A beauty collection of dreams, this new designer collaboration with NARS Cosmetics is all things elegant and chic. 

NARS Cosmetics limited edition, stunning capsule collections have  not only become cosmetic must-haves but have become great collectors items for both beauty and fashion enthusiasts. For Summer 2018, the popular French beauty brand is collaborating with Erdem Moralioglu for a dream-like collection featuring 13 new colors, products and palettes.

Without losing the classic elegance of the Erdem brand, the Strange Flowers collection beautifully illustrates his feminine and beautifully romantic signature style through color. Using unique bold pigments, this collaboration offers daring yet timeless tones  (bold berry tones, romantic reds/rose and earthy, cool-toned neutrals) which help create versatile looks from demure to bold.
One of most exciting products in this collection is the new Lip Powder Palette. This innovative palette, which is unique to this limited edition collection, includes an array of delicate neutrals and daring rose shades (fuchsia and scarlet, both matte). This customizable palette can be worn in a variety of ways as it consists of a lip priming balm and 4 powders (metallic and matte). To achieve a multi-dimensional, layered look, the stunning shimmery rose gold powder can be applied atop the nude rose, fuchsia or scarlet with the precision-tip lip brush included in the palette.



Images courtesy of NARS Cosmetics

Spring has finally arrived and I'm so ready to take a break from those dark, moody polishes of winter. The light and bright shift of the seasons has me itching to lighten up my manicures and opt for more creamy blush and nude-toned nail lacquers. A forever classic and polished look (and Kate Middleton favorite!), light-colored manicures pair well with all ensembles and are very forgiving when inevitable chips occur. With the royal wedding just a little over a month away (May 19th!), I thought I'd highlight a few pale polishes I'm currently loving from Morgan Taylor.

Before I get right to my favorites, I must share why I can't get enough of this awesome nail brand. While their nail lacquers are toxin-free (formaldehyde, touluene, DBP ), it's their exceptional quality of pigments (major color payoff!) that brings me back to this range time and time again. Whether you're looking for metallics, iridescent finishes, cremes or intense opaque tones, Morgan Taylor's impressive collection of colors does not disappoint. Best of all, MT polishes all deliver an even, smooth coating of polish with every sweep of the brush. Speaking of brushes, each polish is equipped with a great wider cut brush which makes application a breeze.

I've also found that most polishes become thick and sticky with continued use which thankfully does not happen with these high quality lacquers. By the end of the bottle, the formula, consistency of color and fluidity remain exactly as a fresh bottle -- simply excellent.



Now to The Colors -- 
While I love a nice opaque pale pink or creamy beige, Morgan Taylor's silky sheer polishes are some of my favorites. These luxe sheer colors deliver a hint of color that can easily be intensified with additional coats without the dreaded, uneven streaking. Two coats are sufficient for a beautiful flush of color and my current favorites include a creamy ivory (Heaven Sent), a pale ecru/nude (In The Nude), and a ladylike light cafe pink (One and Only). As a fun alternative to the common pale whites and pinks, I had to add Beach Babe to my updated lights collection. This pale peachy creamsicle polish has a subtle iridescence swirled throughout which is just stunning and feels extra fancy every time I wear it.

With the sun shinning (and even when the April showers hit), treat yourself to manicure with one of Morgan Taylor's stunning polishes, your nails will thank you.

I'm always on the hunt to find beautiful, stylish art. The kind of work that will complement both my bold spirit and space and will guarantee a wide smile every time I glance at it.
Luckily, I recently stumbled upon an image (Mon Petit Chou!) that was everything I was looking for -- equal parts whimsy and stylish -- this piece was stunningly done and I needed to find the artist behind this lovely painting.

The artist who created that painting was Catherine Stenhjem, an incredible artist from Arizona who beautifully illustrates awe-inspiring images both imagined and present. Much like the fashionable painting that initially sparked my interest in her work, her collections of paintings each vividly portray striking imagery that leave you wondering more about their backstory. Bold, regal animals like big wild cats (panthers, lions, tigers) and strong horses and more, along with fantastical folklore-inspired styles are common motifs in her work. Having spent some time living abroad in Iran, the warm and classic elegance of old Persia can also be seen in her paintings. Whether creating fancy fantasy worlds or striking portraits, Catherine's style of art is certainly captivating.



As a personal fan of majestic wild cats, I was struck by her style of incorporating these beautiful creatures in her flawless portrait work. Vividly illustrating both, Catherine's unique skill of meticulously perfecting every detail is what sets her work apart from most artists. The results are extraordinarily lively images that are sure to enchant every viewer. Her impressive attention to fine-tuning the details of every piece, while creating an almost multi-dimensional layering of color, Catherine's intense passion for art and storytelling with her paintbrush is wildly evident in every one of her pieces. When I received my very own Catherine Stenhjem painting, I soon learned that this luxurious style of painting was even more magnificent in person.




With impressive versatility, Catherine's artistic talents extend beyond the finest of papers. She also paints her exquisite signature designs on leather accessories with the same vibrancy and expert technique seen in her paintings. Additionally, Catherine's special collection of  original paintings can be purchased as cards. Using high quality paper materials, Catherine has taken classic greeting cards to the next level. A gift itself, her beautiful art cards feature an original hand-painted piece of art along with a blank insert to detail your personal messages -- all of which are presented with a chic ribbon closer and beautiful envelope. While these fancy art cards are beautiful on their own, these smaller works can also be framed.

It's rare to see an artist exhibit their unique works in such a varied fashion -- Catherine expertly does it without sacrificing quality or authenticity.




While admiring her work from a far (aka stalking her consistently impressive instagram), I received a message from Catherine herself. She generously offered to paint my portrait and I was just incredibly honored to become one of Catherine Stenhjem's Enchanting Girls. Already a major fan of her style and just blown away by her creative interpretations of all her previous portrait models, I knew my very own portrait wouldn't disappoint.

I've only had my portrait done once before by an amature student in my college drawing class and was pretty horrified by the results. Every feature I've always been teased about or troubled by was highlighted in a very unfortunate fashion. To now have a chance to have my portrait redone by a professional, I was hopeful that those feelings would not be revisited.

The final result was something I'd never imagined. Coupled with her signature regal black panther, Catherine not only painted my face with exceptional accuracy and depth, but created a sharp richness with every stroke that was beyond stunning. It was bold, it was intense and simply mesmerizing. Both interpretations illustrated a beautiful story: a royal pairing of a strong beauty with her equally fierce cat companion. To say I was blown away would be an understatement. I believe that's what Catherine's work expertly does. It immediately captures your attention and speaks volumes. Each stroke of her brush paints an emotion that frames each piece's unique story. For me, Catherine made me royalty, and I couldn't be more appreciative.




The kindness she extended to me through this unique experience and gifting me a lovely pair of portraits will be remembered for a lifetime. These paintings (along with a collection of her other work)  will be enjoyed and cherished. These vibrant works have lit up my home in so many ways. Her love for painting enchanting faces and capturing their essence is a she's mastered through her many years as an art professional. It also highlights how she truly connects with her subjects in such positivity  and light.