Don't Let the Storms of Your Past, Cloud Your Future

(photo by Ian Ruhter)

It was a sunny morning in Brooklyn...last summer, and suddenly out of no where, storm clouds rolled in and a torrential rain storm soaked me and my hair in a matter of minutes!

I love this picture, because instead of getting mad that my clothes, hair, and make-up were now dripping ...I laughed at the rainy-ness and how funny it was that I took all the time to get ready and was now drenched!

ARE YOU GOING THOUGH A STORM IN LIFE?

I love the saying: "Don't Let the Storms of Your Past, Cloud Your Future"

I've had many storms in my life, from being cheated on, hurt, feeling like my dreams were over, the pain of divorce, being a single mom, being broke, I could keep going on and on (ha ha ha)...and I definitely could've let that gloom up my future. 

• Whether it was a relationship "storm"- someone hurt you, cheated on you, broke your heart, betrayed you.
• A depression storm- you feel hopeless, sad, and feel like giving up.

• A financial storm - you are feeling like your wallet is way to empty, your bank account has gone on a diet, and your bills are scaring you...
• Past Storms- you had a bad childhood, loss of someone dear to you, you've grown up with a family life, you've had trouble in your past, you feel guilty over something.

 

Chase the Storm Clouds Away

You have to make sure you chase the storm clouds away, and let the beautiful rainbow of your future come out and shine.

Your thoughts are more powerful than you know!!!

• If you just let any old "stormy" thought keep creeping into your mind- you are sure to stay in "stormy-land"!
• You must "re-set" the weather in your life! 
• Think about how you want things to be, instead of how things are or how they have been. ~ If you've been hurt or disappointed, stop thinking about how hurt and disappointed you are and think about and tell yourself, "I am strong and have a bright future! I am getting better and better each day!"

• And just like you can't eat once a week and think that will keep you filled, you need to eat several times a day...same thing with your thoughts- you need to feed your mind with positive thoughts all day long!

GET READY TO LET THE RAINBOW SHINE IN YOUR FUTURE

Sure we may have more storms in life...but as long as you don't let the rain and clouds ruin your future...you can anticipate the rainbow! 

The sun will always come out! 

And sometimes our tears are like the rain that waters the rainbows in our heart! So, my precious hearts....if the rain or tears are falling right now in your life....know that I am sending you a hug right now, for my arms to hold your heart...and say, "it's okay....this storm will pass, and  your future will grow full with blossoms, for even the flowers need the rainstorms to grow!"

 

My life has seen storms of all kinds....heartbreak, hopelessness, hurt, sadness, no money...just feeling like I can't go on...

and through it all I would tell myself, "Stop it Kandee...you better stop it with this sinkin'-stinkin'-thinkin'....and get your mind back on track with positive thoughts right now!"

*where the mind goes...the person follows....

Lead your self into great thoughts and places.

Tell yourself:

• I am great (even if you feel you're not...yet!)
• I am cherished and adored!
• My future is going to be awesome!
• I can't wait to see what is waiting for me  in this life!
• I will make my dreams come true!
• I will find someone that will cherish and love me so much they will NEVER even think of hurting me in ANY way at all!
• I am worthy of being loved!
• I am happy- rain or shine!

I love you all so much...and I don't care what storms you have in your past...THEY WILL NOT CLOUD YOUR FUTURE....the storms only watered the blossoms in your life....and will make your future that much more beautiful with "watered" flowers!

This day is great and is waiting for you to change your thoughts, which will change your mind, which will change your life!


Watch your thoughts, for they become your words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become your character.
Watch your character, for it becomes you destiny.
- Anonymous

People always ask if it's okay to repost something I've written- PLEASE, please, please feel free to pass this on, post it where ever you'd like...I want to be able to encourage as many hurting, "stormy" hearts as possible!

Think about thoughts that are wonderful today....don't let those little "cloudy" thoughts sneek in...
huge love and even bigger, better thoughts....your kandee

20's Flapper Vamp Make-Up

Get ready to come on a 20's adventure with me! (here's my in classes B&W flapper style)

and in color:

The 20's girls,  kicked and Charleston-ed their way to whacking their previously long, "crowning glory hair" of the Gibson Girl era and proudly applying make-up in public (how dare they!?!) with their engraved and ornate compacts. Collectors still search for the makeup compacts of the 20's!

