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Free for Haul Friday, Volume #374
Share your recent beauty purchases or rediscovered favorites in your stash (for those on low/no-buys!), chit chat about weekend plans, and learn a little more about each other!
Let's Chat!
Share your own answers in the comments!
- Haul: MAC Retro Mattes
- Weekend plans: My parents are leaving today, so I’ll be photographing + playing catch up on blog things!
- What’s something that never fails to make you smile?: Mellan, my husband, a great red lipstick.
This week's doggo photo/video...
Share your pet photos to the Temptalia Pets flickr group!
Sending good vibes for poor, little Mellan through the ether. I hope he’s okay :-/
Thank you, Kira! Waiting for those biopsy results (10-14 days) will feel like agony, but hopefully, we’ll get some answers soon.
Keeping you and your fur baby in my prayers. I hope it’s something that can be treated and Mellan will be okay. (((Hugs))))
I’m very much hoping we at least caught it earlier on and that once we know what it is, we can move forward with the right regimen and minimize any impact on his life!
Ohh, I hope Mellan feels better soon 🙁
Haul: I caved for UD’s extra 30% off clearance to get the Revolution glosses in Gash and Shadowheart. Gash is pretty, but I think I got a weird batch of Shadowheart! It’s not brown at all, it’s a taupe-y/ greyish purple! It’s not what I was expecting at all, but it’s sheer so I think it’ll make an ok fall color? I also forgot to list in the previous haul that my sweet husband bought me a Simple Human vanity mirror for Christmas! it’s just the 5x, which is terrifying enough (Pores! Facial Hair!) that I can’t even imagine the little 10x that comes with the new model LOL! It’s awesome for liquid eyeliner, though- I can finally draw smooth, even wings 🙂 🙂 🙂
Weekend plans: I usually shift into Spring Cleaning mode as soon as we hit January, so just trying to keep up with regular tidying plus tackle some bigger improvements
What’s something that never fails to make you smile? My doggies, no doubt!
Yay for your new mirror, Julia! Happy you are enjoying it so far! 🙂
I’d better not get shadowheart, then. Deeply Rooted and abh Veronica both come out like that on me. I thought the former would be brown-based and the latter pinky mauve. WTF? And they are 95% dupes for color on me, but look zero alike in their containers. Often we think things will look like they do on Christine, and at times, glaringly not so much!
It’s not even a difference between tube and application – even in the tube it looks nothing like any online pics I’ve seen, lol! That’s the trouble with online exclusives… I think if I’d seen the iteration that I received on a store shelf, I’d have walked right on by. At least it was on sale!
LOL I thought my skin was in pretty good shape for my age, then got the Simple Human Mirror last month, took a look, and eeeeek!!!! Horror show! Felt like speed dialing the nearest dermatologist and plastic surgeon ASAP, and that was only the 5x mag, don’t think I will ever need the 10x LOL But it is good for detail work
Right?? My immediate reaction was “Holy mustache, where are my tweezers!?”
And thanks for talking me out of ever looking at a 5X mirror! 😉
Oh nice gift!
Enjoy your new-found freedom 😉 It’s a lot of fun to have family over, but it’s also rrrreally exhausting.
Haul: Nada! Didn’t order or get anything this week.
Weekend plans: Play nurse for sick hubby. Create some looks for the blog. Penny Dreadful marathon.
What’s something that never fails to make you smile?: My husband’s smile and how his eyes light up when he’s genuinely happy or excited about something. And puppies.
Who could say no to puppies!
Oh no!!! Poor Mellan, I really hope he’s going to be ok, it must be stressful for him and you 🙁
*Haul – 20% off from Ulta – Z Palettes and NYX Suede Matte Lipliners in Cherry Sky, Vintage, Downtown Beauty, Prune, Copehnhagen, Brooklyn Thorn, Alabama, Cannes
*Weekend- big wet storm is coming, so will stay at home, with heater cranked up, do chores, test and organize makeup
*Makes me smile – makeup!
Thanks, Katherine!
What color/style of Z Palettes do you go for?
Stay warm!!
Ulta only had limited selection of styles, so I decided to stick with black. But I should’ve ordered more (kicking myself), waiting for next 20% coupon
Sending all my love and healing vibes to you guys and your baby Mellan.
Thank you, Celia! 🙂
Oh Christine – I am so sorry for what’s going on with your baby!
Haul:
ASOS: Hylamide SubQ Eyes Advanced Serum, Paul & Joe Limited Edition Make Up Love Face & Eye Color (Smitten Kitten 107, Mon Petite Chat 109), Paul & Joe Limited Edition Make Up Love Lipstick (Russian Blue 103, Persian Pink 104)
Beautyhabit (15% off): Paul & Joe – Limited Edition Eye Color (Argentine Tango, clearance), Limited Edition Lipstick Case (11, 37, 38, 39), Color Compact, Lipstick Case (Retro Pink and White), Facial Cotton (3)
BH Cosmetics (Free ship at $25 and GWP): Brushes (V10 – Vegan Brow Duo Brush, V1 – Vegan Large Powder Brush, 11 – Highlighter Brush/2) Waterproof Lip Liner (Brazen, Candy)
Birchbox ($41.40 off from points and site NYE credit): Liz Earle – Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser Starter Kit, Gentle Face Exfoliator (3, 2 @30% off), Brightening Treatment Mask; Marvis – Whitening Toothpaste (2), Mouthwash Concentrate Strong Mint; 6 Liz Earle deluxe samples
ColourPop: Eyeshadows (Tang, Stereo, Moonshine, DGAF, Shop, Melrose, Thirsty Girl, Koosh, Fringe), Peachy Keen Foursome
Deciem: The Ordinary Advanced Retinoid 2%, Hylamide High Efficiency Face Cleaner
Femme Fatale Cosmetics: Clever Girl, End of the Storm
Illamasqua (20% off): Antimatter Lipstick (Nebula, Hadron, Vibrate, Charge, Isotope), Deluxe Hydra Veil sample
Kiko: High Pigment Wet and Dry Eyeshadow ( 30 Matte Pine Green, 27 Metallic Sapphire, 81 Matte Antique Brass), Sparkling Trail Eyeshadow (3 Sensual Burgundy)
MAC: Caitlyn Jenner – Eyeshadow (Glowing Gold, Worthy), Lipglass (Tolerance)
NARS: Duo Eyeshadow (Chiang Mai), Velvet Shadow Stick (Usbek)
Neman Marcus: YSL The Street and I Couture Palette Collector
Notoriously Morbid (Mystic Matte was free): Glass Lip Tint (Glass Peaches), Mystic Matte Liquid Lipstick (Ethereal), Your Replicator or Mine (Kirk), GTFO, 2016! (2)
Notoriously Morbid ($20 off): Trouble Multiplied Body Splash (4)
Saks: Chanel Coco Code Blush Harmony
Sephora: KVD Everlasting Flash: Everlasting Liquid Lipstick (Sanctuary)
Ulta (Redeemed points so order cost me $2.39): Bronx Colors Super Single Eyeshadows Buy One Get One ½ Off (Midnight Blue, Silver, Snow White, Forest, Black Purple, Pearl), The Body Shop Strawberry Body Polish (2, 40% Off, plan on using as a hand scrub before my mani), Macadamia Professional Travel Size Weightless Leave-In Moisture Conditioning Mist
Walgreens (17% off, $2 off): Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara (Buy 1, Get 1 50% off, Blackest Black, Black Pearl), Real Techniques Retractable Lip Brush (2, Buy 1, Get 1 50% off), L’Oreal Infallible Lip Paint (Buy 1, Get 1 50% off, Wild Rose, Violet Twist), Sally Hansen Insta-Dry Anti-Chip Top Coat, Burt’s Bees Ultimate Hand Cream
Weekend plans: Possibly meeting my Mother for lunch on Saturday. Depends on how the roads are since we got snow.
