Day 20. Tuesday Tunes

   Hello all! Welcome back. Day 20! Only ten more days to go!

  Today for Tuesday Tunes I'm doing a new song by Blanca called 'Different Drum.' It's got a fun, marching band feel. Mom and I have it stuck in our heads. The words are positive and empowering to daily life. It's about being unafraid of the world and keeping our following God. I hope you enjoy the song. ~Promise

Day 19. Makeup Monday

   Hey everyone! Today I'm doing a post about five of my favorite beauty products. Let's go!

1. This nail polish by O.P.I. It's called. I call it my 'raven wing polish' because of it's purple and teal shift.

2. My L'Oreal liquid highlighter. It's actually light enough to show up on my skin. ;) You can apply it as a highlighter or mix it with foundation for an over all glow. So pretty! I used it in my Asian makeup post. 

3. Cackle Spackle, a face mask by Perfectly Posh. It has Charcoal and clay that detoxes the face, plus, it smells like spearmint. It always makes my skin feel wonderful.

4. This Ulta brand red lip gloss. It's got a beautiful shine and the shade looks great with my coloring.

5. Nars creamy concealer in vanilla. It seems to cover my under eye darkness as well as any blemishes I might have.


   Hope you enjoyed my post. Any beauty products that you're attached to? ~Promise

Day 18. Sunday

   I've been trying to practice mindfulness lately. Mindfulness is keeping your mind on the here and now. I tend to want to worry all the time. I rehash mistakes, I beat myself up over the past, and I worry about future decisions and changes. It's not a healthy practice because you make yourself crazy and waste the time given to you right now. Mindfulness, simply put, is keeping your head in the present. It's not easy and it takes practice, but it's a good habit to learn. Mindfulness is taught in the scriptures, like here in Luke. I got this verse from biblehub.com

(Luke 12:22-34)

25Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

   It gives me peace knowing that God is on top of everything. So really, why worry? See you tomorrow. ~Promise

Day 17. Saturday Switch

   Welllll....No switch today, but I'll still blog.

   Today I went to a Type One Diabetes convention. It was kinda nice to see all these people that understand the struggle of managing diabetes every day. They're working on new products to make life easier, and ultimatly, a cure. I don't understand why I have diabetes, but I do understand that through this trial, God has made me stronger.
  
   I'm pretty tired, so this post is short. See you tomorrow. ~Promise

Day 16. Freestyle Friday

   Today for Freestyle Friday...These are a few of my favorite things...

Cold rainy days, intrigue book covers, fires, leaves rustling in the breeze, watching your breath puff out on freezing days, purring cats, stupid puns, lying on your back in the warm sun, blowing dandelions, parodies, sad songs, ball gowns, lavender oil, roses, kimonos, red lipstick, earbuds, big, fluffy blankets, cellos, fast piano pieces, breathing in the hot steam from tea, playing music with your eyes closed.

  'When the dog bites, when the bee stings, when I'm feeling sad, I simply remember my favorite things, and then I don't feel so bad.' What are some of your favorite things? ~Promise

Day Fifteen. Trim Thursday

   Well, I've made it half way! Let's keep plugging along.

   Yesterday I made sugar free lemon cookies from a recipe off Pinterest. They turned out pretty well, though I didn't have the lemon zest or lemon oil. I substituted about two tablespoons of lemon juice to make up for the oil and zest. After they cooled, they were almost like soft lemon shortbread cookies. For the sweetener I used coconut crystals, which is  low glycemic (meaning it doesn't spike your blood sugar) and tastes an awful lot like sugar once it's baked in something. You can find the recipe I used here! 
   One thing I will say, once you store the cookies, they loose their short bread like  consistency. They turned soft and fell apart easily when I tried one this morning.

   Hope you guys try this recipe out! ~Promise

Day Fourteen. Watching Wednesday

   Back again! Today, by popular request (meaning one person suggested that I do a post on this...) I'm doing a post on three of my favorite Christian movies.


1. Courageous. Probably my favorite. I love justice themed movies, and this one has some great messages along with a few twists.

2. War Room. I loved the encouragment in this movie. It explores ways to fight back against the enemy. Through prayer, one of our most effective weapons, we connect to our source of power. This movie is great! Check it out.

3. Facing the Giants. This movie showcases God's power and willingness to listen to us when we humble ourselves before him. It cute and has a great ending.


