Let's make it TooFaced. May Everyday Makeup Shelf!

 Hey Y'all!

This month I decided to do all one brand, with a few exceptions. I'm starting it off with Too Faced simply because it's about the only brand I own enough of to make a monthly makeup shelf possible.

Here's a reminder of what I was working with in April:

Not pictured is the Makeup Revolution/I Heart Revolution palette I mentioned and reviewed in a previous blog. My sister did convince me to give it another shot, with a different primer, it's on my eyes today and I'll let you know how it works out in the next beauty blog (Wednesday). Also, I finished the Ulta Setting Spray!! YAY!

Too Faced May:

Eyeliner, and clear Brow Gel are Wet 'n Wild, Colored Eyeliners are LA Girl, Shadow Primer is Smashbox, and lastly I'm still using up this Cover FX Illuminating Glitter Drops.

Sunscreens are: Shiseido Urban Environment Oil- Free UV Protector SPF 42 and Supergoop SPF 50 Setting Spray.

I didn't have Too Faced options in these categories.

I've had the Dew You for a while now, and have yet to try it. I hope it's not Holy Grail since it's being discontinued.

All the lippies are Too Faced, I had to pull one more nude than intended, because only so many fit in the nude storage space....

The palettes are this past years Holiday Collection (2020), Sweet Peach (face & eye), Peanut Butter, Chocolate Chip, Natural Lust, and Natural Love behind that.. I tried not to pull too many. Looking at it now, I probably should have pulled a bit more color (like the Clover Palette, or one of the Peach palettes). I'll probably be reaching for them since I'm seeing now most of this is nude, darker (for too faced) and muted colors. 

The Lip Oils are Profusion, and LA Colors. I like both, for different reasons. 

The profusion lip oils are a very slight hint of color but very juicy without sliding all over, and the LA Colors is thinner, but moisturizes well, and is good under lip stick.

What's your go-to Too Faced product? Least favorite? Share in the comments below!

Have a great day, 

Craftin' Wife

What I've Been Working On (Crafting)

 Hey Y'all!

Since my last "whatcha doing" blog in February I've been working on more shirts (and hoodies) for ShadowWolf Studios, creating mockup, doing some Fortnite shirts for my nephew, and some random ones for my niece, and trying my hand at creating my own SVGs. (I'll share one below, feel free to grab it!) Lastly I've been doing some of the Instagram this or that posts (@craftinwife).

First I'll share the mockups, and other work I did for SWS, I'm enjoying working with their new design (as well as the logo):

The new design we came up with!

Company logo.

Some more shirts I've done for them. 

Shirts for family:

Working on the nieces stuff in Cricut design space, we changed some things around and she was happy with the finished product! I had a picture on my phone but must have accidently deleted it (if interested it can be seen on Instagram).

Siser EasyWeed Glow in the Dark was so easy to work with! I love the way this turned out!

 The nephew loves Fortnite!

I also finally got around to cleaning/decluttering my book shelves. I had to make some space!

Made room for packaging materials....and new books..

The acrylic stamp set collection still needs to be decluttered and organized, but I'll get there eventually. I also need to find a better solution for my bags, behind the door isn't working too well.

I've been playing around with some creative software and coming up with (more of) my own designs. I have a few ready, and a lot more ideas. I'm currently willing to share this one:

A cute little summer truck, ready for the beach! So far I've done this with it:

As stated above, feel free to grab this and use it! I'd love to see what you do with it, so share a link in the comments below, or tag me on social media.

I've also tried my hand at taking my own photos for mockups. This one is unedited, for the Welcome Mat. I was surprised how well it turned out!

Fun Posts:

Crafting this or that from prettypinkposh.

Nail this or that from LA Colors.

A lot of different projects happened this month, which was your favorite? Are you working on anything currently? Share below!

Have a great day,

Craftin' Wife

April Empties & Declutters (Makeup Revolution Eyeshadow Mini Review)

 Hey Y'all!

I don't have much to share this month. Just a couple items that weren't working for me.

First up is Makeup Revolution  I Heart Revolution Donut Eye Shadow Palette in Custard Filled.

I hadn't tried the brands eye shadows in several years, but kept hearing good things about them, so decided to pick this up when I found it on sale. I so wanted to like it, it's affordable, and super cute! It went on fairly pigmented, however all the colors pretty much look the same if you try to blend them out together.

In this picture I've used all 5 colors:

Maybe I'm being too hard on the brand, but I only see 2.

On a different day I decided to try the colors individually, and while they looked nicer at first, I had the same issue I've had previously with the brand. After a couple hours the eye shadow(s) disappear. (Where did they go?) It looks like I've either never even put it on, or there is slight pigmentation left near my lash line, where I assume all the eyeshadow has fallen over the last few hours.

