I've Moved

Please look for my blog here: http://eddyinthecity.wordpress.com/

Now Playing: Jesse Cook

If you're looking for some super sexy music, put this baby in your CD player.

The not-so-secret secret is that I LOVE ethnic music. Yeah, yeah, I know that a Canadian playing classical flamenco isnt exactly "ethnic", but it sure is exotic and makes me want to get up and shake it. 

It'll make you want to shake it too. I guarantee it.

You'll start dancing in your car and people driving by will look at you... not that I'm saying this from personal experience.

Seriously, go look it up.

You know you want to.

Oh wait, I'll save you the trouble.

Here's just a taste of the booty-shaking power of Jesse Cook.

In the Christmas Mood: O Holy Night

My favorite rendition of one of my favorite Christmas carols.

Work Party

Tonight was my office's annual holiday party at The Keg Steakhouse in Colorado Mills.

I devoured the Baked Goat Cheese with Almonds on Crostini, and the Orange Crush Martini. YUM!

Also, managing to walk away with a Nordstrom's gift card in the gift exchange wasn't bad either ;)

I'm In Looooove

I know I've spoken before of my love for simple and elegand home design, so here's a lineup of what's caught my eye lately:

French by Design

My Scandinavian Retreat

My Scandinavian Retreat

My Scandinavian Retreat

Now Playing: Roswell Soundtrack

Currently listening to this, and I'm transported to freshman year of college, circa 2000.

I was hopelessly smitten with Max Evans. I wanted to BE Liz Parker. I wanted to run away in a van with my best friends, and get married in a romantic forbidden ceremony to a devastatingly handsome man with a wonderful, romantic, dangerous secret.

Because that's how corny I am ;)

Crazy Lights

 Last night several of my roomates and I bundled up in our flannel pajamas, trned on the Christmas tunes and drove around our neighborhood to check out the Christmas light displays.

These Denver-ites go a little crazy...

The Countdown Begins

Three weeks from now I will be on the ground in Pittsburgh and on my way to my parents' house for several days of New Year's vacation! I'm so excited to spend time with my family and see friends from church!!!

Just a Typical Evening

A steaming mug of tea, my journal and day planner, and catching up on my favorite blogs and TV shows.

Sand and Sunny Skies

Today has been a Courtney Jaye day. I'm longing for balmy summer weather, a sandy beach, and turquoise water.

Because it's downright frigid here right now.

Dreams From Long Ago

Beauty is my obsession.

Ever since I was 13 and started wearing a bit of nail polish and my Bonne Bell Lipsmackers, cosmetics have been my hobby. When my friends would come over to my house, I'd always pull out the nail polish and make homemade face masks out of oatmeal and honey (disastrous!). At 17 when I was going to graduate from high school, my friend Katie and I had plans to live in London (Ontario) and go to cosmetology school together. My ultimate dream was to do makeup for celebrities or learn special-effects makeup for sci-fi television shows and movies.

But then reality set in and the need for a "steady" job began to rear its ugly head, so I graduated from college with a somewhat more practical degree in History. (And what do you do with that degree, you ask? Turns out, not much actually)

Fast forward to NOW.

I have been an administrative assistant for the past 6 1/2 years. It's steady work. It's a decent income. It's responsible.

But at the end of the day I still come home and put on a face mask and give myself a mani-pedi. Sephora is my home away from home. I obsessively eBay-surf for all my favorite cosmetics at discount prices.

So I guess it comes as no surprise that I have been thinking long and hard about getting my esthetician's license! For years, my friends and family members have commented that it would be the perfect profession for me. The more I think about it, I think they are spot on! It's the only thing that I LOVE and can't imagine tiring of. It gives you the space to be creative, to pamper people, and to grow professionally.

My goal for the next several months is to save as much money as I can and then apply to attend Aveda Institute in the late spring/early summer. Preferably somewhere along the East Coast, where my heart truly lies! (yeah, Denver, not so much. But thats another topic and another looooong ramble).

Life's Too Short

I care faaaaar too much about what other people think of me.

And more often than not, my perceptions of what other people think of me are a far cry from what they actually do.

I need to lighten up a bit.

Do my own thing.

Find my passion.

No excuses, no explanations.

Current Obsessions

This Illume candle in Coconut Milk Mango transports me to my favorite place in the world - THE BEACH!

Pacifica body butter in Malibu Lemon Blossom takes me back to my childhood surrounded by lemon and grapefruit trees.

OPI San Tan-tonio is the perfect nude/tan color for my skin tone. I first saw it here.

