COFFEE TALK

Well, here we are once again.  It is Friday and my heart is full of anticipation.  There is no containing my excitement when a double batch of mozzarella sticks and a trip to IKEA are on the horizon. 

Let's chat it up. 

I treated myself to this liner and this gloss this past weekend and I love it so much.  I know I’ve talked about the Urban Decay 24/7 lip liner before, but I have to mention it again because it really is so worth splurging on.  Honestly, you really do not even need a top coat.  It’s so smooth and it really does last all day.  Venom is a really pretty berry-pink and I’m obsessed with it.  I paired it with my Buxom gloss in Jane and I love the effect.  

It would seem I’ve been breaking some butter ground rules  Oops.  Also, I do not even remember the last time I bought salted butter.  I am an unsalted girl all the way. 

How do you feel about shopping for your groceries online?  I'm really not into it myself. While I have no doubt it would save some time, I relish my Monday afternoons of marketing.  It might sound pathetic, but grocery shopping is one of the things I look forward to most each week. I find inspiration in the produce section and I chat with my favorite cashier, and my favorite butcher with the charming New Jersey brogue.  However, for those of you who have to tote tiny people about with you, I can totally see the appeal of front door service. 

These shrimp. All the heart-eyed emojis. 

I baked up a batch of my favorite shortbread cookies this week and was reminded of how truly perfect they are.  I gifted half of the batch to a friend, but I have loved having a stash of my own to break into when I have my tea in the afternoons. 

Some eighteen years ago, my mother and aunts made these shamelessly elaborate sugar eggs and I remember huddling together in my Aunt Mere’s tiny galley kitchen with our piping bags and pompom chicks in hand as they were assembled.  This year, I was determined to indulge myself in some nostalgia, so my mother, sister, and I made half a dozen of these faux-faberge creations last weekend.  It was the sweetest of times (no pun intended) - sitting around the table with icing on our elbows and talking as we hollowed out our eggs and piped each delicate swirl.  I have not crafted much in the past several years, due primarily to a lack of time rather than desire, but I am now determined to delve back into some handicraft in 2017. 

I started by purchasing this pattern.  Not because I need a stuffed llama, but because it was just so cute I could not resist.  Besides, considering my background with sewing, I needed to make something I would not have to wear.  I’ll let you know how it turns out.  

I fell into a very dark, mysterious, and mentally exhausting rabbit hole this past week thanks to Joy's recommendation.  I listened to this podcast constantly and finished the 9-hour saga within two and a half days.  Of course, as I have explained to my husband, I was working the whole time I was listening and that makes it sound less pathetic.  Oh my, this story… It’s consumed ninety percent of my thoughts this week and to say I have been panicky might be an understatement.  I did full-on attack my husband when he unintentionally sneaked up behind me.  I’ve been watching the landscapers with suspicious eyes and wondering which is most likely to murder me.  It is not exactly healthy, and my husband has wisely suggested that I set aside the true crime podcasts for a bit, but now… Oh, I’m in deep, you guys.   

What are you up to this weekend?  May I suggest baking a batch of muffins and settling down with a cozy read, or a slightly terrifying podcast?

Happy, happy weekend! 

Sincerely, 

Pedantic Foodie

COFFEE TALK

Are you ready to do this weekend thing?  Of course you are.  You already have your fluffy socks on, don’t ya?  Proud of you. 

The past week was relatively calm, but that by no means lessens my desire for some relaxation.  I've got my sights set on a nap and lots of indulgent eating.  Of course, considering that I'll be hosting a house of young men all weekend (Mr. Pedantic is having a gaming party), that may be wishful thinking.  But, after all, wishful thinking is what weekends are for. 

I'll be making another pot of this Irish Ale Potato Cheddar Soup for dinner on Sunday and I am so excited.  I do not know if I will ever be able to make "normal" potato soup again.  This version is just so perfect.  Also, while it's not finger food, it does have the beer and cheese factor so I'm pretty sure this passes as Super Bowl food. 

