Perfectly Posh

Some more technical difficulties later, here we are with a post at last! I've missed you, my pets, (few as you are at present.)

Be happy in the knowledge my computer is fully functional, I'm settled into a job and I'm ready to try new things: like Perfectly Posh! Got my hands on some samples, thanks to Brandie Seifert, makeup extraordinaire. They were unfortunately shelved for a time, but I'm excited to put them to the test. Kylene and Traci Overstreet have also volunteered to be guinea pigs, so we'll be trying them out together! Yay!

Product samples we received are:

- BFF Face Wash
- Under Wonder Primer
- Shameless Flirt Hand Cream
- Lemon Rice Body Butter
- Sister, I'm a Poet, Butter
- Chatter Soap
- Snarky Bar Soap
- Tree Hugger Detox Body Scrub

Please visit the Perfectly Posh website for more detailed information. They focus on natural-based, high-quality products; sans animal testing, petroleum, paraben, paraffin, sulfates/sls, gluten or soy fillers. Does my heart good to see a product line that isn't out to wreck your skin and harm animals in the process.

Thank you, Perfectly Posh! Test results coming soon.

Lord Vader Tutorial

Hello, everyone!

Next tutorial is up for your viewing pleasure, inspired by Darth Vader from the Star Wars franchise!

Now, before you get too cranky: yes, I'll be putting up some "Back to Basics" videos, featuring foundation application, contouring, etc. I'm not going to want to have to mention or explain the basics for every tutorial when we can jump right into the fun stuff! I might have been smart and done that first thing, but . . . PFF! Way too excited to get my hands dirty. 

Basic videos are next on my to-do list. Promise. I just have so many other fun things in mind! Keep an eye out for them. In the meantime, I'll be looking for a job. I'm such a bum right now. 

Thanks for watching!

First Makeup Tutorial

Waaaaaay too excited for bedtime tonight, kiddies! I'm all settled in after a successful move to Houston, and haven't felt more at home. Technical difficulties are holding things up a bit, but I already have a job lined up and life's lookin' good! It just needs to happen! So, what have I done in the meantime?

MY FIRST MAKEUP TUTORIAL!!
(Complete with blooper reel!)

It's been a long night, but I've finally worked past my technological short-comings and have produced this golden little milestone. Couldn't have had better help to do it, either. Traci made a fitting model to help celebrate--not only my big move and a makeup artist landmark--but her very own B-DAY today! Happy Birthday, Traci, and thank you!

Our subject for the day: a look inspired by HIM's song, Join me in Death; a Traci favorite. A very sexy, smoked out look that isn't too hard to pull off, whether you're out for the evening or belting out a rock ballad. If you haven't checked HIM out, it is quite the delicious band. 

MMmmmm... <3

And with that, Sara must bow out. Good night/morning, everyone! Enjoy!

I'm on my Way!

Here we are, a whole month since my last post, but you won't believe what's happened to me: this girl's moving to Texas!

Crazy, right? Biggest New Year's resolution is already getting checked off. I was able to snag a job at Walmart over the holidays--lucky me. I knew it was a temporary/seasonal position going in. They told me that. They also told me I wouldn't be needed anymore on Christmas Eve. Yikes. Da nerve.

So Walmart was out. I applied for multiple jobs as soon as I got the news, stretching as far as Las Vegas in search of something that would roll in the dough. Nothing. I have yet to hear back from any of the places I applied, regardless of the countless times I called to follow up on each one. Tragedy, but I had something now that I didn't when I first moved back home: a little pocket change.

I looked up plane tickets, and sure enough, found an incredibly inexpensive one-way ticket to Houston, TX--where I have planned to go for years. That month at Walmart gave me just enough money to feel confident about the move, so here I am, ready to take off! I leave tomorrow morning!

