The Time of Our Lives

Behold, caffeine does have an effective use! I am living-breathing proof of this strange phenom.
Let me explain: y'know how you take a ton of pictures and video of your friends and adventures and plan on doing amazing things with it. Yet, somehow it always ends up taking up massive amounts of memory space? I get that totally, 100 per-cent.
Also, I have discovered the untapped level of dorkiness. I flipped out over free video editing software and have the most amazing project in the works with all my friends.
It's somewhat of a music video, and also a bit of a picture show. I wish I could reveal more about it, but I've only started doing recordings and have other things to do.
Teachers just love wearing out all your free time with Algebra homework. Go figure.

Anyway, there will be a photo shoot up of our highschool years so far. We are like typical highschoolers, just more talented in the field of Awkward Moments. Stay posted and enjoy fall!
Carie Lea

HEADS UP: Just added a few new stories to my FanFiction account. Click [here] for my profile. The newest ones are for Twilight, Alec/Renesme ship. I have everything, so don't worry. Thanks!

Amazing Tunes!

It's a Saturday afternoon and I've got nothing to do. I, like every other teenager, am going to listen to music. Because there's nothing else to do, right?
In light of my boredom, I've decided to post my favorite songs and a few albums; why not spread the joy of music a little further! Keep in mind: I watch gLee, but don't listen to gLee versions of things, so you might recognize a few tracks that they've don; I seem to always prefer the original versions...
Anyways, I hope you enjoy!

1. Atlas Hands - Benjamin Francis Leftwich
This is my absolute favorite song, and has been for the past 2 weeks. It was a free-feature on iTunes and I couldn't resist the singer-songwriter's album cover. It's a pretty straight song: only vocals and a few guitars (maybe 3-ish), but it's beautiful nonetheless. The music video is here.

2. Encounter - The Green Children
There's something so genuinely magical abot this album that I couldn't help but buy up every song. Every track is gorgeously laid with just enough embellishments to make each song unique and special. Milla's voice is stunning and Marlow's acompaniment can only be called ereathreal. My favorites are Dragons(music video ), Skies on Fire, and Hear Me Now (music video ).  Buying the track Hear Me Now and 50% of the money goes to poor women in India.

3. Banana Pancakes - Jack Johnson
Honestly,  I have never disliked one of Jack Johnson's songs and In Between Dreams was the first album of his I heard. In Between Dreams is full of fabulous songs, but Banana Pancakes is something else. I mean, who wouldn't love a do-nothing-day when you can sleep in and have pancakes for breakfast? It's just a sweet little tune that makes me smile everytime. Listen to: Banana Pancakes .

4. Come Fly Away - Jeremy Fisher
A little background: Jeremy Fisher is a singer-songwriter from Canada. He has a unique style using chords and instruments that aren't used often. Come Fly Away is catchy and uses sparse vocals. It's happy and the music video is a real treat for the eyes; especially for anyone who likes stop-action animation!

5. Violin AND Flower - Amos Lee
Number 5 came to a tie. Amos Lee has a gift with the guitar and Violin is a beautiful song, I believe about the gifts we are given. Flower, I loved the music video because of it's clean-n-simple look; paper made stop-action (or at least it looks that way). The both of them are winners and deserved to be mentioned. Both are from Lee's newest album, Mission Bell.

6. His Young Heart - Daughter
This is another extraordinarily clean sounding albums. Well, I lied, it's only the band's EP, but it's still incredible. The record features 4 songs: Landfill, The Woods, Candles, and Switzerland. Landfill is nearly all vocals; The Woods is guitar-vocals; Candles is just mind-bogglingly with strong then super subtle vocal and instrumentals. Switzerland, I kid you not, has zero lyrics, only a continuing aria-like vocal strain. All of them seem to interweave in a story about lost love, recovery and chidhood. Check out the album here .  FYI: Daughter's realy name = Elena Tonra.

