Here's this exact post in a "short, sweet, and to the point" form.

But for those AWESOME READERS of mine, here's the meat of this lookbook. :)

On December 23 I went to the thrift store, in hopes of finding ONE outfit. I had an idea in mind. I wanted a gold party dress. One with sequins on the bodice and the skirt to poof out in ruffles. 

I could do so many things with an outfit like that to give it so many different looks.

But I looked through the dresses and found nothing that came close to what I wanted.

But the store made up for it by providing four other options that I had to have and will be remaining in my closet FOREVER.

Outfit number one: Retro is the way to go-go

This doesn't exactly go with the gold theme I was shooting for, but there's gold threaded all throughout this top. I imagined that if I were in the 70s that this would be the outfit of choice to ring in the new year.

And rich colors like that should NOT be left on a hanger for someone else's hands to take them home.

I stuck with one eyeshadow palette for this whole lookbook (ELF Golden Goddess $2). One, because it kept with my gold theme; two, it took the guess work out of figuring out what to wear on my eyes; and three, it made the process of doing this photoshoot much easier.

The only thing I changed up was my lip color and eyeliner (using different colors and different thicknesses).

This lip color I made using the regular dollar store, nude lip gloss that I put on nearly every day and over it dabbed some gold eyeshadow.

Did you know there's this site that shows you how to make your own lip gloss using Vaseline and eyeshadow?

People are pinning it like crazy and acting like that is the most genius idea ever.

YouTubers were trying it out too and here I'm watching them thinking:

"HELLO, I did that when I was eight years old and I didn't like the colors of lipsticks that my play makeup had so I figured out that trick on my own and was wearing blueish-purple lipstick with pride...even if Mom thought I looked like I was going through shock."

I straight up love these next photos.

Because you can see my set up. You see the wall I pose next to, how my kitchen it just off to the right. You can see the yellow filing cabinet my friend gave me and the piano that I lean against that we're trying to get rid of as I got a newer one for Christmas.

I love how these show more of me and of my little world.

Outfit number two: The comfy sweater.

Honestly, this is me. Right now.

I'm not at a party. HA! I'm writing to you guys so of course I'm not doing anything "fun" in the New Year's Eve sense.

But I LOVE writing you. To me, this is fun, this is my jam, this is how I party.

Now this outfit and the last two were done on the same day.

I know, spilling my secrets isn't cool. I didn't do these on four different days and wear them the whole day, I'm sorry. I did wear the last outfit for the rest of the day though. 

I was on a time crunch, what can I say other than the truth!

The heart socks were put on on a whim and I'm so happy I did it. I love it. I wanted to show you all that just because you're not out partying, that you can still celebrate at home in your own way.

Or you can totally wear this out. I would be all for that too.

I am wearing Maybelline's Red Revival lipstick in this shoot as well as wearing ELF's liquid eyeliner in Coffee, painting on a small wing.

I wanted a softer eye, a more relaxed look while keeping it rich with the bold lipstick

This necklace was a Christmas gift from my friends Jessa and Tinisha, also YouTubers. It's breathtaking!

Outfit number three: Stripes and scratchy sequins.

This is my least favorite outfit.

Because it's not comfortable.

Next time I put this on, I'll remember to wear a shirt under it.

C'mon, you can see my bra in the photo below. Another reason to wear an undershirt. I should've known.

I also was having massive hair issues this day. It was a Saturday and my hair had just been washed the night before.

I loathe clean hair days. My hair is uncooperative and not in the way I like it.

Hence the reason I PUT IT UP. It was either that or yank it out. ;)

For my lip I kept on the Red Revival but added a little bit of gold eyeshadow over it, to warm it up and make it sparkle.

I also went over the brown eyeliner to make a bolder wing, in NYC's black liquid liner.

Outfit number four: The DJ

I had no name for this look until a couple hours after this shoot, while still wearing this, my son said, "Mom, you look like a DJ!" to which I made some pathetic, record-scratching noises leaving my son to ask what I was SAYING.

"What is a 'wick-uh'?"

Me: "You know, record scratching, wick-uh, wick-uh!"

His squinting eyes in my direction explained that I went from looking cool to weird in about 3.33 seconds.

Now this lipstick...

