Sunday, December 14, 2014

some big changes

Hello!  I'm super excited to share with you some new changes Artistically-Me has undergone!

First, we have moved!  Come visit us at www.artistically-me.com

I've set schedules, brainstormed, and worked my booty off working on this blog!  I now have two affiliates and I'm hoping to gain a few more by the end of the month.  I'm working on the design of the new site and I'm really learning how to hack into the benefits of Wordpress.  If anyone has any tips, let me know!

Finally, I have decided how the future of this blog is going to work.  I'm focusing on fashion, beauty, photography, music, and food!  I had originally begun this blog as a personal documentation of my life, thoughts, and rambles.  Over the years, those posts slowly dwindled and a new type of blogger took over.  I really love where this blog is headed and I feel like big things are going to happen!

Thank you for your support of Artistically Me and join us as we move forward!

-Meghan

Friday, November 14, 2014

musician of the week: Don't Call it a Comeback



To be honest, I'm not super into all of their music, but I do have some favorite songs!  I think this is a really down to earth group of guys who want to tell their stories to the world.  They are definitely more punk and harder rock than I normally listen to.  I think they try to cram too many words into the lines and end up sounding out of beat with the music.  But they do have good tracks!

My favorite album by them is A Little Bit Softer.  It's an acoustic album and I think it's pretty amazing.  They have some good lyrics and this way you can really hear it and appreciate their work.  My favorite song on this album is probably Most of the Sex in My Life Wasn't as Personal as that Kiss.  It's a little on the 'maybe don't play this around granny or your four year old' but it's so real, raw, and so so good.  My second favorite would have to be About Staying.  Both are amazing songs and have really true lyrics.

Please check this band out!  If you're into punk music, this is definitely a band to check out on bandcamp!

Do you have any favorite underground musicians?  Let me know in the comments and I'll check them out!  Have a fantastic weekend!

Friday, November 7, 2014

musician of the week: Corey Gray

This is a new series that I'm so excited about!  Music is my life and I am so obsessed with finding new artists that are just starting to make their way into the industry.  So once a week on Friday's I'll be sharing my favorite, indie musician!  Please check them out and give them your support!  Most have music for free download or for a couple bucks.



I'm going to be totally honest, I'm just as in love with him as I am his voice.  He has that kind of buttery, yet raspy sound that just touches you in your heart.  He started off doing covers on youtube (which is where I first found him) but then he began to write and release his own music.  I so wish he had more than nine songs, but I'll take what I can get!

His music is definitely pop, but it sort of has a blues feel to it.  It's very smooth with gorgeous chord progressions and he adds different elements to each song that gives each song a different mood. He has so much talent and he has really grown a lot since his first album was released two years ago.

My all time favorite song by him is Where We're Going.  I cry every time I hear it; the words are so moving and the way he sings makes it even more heart wrenching.  In this version, he stripped it down to just simple piano.  This gives it a raw, real effect.  It's a free download on bandcamp so do yourself a favor and go listen and download and cry on repeat.

He released a four song album, Let Loose, in 2012, my favorite song being You Found My Soul.  This album isn't my favorite collection of his work but there's certainly charm.He has some room for growth in his writing but it's still worth the $5!  Download here!

His newest album is amazing!  Y.O.U features four original new songs.  My favorite is Step Away.  It's one of his slower, more emotional songs.  Those seem to be my favorites by him.  He really shows growth not only in his vocals but also in his songwriting.  He experiments more with the style of music and the instruments.  Download here!

Please support Corey Gray and download his albums!  He gets most of the proceeds (I forgot how bandcamp's payment works) and I know it would really mean a lot if he could get new listeners.  I hope to see you next week when I introduce another of my favorite, lesser-known bands!

Do you have any favorite underground musicians?  Let me know in the comments and I'll check them out!  Have a fantastic weekend!

Thursday, November 6, 2014

my Rodan+Fields skin care routine

Hello lovelies!  I hope your day has been absolutely fantastic!  Today, I'm going to walk you through my skin care routine.  I'm currently using Rodan+Fields acne care system with a few added products.  This has helped clear up my acne and keep it at bay.  I'm still dealing with dry skin but I feel like it has been more under control since using these products!

So here's my routine and favorite products!