7. Helena Beat - Foster the People
Foster the People has become extremley popular because of their song Pumped Up Kicks. If you haven't already heard it a bazillion times on the radio, colour me surprised. However, the first song released for the album, Torches, was Helena Beat. It was free on iTunes back in June[2011], and hasn't gotten nearly as much play as Pumped Up Kicks, which is a shame; because I think it's a better track. Pumped Up Kicks has a boozey-sounding feel, like you're listening from outside of a crowded coffee shop. Helena Beat is strong and vibrant, taking the other-wise simple beat into an Alice in Wonderland-style spiral, but with a sick getting ready for the apocolypse video, featuring The Lost Children (Peter Pan) and Battery City (My Chemical Romance)

8. Fairytale - Sara Bareilles
Remember Love Song; Sara's break-through song back in 2006-ish? Yea, this is another song off of that album. Sadly, I also did not discover Fairytale until last December, but at least I found it. The song basically trashes every Disney-version princess ever created, turning Cinderella and the gang into normal people. It screams that fairytales are all around us, but we're only looking for the story-book fairytales that Hans Christian Anderson and the Grimm Brothers made us think possible. Harsh, catchy, and all around crazy-goodness, I give yet another quadruple thumbs-up (with my bud, Emmy) to the Piano Queen. (music video here )

9. Stand By Me - Playing For Change
I'm positive most of you have heard this song. It's been done by everyone: John Lennon, Ben E. King, even the Temptations. But, this version was crafted by the organization, Playing For Change, whose goal is to help street preformers across the globe. They've done many songs like this, literally bringing a world together using song, but this one has something more. I can't describe what it is, maybe the muted tones of many instruments or the easy-flowing video . Whatever it is, the track is out of this world. It is by far my favorite version yet!

10. Na Na Na - My Chemical Romance
Yea, this is quite a change up, huh? I love MCR and the release of the new album Danger Days was the best day this past year. I'm not going to post the video because I'm not sure if it curses like it does in the song, but that's my only warning: a few f-bombs and the word "drugs". Honestly, the song pulses with tension, capable of giving even me an adrenaline rush at 5:30 in the morning! And it's a song about blowing things up; your argument is invalid. Battery City here I come

11. Sing - My Chemical Romance
Yes, another Danger Days song. This was done on glee a while back (they were all wearing plaid shirts in it...), and personally they killed it. When the cast members did their rendition, it lost every ounce of power and ferocity that made this song so good. It takes someone with a voice as skillfully brutal as Gerard Way's to get the messege across, and the Broadway stars on glee couldn't muster the strength. The only was to get the full taste of the track, you've gotta watch the music video. It's dirty, gritty and strange, but that's the point: making you want to get up and "keep running" away from the cruel city in the dust and take down BLI yourself.

12. Rumors - Fleetwood Mac
Rumors is one of the most iconic albums of the last 50-odd years, and it was the album that secured Fleetwood Mac's rightful spot in music history. I love this entire record, the best being The Chain, Songbird, and Never Going Back. There are also plenty of other great tracks like Gold Dust Woman, Oh Daddy, and Dreams. If you haven't heard Don't Stop [ you know: "don't stop/thinking about tomorrow"], then you really need to check this album out. Seriously; Go. Now. listen to album

Well, there are my favorite songs, at least for today. Yea, I have more, but soft, old-ish music really struck my fancy. I was drinking Coca-Cola while listening to MCR, so they're sugar-rush craze songs; but in a really good way! Check 'em out; they all rock. I promise.

Til Next Time: 

 

Carie Lea

Tea with the Unicorn Queen

When I said that I had a surprise for you all, I wasn't holding out. I had a chance to speak with Doe Deere, founder of Lime Crime Makeup and self-crowned Unicorn Queen. She also happens to run the Doe Deere Blogazine where she pins up details of her life and company in fantastical fashion!
As any of my friends could tell you (even some of the guys), Doe is a big inspiration to me, along the lines of expressing ones-self and being creative. So you can imagine I was floored when she wrote back saying she would love to talk with me. And a Skype chat was organized as the venue.
Though there really was no tea involved, I'm giving you all an interview that will satisfy!
[little FYI: my questions are in bold!)