I removed the Red Revival and BONUS, the rubbing of the towel on my lips gave them a good plump.

I went back and used my dollar store lip gloss but I think I put on too much to which had me putting on too much golden eye shadow over the top and then I had to line my lips with brown because I lost the outline of my lips and they looked gargantuan. The brown helped keep them from looking like I just got lip injections.

But I sure felt like I had a solid layer of sludge resting on my mouth.

(WHY AM I SHARING THESE SECRETS WITH YOU?)

So far, this has been the favorite outfit from my viewers. Which makes me over-the-moon ECSTATIC because I truly do think it's a great look and fits my style best. I feel like it is a nod from my viewers to how I style myself. And while I will wear what I like, what an honor it is to see that others like it too. <3

HAPPY NEW YEAR, my friends! May you life be filled with nothing less than GREATNESS. This is your year to have happiness, freedom, love, loyalty, truth, friendship, you name it. This is YOUR YEAR. 

And thanks for following along with me through mine.

If you missed my last post about about my thoughts on 2015, as well as my thoughts about this coming year, please read it here.

I got new jammies!

Every Christmas Eve each member of the family gets new jammies.

It would be a shame to have gone this whole year, with my new obsession of plaid, and not make sure that the theme of our family's pajamas is PLAID.

I love how my family opened presents with their new jammies and instead of groveling over a pattern that they've certainly seen too much of, said, "These are so cool!"

Christmas was the day that I planned on staying in my jam-jams all day long. But that didn't happen. 

Instead I planned it for today. 

Monday.

I think all Mondays should be jammie wearing day, IMHO.

It's the 28th of December and while I'm sure someone's partying somewhere, it's a sure boring day over here.

I've been asked "What can I do? Who can I play with?" four times today. Just now I was asked, "Can you see if so-and-so can play tomorrow?"

Apparently the new presents Santa provided aren't near as fun to play with when the weather went through a forty degree drop overnight.

Ok, first off, last week's weather was freakin' AMAZING.

I swear this was an answer to my last three years' prayers. My gym friend and I have loathed the cold weather and every morning would shiver our tails off while waiting for those blasted gym doors to open. I feel like our cries were finally heard.

Global warming? BRING IT. It sure makes for a better workout anyway! ;)

......................................................................................................

Annnnnnnnywayyyyyys.

To get to the brunt of this post:

I realized that my last blog post may have come off like I was complaining.

Or depressed.

Or anxious.

Or tired.

Or any emotion other than happy.

"It does sound like a bummer post, doesn't it?" I asked Mr Hunter last night, while reading through it one last time.

Mr Hunter shrugged and smiled, saying, "I thought it was very sweet what you said about me though."

I want you all to know that I'm doing so well right now.

The first of the year wasn't too bad. 

And then as the year progressed, it became less enjoyable and more life learning.

I'm still considering writing another post about all I learned so I'll skip to October.

October was The Great Shift in my life. It was that month when I felt like all those angels I've leaned on for support, care, to hold me while I tackled my demons, finally took a step back, loosened their grip around me and said, "Ladee, be free. You can do this."

(I saved this on my computer this summer, posted it on FB and can't find it online to source it. If this is your photo, contact me and I will source you.)

From then on I was changed. 

But in a good way.

Actually, in a GREAT WAY.

I felt like my soul was in hibernation; going through extensive amounts of questioning and learning, healing, searching for inner truth; an internal whirlwind. My soul went through such a concentration of highs and lows, comfort and loss in a few short months than I have experienced in years combined. 

But finally: I found freedom.

(Source. Thank you!)

And never doubting once that God had ever left my side.

I realized just how many things held me down. Things that I thoroughly believed were to uplift me, were actually the shackles that imprisoned me my whole life.

I was robbed. So robbed.

Letting go of all the "fluff" as I call it, and holding tight to God, Christ, and my family; the bare essentials, and letting go of everything that doesn't feel right within me, has given me such freedom and a happiness so rich I have felt at times my heart would burst.

While I know I could write more and go into way more depth than I am right now, I leave my readers with this:

If ____ (you fill in the blank) doesn't honor you, doesn't make your soul sing, doesn't bring you PURE joy and happiness, doesn't have you waking up proud of the person you are...