Essie's new line of Luxe Effects holiday polishes are just awesome and definitely worth your money. My favorite is the opalescent topcoat second from the left, which looks fantastic layered over San Tan-tonio.

My Lust List

Burberry Body fragrance - clean, sophisticated, and very sensual. This is at the top of my list!

YSL Volupte Sheer Candy in Lush Coconut and Dewy Papaya. This will be my reward to myself if I lose 10 lbs by Christmas.

This print by etsy.com vendor Thedor is the illustration of one of my favorite sayings.

The book Arkitekternes Sommerhuse makes me drool and dream about building my own cabin someday.

 

Party Nails

Zoya Cynthia with OPI Rainbow Connection layered overtop. Fun and super sparkly!

#23 Get Nose Pierced

Last Friday night, my friend Melissa and I, along with one of my roomates, went to Bound By Design, a local tattoo and piercing shop, to get our noses pierced.

I love it! So far it's healing nicely and I can't wait to change it out for something a little prettier :)

Your Great Name

This song is the cry of my heart lately ... Enjoy :)

xoxo Erin

#24. A Brand New Me (well, at least my hair)

Watch out world! Erin is now a fiery redhead!

As one of my lovely friends so aptly put it: "New town, new life, new hair!!! :) " - Sarah

Snow!

We had the first snow of the season in Denver today. So pretty but also soooo cold!

And tomorrow's forecast is a little warmer, so yay :)

In My Arsenal

Here's a peek at a few of my favorite beauty products...

Make Up For Ever Microfinish Powder - just plain awesome.

L'Oreal Carbon Black Telescopic Mascara - makes my teeny tiny stubby lashes look good

Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow in Birthday Suit (I'm also dying to own the shade Skinny Jeans)

MAC Lipstick in Lady Danger - I sang its praises not too long ago on this blog!

Estee Lauder Double Wear Light Foundation - makes anyone's skin look amazing

Stop Deferring Your Happiness

This week has been about getting back on track. Setting a daily schedule. Doing things I've put off or just been too afraid/intimidated to do: ie. join a gym. Refocusing.
Today, my "jolly green giant" (6ft 5in, college student, should be a linebacker) cousin posted this link on his Facebook and I just had to share.

To boil it all down, here's what struck me, and I'm basically preaching to myself on these and being brutally honest:

1. Don't defer your happiness. This is a BIG one for me personally. I seem to always say to myself "When I move", "when I have this certain possession" or "when I have this job" then I'll be content. I thougth my life would be complete if I reached the "promised land" of any other state but PA. Now I know (and have always heard said) f you're waiting for that big break, that perfect relationship, that perfect circumstance to make you happy, you'll never be happy. Even if you get all you dreamed of, it still won't fulfill you because you'll always be wishing and dreaming for the next big thing. A personal relationship with Jesus is the only way to true fulfillment.

2. People everywhere want the same things: love, understanding, acceptance, and humanity. Peel away all their ethnic, social, and cultural differences and that's what you have. We're all human, after all. So easy to forget.

3. Possessions tie you down to too many things. Big houses full of expensive but meaningless possessions have a way of draining you of life, adventure and vitality. You lose your freedom to piles of stuff, tons of crushing debt, and mental and emotional turmoil from thinking you have to "keep up with the Joneses. I feel this in my own life and would love to simplify. I love the idea of MINIMALISM and read blogs on this topic frequently: Becoming Minimalist, Miss Minimalist, Zen Habits, and my favorite Be More With Less.

4. Stop watching so much TV and wasting time on the internet. I do this all the time. No wonder it seems hard for me to forge genuine friendships. I'm not brave enough to venture out of my own house to meet new people or experience new things. I live vicariously through awesome but totally unrealistic television characters.

So as this new week begins, these will be the things I will be ruminating on. Simplifying life, logging off the internet, loving others, and trying to find happiness in the moment I'm in and relying on Jesus every step of the way!

(and you never know, I might finally get that tattoo or piercing this weekend!)

#1: Lose 30 Pounds .... STEP 1

Today I joined a gym!

Here's to committing to get healthy, get in shape and feel more confident about myself!

xoxo

Getting Down to Business

If you are one of the 50 or so people who may have tuned in to my recent rambling Twitter messages, you will know where I'm going with this...

Time to get down to business.

I've been lazy. Time to REALLY start crossing things off my 30 For 30 List.

Beginning TODAY!

Today is the day I declare independence from nail polish for 30 days.

