Top Knots to the Rescue

Ladies, as you know, our hair is an everyday challenge. In most cases, a presentable hairdo takes time. And unfortunately, time is scarce these days. A good blow out or a crown of gorgeous curls can run you anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour. Even a pretty ponytail can cost you 10 to 20 minutes. 

Who has the time?! 

Enter the Top Knot. Quick (I'm talking 2 to 5 minutes), relaxed, yet somehow also soft and polished, a top knot can be a real life saver when time is of the essence. Ladies, if you have not yet attempted one of these amazing time savers, otherwise known as top knots...it's about time you do yourself a favor. 

Braided Top Knot

Beehive Top Knot

 Polished Top Knot

 Twisted Top Knot

Unicorn Top Knot

Messy Top Knot with Baby Bouffant Bangs

 

 Top Knot + Flowers

At a close friend's wedding this weekend, I found myself with less than 5 minutes to do my hair (engage panic mode). This quick, messy bun tutorial popped into my head and saved the day. They handed out a beautiful strings of flowers which I added to my messy bun and viola!

1. Pinterest // 2. Pinterest // 3. Pinterest // 4. Pinterest // 5. Pinterest // 6. Pinterest // 7. Pinterest

5 Aspirational Resolutions for The New Year

Happy New Year my Lovlies!

The beginning of a new year is good time to reflect, recalibrate, refocus and then...dominate.

Have you set your New Year's resolutions yet? I've really enjoyed reading others' resolutions and wanted to share my favorite five:

1. Set smaller monthly goals to help you achieve your larger goals
2. Create (something, anything)
3. Believe and invest (your time, your energy, your money) in YOU 
4. Give more
5. Nourish: friendships, relationships and YOU (physically, spiritually, intellectually)

What are your New Year's resolutions?

A Minute of Inspiration: The Power of Thought

During the month of October, each person at my office sent out an inspirational quote and article to share with the rest of the company. A wonderful idea initiated by my boss, each of us were exposed to a variety of inspiring projects, videos, quotes, articles and movies.

As we move into the new year and start to think about our new year's resolutions, I wanted to share the email that I shared with my co-workers. 

I hope you find some inspiration in it:

BE

“Watch your thoughts for they become words.

Watch your words for they become actions.

Watch your actions for they become habits.

Watch your habits for they become your character.

And watch your character for it becomes your destiny."

I've seen this quote credited to everyone from Margaret Thatcher to Ralph Waldo Emerson to Lao Tse. The first person to bestow this eye-opening gem upon me was my Dad. So in this case-- I credit him. 

READ

What we think, and how we think; we become. 

"Life is 10% of what happens to you and 90% of how you react to it." When is the last time that you've paid attention to that voice in your head? Just passively listened to your own internal dialogue? Is it constructive? Destructive? Negative? Positive? With all of the noise in our lives, it's good to check in every now and then. I strongly believe (and often forget) that each of our thoughts plays a role in shaping our lives…for better or worse. 

How you think and act is what you attract. 

With that I'll share this article from www.marcandangel.com, "60 Quotes that Will Change the Way You Think." I find these quotes to be uplifting and inspirational, I hope that you do, too.

LISTEN

There is one last thing I'd like to leave you with for when you have 30 minutes to listen to a good story. Here is a link to an episode of my favorite podcast, This American Life. "Hit The Road" is the true story of Andrew Foresthoefel, who at 23 years old walked across America with a 50 pound backpack, a mandolin, and a sign that said, walking to listen. This podcast is about his personal journey and the life stories and lessons from those he met along the way.

Love & Light,

Maria

The Magnificent Display at Dusk

The upside to a 4 and a half hour drive at dusk is watching the sky transition with beauty and grace as the sun sets and the moon rises. The sunlight becomes such a pretty golden color and everything looks mellow and nostalgic. I feel like this is a good metaphor for the time of year we're entering, when 2012 is slowly setting and we can already feel the energy of 2013 upon us. So many big changes 2012 brought (and I'm sure there will be a few more before the year is over) and it feels like now is the time to reflect as things begin to mellow out and we can see the year coming to it's end.

Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon?

Tell me, what is it you plan to do

with your one wild and precious life?

(From "The Summer Day" by Mary Oliver)

Are there any last changes you want to make or things you want to finish before 2012 is over? Any resolutions you still need to work on?

A Minute of Inspiration: Halloween Makeup Ideas

// Comic Girl: LOVE this one //

Can you believe it's Halloween already!? Knowing this month is going to fly by in jiffy, I've started looking around for some Halloween makeup ideas. Look what I found...

 // Creepy Girl //

// Pretty Clown // 

// Dia de Los Muertos: If it's possible to pull off creepy and pretty at once, this is it //

// Cleopatra // 

// Flower Fairy: this girl cray-cray. I saw this in the "news." If you're intrigued, watch her video here // 

// Zipper Eyes // 

 // Comic Book Look by Mac Makeup Artists // 

 // Black Swan Inspired // 

 // Comic Book Girl: Clearly I'm obsessed with the comic book look // 

// 'Scary as All Hell' Girl: uhhh yeah, this scares me // 

So impressed by the makeup application on all of these ladies. It's truly art! If you like this post, you'll like these Halloween makeup ideas from last year. Do you see anything here that inspires you?

Thanks and photo credit to: Beauty Tips and Tricks, Senseless Style, Stream Woman, eMakeup, Shine Yahoo!, eTrecos, and Beverly Hills Honeys.

A Minute of Inspiration: Maniac Pumpkins

There are three things I love about Halloween: people running around in costumes, the idea of Halloween being a celebration of the end of the 'light' half of the year and the beginning of the 'dark' half and pumpkin art (here are some pretty pumpkins from last year)!

How incredible are these pumpkins?! Childhood friends Chris Soria and Marc Evan, a muralist and an illustrator, had been carving pumpkins for fun until 2009 when the New York Yankees asked them to carve 50 pumpkins in 36 hours for Game 1 of the World Series. The rest is history. Look what these amazing artists can do with a locally grown pumpkin, knives, linoleum cutters and pear-shaped clay loops. It's simply Magic.

'Klimt's Kiss'

// love love love this one //

'Starry Pumpkin'

Watch the making of video here

'Rihanna'

'Zombies'

Check out more of their work at www.maniacpumpkincarvers.com

A Minute of Inspiration: I Believe I Can Fly

So cliche, yet so deeply true-- If You believe it, You can achieve it. 

It may not happen in the exact way you imagined, 

but the essence of what you truly believe (and work hard for) will come true.

Be inspired by this palm-sweating, heart-racing, passion drenched documentary trailer by the French director Sebastien Montaz-Rosset. "I Believe I Can Fly (Flight of the Frenchies)" 

A Minute of Inspiration: 3 Things Ric Elias Learned While His Plane Crashed

Have you guys seen this? If not, please watch it, it's only 5 minutes. It's the three things that we've heard said to us a million times...but have they really sunk in yet? Have you forgotten? Ric Elias does such a great job at reminding the world of how we should live.

A Minute of Inspiration: Shake that Negative Energy

Let's face it, we all have a bad day here and there. It's easy to spiral down that dark, murky hole of negativity- and having to gather the energy to claw your way back up out of it without taking a couple of casual bystanders down with you can take a little motivation. Here are some websites that I like to read when I loose my footing:

Your Joyologist

The Daily Love
Think Simple Now
Little Dumb Man
Tiny Buddha

and 

this article on Pick The Brain

When all else fails...I read this, Fail Blog, or watch this video below and it makes me remember that really, when all is said and done...most of the stuff we stress and worry about just isn't that serious.