Boost your Blog // Five Tips for Blogging with your iPad

In a recent post I mentioned that I've been trying to get back into blogging in the simplest ways possible. It's too much work right now for me to pull out all the stops just to get what I have to say out there. So I've been using my iPad & my iPhone as much as possible. It's simpler this way & I find it to be quite successful. The last few posts to my blog have been from my iPad and a few different apps and I thought I'd share how to blog from your iPad pretty simply:

Bluetooth Keyboard - This is the most important part. A bluetooth keyboard, which you can find a variety from different price points on Amazon, makes it a lot easier to type. I have one from Belkin that I got on sale from Office Max or Office Depot a long, long time ago. You can find keyboards with soft case to them that prop up your keyboard - that's what I initially bought, however I prefer using my other Belkin case & my keyboard on a little lap desk from when I was a kid. It's a super awesome set up. I find that the bluetooth keyboards with the soft cases really don't give you a way to store your iPad & the keyboard together. I'm scared that keys are going to pop off if you just stuff the keyboard in your bag so I put my pad & my keyboard in another little felt pouch. On my wishlist right now is a Clam Case, however. This amazing contraption turns your iPad into a mini laptop! You pop the iPad in & it folds up like a laptop to protect everything - your pad & your keyboard! But the main point of this is if you don't have a Bluetooth key board it is really hard to blog from the key board on the screen. You get a more ergonomic experience with a Bluetooth keyboard and it's more like typing on a laptop or desktop. It's easier & more comfortable.

Blogging Apps - You know, I almost called it Blogging Software but if it's on a tablet...does it count as software? I guess it does but they are more commonly referred to as apps. So there are quite a few out there depending on your platform. There are quite a few apps that work with quite a few platforms & there are quite a few apps that only work with certain platforms. Currently on my iPad I have the apps Blogsy, BlogGo, & Blogger. (Here is a link to an article with other blogging apps you might want to try). Because there are so many apps out there for different needs you might have to try a few before becoming sold on one. The downside to that is a lot of these blogging apps are quite pricey. the Blogger app is free, but not the best. Blogsy is $4.99 and has the most options control. BlogGo, designed by a blogger, is $1.99 and one of the most affordable apps that offer more control than the Blogger app. I will do a separate post reviewing these apps shortly since there's a lot to compare!

Photos & Photo Editing - You're probably familiar with this since we're all Instagram crazy but it's simpler than ever to take & edit your photos from your phone. There are plenty of apps out there to correct your photos and even more to add text. A lot of the things we do as bloggers is photo based and often when your creating a post with Pinterest in mind you want to create a beauty shot with all the info that is easy to pin. Currently I use the app Phonto as it offers a zillion fonts & you can even add fonts to the app by connecting to iTunes and dragging & dropping downloaded fonts. (here is an example of a post using Phonto.) Usually I edit my photos is Snapseed & VSCO cam. The only tip I have is to act as if you're editing your photos on your computer - limit the filters & enhance the natural colors of the photo, don't over do it. (Here's a link to all my iPhoneography posts.)

Sharing Apps - Since I have the latest (until, what, September?) iPhone, it has a better camera than my iPad. Also, who wants to be that person taking photos with their iPad? I use my phone & my DIY lightbox to take pictures for my blog and getting the photos between my phone & my iPad to edit is easier with the built in Photo Stream sharing between devices. But say I am running out of room on my phone or iPad and want to save some pictures or video or whatever to edit later, thats where other sharing apps come in handing. You can also pull from these apps to your computer. The current apps I use are DropBox & Google Drive. You can access these across devices and it clears up space from your device.

Limitations - However, there are some limitations to blogging from your iPad like designing your blog. While you could probably use apps to help you make elements for your blog (though, really, I would not suggest that) there is really no way for you to implement the design on your blog. Speaking just from Blogger as an example, it is best to use your laptop. You can access the template design & customized options (at least in Chrome -my preferred browser) but you can't see your whole blog in the preview. You also can't move your widgets around in the Layout page. So an iPad will not replace your main computer for designing. I would suggest maybe if you have a family computer or maybe just one desktop/laptop in your family it might be an easy step for you to blog from your iPad and use the family computer to design. This is an option to save a bit of money if you're getting really into blogging & you can't take up all the time on the family computer or maybe you want to save a little bit of money rather than investing in another laptop especially if your an Apple fanatic like I am!

