Passions

Over the past year I've been debating on weather or not to start using this platform as a means to share beauty and hair tips, tutorials and maybe add a couple outfit of the day sort of things here and there. I've been thinking a lot about my passions and although I'm passionate about God and all the things He has done/is doing in my life, I've really wanted to use this blog as a way to share my other passions and connect with people on different levels. I love fashion, makeup, adventures, coffee, music, art, craft beer, brewing kombucha, BUT my biggest passion is doing hair! If you get me and my best friend Danni together (my partner in crime aka my future business partner) most of our time together is spent going to Sephora to return something we didn't like and shopping around for hours testing things and buying more things we would later end up returning. During that time we would be talking about hair, makeup, life, pugs, clothes and tattoos but mostly hair. We would talk about the struggle of not always feeling good enough at our job, color formulations, people we aspire to be like, color formulations, products, dreaming of how we want our salon to look like, color formulations, how long our hair is getting, gawking over stylists inventive ideas and techniques on Instagram (@LarisaLove is our favorite!) did I mention color formulations?! If you don't know what a level 5, 9.02 or 20 vol. is you would have almost no idea what we are talking about! 

I'm not the best influence on Danni. I make her buy everything I want but can't afford!
(Plus check out her art at DanniSjoden.com, I'm so proud of her!)

Even though I live in LA now far away from Denver, and where I'm not currently doing hair on an everyday basis, I've been thinking more and more about how much I absolutely love hair and the industry! I just realized how much I truly missed it when I was invited to do hair for LA Fashion Week. It was super exciting and it's something I've always wanted to do. And I was in MY ZONE! *insert fist pump here* But what was even more great about it are the people I got to work with, hairstylists! We are all different in the way we go about creating art, but I love the same passion we all carry and that's what I miss most about being so involved with this industry. The passionate, fun and creative people! 

Just a couple of the awesome stylists I got to work along side at LA Fashion Week

So everybody, I am officially going to start expanding into other areas of my life that I love dearly and know a thing or two about, right here on my blog. I'm always getting asked how I style hair,  where I buy my clothes, how do I do my eyebrows, cat eyes and get my lipstick to look the way it does. I've got a couple makeup tutorials just sitting on my computer that I've never edited (simply because iMovie is a struggle for me), I've finally found a photographer as well (my husband wasn't too keen to taking my picture for "OOTD") and I've got a but load of products, tips and clothes that I'm just sick of keeping to myself!  

Now introducing for the very first ever…

a list of my

MAKEUP MUST HAVES! 

1. Jane Iredale Smooth Affair Facial Primer & Brightener (www.janeiredale.com)

Primer is the key to making your makeup go on smooth and last all day. You wouldn't paint your nails without a base coat would you? No. So don't paint your face without your primer!

2. Kat Von D Lock-It Tattoo Foundation (Sephora)

I know it says tattoo foundation, I'm sure you can cover tattoos with this, I've never tried I've only used it on my face. This is one of the only foundations I have found that I really love. And since I have combination skin, I tend to get oily but this foundation does not separate like others that I've used. This is really great for medium-full coverage and this line comes in neutral, so you don't have the battle of your skin looking too orange, too yellow, or too pink!

3. Too Faced Candlelight Glow (Sephora) 

I've used so many highlighters, both creams and powders…but this one is really great! It is a white and pink powder you can swirl your brush on and apply to your skin to get a soft, youth luminosity.  

4. Marc Jacobs Perfection Powder (Sephora) 

I've you are someone who usually uses just powder or you just like to set your makeup with powder foundation, this is a really great purchase. It definitely is a bit pricey (I used a gift card for this purchase and it's the only reason I tried it) This powder sits nicely on the skin and looks natural. It can also be layered for more coverage. Plus the packaging alone makes you feel like a million bucks!

5. MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot (M.A.C)

This is an eyeshadow primer and it comes in neutral and other pretty shimmery colors to not only make your eye make up not melt off your face, but also plays up your shadow color. Do you ever find your eyeshadow settling in your creases by the end of the day? Yah? Well not anymore! 