What’s something that never fails to make you smile?: My cats. The quirky stuff I have around my house.
I’ve been meaning to revisit some of the major drugstore mascaras, and I’m almost certain I even have them here new. Is Lash Sensational your favorite mascara?
Let me know how the YSL palette is!
Lash Sensational is my fav drugstore mascara. It’s also my fav for thickening and lengthening (in black and black pearl). My only issue with it, if you can consider it an issue, is that it clumps when you remove it with Bifacil (so you have to put more work into removal). For dark blue, I reach for Ciate Triple Shot. For bottom lashes in black my fav is YSL Babydoll (since my lashes are so small). And for colored mascaras my new fav are the Marc Jacobs ones (with Garnet being my absolute fav as it goes with so much of the recent Fall/Winter palette/shadow releases).
YSL is scheduled to be delivered today. I’ll plan on trying it tomorrow and getting back with you. Really curious what the finishes are with the shades since nobody at NM had any idea so I ordered it blind.
Thank you for the info on the mascara, Michele! 🙂
I can’t wait to see your swatches!!!!
🙂 I swatched everything last night that I received (10 orders). I posted 4 of the swatches this morning, including the YSL palette. As you know, I try to break up what I post to only 3-4 per day and cover a variety of brands and LE stuff.
Haul: Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Sactuary, Tarte Amazonian Clay Highlighter in Stunner, Make Up Forever eyeshadow in Golden Snake, Golden Khaki, and Olive Beige, Nars Hardwired Eyeshadow in Stud and the Sephora Tarte Birthday gift with a blush and lip paint.
Weekend plans: it’s supposed to snow this weekend which pretty much shuts everything down here in the South. So if it doesn’t snow I’ll be at work but if it does snow I’ll be at home with my dog binge watching HGTV.
Something that always makes me smile: my English bulldog, Bella. And of course my friends and family.
Yay for new Artist Shadows!! Three beauties right there!
Stay warm!
They really are! I got them in the mail this afternoon and they’re even prettier than I thought they would be. And I love the formula of their eye shadows.
Prayers for Mellan as well. Our pets are pretty much like our babies so I know how stressful it is dealing with stuff like that. Hoping all test results come back good.
Happy birthday!
Thank you!
I love Stud! I wear it all over lid with hint of Matte grey shadow in crease and UD Glitter liner in Midnight Cowboy. Wore it this week and got lots of compliments!
Ooo that sounds really pretty. I can’t wait to start using mine.
I’ve had Stud (and also Pygar) since July and I love them both but find Stud that little bit more wearable (“wearable” is sort of relative – it’s a pretty shiny, glittery shadow and some people might relegate it to “going out/party” status). It’s odd that some of the shadows in the Hardwired grouping are really good and others are mostly a sheer base with wonky, misbehaving glitter!
I almost got Pygar too and will more than likely still end up getting it lol. But Stud seemed more like something I’d wear a lot and since I don’t wear Nars shadows much I figured it would be a safe one to try out. It’s so pretty
Britney, there really isn’t a lot of difference between the 2 shades. I thought Pygar would be more green but when they’re applied, probably because they are both so reflective, they look VERY similar. It’s really all Christine’s fault that I got both…I looked at them here when she reviewed them and both looked so delicious and I just got all berserk and felt I had to get ’em both while they were available. The only thing that stopped me from also getting Parallax is that I’ve got 2 pans of UD Money and it is quite literally identical and so I really, REALLY couldn’t convince myself of the need for it.
Happy Birthday!
Thank you!
Happy Birthday Britney ! Mine is on Sunday.
Happy birthday! Mine is on Friday.
Haul: MAC Studio Moisture Cream (I buy the travel sized tubes as they are actually a BETTER value than the full sized jar; same is true with Strobe Cream), and MAC Soba eyeshadow (pro pan); Peter Thomas Roth Anti Aging Cleansing Gel and also the Black and Gold set that includes Irish Moor Mud Cleanser and Mask, 24KT Gold Mask and Lift and Firm Prism Cream (a really good value).
Weekend plans: getting ready for school to start up, so I’ll probably make a vat of chili or sweet potato/chipotle soup (I freeze them in single servings and have lunches ready to grab); my younger son returns from a quick trip to San Francisco (he was there for a job interview) and we’ll probably go to our fave Indian restaurant before he heads back to his very last term in university.
What makes me smile: hearing my husband’s key in the front door! Even after 36 years of marriage, the sound of him coming through the front door puts a smile on my face every single time.
Christine, I hope all is well with Mellan. A friend’s standard poodle also developed some sort of liver problem and they were able to treat (not cure but treat) it with medications. The heartbreak with our pets is that we know we will likely outlive them and have to say good-bye to them at some point. It’s over 10 years since we had to have Daisy put to sleep and I still think of her every single day.
Oops – I forgot to add the Sephora Creamy Night Mask. It’s on sale for half price (I’m sure this means they are discontinuing it). It’s called “Creamy and Plumping” and it really is both of these things. I will probably go back and get one or two more tubes because this is such a nice product, especially for this harsh, skin-drying time of year.
It is so weird when travel sizes are a better value, right? I like that when it happens because the idea of replacing with a “fresh” batch appeals to me. (I’m the same way with food; if we don’t intend to finish something in a reasonable length of time, I’d rather buy a smaller size.)
Thank you for the insight, Mariella! Perhaps the worst part about something being wrong the liver is knowing that there’s no real cure, only treatment and it will be lifelong – my greatest hope right now is to continue to rule out cancer (his xrays have come back clean so far, and nothing during the ultrasound triggered concerns about cancer) and that we caught it early enough that we can “reverse” and treat such that we can manage it without seeing an impact on his life overall.
The upside is that he has nearly no symptoms – he does not really want to drink water, but he will take water with food, so I’ve been dividing his meals into six small meals with 8 oz. water each, so he’s getting what he needs whether he likes it or not! He still wants to play, go for walks, run around, is alert, etc. My mom said the same thing – you never forget, and it gets a little easier, but it is always hard. I just feel so bad for him as he already has plenty of health issues (he had a hole in his heart, which was fixed around 1-1.5 years old, bilateral severe hip dysplasia since 6 months old, and bilateral luxating patellae since 1.5 years of age, which were fixed surgically as best as they could at the time).
I have always wanted to buy MAC Soba! But the closest MAC to me, is Toronto or Newmarket
I’m NC23 roughly. And Im thinking it would be a pretty transition!!
Not sure where you live, Shannon, but it’s certainly worth checking out the next time you’re in Toronto or even at a Bay store with a MAC counter (problem is they don’t have the pro pans so you can’t take advantage of the great lower prices for those or the more convenient – for me, anyway – packaging. We got a MAC store about a year or 18 months ago where I live (Hamilton). Before that, I had to wait for trips to Toronto or I’d sometimes order online. But Soba’s a really great shade. Similar to Cork but a bit lighter and with a bit more sheen to it.
Haul: I have not posted for past three weeks so this is going to be a bigger haul.
From Ulta: I got Urban Decay lipsticks in Roach, Lovelight, Ex-Girlfriend (love!), andUV-B. I also picked up the UD lip liner in Weido, Moondust shadows in Solstice (love) and Zodiac, UD shadow in X, UD Heavy Metal Glitter eye liner in Midnight Cowboy (I have been using this almost daily with every eye look), and NYX Glam Loners in 24 Karat and Lagoon.