These are the five important things when it comes to blogging from your iPad or other mobile device. Of course, I can only speak for Apple products since thats what I've got but I'm sure you could blog from any other tablet. I know at least Microsoft has a lot of crazy integration with their desktop applications, but I can't really speak to it.

Also, if your concerned about the lack of a mouse - don't worry, its not that unnatural to reach up & select rather than move a mouse. Ever since I've been blogging from my iPad I've gotten used to it. It's so weird how we adapt to things, in general everyday life, but in technology as well. I find it super impressive that we can adapt to different softwares, etc being a part of this technological age.

Do you blog from your mobile device? What apps or techniques do you use?

xoxo, Moe

Wet n Wild Cover All Foundation, Concealer, Powder Review

One of my favorite brands from the drugstore is Wet n Wild. Not only do they have an amazing Fergie Center Stage line with a bunch of beautiful, bright colors, but they also recently (as in probably a year ago) released a few new things in the line called Cover All. Last Summer I did a first impressions video on the foundation & the powder - it was one of my first videos! But about a week ago I found more of the line in my Kmart - I found the foundation in the shade fair and their liquid concealer. I'm slowly realizing that Kmart is a really great place to find drugstore make up that you either can't find or didn't know existed. I also found the LA Girl Glazed Lip Paints there & only bought 3...I'm trying to keep from going back for the rest!
Anyway, today I wanted to to a review of these products from the Wet n Wild CoverAll Line because I think they are great for the price!

From the Website
CoverAll Creme Foundation - All day wear with medium-to-full coverage and a lightweight, satin-matte finish. VisiBright Complex reduces the apperance of wrinkles and rejuvenates skin. (I got this description from DrugStore.com because I couldn't get the Wet n Wild website to work. Drugstore.com says medium-to-full coverage but also says sheer-to-medium coverage and also mentions that there is SPF & I don't see that this has SPF at all....find the description here.)
CoverAll Pressed Powder - All day wear with a radiant weightless finish. VisiBright complex to reduce the appearance of wrinkles & rejuvenate skin. (Taken from DrugStore.com)
CoverAll Liquid Concealer Wand - Liquid formula conceals & minimized blemishes. Easily blendable with flawless, long lasting coverage. (taken from DrugStore.com

First Impression & Application
CoverAll Creme Foundation - I did a whole video on this foundation here (including the pressed powder) but I have to say I was fairly impressed with the coverage of this. When I bought it I didn't think I'd be that impressed with it. I thought a $3.99 foundation wouldn't blow my socks off, but this one did. The foundation is rather creamy & won't drip from the tube but it isn't too thick that you can't blend it out nicely with a sponge. The coverage is pretty impressive and I would say that this give medium-to-full coverage and is buildable. The color selection is rather limited and until recently, I didn't know that the shade fair was an option. I first got this foundation in fair/light and it was a little too dark for me...and not a shade I would consider to be fairl/light! I'd actually call it medium!
CoverAll Pressed Powder - This powder comes with a sponge applicator, which you could use for a more targeted application but this powder I applied with a brush. First impression was that this powder is really drying. I could feel it being dry on my skin if that makes any sense. It applied evenly and gave a little bit more coverage. Being in the medium shade, it wasn't too dark - so the shades don't really match across products. Application with a brush did not kick up too much powder & it blended nicely on to the skin. I tend to tap my pressed powder onto my skin rather than sweep or blend it that way my foundation isn't disturbed. The brush didn't apply too much in one area and it blended evenly.
CoverAll Liquid Concealer Wand - While in Kmart I picked up three shades of this concealer - fair, fair/light, and beige. The naming is really weird & so are the numbers. I've only used the fair shade & find the consistency to be a bit unfamiliar. It is also hard to describe. While it comes out of the tube onto the applicator alright, the texture seems to be a bit thicker but also a bit drier. And not in a bad way. The texture lends well to blending & covering under the eyes. Maybe drier isn't the right term - it feels more airy, it's a light enough texture that it blends well under the eyes and doesn't cake or move around.

