Inspiration: "Oh, the places you'll go!"

March 2, 2012

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!

BOK Center

a dear friend's wedding cake.

Las Vegas, Nevada

Sequins on concrete
(Ode to Dorothy)

Oz Museum

wear it! haha! It's all about the shoes! ;)

San Francisco Bay Aquarium

Aquarium Tunnel filled with various marine life swirling overhead.

I'm quite a bit away from my ideal travel destinations.
 hahaha!

"Oh, the places you'll go!"

* Dr. Seuss Wall decals available through Etsy.com or Amazon.com

Inspiration: East Coast 2011

What inspires me:

Color

Travel

Film

Music

Nature

Sequins

Beads

Museums

Buttons

Glitter

Thrift Shops

Laughter

Architecture

Food

Design

Sequins in Autumn

Christmas display at Palmer's Square

Witherspoon Grill

Twinkle, Twinkle little lights! 

Color!

A break from all the walking.

Welcome to my boudoir...haha! I wish!

New York skyline

New York pizza

In line for a two-hour wait

Christmas colors! ;)

"Mangiamo!"

In love with New York architecture

Princeton University

What inspires you?

Laugh, Love, Live Positive

Inspiration: Give Thanks

Give Thanks




Give Thanks for the chance to share your story; someone will be inspired by your journey.


Give Thanks for the times you've been burnt out and overworked. That means you've created something of value and significance.


Give Thanks for days where sleep was optional. Passion, creativity and drive will always yield positive results.


Give Thanks for days that are challenging, for those challenges will sharpen your will to succeed.


Give Thanks for the folks who are critical and detracting. They will remind you that people who scrutinize and judge DO NOT define you. They define themselves as judgmental and scrutinizing.


Give Thanks to those who open their hearts and homes to you, for there might be a time where they will need you to do the same for them.


Give Thanks to your mentors, coaches, advisors and teachers who have helped you take your passion to the next level. Once you excel, it would behoove you to pay it forward.


Give Thanks to all the blessings given to you. It attracts more of the things that you appreciate and value into your life.


Give Thanks to your family and friends, for they have given you the gift of love and compassion.


This Thanksgiving...


I am thankful. 


I am grateful.


To you all.

Inspiration: New Year, New Fears

As I type this, I hear Oprah in the background talking about her new network appropriately called OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network). She talks about how certain experiences at this point in her life that continue to provide her with "Aha!" moments. She further discusses her adventures in this new project, which allows her to continue to grow as an individual. She felt a bit nervous of taking on an entire network but expressed that in order to grow as an individual, we have to "step into our fears and walk through it."

The new year can be daunting. The demands we place upon ourselves to loose weight, stop smoking, get organized, get out of debt, get the new "it" tech gadget, or whatever new year's resolution we plan to achieve or obtain successfully. Unless we come from a place of genuine intention to move forward with our resolutions, then our plans are flawed. Often the pressure to accomplish becomes overwhelming to which we riddle our thoughts with self-sabotage. Before you know it we are ruled by anxiety - which will be the collapse of our well-meaning plan to loose weight, stop smoking, etc, etc.

What we fail to realize is by stepping into our fears, we have to be ready for a change. If we step into our fears as a motivator for change, then our chances of a positive outcome will be greater once we commit to facing them.

My opinion? The best way to eradicate fear is educate yourself of whatever it is that creeps you out with an objective point of view.

For instance, if you're anxious to start a new smoking cessation program, read up on the negative impacts smoking does to your body with an impartial mind - no judgements. Treat it like a case study. Once you've faced your fears with the knowledge of the havoc smoking does to your body, read about the positive effects your body goes through once you stop smoking. The commitment to have an open heart coupled with the willingness receive the facts with an open mind is the key to your success.

Next, you have to surround yourself with people to aid you with accomplishing your goal. Oprah has an entire army of producers, assistants, and creative people to help her realize her dreams. Ultimately, she would have the final say with what is presented in her programs. If you plan to join a smoking cessation program (surround yourself with like minded people) which The American Heart Association strongly supports for smokers who are prepared to quit, commit to work at it everyday. Eventually, once you've completed the program the responsibility lies in you to persist to effectively attain your goal.

So with the new year, let's dare to face our fears and grow as individuals. Let's dare ourselves to speak in public, to give a stranger our most winning smile, to start a blog, to introduce yourself at a party, to start a business, to learn a new skill and a slew of other fears that no longer serve us.

We need to begin the year with positivity, gratitude, hope and an open heart ready to shame the face of fear and purge out hearts from False Emotions Appearing Real.


Laugh, Love, Live Positive

Inspiration: This I've found to be my truth: Friendships and Mentors

I just sent a special note to a couple of my good friends from highschool and college. It feels good to reach out to these folks, especially to those whose made a difference in my life.


Do you remember those incredible friendships you've made that affected your life in the most profound way?
Do you recall the relationship that taught you to open up to a whole new set of emotions you never thought you were capable of  showing much less feeling?

Here is my story...


