camping

Every year for as long as I can remember, my family has gone camping for the 4th of July.  This year, the site we normally stay at was booked for the 4th so we decided to camp the weekend before.  We go with my mom's side of the family and there usually ends up being anywhere from 30-40 people.  Now when I say camping, I mean camping.  We pitch tents in the woods and have campfires and swim in ravines and cricks.  Camping has always been one of those things that I've always looked forward to.  There's always the annual camping soccer, softball, and volleyball games, the hike up to the ravine, catching fish in the crick.  Anyway, I have been MIA for a couple of days, but like I said, I was camping.  I did however take lots of pictures whilst out in the wilderness so I thought it would be fun to share some of my favorites. Enjoy.

you always will be my summer love

First I guess I should start by saying that if you dislike One Direction then feel free to stop reading

I have been on a bit of a hiatus for the past couple of days, but for good reason.  Yesterday I went to see One Direction and 5 Seconds of Summer.  I've been running around doing last minute shopping and planning etc. but I am back.  I thought it might be fun though to make a post about the concert.

So the opening act was 5 Seconds of Summer (aka 5SOS).  I had heard about them prior to the concert and knew most of the songs they played so it was almost like 2 concerts in one night.  They are a band of 4 teenage boys from Australia who started out making covers on YouTube.  Now they're touring with One Direction- not too shabby.  They really are incredible and their songs are great, I would highly recommend you give them a listen.

One Direction was insane as well.  Our seats were so so close.  We were on the side in the twelfth row.  The way the stage was set up, on each side their were little step like areas where the boys would come out and stand.  It was so cool.

5SOS- From left to right: Luke, Calum, Michael, Ashton.

The setlist was great, for both groups.  The energy was electric you could just feel the excitement in the arena.  It's funny too because a lot of times you hear about post-concert depression, which I have felt before, but with this concert I really haven't.  I mean, I'm upset that it's ended like I had waited for a over a year for this concert and now it's over.  But it was just so surreal and so incredible I'm just so happy I even had the chance to go.  I will say though I would not recommend listening to their music like too soon because then the sadness will hit you a bit.  I listened to Summer Love like an hour ago and I still haven't fully recovered.  As you can probably tell I really do love One Direction.  And clearly, I have no shame about it haha.

Thought I'd stick some pictures in here of the concert.  Little did I know you could actually take a DSLR, at least the girl a couple seats down from me did.  So unfortunately my pictures aren't the greatest but like...imagine those pictures being completely clear- that's what is was like for me seeing them.  It was insane.

I'll be back in a day or two with some more beauty and fashion posts but until then,

Be Positive. Be Happy. & Smile.
     Kate

freeman face masks

As my interest in skincare grows, so does the number of skincare products I have.  I normally focus on the basics like a cleanser, moisturizer, toner, etc.  A little bit ago I was on the hunt for an inexpensive but effective face mask.  I walked into Ulta with that goal in mind and walked out with 3 new face masks, all for under $10.  

All of these masks are from Freeman's Feeling Beautiful line.  My first choice was the Peel-Off Cucumber Mask.  I went for this one first because come on, peel off masks just look so cool and fun.  The consistency of this mask is a really sticky gel.  You apply to your face, let it dry, and peel it off.  Of the three masks, this one does take the longest to dry.  It says it's perfect for normal to combination skin.  It peels the impurities out while moisturizing your skin with the cucumber extract and aloe.  Definitely a mask you may want to check out.

I also picked up the Avocado & Oatmeal Clay Mask which looks like your classic green clay mask.  It's meant to rid your skin of the dirt and oils deep down in your pores with the avocado and oatmeal adding moisture to keep your skin soft and smooth.  Also good for normal to combination skin.  I really do love this mask because every time I use it my skin just feels so smooth and soft and clean as well.  I find that I use this mask the most out of the three.

The last mask is the Dead Sea Minerals Anti-Stress Mask.  This mask was featured on the Today Show and also received an award from totalbeauty.com in 2012.  When I went to check out, the cashier said that I picked her favorite masks, especially the Dead Sea Minerals mask.  She says she loves it because she gets stress acne and this helped clear it up a lot for her.  The anti-stress aspect of the mask comes into play with the lavender and bergamot aroma-therapeutic scents.  The dead sea minerals provide lots of nutrient rich moisture and clean out the pores.  I find that if I leave this mask on too long, it can tend to be a bit harsh, so make sure that once it dries you rinse it right off.  I have to say I do think this helps as far as blemishes go.  My skin feels incredibly clean and fresh after using this.  If you tend to have a lot of stress, I would recommend this mask for you.

