Um…will you be my Valentime?
Yes, girl, I said “Valentime.”
V-Day hints and Misa Jewelry
Not to drop hints or anything…but OK, I’m dropping mad hints right now, to whom it may concern. 🙂
(Ahem! That’s probably going to be you, El Hub.)
To make it easier for him (El Hubster) — you know, just for ideas — I sent him some links this morning, like, “Hint, hint! Valentime’s Day is right around the corner!” and one of the links was to Misa Jewelry.
I found out about them from my friend Erika at Makeup Bag (she just started posting on her blog again, BTW, which I’m very excited about!). Check out her recent lifestyle posts about gold tableware lust and the craziness that is ironing your bedding.
Anyway, the jewelry. It’s got a beachy-ish, Hawaii vibe and these neat organic shapes.
I’m all about that branch series… I just think the pieces are so dainty and different.
It’s fine jewelry, so it’s kinda expensive, but some of the items (I spotted a few in the branch series) are a relatively doable splurge. I’ve got my eye on the Roots Vine Necklace ($175 for the sterling silver version) and the Twig Ear Pin ($165).
Um…yeah. Wink, wink! — in case you need to drop a hint for somebody!
This Jetoy Choo Choo Cat bag
If jewelry isn’t your thing, might I interest you in this astonishingly cute and 100% cat lady-approved kitty clutch by Jetoy Choo Choo USA?
Raise your hand paws if you’d absolutely freak out (in a good way) if your partner said “I lurve you” and gave you this Jetoy Cat Face Fur Clutch ($48).
I’d be like, “LUV YOU FUR-EVER!!!”
But I’m the last person who needs another bag…
Wait — forget that. No, I’m not. I’m NOT the last person. I NEED another bag, LOL! This one’s just too dang adorable, with that cat and the pom-pom…
A NARS Spring 2016 makeup tutorial featuring Janice Daoud
Nars 360-Degree Makeup Tutorial
Is this the makeup tutorial of the future? NARS Cosmetics gives us the 360-degree look. http://r29.co/1QGLwil
Posted by Refinery29 Beauty on Wednesday, 3 February 2016
So, I’m hoping against all hope — because I haven’t worn any real makeup for the past couple of days except for five-minute makeup with tinted moisturizer, brows, mascara, tight lined liner, gloss and blush (seriously, that’s all five minutes) — that this new NARS makeup tutorial is going to inspire me to do amazing things with their spring 2016 collection this weekend.
The video stars Janice Daoud, my favorite NARS artist. She’s from here in the Bay Area, and she’s been with NARS for years. Girl is such a sweetheart — like, the nicest person — and she’s so, SO beautiful. Oh, and her makeup skills are bangin’.
The video’s a kind of fancy, interactive Facebook thing (it doesn’t seem to work in Google Chrome for some reason). It’s not just a regular makeup tutorial. There are these 360-degree views, with the eyes on one screen, lips on another, etc., and if you’re watching on a mobile device, and you tilt it, or if you click and drag your mouse on your computer screen, you can go directly to whichever part of the tutorial you want to, so you don’t have to watch the whole thing (unless you want to).
Kewl. And I think the final look is super pretty.
Everything’s about to change…
I did put on a little makeup today, which was a big step up from what’s been my new usual state lately.
Can I just tell you (please don’t tell anyone else, though…) that last night was the grossest I’ve been in a very long time. I went to bed without 1) washing my face (granted, I wasn’t wearing any makeup) or 2) taking a shower.
I was just too exhausted, man. BG has been kicking my butt lately. It’s like that whole Invasion of the Body Snatchers thing. She’s been putting in some serious overtime in terms of sucking the life outta me. I mean, you don’t understand! — my drive for personal cleanliness is usually very strong, but I was so tired last night that I almost didn’t change into pajamas. It’s that serious.
I have an appointment to go to the salon this weekend, so maybe that’ll restore some of my personal care energy. Sometimes it helps to just sit and veg in those chairs for a couple hours…
When I saw on my calendar today that I had the appointment, I had an “OMG, my life is about to change!” moment (which I’ve been having a lot lately).
It might be a while before I go back to the salon…and when I do go, I’ll need someone to watch Baby Girl!
It just hits me at weird times.