6. Moonshadow Baked Palette (Sephora)

This eyeshadow palette is really great if you are wanting some nude shades with shimmer but are not wanting to spend the $50 + dollars it costs to get the Urban Decay Naked Palette. Obviously it's not as many shades as the UD but these colors are really great on every skin tone and can be used for a day look and can be used to transition into your evening look.

7. MAC Mineralized Blush-Warm Soul (M.A.C)

This is my go-to blush! It gives a subtile, sun-kissed glow. Plus it can go with whatever look you want! Simple as that.

8. Hoola Benefit Bronzer (Sephora) 

This matte bronzer is awesome for contouring if you're into that sorta thing (I am), but it is also really great for all over if you're just wanting a sun-kissed color without the sun. And the brush comes with and makes to easy to carry with you for travel!

9. Ardell Brow Defining Pallet (Sally's Beauty Supply) 

I bought this palette long before I discovered Anastasia Beverly Hills. It was cheap and I was desperate for a color that matched my eyebrows. I picked this up and really like that it comes with the tweezers and the little brushes I use for travel. I've never used the top color because it is a red-brown. But the middle color is a perfect match for me and I like that there is a highlighter on the palette for your brow bone, it really gives the finishing touch to your brows!

10. Two Faced Better Than Sex Mascara (Sephora) 

Best mascara I've ever used and believe me I've tried a lot! The hourglass shaped wand and magical formula will give you Bambie lashes, without the falsies! 

It's Hump-Day everyone the weekend is almost here! Yah! 

Thank you for stopping by! 

-Grace xo

A Simple Thanks

Since I've been focusing on the power of words and thoughts I've been making a point to being more thankful so I just thought I'd write a short blurb about what I'm thankful for!

1. Marriage. I'm so thankful for my husband Michael. It's crazy to see how far we've come and how much growth we both have had since we've met, since we've started dating and since we've been married. There were times in my first year of marriage I didn't think we were going to make it, it was extremely difficult. But looking back I appreciate all the hard times, all the fights and make ups (believe me, there were a lot). Today I love my husband more than I ever have and that love grows more and more as the days go by. I was thinking the other day how much I will love him when we are really old and wrinkly. I'm thankful that he still pursues me in the midst of our busy lives and that he is committed to my crazy self. I don't know anyone else that would want to sign up for that! He's a good man, a very good man.

2. Support. I'm humbled and thankful for the amount of people in my life who believe in what Michael and I are doing with our lives within missions. We've had so many people from all walks of life, people we know well and others who we only know each others names, who've come behind us and have supported us simply because we share the same heart to bring hope to the hopeless and for the world to know and love the living God! We've had so many supporting us in prayer, in encouragement and financially! It baffles me almost weekly

3. Prayer. This past year I've learned that prayer is a way we have direct communication to God and He actually hears us and responds back. I always do this thing where I freak about the future and just worry for no reason. Oh? You too? It's okay, it's normal…so in my worry I was praying and with out a doubt in my worry God showed up and took it away and replaced it with peace. I am thankful prayer it's not just a one way conversion, which I feel a lot of people think that it's just a way to cry out to God in pain, it's a time we send Him our requests, when everything in life is falling apart, when life isn't panning out like we thought it would, a desperate cry of hopelessness or something we do before we eat dinner on Christmas or Easter. All those things are completely valid and we should do…I always do, but we can also be thankful in our prayers, we can pray for other people just to encourage them and share love with them, we can talk to God about everyday life and actually get a response back.

So, what are you thankful for?

"Give thanks to the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the peoples, proclaim that his name is exhausted. "Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth."
-Isaiah 12: 4-5

-Grace xo

Paint Your Canvas

The past couple weeks I've really been struggling with what to write on my blog. Almost feeling like I had to force things out of me. At first I thought it was writers block and that may have been the case a while back but out of no where I started thinking that my option doesn't matter. And why should I speak about a certain subject anyway if it has already been said, and has been said more eloquently than I could have ever put it. 

All I was thinking was how I wasn't good enough, why would anyone care about the things I think and have to say. And it wasn't long till everything that was coming out of my mouth was negative, hateful,  complaining and whining. I had nothing nice to say at all. It made me feel so much worse about myself because I could see myself doing it, I hated it and I felt like I couldn't stop. It was wearing on my husband and bringing him down and I'm sure that it was making others feel that way as well. I didn't even want to be around myself, so it had to have made others feel the same way!

