Sharing the Joy....

Many people ask me if I like being a makeup/hair artist. Normally I answer back with a quick "yes", but truthfully that doesn't really cover the half of it. I don't "like" my job, I LOVE IT! Why?...well if you were in my shoes you would know exactly what I meant.
Even though I'm a makeup/hair artist, I wear a variety of other hats in my life as a mother, daughter, sister, wife, artist, teacher, beauty expert and a business woman. All of these elements add a lot of flavor to the mix, so I just thought to myself "you've logged a lot of hours on this interesting journey of yours, so you might as well share the ride". So I am! That will be the only way for you to understand what I love about my profession and why I love living in the moment....

12/30/2009

INSPIRATIONAL NEW YEAR QUOTES...



Edith Lovejoy Pierce
We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day.

Irish toast
In the New Year, may your right hand always be stretched out in friendship, never in want.

Sydney Smith
Resolve to make at least one person happy every day, and then in ten years you may have made three thousand, six hundred and fifty persons happy, or brightened a small town by your contribution to the fund of general enjoyment.

Anonymous
Your Merry Christmas may depend on what others do for you. But your Happy New Year depends on what you do for others.

Aisha Elderwyn
Every new year people make resolutions to change aspects of themselves they believe are negative. A majority of people revert back to how they were before and feel like failures. This
year I challenge you to a new resolution. I challenge you to just be yourself.

I hope you find the quotes as inspirational as I do, and I wish you a very healthy, happy, prosperous and blessed NEW YEAR...

12/01/2009

BIG GRATITUDE...

Here is the beginning of my 10 day quest for a worthy cause, my first blog for "Can for Comments"!
On Thanksgiving I sent many clients, friends and family a sincere message expressing my gratitude for what they have brought to my life. A few days after I received some messages from a few who expressed how special that made them feel, that it brightened their Thanksgiving day that much more. With all that being said it made me realize how important it really is to express your gratitude and what it can do to others.
So today I'm making a concerted effort to focus on gratitude this holiday season. These last few months have made me realize, more than ever, how truly blessed and fortunate I am.
There are about six weeks until the new year, and I want to spend those six weeks living my gratitude, instead of just feeling grateful. I want to recognize the things I’m grateful for, and recognize the people who make my life complete.

Consider it a pre-New Year’s resolution.

11/30/2009

CANS FOR COMMENTS 2009...

The holidays are here and as always this time of year reminds me of the many blessings and the amazing support I have been given by family, friends and my wonderful clients. So I've been inspired to give back by this wonderful idea I came across on my nightly web searching.
I wanted to let everyone know about a little thing I'm doing this holiday season, to give back to our community.It's called "Cans for Comments". The site has challenged bloggers to donate cans to their local food bank for every comment left on our blogs. As any blogger knows it a great feeling to get comments on your posts.
So from Dec 1- Dec 10th, I will be blogging every day (hopefully) and donating 1 can to the local food bank for every comment, question or compliment left on my blog.
10 comments = 10 cans of food.
It's just that simple. That's 10 days to raise awareness for the Cache Valley Food Pantry, and help out families in need this year.

11/29/2009

WORRIED YOU WON'T LOOK LIKE YOURSELF ON YOUR WEDDING DAY?