LET IT GO.

If it's a person you must keep in your life (example: a family member that you love dearly), LET GO of the way they feel about you/your situation/your decisions. Let them think and judge and act for themselves, but don't allow it to affect you. The moment you don't let their thoughts/words affect you is the moment you're liberated.

For if you are truly happy, does it mater what anyone thinks? Would you rather be unhappy but keep them happy? How unfair that is. To sacrifice your happiness, forgo what God wants you to have most, for someone else's opinion to be the way they want about you.

So, going back to my last post, this year wasn't catastrophic, although it sounds like it. It had it's ups and it sure had some downs.

And yeah, I'm really, really ready for the year to be over. Because I'm so excited to start new, with a new me of sorts.

But I've never been happier.

And I've never felt more loved and more free.

<3

First and foremost: MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I kept kicking myself this holiday season because as much as I tried, I couldn't get myself to be motivated to make my tree look like last year's.

 (Decemeber 2014)

Or like anyone's, for that matter.

I pulled out the tree and the lights early this month but found myself just not in the mood to do even that. I kept delaying the ornament hanging to "tomorrow"; a word that I love and a word that I love to hate.

My son pulled out the silvery-blue Christmas bulbs that we have had for the past several years and added them to the tree, bless his heart. I handed each family member their new ornament for the year, to which we hung.

But that was it.

I did buy two new boxes of white lights to add to our tree though because nothing is prettier than a tree so full of lights that the neighbors living behind us wonder if the darn thing is aflame.

I wish I could pinpoint why I don't have the motivation to decorate much this year.

I often wonder if it's because this year is much different than 2014. In some ways good and in other ways not as good. I wouldn't say this year was catastrophic. All years have their ups and downs. Maybe my tree is looking more "plain" because this year I've come to find that the simple things in life are the things to be most valued.

Or maybe it's because I'm just super ready to have this year over.

I've learned a lot this year.

And while I know that I will never go a day in this life without learning, I have felt that a lot of *life lessons* were made this year; lessons that I will no doubt carry with me throughout the rest of my existence.

I felt like 2015 was another 2011, in many ways. It was great and terrible. And life changing.

But I have nothing but gratitude towards our Lord and our God that it happened. I know that all things happen for a reason. I know too that all lessons learned are times when God sits back quietly, much like a teacher does during an exam, to see how we'll handle these hard times but ready to help the moment your hand is raised.

I'm grateful too for a patient and caring husband. I feel like I've dragged him through these changes of mine, whether he liked it or not and at the end of each day he would hold me close, told me of his support and helped comfort me so I could rest a little more easy.

I have found how important family is this year. How I cherish each one of my children in a way more rich and deep than I have in years past. And I cherish the lives of my friends and their family a little more too.

After all, life is truly about enjoying the simple things. For without simple things, there's no great rewards.

Maybe I'll do another blog post or video, about all this year has taught me.

But for now, I want to wish you, my readers, a Merry Christmas.

And I want you to know how much I love you. How much I appreciate you. How much your kindness and support has meant so much to me and has been something I have leaned on heavily during those days when I felt hopeless. I know I've been absent many times during these trials, but you've been understanding, held no judgement and I knew I always had open arms to run to.

May you be blessed. Loved. Cherished. Held close. Know your value.

And thank you, again.

I love Christmas.

It's my favorite time of the year.

I love the excited atmosphere it brings. I love the happiness it brings to my kiddos. I love all the treats and goodies and the joy we experience having our family to hold close as well as sometimes having the opportunity to go see our extended family.

I love how we realize how much our close friends have also become our family.

I love how much we do for each other during this time, to help "make the spirit bright".

I love the little "hush-hush" secrets that are kept to make sure that our special someone has no clue they're getting the gift you're giving, especially when you know they're going to love it.

I love dressing up all Christmassy during this time. I love that while red and green are opposites on the color wheel and should honestly be avoided being placed together, especially on an outfit, that this is my opportunity to happily break that unspoken rule and wear colors that only happen to look cohesive during this time of year.

I love that Christmas colors are more than just red and green. I've found that turquoise and light blue work as well. Christmas last year I painted my nails with these colors and if my memory is correct, I put a picture of it up on Instagram.

