Trendy Wendy Wednesday * Embracing My Bovine Ancestry

I have cow eyes. There. I've said it. They're huge. And really dark brown. And remind me of a cow. They have huge, really dark brown eyes. For years, as a younger girl and woman, I wanted any other color eyes than brown. Deep blue would have been ideal, but any other color would have worked. Oh to look like one of the Black Irish (dark hair, fair skin and blue eyes). Just like Lynda Carter (yes, I still want to be Wonder Woman when I grow up). Or Jennifer Connelly.  

At one point I was willing to embrace the Italian side of my family, but only if it came with green eyes. Like Giada De Laurentiis. Eventually, I accepted my big cow eyes (after several stints with colored contacts and much chastising from my crafter friend Jody and others). And these days I try to play them up with makeup the best I can. Brown eyes are great for the smokey eye thing (we'll have a tutorial on that coming up soon). But what about making them stand out when wearing "every day" kind of makeup? Like the kind of make up you wear to the grocery store or Bed Bath and Beyond? The smokey eye thing can take a while and I find myself a bit short on time most days.

I came across a pin on Pinterest (that holy grail of makeup tutorials) recently to help me do just that. At least, that was the promise. The suggestion was to use a highlighter stick (they suggested Cargo EyeLighter, but apparently that product has been discontinued) to brighten up certain areas of the eye to make them "pop". 

I don't have the Cargo pencil but I do have a product by Benefit Cosmetics called High Brow that was made to do the same thing. You could also use their It Stick or their Eye Bright Pencil. I'm sure there are others out there that would work fine too. 
So, let's head off and see if I was successful in following the tutorial. I started off with a  pretty neutral "day time" eye.

 

Then I added the highlighter to the inside corner of my left eye (the right side of the picture below).  I used a concealer brush to blend it in just a little - enough to keep it from looking caky. 

Next I added it under my lower lash line from about the middle of the eye to the corner. I again used my brush to smooth is out and blend it in a bit. 

Then for the last step, I took the pencil to my brow bone (the area above the crease and from the middle to the outer corner of my eye). Again, I used the brush and the pad of my ring finger too this time, to help blend.

You can see the eye on the right hand side of the picture does stand out more. It looks more "awake" which is a good thing when you have bags under your eyes like I do. And the whole thing took all of about five minutes (that was with the picture taking thing so it would take under a minute per eye under normal circumstances. Unless you're really into taking selfies. Then plan on five minutes an eye and you'll probably never get anything done in life because you're too busy snapping pictures of yourself. You know what, just put the cell phone down and go outside and take a walk or read a book or something. Sheesh.)
Would I do this every day? On the days I'm wearing make up (which is not every day) - Yes.  I do think it make me look more awake. And life like. Which is great, since I am alive. I just don't always look it. Now if I could just figure out how to work on the blue eyed thing and how to fly the invisible jet. Oh, and you're welcome.

Trendy Wendy Wednesday * Wendy Gets A Haircut

Me, my new hairdo and one of my favorite tshirts from my friend Stacey.  Cuz Iowa IS awesome! And 75% vowels.

I did something really scary yesterday. Like scarier than Halloween scary. I cut my hair. I mean I didn't cut my OWN hair but I had my hair cut. A lot of it. Like five inches. 

My sister and I circa 1980. At this point, I'm still recovering from the boy haircut. And pre-braces.

I can see you shaking your head. Yes, you. I know most folks don't find haircuts scary, and normally I don't either. I actually love going to my hairdresser Mario to get my hair done.  One, his color is amazing. My hair is a flat brown color by nature. He makes it look like I'm Princess Kate. And for a while, I had hair as long.

If you lived through the 70's then you remember these babies. My head hurts just looking at them.

But you see, there's a back story. When I was a little girl, I had long, straight brown hair and I loved it. Well, except the part where mom would pull my hair into those pony-tail holders with the colored plastic balls at the ends. Those damn things hurt my head every day. 

What I looked like after the "boy" haircut (this is Mia Farrow, but the resemblance is striking, I think).

I think I was about nine when my sister and I were shipped off to spend a week with my grandparents in Omaha. My grandparents came and picked us up at our house and mom causally mentioned that, "the girls could both use haircuts." Next thing I know, I'm in the salon chair with my grandmother looking over my shoulder and my long hair is falling to the floor.  

Everyone wanted the Dorothy Hamil.

Except me. I wanted to look like Wonder Woman (I still love her. My car is named Linda CARter. Don't judge).

Why didn't anyone have me dry my hair after coming in from the pool before the photo?! Good lord that's awful. And let's not even talk about that neck. (circa 1983)

Granted, it was the early 70's and short cuts were in (remember Dorothy Hamil?). But I had folks confusing me for a boy. "Are you looking for a present for your mommy, little boy?" (that was at the Singer sewing store in Merle Hay Mall as Dad, my sister and I looked for something for my mom for her birthday). I was devastated. 

The '80's bob was too appealing. Plus the coolest girl I knew had one. So I got one too.

This isn't me but it is my old haircut. Even the popular girls complimented me on my courageous cut. My mom and Dad? Not so much.

Over the years I tried to grow it back out. I'd get it so far and I'd get frustrated (or Mom would, because it looked awful) and cut it again. Or there would be a trend I couldn't pass up (Erin Henz and her bob haircut was just too much. I had to have a bob too). And there was that bi-level in high school. The one mom told me I couldn't have but I did anyway (got me in such trouble my parents pulled me off of the cheerleading squad as punishment - the only time I ever made a cheerleading squad. My life was ruined. But my hair looked awesome). It was in my thirties before I was able to stand growing it out to get it to my shoulders again.

Me two weeks ago today shooting the Trendy Wendy Wednesday Lipstick post you all loved. 

Long hair at last. But yet, not quite long enough (this was about 3 years ago)

And for the last fifteen years or so, long hair has been in and I've kept mine past shoulder length with the dream of growing it about five inches past my clavicle (for you non-anatomy people, that's your collar bone).  
But times change. And I was ready for a change. So I did what all girls do - I searched on Pinterest for a hairstyle I liked. And I found a couple of photos, pinned them and off to see Mario I went. 

That's just some of the hair no longer attached to my head.

And then I freaked out on the inside. But he was so excited about taking off the length, I couldn't back out. Five inches later, a bunch of my hair was on the floor and I had a new shag haircut. Which I love. Other than that weird feeling you have when you run your hand through your hair forgetting a bunch of it is missing, I'm loving the way it moves and it actually feels lighter. Who knew.

Lighter. Feeling free. And loving the buzz you get from doing something a little scary.

So my advice to you: do it. Now. Before the fear takes over. You don't have to get your hair cut, but do something that scares you a little bit. And then celebrate it. And tell me about it in the comments. And for the boost of courage - you're welcome.