I was reminded by a good friend that our words have the power to create life or death. Just ONE thought of me feeling like what I have to say doesn't matter, snowballed and consumed many more places of my life with negativity and it effected the others around me. My friend explained to me this theory that we are artists and creators because we are made in the likeness of God, who is the creator of all. God "spoke" and it was so. We speak and it paints a picture of our lives in the spiritual and physical atmosphere. 

The bible says in Genesis 1:3, God said,  "Let there be light", and there was light. 

In Genesis 1:6, And God said, “Let there be a vault between the waters to separate water from water.

In Genesis 1:9,  And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.” 

In Genesis 1:14-15 And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years, and let them be lights in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so. 

In the book of Genesis it is repeated that God said, and all was created. Over and over this shows us the power that words carry.  Throughout the entire bible it emphasizes the importance of the words we speak. Because this is something that is mentioned so many times it must be something we really need to grasp and put into practice! Because someone chose to speak truth, life and love over me all the darkness I was sitting in disappeared, and I could see again! I don't write and say things to just share my opinion and because I want to be heard but I can write and share because it can bless somebody. I'm not suppose to just keep these revelations to myself, because there is someone out there that needs these words I can give. Each and everyone of us have something to offer. 

Now because we are made in the likeness of God, we are creators like Him. We can go around and speak death, hate and negativity out into the atmosphere, over things and people and paint black over our canvas. OR we can speak life, love and thankfulness and paint beautiful colors and create marvelous work of art! 

So what are you wanting your canvas to look like? 

“A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.”

Proverbs 15:4

-Grace xo

Check this experiment out by Dr. Masaru Emoto about the power of our words!

And the effects of human thoughts and words on water. Don't you just love science?!

Feliz Cumpleaños

I had my 23rd birthday recently and I was a little terrified turning another year older, seeing as the last birthday I had I cried because I was turning 22. After being 21 I didn't really think there was a birthday from here on out to look forward to. I didn't cry this year, but I did tell everyone I was turning 22 again. My husband always standing next to me, would laugh and inform everyone of my actual age. But, during the week leading up to the day of my birth I was thinking of all the really cool things I got to do this past year. My life has been full of transformation and tons of growth. I believe I've seen more places this past year than I have in my entire life! I've seen God's provision countless times, and have experienced the love of God in so many ways, through my husband, my quiet times, my family, friends, random people on during my travels, nature, fashion week and through the children and widows in Africa.

After reminding myself of all this, I wrote down all the things I hope to do this next year. This is what I wrote:
I want to learn more this year than I did the last.
I want to love myself and others more than I did yesterday.
I want to go on more adventures!
I want to be more thankful.
I want to exude more joy!
I want to know God on an even deeper level.
I want to slow down and take the time to do the things that I really enjoy and I want to discover new things to enjoy.
I want this next year of my life to be used for people to see God through me and bring more people to know and love God.

On the day of my birthday I was in Mexico with my Michael and a couple friends. Ministry was the last thing I thought I would be doing on my birthday but it was one of the best yet! Michael has partnered with our friend Jon who has been going down to Rosarito, Mexico every other weekend to pass out hygiene products, clothes and food to families and paint murals on their homes in the slums. Mike has also got in contact with a church in that area that has a torn down skatepark in the back of their property. He is now raising money for the materials he will need to rebuild this skatepark for the community!
During our time there I hung out with little boys and girls who spoke zero English (you'd think after 3 years of Spanish 1 and 2 I could speak Spanish, but I can't), we helped a church with a BBQ, skate demo, and sermon, I was sung a traditional Spanish birthday song by the church and we drove to another part of town where we passed out hygiene products, food and clothes to families in the slums. For my birthday dinner I made sure to get amazing tacos, churros and a margarita. It's pretty wild that for almost three months living in Africa with zero vaccinations I was never sick once and the one time go over the boarder for less than a day my body really hated everything I put in it! Haha sorry if that was too much.

Spending this time in Mexico I was so blessed to be with my favorite person (my husband) and I was able to be doing my favorite thing, loving and helping others. I have a feeling this birthday was a glimpse of what's in store for this next year!

-Grace xo

Mural painted by Jon Hall

Better than cake