Yep, a poor filter was placed on it because it was taken in poor lighting. But you get what I was going for.

Needless to say, I took all opportunity to get my Christmas on and show it off to you.

Now I went simple on my makeup as I worried the outfit looked "loud" enough. But in looking at these photos, I could've gone with a more dramatic eye. Not too dramatic, but maybe a darker color eyeshadow and bolder wing.

I also kept the accessories on the simpler side. I wanted the outfit to speak and the accessories to enhance the colors I'm wearing.

What's your favorite Christmas outfit?

Outfit/accessories/makeup details DOWN BELOW.

The Outfit (all prices are an estimation, but pretty accurate)
Shirt: ALLEN B, from a friend.
Sweater: New York Company, from same friend who gave me the shirt actually. LOL!
Skirt: Mossimo, from Target, on clearance for $9
Belt: Thrift store, $2
Nylons: Leggings in Nude, $5ish from Walmart

Jewelry
Earrings: Brash, from Payless Shoe Source, $3 clearance
Chevron bracelets: Gift from friend
Turquoise bead bracelet: Gift from my son
Watch: Walmart, $7, bought a year ago.
Thick leather band on wrist: bought in Mexico a year ago $5
Thin leather band on wrist: a birthday gift from one incredible friend. I love you, Rebecca!
Floral bands that are hiding behind the leather bands: hair ties, can't have enough hair ties. From Walmart, came in a huge pack, the floral ones where the bonus, extra ones. $3
Oh, and on my right wrist I have a long, black ribbon tied around it. Because I like it. From off the floor LOL.
White beaded necklace: Walmart, bought years ago, $5

Nailpolish
Revlon Colorstay in 290 Midnight, $8 (PRICEY, but too good to pass up)

Rings
Left hand thumb: gift from friend
Left hand ring finger: wedding ring, from Mr Hunter, 13 1/2 years ago. $His drum set

Shoes
Boots that I bought new a couple years ago, for $7, at the thrift store.

Hair Dye
L'Oreal Preferences Intense Red Copper #RR07. One bottle was used, put all over the roots and then pulled the product towards the ends of my hair, creating an ombre look. I did a tutorial of this on my YouTube channel. $9

Makeup (most bought from Walmart)
Primer: Nivea Sensitive Post Shave Balm (yep, aftershave--I'm serious folks, this is the best primer OUT THERE) $6, go get you some.
Foundation: Revlon Colorstay 24 hr in 110 Ivory (oily/combo skin), $12
Concealer: Maybelline Cover Stick in White, $4
Powder: Physicians Formula in Translucent Light $12
Contouring/Highlighting powders: Wet n Wild Contouring Palette in Dulce de Leche, $3 AND NYC Smooth Skin Pressed Powder in 701A Translucent to target my under eye bags, $3
Eyebrows: NYC eyebrow pencil in Rich Girl, $1 AND the warm tan eyeshadow in the Wet n Wild Birthday Suit palette, $6
Eyeshadow: The white used on brow bone and lid is the white eyeshadow in NYC's Queen's Boulevard palette. The light brown shade is the camel-colored eyeshadow from NYC's Blue's Camel palette, each about $3
Eyeliner: NYC's black liquid liner, $2.
Blush: L'Oreal's True Match Blush, C5-6 Rosy Outlook, $8
Maskara: Maybelline's Mega Plush in Brownish Black, $7 (ridiculous price, IMO)
LIPSTICK: I put my foundation over my lips when putting it on my face and then used L.A. Colors lip gloss in Coral Crush, from the dollar store! $1

I absolutely love the Fall.

It's always been my favorite season.

I must confess I was quite thrilled when I realized that of all colors, autumn colors look the best on me. And I frequently question why, in heavens name, have I thought it best to avoid those colors my whole life.

I remember this realization catching me by surprise. I grew up wearing sweet pinks, soft blues, modest tans, whites and dainty floral patterns; anything that reeked of simple, sweet, and plain only to switch it up for greys, blacks, and deep cool colors when I tired of looking so "girly"...but never felt truly like I was wearing a piece that best represented ME.