Speaking of hair, I have absolutely no plans to go crazy with it. I don’t think I should do anything too high maintenance… The last thing I need right now is a big hair change.
Your thoughts on ASOS?
Have you ever shopped there before? I was googling “nursing clothes” the other night and ended up on their website.
They had a bunch of stuff on sale. I ordered a couple of nursing dresses (which are super cute), but now I’m kind of freaking out a little because the website says that their maternity clothes are true to size but, like, I’ve heard some people say that ASOS clothes run small, so I’m thinking, “Great, I got these cute dresses on sale, but they’re gonna be too small.”
Maybe I should just wait ’til they actually get here before I panic… LOL!
I hope their maternity line works out for me because I’d love to be able to wear the dresses after BG is born. I gotta say, I’m really getting tired of wearing the same five outfits.
OK, thanks for hanging out and listening. I hope you’re doing well.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
I love that jewlery, so pretty! I’ve browsed ASOS, but felt pretty overwhelmed by all the choices. And I feel like they might be a little too hip for me, lol!
Public Service Announcement – Because I consider you a friend even though we’ve never met, because we’ve chatted about concealer – you may be aware of this but you may not, because I didn’t know…
Unless you are a total freak of nature like Gisele, the first few months after BG arrives you will still be in maternity clothing. You will leave the hospital looking about 6 months pregnant and it will take at least a month and maybe four to six (it’s faster if you’re nursing) for your waist and hips to look anything like they did before your pregnancy. Exercise will make you feel better and might affect weight loss, but your shape will still take a while to change back. Your shoulders, ribs, and hips will stay a little wider forever, no matter your weight or fitness level. Your feet won’t change completely back either.
So – go ahead and buy those clothes if you like them, and if they don’t work right now, they will be good for later on. I strongly encourage you to take care of yourself in the first six months – nails, hair, cute clothes that make you feel happy, time outside in the sunshine, and the company of friends outside your house – all these things are necessary to remind you are human and not just a milk cow or baby slave. It seems not worth the effort but it really is, and it’s important for your mental health.
Also – something I tell all my friends before their first baby because I wish someone had told me: at some point in the first two weeks you will have a complete faceplant of a breakdown and think, “What have I done? This can’t be my life now! It sucks! I hate this! I want to be young and free again! Can’t I just give her back?” THIS IS NORMAL AND OKAY. It doesn’t mean you’re a bad mother, you don’t love your baby, or she’s not going to be okay. It means your life is completely, irrevocably different in ways you could never imagine or fathom, and it’s a really, really big adjustment, and you are very tired.
So there’s my two cents and in the meantime I can’t wait to get my NARS Banned Red lipstick.
Such good advice, Rebecca! And so true!
Hi Rebecca,
Thanks for all the great advice. I’ve heard from my baby classes that you leave the hospital looking around six months pregnant, which, now that I think about it, was a cake walk compared to now, LOL! Thankfully the dresses I ordered work for both maternity and for post-partum. I just hope they fit.
Oh, and thanks for the two-week warning. I’m going to actually put that down in my calendar after BG arrives!
ASOS maternity was not great for me… The dresses I got kind of sat funny on me and ended up looking frumpy. The only nursing dresses I have are the wrap or faux wrap necklines, which show off the wonderful mom cleavage (seriously though) and provides easy access.
I do like the Mamalicious brand from ASOS though!
Oh btw, nursing tops? You don’t really need them. Just layer a flowy shirt on top of a nursing tank and you have yourself a nursing top. Or anything low cut paired with a scarf and you can nurse discreetly without a cover. 🙂
Never ordered from ASOS but I sure do want to. They’re pretty edgy/trendy/fashion forward. You know, not to stress you out, but I’ve heard that “grossness” comes with the mommie territory. You know, baby spit ups, baby poopy diapers, fatigue/exhaustion, sleepless weeks, messy hair buns. I’d say you’re just getting in early practice. But no need to worry, much like Tabs, she’ll love you anyway. Here’s to mommy-hood ☺️
I have one of the Misa rings in the header image for this post! Her jewelry is gorgeous. Got mine for my birthday this year. Opal is my husband’s birthstone and aquamarine is my son’s, so it’s extra special to me 🙂
I’ve ordered from Asos before, and from my experience their sizes run similar to most European brands, so smaller than the average US brand for sure. But then you’ll see when the dresses get there, the nursing and maternity lines might be different!