Speaking of that hallowed, buffalo sauce-fueled day, are you going to be watching the Super Bowl this Sunday?  I love football, not because I understand the smallest part of it, but because the sound of the game, the clapping and roaring of excited on-lookers, and the thrill of wings, chili, and all that is cheese-covered comforts my soul.  I used to love falling asleep on my father's lap to the sound of a game.  My head would bop up and down as he cheered, but though it was a tumultuous nap, it was my favorite kind.  Sadly, for many years my family lived just far enough out of the city to never have a consistent television signal, so most of our football viewing was dependent on whether or not we were invited to a party.  This year, Norwyk Manor will indeed be full of guests, but we too, lack access to the world of viewing that lies beyond Netflix. However, that will be no means stop me from partaking in any and every indulgent variation of game day food.  I'm looking at you, buffalo chicken beer cheese fondue fries and pretzel dogs. Ahhh, happiness...

I had been eyeing this pretty polish for about two weeks and I finally treated myself to it while I was marketing on Monday.  I love the plum-y pink hue, I feel like it is a perfect transition color for winter/spring.  I swear I did not purchase it solely for the name, though it was definitely an enticing factor.  

I am starting to feel the urge to add some new interests to my makeup routine.  I am really liking the plum hues right now and I'm so tempted to try pulling off this lipstick.  I am afraid I might be too pale for something that vibrant though.  

I bought this eyeshadow for my wedding and wore it all throughout my honeymoon.  I did not wear a whole lot of makeup most days, but I loved how one stroke of this ultra-shimmering shadow and a bit of mascara gave me a finished look without having to do much else.  I am still totally in love with the champagne hue, but I am thinking of trying out a new shade for a slightly brighter look. I am currently eyeing (pun intended) this one.  Before the wedding, I would have totally turned my nose up to a $21 case of eyeshadow, but I have to admit, it's totally worth the splurge. I have worn it consistently since the wedding and I am no where near finishing the container.  The best part though, is that while it is full of sparkle, you do not end up with glitter all over your face, which has been the case with every other glitter shadow I've tried.  Can you tell I like this product?

I loved this article.  It was such a cozy read.  As soon as I get my hands on some quality Assam tea, I am making a pot of this chai.  It has been far too long since I had a homemade cup of chai so I was delighted to stumble upon a recipe.  I can already taste the spicy ginger. 

I'm back on another floral kick (not that I ever got over the last one), and I am thinking I need to make myself a tablecloth with this fabric.  I realize that it is probably not the proper material for tablecloth-making, but I really love the pattern.

Mr. Pedantic and I are trying to learn Canasta.  My family played it for about six months straight many years ago, but I had entirely forgotten the rules.  It's been sweet to sit down with decks of cards in the evenings rather than remotes. 

Did you know that samoa gum is now a thing?  What a wonderful world we live in.

Wishing you the loveliest of weekends!

Sincerely, 

Pedantic Foodie

None of the products mentioned here were sponsored.  All were bought by me and any opinions given are my own.  I just love sharing what I like with you!  Thank you for reading!

Wedding Makeup

The alternate title for this post was "Apparently, I've now deluded myself into thinking that you care about what I put on my face."  I expunged that heading because it was far too long and far too real.

You might be a product junkie if you get stressed out by the grocery store running out of your favorite brand of parchment paper. Sure, there are half a dozen alternative brands, but they are not your brand. You may also view every trip to Sephora as a quest to uncover the very best "whatever" so that you can fall in love with something else that you will now be eternally obligated to replace every three months.  

It takes me foreverrrrr to buy new products.  I often allow small bottles of dazzling illuminators with strangely suggestive names to sit in my Amazon cart for months - sometimes years - before finally giving in and hitting the purchase button.  That is because I know myself.  I know that if I love this product I will not only be committing to the $19.74 cost now, but to an ongoing commitment to this new thing that I will, after several uses, never be able to live without. This is when it is frightening to be me. 

For these reasons, most of the makeup in my makeup bag has always been drugstore brands. Until now... 

When I called the artist about doing my wedding day makeup, I felt a little ill at the estimate. That much?!  For my face?  For my face that will be washed less than twenty-four hours later?! 

That was when I decided to do my own makeup.  While the costs were about the same after a visit to Sephora, the idea of keeping all of the "splurge" products after the wedding convinced me.  