   Maybe you seen one (or all) of these movies? What did you think of them? How would you rank these three? See you guys tomorrow. ~Promise

Day Thirteen. Tuesday Tunes

   Back! Today for Tuesday Tunes I'm doing a song by Tobymac about his wife, it's called 'Made for Me.' When I was about to turn 17, I had the beginning of this song stuck in my head...'She was 17 when she came on the scene I saw her down the hall and thought that I was in a dream...' It's just a super sweet song about how different they are, yet how they go together well. It's amazing what God has planned for our lives! It encourages me to relax and know that I don't have to plan for EVERYTHING in my life, because God's got his own perfect plan. Hope y'all enjoy! See you tomorrow. ~Promise

Day Twelve. Makeup Monday

   Hey guys! Today for Makeup Monday I'm doing five makeup looks from the last 100 years. If you know me, you know I love vintage, especially the 50s and 60s. This should be fun!

1. 1930. In the thirties, makeup shifted a bit. The style in the twenties had dark eyes and lips, but in the thirties makeup became more feminine and light. Women in the thirties still kept some aspects from the makeup in the past decade, like the thin, penciled in brows and brightly blushed cheeks.

2. 1950. My favorite era for makeup! Bold brows, red lips, winged eyeliner, what's not to like?

3. 1960. Makeup (and other things) changed drastically through the next thirty years. Makeup in the sixties featured strong, artistic eyes and pale lips.

4. 1970. The seventies had two sides. A earthy, more natural approach on makeup, and the disco queen makeup. I'm ignoring the disco today and focusing on the more natural, warm tones of seventies makeup.

5. 1980. Aaaaand...My least favorite era of makeup. Not everyone wore colorful eye shadow and bright blush, but this look kinda pops into everyone's heads when they think of iconic eighties makeup.

   We're done! I defenately had fun doing this. I probably wouldn't wear a few of these looks out of the house, (cough cough eighties) but it's always fun to play around with color and technique. What's your favorite makeup era?

   ~Promise

Day Eleven. Sunday Devotions

   Today 'Local Construction' by Relient K came on my Spotify, and I began to think about the lyrics. 'Fix the car, fix the house, fix the flaws in myself, it's never done...' For me, sometimes I can fool myself into believing I can really fix my every flaw all by myself. Really, it's impossible. I only end up feeling hopeless and frustrated. It takes a power greater than me. It takes a loving father that knows what's best for his child. It's through his grace that I have the opportunity to change. It's through his power that he inspires people to lead holy lives. It's through his love that he draws us closer to him and molds us in his likeness. I don't have all the answers or the power to completely fix myself, but he does. Check out 'Local Construction.' 

  What things are you working on in your life? I know I'm trying to be more mindful of my time. See you guys tomorrow. ~Promise

Day Ten. Saturday Switch

   Well, didn't get anyone to do a post for today, so I'm doing one. I'm not about to miss a day of blogging. 

   Today I'm doing an anti Trim Healthy Thursday post. It's about food that's not good for me, but I like. 

1. Balogna. It's cheap and has horrid fillers, but I like it. It might be something to do with the texture. It's smooth and almost rubbery. For some reason I like it. 

2. Diet Dr. Pepper. My mom gave me a taste for this. I enjoy it once and a while. It has nasty chemicals in it, so I don't drink it often. 

3. Cheetos. I love cheesy foods. Too bad these things are so fattening. :( 

   What foods do you enjoy? Let me know in the comments below! (Ha! Rhyme!) see you tomorrow. ~Promise

Day Nine. Freestyle Friday

   Today we watched as power was shifted from one hand, to another. At first I didn't want to watch. I'm tired of people being upset, and I wanted to try to ignore everything about this election, but I changed my mind. I'd never seen an inauguration before, and I was quite in awe of everything. The music was beautiful, the speeches were interesting, and though our country is in shambles, hope remains. Hope found in God for a better future, and a brighter tomorrow. I think the important thing to keep in mind is that this world isn't our home. We don't belong here, and we are not lead by any human. If we stand with God, we will stand strong, and we have nothing to fear.
   I'm sure you've noticed that the length of my posts have diminished. Sorry about that. It's gotten harder to figure out post ideas, and posting every day is starting to take a toll. If you have ideas or feedback about posts, please let me know. I'd appreciate it. See you all soon!

    ~Promise

Day Eight. Trim Thursday

   Well, I've made it a week! This ended up being harder than I expected, but I am enjoying it.
   Today for Trim Thursday, I'm sharing three healthy foods that I'm enjoying.

1. Spinach. Although I hate it raw, I've been liking it when I cook it. It's really good for you. It has vitamin C and antioxidants among other things. This morning I put some spinach in my scrambled eggs. I also like putting a handful of raw spinach into smoothies.

