NOTW : vintage roses

I ordered some dotting tools from Amazon a couple weeks ago and they finally came in last Friday. I couldn't wait to try them out and decided to beat the winter blahs with a manicure that made me think of spring. One of the main places I find inspiration is from Pinterest so I went searching for a photo that struck my fancy. The look that I decided on used a Tiffany blue colour for the base and coral accent nails. Using 4 different size dots, I easily created this take on vintage roses. They kind of remind me of Laura Ashley wallpaper and M. loves them - obsessed!!

| Don't mind the gnarly cuticles and pre-cleanup mess. |

NOTD: Revlon Midnight Affair

As well as getting more into makeup, I've also fallen back in love with nail polish. I love how easy it is to change things up depending on the season or my mood. I've also fallen down the rabbit hole that is indie polishes and recently purchased my first A Englands. This could be dangerous... Check out these beauties.

| Left to right, top photo: St. George, Dragon, Princess Tears |

Here are a few of my most recent manicures.

| Essie Mademoiselle & Set in Stones |

| China Glaze Pelican Grey and Nicole by OPI Rainbow in the S-Kylie |

| Julep Lynn and Sienna |

And my current manicure...

| Revlon Midnight Affair and Nicole by OPI Make a Comet-Ment |

What is your favourite nail polish brand or colour?

Favourite products of 2012

2012 marked the year that I started getting back in to make-up. It's not that I was going out bare-faced before - quite the opposite - but I had been using the same MAC eyeshadow colours and Maybelline mascara for years. I also only ever wore Burt's Bees lip balm, occasionally lip gloss, and was positive that I hated lipstick.

I started drifting away from design blogs and became more interested in beauty blogs and You Tube channels; after all, I can't afford an Eames chair but I can afford Nars blush! On that note, here are some of my favourite products from 2012.

- Moroccanoil Luminous Hairspray - It keeps my hair in place without being sticky, flaky, or stiff. Plus, it smells nice!
- bumble and bumble tonic lotion - I spray this on damp hair after a shower and I've really noticed a difference. It especially helps with keeping static to a minimum.
- Curel Hand & Cuticle Therapy - I received both this and the foot therapy in past Glossyboxes and I love them both! They are moisturizing and non-greasy and they both smell nice. Plus, they are super affordable at approx. $3.99!

 - The Body Shop Camomile Gentle Eye Make-Up Remover - I've tried different eye make-up removers but always come back to this one. It's non-greasy and doesn't sting my eyes which even a lot of the other "gentle" removers do. Plus, it takes off most stubborn mascaras. At $15.00 CDN it's a little pricier than drugstore products, but worth it in my mind.
- Farmhouse Fresh Splendid Dirt Nutrient Mud Mask with Organic Pumpkin - My sister's best-friend manages a spa in Calgary and I discovered this product there. This stuff is seriously amazing! It smells good enough to eat and makes my skin feel so soft and clean.
- Rocky Mountain Soap Company Aloe Hydrating Toner - I am obsessed with Rocky Mountain Soap Company! In our house we use their bar soaps and liquid hand soaps every day and all other products I've tried have been fantastic. I love that they are a local company (Canmore, AB) and their products are all natural. This toner does a great job of hydrating my skin without making it oily.

 

- Benefit They're Real mascara - This stuff is incredible! I've reviewed it previously, here.

- Buxom Stay-There eyeshadow in Mutt - I love the feel of these eyeshadows. They are super soft and silky and glide on easily. They are also easy to build up and the shimmer is gorgeous!

- Wet & Wild eyeshadow trio in Sweet As Candy - I must say, Wet & Wild has come a long way from the company I knew as a teenager and, seeing how popular they are with the beauty blogger community, I'm obviously not the only one. These shadows are smooth and silky and the colour payoff is great. Amazing value!

- NYX jumbo eye pencil in cottage cheese - Honestly, the name kind of grosses me out but this eye pencil is amazing! Glides on smoothly and is perfectly for the inner corner of the eye.

- Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner - I received this eyeliner in the Fall Luxe Box and it got me over my fear of liquid liner. It has a marker-type tip so you don't have to worry about it drying out and once it sets, it doesn't smudge.