Wear Time
CoverAll Creme Foundation - For a $3.99 foundation this product wears pretty well, even on oily skin. I would say you would get probably 5-6 hours of good wear out of this foundation on oily skin. You will probalby get more if your skin is more normal or even leans a bit dry. I would go as far as to recommend this to dry skin because of how hydrating it feels - but its still not too much for oily skin. With that being said, I notice a significant breakdown in my t-zone during the day. It is nearly all gone from my nose at the end of the day and you will definately need to touch up. (I hardly touch up during the day, even if I need to!) Since the colors are a bit limiting, you may also need to mix two to get your right shade. I noticed when just wearing the fair shade this week it didn't quite match me going through the day - when it wore off my nose I could tell the difference in the color of my skin and the foundation. When wearing the fair/light shade I noticed a bit of oxidation....so thats a down fall.
CoverAll Pressed Powder - I'm not quite sure if this pressed powser really compliments the foundation as much as it could. I found the powder to be great for my oily skin but not sure I would recommend setting this foundation if you have drier skin. I could feel how dry it was on my skin as soon as I put it on. It wears about as long as the foundation does & would be nice to bring to touch up as it would give you back the coverage that may have faded. If you only needed a little bit of coverage you could even use the powder as your foundation. The only downfall to using this as your touch up powder is that there is no mirror. The sponge it comes with give precise and targeted application which is great to use this as a powder foundation.
CoverAll Liquid Concealer Wand - This concealer wears wonderfully under the eyes. I haven't noticed it creasing or fading away & the coverage is rather nice. It blends beautifully with a sponge - both the Beauty Blender & the Real Techniques Sponge are amazing to blend it out. The shade fair is great for me under the eyes and wonderful for highlighting. The different shades have different undertones so they can offer a little bit of color correction. For a pretty affordable concealer you can grab up all the shades!

Overall Impression & Recommendations
Overall I think these products from this line give you an affordable option if you're not trying to break the bank. I believe the foundation is great even for the $3.99 price! While the down fall is that the color selection is kinda crummy and the shades don't seem to match across the products I would really recommend giving these guys a go. The concealer can stand on it's own & I would use it everyday - and currently am! The foundation would be great for a short day out or for running errands. At one point I was looking for a more full coverage BB Cream just because I want something easy to wear - this fits the bill (though it doesn't have the benefits of SPF, ect) in that it's easy to wear. Because it lasts for a good amount of time I can wear it when I'm out shopping, etc and I don't have to waste my favorite foundations on short trips.
I would also recommend this line if you're buy for a teen or the like who wants to start wearing make up. It is more full coverage if you have blemishes but its not so expensive. I think they would be rather satisfied with these products since they don't break the bank and are pretty impressive.
xoxo, Moe

Granny Bras & Other Things about my Late Twenties

There are some things that have happened to me recently that really make me realize I'm in a different place now than I was even 3 years ago.  I am attributing it to the fact that I've past the threshold of 25 - I'm turning 27 this year.  This is something that is really crazy because I don't remember my age when I'm asked & I don't remember getting this old.  I know, 27 isn't old, but when the last time you checked you were like 22....it's kinda weird.  I guess that the years just sort of went by as I went about my life.  I grew up a bit with out realizing it & grew older with out knowing as well.  So here are somethings I've realized in my late twenties:

Not included in this post is car maintenance.  Why can't things just be magic?

  

Comfortable bras are better than sexy ones - I wouldn't necessarily say that I wore sexy bras to begin with but they did not cover my boobies the way my new bras do.  My boobies are well supported & well covered in granny style bras.  Seriously.  I've also grown to be a D cup --- when the hell did that happen?  Maybe I've been wearing the wrong size bra all my life - but really, now?.  I went bra shopping the other day and bought the ugliest most comfortable bras ever.  They cover my whole boobie in a triangle shape, have weird little lace details, zero padding, but still have underwire (if I don't my girls with just slip right out....).  I feel free.  I feel like my chest is not in boob jail all day & actually continue to wear them into the night.  I'll be honest - I was so uncomfortable in those cute bras that I took to wearing just those tanks with the built in bras while I procrastinated my bra shopping.  Yeah right, with a D cup, I know.  So in my late twenties I've taken to wearing the bra that makes me feel comfortable and not the one that is super cute.  I got them for $6 at Burlington Coat Factory.....and not $45 at Victoria's Secret.