2. Kombucha. My new found favorite drink! Its a fermented probiotic drink (probiotics are great for your gut), sort of like Kefir. It's naturally fizzy and has a slight vinegar tang (which I like, but not all people do) It has very trace amounts of alcohol, but you'd have to drink about 8 bottles to actually feel the effect. Basically, it's like drinking pickle juice, but it tastes better.

3. Avocados. I mashed one and put some salt and pepper in it, then put it on a sandwich with barbecued pork, goat cheese (which is AMAZING), and a fried egg. It was really good. Avocados can also go into smoothies easily. They have B, C, and E vitamins along with fiber and good fats, so it's not a bad idea to add some into your diet.


I hope you guys will try out some of these food! See you tomorrow. ~Promise

Day Seven. Watching Wednesday

   Hello and welcome back to the blog! Today, I want to talk about one of my favorite movies, The Emperor's New Groove. Grace and I both love this movie. It's got a ton of qoatable lines, one of my favorite villains of all time, and a prideful Emperor who gets turned into a llama. What's not to like? I love Pacha's good nature and humility that contrasts violently with Kuzco's over the top bravado. The story is pretty believable, well, as far as Disney goes...And I like that Kuzco actually learns a lesson. It's cute, fun, dorky, and I love it. Check it out sometime, and let me know what you think. ~Promise

Day Six. Tuesday Tunes

   Well, this week's already been pretty horrible, plus we found out some MORE bad news today. I've been pretty down. Today while we were in the car the song 'Worn,' by Fifth Avenue North came on the radio. It's a song about being tired of fighting and wanting to give up, but pressing on. I'm not sure if I've posted this song yet, and if I have, I'm still posting it. I really like the piano in this song too, it's melodic and gentle.
   Today, I choose to keep fighting. ~Promise

Day Five. Makeup Monday

   ...Well, day five is here. So far, so good. 

   I've always been fascinated by Asian culture. I love the brightly colored kimonos, the fans, the tea, the food, but especially the makeup. So, today I wanted to do a post on my three favorite elements of Korean/ Asian style makeup.


1. The dewy skin. In general, Asians take really good care of their skin, but some of it's radiance is attributed to their makeup. Cushion products are really popular, especially in Korean and Japan. Cushions provide a glowing finish to the skin, and are usually light weight. I'd love to get my hands on a cushion blush or foundation some day.


2. Gradient lips. There's something sweet and almost candy like to a good gradient lip. I love how the lips are downplayed, with only a pop of color to the middle. It's a unique way to experiment with color and shape.


3. Youthful blush. A big trend in Korean and Japan is to apply blush high to the cheeks, almost underneath your eyes. For some reason, I really like this. I'm already a big fan of a natural flush (cream blush is a great way to get this), but when applied in this manner, it seems fresh and cute.

   Hope you enjoyed! Please feel free to comment and give me ideas for future posts! ~Promise

Day Four. Sunday

   Lately, I've been feeling like my life is kind of meaningless. It feels like I'm not accomplishing enough, or I don't have my life together. However, one morning after I had my devotions, a song started running through my mind. I had been praying about my life and this feeling of not doing enough, when these lyrics entered my mind. 'Do everything you do to the glory of the one who made you...' As I thought about the lyrics to this song I realized that right now, maybe the only things I do are school and seeming trivial daily chores, but that doesn't mean it's meaningless. What matters is my attitude. If I work hard in my daily life to please God, even in my day to day routine, then that's the best thing I can be doing. 

   The song that I mentioned is 'Do Everything,' by Steven Curtis Chapman if you want to listen to it. I'm too lazy to actually link it here. ;) 

  See you tomorrow. ~Promise

Day Three. Saturday Switch

   I'm back! Today is Saturday, and it's time to see who will write today's blog...

   And so my daughter asked me to take over her blog for today.  As I do, I can't help but think back to my seventeenth year and the fact that there were no blogs when I was her age,  I was writing for our school newspaper though and co-editor or our school year book. It makes me happy to think that I have an offspring that enjoys wordsmithing. 
   As the mother of a newborn, I had intentions to pass along so many things to my innocent little girl.  I wanted to save my daughter from making the same mistakes that I had made in my life.  I wanted to give her a boost up in her relationship with the Lord.  I didn't want her to have to begin from the ground floor and climb over many obstacles.
   The last few years, I have come to realize that while it is a parental responsibility to lead their children to Christ and prepare them to launch into the world with a Christian worldview, there are things that we cannot do for our children, no matter how much we wish that we could.  There is much to be learned in the struggle to know Christ better.  And it is an individual relationship that Christ desires with each of us.  Each rung achieved by a young person in their ascent to be closer to the will of her Heavenly Father is a well deserved accomplishment.  Because it is a personal victory, it is one on which she can firmly stand.  It gives her strength for the climb to the next rung.
   And so as I read my daughter's blog, I have great joy when she speaks of things that encourage her along her path and I prayerfully cheer her along.  When she she writes of her interests and passions I appreciate her uniqueness and am glad to know that she is not a carbon copy of her mother.  She will leave her own mark on the world and build up the kingdom of God from an angle that is not mine.  But I have to admit that there is something satisfying about knowing that the talent and enjoyment of writing have passed on to another generation!


