CONCERT SERIES #2: Open Mics.

Hey ya'll. :)

This is me, performing at an open mic a few months ago.

As a lot of you may know from my bio, I volunteer at a diy punk venue. We put on open mics every second and fourth wednesday of the month, and I've worked all of them and played all of them so far. Since I started playing them a lot of really cool things have happened for me with my music, such as being able to meet an amazing community of talented people my age, and to be getting the chance to record my music in June.

A lot of people think open mics are scary, or uncomfortable, or whatever preconceived notion they have. But, I'm here to give ya'll a few tips on first timers, for attendance and performers.
 
TIPS FOR PEOPLE ATTENDING: 

me before leaving for open mic!

1. Be open minded. A lot of open mics have it open to all media, meaning singing, spoken word, art, noise, etc. At the one I performed at last night, there was spoken word that was brilliant. And three guys who had never played together before who just made some noise. It was awesome. But it'll only be awesome if you're open minded about it. If you can't appreciate the fact that somebody has the balls to do something in front of people, then you shouldn't even go.

2. Be a respectful. I mean this in a sense, that you should clap for people and not get up and walk out halfway through their set. (**Unless they have personally offended you, or said something offensive. I'm thankful that the venue I volunteer at has three rules, no booze, no drugs, no jerks. And the no jerks one really means it.**)

TIPS FOR FIRST TIME PERFORMERS:
1. Realize that no matter what you're doing, you're doing it for you
and no one can tell you you're wrong if it's something that personal.

color tattoo in barely branded as a base,
ydk by urban decay all over where I put the base,
a deep matte brown in the crease, and a matte black
in the outer v.

2. Be aware of who your audience is.

3. Let yourself be nervous. People spend so much time trying to make their nerves go away when it's better to just let yourself be nervous and let yourself work through it.


Anyway, I hope this post is helpful to anyone who needs it!

ALSO, I included an eye look because I had somebody ask me on tumblr about what make up I wore, and someone on here commented a few posts back. I'll list the products on my eyes in the caption for anyone wondering. :)

Love, Noralee

My beauty christmas list!

1. Too Faced: Better than false lashes
2. ELF Large Stiple brush
3. Lush Sweet Lips lip scrub
4. Naked2 by Urban Decay
5. Benefit's Full Glam Ahead box.
6. Urban Decay: Eyelash Primer Potion
7. ELF eye refresh
8. And a years worth of subscription box service. (not decided yet between myglam & glossy box.)

What's on your beauty christmas wishlist? :)

Love, Noralee

Urban Decay: YDK

During the sale at Sephora on UD, I bought YDK. I also wanted Uzi, but it sold out before I could get it. I actually almost didn't buy anything because I felt like I needed to be saving money, but my boyfriend talked me into it. ;p

I think I have been in love with this shade ever since I watched a tutorial by Rachel Whitehurst. I just knew from the moment I saw it on youtube that I wanted it. And many moons later, I have it now. :) I am in love. I wear this so dang much, it's probably ridiculous.

Here's a link to that tutorial if anyone was wondering: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWUxG9ja_so&feature=plcp

If you don't know about Rachel, you should. She is my favorite beauty guru EVAR.

Here's links to her stuff:
youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/icallitambrosia?feature=watch
blog: http://www.87daysbefore.com/
You can also find her on Tumblr at http://87daysbefore.tumblr.com/ , HOWEVER, for the month of october her url will be, http://87pumpkinsbefore.tumblr.com/ 

Did you get anything from the Urban Decay sale? :)

Love, Noralee

Eyes of the day. :)

• Mark matte eye primer.

This shade from ELF Baked Palette in California on my lid.

• Urban Decay's YDK in my crease. (Sorry I don't have a photo for that.) 
• ELF Waterproof liner in Coffee.

And, the white from this Maybelline sunbaked neutrals palette

 Love, Noralee

Friday Favorites: Makeup Wishlist.

1. LUSH Lip Scrub: the chocolate and sugar one.
2.NYX HD Studio Primer.
3.STILA baked trio eyeshadow.
4. URBAN DECAY Naked 2 palette.
5. KAT VON D True Romance Saint palette.
6. URBAN DECAY Urbanglow cream highlight in Brown Sugar.
7. SEPHORA Matifying Powder in d20
8. ELF Stippling Brush.

What's on ya'lls make up wishlists lately?

ALSO, I have some more product reviews coming soon. (:

Love, Noralee!

Hit or Shit?: ELF Mist & Set Spray

I have heard the raves of beauty gurus on YouTube about how amazing Urban Decay's All Nighter spray is, however I've never bit the bullet and just bought it. I've always never had the money, or once I did, wouldn't want to spend that much on one product. With that being said, I mentioned this because I cannot compare the ELF Mist & Set to Urban's All Nighter, which a few of my friends have inquired about. What I can tell you, is coming from a standpoint of someone who,

A.) Sweats a lot.
B.) Has oily skin.
C.) Lives in Texas, heat and humidity central.