What was the most fun/exciting shoot you've done?
Definintely the Snow Queen shoot for Harlow magazine. It was a collaboration between me and my friends and I'm not a professional model, so it was easier being around people you know. Instead of everything being awkward, it was nice to have someone to throw glitter at you. And the dresses were gorgeous, some of the most elaborate I've worn to date!
What is your favorite makeup to wear?
In terms of eye shadows, I really love this new colour that we're coming out with. It's a light aquamarine colour, and I love it because it's fresh, new and exciting. I like blue eyeshadow, but it's associated with the elderly. This eye shadow is different- it's fresh and exciting! However, with lipsticks, I'm very inspired by "grandmother" colours, like when you see an older woman wearing a bright pink lipstick or a cute outfit.
I just heard this great story; it was posted on Facebook from a girl who was in a restaurant and went to the bathroom to touch-up. When she was in the bathroom, she saw an older woman putting on Centrifuschia. I thinks it's cool that she recognized the purple tube and knew it was Lime Crime. If the woman had been using a lipstick from Revlon or MAC, you wouldn't be able to tell the difference because of the black tube! I just wish that women didn't have to go to the bathroom to touch up; it's like we're all hiding the black tube. When I'm out somewhere, I just pull out the tube to touch up!
Anyway, I'm glad that we appeal to the younger crowd and be inspired by the eccentric granny!
Are you going to release anything new for LimeCrime, like mascara or eyeliner?
We are coming out with a line of eye-liners in 2012, about next spring. The formulas are really nice and the colours are going to be spectacular: blues, pinks, lavenders, even a yellow-green and a chartreuse. So, it's going to be very Lime Crime, pretty and new, but with a twist!

Are any of the discontinued eyeshadows going to make a comeback? - Sarah
I appreciate your friend Sarah asking this because it shows that she knows the company well and knows the products, but I don’t think we are going to bring back any of the discontinued colours. I believe in moving the company forward, not back, so when a colour is discontinued, it doesn’t mean that we don’t love the colour, it just means we want to make space for the newer colours, ones that appeal now. I’m sure that hot pink will come back around in another re-incarnation!
You've written alot about L.A's vintage and shopping scene; how does it differ from NYC?
L.A. is great, I really think that it’s the perfect place for me. In New York, the vintage shopping isn’t as great because to buy vintage, you need to go to a vintage store. In L.A. you can find the same or a better piece much easier and at much less cost.
What are some of your favorite finds?
I have a lot of pieces that people would call evening wear and I’ve identified it as a problem. I’m still learning about how to dress casually. Even the dress I’m wearing (a black dress covered with a butterfly pattern) now could be considered evening wear. Now, I’m just trying to figure out how to dress casually, but still [dress how I like to]. An inspiration now is the 1960s and 70s. The dress that I would wear all the time if I could is vintage, probably from the 1970s. It’s a bright dress with every animal you could think of on it. It has monkeys, elephants, giraffes, everything. But, it’s so old that the stitching is coming loose and sometimes holes start to appear in the stitching. So, even if I could wear it every day, I probably wouldn’t.

You've talked about your musical background; fronting in Sky Salt, playing for keyboard for The Oddz, and releasing a solo album Supernatural. How have your experiances in the music industry helped you in launching a company?
Well, my partner and husband, Mark, and I met when we were working with a band. We had been working them with sometime. Being in music, we learned to [advertise] and put ourselves out there. Also, you learn that not everyone is going to like what you have, so you grow thicker skin. I also learned that you have to appeal to what’s interesting now. I design makeup in a collection, like a musician would design their songs in an album. Designing a product, like a lipstick tube or an eye shadow palate, is like designing the cover of the album and the colours are like the songs.
What is the most rewarding experiance you've had in your career in makeup and style?
As cool as it is to see celebrities wearing my makeup, it’s the actual girls wearing the makeup that makes me happy. We got to go to London and meet with the fans and do makeovers. It was very humbling. Designing a makeup line [is difficult]; you can’t design for every face or skin tone, so getting to makeover the girls and try out the colours on them was very [insightful].

It’s like being at a sleep over and making over your friends, right?
Exactly, except you’ve never met them before! Being able to meet the followers has helped me develop better products and better colours.
Do you have any advice for people starting out in the realm of style?
Do what you love and go where you will be loved. It’s hard to explain…when you enter a field with people that this is their life, you have to be the same way.  You need to know that your product is as good as or better than the others and know that this is what you love. You also need to know how to re-invent if it doesn’t work. Lime Crime started out as a fashion line. It was hand stitched and I would sell them from my website or on EBay. I had fans, but not enough to really make it. When I was in high school, I was a total tomboy and never wore makeup. Then it [hit me] that I could do that. I knew I loved [makeup] even though I totally sucked; I loved it enough [to turn it into my life].