- Stila Smudge Crayon in pink violet - I first saw this and the Buxom eyeshadow mentioned in a tutorial video from NikkiRothBeauty. The combination of the taupe/bronze and the violet is beautiful! It glides on easily and blends well.

Top to bottom: Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner, NYX jumbo eye pencil in cottage cheese, Stila Smudge Crayon in pink violet, Buxom Stay-There eyeshadow in Mutt.

- Tarina Tarantino Dollskin Cheek blush in Feather - I'm so sad that I only discovered this brand towards the end of the year and now it's discontinued at Sephora. This blush is seriously amazing - it feels like silk and the colour is beautiful.
- Benefit Cha Cha Tint - Benefit is famous for their cheek and lip tints, specifically Benetint, but Cha Cha Tint is the first one I've tried. It looks scary when first applying it - it's a really bright orange/coral colour - but once it's either blended or blotted, the colour is truly beautiful. I mainly wear it as a lip tint, because I haven't gotten the hang of blending it on my cheeks, and I love it.

Top to bottom: Tarina Tarantino Dollskin Cheek blush in Feather, Benefit Cha Cha Tint and Cha Cha Tint blended

 - Lancome Rouge in Love lipsticks in 381B Violette Coquette and 379N Rose Sulfureuse - I fell in love with lipstick this year, specifically these two from Lancome. The colours look amazing on the lip and the formula is incredible. So pigmented and smooth to apply.

 Top: 379N Rose Sulfureuse Bottom: 381B Violette Coquette

 - Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Smitten and Adore - This is another product that I think deserves the hype it received. These balm stains are amazing - smooth to apply, easy to build colour from sheer to deep and are decently hydrating. They have a nice peppermint tingle when applied.

Top: Smitten Bottom: Adore (excuse the messy swatches - it was tough for this lefty to do these with my right hand.)

What were your favourite products this year? Did you discover anything new?

Recipe: Butter Chicken

I have been asked for this recipe numerous times so, at long last, I decided to post it since I made a batch last week. However, because I'm not used to taking pictures for recipes, I forgot to take a photo, so the only picture I have is from the very first time I made this dish. Butter chicken isn't the most appetizing looking dish but it sure does taste good. Enjoy!

Butter Chicken

 Adapted from Trish Magwood's Butter Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 cup (250 mL) yogurt, fat-free Greek style
• 1/4 cup (60 mL) lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons (10 mL) ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons (10 mL) ground coriander
• 1 1/2 teaspoons (10 mL) cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon (5 mL) garam masala
• 1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) ground turmeric
• 2 tablespoons (10 mL) minced fresh garlic
• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) minced fresh ginger
• 2 teaspoons (10 mL) kosher salt
• 3 pounds (1.5 kg) chicken thighs, boneless and skinless
• Fresh lime wedges
• 3 tablespoons (50mL) butter or ghee
• 1 cup (250 mL) cashews, ground to a paste
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 2 teaspoons (10 mL) cumin seeds, whole
• 1 serrano chili, minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 can - 213mL tomato sauce
• 2 cups (500 mL) heavy (35%) cream
• 1/4 cup (50 mL) fresh cilantro, chopped roughly

Directions

1. Combine yogurt, lemon juice, cumin, coriander, cayenne, garam masala, turmeric, garlic, ginger and salt (to taste) in a medium bowl. In a re-sealable bag, add chicken and cover with yogurt marinade and squeeze juice from half a lime over top. Seal bag and toss to coat chicken. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
2. In a high-sided sauté pan, heat butter or ghee over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until translucent. Add garlic, cumin seeds and minced chili and cook until fragrant. Add tomato purée and cashew paste. Season with salt, stir and lower heat to a simmer. Add cream and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and blend until smooth (an immersion blender is handy here).
3. Add the chicken and all of the yogurt marinade to the sauce. Stir to coat chicken with sauce and simmer on medium for 25-30 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked. Garnish with chopped cilantro leaves. Serve with basmasti rice and naan.
4. You can also cook this in a slow cooker on high for 5-6 hours.