 

Okay, I got this at Target two days ago, and I used it last night when I went out with my friends.

I put on these products first:

Mark: Primed for Perfection
Covergirl: Clean Oil Control
Covergirl: TruBlend Minerals pressed powder in Fair
ELF: Tone Correcting Concealer in Apricot

And then, I'll usually pick a blush, highlight, and bronze. Lately I've been using Ideal Luminous Blush from Avon in E04 - Earthen Rose. My highlight is from also from Avon, but they no longer carry it. I've been on the search for a new bronzer, so if anyone has any suggestions, leave me a comment, please. :)

I put all of this on, then sprayed my face, about 3 to 4 times. First thing I noticed was it made my face really wet, and I had a mini-freak-out where I thought all of my make up would come off. It didn't. And honestly I've heard a lot of people say that they don't like how wet it makes their face, but I didn't mind. I keep a small personal fan on my vanity because I do live in Texas and it sucks to do your make up while you're sweating. Haha. So, I just flipped on my fan and positioned it straight at my face, it dried pretty quickly. If you don't have that kind of option, I read another review where the author said she used one of her flat face brushes and patted the wet areas, do not blend though, just pat.

After my face dried, I immediately noticed it had sucked all of the oil up, however it also didn't leave my face dry either. It was really smooth actually.

Next, eyes: I use Mark matte eye primer, and then the ELF liquid eye primer on top of it. Then, my eyeshadow, mascara and my brows. Then I just closed my eyes and sprayed each eye, 1- 2 times.


Make sure you close your eyes when you spray them, I know that sounds dumb, but I really did read reviews of people saying it burned their eyes when they sprayed it.



I went out with my friends to a concert, danced around for a couple hours, went out to eat, and walked around the town for a few hours, and when I got back in the car and checked myself in the mirror, my face was still smooth and perfect looking. My eyes hadn't creased, my foundation was still there, and my eyebrows still looked just as perfect as when I did them that morning. Needless to say, I love this product.

I guess a few cons would be that, like I said, a lot of people don't like the wet feeling or waiting for their face dry. I really didn't have a problem with this though. I'd say a con for me personally is the bottle size. It's decent size but I know that when I love a product, I use it all the time. I can already tell I'm going to use this one a ton. So, I'm glad I ordered some bottles off ELF and they should be coming soon along with some other products.

 Hit or Shit wise, I'd definitely say this product is a total hit. It works well and I love it. 

- Noralee

PS: Some things coming up: I have three drug store palettes I'll be reviewing, an Elf haul, and a Sephora haul!

Birthday Wishlist.

1. Urban Decay's Naked 2 palette

2. Fuiji Film Instax 210

(Which I am considering ordering as a gift for myself!)

3. Alice: Madness Returns for Xbox360

4. Sephora's Moonshadow Baked Palette; "In the Nude"

5. Urban Decay Single of YDK
(And honestly if I hadn't just ordered a fairly large haul from e.l.f I probably would've bought this single. I still really want it though. It is literally my favorite shade I've ever tried from UD. It is gorgeous.)

I'm not going to number this because it's kind of silly, but.... HARRY POTTER LEGO SETS! 

I took this photo of my lego Harry a few days ago for my 365 day challenge on tumblr. :)
Camera: Sony Alpha 200

 Haha. Last Black Friday I was at Target gettin' my Black Friday on. I found a package that advertised a mini HP Lego Set. You got Harry and a potions shelf. I bought it. I love Harry Potter, and I really had a good time putting the mini set together. I have it on a shelf in my room on display. A couple days later I went back to Target to see if there were other kinds available. Nothing. I was disappointed but figured as much. I looked on Amazon where I found not only huge sets but an xbox360 Lego HP game. It was cheaper than any of the sets on there, so I purchased it. I play it all the dang time. I will happily purchase Years 5-7 sometime before this year is out, I swear. 

On another Lego note, my boyfriend and I celebrated my birthday early before school started. He got me Pizza Hut for lunch, a really pretty card, and Lego Pirates of the Caribbean. He's the sweetest. I really like the game as well. I guess I just have a thing for Lego stuff. :)

The honest truth on how my birthday will play out is my parents are taking me to dinner, (food is awesome!), and depending on if I decide to get myself the Instax 210, there will be my present. Which I really am leaning towards. I do not expect anything from them except a dinner and probably a cake. They're awesome people and I appreciate all the little and big things they do for me everyday. That's enough. I just wanted to make a snazzy birthday wishlist because they're fun. It's like circling a million things in the Christmas catalogs my Mom used to get when I was 7 years old. I circled a million things but when it actually came to the day and not one of the things was there I never even noticed because I was so happy with what I got instead.  

I hope everyone's had a really great day and evening!

- Noralee