Marc and Amy Preview!

I had the pleasure of skipping work on a beautiful Thursday afternoon to not only make a bride look like a picture perfect magazine cover, but to attend her beautiful and intimate beach wedding.

Her photographer was a friend of mine and I've been able to take a look at some shots before the editing process has begun and I am very excited to show them soon! For now, here is a preview. It is one of my favorite wedding photos that I've seen to date.. It was a perfect day. High 60's and a little overcast with crashing waves. Perfect lighting for memorable photos.

Congratulations to Amy and Marc! 

Photo courtesy of K. Gennaro Photography

DIY Canvas Wall Art

-image via my Pinterest, link here.

Let's all make an unanimous agreement that Pinterest is one of the best things to have surfaced on the internet in the last five years. I practically planned every detail of my wedding on it and to gather inspiration for almost any event, it's unchallenged. A few years ago, when invited to a baby shower for a friend, I wanted to give her something special and branch out from the typical pack of diapers and teething toys, not that there's anything wrong with good baby basics. I came across a pin of how to create a Baby Wall Art Canvas using fabric that was pretty simple and very beautiful by Brassy Apple. Link to that post is here, for reference! I recommend checking that blog out. I recreated it for my friend with my own take on it, as well as creating another when my beautiful niece was born. I posted a picture of that recreation on my own Pinterest and it remains one of my top "re-pinned" posts (image above). In creating several pieces, I've noticed there are specific ways of doing it that I have adopted and changed, so I decided to take photos of the step by step process while I created another for my good friend's new baby boy so that others can create one if they'd like to. Please excuse my photos.. I am a makeup artist, not a photographer, which is very evident, but I wanted to show some photos for the steps for a clear concept.


What You Will Need

• 1 Canvas, size and brand of your choosing (I purchase Artist's Loft 2 pack, 16 in x 20 in)
• Enough Letter Stickers to create your phrase
• Spray paint of your color choice
• Acrylic Paint of your color choice 
• Paintbrush or sponge applicator
• Related phrase of your choosing to the event
• Decorative Stickers (glittering butterflies, stars, wood ship wheels, be creative!)

Steps

Step One: Paint your color choice Acrylic Paint completely over the canvas. This is the color the lettering will be when you are finished. I usually choose an off-white color to keep the letters crisp. Also the red cup shot glasses I use to store paint are from BevMo and they are adorable. Let dry. It only takes about twenty minutes or so before it's ready to go.

Step Two: Assemble your Phrase with your letters. These are the type I used for this project. I buy mine from Michael's crafts stores as they typically have the best selection. You want something that has a self-adhesive backing, is large in width and has some height to them. Make sure they will be easy to peel off. Flat stickers will not work for this type of DIY.

Step Three: Place your phrase with the sticker letters on your canvas. I recommend using a measuring guide to help you keep straight lines and even spacing. It takes some time, but it's worth it. Of course there will always be little imperfections, but that's okay because this is handmade and from the heart! I don't want it to look like it was bought from Target! 

Step Four: Spray your spray paint over your entire canvas and the letters. I use Liquidex spray paint (it's just a personal favorite). It might take a couple coats and of course, I recommend doing this outside. You can create a fading or sponging effect by alternating the distance of the spray can while painting. It's how I created the lighter purple in the center of the baby girl art pictured at the beginning of this post. Have fun with it! This takes about an hour to dry. 

Step Five: After your canvas is fully dried, carefully peel away the stickers revealing your phrase with the acrylic paint underneath. If there are any places where the top spray paint leaked into the lettering, you can take more of your acrylic paint and a tiny brush and carefully fix up the lines.

Step Six: Add your decorating stickers in your choice of theme and you're all done! Wrap up and give as a gift. Sign a sentiment on the back to make it even more special. I chose a cute sailor theme since my friend's baby boy had a nautical themed room. I found adorable wood and craft stickers at my local Michael's and little star stickers. I recommend choosing stickers that have dimension and depth to them since the lettering is flat. 

Thanks for following this DIY, it's pretty simple and I hope it has helped in any way! Again, I did not create this concept, Brassy Apple did, but was inspired by it to make my own. I hope it inspires you too!

Love, 

Lauren

Nevarez Wedding

In this industry, I've been fortunate to meet some amazing people. This particular client was sent to me via a referral from her photographer, who I've worked with in the past for my own portfolio work (her link is in the side bar, MK Studios). What came out of this work was not only a beautiful bride, but an amazing friendship! Looking back, I'm so glad I could give Megan what she was looking for on her wedding day and I'm glad we could become so close!

For her wedding, she wanted a look that focused mainly on the eyes. Think Kim Kardashian, but toned down in terms of contouring. Megan doesn't wear that much makeup day to day and we wanted something that made her stand out, but wouldn't make her unrecognizable. We went big with the falsies, out with the liner, and simple and neutral with her lips. The look became so truly her.

You can already see our friendship blossoming in this picture. I love it! 