Other purchases were MAC Mariah Carey I Get So OCC lipstick (beautiful packaging and so comfortable on the lips), Tom Ford Lip Soleil in Seadragon (I have to really work with these metallic lipsticks to make them look nice, they tend to look better when put on very lightly on top of gloss, otherwise they look garish), NARS Sexual Content Dual
Intensity blush (was on my wishlist forever, finally picked it up!), NARS Audacious lipstick in Stephania (gorgeous), and NARS Unfiltered II Blush palette (I got Unfiltered I a few weeks ago, had to have this one too).
I resisted the first Selena release but could not resist the second. I picked up all the eyeshadows, all three lipsticks, and the Bidi Bidi Bom Bom lipglass. Right now I am in love with the lipgloss. Been wearing it all week with the soft shades from the NARS Unfiltered II Palette on my cheeks. So soft and pretty!
I also got my Notoriously Morbid Vanishing Cabinet for December, and it included a pretty green loose shadow that I’ve had in my rotation the past two weeks.
Finally, I ordered the $75 Lucky Bag from Beautylish–it shipped yesterday, can’t wait for it to arrive!
Weekend plans: Still recovery from holiday stress so I’m going easy on myself. I will go to my Saturday morning RPM class (always) and make a family meal. I may get my hair done. I plan to take husband to Panera for the amazing Pumpkin latte and to-die-for tomato soup.
What always makes me smile: My kitty Zoe.
What a fabulous set of hauls, Tammy! How do you decide what to use first/when? That is probably what I am always curious to hear about from people!
Do let us know what your lucky bag ends up containing!
My decision process is very simple: I have a drawer for all new purchases and pull them out when the spirit moves me, lol. The longest period of time that has elapsed before using a new product was one year (!) but most of my new products get rotated through within 2 months.
I did not see about Mellan’s health issues until after my initial post. I am so sorry Christine. I hope whatever is wrong has a minimal impact on his future health.
Thank you, Tammy! 🙂
Really nice hauls!
I’m so so curious about the Lucky Bags. Mine shipped today. Please let us know what you get!
Yes, I will post next week!
Wow, I am having serious Haul Envy! And like everyone else, I am so curious to hear what you get in your Lucky Bag… I decided against it because I’m too picky but I want to live vicariously through everyone else!
Also, I am happy to hear that you ended up getting Unfiltered II and love it- I think NARS did an awesome job with both colorways.
Iv always wanted to try Urban Decays glitter liners!!! Midnight cowboy looks beautiful too! !
Sending hope and good wishes for Mellan! Poor baby! I really hope he feels OK…
Haul:
Fourteen Coloured Raine eyeshadows — beautiful! love them!
From Sephora: Bite Beauty Thistle Amuse Bouche lipstick (it turns out that it’s not too light for me — yay!); the Make Up For Ever highlighter on 01 Golden Pink (very pretty); NARS light-reflecting setting powder (the pressed version, for ease of use) for setting my undereye area as the winter goes on and my skin there gets more dehydrated — my beloved Ambient Lighting Powder doesn’t work as well there then; repurchase of Fresh Sugar Advanced Lip Therapy in the white tube.
Weekend plans: having lunch with a friend today, enjoing the bit of snow we’ve got, getting used to the cold weather that’s finally here.
Something that makes me smile: my son, my friends, our little furbabies, shiny bright green and silver eyeshadow, a ball of really soft yarn (I’m knitting again!).
The one thing is that he doesn’t really have symptoms (he doesn’t want to drink water, but I’m splitting his meals and giving water with them, which he will eat/drink, so he is getting his water needs met still) – he still wants to play, is totally alert, and is generally normal 🙂
YAY! So glad Thistle works for you, Fran — it is a gorgeous color. What kind of eye/cheek do you pair with it?
Weird question about Mellan- does he have any issues going to the bathroom? Like he’s straining to go? Maybe a bladder infection?
You’re right, the fact that he ‘s playful and eating are good signs. Hopefully the liver is just irritated and can be fixed with meds.
Nope, he’s not straining (for either) or reluctant to go, and everything looks normal!
I’m really glad to hear that Mellan still seems to be feeling well. Mother nature blesses humans with more liver capacity than we need for typical day-to-day living, so it wouldn’t be surprising if that were also true for dogs. If it’s possible to figure out what has damaged part of his liver and prevent any more damage from occurring, he may well go on to live a perfectly normal life, as long as his system never meets a toxin that challenges his liver capacity. So I hope that, whatever the problem is, it’s possible to arrest it in its tracks, or even reverse it.
Yesterday I wore Thistle with an intense green eyeshadow look (Coloured Raine Bay Breeze and Forbidden, Kjaer Weis Green Depth, Marc Jacobs fineliner in (Co)vert) and slightly warm blushes (Surrat La Rosee do Soir under my cheekbones, Guimauve on them) and it worked well — I figure it will work well with most really intense eyeshadow looks for me, especially with blushes that have a bit of mauve in them.
If it’s a toxin that we can remove, that is probably our best case scenario! But I am hopeful we caught the damage early and can treat it/manage it going forward. The liver is pretty cool, and he does still have healthy liver left. The doctor said that his was still mostly normal in overall size, and he would agree that it looked like earlier in the process vs. end-stage based on the ultrasound.
What a beautiful look that was, Fran! I can see Covert going great with Bay Breeze and Forbidden!
Haul:
Sometimes reputations are earned through quality and performance. I have to say that is how I have come to feel about Tom Ford. I have dipped into enough makeup lines on every end of the spectrum to be confident in what I think is quality. Lordy, what I have tried (two blushes and cream shadows) is pure love.
This week I got Midnight Violet cream eyeshadow after trying it at Saks a few weeks ago (and being stunningly disappointed in a CT purchase described below). I’ve been looking for a nice, quick eye for work mornings, and I thought this would be a good choice. It is. I love it. I have Platinum and Pink Haze on the way.
Sample of Estee Lauder Illuminating Perfecting Primer. Never thought I’d replace the Becca Backlight priming product, but I might like the EL better. Tests and comparisons will continue, as I’m almost out of the Becca.
Few more Chikuhodo brushes on their way from Japan. Will report back when they’re in.
Return:
Before I got input from knowledgeable ladies here (should have waited), I ordered the Charlotte Tilbury Colour Chameleon Sticks in Dark Pearl and Amber Haze. I’m really trying to be quicker in the morning, and these seemed like a good option. I got both Dark Pearl and Amber Haze. Know what came to mind as I used both? “JUNK. This product is junk.”
The color fades within hours. It is essentially a glitter bomb that made fallout go everywhere (especially Amber Haze and Dark Pearl isn’t much better). I was sorry to return them , but I won’t keep these terrible products.
Weekend:
We’re getting a dump of snow tomorrow so I hope to make it to the pool early, then hunker down. I’m really purging my house, and want to continue on that in a steady way.
Smile: 🙂
Great question! When I think about it, there is a lot that makes me smile. Seeing my husband. My boys all together make a party even when there isn’t one. Cali and Gus our dogs. The birds at our feeders. Even my job — we do lots of good works.
Mellan — we love you.
There have been a few misses over the years from Tom Ford for me – but it is a solid line overall with some real winners (obviously I love the blushes and cream eyeshadows as well; the liquid eyeliner is also top notch).