25 Days of Christmas challenge

I saw this Christmas challenge on Happy or Hungry and, like Lindsey, thought I would consolidate the questions into one or two posts. I am going to do 1-13 now and hopefully will post the last half next week.

1. Your favourite Christmas movie
I will generally watch pretty much any Christmas movie but my favourites are "Scrooged" (who doesn't love Bill Murray?!) and "Love, Actually". My husband and I have a tradition that we watch "Love, Actually" every year.

2. Your 2012 Christmas wish list
This year my wish list consists mainly of beauty products. Makeup, nail polish, skin care, I'll take it all. :)

3. When/how did you learn that Santa wasn't real?
I don't remember the specifics but I think I was around 8. Nothing traumatic stands out in my mind so it was probably just a general awareness.

4. Favourite Christmas song?
"Silent Night" gives me goosebumps and I love to sing "All I Want For Christmas Is You" by Mariah Carey while dancing around the house.

5. Best gift you've ever received
My husband is a pretty good gift giver - one year he got me tickets to see Serena Ryder in Banff. As a kid, I LOVED my Walkman.

6. Your favourite ornament
We've started a tradition of giving M. a new ornament every year and I think my favourite is the one from her first Christmas. It's a ceramic disk with a painting of a baby girl's head along with her name and the year.

7. Most memorable Christmas
My family is pretty big on getting together at Christmas so all of them are pretty fun and loud. However, one year A. and I stayed in Vancouver by ourselves and had a low key Christmas and that one definitely stands out to me.

8. Post a picture of Christmas decor

 This is from a couple years ago but is generally what is looks like when my family gets together. Over-the-top, I know.

9. Easiest person to buy for
Right now, probably M. because she will love whatever we give her. Oh, to be a kid again.

10. Favourite holiday scent
Mulling spices are a clear winner for me - cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, love them all.

11. Favourite Christmas tradition
Stockings, definitely. As a kid we were always allowed to open those as soon as we woke up.

12. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
I am, 100%, a brown paper packages tied up with string kind of girl.

13. Favourite Christmas book
Ooooo, tough one. As a kid I loved "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" but "Twas the Night Before Christmas" is also a tradition in our house.

Your turn. :)

Julep Maven program

As I mentioned in my "what the nail" post, I recently signed up for Julep's Maven program. Julep is a subscription beauty box service with a twist. Instead of 4 or 5 deluxe samples from various brands, Julep sends only their own products; always two nail lacquers, a nail/hand related product (eg. grapefruit body lotion, warming foot scrub, cuticle oil, etc.) and an extra treat (eg. polish remover pads, DIY cabochon ring, etc.). When you first sign up there is a short quiz which will determine your style and then every month, your box will be tailored to your individual style. (I'm an American Beauty and so far, I've loved all of the polishes I've received.)

There are several things that are a little different about the Maven program that I really like and that I think set them apart from other subscription services. 1) You are never stuck with a style you don't like. When you receive your monthly email with the various options, you can either stay with your own style or switch to a different one that you like better. 2) You aren't locked in every month. If you happen not to like anything on offer that month, you can skip! 3) You can send your monthly box to someone else as a gift! Have a friend with a birthday coming up? A Maven box would be a fantastic gift. 4) If you purchase a monthly Maven box, you can add-on 3 additional products at drastically reduced prices. eg. A $14 bottle of polish will only be $4 if you add it on to your Maven box.

Aside from these great options, Mavens also get access to a monthly secret store that offers great deals and, occasionally, Julep sends out mystery boxes to lucky recipients (would include extra items on top of your Maven box).

All in all, I have really enjoyed receiving my Maven box each month and appreciate a company that tries to make their customers feel special. The cost of the monthly box is $19.99 USD and includes free shipping!

Below are some photos of the polishes I have received over the last few months. They are all lovely.

 | Glitter pots - one of the special extras I received |

Interested in becoming a Maven? I'd love if you used my referral link - click here! AND until the end of December you can receive your first box for a PENNY! Use the code COLOR2012.