For Megan's sister and Maid of Honor, Lauren we did a blush toned eye with a netural lip. I accentuated her cheeks with a gorgeous pop of coral blush that looked amazing with her cheekbones. 

Megan's mother opted for a dramatic smokey eye of greys and black hues to match her dress. I was obsessed with the lace sleeves of it. Gorgeous. 

Congratulations Megan and Chris! I'm so happy for you two and so glad my husband and I have you in our lives as friends!

My Wedding Day!

I'm so excited to finally present my own wedding for my blog! I've had to put doing a lot of my freelance artistry work on the back burner in the year that I'd been planning it. Now our honeymoon is over and we are settling into regular married life! I have more weddings on the horizon with brides I am so excited to make beautiful! Without further introduction I present to you a few of my favorite wedding photos!

Photography David Nget Photography, Floral Design The Pink Daffodil, Dresses David's Bridal, Music DJ Dais, Makeup Paulina Bustos, Hair Sarah Glass, Cake Design It's All About The Cake, Cupcakes Frosting On Top Cupcakes, Ceremony Venue Presbyterian Church of the Master, Reception Venue Chart House Dana Point

Molly's Preview

This weekend, I had the honor of getting Molly ready for her wedding to fiance Marvin. It was special for me because they're the managers for my spa! I was so excited to make Molly even more beautiful than she already is for her wedding day. Here's a little preview of the beautiful couple!

I'm so excited to get the photos back from their nuptuals in a couple weeks. Molly is more of a natural girl who doesn't even wear eyeliner, so we went with a dewey fresh-faced look with an emphasis on big eyes with champagne eyeshadow with light shimmer and beautiful lashes. More photos to come soon!

Angela and Jim's Wedding

Here are the photos from Angela's summer nuptial to Jim, the father of her beautiful children! I had such a great time getting Angela and her daughter ready for their walk down the aisle. We went for a classic smokey eye with big lashes and a pale pink lip. She looked chic and sophisticated for her garden wedding.

Congratulations Angela and Jim!

Special thanks to Jessica Sterling of Jessica Sterling Photography for these shots! Love the candid ones of me and the flower girl! She was so cute with her little Starbucks cup full of Hot Cocoa.

Don't Go Empty Handed On Your Wedding Day

You've planned for six months.. a year.. two... your whole life for your wedding day. This involves a great deal of planning, budgeting, and making note of every little detail. When that day finally arrives, it's time to relax, enjoy your special moments, and be relaxed. Unfortunately, the day can be filled with little emergencies. Having a Bridal Emergency kit on hand with a bridesmaid is the best way to be prepared for any little mishap that can occur and keep you looking and feeling your best, minus the stress! In this post, I'll break down what I've seen the most prepared brides have on hand that was genius, and some things you may not even realize will come in handy!

The first thing to remember is to have a bag on hand big enough to hold all your little discreet details. Have a bridesmaid tote it to your ceremony and keep it somewhere close at the reception. After all, these are your best girls there to help you out! These bags can still be a stylish detail to your event and not an eye sore. Check out our favorites..

Bride Cosmetic Bag $22.39 Target.com

Gold Sparkle Shoulder Bag $19.99 Daisyshoppe.com

Dreamy Lovers Tote $1.50 Forever21.com

Now that you've picked out the best emergency bag for your needs and budget, let's take a look at what to fill it with..

• Q-Tips these are a MUST; make-up removing, nail polish smudging, so many uses!
• Makeup Remover
• Cream Cleanser - can take off any amount of makeup while still hydrating the skin
• Mario Bedascu Drying Lotion - for last minute stress breakouts
• Lipstick - in a color close to or the exact match of the one you are wearing
• Lipgloss - clear or neutral pink is your best bet
• Tissues
• Extra pair of cheap diamond earrings
• Extra Wedding Band - you can find cheap gold or silver rings at Forever21
• Mini Sewing Kit - make sure you have thread in white, ivory, and bridesmaid dress colors
• Tampon
• Tide To Go Pen
• Lip Balm
• Deodorant
• Mini Alcohol Bottle - to calm the last minute nerves!!
• Nail File
• Clear Nail Polish
• Nail Clipper
• Bobby Pins - in the bride's and bridesmaid's hair colors
• Rat Comb - to smooth out any bumps in the bridal hair from getting on the gown!
• Band Aids
• Aspirin
• Aleve
• Immodium A.D. - this is pretty self explanatory but the bride wants to be out of the bathroom during her big day!! Not a lot of kits even think of this, but lots of alcohol is not good for anxious tummies!
• Floss
• Baby Wipes or Disposable Travel Washcloths
• Batteries
• Phone Charger
• Foldable Flats - for when your feet are DONE with those beautiful, but hurtful heels
• Permanent Marker
• Vaseline - this keeps panties from riding up and lipstick from getting on teeth!
• Mints
• Visine
• I.D.
• Credit Card
• Chalk - gets stains out of the wedding dress
• Baby Powder - no chafing on any body part here!
• Bridal and Bridesmaid Dresses Extra Buttons
• Small Scissors
• Safety Pins
• Glamour Tape - to hold straps up, etc.
• Straws - making hydration intake easily accessible with no ruining of lipstick
• Tweezers
• Mirror
• Granola Bar/Banana - keep up your potassium and protein!
• Mini Lint Roller
• Hand Sanitizer
• Mini Hair Spray

