Influenster Find: Montagne Jeunesse Clay Mask Trial!!

Happy Almost 2014!! 

Last blog post of 2013!!

So the other night I was in a bath mood and I knew that I had received a clay mask in my Influenster Maple VoxBox so I decided what a perfect opportunity to try it out!!

This is what ensued!! 

I actually think I had put the mask on wrong, but I didn't realize this until about halfway through my bath...or right after I took this photo but I decided that it would do it's purpose either way so I didn't change it :).

It was a really nice mask, no harsh scent and it moisturized my face. I like the masks where you rub it on yourself, not overly a fan of these pre-cut ones just because people like me can't understand how to put it on correctly. I can't wait to try other masks from this company (Montagne Jeunesse). They are so lovely and luxurious feeling :).

Thanks for all of your support this past year you guys! I can't believe where my blog has gone to and where the future will take it. Thank you again!!

Listening to: NYE 2013 playlist on 8tracks :).

-M.

Mini Makeup Haul!! :) Christmas Gift Card

Hey Guys!!

So for Christmas my awesome Dad got me a $100.00 Sephora gift card (he went into Sephora(!), I can only imagine how comfortable he felt there!). So on Boxing Day I ventured into the madness and picked up two items. They were 'splurges' for me and I wanted to get some really good base products.

The first one is all about tackling something that I am focusing a lot of my attention on: MY BROWS!!

These bushy, semi sparse, semi big strips of hair above my eyes are my focus for my beauty routine. So I decided to try something that had a wax and a powder component and maybe that would make them controllable.

So I purchased the Benefit Browzings kit in Medium.

The next item that I invested in was a product from Yves St. Laurent. This is my second purchase from this brand and I feel like I'm super splurging when I buy anything from them. I wasn't looking to buy a gel eyeliner but this colour caught my eye. It's number 5 and I think it's called Black Cherry or something like that. I'm super excited to try this with my new Naked 3 palette and jazz up my eyeliner :).

 Those were my two splurges. Look for them in upcoming looks and on my YouTube channel :).

-M.

New Year's Resolutions...the pondering...

Evening!! :)

So as I sit here I ponder whether I'm going to do any New Year's Resolutions. I ponder and not just decide because I know myself and I know how fickle I can get when I get overwhelmed or life gets in the way. 

I feel that if I do any 'resolutions' they have to be easily implemented and easily successful. 

I don't want to set myself up for failure right out of the gate. 

I definitely think I'm going to think about these resolutions for the next couple of days and then post again on what I have decided.

What are your resolutions and how do you decide how to make them??

This song gets me in the New Years mood :).

-M.

Merry Christmas 2013!!

Hey Guys!!

Just wanted to pop on here and say a huge MERRY CHRISTMAS from Key of Marie :).

Thank you so much for supporting my blog and my love of life and music.

I really hope that you all are getting to spend great times with your friends and family as I got to tonight :).

Loved being surrounded by a bunch of great folks tonight. Made me feel whole and set in a great path!!

Can't wait for later today when we get to do it again ;).

Love all of my readers, 

-M.

Finds Because of Friends :) (love these ;))

Happy Thursday!!

How is everyone doing??

So I was listening to my music the other day and realized that I have a few artists that I've found because they are friends with my friends (so we are pseudo friends :)).

Here are some featured musicians that are my friends of friends :).

1. Mae Anderson (Self-Titled) - So way back in the day there was this boy named Spencer who lived across the street from me. He played road hockey with my brother and his parents ran the local soccer organization so I knew him through that as well. Well as fate would have it, Spencer nabbed himself an amazing vocalist for a girlfriend, and my ears get to benefit from that union :). I purchased his girlfriend Mae's album on iTunes and I was really blown away by the mature voice that she possessed. When her song 'Waited' came on in my vehicle I just assumed that it was a seasoned professional's song that I had overlooked. It was awesome to see that it was a newbie on my music list that was showing me what's what. I really encourage you guys to listen to this awesome vocalist :). 

P.S. - She also has a French song as well!! :).

2. Lora Jol (Two Peas) - So you guys remember Chelsea right? I feel like every second blog post has Chelsea in it...so much so that she should be paying me advertising ;) (jk!!). Anywho!! I learned about this next artist because she's good friends with Chelsea. Like with Mae, I went out and downloaded this album as well and gave it a listen. It's very calming and Lora has a very velvety voice (alliteration? ;)). This is very chill music. Very have it on while you just hang around your house and curl up with a cozy blanket with a mug of hot chocolate and it's snowing outside. I also like the way that this album was recorded. Has a very 'live' vibe which is very fun. I bet that Lora would put on a great show :).

