Pieces Of Ashley

This month went by really fast and everything hit me all at once. I can't believe December is tomorrow already. I've learned a lot this past month and I think I've matured as a blogger. Due to the lack of motivation and inspiration, I didn't feel worthy to be a blogger. I also never posted on my blog consistently. So during the month of November I made a promise to myself, that I would blog everyday. I actually laughed at myself because I didn't think I could do it. I had self doubt, which is never good. But I'm pleased to say that I DID IT! I have blogged everyday and it felt really good.  There were times when I wanted to throw in the towel, because my computer was acting slow or I just didn't feel like it. I challenged myself to accomplish this and I thought I was setting myself up for failure. I'm glad I didn't give up and although it's nothing big to all of you, it's so important to me. I give props to the bloggers who do this because it...

Bh Cosmetics hit a home run for me! I don't really use makeup other than eye shadows, eyelid primer, eyeliner, and lip products. That's it and I'm cool with that. Sometimes I'm curious to try the face makeup, but it's really not my thing. So every time I go on a makeup website, I can't seem to find a brush set consisting only brushes for the eye. I could be wrong and maybe I was looking in the wrong place. But it wasn't until recently I saw Bh Cosmetics have the eye essential 7 piece brush set I jumped off the wall! This made me happy. But you know what made me excited? The fact that I brought them for only $6! They were on the site for $8, but with the discount code I received $2 off. Shipping was $3.95, so in total I spent $9.95 that was really good. That's one of the reasons I love BH Cosmetics because their very affordable compared to other brands.   Included in this set is a; Blending Brush, Large Shader Brush, Small Shader Brush, Angled B...

  I'm not the most interesting person and I'm quite boring too! But there are some pretty cool things you don't know about me. I always enjoy reading post like these, because you get to know more about the person behind the blog.    I'm a Sagittarius   I was born in December, I wanted to clarify that first because I know people who were born the last few days of November are Sagittarius too. I'm a fire sign and that pretty much sums it up. Although I do fit the description of one, not all of the information applies to me. Some of it is just way off. As you can tell I read horoscopes. My symbol is the bow and arrow and I think that's pretty cool. If I were to ever get a tattoo it would be that.   I was named after a Soap Opera Character   I think this one tops it all for me! This is pretty cool being named after a character. Growing up my mom and I would watch soap operas so it's something special for me. Now that my sister is older, we all ...

  I really don't know how to start this off, but I guess the title is self explanatory. Anyone with anxiety knows the struggle, whether you deal with it daily or sometimes. I'm not an expert so this isn't an advice post. Everyone has different experiences with how they deal with anxiety but this is something we all have in common. Anxiety can be caused by a number of things, one of them being stress. Although there are tips to manage stress unfortunately it will always be there. Sometimes I feel like my mind is always going a hundred miles per hour. I am always overthinking about the craziest things. But I can't help it and sometimes I just cry about. People who don't understand think it's all made up but it's reality. Well at least the rest of us. If I don't make sense, I apologize in advance. I use to handle pressure pretty well. It's like I thrived from it and my adrenaline fed off of it. For example, I'm a procrastinator. Although not ne...

  Life isn't just about the finer things. Most of the times it's not the big things in life, that are special. For me I cherish the simple things in life more. I mean it's nice to indulge in a lavish lifestyle, who wouldn't enjoy that. But it's more important to appreciate the little things!  Tomorrow is Monday and everyone's favorite day to dislike. Trust I get Mondays are hectic and stressful, but it's important to stay positive throughout the week. I remember hearing someone say, "When you're in a bad mood first thing in the morning that will affect the whole day". Well I didn't believe this, but as I got older it was proven to be true. You're probably thinking what does this have to do with "The Simple Things In Life". But by the end of this you will find out.     Everyone is going through a tough time, whether you know the person or not. Some people need words of encouragement or friend to talk to. That's wha...

  When I first started Blogging I had no clue what to do. It was around June of 2012 and I was pretty much a deer in headlights. So I decided to delete it. I was so clueless about how to start a blog and how to get others to read it. I known this seems like a "How I Started My Blog" type of post, but I promise it's not. So that same year in September I created a twitter account and the following month I created a new blog. This time I was a little prepared because, I saw other bloggers and vloggers Sharing their posts or videos. So basically twitter has been my favorite social media to promote my blog/posts.    Back then when I was new there weren't that many helpful hashtags and pages as there are now. Twitter has definitely expanded for the blogging world! So I decided to share with you the ones I have found to be most helpful. I am unaware of every single hashtag out there, I'm just naming the ones I'm familiar with and you might be too. I'm li...