More than you thought, I know. The sad truth is, those cute little pre-made kits in wedding stores don't cut it. There are common mishaps that involve every single one of these supplies and on your wedding day, it's better to be prepared than be longing for something you didn't bring or begging a bridesmaid to run to a 7/11 pre-ceremony. Most of these items can be found at your neighborhood Target and Walmart and you probably already have a majority of them in your current medicine cabinet and bathroom drawers! A bride can easily put together this kit for under 100 bucks and get a good night's sleep knowing she's ready for whatever comes, and have only happy memories of her wedding day!

Angela and Jim's Purple Perfect Wedding

This past Saturday, I had the honor of being Angela's artist for her marriage to Jim. A couple of Angela's friends got together and hired me to do her bridal makeup as a surprise wedding present!

My biggest surprise? How calm she was! Amidst her children needing to get ready and quite a large family bustling about, she was the perfect example of what a happy and calm bride was! Patient, relaxed, with no hurry in her voice or expression. I'll have what she's having, please!

We talked as I worked and she sipped on a glass of champagne. Her ceremony was at the beautiful Sheraton Hotel in Anaheim right by Disneyland in the courtyard with picturesque waterfalls and rock accents. It was simply gorgeous. What I loved best was her attention to the details. Her daughter was the flower girl and had customized satin purple Converse as did her baby boy!

Angela was such a pleasure to work with and a beautiful bride! We went for a dramatic shimmering eye with a soft pink lip. Very Kim Kardashian and gorgeous on her. Here's a sneak peak with more to come in the near future

Congratulations Angela and Jim!!

The Classic Bride: Glam Lips

I can't believe I'm actually about to write this, but it's true.. Fall is almost here! Come Autumn, all the tones go deeper and hues come out in gorgeous plums and reds. A red lip is seen on almost every woman looking to be the ultimate classy chic bride from September to March! The look is easier than it seems! I gave Alissa a bridal look that is perfectly easy on the eyes with lovely eyes and a killer dramatic pout.            

A red lip has some essential steps needed to pull it off. 

Firstly, match the undertones of the lipstick with the undertone of your skin. If you have a cool skin tone, such as pink, then the red shade you choose needs to have undertones of blue or purple. Alissa has very pinkish hues in her skin, so this deep blue-red lipstick by Mary Kay called Red Salsa was perfect with her and topped with a deep pinkish red gloss. If you have warmer tones in your skin such as yellow, then more orange based reds are best.
Conceal around the lip line. Blend a concealer that is one slight shade lighter than the skin tone around the mouth stopping at the lip line. This creates the appearance that the lips are slightly prominent and gives a clean edge.
Choose a lip liner in the same shade family as the color you are using and line the lips. Correct any shape concerns. Fill in the liner.
Fill in the lip color with a lip brush. Use the edge of the brush to create a smooth, straight line along the lip line. Blot to adhere the color to the lips and remove any excess, then fill in again.
Top with a gloss of your choice and you have yourself a gorgeous red lip!

Today For You, Tomorrow For Me!

If I'm not doing weddings, I love doing costume makeup, especially theatrical. It's a talent to make someone look like a character and the results can be astounding! Last week I entered a Project Broadway competition in which models were transformed to resemble a character from leading Broadway musicals. I was ecstatic to join this project, especially when my team of three cosmetologists and an esthetician pulled RENT as our musical. We chose the character Angel and had the perfect model, Haley, to begin our transformation.

The goal was challenging. I needed to transform Haley, a woman, into a man who dresses as a woman. For work like this, concealers and contours are essential! I applied a foundation three shades darker than Haley's natural skin tone to get her skin to a darker ethnicity more similar to Angel's background. Her brows were thickened and sharply defined with a deep brown eyebrow pencil. Her eyes were going to be one of the most defined features for this look. I used darker mattes to accentuate her eye into an elongated shape and filled in her crease to deeply set her eyes. 

Men who dress like women are all about highlighting! For Haley, I used a white eye pencil (Milk by NYX) right under her brow to the crease and went over it with a shimmery white pigment. Two sets of lashes were used for her eyes. The part that changed her the most, however, was contouring. I took a darker powder and an angled face brush and darkly shaded a sharp line into her cheek bones and along her neck to create the shadow of an adam's apple. The five o'clock shadow was created with brown powder eyeshadow through facial gauze and an eyebrow pencil lightly shaded to create a double chin. And for her finishing touches, I used a bright red lip liner and lipstick with dabs of white eyeshadow in the center of her pout with a clear gloss overcoat to make her lips fuller.

Here was our finished look! The fabulous Haley as Angel from RENT

The entire project was a blast to work on and the best part was that our fabulous team came in second place for our efforts!