    AWWWW! So, that's my Mom's post for today. TUNE IN TOMORROW to see the next post! ~Promise

Day Two. Freestyle Friday

   Heyyy all the people...I'm back. Today I'm trying to figure out just what I'm going to post. I'm not sure how you feel about artwork, but I really enjoy looking at people's art. I love to analyze their style, and draw from the things that I like. Sometimes I'll start picking up bits and pieces of other artwork and melding it into my style. Actually, I think that's what all artists do. Anyway, let's get to the post.
   Today, I'd like to show you what I'd call 'my style.' Firstly, you need to know that I'm in no way a serious artist, nor do I claim to be, but I do draw and paint quite a bit. The other thing you need to know is that I don't really have one set style. I draw whatever I feel like. However, I do tend to have elements about my drawings that stay the same. Here are a few examples. 


1. I tend to put the most emphasis on the eyes. Eyes are hands down, my favorite feature. They can convey such emotion without saying a word. The way I draw eyes tends to follow a few patterns. Usually I don't add highlight to the pupil and forego the iris, I make the eye lines thick and defined, and I add a lid above the eyes. Even in simple drawings, I like to add the most detail to eyes. I like the look of a simple frame, face, and hair, and then you see defined eyes. I'll add examples below.

2. I like to try to my drawings show feeling. Strangely enough, I'm enamored by drawing tears and people with a strong emotional feel tied to them. Now, this doesn't always apply. When I'm sketching fashion ideas, I tend to give the characters no emotion, because it's not them that I'm focusing on, it's the fashion. I do have drawings of Kat, Kathryn, or Grace in which they're modeling fashion, but I give them some sort of feeling in their faces. If I'm drawing a person I know, I tend to show them with a mood or emotion that I associate them with, like my friend Kat. When I draw her, she usually looks confident and a little fierce, because that's how I see her most of the time. Grace tends to look sweet and quirky, and Kathryn looks polished and more serious. Example below.

3. I like to mix strong, harsh lines with softness. My style is a mix of a strong graphic, like a comic book, with softness, like flowing hair or a sweeping gown. I like the contrast. If I'm drawing a girl with sharp, strong eyes, then I often add soft tendrils of hair that frame her face. It's kind of a balance.  But, like always, this doesn't apply to every drawing. Like if the character I'm drawing is strong, I'm not going to overly soften the image, because I want them to stand out in the picture as who they are. I hope this makes sense. It's hard to explain it. Example below.

   Anyhow, I hope this a little interesting... See y'all tomorrow! ~Promise

Day One! Trim Thursday

    As I begin writing this, my SECOND blog post of the day, I wonder to myself, "What have I gotten myself into?" Too late now...Anyway! Food! The real reason you're reading this.

    Cauliflower Fried Rice

   This has quickly become one of my favorite foods, and it's way fewer carbs than actual rice. This makes a family sized portion of the faux rice.

Software: a wok or large pan, food processor, knife, chopping board
  
Ingredients:

1 head cauliflower
   
   1/2 cup coconut oil

   2 eggs

   pinch of garlic power, salt and pepper

   squirt of liquid aminos (optional, I never use this)

Directions:

   Chunk the cauliflower and put it into a food processor and chop until the the bits are about rice sized. Don't let it get too small or it will get mushy as you cook it. Next, put the coconut oil into the wok or large pan and turn the heat to medium/low, then add the cauliflower. Let it cook until you start to see dark flecks, then add the seasonings and crack the eggs into the cauliflower. Stir around until the eggs pieces are firm and well combined with everything else. Serve!


I hope you'll enjoy trying this, it's tasty, and a good way to get veggies into your diet.


See you
 

The Plan ~Promise's Daily Blog

   Well...Here we go. This should be interesting.

   I figured for my first post, I'd set up the structure for this, so here's the plan.

   Makeup Monday ~ Mondays I'll post something beauty related, like a tutorial or just some tips. I might even do a few product reviews.

   Tuesday Tunes ~ Keeping this one the same.

   Wednesday Watching ~ This will be about what I'm watching, be it YouTube or Netflix, and why I like it.