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

my everyday makeup routine





My everyday makeup is super simple and easy to do because I have a tendency to wake up thirty minutes before I have to leave.  I use products that take a few seconds to apply and take minimal effort.  This is pretty much what I do every single day (I omit eyeliner and eyeshadow if I'm really rushing like in five minutes I need to leave rushing)


First, I use my Elf flat top stippling brush to blend in my Elf tinted moisturizer in the shade nude beige.




I also fill in my eyebrows lightly with the Elf eyebrow kit in the shade medium. I use an Elf angled brush to do this.




I start with swiping my NYX NYX Above & Beyond Full Coverage Concealer.  I rub it in with an Ulta professional concealer brush.




This step is only a sometimes thing.  If I have time I will apply eyeshadow but recently I've just moved onto eyeliner at this point.  When I wear eyeshadow, I apply my NYX cream eyeshadow pencil in the shade yogurt and iced mocha on my outer v.







I set this with a light pink shadow and a darker matte brown.  I also smudge the brown into my lower lash line.





Most days I just wear eyeliner so I use my Elf black liquid liner to draw a slight cat eye.




Finish off the look with a generous coating of Wet and Wild mega glam mascara.



Because my eye circles are so absolutely dreadful, I have to apply more of the pot concealer.  I also add it to any spots I might have.



I set my concealer under my eyes and my T-Zone with Rimmel's Stay Matte Powder with an Elf Kabuki brush.




And for an extra boost of life (let's be honest right now, I like to look like I got more than three hours of sleep!), I like to swipe a coat of NYC 16-hour smooch proof lip stain in the shade primrose pink.




And there you have it!  It may seem like a lot of products, but I've been doing this look since junior year and I've gotten pretty fast at it.  Like I said in the tutorial, I don't always apply eyeshadow but most days I wear my eyeliner just to give my eyes a bit more life and drama.


Enjoy this picture of me and let me know what your everyday makeup routine looks like!

Monday, November 3, 2014

app of the week: pacer



I am so in love with this app!  I've been using it for about four months now and it has never caused me any hair pulling.  If you want to track your steps, this app does it in a simple way!  Just keep it open in the background and you're good to go.  You can also set goals to help you lose weight or get more active!  I have mine syncing directly with myfitnesspal so I can track how many calories I burn by walking each day.  It's free in the app store!

Monday, October 20, 2014

app of the week: worth-it

I'm launching a new series that I promise I will stick with.  Every Monday, I'll be reviewing my favorite app of late!

This week's app is...




This app is honestly the most amazing thing ever!  I never would have thought of making an app that does this but someone did and it's fabulous.  I've done the painstaking task of checking up on the items I'm in love with and hoping they'll drop a couple bucks (or a hundred...).  This app does it for you!  Search through different shops and choose the items you like in your size and color.  You can then put in what you're willing to pay or select from one of their choices (10%, 30%, etc).  It will actually scour the whole internet until it finds a price low enough to match what you'll pay!

I love this app for keeping an eye on backpacking supplies (cough cough, hiking boots) and Free People goodies.  This app is free in the app store!

Sunday, October 19, 2014

top 6 products for red, tired eyes




Raise your hand if you have allergies that make your eyes swell up and turn red!  When I was thirteen my allergist told me I am allergic to nature.  Not just a couple trees, but nature itself.  So I live with red eyes a lot and let's be honest, I cry my fair share which doesn't help anything.  On top of all of that, I'm a senior in high school and it's very normal for me to be up until two or three in the morning studying and doing homework.  This lends itself to very tired, red, dull eyes.

Because of my lovely allergies and lack of sleep, I have a lot of issues trying to brighten my eyes and make them look, well, less icky.  So here are my top 6 products that I use to help combat redness, sleepiness, and swollen eyes!

A couple things to keep in mind before you apply products.  First, try wrapping an ice cube in a paper towel and gently holding it against your eyes for a minute or two.  This will help decrease swelling and redness.  And always, always, always, be drinking water.  I aim for about a gallon a day (my doctor told me this is overkill but I feel so much better the more water I drink.  If you do drink this much, please make sure you're getting enough salt and other minerals.)  Water retention can cause puffy eyes and dark circles so make sure to keep sipping!

Now onto my top 6 products for combatting red, tired eyes!





01: Rodan+Fields Redefine Multi-Funtion Eye Cream
This stuff is amazing!  I'm pretty sure it's meant to help with wrinkles and signs of aging but because my skin is so dry, slathering it on helps keep my eyes from getting red.  It's great for helping with puffy eyes and overall redness.  Because it's a thicker product, I recommend putting it on before eating breakfast or doing your hair and then come back to finish your makeup.