Stay warm & safe this weekend, Linda! 🙂
Glad you returned the CT, but sorry we didn’t get you the info ahead of time! I’m stuck with mine after accidentally tossing the boxes, but I haven’t touched them in ages. I love the Tom Ford cream shadows and grab the plum one regularly when I’m in a rush. Glad you found a great alternative!
Haul: This week was a little excessive. Happy holidays?!?!?!? Here we go:
Viseart Dark Mattes Eyeshadow Palette, Milani Baked Blush in Luminoso, Bite Beauty Gold Lip Gloss, Kryolan Aquacolor Dayglow Palette/HD Micro Primer(restock)/TV Paint Stick(restock), PPI Blue Marble Setting Spray(restock), Colourpop Weekend Warrior Palette, Real Techniques Bold Metals Arched Powder Brush, EcoTools Multi-Tasking Face Brush. I have a lot to get my hands dirty with!!!!
Weekend plans: Play with all of this new makeup, check out CVS/Walgreens/Target for clearance/sales, get the apartment cleaned up and organized. A cold front just hit, so this is probably going to be an indoors kind of weekend!
What’s something that never fails to make you smile?: ***FART TRIGGER WARNING*** I hope this doesn’t offend anyone too terribly, but here goes: My dog is a Boston Terrier, and for anyone who doesn’t know, they are notoriously gassy dogs. Most of his instances are what one would refer to as ‘silent but deadly’, but sometimes he will have an audible fart that surprises him so much that he actually turns around to find out what the culprit was! The look of surprise and confusion on his face never ceases to make me giggle!
So many fun new things to play with, Anime! What are your favorites so far?
LOL, Mellan does that – he has no idea he has tooted and looks around like, “What was that?”
I’ve already gotten around to playing with the Dark Mattes palette. I love every single shade! They perform with a consistency that I would liken as a cross between Sugarpill and colourpop pressed powder eyeshadows. Also I dipped into the Colourpop palette and I really like the formula and feel it was worth every penny. (a lot of people think it’s a ripoff ?????) Those shades will get plenty of use, especially Harley. Luminoso unfortunately doesn’t look too flattering on me so I’m not sure if I’m feeling it, but ALSO, I bought it because I saw it at the store so i nabbed that 17% sale, but the one that arrived looks so different! Maybe it’s just baked products. The Ecotools brush was just a random buy because it came with a brush wrap, but it is actually a pretty soft and fun brush! It’s like a stipple brush but in the shape of a traditional blush brush.
I tried using the Aquacolor Day glow stuff last night (they’re like neon body paints) and you have to activate the product with water. Im not sure how to use this yet because I did not get it right by any means. I tried wetting a brush, but it dried too fast. Tried with a finger, same story. I’m gonna try Duraline or something next — not giving up on my neon dreams!
I hope all goes well with Mellan. You are someone who genuinely appreciates their furry companion and it shows. You guys deserve a long and happy time together.
The pricing seems about right – probably would be $5 a pan if sold individually, and the pans are average in size (0.05 oz., same as MAC/UD). I suppose the cream eyeshadows run $18 in a “quad” but are self-contained so they have all that extra packaging that the pressed eyeshadows do not.
I hope you can get the neon paints to work, Anime! I am convinced that you will find a way, though 🙂
And thank you — I feel like my heart warms and swells when I look into his eyes!
Haul: I went easy on the beauty purchases, but I did get Chanel Mediterranee nail polish from ebay, and a pair of double drop pearl earrings and a white bead necklace also arrived in the mail.
Weekend plans: Hopefully more cleaning. We are making real progress on the apartment.
What’s one thing that never fails to make you smile?: Facebook photos of my friends’ babies and kids. In particular, my friend’s 5 year old daughter Yara. She’s such a lively, adorable little girl.
Happy to hear that the cleaning is going well!! I need to do a closet clean out this weekend – thank you for the reminder!
Haul: From DollsKill 20% off
Lime Crime Pink Rose Velvetine Gift Set and 2 Moods Velvetine Liquid Lipstick Duo
Sugarpill Pretty Poison Lipstick in Spank, Nurse, & Detox Pretty Poison Lipstick
Weekend plans: Work can catching some light for swatch photography I hope.
What’s something that never fails to make you smile?: Animals in general, especially the dogs/puppies that get to excited for a treat at the drive-through window at the moment.
Poor Mellan though. 🙁 I hope whatever cause the liver damage has passed for him and he and the Vet can focus on healing.
Aww! What kind of treats do you guys give out at the drive-thru?
Yes, we still give them a plan timbit (you call them doughnut holes elsewhere 😉 ) they are our baked basic cake doughnut. The dogs that like them you can tell they are excepting them from pouting/begging look to jumping to almost lunging out the windows. lol
Aww, dogs are cute when they beg 😉
We used to take our cockapoo (cockerspainial mixed with poodle!) Through the Tim Hortons drive through and theyd give him plain timbits! 😀
Poor fella!!! I’ll be hoping and praying that sweet Mellan will be just fine. Our furbabies really do have such a deep place in our hearts and lives that when things inevitably go awry, it is so hard on us. Paws crossed here for him.?
Haul: 2 of my 3 orders arrived! Got my Bidi Bidi Bom Bom!!!! And also my UD Electric Pale
*Palette, Sephora’s Lip Gel in Cherry Blossom, the Dr. Dennis Gross 14 day kit. Happy with everything that’s arrived! Also bought KVD Alchemist Palette, UD Eden PP (love it!), and more Origins GinZing eye cream at Sephora last Friday night. Maybelline Gone Greige (?) from their Loaded Bolds lipsticks and my very old cracked feet standby, Freeman’s Bare Foot Peppermint & Plum Foot Lotion at Walmart this past Wednesday. Still waiting on my MAC Vamplifys! Weird because I actually ordered them not even a full 24 hrs. after placing my order for Bidi Bidi Bom Bom! ?
Weekend plans: Per my usual; hair, nails, meeting on Sunday (happy about it now being at 4 p.m.!). Plus laundry needs to get done, too.
What’s something that never makes you fail to smile: Looking at pics of my beloved, and very much missed, little granddaughters! Watching videos of Pookie I recorded while she was still alive. That my ginomous Maine Coon cat, Scunci, has decided in his old manhood to finally become a lap cat! Also, when I reflect on what God promises in His word, the Bible, to do in the very near future by turning our once perfect little blue planet back into what He always purposed: Paradise. My strong hope of seeing my Mom and grandson Skyler brought back to life in perfect health helps me hang onto what’s left of my sanity.
I’m so thankful for the improvements in photos/videos, since we can have so many memories now!
Thanks, Nancy! Fingers crossed 🙂
So glad you finished the rest of your comment, LOL!
Haul: NARS Surabaya, Kat von D Alchemist palette, Lock-It Concealer in White Out, & Shade + Light quad in Rust, Lancome Teinte Idole in 100N, MUFE Pro Light Fusion in 01, UD After Dark palette, 2X e.l.f. Sculpting Face Brush & Total Face Palette, NYX Total Control Foundation in Alabaster & Vanilla, Sonia Kashuk Soft Focus Foundation in Bisque, 3X ChapStick Total Hydration lip balms & lip scrub. I think that’s it…
Plans: There’s a possibility of significant rain Saturday, so we’ll likely stay in, but my daughter has her Social Skills group Sunday, after a couple weeks off due to the Holidays, so we’ll be getting back to that routine.
Smile: My daughter; she’s hilarious a lot of the time, but even when she’s having a “moment”, I just remember how far she’s come.
Fun haul, Amy! How do you like the NYX Total Control foundation so far?