This might have happened to someone you know… you go to your friend or coworkers wedding to be surprised by her face covered in a mask full of makeup.
You can hardly recognize her and your thinking…
“Oh my… she has waaaay too much makeup on and it doesn’t even look like her, or she is as pail as a ghost.”
To avoid this from happening to you on such an important day, follow these steps prior to the event:
*8 months prior - start collecting, printing hair and makeup styles of looks you like from magazines to websites. It doesn’t matter what ethnicity the models are in your picture. What matters is that you pick either the complete style or different parts of the hair and makeup styles you like or want. For example, if you like the bangs of one picture and like the curls of another, that’s what you want to find. And same goes for makeup: If you like the eyes of a picture and skin of another. This helps visually the exact look you want.
*7 months prior - At this point you need to decide if you want to go to a salon to get your hair and makeup done or have a personal bridal beauty hair and makeup artist come to you. Salons are not experienced in catering to a brides and their needs so I recommend an experienced bridal beauty consultant coming to your event. It is less stressful and you would save a lot of time , you should discuss your needs and options with your personal bridal beauty hair and makeup artist to determine what is best for you.
*6 months prior - Meet with 3 to 6 of your top bridal beauty stylists your are considering for a consultation to discuss your needs and options. If you are deciding to go with your regular hair stylist, BE AWARE. Few stylist really know how to put up hair, even in a simple up-do, and that because they mainly specialize in hair coloring or cutting. Also you many be one of 15 people the stylist is going to service that day with so many DISTRACTIONS. Another option you may be considering is going to your local department store makeup counter. Their main purpose is to Sell You Cosmetics NOT what looks best on you. The best option would be having a personal hair and makeup artist that specializes in bridal beauty. Be sure they are professionals, experienced, and most importantly you are comfortable with.
*5 months prior - Schedule your Trial Hair and Makeup Session with the stylist of your choice. However make sure you still keep your 2nd and 3rd choices on hand just in case it doesn’t work out with your first choice. The Trial Hair and Makeup Session should be the full hair and makeup process that will be performed on the day of. This way you get to see exactly what you will look like. Since this is several months before the actual wedding, It is critical for the stylist to take photographs, notes and log everything so nothing is forgotten and there are no surprises on the your wedding day.

11/17/2009

Being the Model and the Artist for a Photo Shoot....


So what better way to experience what I love to do then to book a photo session to get a few head shots created for business purposes, and of course I would look to the very talented and creative Kellee Smith of Moments by Kellee Photography. For the first time in my career outside of my education and training days have I placed myself as the talent to receive the talent....
For those artists out there who are familiar with mixing, matching and creating a beautiful work of art on yourself, I can honestly say "IT WAS NOT SO EASY'! I am my biggest critic so making sure my tone was correct, the placement of my contour and highlight was proper so they did what they are supposed to do, and then to get the lashes on without messing up the shadow... on any other client its much easier then it was on myself. Thank goodness my hair was already done and I was happy with it before I began my makeup procedures!
Then to place myself in front of the camera (I'm usually behind it), that was an experience for me and I can honestly say that is a feeling anyone has to get comfortable with, WORKING THE CAMERA! I'm pretty happy being behind it, but I am even happier that I had this wonderful experience and VERY HAPPY with the results in what I produced on myself for Kellee to produce for me. Thank you Kellee for your support and talent.

11/15/2009

Client Testimonial

Coming from a retail makeup background, I was hesitant to give the airbrush makeup a try, first for not knowing much about airbrush makeup and second I was comfortable with what I am familiar with. I decided to give it a try for a professional photo shoot I was aked to do for one of my best friend's website sherryssite.com, she asked me to be a model for her merchandise. With Carrie's training and reputation in the beauty industry, I trusted her judgement and her advise on trying the airbrush make-up for the photo shoot. To my suprise, it is not like theater make-up that is thick and uncomfortable, the airbrush makeup was flawless lightweight invisible coverage! We began hair and makeup at 6am, I was scheduled for a 10:00 am photo shoot. After I completed the photo shoot, I headed to the airport for an 8 hour trip home to North Carolina. I arrived home around 12:30 am at night and went straight to bed without washing my face. I woke up in a mad panic to get to work on time, looked at my make-up and was so impressed that I could go to work without having to do anything to touch it up! I was totally amazed that I had the make up on over 24 hours and it still looked fresh and flawless and felt light! Carrie is such an amazing Make-up Artist and Hair Designer! I can't wait for her to come to North Carolina for my Son's wedding next May, 2010, to do my hair and make up again for one of the most important events of my Son's life! Thank you Carrie for your professionalism and expertise in making me look and feel beautiful! I absolutely love how my pictures turned out.