HAIR

The 20's Introduces the Bobbed Haircut & the invention of the Bobbie Pin!

Goodbye to the big hair of the Gibson Girl! Hair and hemlines were being raised to new heights!

Coco Chanel, Clara Bow and Louise Brooks...set worldwide trends in the century's most drastic hairstyle yet! The BOB~ a shorty, short cut, that was cut level with the bottom of the ears!

Men even divorced their wives over the bob haircut, one department store fined female employees for having a bob haircut, and F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote a story in the Saturday Evening Post called, "Bernice Bobs Her Hair", telling of a sweet but dull, girl who changes her life by taking a trip to the barber to get a bob, and transforms into a smooth-talking vamp, that became a role model for many a young, soon-to-be-bobbed-vamp!

Girls were running to barbershops for their short hair liberation,  before they had a chance to think if

they'd regret it...their necks were feeling breezes they hadn't felt in years!  Hair was falling like crazy in barbershops across the country. Some barbershops reported cutting up to 2,000 bobs per day!

And as the motto always goes..."It's hair! It grows back!"

(Both my grandma and great grandma had the trendy bobs as little girls!)

1923 introduces a new twist on the bob ~

the SHINGLED BOB

the hair was tapered into a V-shape at the nape of the neck

(A very art-deco and designer neck design!)

I have to say, this picture, kinda makes me want to go to my local barber and ask for a shingles bob!)

Introducing BOBBIE PIN or BOBBY PIN

The Bobbie Pin or Bobby Pin, gained worldwide popularity as the 20's bob, made use of this little hair-wonder, to keep everyone's bob's into perfect shape!

1927 introduces the ETON CUT

Josephine Baker was known for her Eton Cut~

a slicked back and greased down cut, where curls were "glued" down in front of each ear. Brylcreem was used to slick down these looks into a glossy, "you ain't going anywhere" shape!

FINGERWAVES

Finger waving became popular at the end of the 20's to soften the "harder, more masculine" look that the bob had. Mostly the 30's was when the Finger Wave really took off!

I love finger waves! It was one of my most favorite things to learn in beauty school!

It is the ultimate in hair sculpture!

20's MAKE-UP

Max Factor was the king of, even inventing the name makeup, based on the good ol' verb,

"to make up"!

Coco Chanel fell asleep in the sun, and set a new trend for "less-pale" "more tanned" skin, which became the 20's trend. Cosmetic companies like Max Factor, Elizabeth Arden, and Helena Rubenstein 

started selling face make up in various colors to match these new "not-so-pale" skin tones.

20's EYE MAKEUP

 

Theda Bara was an actress who wore the darkest eyes!

Eye makeup was just as bold as these liberated women! Dark eyes made a statement as dramatic as their freshly shorn locks!

Eyeliner was a mixture of lead, soot and goose grease (yes, melted fat from geese!)... Egyptian inspiration was popular in the 20's, and thus the heavily darkened eye was king! Eyeshadow was all the rage in dark greys, blacks, and greens and even shades of turquoise!

Mascara was a wax, that was melted and applied heavily and clumpy to the lashes.

EYEBROWS

(Clara Bow was a 20's makeup and hair icon!)

Eyebrows were needle thin.  As women experimented and took their eyebrow shapes to new levels of thin-ness..this led to all the eyebrow pencils and eyebrow shaping devices that we still use today!

A Rouge is a Rouge

Cheek pinching would no longer due as a way to add color to the cheeks! Blush was as out as the Gibson hair do....Rouge was "the bees knees" (a popular 20's flapper saying!)...

The first layer of rouge would have been a liquid or cream, followed by a second layer of powder rouge to set the look. Rouge was not blended at all, and was applied in a doll-like fashion in circular motion on the cheekies!

Berry colored rouge was the rage, and in the later half of the 20's orange rouge made an appearance on the apples' of many flapper girls cheeks!

THE 20'S FLAPPER MOUTH

Clara Bow shows of the "Cupid's Bow" mouth shape

Actress Evelyn Brent shows off her Cupid's Bow Lips too.

Lips were thin on the sides and shaped in a pursed, doll-like, puckering shape.

Deep ox-blood colored lips were a must.

HOW TO TALK LIKE A FLAPPER

To sound like a real flapper, here's some essential flapper talk: (these are hilarious- I'm gonna start using these terms again!)