Did you order any beauty stuff from them? They were my source for Paul & Joe makeup when I was in France.
That jewelry is gorgeous!
You’re right to go for low maintenance hair. You’re most likely going to be sleep deprived for a while, and busy when you’re not sleeping. Also, in a few months BG will start grabbing everything and pulling — including hair, necklaces, and dangling earrings. The she will laugh when you gently grab her hand and say “no.” Every mom I know, myself included, went through a short hair phase for a while.
I’m glad to hear that you’re treating yourself to a couple of new dresses & a trip to the salon. You have to look after yourself, while you’re growing that new life! That jewellery is so lovely, I’m feeling very tempted!
Well I hope that *someone* gets the hint! 😉
I think it’s totally normal for you to have these ‘oh em gee I’m freaking out a little’ moments. They’re probably totally justified! (sorry if this isn’t helping ;-))
So many subtle hints… I wonder who is going to pick that up!
And freaking out and feeling drained is completely normal at this stage of pregnancy. It will get better when she is there, even though the sleeping situation will not improve.
I’m sure El Hub is taking the hint on Vday. 🙂 Agreed 100% on the hair – save the “big change” for a few months from now. That’s when you’ll be getting back in shape and want to change things up a bit to reflect the “new you”. 🙂 I think you’re right about the clothes, too. Everyone is different so you’ll have to see how they look on you before deciding. I can’t help with the nursing clothes recs because I never nursed in public. I was either pumping at work or nursing at home (we didn’t get out much for extended periods in the first few months). You’ll find what works for you!
That’s what I’m banking on. I don’t feel nearly as prepared (but I think that’s the norm), and I figure I’ll learn along the way. What’s cool is my health provider has a 24 hour lactation consultant available! I can call whenever I need help. Yeah, I’m pretty sure I’ll be chatting up the hotline at 4 am. 🙂
I hope that you’ve been doing well. TGIF!
It is very normal. Everyone worries and feels unprepared! You’re a positive person who isn’t afraid of change (or of asking for help when you need it) – you’re going to be great! Lots of babies have trouble with latching. I’m sure everyone has told you that. I had one with no issues and one with terrible issues (where I’d just feel like sobbing because it somehow felt like something was wrong with ME). All your emotions will be magnified but try to remember that everything will work out and that you have lots of support. 🙂 Things are good, but busy. The boys turned 13 on Friday so that’s been kind of a big deal. 🙂 Get some rest and be well!!!
The jewelry is gorgeous, but that cat bag is truly magnificent. Seriously. I stared at that picture for like five minutes straight!
“five-minute makeup with tinted moisturizer, brows, mascara, tight lined liner, gloss and blush (seriously, that’s all five minutes)” — Karen, it takes me twenty minutes to do all that! (Well, I do add concealer and powder, but, still!!! You’re quick!)
Sometimes, when you’re tired, you just have to sleep! And that’s another good reason to go with low-maintenance hair for the next few months — it’s going to be tough to get enough sleep as it is!
I like the jewelry, but absolutely adore that cat clutch. Have not yet tried ASOS. It takes some experimenting with most brands before I find the size that fits me. Like I wear medium tops from Target or the Gap, but small from H&M or J.Crew and extra-small from LLBean. The Nordstrom website is good about linking to all the different size charts, and it usually nails jeans recommendations for me since I put in what jeans fit me best. Online clothing shopping always feels like a bit of a gamble until I get very familiar with a brand.
Hey Fran,
I set a timer on my iPhone for five minutes, and if I run outta time then I’m out of time (seriously, even if only half a brow is done, I’m like PEACE OUT). It’s a strong motivator. lol
I’m getting a lot of practice not sleeping in the evenings, haha. It’s all prep for when BG comes along, I guess. I wake up between 2-4 am and seriously, I’m wide awake! But shortly after 4, I always fall asleep.
Anywho, isn’t the Nordstrom website the best? I also like that they do free shipping, and that you can return stuff to the store. I’ve also bought stuff online and picked it up in store, which is convenient.
TGIF! 🙂
The timer is a good idea, but I still don’t think I could get anywhere near as quick as you are!