You've talked about having fantasy hair(the blue hair). Do you have any ideas on what you want to do next?
I’ve been thinking of having a light lilac colour, but I’m really enjoying having the pale blonde hair. I now understand why everyone would want this; it’s very easy to just put something on [and not worry about it clashing]. When I had blue hair, I could wear hot pinks and yellows or it would look bad and I’m thinking that having lilac hair would have the same problem. I like wearing colour in my clothes and makeup, but not all on [my hair]. Maybe I’ll do something like having the ends lilac [for just a little colour], but not the all of it. Actually, that’s a great idea! I should do that!
It’s funny that you bring that up. My friend and I have started working on a graphic novel and one of our characters has long brown hair with bright blue ends.
That’s really cool! I wish you the best of luck with it and I’d like to see it when you’re done. The dark brown and blue sounds really cool! But, thanks for the idea!
~*

I'd like to thank  Doe Deere for a truly spectacular interview; getting the chance to speak with you was the higlight of my first week of school!
Thanks to you all for reading and I hope you enjoyed!!

Love,
Carie Lea

LeaLook: BlueBird

piece from BlueBird comic by bluegirlwish

Hello all!

So sorry that I haven't updated in what seems like forever. School just started back up and I'm trying to figure my way around my schedule and my laptop (evil thing).

I have a big surprise coming up for you all in just a couple of days [hopefully], but I thought I would stem your curiosity with a look.

I actually wore this to school on the first day. I love it because it brightened up a really grey, over-cast day and looked really pretty when I got to wander around with all of the near-fantasy nature at my school. If only I had worn a pretty dress...

The blues and greys of this look are inspired by Sara Bareilles’ song Bluebird. Imagine the bird is a streak of blue on an overcast day, and you’ll have the image. Enjoy!

For the Eyes:

First-      Take a dark blue colour and apply it on the outer 3^rd of the lid. Pull the colour into the first part of the crease and wing out the shape.

Second- Take a bright blue colour (like a cerulean) and fill in the rest of the crease. Pull it down slightly onto the lid to create a border and a faded look.

Third-  Take a sky blue colour and fill in the inner 3^rd, fading up into the crease.

Fourth- Take a matte grey shadow and apply it on to the center of the lid. Fade the harsh edges with the blue colours.

Fifth-   Take a shimmering silver shadow and apply it lightly over the grey. Use the same colour to highlight the brows.

Sixth-    Use a matte white for the corner highlight. Make sure it stands out.

Seventh-   Line your eyes. Use a midnight blue colour to line your outer lid, upper and lower. Use the colour to highlight the bottom of the winged shape of the shadow. Tight-line your eyes with any grey liner you have. Line your lower water line with the grey too.

Eighth-   Apply black mascara. Try to concentrate on the outer lashes to give it a winged, fuller shape. If you want to apply half-lashes instead, feel free to.

I didn’t do a lip look for this because it would have been the standard, light pink lip stick or a gloss. I apologize for the redundancy. Hope you enjoy! This look is suitable for parties, dances, or even school (yea, I’m a little crazy. I know!).

Love,

Carie Lea

p.s. Sorry about the lack of videos/pictures! I promise there will be a YouTube video up soon!





Lea Looks: Orange Blossom



This is a highly wearable look spun from my new obsession with orange shadow; and also my need for more looks suited to my strange hair colour.. It’s fun, cute, and perfect all the way from spring to fall. I apologize if the video has crapped out. You can find the full thing on my youtube channel here.

For the Eyes:

First-                     Apply a light orange colour (almost cream-sicle orange) all over the lids with your finger or a brush; I actually recommend a finger for this.

Second-           Apply a goldenrod or a dark yellow colour to the center of your lid. This adds another dimension to a matte colour, or a one tone look.