What will be in store? Heck if I know. There's a lot riding on this. It's a big risk, but honestly, I've never felt better. People ask me all the time, "Why Texas?" before divulging the details of why Texas is so terrible. (To those who have been more positive, thank you!) I'll be living with my friend, Traci, and her family out there. There are so many more opportunities in Texas--just about anywhere--outside of Utah for makeup artistry. The economy is great, the people friendly and the cost of living will be similar to Utah's. But what takes the cake is just how right it feels. Do I need more excuses?

The day I found the ticket, I had three weeks before take off. Just enough time to prepare for my departure, and things have been going smooth since. I've never had trip preparations go this well. Sure, I have things to be worried about, but if everyone spent their time being too scared to try, where would we be? If nothing else, I've got to give it a shot. I'll regret that more for the rest of my life than any failure Texas could throw at me.

In the spirit of jumping into things, look what else got done today:

T'yah daaaah! My first YouTube video. Pure introduction, so if you don't know me at all, here's your chance to get started. Let's get the warm and gushy, getting-to-know-you, "blah" out of the way. From here on out, you'll be seeing makeup tutorials, but with all my makeup artistry supplies sitting in flat-rate boxes in Houston, you'll just have to wait a little bit longer.

Wish me luck, friends and fam! I can't thank you enough for the support I get from you every day. Here's to my next big adventure.

Starting Fresh

It's almost the new year, everyone. Time to take some time and get sappy. I've had a good year. No, it hasn't ended exactly how I dreamed, but I take a walk down memory lane and can't feel bad about any of the wonderful things that have happened to me during it.

I have found my passion. This happened some time ago. Thinking about it, the passion to create has been with me since the beginning, but has grown more this year than I ever could have imagined. I've learned so much. I haven't made bank, doing what it is I love. Makeup artistry is a very subjective, competitive field, after all; like so many other things. But I have grown. I made the big move to Salt Lake City, had a job at an Estee Lauder/Clinique cosmetics counter. I met more people this year than I feel I have since high school, each of them a support and inspiration in one way or another. I'm not on a pedestal or bathing in riches, but that should never be what matters most.

My dad chose a movie to watch recently: You Can't Take it With You. No truer words. Also a very personal memory for me, because it was a play of the same name I participated in during high school. Such a powerful message to come from a simple story. When it's all said and done, what are the things we are going to keep? The acts we perform, the friendships we create and the joy we find in life. Makeup artistry is my joy. 

I'm living at home now, unemployed and without immediate access to photoshoots and other artistry outlets due to distance. I'm back to square one. For a while, I was ready to let this get the best of  me, but focusing on the negative never got anyone anywhere. I'm going to make due. I am alive and loved. All that's left to do is live. To help get me started: a game-changer. What better time to switch things up than at the beginning of a new year?

I'll be joining the YouTube community. About time! I'm pretty iffy when it comes to film editing and what-not as of now, but we've all got to start somewhere. With less pictures to put up on Facebook, I figure it's time to hit the big screen. Technology willing, I'm going to shoot for one video a week. No promises, but that's the goal. Otherwise, we'll be toning down to a bi-weekly gig. Resolutions, for the win.

Other resolutions?
- Have my makeup in a magazine.
- Attend Salt Lake City's FanX (Comic Con) with a boss-um costume.
- Weight loss. Duh.
- Leave Utah. I've got bigger places I wanna be.

To the friends I've made, the ones I've had and the friendships yet to come: you have my love and thanks. Where would I be without you? I've never felt more positive about the start of a new year. Let's make it a good one!

Sugar-Sweet

I am here to announce, that I have not been a lazy cuss in my absence. Not only have I started up a new job, had the internet kick out on me; but have been setting up photoshoots left and right. October's going to be excellent, my friends. We're chuck-full of shoots and ready to roll. This is just the beginning:

Ooooooo!