In order: Dead Sea Minerals, Cucumber Peel, Avocado & Oatmeal.

Each of these masks retails at $3.99.  I picked mine up at Ulta and they had a Buy 1 Get 1 Free promotion going on, which I think they always have (at least they do every time I'm there).  The fourth one was another cucumber peel mask that my mom wanted to try.  So all in all, you can get 4 different face masks for around $8.  Not a bad deal if you ask me.  They also have a very large selection- I have my eye on the Chocolate & Strawberry Clay Mask as well as the Pineapple Enzyme Mask.  They have a mask for every facial need.  I think these masks are great because they are so inexpensive and you get a lot for your money.  I love using these once a week, sometimes two, as a special treat for my skin.  Bonne chance ma cherie!

Be Positive. Be Happy. & Smile.
     Kate

a walk in the park

So, as you might be able to guess from the title, I went on a walk in the park the other day avec mes amies.  It was a gorgeous day so we decided why not enjoy it?  I dragged my camera along and these were what happened.  I've found that I love photographing people - candidly, not posed.  I love candids like the ones below because they are just so real and raw.  When you can capture a beautiful photograph without having to put too much effort into it, that's an amazing thing.

Be Positive. Be Happy. & Smile.
     Kate

growing out a pixie cut

July 2011

I may have forgotten to mention that I am very interested in hair and making it look as lovely as possible.  Funny enough though, just under two years ago, I had a pixie cut.

Let me start by saying that if you are considering cutting your hair short, no matter how short, DO IT!  It's the greatest feeling in the world.  Having a pixie cut really influenced who I am as a person and though that sounds dramatic, it's true.  Prior to getting a pixie, I was sort of a tomboy.  Once I got a pixie, I didn't have hair to hide behind and as an under-developed 12 year old, I had to amp up the femininity.  Not to say that pixie cuts can't be feminine but when combined with skinny jeans and graphic tees and converse, well let's just say those were my awkward years.

Fortunately getting a pixie turned that all around.  I started experimenting with makeup and fashion.  It was great, and I LOVED my hair.  After about 4 years of sporting the short 'do I decided it was time to grow it out- I was in need of something new.  So I thought I would share my experience and tips that I learned while growing out my pixie.  I know that when I was growing my hair out, I was constantly searching for posts like these so I'm hoping that my post can help someone out there.

December 2011 - headbands were wonderful.

September 2011 - last time I had my hair cut.

 I missed a few months here and there but headbands were KEY.  Clips and bows and flowers were also wonderful.  Don't forget to get the back trimmed.  That is crucial when growing out a pixie- you do not want a mullet.  It will be a pain, but power through it.  The goal to getting to a bob is having the sides around your ears grow out which will take a while because that area is a lot shorter.  Because you may not be feeling super confident about your hair while it's going through some awkward stages, focus on other things than hair- try out new fashions and makeup looks!

April 2012 - semi bob wahoo.

June 2012 - awkward pose but it's longer wahoo.

May 2012 - the fringe was slowly getting longer.

August 2012 - playing around with braids and such.

July 2012 - pulled back the fringe with headbands a lot. finally a normal bob.

November 2012 - first time curling my hair YAY. 

September 2012 - fringe has almost fully grown out.  in my face a bit.

January 2013 - ignore my face.  fringe fully grown.

December 2012 - pinned back one side.  often used flat iron.

February 2013 - longer bob.  quite exciting.

April 2013 - hair was getting longer here. shoulder length for sure.

May 2013 - prom. curled hair and it turned out quite nice.  

June 2013 - present day. past my shoulder.  this is my natural hair.

Like I said, headbands are key.  Once you can get it up in a bun or ponytail you'll be set (near October 2012 for me).  Try not to use too much heat and don't wash your hair every single day.  Use a good conditioner to keep your hair healthy.  You really do just want healthy hair because when it's healthy, it'll grow.  Once it's at a semi-bob I would recommend getting it trimmed just occasionally to get rid of dead ends (I'm actually due for a trim).  Above all you just have to accept that it may look awkward for a bit so hey embrace it and work with it.  Like I said, add in some cute flowers and headbands.  For me, it was about 6 months until I had a short short bob.  From there on it's just a matter of taking care of your hair and you're good to go.

If you have any questions or more suggestions, please leave a comment below.  And good luck to all those growing your hair out!

Be Positive.  Be Happy. & Smile.

     Kate