I love Surabaya, thanks for reminding me to rotate it into my week. Kat Von D’s White Out Concealer is in my Sephora cart, just waiting for the buying mood to strike me.
I’m sure there will be an out-pouring of prayers and good wishes for Mellon. We’ve watched him grow from an adorable pup to a good-natured and delightful companion that has become a part of our virtual family. He’s one in a million and I wish him ease and comfort as he navigate this health crisis. Hugs to Mellon <3
Thank you, Eileen! 🙂
HAUL: NARS Pygar and Stud Hardwired Shadows. Hoo, boy are they stunners. I hope they release more colors in this formula. When they came out I thought they were “just neutrals” but the finish gives them so much look. Rediscovered them thanks to Temptalia’s Swatch Gallery and so glad they were still available for purchase!
WEEKEND: Relaxing, hopefully
WHAT MAKES ME SMILE: Oh… kittens, glitter, champagne, the usual.
Get well, Mellan! Poor baby.
The finishes on both of those shades are lovely! 😀 That is definitely the wow factor!
I love your ‘smile’ list — kittens, champagne and glitter, what a great list.
So sorry to hear Mellan is not well. I hope things turn out as good as possible.
Me too, Joanna, me too!
Haul: Mostly drugstore stuff from Germany! Discovered their drugstore (DM) and bought several single baked eyeshadows. One was a peachy champagne shimmer shadow from Alverde which is organic (I think), another was a deep shimmery forest green and the last was a dark indigo purple shimmer. Whilst travelling, I lost my Limecrime velvetine in Pumpkin so I ordered OFRA’s Miami Fever liquid lipstick to try. It should reach some time next week and I’m quite excited.
Weekend plans: I’ve got an exam to study for so lots of revision till Wednesday.
What’s something that never fails to make you smile?: Cats!
Hope your new Miami Fever lipstick works well as a replacement for you, Kimberly!
Good luck on your exam!
Aw poor Mellan 🙁 I hope whatever it is ends up being easily treatable.
Haul: BITE Kale lipstick. A new pair of yoga pants from The Elephant Pants (I think they’re the most comfortable pants I’ve ever put on). I decided to give Shiro a second chance (I had a bad experience a while back), and ordered Esper cream highlighter, Burn the Heart Out of You blush/contour, and a mini Smell Ya Later eye shadow.
Also! I put my first piece in my redbubble shop, and bought a shirt of my own design haha (it’s Star Wars fanart).
Weekend plans: same as it’s been the last 8 months lol, work on the house 🙂
Something that makes you smile: good coffee, my cats, my husband, getting a perfect print in the darkroom.
Most comfortable pair of pants? Okay, now you must tell me more… seriously, I live in comfy wear, haha!
the website is theelephantpants.com and I got the Taru yoga pants. They’re super soft and loose fitting with elastic at the ankles and waist, and they’re cute enough to wear in public. Plus part of the money goes to the International Elephant Foundation.
Thank you!
Supporting elephants while wearing comfortable pants! Who doesn’t want that! ?
Two people this fall have told me to smile, or that I never smile. That’s somewhat paradoxical, as I have, or had, a cheerful personality. My mood is often not cheerful. But, I never fail to smile when driving home. The idea of that little dachshund who loves me dearly always makes me smile. I have applied for a pair of baby brothers for Jussi…black and tan wire haired dachsies. Also had a go-round about a dachshund/border terrier cross. Some dog rescues are big time scams. That dog was advertised as Boston, but, whoops, it’s in Texas, and once you apply, it’s in a Texas…or is it Seattle? And there are a few hundred added on for transport. There are a lot of bait and switch tactics and other false fronts. Anyway, I would be satisfied with the little guys….or even their mother, if she were available. When dogs need differential diagnosis and treatment for an organ or systemic disease, it’s so much worse than an ortho problem. Not a big one for prayer, but I do pray for animals, and will for Mellan. Also doing some imaging: a big roadblock and detour sign in front of the rainbow bridge.
New babies! I hope you’re able to get the baby brothers for Jussi – they will have a very, very good home with you!
I have gone through a lot of orthopedic stuff with Mellan, and I’ve done heart surgery for him, too, but internal medicine really is a whole new ballgame. It has definitely been scarier/more upsetting for me than his hips or knees.
Haul: Nothing so far. I’m probably going to order a few things from Amazon but that will be a coffee maker and grinder. not anything beauty related. I am eyeing a few skincare things though.
Weekend plans: Not 100% but shopping for food will be involved.
Smiley time: Usually my pets, Capri Blue Volcano candles, and good food/wine. Travel to interesting places too. Oh and certain scents and perfumes. A good lippie, perfect eyeliner, and flawless skin. There is a road by my house through the forest and at the top you can see the ocean, so that never fails to put a smile on my face. Dancing in grocery stores to the music. Sunsets… a whole lot. I’m easy!
I know how bad you must be hurting right now waiting to hear about Mellan… UG. I’ve been there and I’m probably about to be there again. We have a lump situation 🙁
Fingers and paws crossed that the lump is nothing to worry about at all! <3
I hope your pets are OK, lumps are very worrying in pets. Fingers crossed.
Erin — stressful times, with a pet that has a lump. Good luck
Haul: I got the Too Faced X Kat Von D Better together eye shadow set. I LOVE the Red eye shadow in it, it’s *the best* red eye shadow i’v ever used (and I own a lot!!) I have never tried anything too faced, besides their eye shadow primer. So this was nice to try their eye shadows and such. Same with KVD, i’v only ever used her lipsticks!!
I got a two week sample of Dr Dennis Gross’ Recovery peel!! I’v used the peel and the serum once, and so far there’s been no break outs from it!! so yay!!
I also got a 1 FL. of Dr Jarf’s Water Drop moisturizer! And again, so far no acne!! And I love how it makes my skin look so plump and healthy!!
Weekend plans: I’m seeing my surgeon in an hour and a bit and we are going to go over last minute stuff before my full tumor removal next friday!! EEEEEEP. I’m so nervous, but excited to get this sucker out of me!! So this weekend, and next week will be full of me eating all my favourite foods, and then buying food for smoothies and jello 😛
What’s something that never fails to make me smile: My job!! I Love working with younger youth. And see I DO and CAN make a difference! Whenever I get an email from someone who i’v helped and they’re giving me an update, I always grin like a fool ahaha.
The red in the palette seems very nice, but we’ll see about the rest of them, lol! I hope you enjoy your new palette, though 🙂
Best wishes for your upcoming surgery, Shannon! xoxo
There was at least two duds in my pallet, and while I was swatchin them for the first time, in my head I was thinking “I wonder if Christine has the same duds as me” ahaha!! 😀
I hope your surgery goes really well and that nasty tumour is eliminated entirely. I would be feeling pretty nervous too. Enjoy your favourite foods.
Thank you so much Genevieve!! I appreciate your support!!!! 🙂
Oh Shannon, best wishes for your surgery next Friday ! Must be scary, but so glad the day is coming soon, so you can finally get that tumor out. I don’t have the Too Faced x KVD palette, but I swatched it in store and agreed Swoon ( the red shadow) was great. I also have a drawer full of red shadows, and my fave is probably KVD Raw Power in the Metal Crush single. It’s like red velvet, so rich, buttery smooth, and pigmented! And the pan is huge, might last a lifetime. If you can get your paws on it, do!
Thank you so much Katherine!!!!! ???.
Iv always wanted to try KVD’s raw power!! Everytime I go to sephora I swatch it!! But, I can barely swallow spending $24 on a MUFE shadow. Let alone $25 for a shadow!! I might have to just suck it up though. It’s so beautiful and I think the employees are getting sick of me going there and swatching the same shadow over and over! LOL.
