioner in Perfect Pink $2.50


Sally Hansen Salon Nail Lacquer in Navy Baby $1.50


Black Hand Mirror $2.50



Now Playing: Same Boy You've Always Known by The White Stripes

My First Beauty Video!

I've been watching YouTube beauty videos since spring 2006. I finally posted my own! I imagined that my first video would be something spectacular but I decided on a whim to just quickly do a recording. This was shot on my webcam at night talking about a small, Big Lots haul of all things. My hair wasn't fixed, my makeup was going on its 10th hour and my enthusiasm isn't quite there. But I had the courage and I ran with it! Whether my videos get 10 views or ten thousand, I'm happy to finally be participating in something that I was just a spectator in for so long :)

Nail Polish of the Moment: Perplex by Revlon

Side by side comparison between Revlon's Perplex and Chanel's Paradoxal

I scored Revlon's Perplex (a beautiful purple, grey hue with a slight amethyst microshimmer) at Big Lots for a dollar! It retails for around $4.99 at drugstores. It was created to mimic Chanel's much more expensive Paradoxal- $25 at department stores. While I don't love Revlon's brush and the formula can be a little bit tricky to work with, I think this was a fabulous find! I am going to try and snatch a few back-ups because Perplex is in high demand. How it ended up at Big Lots for a dollar is beyond me.

Photo curtesy Google Images via another blog. Astounding!

Because it's still February, I thought the timing for me finding this polish was perfect. It's still winter and this shade is similiar to my birthstone (Amethyst for February). I wore it to my friend's bridal shower and I couldn't stop admiring my manicure. I highly recommend this one!

Two coats of Revlon's Perplex with OPI Top Coat


Now Playing: "Penny for your Thoughts" by Bruce Clark & the Q's (One of my Mom's favorite songs of all time)

Nail Polish of the Moment: Chocolate Truffle by Revlon

Chocolate Truffle by Revlon

I couldn't wait to remove my pink polish and try a new one! Since it's the month of love and Valentine's Day is synonymous with chocolates, I thought I'd utilize my new, brown nail polish. I scored this polish for a dollar from Big Lots. Its formula is much richer than the pink I had on last week. I really do like Revlon nail polishes but some of them are better than others. I just wish the brushes were thicker. Chocolate Truffle is very nice. It's somewhat difficult to find a true, brown nail polish. Many are copper, have gold flecks or show up black. But this is the true shade of milk chocolate. I really love it and will definitely be wearing it again in the Fall.

Chocolate Truffle by Revlon (3 coats)


Now Playing: "When I'm Small" by Phantogram

Nail Polish of the Moment: Twinkled Pink by Revlon

Twinkled Pink by Revlon

I found this polish while shopping at Big Lots. Revlon's nail polishes usually run around $5-6 dollars a piece at the drug store but they are often on sale. I picked this one up for a dollar! And I'm glad I didn't pay more than that. I painted my nails pink this week because I wanted a cheerful color after the Super Bowl loss and because February is the month of love (I'll be painting my nails red for Valentine's Day). Well, this polish needed four coats and it dented despite fully drying. The color doesn't really suit my fair skin and the formula looks cheap. For a dollar, I'd say grab it if you're tan but it's definitely not a must have! I can't wait to switch polishes in a day or two!

Four coats of Twinkled Pink by Revlon


Now Playing: Savage Night at the Opera by Destroyer