Third-                  Now, tight-line your eyes with your favorite brown liner. Tight-lining is when you line your upper water line. It’s also referred to as the “invisible eyeliner” technique. You can also line your lower waterline, if you want.

Fourth-             Apply a light coat of mascara to you lashes. I never curl my lashes, but your welcome to it; if your that adamant about it.

Onto the Lips:

First-                     Apply your favorite tinted gloss. I'm using Burt's Bees Super Shiny gloss in Pucker Berry; it's a light brown tinted gloss.

This is my new favorite day look, especially with my current love of sky-blue nail polish. This looks great on people with red hair, or strange red-ish hair colour (like me; it’s a strange auburn shade).  I also think it looks cool with brown eyes. It can be worn ANYWHERE; I kid you not.

Love,

Carie Lea

Story Time: Remember Me

Hey y'all! I thought I should finally show you all my writing for the first time. Writing is my life and if I can't show anybody or get more suggestions/criticism, then what's the point? SO, I write fanfiction as a hobby. I usually write for Twilight and Harry Potter as well as writing cross-overs of the two. This is a Twilight fanfiction for the Renesme/Nahuel pairring. I rated this T on FanFiction.Net or PG-13 elsewhere, but it's really only PG. I hope you all enjoy and I can't wait to read your comments!

Carie Lea

Remember Me

Nahuel had thought that visiting her would be a special thing. In the seven years since he had seen Renesme Cullen, he had thought about her endlessly. He would see her in his dreams; the image of an earthly goddess. He had begun to wonder if she was a glorious myth herself.

But, Nahuel had forgotten all about her protector; the wolf.

El Lobo.

The minute he stepped in the door, Esme and Carlisle had welcomed him like the parents he always wished he'd had. Edward, Emmett, and Jasper had become the brothers he longed for; and Alice, Isabella, and Rosalie his second sisters. Renesme had greeted him, more beautiful than even the angel of his dreams.

Little Nessa had grown up; her hair more luscious, her eyes for captivating. She was warm and lovely and, the list went on. He stayed for a week, and spent every moment with her. Renesme showed him her secret places; the beautiful places that only she would know. Even on a sunny day, when he felt the need to bury into the shadow, her infectious smile brought life to him and dragged him out of his shell.

And he loved her even more; he believed she did too.

However, her protector had thought Nahuel overstayed his welcome. Jacob had hovered around Nessa and Nahuel every second they were at the house. After six days, he seemed to have had enough. He confronted Nahuel in the kitchen that morning.

The argument had exploded. The two were at each other’s throats, threatening to rip them out, before Carlisle stepped in. In a rage Jacob had stormed out into the rainy woods. Expecting Renesme to had run out into the storm after the wolf, Nahuel had excused himself and dashed out the front door.

He stopped running at the end of the drive way.

He knelt down on the asphalt and buried his face in his hands. He felt the rain running from his hair, through his hands becoming the tears that he longed to cry. He had lost her, and it was his fault. She was the only one he wanted and she was gone. He was being a self-absorbed child; and he didn't care.

His pride didn't matter now.

"Nahuel, are you leaving?" He turned and stood. There she was; Renesme, in all her rain-soaked wonder, was right in front of him.

"I think it would be best if I did." He replied, feeling the sadness well up inside his heart. Renesme took a bold step forward, able to touch him now.

"Do you really want to leave?" She murmuredher voice steady like the rain.

"Not entirely..." Nahuel whispered, ashamedly looking at the ground. Renesme reached out a touched his cheek, bringing his eyes to hers.

"It's your choice, but..." Renesme stepped even closer. They were almost touching now. "if you really must go, Nahuel..."

Then, the world froze as she filled the distance between them. Her lips were soft and light against his. He had heard about the burst of stars with a first kiss with someone you love deeply; the supposed sky-rocketing to Cloud Nine. He didn't feel that with Renesme.

He felt a burning passion; he felt the little fire he kept going when it came to the youngest Cullen become a blaze. All he felt, saw, smelled, tasted was supremley hers. Nahuel ahdnevered wanted anything more in his whole life.

When they broke apart, her warm chocolate eyes stared into his. Rain drops on her cheeks gave her a sad look, pleading with him not to go.