I actually like my Gynecologist - TMI? Well, in my late twenties running into questions regarding lady bits or regarding birth control options when you hate the pill you're on, or about sex drive, or when you feel like 'what the heck should actually be happening to me right now?' - it's nice to have a medical person you feel comfortable talking to.  My gyno now isn't intimidating and the lady at the front desk is my favorite - she sets the whole mood for your lady bits appointment.  Before now I was always stressed & dreaded going to the doctor.  But having a doctor that doesn't judge you and is open to your questions is amazing.  Feeling comfortable means that there's an option for open conversations & if you have a question or concern they are there to help you.  I've never felt that way with a doctor before.

Staying home is a good option too - When we first moved to north west Indiana I was excited about how close the big city of Chicago is and how we'd be able to do all these cool things.  We could travel into the city any time we wanted, we could go do nightlife stuff.....nope.  I will avoid the city at all costs.  If we aren't going to a museum where there is easy parking - I'm done.  We haven't done a lot of city life hopping & I'm fine with that.

Shopping is harder - Not really when it comes to clothes shopping or going to Target or something but little runs to the store for one specific thing have gotten harder.  Mainly it's gotten harder because I don't want to look for the thing or I don't have time to look for the thing & will ask another person.  But not all the time does the sales person know where the thing is.  A huge pet peeve of mine is when someone points me in the wrong direction and the item isn't there or suggests something to me after I've asked them and it's not what I want.  I get soooo aggravated.  I get aggravated to the point where I am not a nice person.  While I'm sure the sales person was well meaning - sometimes I just wonder why the didn't ask someone else.  Look, you are here to help me - if you need to ask 30 people where something is, I don't mind because you are helping me.  When I'm pointed in a direction just to satisfy the question....I get aggravated.  I don't remember feeling this way like 3 years ago!

What did you just ask me to do? - When I was younger I remember my mother would always forget things (sorry mom).  And she'd always ask us to put anything she needed to remember in her purse or she'd come home with notes stapled to her purse strap.  Jeeze mom, how hard is it to remember the PTA meeting, the ball practice, the weekend plans, the bills, the thing you have to return, the appointment you have to cancel, etc, etc?  Well, literally, if it is not written down I will. not. remember.  And, even it if is written down, I won't remember.  You asked me to get you water from the kitchen?  Ok, when I get to the top of the stairs I'll go get myself a snack & completely forget.  Its the same at work - you want me to do something? Send me an email, an IM, stand over me as I write it down.  Cuz it's not gonna get done if it's not set in stone.  You gave me the bills to mail on Monday?  Well they didn't get mailed til Thursday - even though they were in my purse & I've looked at them all week.  Setting into a routine usually means that things don't get forget things...but then again, I still might.

Getting older is really weird.  I feel like I know what I'm doing but at the same time everyday is like what the actual hell am I doing? So freaking weird.

What have you learned in your old age?

xoxo, Moe

Connect on Twitter // Follow on Pinterest // Peep me at Hello Cotton

Four Ways to add Text to your iPhone Photos

I am crazy about the beautifully filtered photo with a carefully designed phrase overlay - and these days they are super popular on blogs, pinterest, facebook, & instagram.  Creating these beautiful images has been my obsession ever since I got my iPhone waaaay back in 2011.  Just thinking about that makes me realize I didn't upgrade from my iPhone 4 to the 5s until last December!  Sometimes we think we must have the best & the newest but even having the simplest smart phone can create beautiful images!  Each of these apps has premade overlays or templates for you to insert your own inspirational words just in case you aren't too design inclined. Here we go:

Phoster - $1.99

Phoster is one of the first photo/text apps I downloaded & I believe, when I first got my phone.  The image above is from when Zach & I went to DC in the winter of 2011 - so long ago!  I love this app because you can make a long, vertical poster style images.  These are perfect to print but also great for iPhone backgrounds.  A great way to keep your inspirational words close.  You can choose different templates of various designs, then insert a picture or colored background & edit your text.  Additionally there are final overlays like the polka dots above that add a final, fun touch.  Theres even textures like folds & crumpled paper.