I remember feeling like I was living on the wild side back in high school when I bought a pack of wacky-colored socks. I was then introduced to toe socks and found my life would never be the same. ;)

After that I branched out and bought more clothing with brighter colors and wilder patterns, things my friends wore and rocked in, but never anything AUTUMN colored.

I could never understand why I couldn't seem to pull off neon yellow like my close friend could. After band class we'd walk up to put our flutes away, catch our image in the full-length mirror that hung on the wall and I'd cringe over how my skin always looked splotchy.

I'm still uncertain if the cause was because I was wearing the wrong colors, the wrong makeup, or standing under the wrong (florescent) lighting in the band room.

Probably all of them.

Imagine my surprise when I realized how easy it was to wear autumn colors. How simple it was to wear makeup, to always have on hand the perfect color of blush and eye shadow. And how much I felt like my truest self in them.

But in all honesty, I rebel. I can't be confined to just some colors on the color wheel...

While autumn colors are a guideline, all colors I will wear.

And then I wear outfits like these and am reminded as to why I choose to wear anything thing else.

Details of my outfit listed below.

The Outfit (all prices are an estimation, but pretty accurate)
Shirt: Long-sleeved and thick, brand is Faded Glory and was a gift from a friend who did like how it looked on her.
Sweater: LOFT, from a friend who was cleaning out her closet and knew this sweater would fit me.
Scarf: Charming Charlie, gift from a friend.
Jeans: Old Navy Diva skinny jeans-$25 I think? I bought them a couple summers ago.
Belt: Thrift store, $1
My socks! LOL, I think I got them from Target, in a pack of 6 for $9 or $10. ;)

Jewelry
Earrings: Walmart, called "Accessories" $2.88
Turquoise/orange/white beaded bracelets: Gift from my daughter
Watch: Walmart, $7, bought a year ago.
Thick leather band on wrist: bought in Mexico a year ago $5
Thin leather band on wrist: a birthday gift from one incredible friend. I love you, Rebecca!
Floral bands that are hiding behind the leather bands: hair ties, can't have enough hair ties. From Walmart, came in a huge pack, the floral ones where the bonus, extra ones. $3
Oh, and on my right wrist I have a long, black ribbon tied around it. Because I like it. From off the floor LOL.
Black beaded necklace: Bought at the thrift store years ago. Probably $1 or $2.

Nailpolish
Sally Hansen's Insta-Dry in 340 Cinna-snap. $4 at Walmart.

Rings
Left hand thumb: gift from friend
Left hand ring finger: wedding ring, from Mr Hunter, 13 1/2 years ago. $His drum set
Right hand middle finger: ring I bought on eBay for $5.

Shoes
Converse in a dark blue-grey. I wear these 99% of the time. Even at church if I can make it work with my outfit. Bought new a couple years ago for $45??? Can't remember.

Hair Dye
L'Oreal Preferences Intense Red Copper #RR07. One bottle was used, put all over the roots and then pulled the product towards the ends of my hair, creating an ombre look. I did a tutorial of this on my YouTube channel. $9

Makeup (most bought from Walmart)
Primer: Nivea Sensitive Post Shave Balm (yep, aftershave--I'm serious folks, this is the best primer OUT THERE) $6, go get you some.
Foundation: Revlon Colorstay 24 hr in 110 Ivory (oily/combo skin), $12
Concealer: Maybelline Cover Stick in White, $4
Powder: Physicians Formula in Translucent Light $12
Contouring/Highlighting powders: Wet n Wild Contouring Palette in Dulce de Leche, $3 AND NYC Smooth Skin Pressed Powder in 701A Translucent to target my under eye bags, $3
Eyebrows: NYC eyebrow pencil in Rich Girl, $1 AND the warm tan eyeshadow in the Wet n Wild Birthday Suit palette, $6
Eyeshadow: Revlon Colorstay in 584 Surreal, the soft turquoise and white colors.
Eyeliner: ELF liquid liner in Coffee, bought at the dollar store but originally is $2.
Blush: ELF Contouring blush and bronzer in Turks Caicos, $3
Maskara: Maybelline's Mega Plush in Brownish Black, $7 (ridiculous price, IMO)
LIPSTICK: I put my foundation over my lips when putting it on my face and then used L.A. Colors lip gloss in Coral Crush, from the dollar store! $1