3. Georgia Murray (Just a Dream) - So I first encountered this artist when my friend Meghan included her music in one of her YouTube Tutorials. You know Meghan, she's in the same category as Chels in that I mention both of them like ALL the time ;). Anywho!! I went out and purchased Georgia's EP and really enjoyed her voice. She is very smooth but has a unique quality as well that makes you perk up. She is very chill music as well but she has upbeat hits too. The title track definitely makes you happy and makes you want to smile. 

So after all of those, I would like to thank my friends for having cool friends ;). 

And if anyone else knows cool people who make cool music that would be awesome to hear!!

Thanks!!

-M.

Top 5 Christmas Songs!!

It's December!! Time to roll out the Christmas/Holiday songs!! Woot!! Here are the ones I love!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXQViqx6GMY - Mariah Carey - All I Want For Christmas 

http://youtu.be/7oOzszFIBcE - Gayla Peevey - I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas 

http://youtu.be/ZiNmVdFlIL4 - Alvin and the Chipmunks - The Christmas Song

http://youtu.be/5ycWObpi73Y - Madonna - Santa Baby

http://youtu.be/4Zh-yR0pbmU - Josh Groban - O Holy Night! 

-M.

Frustration

Frustration is: 

a Feeling that

Ruptures the 

Ultimate vision you have for

yourSelf, one which

Takes your Reality 

and Allows it to be Twisted

into something non-Idealistic

but, alas, Only you can break

it and choose to forge on into

uNknown territory. 

Black Friday Deals!! - sponsored

Here are some awesome Black Friday Deals!! Check them out!!

-M.

Lorac Pro To Go Palette Swatches!!

Hi there folks!!

So I made a Haul video yesterday on my YouTube channel and in it I showcased the new Lorac Pro To Go Palette. When I filmed the video I had less than stellar lighting so my swatches wouldn't have shown up properly.

So here's where this blog post comes in!!

Yay!!

Bulkier than I thought it would be.

Some Matte and Shimmer Shades

The cheeky side

Better focus on the names

L to R: Bronzer, Pink and then Coral

Overall I'm happy with the pigmentation of these shadows and cheek products. I'm excited to try looks with this palette and seeing how 'to go' friendly it actually is!

Thanks for reading!

Lorac Pro To Go Palette: http://www.sephora.com/pro-to-go-eye-cheek-palette-P379960?skuId=1550698

-M.

Help for the Holidays :) - sponsored

Hi Guys!!

So the awesome folks at ModCloth are giving you free shipping internationally(!), which of course means to Canada and other countries!! This offer is on shipments of $150+ so make sure your order is worth it. Stock up on awesome holiday gifts!! Christmas is only a month away. Plenty of time to get your awesome vintage gifts :).

ModCloth International Shipping

And here are some fun gift ideas for to send to international friends and family:

The Great American Pin-Up from ModCloth	The New York Times 36 Hours - Northeast from ModCloth	It Won't Be Longitude Print Set from ModCloth

Why I Started Blogging.

Evening blog readers :).

The world is your keyboard :)

So this topic was not one that I ever really considered talking about, but I was talking to a friend today and they were talking about starting their own blog and I started thinking about why I started mine. 

Now I have had this blog for a little over two years now. And the first two years were....slack. Like 7 posts in one year slack..

I always told myself I wasn't a writer; that I could express myself by talking a lot easier so I resigned myself to making YouTube videos and figured that that was my 'niche'. 

I didn't have faith or confidence in myself as a writer. 

I didn't think that anyone would want to read anything that I would write.

I thought that every blog post that I put out would have to be MAGIC incarnate. 

But it doesn't. You know what it has to be?

Purely me. 

That's it. 

Now I originally started this blog to talk about music, review new CD's and show the world the music I liked to listen to and open discussions based only around that. 

I remember writing my first 'lifestyle' post about a nail polish design that I had done and had scrambled to find a song to fit the post (PS. I'm still guilty of this, I think I have to include a new song for every post because it's a 'music blog')

But as the years went by and I made changes in my life, I found that this blog is a creative outlet for ever facet of my life. It helped me through super lonely times when I moved to southern Alberta all by myself. It was very therapeutic to have something I could turn to in order to express my feelings. It was my online diary or journal. 