  First let me put a disclaimer on this post now! I'm in no way an expert in blogging and after 4 years, I sill have no idea what to do. With that being said these tips I have for you have probably already, been shared before. I'm not the most organized blogger but over this past month that has changed. So these tips I'm going to share have helped me a lot during this month!    Organization   This is the number one tip that important when it comes to blogging. Whether you're a full time, part time or just a hobby blogger there comes a point where you have to find some type of organization. Now I know for some this is just a hobby and you post when you feel like it, I get it I was like that before. But then you have bloggers who do this as a serious hobby. So anyway having a schedule is important when it comes to being an organized blogger. That goes with consistency. Only you know how much you want to post. Whether it's one, two, three or more days a week...

T hanksgiving isn't always about the food, although I enjoy that's not the main purpose. Sometimes the meaning gets lost and people forget. I have a lot of reasons to be thankful and as a quick disclaimer for you, the use of the word thankful will be seen multiple times in this post. I'm thankful to be alive and I'm truly grateful. There are many people that don't get the chance to say that. Even though I have moments where I'm upset or angry or sad, I stop to think about how thankful I am. I am blessed to have a roof over my head and clothes to wear. I'm also thankful I have food to eat. But then I stop to think about the people who don't have these things and it makes me very sad. No one deserves to be homeless and without clothes to wear and food to eat. Just thinking about it now brings tears to my eyes. To be honest even when it's not Thanksgiving, I think about things like this a lot.   Sometimes I feel guilty when I complain about not ...

It's safe to say that Netflix is almost better than regular television. I love how there's a variety of movies and shows. Every possible genre you can think of, I love it. When say they binge watch Netflix, believe them it's the truth. It's also very addicting! So here's 3 Netflix Original Series you should be watching.  Stranger Things This show has become a favorite of mine and a million other people. It came out this past summer as a Netflix original and it quickly became an instant hit. I wasn't sure about this show at first but, after my sister watched all eight episodes in a day I thought I would give it a try. After watching the first episode I could stop. This show grabs your attention very fast and it's very consistent through out. Plus the cliffhangers make you want to know more. So if you haven't watch it yet, I definitely recommend you to. Basically I give you a quick summary! The show takes place in the 1980's, a twelve year ol...

  So many things have happened and it's making me reflect on my life as a person. Although this world is filled with negativity and darkness, but there is a "light at the end of the tunnel". Life is so precious and should not be taken for granted. Instead of looking at the negative things in life, I should start appreciating the positive things more. I want to life to the fullest, enjoying my family and the friends I've made along the way. I guess this is me trying to look at the bigger picture. You know looking outside of the box and being more open minded to the new things. Well I struggle with this so it's going to take me some time to do this. But like I've said before, I'm a work in progress and I for one am not perfect. I'm afraid of change and that's something I have to get use too. Life is constantly evolving whether I like it or not. So instead of fighting it I'm going to try and embrace it. I'm growing up and it's min...

I don't follow trends and if I do I'm the last one to jump on. But the dark lip trend is very popular so I thought it would be cool to share my favorite dark lip products for the season. But of course you don't have to wear a dark lip to get into the fall season. As I was swatching these colors I realized how similar they looked. I'm not sure if I would call them dupes, because you can tell the difference. I also got a lip pencil from Nicka K New York. I brought the lip pencil the same time I brought the lipshine from Nicka K. But it seemed to fit the fall lip trend.  The lip products I brought are from two different brands. The first brand is  Absolute New York, I've never heard of this brand before I purchased the Velvet Lippie products. The colors are Vampette and Wicked. As you can see in my lip swatch, these two colors are very similar to the ones from NYX Cosmetics. Both Velvet lip products do not dry but I still love them. I got these at a beauty suppl...

I'm just starting to get into wearing lipsticks. In the past I didn't really care for and to be honest I'm still a little hesitant about certain ones. I guess it really just depends on the colors. Most of the time I'm picky when it comes to makeup. I like darker colors burgundy reds and purples, but I've been trying out colors that are not in my comfort zone.  I don't know about you but I like using my mom's lotions, fragrance sprays and other beauty products. Sometimes when it comes to lip products, we're night and day. She's leans more towards light colors and I go straight to the bold dark colors, most of the time. So when I saw the colors I was a little hesitant about it, but I tried and I actually liked it. My mom brought these two Revlon lipsticks from Walmart.    While wearing different lipsticks, lip glosses and even eye shadows I've realized that they will probably show up differently on people.  Both Ipanema Beach & Luminous ...