 "Remember me, Nahuel." She whispered. "Promise me you will."

He looked at her in awe, wishing that they would kiss again.

"Renesme," He said, "Why would I need to remember you, if I never want to leave?" She reached up and hung her arms around his neck in a loose embrace, shifting on her toes.

"You won't ever have to..." She smiled and took his hand.

They walked slowly back to the house together, making up for lost time.

***********************************************

Hey, just a quick note: My account for FanFiction.Net is TheLondonTeaCozy. Please check me out there if you want more!

Carie Lea

p.s. I apologoize if you thought this was super fluffy/sappy. I wrote it a while ago, like March :)

My Fascination with Amy Winehouse

Amy by waytoFall (deviantart)

Every since the news broke about Amy Winehouse's death, every gossip blog, news network, magazine, everyone has given their two cents about the artist. Well, here's mine.

Amy Winehouse was extraordinary. She was the singer with that boozey, passionate voice that made jazz great. Amy had talent, style, and was beyond gorgeous; even with the slightly ridiculous, enlarged eyeliner wing.

Amy knew who she was and who she wanted to become. She was the retro bad-ass beauty that could turn out incredible music and look wicked while doing it. Now, anybody born in the last 16 years has obviously heard their share of Winehouse stories. Her wild partying was to be reckoned with. Of course, that's were most people's 2 pennies went: to her recklessness.

Honestly, when all is said and done, I can't totally blame her. I get that she went overboard a bit. The lifestyle of those in the fast-lane is something I can only imagine, if aspire to. If I was in the shoes of someone like Adele or Gwenyth Paltrow, I'm damned sure that I would want a drink at some point. I'm sure even Oprah has downed a shot on a particularly hard "Favorite Things" episode. Snobbish people tend to stick to the opinion of "I could do better".

Well, could you?



Her partying and addictions are not the point of this entry, please understand that much. The point of this was her talent.

Amy's talent was something of Brittney Spears and Bruno Mars' wildest fantasies. She had a voice well beyond her years, and her lyrics spoke of a depth most modern music can't ever seem to reach. Her album, Back to Black, was nominated for 5 Emmy's; all of which, Amy won.

People have singled out Amy's hit, Rehab, as a cry for help. I beg to differ. I believe the song was less about Amy's choice to abandon/refuse help, but about choices in general; the way a choice can effect a life. Amy was reflecting on her choices, but not entirely bringing the spotlight to her less-than-brilliant ones. Amy defined an era where music still meant something to those that were creating it. When Amy felt something, we all felt something; whether it was a smirk, a grimace, or a little tug at the old heart-strings

Escapades aside, I've wanted to be Amy. I have dreamt about being the girl that everybody likes and respects, but can hold her own and be strong in the arena of life. Obviously, Amy may have taken to much and I feel that society is partly to blame, for alot of celebrity has-beens and mis-haps.

We gave Amy alot of un-needed attention for over-doing it and making a fool of herself. I'm almost positive that she wasn't proud of it and didn't mean to go that far! To her, it must have been like that crazy child-hood dream we have when your at school, but you didn't put on your pants that morning. Then, a picture of you in your lucky space-teddy undies (don't laugh!) appears in the school paper the following day. It's one of those "oh God, why me?" moments.

So, as I listen to my worn-out copy of Back to Black, and look at the picture of her above, I wonder what she was thinking there. Was she excited for something? Scared or angry? Maybe she was filled with pride, but was modestly trying not to reveal it?

I also wonder what was going through Amy's mind on her last day. She couldn't have known that was it! There is just this aching thought in the back of my mind, the pounding urge to know what was going through her mind, what she did, what music she listened to, on her last day.

All that is left to say, as Valerie flows through the speakers, is that it's making me smile a little bit more. This song was supremely her; Amy Winehouse is written in neon lights all over it! Bruno Mars and his lighters can go off into their corner, because his cover can't hold a flame to Amy.

Let's just leave it at Miss Amy Winehouse will never be replaced and the music business will be doing 360's in it's grave at a million miles an hour trying to find the next Amy.

I believe it will be hard to recover the era of Black.

Until next time, all!

Carie Lea

listen to Amy's song Valerie here

listen to Amy's song Rehab here