When we first met in highschool, everything about her felt very familiar - like family. As I got to know her more, I found that we shared the same birthday month (born a week apart), both our mothers shared the same birthday month (born a day apart), we both had siblings who were born in the month of December (not sure about the dates) and a host of numerous life experiences we shared made us realize that our meeting was no coincidence.


Our personalities complemented each other. I was the extroverted, opinionated "wild child" who had all these crazy ideas about make-up. She was reserved, thoughtful and a sensitive soul with a keen eye for business. She would always remind me to "look before leaping" into anything. She was like my long lost sister. We were inseperable.

Not long after I met my "sister", I met another friend. He was tall, graceful, and beautiful ...but very shy. All the girls in class (and in school for that matter)  wanted to meet him and  know more about him. But for some reason, we had a connection. I introduced myself and that was it. We just laughed and had a great time for the entire hour in  class.


As fate would have it, he and I danced together for the school play. We were paired to dance in the school production of  "West Side Story", which was my all time favorite musical. Since we had such a great time laughing and dancing, I thought to introduce him to my "sister"...come to find out...she already met him in her dance class! Our friendship was fated. From that point on, we were as thick as thieves. We would do charity work together, went to clubs to dance until dawn, and swapped cars for errands and interviews. We would take turns paying for expenses such as gas, meals and yes, cover charge (hahaha!). Sure, we had our disagreements but we figured,  every relationship goes through a bit of bickering. They were resolved by making each other laugh from an impromptu dance off. Think Madonna's "Vogue" style dancing with the serious faces coupled with erratic arm movements.
We went nuts trying to out-Vogue each other! hahaha!

Family events and holidays were lively and fun! We visited each others families and ate home-made tamales made by hand (his grandmother's place), then a bit of classic Indian/Portuguese dishes (her family's place) and finally, traditional Filipino meals my mother made in her home. Our get-togethers consisted of animated chatter, drinks, food and music. It was fantastic!
 

What I cherished most from that time in my life was how often  we lifted each other up. My friends and I supported, encouraged and celebrated each other. As a result, we became better friends to each other and better people to everyone else. We taught each other to be compassionate, graceful, sensitive, opinionated, savvy, out-going, and humorous.

Above all, we learned from each other. We served as each other's coach, cheerleader and mentor.

Then one day, life happened.

We graduated highschool, went to college, found jobs, got  married, had families and eventually...moved away. Keeping in contact became increasingly difficult. Until finally communication comes to a slow and complete...halt.

In retrospect, I considered myself  extremely fortunate to have made these connections. I realized that in order to  to experience life and learn from it, your heart must be open and willing to receive it. Warts and all.
 

Before long the cycle begins again. You meet people, they become your friends. Some leave and some linger. But if you're  lucky, you encounter friends and mentors who leave an indelible mark in your heart.

Ever wonder why that happens? Allow this poem to shed some light...


“Reason, Season, Lifetime” by Aleksandra Lachut




People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.


When you figure out which one it is,


you will know what to do for each person.






When someone is in your life for a REASON,


it is usually to meet a need you have expressed.


They have come to assist you through a difficulty;


to provide you with guidance and support;


to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually.


They may seem like a godsend, and they are.


They are there for the reason you need them to be.






Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time,


this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end.


Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away.


Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand.


What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled; their work is done.


The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.






Some people come into your life for a SEASON,


because your turn has come to share, grow or learn.


They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh.


They may teach you something you have never done.


They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.


Believe it. It is real. But only for a season.






LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons;


things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation.


Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person,


and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life.


It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.






Thank you for being a part of my life,


whether you were a reason, a season or a lifetime.



Love, Laugh, Live Positive

Inspiration: You're great! Celebrate.

As I was watching Serena Williams give Oprah a pedicure on Ms. Oprah's show today (Super surreal, I know! But if you you missed it, http://www.oprah.com/showinfo/Celebrities-Take-on-Their-Dream-Jobs) Oprah said something that packed a pursuasive punch!



"You cannot pretend to be less than you are. You carry such a big light! You cannot go around dimming your light just to be with someone else!"



Which had me thinking. As adults, how often do we celebrate our greatness..?





If you asked children what they want to be when they grew up, they would yell out their answers without blinking twice. Children are bold in their choice of clothes, toys, and other forms of entertainment. It's always entertaining to hear a child's candid opinion of what they want or how they feel about every subject under the sun. To instill confidence, we would encourage them to celebrate their achievements regardless of how insignificant or "simple" they may seem to adults. We would acknowledge their efforts and reward them with hugs, followed by a roaring applause, treats, and maybe even a trip to the toy store. No matter what the accomplishment a child successfully delivers, we would simply...celebrate.




Enter adulthood.


And with adulthood comes the introduction to self-doubt. Self-doubt is like a crafty magician who lures you in with the slight of hand into believing what is clearly an illusion - a trick! Self-doubt questions, hesitates, discredits, confuses every decision we make. Worse, it acts like an impenetrable wall obstucting our views of how we should see ourselves and how we are meant to be seen. Simply put, we should see ourselves as powerful beings of light!