   Trim Thursdays ~ This day I'll post healthy recipes.

   Freestyle Friday ~ Clearly, I'm running out of ideas for alliteration for post days...Friday will be whatever I'm up to. Art, games, fashion, rant, lists, poetry, who knows? This will be my day to chill and just post whatever is on my mind.

   Saturday Swap ~ This day I'll be pawning off my blog to some poor human that I've dragged into this madhouse. ;) My sibling worded this so attractively. I thought it'd be fun to have a guest star on the blog.

   Sunday Devotion ~ This is pretty self-explanatory. Sundays I post some thoughts and maybe a scripture verse of two.

   Well, here we go...For the next 30 days, this is the blog. I hope you will enjoy this as much as I will!

   See you next post (which I'll be starting in like...2 minutes)

   ~Promise

Tuesday Tunes with Relient K / Should I do a Daily Blog?

   Hey people! Today I have a song from a band that I post about a lot. SORRY not sorry. Yes, my favorite band, Relient K! The song 'Prodigal' is so beautiful. If you sit and listen to the words...Wow. Pretty deep, eh? My favorite lyrics are 'Wish it was simple but it's trouble to say, 'cause nobody believes there's a debt to be payed for the things that come day after day, week after week...' Truth is, we're all prodigals because we're all sinners. That's not easy to 'fess up to, especially for a perfectionist like myself, but when we lay down our pride and come to Jesus as the broken, confused children we are, he welcomes us home and helps us back onto the right path. When you think about it, that what the majority of life is, failing and going to Jesus and starting fresh.
   So, I've been thinking it over, and I'm thinking I might try doing a daily blog for a week or a month. What do you think? I'm admittedly stealing the idea from Kelli Taylor, but I feel like it might be fun, and doing a post everyday might give me an idea as to what I like to post and such. Let me know if you like this idea, and or have ideas for posts. See you soon! ~Promise

Bleh.

   Do you ever just feel 'bleh?'

    'Bleh' is a moody, sluggish, sad kinda feeling we all get from time to time. My week's been 'bleh,' and I'm tired of it, so today I've got five ideas on how to beat 'bleh.'

1. Cook something. Now, this could just be personal, but there's something happy about working in a warm kitchen, surrounded by spices and herbs, and busily mixing ingredients in a bowl. It always seems to lift my spirits, especially when combined with-

2. Music. Music has a special power to influence your over all mood. Personally, I like to blast my Relient K play list on Spotify. They've got a song for everything! Feeling glum about school? Play College kids! Feeling blue about growing up and responsibilities? Play Forward Motion! Just get some positive music playing and-

3. Dance! You don't have to be good at it, I know I'm not. Physical activity releases endorphins in your brain that help to put you in better mood. You may not feel like it, but it should help. You don't even have to dance, any movement helps. After your workout you can-

4. Relax with Essential oils. I love essential oils, especially lavender and tea tree. You can use lemon or peppermint to help you feel energized, lavender to soothe, or bergamot to uplift. Whatever oil that makes you feel happy or relaxes you will help, I know it helps me. Finally, you can-

5. .....Eat Chocolate. Yeah, we women figured out this cure long ago. Eating chocolate creates feelings of well being in your brain, just don't go eating a pound of it. Dark chocolate's better because it has less sugar, and personally, I prefer it to milk. It just tastes more chocolatey to me.

   Well, I hope this helps you out, what do you do to feel happier? Leave me your tips below! ~Promise

Tuesday Tunes on 'Breakthrough'

   So lately, life's not been the best for my family. We have some hard situations going on and generalized stress. I happened upon this song on Britt Nicole's CD 'Gold.' Breakthrough is a great song. I love her use of metaphor in the lyrics 'I've been trying to soar with my hands tied up and my feet held to the floor.' It was such a captivating picture in my mind that I hand to try to draw it. I'm still working on it, but when it's done, I can post the final product on here if you want.

Hope you enjoy! ~Promise

2017.........?

   Well, I survived another year. That's always nice.
  
   I failed on most of my resolutions, but I did end up reading Julius Caesar.

   Last year was pretty rough, and I wasn't very optimistic about this year, but I'm starting to have some hope again. God will be with me this year, and he has great plans for all of us. That's what I'm clinging to this year.
   I'm trying to figure out some things for the blog this year. Let me know in the comments what you think. Tuesday Tunes has been going on for quite a while now, and I'm trying to figure out what I want to do with it, or if I want to keep it up at all. The other thing is that I've enjoyed doing a blog series, but I need ideas. What would you like me to post on? Like I said, feedback is much appreciated. God bless you in the new year!

   ~Promise