It was way easier for me to type than to actually write because my typing hands are WAY faster than my writing hands and my mind moves so fast that there was no way I could keep up if I just wrote what I thought. 

Now this blog has evolved into a lifestyle and a Marie blog. It's not just about music, even though I still love the stuff, I am finding way more I love as well.

DIY projects will make an appearance, raves about my awesome friends will also show up (heck if there was a job to be people's personal cheerleaders I would love it!). 

I just want to say thank you to everyone who reads my blog and who leaves great comments. It's crazy to know how many people actually read this lil ol' thing. I never thought I would have that much reach into people.

So the reason I started this blog was to focus on one passion and show people how passionate I was about it. But now this blog has evolved into being my passion. Every post is all me. I only pick things to talk about that I enjoy and I format everything that fits me. 

I looked at my blog the other day and saw 'home'. It felt comfortable, I felt well represented and it was something I was proud of. I'm like 'look at that, you did that'. 

It's funny because every so often people refer to me as 'the writer' or 'the artistic one' and I stop for a second and can't imagine who they are talking about. It still hasn't 100% registered with me that I write things, and people read them! 

So again I say thank you for reading the blog and letting me into your heart and mind for a few minutes of your day. 

-M.

P.S. - I think everyone should blog ;). 

Scarf Storage DIY!!!

Hi Guys!!

So I really like a good scarf. I think they can pull an outfit together really well by adding a pop of color or just enhancing an outfit. 

One of my issues though? How to store the scarves that I have. I want to display them because they are so darn pretty. 

So I searched Pinterest and saw some ideas of hanging scarves on circular hooks on a rod. Well I didn't have a rod or circular hooks, but I did have these ornate bracelets that my friend Alyssa got me from India when she went. 

That is how I discovered this great idea!

This is the bracelet I used.

The setup before I started creating

Setup from a wider view

Setting up the bracelets for placement on the hooks

Draping the scarves in half on the bracelets

Wider view of my scarf corner. Love the view

I love seeing these scarves when I go into my room now. The colors are just beautiful and it will remind me to wear them whenever I can. Definitely not the last organizational project in my room. More to come!!

I bought the scarves at (L to R): Distractions in Slave Lake, and the other three are from Stella and Dot. I got mine from my friend Chelsea: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Chelseas-Stella-Dot-Styling/280687668730405.

Stella and Dot makes amazing scarves! They are super soft, colorful, comfortable, and just versatile. I can't wait to get more...not sure where I'd store them though ;).

Stella and Dot also makes candles!!

This one smells amazing! And the packaging is so cute!!

The jewelery that I have to find a new home for :) Go Oilers ;)

Thanks for reading!

I look forward to more of these kinds of posts :).

-M.

New Affiliate Brands!!

Good evening blog friends :)

So today I joined up with 3 awesome affiliate programs!!

1. Jane.com - A new site to me that offers daily emails about awesome sales going on with like fashion, decor, and accessories!! :)

They a deal going on with these really cute leggings!!

2. Julep.com - Now I've been a loyal Julep Maven for about a year and a half now(?) and their service is really cool!! Every month they email you the box style that you fit with at least 2 nail polishes in it and usually a bonus item. It's roughly $20 in Canada with a little bit extra in shipping. But if you look at the link at the top right of the blog you can get your first box for FREE to try!! FREE PEOPLE, FREE!!

3. CafePress.com - I've also had personal experience with this website as it's an awesome place to get customized mugs, posters, shirts, bags, you name it, they'll make it!! They have a lot of themed stuff and you can even make your own logo on stuff!! Really fun!

Hopefully you guys like the ads that are on the blog from these three sites. I think they are all great and chose them specifically because I'd like to do business with them.

G.U.Y. - Lady Gaga

-M.

P.S. - I'm going to have one more blog post tonight :). It's a organizational project I attempted :).

35 in 35 - Challenges are Fun!!

So I know this is like my 3rd blog post today...BUT...

it's my blog and I do what I want ;)

So I was driving home this afternoon and I started thinking about my health and weight and such. I always kind of like little goals when it comes to this, and I like milestone dates as well. I was curious how many days were left until Christmas and I could plan my challenge around that. 

Well lo and behold there are exactly 35 days until Christmas!!

35!! My OCD self was super happy because that's a great number. It's EXACTLY 5 WEEKS!!