I’m wearing the red from the toofaced/KVD pallet today, with a shimmery silvery taupe patted ontop and it looks so nice in my opinion!!!! 🙂
LOL, I did the same thing!!! Every time I went to Sephora, I would swatch KVD Raw Power because I couldn’t believe how velvety smooth it felt, but it was SO pricey. I held out for 1.5 years, then finally caved at last Sephora sale, and so glad I did. Now I can swatch it at much as I can, in privacy of my own home, hahahhaha Glad Swoon looks great with the silvery taupe! Swoon had an interesting luminous quality, was much more complex than it looks in the pan, and I think that silvery taupe would magnify that.
God, I LOVE Raw Power! Works very well with Anastasia’s Modern Renaissance palette.
Right??? So well named 🙂
Best wishes for your upcoming surgery, Shannon!! I think we’ll all have a smile on our faces when you’re out of surgery and on the road to recovery!
Christine, Shannon’s post reminded me that ‘good news’ always brings a smile to my face. ?
Thank you so much Tracey!!! Your kind words, and supportive and uplifting energy in your comments always make me smile!!
I can’t wait to come back to yall and let you all know I’m okay and in recovery next week!!
I will be thinking of you on Friday, Shannon, and hoping all goes well!
Good luck with your surgery. I’ve been there, wanting a tumor out of my body so very right away, it’s such a clear and immediate objective. You’ll feel so clear of a milestone to get past that.
I hope that Mellan’s liver damage was caught early and praying that its something thats easily treated. Stay strong Christine!
Haul: I caved in and bought the Viseart Bijoux Royal and Sultry Muse from musebeautypro. I am in love with their eyeshadows and I will probably refrain from buying anymore color products this year except for maybe a blush and foundation. I want to try to save money to travel without having to work extra.
Weekend plans: Working this Saturday and Sunday! But I will go to the gym today and run this afternoon and also food prep. My schedule doesn’t allow me to food prep on Sundays because I work on random days.
What’s something that never fails to make you smile?: My husband, a strong run and a heavy lifting session, good makeup, amazing wine and any home cooked meal shared with my husband.
Thank you, Kris! 🙂
Bijoux Royal is SO lovely! I hope you enjoy your two new palettes!
I had to post to offer my support since I also have some pets who have some medical issues. It’s not easy being a pet mom but I hope all turns out well.
Thank you so much, Christina! Hope your pets are doing as well as they can be!
Hoping the best for furbany Mellan!!!!
Here’s hoping 🙂
Keeping fingers crossed!
All the best
Thanks, Bebe!
Haul: THREE of the new Sephora Collection Cream Lip Stains (hopefully they’ll be good quality as I bought them pre-review which I NEVER do)- #23 Copper Blush, #41 Vintage Rosewood, and #29 Dark Forest. I also got the Clinique Bottom Lash mascara for the first time so we’ll see how that goes.
I also got like 5 soaps from Lush as they had a 50% off section for a hot moment on their site (actually I just checked and it’s still on and there are three kinds of soaps left).
I also FINALLY made myself get a diffuser and some diffuser oils from Saje. They cost too much but my life has been HELLA stressful so it’s going into the “medical” section of my budget.
Weekend plans: Nada except catching up on Timeless (dude, it’s an awesome show!)
What’s something that never fails to make you smile?: My cat, Mao. Also my dad’s cat, Nedeep (so named as he’s always knee-deep in trouble) now that I’ve had to move back in with him.
I hope the new Lip Stains work out for you, Anne! Have you ever tried the formula before?
I have a bunch of them! They’re not the absolute best in terms of liquid lipsticks, but they’re one of my favorites and the price is amazing.
I have one of the sephora cream lipstains (mine is one of the OG ones, it says 14 on the tube!) And I LOVE it! It’s so amazing and not super drying!
I have that one! It’s called Blackberry Sorbet I think. And yes, it is soooo amazing! I wore that one a lot this fall. It’s such a pretty reddish/purple berry color! I definitely think they’re my go-to liquid lipsticks, even if I count ColourPop. I just don’t see the point in buying the pricier ones when these exist and are at least 90% as good as something like the Kat Von D ones.
I’m sorry to hear about Mellan’s liver. 😐 Here’s hoping you caught the problem early and for many more years to come.
Haul:
Beautylish Lucky Bag – it will be delivered to my work on Monday, fingers crossed!
Viseart Neutral Warm Palette (10)
Giorgio Armani Designer Lift and Maestro foundations – got the next shades up/darker/warmer so I can mix for the perfect match.
Tom Ford Seductive Rose eyeshadow quad
Weekend plans: Tonight is takeout and relaxing from a busy week. I’ve hired a housekeeper to come in and clean every other Monday because I’m just . . . tired. So no 5 hour cleaning (other than normal tidying up our own mess, wiping down counters and straightening everything back up before going to bed) anymore on the weekends! Phase 1 of the backyard project starting on Saturday: Sprinkler repair! Also on Saturday and probably Sunday, grocery shopping for the paleo cleanse. I’m working with a nutritionist on this one and I’m starting on Sunday or Monday. It’s going to be for 60 days, woo hoo!
What’s something that never fails to make you smile? My fiance, my dog Rocky (Bernese Mountain Dog/Border Collie mix – they call them Bordernese) and my 2 cats Sammie (Snowshoe) and Wilma (Calico), and being at home.
That’s my hope!
I hope you’ll update with what you get in your Lucky Bag next week! I am very curious to see what was in the bags this year.
I’ll come back and report next week!
I bet your puppy is HUGE. I LOVE bernese mountain dogs!! They are beautiful! ?
Oh my gosh yes LOL – his paws alone, he’s our tank! ?☺
Sending a prayer for you and Mellan and the rest of your family for strength to deal, and good results in the end. I have a lab the same age as Mellan, and can totally empathize. I’ll give Ebby an extra hug tonight.
Thank you, Stephanie! 🙂 Hug Ebby tight!
Oh, poor Mellan! Sending love and prayers that he’ll be OK. Please hug him for me.
Haul: My Urban Decay Afterglow Palette (finally!) arrived. I’m going to play with it today. Medusa’s Makeup sub box: Blush in Dangerous Liaison (LOVE IT! It’s a beautiful, pigmented bright pink with a gorgeous satin sheen.), Lipstick in Sugar Daddy (It’s a bit too light of a nude for my pale skin, but it has a beautiful sheen, so I’m going to try it with some pencils and glosses.), Witch Lash Mascara (haven’t tried yet), and Glitter in Gold Digger (amazing!).
Weekend plans: Visiting with a friend Saturday. Help hubby shop for clothes. He rarely does this, and has no fashion sense, so it’ll be “interesting.” lol
What’s something that never fails to make you smile?: Babies and small children, baby shoes (they’re just so little and cute!), animals, my hubby and kids saying that they love me or that I am pretty.
*Urban Decay Afterdark Palette, not Afterglow. (I’ve been fighting low-grade migraines all week, sorry for the typos I’ve been making today.)
I can definitely give him a hug for ya 😉
I hope the Afterdark palette works well for you!! It is a gorgeous set of shades. Do you think you’ll use it on its own first or paired with other palettes/products?
I love Afterdark. I’ve been pulling in other palettes to use with it. Their aren’t any suitable crease shades in it for me.
*there
My husband’s idea of shopping for clothes is walking into one shop and expecting it all to be there in his size! I usually buy him tops/polo shirts/shirts/jumpers myself as I know his size. But pants he has to try on for himself. The last time he went, he ordered 3 of everything so he didn’t have to go back for awhile. He doesn’t really have much fashion sense either!