It turns out I really, really enjoy buying makeup, and I'd like to rope you into my newfound obsession.  Just in case you too enjoy having pretty bottles of shimmering things in your makeup bag. 

So, for my face.  I'm still using my Ulta primer and Maybelline "Fit" foundation as a base.  I've been using both for years now and I'm truly satisfied with the results.  I tried the fancy stuff and was less than impressed, and, at $50 per ounce, I wanted to be pretty darn impressed.  I did however, fall in love with two different blush options.  I tried this cheek stain by Tarte at first, and then tried this one.  Both were beyond dreamy.  I'll be wearing the Tarte blush on the wedding day because I loved the soft, peachy hue, but I'm hoping to grab another bottle of this stuff for every day use.  I love the shimmer.  

I also discovered this shimmering skin perfector which is basically like fairy dust for your face.  It adds the prettiest subtle glow that I really, really like.  I found that I was just not into the dewy look as much as I wanted to be.  I prefer a more matte finish, but this illuminator gives the glow that I have always admired in a dewy look, while still maintaining my matte base.  It's a splurge you just might need to make. 

For the eyes... I have always had trouble with my eyes.  I mean, I can see alright, I just do not know how to decorate them.  (I just gave myself a look of utter disapproval.  That sounds like such a ridiculous, non-problematic problem to have.)  For the wedding, I knew I did not want anything too bold, but at the same time, I wanted to incorporate something different.  So, I am beginning with this primer, which is basically a gentle glue to hold everything in its proper place, and then doing a very subtle pearly-white shadow that I found at Ulta, and accenting it with this dreamy Space Cowboy Moondust.  My sci-fi loving fiancé was beside himself with joy when I showed him the name.  

Typically, I only use eyeliner underneath my eyes, but I really wanted to pull off one of those subtle "wings" for the wedding day, so I got this pen.  It made it so much easier to get the eyeliner even.  I'm still going to get one of my lady friends to help me with it on the big day though.  I tend to overcorrect... and after the fourth coat it gets a little on the Disney villain side. 

Sephora is always giving me these samples and at first I thought, "How sweet! A gift for me!"  But now, I realize that there is nothing sweet about it - samples are dangerous.  You will soon find yourself falling in love with products that you had never even heard of, but all of the sudden you cannot live without them.  Oops.  So it went with this Dior mascara.  For YEARS I have insisted that my $9 drugstore mascara could not be beat.  I was wrong, I was so very wrong. 

Believe it or not, the hardest part of this makeup-choosing process was finding the right lipstick. I am not an everyday lipstick wearer.  I always have chapstick in my pocket, and I may apply a quick coat of lip gloss, but I only wear lipstick on special occasions.  My wedding is a fairly special occasion, and I really wanted to do a somewhat bold red lip, but I've found that most reds wash me out and make my already-ghostly skin look almost bluish.  Not cute.  After sharing my dilemma with the consultant, she explained that I was looking at the wrong set of reds.  After forty five minutes of scouring the store with my sister and our consultant, I was holding the perfect lipstick and matching lipliner (which incidentally took forever to find).  I had never used lipliner before, but now I'm hooked.  It really completes the look and keeps the lipstick from bleeding and making me look like the Joker. 

In hopes of keeping everything in place for a good fifteen hours, I have armed myself with this setting spray.  I really like how cool and refreshing it feels.

Here's the condensed list, sans all my obnoxious opinions.  

Ulta Primer

Favorite Foundation

Naked Weightless Concealer

Tarte Blush

Illuminator

BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector

Eye Primer Potion

Pearly White Eyeshadow

Space Cowboy Moondust

Bobbi Brown Eyeliner

Eyeliner Pen

Dior Mascara

24-Hour Setting Spray

The Perfect "Red" Lipstick

Lip Liner

I plan to record some of the wedding day chaos through Instagram & Instagram stories, so feel free to follow along!

Sincerely, 

Pedantic Foodie

This post was not sponsored in any way.  All the opinions are my own and I purchased all of the products myself.  You will find one or two affiliate links above.  Thank you for allowing me to share my life with you!

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