02: Physician's Formula Powder Finish Concealer Stick in Green
I know yellow is normally recommended for covering bluish under-eye circles, but I found that the green works even better!  Not only can you apply this to your lids to help with the redness, but for discoloring under your eyes and even pimples.  This is a pretty heavy concealer so start light.  I use this product under my normal concealer and tinted moisturizer so keep it pretty light-we only want it to help cancel out the colors not necessarily conceal.




03: NYX Above & Beyond Full Coverage Concealer
If you are looking for a thick, super amazing concealer for a couple bucks, go pick up a pot of this stuff.  Target just started carrying a few NYX products and I had to try this one out.  Because of my scary purple circles under my eyes, I've tried almost every drugstore concealer out there that claims to be heavy duty but none of it measures up to this little pot of magic.  Start with a little amount on your eyelids for discoloration and apply in a triangle under your eyes.  Blend from the center outwards and eye-circles begone!




04: NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in shade Yogurt
I am madly in love with these jumbo pencils!  I just bought the shades yogurt and iced mocha and oh my goodness are they worth the $5!  I especially love yogurt because it's a super shimmery, rosy color that brightens up your eyes instantly!  Apply it all over your lid and the inner corners.  Personally, I like to set it with a similar color eyeshadow to prevent creasing.  If you really want to brighten and open up your eyes, try smudging it into the waterline.




05: Eyelash Curler
This thing is super old so I have no idea what brand it is, but any drugstore curler will work!  I rarely use this, to be honest, but I will if my eyes are really puffy.  A curler will help open up your eyes by pushing your eyelashes upwards.  Just crimp it at the bottom and gently press it a couple times on the way up to give it a perfect curl.  (PS. Try heating it up slightly with a blow dryer for a stronger hold but make sure it's not too hot!)




06: Wet and Wild Turn Up the Volume Mascara
This stuff is so fabulous!  The brush is perfect for curling your lashes and giving you a falsies effect.  Make sure you don't apply too much or else you'll end up with heavy, clumpy lashes.  A small amount goes a long way to really open up your eyes.

And there you have it!  My favorite products to help hide tired red eyes.  I'll be honest, I use these products almost daily and they are tried and true.  Let me know what your favorite products are to help combat tired eyes!

Friday, September 19, 2014

my new favorite fresh food restaurant-ModMarket

I have now found my favorite restaurant of all time.  ModMarket is this adorable little fresh food cafĂ© that my mom took me to this afternoon.  They have some great gluten-free and vegan options (yay vegetables!!)  I also just learned that there's one very close to my school, guess who's going to become a regular?  This vegan!
There's not a huge variety of vegan options, but there is a pretty decent amount and they are phenomenal!  I had the Crimini Kale pizza and I ate the entire pizza by myself.  Spicy kale, roasted crimini mushrooms, red onions, fresh tomatoes, and whole wheat pizza was served fresh and hot from their stone oven.  There was hardly enough time for me to take pictures before my stomach couldn't handle the delicious smell and I devoured it.  My last meal will be this pizza.  Promise.







































Not only is the cafĂ© super adorable and bright, but their receipts are so cool!  Printed on each receipt are nutrition facts and a little fun fact about a vegetable or other item on your order.  My mom ordered a salad with sweet potato so they gave us a snippet telling how they contain tons and tons of vitamin A.

ModMarket has ten locations in Colorado, one in Texas, and they're planning four more locations (two in Texas, two in DIA)!  Go check out their website and if you're in the area, stop in for a bite to eat.  It's so amazing and I promise it's totally worth it!

PS:  They have a food blog!!  They have tons of different posts about running a restaurant, living healthy, and all things food!  Go check them out here!

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

the best websites for school

Students today have a great advantage, the internet!!  I can honestly say that I wouldn't be able to make it through school without use of the internet.  There is so much it can do and assist us with, you cannot ignore this vital resource!

I used to do school online (middle school and freshman year) and up until then I was homeschooled, so I relied heavily on the internet to learn things and complete my work.  I've compiled and organized a massive list of all my favorite and most helpful resources that I've discovered over the years.  I'll try to keep it updated!