A Beautiful Mess - $0.99

The A Beautiful Mess app not only has overlays to create fun graphics but also has the option for collages & filters.  There are collections of doodle & handwritten text overlays in a variety of designs.  Through in-app purchases you can gain access to more overlays as well.  These overlays are great for Instagram pictures because you can convey more with your image.  While there are no templates like with Phoster, you can add your own text in a variety of fonts as well.  

Rhonna Designs - $1.99

This one is amazing to play with.  Not only are they graphic overlays - like shapes, textures, etc - there are full packs of predesigned inspirational phrases!  The tag line of the app is designs to uplift & inspire so you know they mean some inspirational business!  After going through like 4 of the various quote packs - I'm pretty sure there are a lot for free, but I know there are others that are in app purchases.  If you're a scrapbooker, this app might really appeal to you.  There are tags, elements, quotes, etc and you can add your own words.  Unlike the Phoster app though, there aren't any templates.

Over - $1.99 

Over is another fun app with a lot of free overlay downloads.  There are some in-app purchases available but you get a lot for free a long with the app.  I love this app because the overlays have meaning but are more general.  I have also fallen in love with the script & hand lettered element of the overlays in this app.  There are some that are just gorgeous. You can change the color, size, rotation, etc, and even add your own text.  The overlays aren't limiting either - meaning you can add your own text to go along with the overlays & it will make sense.  The overlays are buildable with in your own idea, is what I'm trying to say.  You can add a hand lettered bit to something of your own making.

I love playing around with different apps - sometimes it's hard to find fun ones so I think it's my duty to share ones with you when I find them!  While some of these aren't new - they are definitely update these sorts of apps all the time so if you put one down you never know what you'll find when you pick it back up!

xoxo, Moe

Connect on Twitter // Follow on Pinterest

How to Save Money on Beauty Products

It's official, I'm into couponing. If you read my last post though you know I'm not in it for the stockpile.  I do not have room in my garage to stock pile & I really don't want to.  Couponing for my is buying brands I want & not couponing just because I have a coupon.  There are many other ways to save on cosmetics & beauty items besides just coupons.  The thing I want to point out here is that you don't have to go crazy as some would call it to save a few bucks.  Saving even a $1 is worth it to me.  Also, there's no need to spend all the time in the world clipping coupons.  Here are four simple ways to save money with out spending 30 hours a week doing it.

Shop at CVS - of course this would be my first suggestion!  For me CVS has the best & easiest to understand coupon program.  Sign up for their rewards card & sign up for the beauty club.  In their beauty club you earn $5 bucks for every $50 you spend.  Free. Money. Right. There.  Not really, but you get what I mean.  The main point of using CVS is that you can get Extra Bucks rewards when you purchase a certain amount of certain products then you can use those Extra Bucks on your next shopping trip.  Also, scan your rewards card or enter your phone number at the big red coupon box to see what kinds of coupons spit out for you.  You might find a coupon for something you're looking for. 

Clip Coupons in Bed - So you know how you put off sleep when your in bed by booping around on your phone.  Or your dicking around on your tablet while watching Law & Order, right?  Go to coupons.com & clip coupons while you're not paying attention to the episode you're watching.  Then you can email them to yourself to print later.  It's also super simple if you have a wireless printer - click on your email, print your coupons, press Next Episode on your Netflix and you're done.  You can also see if your favorite grocery store has an online coupon app.  Our Meijer does and that helps with coupons as well.  I just sit & clip from my phone.  The coupons register to my phone number & when I check out they apply.  I was told however that since those are MFG coupons that you may not be able to use more than one coupon if you buy more than one of the same item.  Haven't tried it yet...but I will!

Use Ebates when shopping online - It's not a joke that this site is awesome.  There's an app for both your phone & tablet (at least for my Apple gadgets).  Ebates works by giving you a percentage back for shopping online at your favorite stores.  If you're on your computer simply go to the ebates website, search for the store you want, click on it & the cash back is activated.  The apps will notify you of special cash back offers and often Sephora & Ulta will have double cash back offers running.  Once you shop, ebates calculates your cash back & issues it to your account.  Then you're able to get your cash back payments issued every 3 months (more info here).