Let me tell you, this was a shoot I was worried about. Like the candy shoot I had participated in some time ago with Torsten Bangerter and Connie Walker, cliche tends to turn me off. Sugar skulls are something we've all seen and heard of. But once again, I stood up to the challenge and was greatly rewarded for it! Just what I needed to kick off the Halloween season! I was privileged to work with photographer, Carlo Panti; hairstylist, Souk Mixayboua; models, Amy Christine and gorgeous newcomer, Stephanie Montecot! We made one heck of a team!

I've already had a few people ask me about the process for this shoot. I'm a girl on a budget. Let's get that across right away. I'm all about being resourceful and not taking "cheap" stuff for granted. I can't tell you how good it feels to find inexpensive product that works just as good as that billion dollar top-brand makeup. That, and I like the looks I get when I tell folks what I used to pull off my makeup stunts.

Brought to you by: Walmart!

Seriously. Walmart's my hero. It's convenient, inexpesive and a great place to bomb makeup-wise during Halloween. I used their white and black cream makeups as the meat of the models' sugar skulls and the home experiment you see above. I hadn't done sugar skulls before and wanted to play around. Not too shabby, eh?

Finishing touches were done with acrylic paint and eyeshadow pigment/powder. The brows were covered using a layering technique with a washable glue stick. These were the bare necessities and were all inexpensive! Some raw talent later, and viola! Sugar skulls!

All of the design work was free-handed and left to imagination. This was what intimidated me most, as I'm sure it would anyone. Most sugar skulls I've come across tend to be basic. They don't utilize a lot of the white space, and that's exactly what I wanted to break from. Anyone who knows me, knows I'm a big fan of sharpie art. Being able to incorporate that flavor into things a bit, really sold me on these skulls. Once I got in the groove, I let myself go and had a great time. Four friggin' hours worth!

LOOK at this kick-ass car!

A prime example of sharpie art, everyone. Now we know what Willis was talkin' 'bout.

He also talks about drag queens. (What? xD) Sharpie art's cool, but I don't worship it like I do RuPaul. This she-man's my hero. Anyone who watches and loves RuPaul's Drag Race knows to "lip sync for your life," and to not "f#@% it up." RESPECT for all you beautiful, talented queens out there. So, in the spirit of gender-bending, I decided to wear my own crown:

 

Say, "whaaaaaat?"

Man makeup! I've got less exciting reasons for slapping some on than your typical dragster. Anime Banzai's coming up, and I'll be cosplaying as my video game hero, Leon S. Kennedy, from Resident Evil. No, I'm not a big fan of anime, but missing out on SLC Comic Con planted an itch. Must dress up, must be my man and must have fun doing it. I hadn't genuinely attempted man makeup yet, so gave myself the go-ahead one lonely night and took some pics. (Don't pay me unexpected visits.) Feelin' good about it!

Don't you worry you're pretty little face, I haven't forgotten how to doll mine up. My ever-so-wonderfully-talented photographer friend, Kiersta Rhodes, made sure you'll remember it with a few snazzy snap-shots slapped up in her blog! I love this woman. Her talent will always inspire me. Can't thank her enough!

Super <3

There are plenty more photoshoots this month to look forward to! Thanks for keeping up, friends and readers. I appreciate every one of you for putting up with me and my secret obsessions.

                                   

"Don't be Jealous of my Boogie!"

Love, peace, chicken grease!

I'M BACK

Oh my God.

After way too much technical difficulty, I have RECLAIMED MY GLORIOUS BLOG.

Seriously.

Wow.

Ridiculous.

Kinda like this:

Brother-ladies.

That's right, my lovelies. My blog may have been down and out, but I've been keeping pretty busy. The beautiful little number above is complements of the imaginative genius of models, Alison Weller and Melissa Sherman; hairstylist, Erin Grimley; and photographer, Carlo Panti. I love these guys. Needless to say, it's the most interesting project I've had to date. Super fun, too!

I hope since there hasn't been life here, you've checked out my Facebook page after the--what--months it's been since you've heard from me? Either way, it's time to get the old gears turning again. I'm back now. For good. Promise! We won't be picking up right where we left off, but jumping ahead to the NOW. Join me?