To further the cause of protecting your magnificent light, here are three simple steps to keep those critical, deceitful, and dishonest negative voices at bay.

*Be your own advocate of GREATNESS - Yup, it starts with YOU. To claim that you are a powerful and positive being of light, you have to think it, speak it, and act it! Set up little reminders, notes or messages of how valuable (no matter how big or small) your contributions are to your work, family and friends. Develop a frame of mind to applaud your own greatness in concrete ways on a daily basis.



*GREAT minds think alike - Surround yourself with people who appreciate your gifts, talents, humor and enthusiam! Steer clear of mud-sligers and disparagers, for they will deminish your light. You don't need to prove yourself to anyone or justify your aspirations and plans. Your main goal in life, is to be YOU.



* To give is to be GREAT - One of the best ways to act on your greatness is to share your time, money (if possible) and skills to those in need. Give without expecting anything in return. That could be from setting time aside to listen to a friend, to help a family member who needs your support (emotional or otherwise) or to volunteer of your time and energy into your community. I've always believed that if the intention behind your contributions (financial or otherwise) are cheerful and genuine, then goodness and abundance will come back to you ten fold.


Yes, I do believe in Karma.


And so far, things are working out to my advantage. : )



Finally, I think that we are all extraordinary in some way. Yet, it’s so easy to direct our attention to our imperfections and weaknesses rather than praise our positive qualities. Remember, that you give more life to whatever you focus on - good or bad. So why not hone in on the part of you that's great?





Please share this to those who may need a reminder that they are magnificent, powerful, and brilliant beings of light. All they need to do is to take a step forward and own their radiance! : )






Laugh, Love, Live Positive

Inspiration: Carpe Diem!

" I can't wear this yet, I'll wait for special event to show it off.." or " I can't travel abroad, I have so many other things I need to tend to here ..." or " I can't really wear a red lip color, although I would love to, for I do have quite a collection of them..but it's too bold of a color for me and ..." or my favorite of all excuses..." I can't start this project/idea that I've been talking about and dying to do since the creation of time, because I don't have the time for it." Sheeesh.

How may excuses have you heard today? Excuses coming from friends, co-workers, loved ones or maybe even excuses coming from yourself? I've read once that most perfectionists end up being procrastinators because they tend to wait for the "perfect" time to start travelling, embark on a project they adore or begin a relationship with someone. All of us guilty of glancing to the past to predict what will happen to us in the future, holding us back from our heart's need to enrich our souls and better ourselves.

What we tend to forget is that the past is there to teach us how to make better decisions once confronted with circumstances similar to what had occured - not to prevent us from fulfilling our true passions and desires in life. We also tend to forget that NOW is as good a time as any! NOW is the "perfect" time to start whatever longing is in your soul, impatiently waiting to come out and complete it's course.

If you want to travel or start a project near and dear to your heart, find a way to make it happen. Talk to people about it. Make it known to all your friends, family or anyone willing to listen about your plans. Human beings by nature, are open and willing to lend a helping hand to those in need.

When I finally decided to pursue the world of makeup artistry, I have to admit, I was very leary of how that was going to come about. Talk about excuses, I had them all! I covered the gamut of excuses from "where will I get the funds?" to "the economy is bad! I'll never get a client!" But once I started telling people of my plans, I received an outpouring amount of support! My husband funded both Glaminar and IMATS events, I stayed at my aunt's (who was BEYOND supportive) home to save up on hotel fees. My mother, sister and niece were nice enough to come out to an event they knew was important to me. Then to top it off, the support from random people, people I respected and admired, encouraging me to follow my dreams.

So, let this be a reminder to inspire you to "Seize the day!" and follow your heart's desires. Go ahead! Use that piece of clothing or accessory that you've been hiding away in your closet, save up for that wonderful trip to Spain, wear that traffic stopping red lipstick stashed away in your makeup drawer and take baby steps to achieve your goals.

Tell people about your purpose of action with fervor and enthusiam! Right NOW is your opportunity to show the world your gifts and talents! Work your way towards your truth everyday. You'll be pleasantly surprised of what destiny has in store for you...



Laugh, Love, Live Positive.

inspiration: FancyNancyD-light

This little light of mine

I'm gonna let it shine,

This little light of mine
I'm gonna let it shine,

This little light of mine
I'm gonna let it shine..

Let it shine

Let it shine

Let it shine!

Hello gorgeous readers! ; )

Welcome to my first blog. YAY!

I am here to share my journey with you into the world of make up artistry. I will be conducting several product reviews on skin care and makeup goods as well as a variety of makeup looks. I hope to be honest and truthful with my reviews in order for you to form a better decision of the product. I would also like to foster a community of visual artists to participate in this blog - to share their knowledge and offer support. Then to top it off, inspirational musings to nourish and encourage each other's aspirations and goals.

I am not a medical professional, nor an esthetician. I'm an avid skin care and makeup enthusiast, claiming my dream.

Enjoy! I sure will...

Love, Light and Sparkles : )