I made a pit stop at Sephora last weekend to purchase this supposed manicure miracle, and ended up with a few extra goodies in my basket. Perhaps it's because I was feeling moody (code word for major PMS), but I tossed this super dramatic deep plum lipstick in 'Crush 23' into the basket. I was thinking it would be a fun way to change up my tried-and-true red and hot pink for fall. I tried it on at home, and was slightly mortified at the reflection staring back at me. I was going for a carefree '90s Drew Barrymore look, but instead got Morticia Addams. I blame it on the fact that I was already rocking a smoky eye and my extremely pale skin, thanks to the fact that I sit in a nearly windowless office for an absurd amount of time each day.

After a quick search on Pinterest, I made a few mental notes on how to, as Tim Gunn would say, make it work.
Case # 1: A natural eye is the way to go. A barely-there liner and mascara with curled lashes is more than enough to keep everything looking balanced. I can do a natural eye...+1. That brings me to my next pointer.

Case #2: Eyebrows are important. Groom them, pencil them in, do whatever you have to do to define them. Don't let them fade away into oblivion unless you want to be mistaken for a goth alien creature from the faraway land where models must come from. +1 point because I happen to have not one, but two, brow fillers. Let the painting commence.

Case #3: Dark lips happen to look amazing with dark skin. Crap. -1 point. You'd never guess I live in a climate with nearly year-round sunshine.

Case #4: But it can look good on fair-skinned blondes! +1 point for me.

Case #5: More like blondes (and brunettes) with bright blue eyes. -1 point for my dark hazel peepers.

So, while the odds aren't exactly stacked in my favor (a measley +1), I went for it anyways and I'm now rocking a super dark bordeaux lip. I'm pretty ok with it, though John kinda hates it. He requested "a lipstick color like the color I was born with." Baby steps. He'll get there...or be covered in dark plum kiss marks.

Oh, and a tip I picked up by sloppily applying my tinted moisturizer today? Pop some concealer on your lips so the color reads truer.

Lulu & Georgia is a super rad e-boutique chock full of beautiful home decor, gifts and furniture. Any of you down to win a $100 shopping spree there? Oh, you do? Well, hey...then let's cross those fingers and hope it's your lucky day!

Something tells  me y'all won't have a tough time picking something out. I mean, you should have seen my desktop when I was making my 'love list' featured up above. It was a mess....but a pretty mess. I want it alllll. If you are an eager beaver and can't wait to get shopping, use code TRIPLE10 for 10% off your purchase (valid for today only!).

To win the prize, use that handy little Rafflecopter entry form to put your name into the virtual hat. I'll announce the winner on 11/27. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Just a few recipes I am craving and plan to cook up should I get the sudden crazy notion that I have some serious Martha Stewart kitchen skills and can cook a fresh and healthy meal, bake a pie from scratch, get it all plated at the right time, and not set off the fire alarm. More tastiness on Pinterest.

Woke up to the sunshine streaming in through the trees in our backyard....loving how green everything is right now because of all this rain!

Added a handful of houseplants recently to freshen up the casa, and I'm making an earnest attempt to develop a green thumb. Trying to get in the habit of watering on Saturday AM. I'm ultra-paranoid about over-watering though, because apparently I potted all my plants totally wrong and root rot is an imminent threat of death. I just can't seem to win the war against murdering plants.

Speaking of houseplants, remember that disastrous DIY I mentioned on Instagram? Consider this hot mess of a gold-leafed planter project an eventual redo. "Good" from far, far from good, you know? I mean, the bald spots and splotchy lines give it character, riiiiiight?

 I hopped in the shower, and while I was singing at the top of my lungs and scrub-a-dub-dubbin', my husband Jacques Pepin John whipped up the most impressive breakfast! I'm talking freshly sauteed spinach, mini heirloom tomatoes, freshly picked basil and a touch of parmesan tossed into perfectly scrambled eggs. It was really hard to actually eat this meal because my jaw was on the floor. Bravo, John!

On Sunday, I checked out Feliz while John was working the AIA tour. I went on a mini shopping spree and picked up a gorgeous Miranda Bennett scarf, a teeny tiny pair of baguette earrings by Erica Weiner via Olive Vintage, two Oui candles, and some birthday cards from Great Lakes Goods. So much amazing stuff in such a little space. I want it alllll.

 I love me some Uchi, so I gave James' version of their sweet chili Brussels sprouts recipe a try this weekend. Yep....she's right. These are friggin' delicious.

Later that afternoon, I met up with my mom and John so we could all hit a few homes on the architecture tour. My two cents? Shiflet Group Architects blew them all out of the water....with and without my little bias since that is where the hubs works, after all. ;)