Good luck Rachel!
LOL Thank goodness your husband has you! Mine buys jeans and polo shirts or T-shirts, maybe some khakis. At Christmas, he nearly bought jeans with the waist and length reversed. Good thing I was there to correct him!
Poor guy 🙁 Will be praying for him!
Thanks, Sonya!
I hope our lovely Temptalia baby is okay, Mellan’s family! Sending best wishes to you all.
Thank you! 🙂
I’m so sorry for your baby’s issues. I have toys and a big guy but liver issues are common in toys so I feel your pain. Sending prayers for puppy healing across the miles❤️?
Thank you, Janine! 🙂
Haul
Mac caitlyn jenner: the nude and the online exclusive red lipstick, all glosses, all eyeshadows, the blush, the eyeliner
Other mac: a lot of the Long wear lipliners, a concealer, sweet Sakura lipstick, nutcracker sweet red lipgloss set, nutcracker sweet mini lipstick set in pink, and more (15% offer on mac.de, 25% offer in another online store)
Urban Decay lavender concealer, benefit Roller Lash Mascara in brown, shiseido full volume Mascara in brown, dior curly Mascara in brown, nyx lavender concealer, …
Got a lot of things because of the 15-25% offer
No weekend plans
My cats !!!!! They are sooo cute.
What is one of your favorite things that your cats do?
When they lay on their back with all four legs in the air
Aww!!
Haul: L’Oreal skin care…40% off at Rite Aid
I’m always a week late, but I’ve been using the Japonesque brushes every day. I really like the highlight/contour brush. I think I might get another one.
Weekend plans: Probably going to try to read and definitely clean
What’s something that never fails to make you smile?: Listening to my sisters because they are hilarious
Also I’m sending good vibes to Mellan. Get well soon <3
Nice to hear that the Japonesque brushes are working well for you!
Haul: MAC Selena collection Amor Prohibido lipstick and MAC Vamplify lipgloss in Tuned In, just because it was on sale. I also picked up some Joico K-Pak conditioner in the Ulta jumbo sale, a new Olay Regenerist night cream that I’m excited to try, the It Cosmetics fan brush, and three-pack of travel-sized Soap & Glory body butters. That purchase maxed out my Ulta points! Now I have $125 worth of credit to spend.
Weekend plans: I am currently on my way to my parents’ house for our belated family Christmas. I’m very excited because I get to meet my six-month-old nephew for the first time. He lives on the West Coast so visits are rare.
What makes me smile: My dog definitely does. He’s a six year old chocolate lab and he has two modes: playing or passed out. He is adorable either way. He is a particularly loud and funny-sounding snorer, and that always makes me laugh.
I am truly hoping for the best news regarding Mellan’s liver problems. He is such a sweetheart.
Have fun at your parents’ house, Dianne! 🙂 How fun it will be to see your new nephew!
Thank you, Dianne!
Oh poor Mellan and you! More hugs to both of you via the ether!
Thanks, Katie! <3
I am so sorry to hear about your boy’s troubles. Healing vibes out to him.
Haul: Boscia Makeup-Breakup Cool Cleansing Oil from Sephora plus a deluxe sample of Sunday Riley C.E.O. C+E anti-oxidant cream; Neogen Real Fresh Cleansing Stick with green tea and Skinmiso Pore Beauty Nose Pack from SokoGlam; a set of OPI minis in some classic colors like Big Apple Red and Lincoln Park After Dark (for travelling); L’Oreal Total Repair Extreme shampoo, conditioner and emergency recovery mask; L.A. Girl LineArt matte eyeliner pen in Espresso; Milani Brow Tint Pen in Dark Brown; Wet n’ Wild gel lipliner in Red the Scene. (I haven’t used the eye stuff yet but I really like the lipliner.) And I just ordered my third tube of REN Wake Wonderful Nighttime Facial from Sephora. I cashed in 100 VIB points for a sample of Sunday Riley Tidal Brightening enzyme cream and I am getting a deluxe sample of Makeup Forever HD foundation but the only available shade is not going to be the right color for me.
I have no week-end plans.
My two Siamese kitties make me smile as does my husband, most of the time.
Lincoln Park After Dark! That is an old school shade, isn’t it? I feel like that’s been around for awhile – probably for good reason 😉
Let us know how the new Sunday Riley CEO cream works out!
Poor Mellon – he doesn’t look really well at all, not his usual happy, jolly self. Fingers crossed that the problem is a small one and can be easily fixed.
Haul: Nothing this week.
Weekend Plans: We are having the two little cherubs (Olivia and Lachlan) on Saturday as their parents are going to a wedding. It is also going to be scorching hot, so David, my other son and devoted uncle, and I are going to take them to the local swimming pool, which is great. Sunday should be cooler, so I shall probably go out somewhere.
Makes Me Smile: Definitely my two grand children!
What a great idea to take them to the pool!
Sending loads of prayers and good wishes to sweet Mellan and you, Christine! Our furry babies are so precious!
Thank you, Elizabeth! They are!
Praying for your fur baby ?
Thanks, Shannon!
I’m sending good vibes to you in Mellan. I’ve had some liver issues myself, which thankfully are all cleared up now, but I know it can be scary. Thankfully (at least in humans) the liver can heal itself, and even regrow if part is removed. Also, I’m not sure if it’s safe or good for dogs, but turmeric is really good for human livers.
So relieved to hear your liver issues have healed up! Dogs’ livers can do the same, so there is hope for sure! 🙂
Check Mellans food & treats. Google any complaints. Blue Buffalo has years of causing sickness & worse in dogs & cats. They refuse to admit or change whatever it is. Stay strong, hope he’s doing much better!
I haven’t seen any complaints/recalls for the items he eats!
Sending many hugs for Mellan, and you! I hope everything turns out ok.
Thanks, Brynn!
Hope the best for Melan, I wish I could help, I can only tell, stop feeding him dry food. Sorry for taking the liberty.
Thanks for the suggestion!
Praying for only the best for Mellan! He’s such a sweet fur-baby!
Thanks, Denise!
Haul: From the Escentual sale: Pupa Cat 2 in Gold, a mini palette with 2 pale gold eyeshadows and a black eyeshadow, and 2 shimmery red lip glosses. It’s very cute and pretty. Also got Shiseido Rouge Rouge Rum Punch lipstick, I’ve only swatched the makeup I got, not worn it yet. Very pleased. Can’t wait for my Lucky Bag to wing its way here!
Plans for weekend: Go for a walk in a country park with my fiancé and 2 year old daughter, go back to the old flat to sort out more stuff to put in storage or give/throw away.
What’s the one thing that makes me smile? Cute pets. I follow Lilo the Husky on Facebook and Lilo fostered a kitten called Rosie who now thinks she’s a husky (there are 2 other huskies and another cat as well!). They live in Canada and their photos are adorable.
Fingers crossed for Mellan! x
Now I expect I’ll go venture to see Lilo and spend the next hour immersed in cute animal photos, LOL!
Have a great weekend, Claire!
Christine, I’m so sorry to hear about Mellan and I’ll be praying that he’s okay and any issue has been caught early.
My cat makes me smile. She’s going to be 16 years old this year. I’ve got a liver story for you…. When she got her first blood test as a small kitty (to prepare for her getting spayed), the test found that her liver enzymes were too high. The vet was concerned enough to give her de-worming medication to see if that would help. But even after this medication, her liver enzymes were still too high. He was going to wait to fix her until he had treated her with other measures but we asked him to fix her soon because we were concerned that our older male cat was starting to take an interest in her. So then the vet decided that he would spay her and while he was in that general area, to take a look at her liver and take a liver biopsy. He found that her liver seemed a bit enlarged but not unduly so and the liver biopsy came out all normal.