Keep checking Dollar Tree & Big Lots - A lot of the times you'll find recently discontinued products or even over stock products at these retailers.  Recently I found a bunch of the L'Oreal Color Riche Caresse lipsticks for $4.  Of course these are/were a part of the CVS beauty clearance at 50% off this year so you could use CVS coupons to get them even cheaper....but it's still an option.  You can also sometimes find older discontinued products at Big Lots & Dollar Tree too.  A tip for both stores though: don't be afraid to dig!  Big Lots often has bins of make up that you'll have to dig through to find the gems.  Watch out for open lipstick & spilled cosmetics...but dig, girl dig!  Dollar Tree is a bit more organized as often things are hanging from cards on pegs.  But the pegs can be like 5 inches long so flip through until you find what you need!

These are my top tips for saving money on beauty products!  I keep these in mind all the time when I'm out & about or wanting to shop online.  Checking the deals at CVS also helps me plan around what to be on the look out for to spend my Extra Bucks.

How do you pinch pennies when it comes to beauty products?

xoxo, Moe

Connect on Twitter // Follow on Pinterest

Trend Tuesday // Three Ways to Wear Sunscreen

Sunscreen is important and it's something I often forget to put on. For the most part, I assume all my makeup has an SPF but a lot of it doesnt!  Some foundations have zero SPF and if I'm not careful I will go out with nothing on. Here are there ways to get your sunscreen on this summer:

CC Cream - a CC cream is supposed to be good for color correcting but often also has an SPF. I like the Revlon CC Cream because the coverage is good enough to cover my light redness when I have a good skin day.  It is not however the best to cover blemishes.  The coverage is rather light so it's great for summer wear but still evens out your skin tone.  I find it breaks down a bit too quick on my oily skin but it doesn't cling to my dry patches.  I would say if you have normal to even a little bit drier skin this would be great.

BB Cream - My favorite line of BB creams are from Rimmel London.  There are two - the original formula (pictured) and the matte formula.  Both have and SPF and both have great coverage for problematic skin.  This is the first BB cream I fell in love with & recommend it to anyone who needs more coverage but still looking for something light weight.  On my oily skin this lasts pretty well.  I'd suggest this for all skin types.  (I just found a very light option in the Matte BB Cream on the US Asos website here - just in case you need it.  The Light in this line is a little too dark)

Mineral Makeup - Pictured above are two options from Elf.  The top is the Personal Blend foundation and the bottom is the smaller Mineral Foundation option.  Mineral foundations often have natural SPFs in their ingredients.  If you're looking for even more coverage from a foundation with SPF but that is still light weight the Personal Blend foundation is my favorite.  (There is a whole review here.)  There are 4 quadrants with different shades so you can mix your own, perfect shade.  Great as we transition between seasons!  I love this on my oily skin!  It stays all day & looks great.  One of my favorite powder foundations for oily skin - I would not suggest this for dry skin.

These three options are also important through any season - you need sunscreen all year round!  Light weight, long wearing, and with an SPF - three great options for any skin type!

xoxo, Moe

Wednesday Decor // How to Make a Cleaning List for your Home

Back in June, one of my monthly goals (oh yeah, remember those?) was to clean something every night.  Well let me give you a big ol yeah right because that did not happen.  I always have good intentions with keeping the house clean but it never seems to work out.  It always ends up as a one weekend a month cleaning spree that I hate.  Why can't I just pick shit up after myself?  No idea...did it for a while then I got lazy.  I hate that I'm so lazy.  When I get home from a busy day from work I pretty much do nothing.  I wish I had the energy after work to actually feel productive.

Anyway - another part of finding a cleaning schedule for your home is that the millions you can find on Pinterest aren't really catered to your needs.  At least thats what I've found.  I either have too many rooms, not enough rooms, not enough time, will not do something in the morning, or just plain don't like the way the chart looks.  If you're a list maker & planner like me the biggest step is getting the break down the way you want it.  Here's how I created my cleaning schedule - we'll see if I will stick to it.

When do you want to clean? - That's the first question I asked myself because I really hate waking up on a Saturday knowing that I'll be cleaning for a good chunk of the day.  Most of the time I want to do what I do best - lay on the couch and do nothing!  So I thought about the days I'd actually want to clean - Monday through Friday.  For me, Monday through Friday after work is the best time to think about cleaning because we're often gone on weekends & currently it's summer so we want to do a lot of stuff on Saturday & Sunday.