So I'm starting an informal challenge for myself that I'll workout at least 35 minutes everyday for the next 35 days and then reassess then ;).

I'm also going to weigh myself and plan to lose about 1-2 lbs a week so 5-10 lbs by Christmas which is a great starting goal and will help me with the whole New Years Resolution thing!!

Anywho!!

If you'd like to join me that'd be great!! I'm thinking I'm going to try and blog a post about the challenge every Wednesday as a check in :). It will be late for next Wednesday because I have my first subbing job, but I'll find the time...to workout AND enrich the minds of tomorrow!! :).

Thanks for letting me tell you about my challenge and I'd love to hear if you are thinking about doing something similar! 

Stars Align - Lindsey Stirling (love her, watch for an upcoming blog post ;))

-M

Inception?

Hey Guys!! 

Just a quick little blog post to tell you about the new FB Page that I've created to promote my blog to promote FB to promote...erm...what?

Anywho I've created a FB page to better interact with people and maybe stop bothering my FB friends with all of my blog/video posts :)

So if you'd like to 'like' my page that would be super awesome fantastic!!

Here's the link: Key of Marie Blog

Hope to see you there!!

Dear No One - Tori Kelly (loving this one!!)

-M.

Drop It Like It's Mod! - sponsored

Hey Gals!!

ModCloth is getting their holiday sale season kicked off the right way, by giving all new customers a sweet discount! When you spend $75 on your first ever purchase with ModCloth, you get $10 off! You can use the savings for buy something for yourself, your home or a gift for someone special, there are so many options! Check it out today using this link: NEW ModCloth customers, save $10 when you spend $75

This sounds like such a super idea! It's the holidays. These guys have great gift ideas and it's super fun to just even browse their site!!

I LOVE giving gifts from this site because they are so unique and super fun :).

Great song that I listened to last night with a vintage feel?

Love Burlesque! And the classic feel of this song!!

Hope you find something that can be your 'best friend' 

-M.

Feature Friend: Meghan McGuigan!!

Back in 2012 :)

Happy Thursday!!

Ok, so to start off with I'm going to buckle to trends and do a semi throwback Thursday that I promises links to the overall feel of this blog post :).

So back in 2012 I was asked by my friend Meghan if I would sit for her so that she could do my makeup...I of course said YES!! Who wouldn't??? 

So this is the result of that awesome sitting. I had so much fun and I can see that this was one of the starting points of my love for makeup and for my obsession with anything Snow White ;)

After Meghan's magic 

Such a beautiful person inside and out :)

So following this, I fell in love with all of anything that Meghan created. Loved watching her amazingly helpful, fun and just enjoying to watch YouTube videos (she super inspired me to start my own channel..and heck my own blog!)

Her blog is where it's at! The posts are vibrant and helpful. Great quality guides to makeup and more importantly life. Meghan has such wisdom and insight that just makes sense. Her uplifting posts make her relatable and approachable (because I'm shy I love seeing into people's personal worlds and relating to them so that I'm more able to connect with them). 

I love that she is so open and honest with her life. Definitely get inspiration from her and what she's accomplished. I love being proud of my friends and I can honestly say I'm super proud of this girl. I'm proud to call her my friend as well!!

Meghan's AWESOME blog: www.makeupandmeg.com (go say hi! :))

Her YouTube username is MakeupandMeg :) awesome videos!

Just a video I filmed about my first makeup experience with Meghan

OH! P.S. - I've been super lucky to have Meghan do my makeup on two photoshoots that I've done! She's always awesome with the makeup and makes me feel amazing. Love it!!

Oh! One more PS, I'm seriously digging the 8tracks app that Meghan turned me on to. Music and makeup, she's an all-star! :)

Love ya Meghan! I love that you are in my life!

-M.

11/12/13/....Savings???? - sponsored

Fashion - Lady Gaga...off her new album 'ARTPOP'!! (review soon!)

Sequential dates, like today...11/12/13, are limited, just like the ModCloth 14% off sale going on for the next 24 hours! There is actually one more sequential day this century, and that is 12/13/14 (next year!) But that is all besides the point. Head over to ModClothand take a look at some of their unique items that are in this super fun and super rare sale: ModCloth's 11/12/13 14% OFF SALE! 24 HOURS ONLY

Fun Holiday Gifts On Sale Now At ModCloth

Scoundrel Bootie from ModCloth	Blueberry Gathering Dress from ModCloth	Hoot, There It Is Skirt from ModCloth