I love it. It's my kryptonite. You know how recent reports say that Nail Polish is the new Lipstick (as in, women buying more lipstick when the economy's down?). I totally agree, and I have singlehandedly contributed to that upswing in nail polish sales lately. It's something that I buy when I'm down in the dumps. It's an easy pick-me-up.

That, and of course, red lipstick ;)

So, beginning today, NO NAIL POLISH FOR A MONTH.

Yes, I'm counting on you to keep me accountable (my two or so readers LOL).

And so it begins!

(Sob! Nail polish, my friend, see you again on Nov. 10th)

Transitions

I admit, I've been having a tough time transitioning and adjusting to living here in Denver.

Not because of the city. Not because of the people. But because I'M SCARED. Homesickness has been overwhelming the past few days. It's not that I particularly miss anything or anyone, but I miss the familiarity of it all. Knowing my place, my schedule, and what is expected of me. Of "knowing" what tomorrow holds.

So many times the past few days I have wanted to load my car up and head for home. To give up after just three weeks. And to what aim? Living with my parents again? Being stuck in a job with no motivation to do my work? I know that if I hadn't left when I did, I probably would never have left. I would becme a miserable old lady with too many regrets to count. I would despise myself for never stepping out in faith and seeing what my life could become outside the confines of my small, safe little world.

In self-examination, I have realized that I have never worked hard for anything before. Never gave something my all - my blood, sweat and tears.  I want to PERSEVERE, to FOLLOW THROUGH and to DEPEND ON GOD.

The Lord has graciously provided me a great job with some really interesting and challenging people. But yet --- here it comes --- I'M SCARED. Afraid that I won't be good enough, that I'll let myself and others down, that I'll be fired, or that I'll really mess something up.

But then sermons come along, like the one Pastor Barry from Calvary Temple preached last Sunday, that remind me of who I am IN CHRIST, that:

I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO GIVES ME STRENGTH.

Philippians 4:13

And so I will stay in CO until the Lord moves me. He led me here, He has great things to teach me through all of this. Someday, I have no doubt, I will look back and say "there was a reason for all of the struggle, the heartache, and the homesickness."

Through Him, I will persevere!

Amen.

Victory!

Trust

I liked this so much that I swiped it from French by Design...

Trust in God. He's the "gut, destiny, life, karma."

RIP Steve Jobs.

Lady Danger

I have been dying to try MAC's Lady Danger lipstick for awhile now, ever since I saw it on Chloe Sevigny ...

I finally splurged on it the other day and WOWWWW! I luuuuurve it.

Ladies, it is not for the faint of heart, but if you're a woman who loves bright lipstick (like me!), then go for it!

The Difference

Mount Falcon

Last weekend, my friend Brett and I went for a little hike at Mount Falcon Park in Morrison.

The Denver skyline

We're Not A Mystery to You

Remember how I said I wanted to use this blog as an outlet for honesty? Here goes...

Right now I'm scared. I've never been without a job before, and although I've only been in Denver a week, it feels like an eternity. Not having the stability of regular employment is throwing me for a humongous loop. That's why this song has been on continuous playback in my car lately. I love the truths of God's word and God's attributes expressed in it.

When I'm feeling like the world's out of control, I can remember that the Lord is in control. He holds everything together!

When I feel like the Lord hasn't provided everything for me in the time frame that I WANT, I can remember that He has my best interests at heart!

When the loneliness and unfamiliarity of a new place and new people makes my heart ache, I can remember that He loves me and is always with me no matter what!

When I feel like I'm a mystery even to myself, I remember that I'm not a mystery to God - He knows me completely and intimately, and knows the words on my tongue and the thoughts in my head before they even come to fruition!

So even if you're not going through the same things as me, please take the time to listen to this song and remember God's truths along with me.

xoxo Erin

In Awe and Wonder

Doesn't this photo just take your breath away?! The Grand Canyon is one of my favorite places on earth - I had the chance to visit it for the first time this summer and desperately want to go back and see more! It's unbelievably gorgeous and such a stunning example of the beauty of God's creation. In fact, it's on my 30 For 30 List (see # 30)!

If you do nothing else today ...

...please take the time to watch this. It's long, but SO worth it!

Blessings,

Erin xoxo

Chanel + Keira Knightley = MAGIC

This ad's been around a bit, but I love it nonetheless!

A First Glimpse

My first glimpse of the glorious Rocky Mountains ... my new home!

(Pardon the photo - I took it with my cell phone as I am not quite up & running with the technology yet)

I Can't Get Enough Of...

The healthy cooking blog Keep It Skinny

Feather Nails at The Look For Less

The gorgeous & reminiscence-provoking website Dear Photograph

A romantic Australian getaway...