Math:
Math forum (a simple site that has practice problems, simple explanations, and other resources)
khan academy (easy to follow videos that quickly explain difficult math and science problems)
mathway.com (enter your problem to get step by step help to solving.  you do have to make a free account)
Algebra Help (it looks super old school when you first open the page, but it has an amazing collection of free calculators, lessons, and worksheets)

Science:
TED  (some great videos on science and social topics)
Crash Course (seriously, go watch their videos.  They have the most informational videos on history, science, psychology, even english!)

History:
Crash Course (DO IT)
Norton AP US History (this is an amazing resource if you are taking AP US history and are using the norton book.  Even if you aren't, go check it out.  The chapters also correspond with all the crashcourse videos)
Library of Congress (This is a great website for more than just history classes, but it's great for finding primary sources such as pictures, transcripts, interviews, documents, and more!)
Tiki Toki (This fabulous website allows you to create stunning, I do mean gorgeous, timelines that are super easy to manipulate and organize.  I use this for AP US History.  The one downside is the free version only allows for one timeline but you can upgrade with different packages.)

English:
Purdue OWL (Fun fact: both my parents went to this college!  If you have any english needs, this is the number one website to go to.  It's easy to navigate and full of information.)
Sparknotes (use wisely...I use it to aid my understanding of books I'm reading...use wisely)
Cliff notes (read above)
Paper Rater (I am madly in love with this website.  It's free to upload your paper and get actual advice on it right away.  They rate plagiarism, cliche use, language, and other elements of your paper!  This website has saved my butt on multiple occasions.)
Shmoop (I feel like a lot of people know what this is but it's pretty much a more in depth version of Spark/Cliff notes.  I like this much better than the other alternatives.)
eNotes  (eNotes has a bunch of study guides that are more in depth than Sparknotes or Cliff.  They also have quizzes and eTexts.)

Foreign Languages:
Doulingo (there's also an app!  It's an easy, interactive way to learn a language.  It's totally free and a great way to keep up with your language class.)
LANGUAGE.about.com/od/verb_conjugations  (type the language you're taking where it says LANGUAGE to go to a huge list of conjugated verbs in all the tenses possible)
BBC Languages (This site has a bunch of videos, worksheets, and other resources in a variety of languages!)

Random links that are actually super useful:
Brain pickings (This is one of my favorite websites!  You can learn about the most random things and especially about obscure works of literature and art.  I promise you will leave feeling smarter.)
How stuff works (great information on random workings and fun facts)
Don't know much about
Info Please (This is a great research tool!)
Google Scholar (Easily search through records such as scientific papers, journals, and other scholarly works.  This came in super handy when I had to do a ton of research for AP Psychology.)
Assignment Calculator:  (Use this website if you have no idea when to start writing that ten page paper due in three weeks.)
15 minutes of productivity (I am so in love with these calendars.  Print one out to see how focused and productive you are for just a week.  I personally found myself really inspired to get more motivated and work more effectively.)


I will try to update this as I find more and more resources (obviously some will go out of date *sad face*).  Stay tuned for more back to school posts!!

Sunday, August 10, 2014

celebration Sunday: relax week

This week is a very busy and fun filled week.  I start school on Tuesday...I'm really looking forward to that (I'm only partially joking).  But this week is filled with some great holidays and excuses to celebrate!

1)  Lazy Day-August 10th
That's today!  Have a nice bath, your favorite chocolate, and get cozy with a pair of sweatpants and a good book/movie.  I'm cramming in a couple papers that I put off for a little too long.  Hopefully, we can all have a nice, relaxing day!





















2)  National s'mores day-August 10th
While you're relaxing and taking a day off, enjoy a s'more!





















3)  National Vinyl Record Day-August 12th
I personally have never owned a vinyl, but oh my goodness I wold love to.  Be prepared for a huge music post on Tuesday!





















4)  National Left-Handers Day-August 13th
Tell your favorite lefty (me, for example) that they're super cool and unique!  Did you know that you can actually get a scholarship for college just because you're left handed?  True story.





















5)  National Creamsicle Day-August 14th
When I was a little kid, my mom used to let me share one with her.  They bring back so many of my favorite memories!  I'm working on a vegan creamsicle recipe!















6)  National Relaxation Day-August 15th
If you missed today's lazy day (like me...) or you just want another chill day, here it is!  I'm testing a couple different DIY's to help assist you in your relaxation.





















7)  Tell a Joke Day-August 16th
Get your knock knock jokes ready!  There's nothing more fun than sharing your favorite jokes!  I'll be posting some of my favorites, tell me yours!













Enjoy this week and if you go back to school, good luck!

Pictures:
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...