I tried this palette on 3 separate occasions and just couldn't get it to preform the way I wanted. Have you tried Makeup Revolution shadows recently? How was your experience?

I do have a few of their highlighters, and really like them, and I've done okay with their blush in the past. (Nothing I'd repurchase, simply because there is too many better options out there, but they all preformed nicely.) Anything from the brand you'd suggest? Let me know in the comments below!

Secondly I'm decluttering the Ulta Shiny Sheer Lip Gloss mini I received in a Holiday 2019 set, It's been rambling around for awhile now, and I never reach for a boring clear.

The formula was good, and I have kept all the colored glosses from the set. I just never really use a clear lip gloss.

Lastly is Maybelline Baby Lips Dr. Rescue, I've had this forever and almost finished it, but had to declutter since it's past expiration. I have switched to lip oils for the time being, and have no plans to repurchase currently, though I did really like this lip balm.

That's all I've got for April, I'm sooo very close to finishing the Ulta Primer and the Ulta Setting Spray I've previously mentioned, and while I've liked them both I'm ready to try something new!

Was there anything you had to declutter this month? What was it? I'd like to know what you're favorites, and flops are!

Have a great day,

Craftin' Wife

How- To HTV with Cricut & the Easy Press

 Hey Ya'll!

For this HTV (heat transfer vinyl) how-to I'll be using:

My {Windows} PC (Cricut can also be used through mobile, tablet, laptop, ect. Android, Windows and Apple compatible, though some features are a bit different across the platforms.)

My Cricut & Design Space

Cricut 12x12 cutting mat

Cricut Weeding Tool

Cricut 9x9 Easy Press (This was planned before I got my heat press, but the process is the same until heat and then the idea is the same, I can share a heat press process addition if any one is interested.)

Rainbow Oil HTV by the Paper Studio from Hobby Lobby

Gildan Tee Shirt(s) from Bulk Apparel 

To begin load up Design Space and choose an SVG, create your own, or find one online. The options are endless. If interested in either a how to make your own, or my favorite sites for SVGs let me know in the comments below!

We're going to be working with my husbands (main) company logo, original artwork by Kevin Thompson, modified by me for use with the Cricut and to put on apparel. 

1) Open your design and size it to fit your "blank". This is going on an XL shirt so I chose to go close to max. The 12x12 actual cutting space is 11.5x11.5, similarly the 12x24 mat cuts 11.5x23.5, allowing a half inch mat space. 

2) Click "Make It". 

3) HTV goes on the mat shiny side (carrier sheet) DOWN. All iron on (HTV) projects need to be mirrored for that reason.

4) After I've made sure to mirror my design I move it a little further in and down on the mat on screen, I'd rather give myself a bit of leeway there than have it cut the design off.

5) Select your material, either by the dial on the Explore machines or on screen with the Maker.

6) Load your mat by pressing the arrow buttons. (There is no material on this mat, picture was taken after the fact.)

7)Click cut, the cute little cricut C.

Cutting in progress screen. Depending on the design, and size this could take several minutes. If you're doing a multi color design each color will be loaded on a separate mat. There is a hack around that depending on size(s) and if interested in that let me know in the comments below!

8) Cut has finished, unload the mat.

9) Click finish! This will take you back to design space and your image. 

The computer (phone, tablet, etc) portion is done, so if you want to save your work before closing out it will prompt you to do so. 

This is what my cut out looks like. Because this was so large I didn't have much excess to save, but if you've done a smaller cut use your scissors are cut around your design before weeding to save your vinyl for another project.

10) Weed you design. On these patterned vinyl's, or on white, I like to use my Ott Light so I can better see what I'm doing.

This task can be tedious depending on the design, but should pull up/weed fairly easy.  Some suggestions for if it's not: cut settings were wrong (read the instructions with each brand you're using), bad vinyl which is rare but does happen, or your design is just too small. Most of the time if there's an issue it's the cut not being deep enough. Test cutting with a new material is a great way to alleviate that issue.

11) Prep your material according to the HTV directions.

For this example using my Easy Press I pre-heated the shirt at 305 F for 15 seconds. This is done to get out the wrinkles, and any moisture that may be in the shirt.

12) Press! Since this design was bigger than my press I had to do it in sections. ( Not an issue with my new heat press, yay!) I did 305 F for 30s, in four sections paying close attention not to overlap and "burn" the design.

13) Some HTV is warm peel, some is cold peel, be sure to follow the directions there, as it does make a difference. Peel the carrier sheet, and it's done!