FLAPPER TERMS FOR MEANING YOU LIKED SOMETHING or IT WAS GOOD:

the bees knees- "that dress is the bee's knees!"

the cat's meow- "Jimmy's great, he's the cat's meow!"

the cat's pajamas- "i liked it, it was th cat's pajamas!"

other words for "good":

berries, copacetic, ducky, hep (wise), hotsy-totsy (Hotsy-Totsy is one of my favs!), It, jake, kippy, nifty, ritzy, spiffy, swanky, swell

THEN-if you weren't so keen on something you'd say something like this:

A boring person- "a flat tire"..."man, that Jimmy is a flat tire!"

words for "bad":

Applesauce, baloney, banana oil, bunk, hokum, hooey, horse feathers, lousy. 

 (flappers would smile pouty, mysterious smiles)

other funny 20's Flapper Speak:

a fire alarm = a divorced woman (I must be a loud fire alarm then! ha ha ha)

engagement ring = handcuff ("check out the handcuff on her?)

a tomato = a good looking girl with no brains

money = sugar (Man, I'm gonna need a lot more sugar to buy that knew dress)

feet = dogs ("my dogs are barking" = my feet hurt)

nose =  smeller ("look at the smeller on that fella')

mouth = kisser ("lay one on me, right in the kisser" = give me a kiss right on the mouth)

legs = gams or stilts ("check out the gams on her!")

Here's where I got all my flapper-props:

my FLAPPER BOB wig here: www.costumeinc.com

my "faker-ette" ~ fake cigarettes : www.costumeinc.com

fake cigarette holder: www.costumeinc.com

Feather Boa: www.costumeinc.com

Now that you've been educated on all the FLAPPER ways and style....get ready to come with me

and see how to do some swell flapper makeup!

huge love, you swell you! from kandee...xoxo

Last SNEEKY PEEKY!

Here's the last sneek peek look.....
check back here to see when it's uploaded....!!!
Any ideas on what you think it is?!?!

This one is one of my favorites already! I had so much fun editing this too!!!! Look for one of my favorite parts...you can hear my Blakey laughing in the background! ha ha ha ha

Start your guesses!!!!! love and lots of guesses....kandee

Cinderella Make-Up!

Cinderelli! Cinderelli! (as the little mouse called her)....It's Disney Princess time with Cinderella! I love, love, love getting to dress up as a princess....and especially Cinderella.
You see: my grandma wanted to name my mom and aunt Cinderella and Snow White! I think that would've been so fun to say, "yes, this is my mom  Snow White!"....hee hee hee

And Cinderella sings one of my favorite songs: A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes (if you watch the end of the video you'll get to hear it!)

For this look I'll give you guys some of the links where I got some of the goodies:

Cinderella Wig: click here for link

Cinderella Dress: (I want to wear it everyday!): click here for link

Cinderella Choker: (I just used a flapper choker): click here for link

Pearl Earrings: I borrowed from my mom..hee hee hee

Blue Headband: I borrowed one of Alani's blue sequin headbands (you can get one at wal-mart or Claire's)

Get ready for this fun princess adventure video and look...sit back, put your brooms & mops down, and hunt for your glass slippers!!!

Let's watch and have fun with this Cinderella makeup tutorial!!!
(click here to see the "pregnant princess" ha ha ha ha)
huge love and glass high heels....
your Kandee

Remember: (A Dream Is A Wish lyrics)
A dream is a wish your heart makes
When you're fast asleep
In dreams you lose your heartaches
Whatever you wish for, you keep
Have faith in your dreams and someday
Your rainbow will come smiling through
No matter how your heart is grieving
If you keep on believing
the dream that you wish will come true

smiles and princessy-ness.....kanderella

Sneek Peek Time!

Yes! Yes! I have been trying to crank out a costume look in any of the moments I can! Here's one of the last looks for the month! Can you guess who?!?

check back here for when it's going to launch on youtube!!!!!

And just so you know....I do not have blue eyes..ha ha ha ha....I just made them blue in photoshop!
hee hee hee

...huge love...your mystery....kandee! who do YOU think it is!?!