Marcelene White-Cook
Burlington, North Carolina

11/12/2009

Makeup for Icon


Local talent Geno, photography by Dunker Imaging.

from Blonde to Chocolate with extensions....

I love it when my clients really want to step out of their comfort zone and try an entirely new look. Although most might think a change is having a new style, but as a professional I can say when a client has been a blonde most her life and goes dark that is a HUGE change, and what a beautiful change it is for Joni.

10/29/2009

Makeup and Hair for Icon

This image was for Costco. com.
This treadmill was a prototype, didn't run and Michelle Hendy faked the stride! This image was created for The Sports Authority. Photography by Dunker Imaging.

Makeup job for Cache Sales...

Packaging image of a fitness ball for Ross. Model Ryan Avila, photography by Dunker Imaging.


10/24/2009

Alexa and Zach's Bridals

Alexa and Zach scheduled for hair and makeup for their bridals and wedding. Another coopertating groom in understanding why he too can benefit from Airbrush Makeup. They both were in the salon a few days before for color and cut design, then for picture day I added extensions to Alexa's hair to give her more volume and length. They both look amazing, cant wait for their wedding day. Photography by Karlie John.



























Alexis and Bryant's Bridal and Wedding Pics....

Finally... I have been anxiously awaiting these pictures from this session. Alexis was such a fun bride and I felt so honored to be a part of her special day. She truly is a beautiful woman inside and out, I enjoyed enhancing it all. Congrats you two. Photography by Mackly Designer Portraiture.












































10/13/2009

Testimonial

My experience with Carrie was very rewarding. What a great way to start my wedding day! I forgot about everything that was going on around me because she made it so fun, relaxing and she is very professional. I was shocked that at age 50 I could look and feel like such a beautiful bride. She is so proud of her skills and in turn it made me feel gorgeous also. The most amazing part of it all is I have very sensitive skin and can use very few products. Her make-up didn’t bother my skin in any way. In ending, I would like to say that I was so anxious to get out there and show everyone how beautiful I was I forgot my bouquet! Thanks Carrie, I will never forget my wedding day you were such a great part of it!
The new Ms. Irene H. Wilson.

10/12/2009

MAKEOVER.... BEFORE & AFTER!



















My dearest friend Marc was visiting from NC, called with interest in having her hair and makeup done for a photo shoot for a mutual friend of our's new business, (she modeled accessories.) Looking forward to seeing the professional photos. This was Marc's first experience with airbrush makeup, she said "she looks 10 years younger".
Gotta love that!

MAKEOVER!

Melissa came to me with interest in a makeover for hair and makeup. She writes a montly column for 'Wasatch Woman' magazine and her article was on 'head shots'. So with her idea for her column using herself as the example and experience, she booked her appointment to expereince airbrush makeup and light hair styling. Look for her upcoming article to be published soon. Michelle Ray Photography.









10/10/2009

Kellie's wedding day hair and makeup

Kellie arrived so excited and full of energy this morning, TODAY she is getting married! This is bride and groom off to the temple....


Kellie too wanted lots of curls and a little pulled up. I added some extensions to her also to give her more volume and length.




Back of Kellie's hair, she would not be wearing the veil into the temple so had to give her a little detail.






Alexa's trial for her Bridal Pictures hair session


Alexa wanted a some of her hair up with lots of curls for her formal pics that will be taken on the 15th. This is what I came up with for during her trial run. I will be adding extensions to her to give her more length. Poor Alexa she just had her wisdon teeth out 2 days prior to this appointment too. Her hair looks beautiful though.


































10/05/2009

Another Photo shoot for Icon

Here, this image is of a Reebok treadmill for Costco.com This hero image will be accompanied with several insert shots describing key features...

Danna, a figure fitness competitor, poses for a Sears point of purchase image. This image will be on collateral associated with a treadmill in the retail space. Photography by Dunker Imaging