Sunshine and Pearls

Summer is ending and it’s time to celebrate with a bbq! I have rounded up my favorite picks to help make your BBQ a success!

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I love this DwellBee chalkboard to let guests know what is on the menu!

The gingham table runner adds a fun vintage flair to any table! 

You don’t even need a new serving platter when you place burgers on this awesome cutting board

I may be trying to convince Dino Boy we need to upgrade to this bad boy soon

How cute are these appetizer plates for guests?

Celebrate Shark Week with these fun shark facts!

Not only did sharks first appear 400 million yeas ago, they are still here today. They have survived 5 massive planet extinction events. 

While many of us have learned to fear sharks, they’re the ones who should fear us. People are sharks’ most deadliest predator. In fact humans kill more than 100 million sharks each year.

Most sharks species will drown if they stop moving. Great white, mako and salmon sharks don’t have the muscles they need to pump water through their mouth and over their gills. As long as they keep swimming, water keeps moving over their gills, keeping them alive.

Humans are the shark’s biggest predator, but killer whales, crocodiles and seals have been known to eat sharks as well. Large sharks will even go after smaller, younger sharks that might make easy prey.

Even though sharks have rows and rows of razor-sharp teeth, they don’t use their pearly whites to chew their prey. Shark teeth are strictly for snapping, grip, crush or rip, and the resulting chunks are swallowed whole.

Galeophobia is the excessive fear of sharks. It comes from the Greek word “galeos,” which was a particular type of shark.

Be glad you’re not a shark, moms! The gestation period for a pregnant female shark can range anywhere from five months to two years.

Sharks’ eyes are on the sides of their heads, so they have an amazingly wide sightline spanning nearly 360 degrees. Their panoramic view of the undersea world is inhibited only by two blind spots, one in front of the snout and the other directly behind the head.

Instead of closing its eyelids, a great white shark rolls its eyes into the back of its head when it attacks. This behavior helps the shark protect its eyes from debris and the thrashing of its prey.

These are some of the best shark goodies on the market right now!

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Just what is it about make up that women love so much? For a start, it could be the fact that it allows us to express our natural creativity, lets us experiment with color and helps to enhance our best features, be it our eyes, lips or cheeks.

 At some point, everyone’s had an eyeliner disaster or ended up looking distinctly orange thanks to the wrong shade of foundation. But by following some simple guidelines, you’ll soon be able to create a collection of go-to looks that’ll take you from work to a posh event and even onto the beach!

A Good Foundation

Before you apply any product to your face make sure it’s clean, use face wipes if you aren’t sure, followed by your usual toning and moisturizing routine. Next up, visit the makeup counter and pick a shade of foundation that matches your skin tone, check this in natural light as indoor lighting is quite harsh, gently rub it in and if blends smoothly you’ve got a winner! Any yellow, orange or pink color showing through? Try something else and then set with a powder that isn’t too oily or thick for your skin

The Eyes Have It:

Next, it’s time for eyeliner so try to pick something that’s not too heavy; you don’t want to look like Morticia Adams, sweep it along the waterline a couple of times, apply mascara and your chosen eyeshadow before applying your eyeliner to your upper lid. You’ve probably seen winged eyeliner looks on YouTube but only attempt these after a bit of practice – they can be tricky. Eyeshadow should compliment the look you’re after for example; a smoky eye should equal a light lip but pair a brighter lip with a more natural eyeshadow.

Beautiful Blush

You want to apply a swirl of blush onto your cheeks, use a blusher brush and sweep from the cheekbone to the nose in a downwards motion and then blend. There are dozens of blush shades out there but if in any doubt look to the time of year, use copper in autumn, apple pink in winter, pastel pink in spring and golden bronze in summer.

Read My Lips

There should be an award for applying lipstick, especially pillar box red, as it isn’t the easiest of tasks. You’ll want to pick a shade that suits your skin tone; warmer skin tones look great with orange, peach and red shades whereas cooler skin tones suit pastel pinks, plums, and blue hued products. However, experiment and see what’s right for you as sometimes you’ll be surprised at what works and what doesn’t.

Line and rim your lips with a lip pencil in a matching color, no clown lips here, and then apply the color to the bottom lip first, followed by the top lip. Gently rub your lips together to make sure the color’s even and blot the excess away with a tissue.