Last Day in London....awwwww

It is I, Kandee standing royally in front of Cordings....a proper British clothing store with wool jacket and cords...this store is actually owned by Eric Clapton! Isn't that cool?
Doesn't my bag look like a Louis Vuitton, ha ha ha ha? I don't even think if I did have the kind of money to afford one, that I could actually spend that kind of money on a purse....I had trouble even spending the extra money to buy an umbrella today, cuz it was raining so much! ha ha ha

Puttin' on the Ritz! What an amazing hotel...it is right next to Green Park which is on front of Buckingham Palace! ohhhh la la

Isn't this park gorgeous? Can you see Buckingham Palace in the background? And the leaves from these trees are as big as my head!

me and my "leaf-size" head standing in the park...

Harrod's!!! The most AMAZING department store I've ever been! It's like art inside, I've never seen anything like it! come, let's take a peek!

"any girl can look glamorous at Harrods"...I had to take a picture of this! The only things I got at Harrod's were some goodies for my babies...and and umbrella because it was raining like crazy outside and I didn't have an umbrellie! (I don't think Harrod's is in my price range! ha ha ha)

look at this tea cozy: you can have your cake and eat it too at harrods! ha ha ha

look at how ornate the escalator area is: it was like being in a museum!

yes I even took pictures of the bathroom  (or toilet) stalls...they were beautiful!

one of my favorite things is Christmas decorations....I love Christmas!!!! And they had decorated for Christmas already!!!!

I even got my picture with a "Peter Pan" fairy in the Christmas World department!

they even had Hello Kitty Christmas ornaments!

look at all the sparkling white decorations...

this was the glittery and starry window display at Harrod's!

along the walk to Harrod's....

I realized horse poop looks like horse poop both in the US and in London! ha ha ha

me and my red polka dot umbrella going down the into the.....

the underground....

down the escalator to get on the tube (AKA the London subway)...

blurry relfection of me and my mom sitting on the tube....I think the man across from us thought we were taking his picture, but we were really just taking a picture of our reflections beside his head! ha ha

that is the LIBERTY store...which was incredible inside...it is covered with flowers in buckets in the entry, like a full on floral shop when you walk in, with glam things like Alexander McQueen scarves...and this really cool pair of black fingerless long sleeve gloves...which I tried on til I almost had a heart attack at the price!

they were working on Christmas window display everywhere! I loved it!

look at the GINORMOUS shoe in the window at Sulfridge's, where we did some window shopping...or pretend shopping...pretending we could afford to buy what we saw! ha ha ha

they had the most amazing giant disco balls hanging between all the floors! I wish I had a ahouse big enough to hang up giant disco balls like that!

the shoe gallery was amazing!!!

these boots were absolutely amazing! Like Johnny-Depp-Pirate't-of-the-Caribbean...meet s cool, funky boot....oh how I loved these boots!

I couldn't buy any shoes, but I settled for a picture with a disco-ball, mirror high heel! Wouldn't this be so fun to have in your living room!?!

Look at these enchanted and sweet little patterns....made me want a cozy little cottage with little chandeliers and a cobblestone walk way with a little picket fence and a red front door, maybe even a pink front door!

to match my pink phone!

look at all the fun shaped Christmas trees! 

London is amazing...and as we walked out of the little place where we ate dinner, with the glossy white tiles as you walked out....I thought, "I can't believe I am in London"....years ago as I sat in a tiny small and dark, depressing little house, did I ever imagine that I would be in London.

We had a delightful dinner with our sweet friend Rachel who taught us some British words and sayings:

Pudding means Desserts (and they have no clue what our American Pudding is)

Lorrie = truck

Toilets or the Loo = bathroom

They say "Zed" instead of Z and the end of the alphabet

Shattered = really tired

Gutted = really upset

Wellies = rainboots

Tartan = plaid

Plaits = braids

Father Christmas = Santa Claus

Cheerio = a way of saying goodbye

and some more but my brain is feeling "a bit shattered" right now....ha ha ha

I can't believe it's time to go home...it feels unreal that we've even been here! I love London, I think British people are so kind and well-mannered and fun! I've loved every single second of being here. I am off to bed because we have to get up early to get to the airport.

sweet dreams from London....right near Picadilly Circus to be exact...which it the equivalent of being in Times Square in NYC....bright lights, theater district, lots of tourists...kinda noisy...and lots of traffic! ha ha ha

cheerio from Kandio