14) All finished! The Easy Press has an auto shut off feature, some heat presses (like mine) do not, so I always manually shut it off to stay in the habit. If you haven't shut down design space you can do so now, or start your next project!

If you'd like more in depth about any of todays blog let me know! If you're new to cricut (even if you're not) and make anything new share a link to your project(s) below, I'd love to check them out!

Have a great day,

Craftin' Wife

Current Hair Care Favorites

 Hey Y'all!

I didn't plan for my favorites to almost all be sample sized from just two different brands, but that's the case here.

I am currently working through a few shampoos and conditioners. Nothing that's a holy grail product, but from the drug store I'm really liking the Aveeno Scalp Soothing Fresh Greens Blend Shampoo, It's hard to tell if the thicker fuller hair is a result of not being sick anymore/chemo regrowth, or attributed, even in part, to the shampoo. Regardless I like that it's sulfate, paraben, and dye free. Conditioner wise I like  Herbal Essences Argan Oil Conditioner. 

Higher end picks would be NatureLab Tokyo Perfect Shine Clarifying Scalp Scrub, Amika Normcore Signature Shampoo and the corresponding conditioner, as well as Oribe Gold Lust Repair & Restore Shampoo & Conditioner. I like this scalp scrub, and it works well, but what's your favorite?

I've yet to really find a hair mask I love. Any suggestions??

Dry shampoo, I don't use often with my hair being this short, but these are my top 2.

Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo is #1. It's been my number one for several years now. Living Proof Perfect Hair Day is a very close second. Both brush through well, smell good, don't leave a white cast, and are about the same price.

The current hair styling products I'm using in favorite(s) order:

#1, 3, and 4 are all Oribe! I just wish it wasn't so pricey!

Featherbalm Weightless Styler is great for an everyday styling cream, to keep things in place without adding much structure, and no stiffness or stickiness. A little goes a long way with this.

Dry Texturizing Spray is for the days I want more. More structure, more texture, more fun.

Grandiose Hair Plumping Mousse isn't sticky or "crunchy" like a lot of the mousse products out there, it smells great too. 

#2 is the Amika Fluxxus Touchable Hairspray, I've used it for years. It's not too heavy. but still holds my hair in place. The best hairspray around.

Currently that's about all I use on my hair. Every once in awhile I'll use Davines OI All in One Milk, when my hair's feeling a bit dry, now that it's Spring and I'm out a bit more, I plan to use it more, just for the UV protection. (Is there a (better) hair sunscreen? Let me know in the comments below!)

What are some of your favorite hair care products? Let me know! I'm always looking to try new things.

Have a great day,

Craftin' Wife

Craft Room Declutter # 4 Finale!?!

 Hey Y'all!

Slight change of plans. I decided to save the other side of the room with books/bookcases, and stamps for another blog. Going through those is going to take far longer than the time I allotted myself to get this done. In all fairness books aren't technically craft related (although several in my collection are). 

I'll blog about that process in the future, but for now this declutter series has reached the end!

First I started with the storage unit that sits under the window, it holds soap molds, 6x6 paper, randomness, and fabric paints.

The perler beads and accessories are going to my niece, she's really into them right now, and I've got so many other crafts I do I don't have the time for these.

Paper, and more randomness that got decluttered.

What I started with in craft paints..

Testing out what was still good./What I'm keeping.

This is where I figured out that the only brands worthwhile (and even checking) were Tulip and Scribbles. I should have remember this from my crafting day's as a kid (when Dad worked for JoAnn Fabric & Crafts {as it was known then} in the 80's & 90's).

I didn't take a picture of everything I kept, but I'm at about 50, and all of them are those two brands.

Lastly I decided to reorganize/declutter my inks....Mainly because I had run out of space.

All the inks.

What I kept. (Versa Ink {but not all of them}, Close to My Heart, Stampin' Up, & Tim Holtz) These brand are more consistently pigmented, and perform better for me.

Decluttered:

This is everything I decluttered. The small Studio G I've just outgrown the size, and I have more color options from better brands now. They were my 1st brand of inks, and worked well for me then, and were easy to pick up since WalMart is all that there is in my town. The Heidi Swapp I just don't see me using those colors currently, and they're discontinued. The rest just had to go because I had too many.

It looks like less "boxed" up like this. 

Over all I'm happy with what I've accomplished so far. The room is coming together nicely after the Heat Press addition. Now I have to finish the room, and find a easily accessible place for the heat press attachments.

*** Not blog related but I wanted to share! I got a mention on Craftables Instagram stories! So exciting! I really love their HTV, and they are also in Tennessee, not quite local but close enough.

Are you doing any Spring Cleaning yet? Let me know in the comments below!

Have a great day, 

Craftin' Wife