I’ve always gotten great customer service from Nordstrom. Have you ever tried a session with one of their personal shoppers? After I lost a lot of weight, I couldn’t figure out how to find jeans that fit me, so that’s what I did. Once I made it clear what my budget was, and that I was going to stick to it, she was super-helpful. I would highly recommend doing a session with a personal shopper (together with a friend, maybe) as a post-partum treat. It can be hard to figure out a way to feel like you’re looking good when you recently gave birth and never get enough sleep!
Oh gosh, it won’t be the last time you go to bed without a shower. Not a big deal though. 🙂
Yeah. Kids change pretty much everything.
But you will be fine.
Aw thank you for the shout out. I’m so glad you love Misa Jewelry as much as I do!! xoxo
You’re welcome. Glad to see you’re blogging again. Oh, I love your new bedroom paint! You’re so adventurous.
I love love love Misa jewelry!! The oyster ring is my fave. She’s also from Hawaii which makes me love her more.
Baby girl #2 is currently 13 months and sometimes I still have those moments when I look in the mirror and say to myself, “who’s mom is here?” I’m still trying to lose 15 lbs.
After both pregnancies, I thanked god for sweatpants and maternity jeans with hoodies. I really wish I could have been more, “no makeup, no time, just the baby!!” but I have some selfish tendencies. No, I don’t neglect my girls or let them run around with scissors but I have always set aside some “me-time” in the bathroom, whether it’s just 10 mins or a full hour. I use that time to take a breath and do my face. This could just mean wash, moisturize, conceal and put eye brows on or a full face of makeup. This has been my thing and my husband knows it so he always takes the girls while I get ready.
Yes, your life/routine will change but you make it what you want. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. You’ll be a fabulous mom, no matter what we tell you. As for hair, you do you girl! I think after my first girl, I used that opportunity to grow out my bangs…second baby…I had it down and was able to stay on top of bang maintenance.
I can’t wait for you to experience this new chapter!!
I kept a pregnancy journal and am so glad I took it to the hospital. I wrote “This is my last entry as a woman, I am about to be a woman who is a mother!” I love reading and re-reading that entry from time to time. It’s all about how I was thrilled, nervous and how my life was going to change forever. It’s beautiful and I can’t wait to share it with my daughter some day.
I love ASOS and buys tons of clothes there. I’m in EU and it’s a really popular place with free shipping. There quality is a step or two above H&M. They also have great sales on higher end cosmetics!
Their accessory selection is huge too!
About the pretty jewelry. My Mum has always said buying opal for yourself is bad luck. Has anyone else heard that? I just love these rings grouped and worn together, guess I’ll have to put them on my next wishlist for family and friends!
Drooling over those rings! So beautiful!
That jewelry is by far my new addiction! It is gorgeous! Going to the site now! ASOS is amazing!
Hey Karen!! I’ve only bought the regular and petite stuff from Asos and I’d say the key thing to pay attention to is the brand of the item you’re looking at. The Asos brand is pretty true to size e.g. a US2 is a US2. But there are other brands where that’s not the case. The Club L brand for sure runs smaller. I’ve been shopping on their website since like 2005/2006 when I was at university in England and their customer service is pretty great. I love that they have a great range of petite items for us shorties! I think their maternity clothes are pretty stylish too. I always see really nice ones in the clearance section!
Yep, what she said! The Asos line is true to size, Club L and Junarose runs small. Free shipping and frequent sales are awesome.
Love the opal rings! When I was in the SF Saks today I saw some new jewelry by Melissa Kaye that I liked. Unfortunately, it was only a trunk show for two days and Dear Husband won’t be back from his business trip until mid-week.
I got my hair cut about a month before my due date. I didn’t find the time or energy to get it cut again until about 5 months later. Yes, the first couple of weeks are really hard. It gets much, much easier after 6 months. It’s good that you will have access to a lactation consultant.
Wrap dresses are going to save you! Unfortunately, I need every frickin’ piece of jewelry you show especially anything opal or moonstone!
May the new clothes fit! I’ve always been anxious about clothing shopping online unless I’ve worn the specific style before and am ordering it in a different colour/design.
Misa Jewelry’s items are pretty.
Those necklaces! Love and want them all!
omg I LOOOOOVE those rings!!!