But the vet warned us that she may live a shorter life than most cats and be lethargic and sickly. The day after her surgery, she was jumping up high on her cat tree and running around all over the house. She’s been full of energy ever since, although she’s slowed down as she’s gotten much older. But still…. we were saddened to think she wouldn’t be with us long so were determined to enjoy her every minute we could. And we still do.
FWIW, the liver enzymes have continued to climb as she’s gotten older — they are way outside normal range — but she’s still in excellent spirits. We keep a watchful eye on her but to be honest, don’t take her to the vet that often because it’s so extremely stressful for her. Not sure how this will all play out in the end but we’re very much in tune with her and make sure that she stays happy, comfortable and pain free. But yeah, it’s a bit weird that the cause of her liver enzyme issue has never been identified but it makes us so joyful that she’s lived so long and happily.
So you just never know. I’ll keep my hopes up for Mellan.
Thank you for sharing your cat’s story, Di! It is always encouraging to hear from others who have gone through something similar, especially as your kitty has been doing so well! 🙂 Wishing your darling cat continued good spirits and a pain-free life!
When Mellan was younger (maybe 6-9 months old), the first orthopedic surgeon we saw said he would not be able to walk after two years if we did not do surgery immediately – we got a second opinion, and I’m thankful that we did, that said treat the dog (he wasn’t bothered), not the x-ray, and he’s still walking and running at nine years with conservative management (and his current orthopedic surgeon here in AZ also supports the second opinion we got, too). (That experience totally made me a believer in getting second opinions!)
I’ll say a prayer for Mellan.
Thank you, Denise!
I am so sorry to read your post that Mellan has had tests revealing damage to his liver. You can only take one step at a time and worry when you need to. Keeping Mellan and your family in my prayers. You overlooked the biggest break Mellan caught – being adopted by you!!
Haul: Clairins Extra-Firming Eye Lift Perfecting Serum (or ‘eye serum’ as I call it)
Weekend Plans: Enjoying time with friends and family. The temp is really cold, so visiting, watching hockey and football, and making soup are the extent of my plans this weekend.
What never fails to make me smile: a kind gesture, a hearty laugh with family and friends, a well crafted joke, sharing special moments with my twin sister.
I’m trying! I am that person who likes to get the answer ASAP, and I have a tendency to research a lot between appointments/tests, but I am fairly good about not letting myself go down the rabbit hole TOO much, haha. Mellan is becoming, literally, the dog that Temptalia built/put through college 😉
Stay warm! What kind of soup will you be making?
Hi Christine, I had to chuckle at your comment that Mellan was the dog that Temptalia built.
I’m making butternut squash soup. I like to roast the butternut squash one day and finish the soup the next, giving the squash a richer flavor. It’s especially welcomed on cold day!!
Nice! I love butternut squash… anything, haha!
Haul: Nothing, trying to buy less this year…lets see how long that lasts
Weekend plans: Trying to relax after all of this holiday festivities.
Something that never fails to make me smile?: my cats. They are HILARIOUS! 2016 was a hard year for one of them, and depressing for the family. We found out he had diabetes after doctors constantly misdiagnosing him with other issues (one of them being cancer- they were wrong). After researching how to deal with a cat with diabetes I am in a happy place and so is he. Thankfully his diabetes is controlled now and he is back to his usual hilarious antics.
*I’m sending positive vibes and prayers for handsome Mellan, I know how hard it is to not know what can be going on in their bodies and playing the horrible waiting game. From one Fur Baby Mom to another, I wish for positive results.
Oh, I’m so glad that it did not turn out to be cancer, Ana, and that you’ve been able to find a way to control/treat the diabetes. Lucky cat for having such a determined owner 🙂
I was aghast that biopsy results take 10-14 days! Going to be a long wait! I’m trying to focus on the fact that he does not seem different overall and hoping for the best.
Ah poor Mellan! Hang in there Christine! We are all with you.
Haul: ha! I am a good girl this first week of the new year. But in December I splurged on some things. I got the Mac Lip Prep & Prime (a gamechanger!), the Viseart Theory Palette in Minx (my first truly warm palette) and I bought my first Bobbi Brown lipstick, the luxe lip color in Downtown Plum. Love! And I ordered a huge mirror with lights around it. This will be here in three weeks I hope. Can’t wait.
So many things make me happy. Makeup wise I can be very happy when I find out a new combination of eye shadows from different brands, different palettes etc and it works out.
What do you use Prep + Prime Lip with?
I use it under every kind of lipstick and lip liner I have (I do not own liquid lipsticks but maybe with this I could give those a shot too), high end and drugstore. Lipstick goes on smoother, even if your lips are not in perfect shape, lasts longer and, most important for me: does not dry out my lips with this lip primer. ??
I hope that Mellan will be ok, sending out positive thoughts and prayers his way.
Thank you, Debbie!
Haul: I recently purchased items from the Nordstrom semi-annual sale. I bought MAC Kingdom of Sweets, Leap of Delight, and Saucy Little Darling lipsticks as well as the Magic Dust Powder in Sweet Vision from their Nutcracker collection. I also purchased a full sized Smashbox Photo Finish Primer and Primer Water for only $18! I love semi-annual sales. Also — if anyone has a suggestion of a lip liner to use with Leap of Delight, let me know. I have nothing else in my collection like it!
Weekend plans: It’s so cold in Minneapolis I have no weekend plans. I’ll probably catch up on cleaning, organizing, and reading.
What’s something that never fails to make you smile?: A nice lunch/dinner out with my significant other or friends.
Wow! Full-sized primers for $18 — nice score 😉
Wishing the best for Mellan.
Thanks, Lorrie! 🙂
Haul: Nars Audacious Lipstick (Stefania), Kat Von D Everlasting Lipstick (Sanctuary), MAC Lip Primer, Mac Liptensity Lipstick ( Burnt Violet, Cordovan), Nars lipstick (Niagara), And Nars Unfiltered Palette ll. My Colourpop order came in today and it was wrong- I had ordered the Weekend Warrior Palette, which is on the packing slip, but they sent me the Moment of Weekness Ultra Matte Liquid Lipstick collection. My Pack Pack Iippie stix did come in. I wondered if maybe I had ordered wrong until I saw that packing slip. I hate their liquid lipsticks, so this was a huge disappointment for me. Weekend plans: I worked last night, then slept til 4pm today. I’m still tired. Tomorrow I’ll go visit my son, and possibly go to TJMaxx to loom for some kind of makeup organizer. I need something for palettes. What’s something that never fails to make me smile: Sephora!
Mellan has such an extended family through this community — if good wishes have power, you all will have some lift through tough time of waiting for results. Hope he isn’t in pain. Good luck.
Haul — Colourpop Bardot, and I do like it a lot. Otherwise, saving the pennies to pay for the indulgences of December.
We have snow/ice event here, so am house bound and so I’m getting a whole lot of long-overdue projects done.
Oh, and what makes me smile — I’ve long been a sucker for stand up comedy and a couple of funny book authors; so I go into my favorite books or videos when I especially need a smile.
It’s so hard when your baby doesn’t feel well. So you won’t know much more until the end of January, that’s rough. The liver is a sturdy organ and chances are he’ll be all well and back to himself by Valentine’s Day. Special treats for Mellan on that day, dear fellow.