What do you want to clean? - This seems obvious...the house, right?  Well tackling your big ass house in one unorganized go can cause you to get frazzled.  I decided since I have only 5 days I wanted to clean on to divid the house into five places.  Now, if you have a bigger house (or kids or any other extraneous things that I don't have) this five day thing may not work for you.  But thats the point of these tips - to help you think of the way you can divide up your house/apartment/etc.  So I decided to divide my areas like this - Downstairs, Bathrooms (we have two), Kitchen/Dining area, & Bedrooms.  That leaves me with one day free of cleaning!  Hooray!!

How long do you want to clean? - This is the other thing, how long you want to spend on one area or one part of your divided out list.  I would say I really want to spend only about an hour a night on one area - and I plan on setting a timer!  No, that's not getting into deep cleaning but I am keeping things cleaner & tidier.  I include vacuuming in this hour as well in the places that need to be vacuumed.  Side note, my favorite chore is to vacuum!  And our dog literally sheds another whole dog in less than a day I'm pretty sure.  So this hour means that I'm not cleaning a weeks worth of shit up if I need to deep clean something sometime.  And hey, I can always deep clean on that spare day right?  (Not gonna happen!)

What do you want to do in each area? - This also helps you tackle the space in an organized manner.  Instead of just haphazardly tackling the zone you know what you need to do in each zone.  It's organized & you're not stressing out about all the shit you have to do after work.  I decided to list 5 things under each zone to make sure I get through what needs to be done in the area I'm working on.

If you're a thinking & planner like me, I hope this post helped.  I'm going to share a how-to on making a cleaning list based on these little tips using PicMonkey for your planner, fridge, home binder, etc.  Because PicMonkey has some cool new features!

xoxo, Moe

Connect on Twitter // Follow on Pinterest

Trend Tuesday // Favorite Summer Lip Products

Summer is the time for bright lips right? Oh heck yes it is! But another important part of summer lip colors is the ease of wear & the lasting power. I don't want to have to constantly reapply a high maintenance lip color if I'm out and about.  

The drugstore is my favorite place to hop for makeup mainly because there's always something new and you can afford to buy it!  Here's my round up of summer lippies:

Maybelline Color Sensational Lip Stick (top left) - These were the first lipsticks I bought when I was getting into makeup! Way to start our subtle right?  I love these because of the bright colors and amazing pigmentation but also because of the staying power. I find that if I apply, blot, then apply another layer I end up with a longer lasting stain on my lips.

L'Oreal Colour Caresse Lip Colors (top right) - Now these are my go to in the purse lip products. If your hurry and run to your Big Lots or CVS, you can find these for about half their original price.  These lip colors are very moisturizing with a great color pay off. For having a balm like texture they do pack a lot of color. These are great for touch ups and keeping your lips hydrated. Not too fussy if you need a lip color in a pinch as well.  Colors from left to right are Blushing Sequin, Pink Cashmere, & Sunset Angora. 

Wet n Wild Fergie Collection Vicious Varnish High Shine Lip Satins (bottomed left) - if you've been thinking about picking up the new Revlon Moisture Stains you might want to consider this cheaper alternative. When I first bought these I didn't quite like them. I'm pretty sure it was because they are a different texture. They stay glossy for a while then they turn to a little bit of shine, then finally there's the stain. Even only having these swatches on my had for a second they left behind a little satin. So they are super worth it for the $2.99 ish price tag!  The colors above (left to right in the photo above & bottom to top in the first photo) Flawless, Legendary Face, & Throwing Shade. 

LA Girl Glazed Lip Paints (bottom right) - These are super new to the drug store and if you're looking for them check out KMart!  Colors (from left to right above) are Bombshell, Blushing, & Coy.  The color of these makes them my fave. While not as easy to apply as the ones above, the glossy finish and the colors really push them to the top for me.  I suggest applying them with a lip brush because they are super runny and hard to apply with the squeeze applicator.  If you apply a thin enough layer it won't run out of your lipline and it will last pretty well. They don't stain as much as the Wet N Wild stains above but they still stay on pretty well. I think I get about 3-4 hours out of these colors. 

xoxo, Moe

 

Thinking about Blogging

Don't get confused....I'm still taking a break...but I wanted to pop in & share some of the reasons for taking a break that I've been thinking about.  I've realized that while taking a break form this blog it's really hard to take a break from blogging.  I looovvvee sharing things on this blog & on Instagram, Twitter, & my reactivated Tumblr.  But there are things I've been thinking about lately that I just feel make me a bad blogger.

Lack of interaction - I'm horrible when it comes to responding to comments.  I get a notification in my email when there is a comment & I've learned from experience that if the commenter doesn't have their email linked to their account a reply to the email won't reach them.  So in order to reply back I have to go to my blog & comment.  And even then, if they don't come back to the post or if they haven't subscribed to replies, there is no way they will see the reply.  Also all of this is hard to do on my phone.  And, it's horrible, but I just don't care to take the time to do all of this.  For me, I want sharing & blogging to be instant gratification.  It might also be vain or something but I share 80% for me - I blog because I feel I have something to say but also because it's pretty much a visual diary for me of my life & my ideas.  I like when people comment & want to follow my blog, etc.  But I also just want to do me.

The weird blogging pressure - I feel this weird blogging pressure to do more with my blog.  Sometimes I feel I should be at a different place being that I've had this blog for around 5 years now.  At one time I wanted this to be all I did.  I'd love to make a living blogging & creating but when you throw in that I have an actual full time job trying to do those things, for me, isn't feasible.  I'm demanded of everyday the last thing I want to do is come home & feel like I have to blog because I made this commitment to ________.  I used to want to collaborate with others & do things that reaped benefits (monetary & otherwise) but I don't have time to devote to something like that.

Too time intensive - Moving to posting on Tumblr for the summer wasn't my favorite thing to do but I wanted to try it because of the ease of posting.  I really wish that I could post to Blogger with the ease of posting to Tumblr & Instagram.  It is way too much to take these pristine pictures - which, by the way I hate pulling out my DSLR because it is too much to try to capture a perfect picture, import it to your computer, edit, & upload it.  I hate setting up, finding the perfect light, the perfect settings on my camera, by the time this is all done the excitement I had for the idea & the post is gone.  It's nothing for me to write up the copy for the post but the taking the pictures is the part I just despise.  Tumblr & Instagram allows easy posting from my phone.  

So those are just somethings I've been thinking about recently while thinking about while taking a little break.  For me, I like to write these things down so in the future I know where I was at a certain time in my life.  Thats really what this blog is for me.

Oh, & Happy 4th of July!!!

xoxo, Moe  

Connect on Twitter // Follow on Pinterest

The Summer Break Beauty Blog

So since I find it really hard to not blog I decided to be more active on my tumblr this summer.  Pretty much the whole reason I want to take a little break is because I feel like I'm not living up to what I want this blog to be.  I'm feeling the weird pressure you shouldn't feel when you blog but often you do.  I just am not doing what I want to see on my blog like I see on other blogs.  I know, I know, Comparison is the thief of joy but I just can't help but feel sometimes that I should be in a different place with blogging, especially with this blog, than I really am.  I've been doing this for a few years now & I'm just not seeing what I want to be seeing from myself.

I promise I'm not going away - because really I do loooooove blogging - but a break to reevaluate & do a little bit of low stress blogging.  I feel like tumblr is a great place to share brief posts about what I'm thinking at that moment and it's easy to do from my phone & my iPad.  It's low stress.  I'm also going to be active on instagram but I don't really think others want to read long drawn out posts every time I add a picture.

And...as you probably know I've gotten really into make up recently & I've been a little bit obsessed with photographing my collection.  But I don't want to break out the DSLR to feel creative.  I want the instant gratification of the phones camera & apps like VSCO cam.  So, if you want something Five Sixteenths to pass the time this Summer, pop over the Summer Break Beauty Blog here.

I may be posting a bit this summer on the Five Sixteenths blog but if you want to catch what I'll be up to until September, check out instagram & tumblr.

xoxo, Moe

Connect on Twitter // Follow on Pinterest // Peep me at Hello Cotton