  If you're like me you don't mind staying in, on a Saturday! But if you do go out I hope you have fun for the both of us (wink). No seriously staying home is not boring, I actually find it fun and more entertaining. For one I don't have to get all dolled up I'm quite comfortable in my sweatpants. I also don't have to worry about making plans or having to cancel them. Having fun on a Saturday night is simple and easy, especially when you're at home.    Call me boring if you choose, but I'm a homebody! So as of now whatever your reading is happening now. I love watching movies on a Saturday, I mean the mood is calm and relaxing.  Right now I'm watching Pearl Harbor, a 2001 film starring Ben Affleck and Josh Hartnett. I don't usually watch movies like this often, but its pretty good. Basically it's a war movie mixed with a love story. This movie is 3 hours and 3 minutes, I've only been watching for an hour and a half. Sometimes I have ...

Nowadays it's hard to find a lipstick or lip gloss that is affordable. But I can understand why, because some people think more expensive equals higher quality. Although that may be the case, it's not always true. Surprisingly there are more affordable ones that are still made of good quality. Lip Shine by Nicka K (NK) is a brand I never knew existed. But while at the beauty supply store I saw the brand. I'm starting to be open minded, when it comes to trying out beauty products. These lip glosses were on $2 so I brought 5 of them. The glosses are not matte, so they do not dry. But I love how they stay shiny, so I can deal with that. These glosses are very creamy and pigmented, so I only have to apply 1 to 2 times.    A75 Sheen Sheen is one of my favorite colors! I know it's a clear lip gloss, but you can never go wrong there. My lips are glossy and it stays that way for awhile. I don't feel sticky with it on and there's no greasy feeling either.    ...

  I'm not an expert on happiness or how to live a stress free life. But I can only pass on words of wisdom and encouragement. When you're at your lowest don't think for once, that's it. Things will get better, you just have to believe in yourself when no one else will. You're probably saying, why is she talking about this. My answer would be, because sometimes there is someone in the world that needs motivation. Sometimes people need a friend or shoulder to cry on. That's why it is good to have family and friends that love and support you! It's good to be around positive energy. There are so many times we doubt ourselves and the good things we can accomplish. I said we because I feel the same way sometimes. If you're not feeling down but you know someone who is, be there for them. Listen to them and the things they tell you. You never know, you just might be their light in this darkness.   I think as I get older I'm becoming more wiser. I...

I love wearing perfume and every time I spray it on, I feel like I'm in a commercial. I actually feel grown up. As a kid when you watch your mom spray on perfume or put on lipstick, you automatically want to try it. Maybe it was just me; I was always nosy as a kid! You're now probably thinking she's weird. But seriously I've been a fan of perfumes for a long time. When it comes to different scents, I'm very picky. Most scents are too strong and not appealing at all. So when going shopping I love try them on, to see what I like and don't like.   Although I'm a fan of perfume,  I'm also a fan of Jessica Simpson. So when I got her perfume "I Fancy You" from  Notino  I was really excited! First off I really like the design of the box and the bottle itself. Sometimes perfume designs are dramatic and it either takes away from the scent itself or it makes you think the scent is something worth getting. I'm glad that wasn't the case wi...

  Beauty hacks come in handy, it's like a two for one deal. You learn something new and you save money. It seems like everything is expensive these days, but with beauty hacks you can use what you have at home. I've been using these hacks for a long and they are super helpful. If you don't have these things on hand don't worry, buying them at the store is affordable!  Vaseline Use Vaseline to keep your eyebrows in place. Trust me this really works. This may sound weird but it's very convenient, I mean who doesn't have Vaseline on hand! For a softer heel put Vaseline on and then your sock on before bedtime. You can also do this the same day you're going out, just make sure it's a few hours before.  Olive Oil Use olive oil if you ran out of makeup remover (wipes). Olive oil is a natural ingredient and it's soft on the skin. If by chance you do not own Vaseline, olive oil is a great may to make sure you feet and heel are moisturized. Q...

During my four years of blogging, I've experienced a lot of ups and downs. Although I'm not a newbie I still feel like I am. I feel as if I haven't evolved, but that's nonsense because I do see growth from where I started. I don't know where I fit in as a blogger. My pictures are not perfect but compared to where I was before, I definitely upgraded in my picture taking. Even though I said I would not give up, it's hard. No one really understands what it's like to be a blogger unless, you've been there or you're still doing it. There is so much work that goes into it like taking pictures and writing great content. But being able to grab readers attention is quite tough. I know there's hundreds of bloggers, but sometimes I feel unnoticed. I don't want this to feel like a pity party by no means. I just think about these things at night time. I am my own worst critic and I don't give myself enough credit. I wouldn't say that I've c...

  For me a new week equals a fresh start and I believe we all should feel like this. In the past I did not understand why people would say this, but I get it now. Don't dwell on the week before especially if it wasn't a good one. I feel like the negativity should be left in the past. Sometimes the negative vibes, whether it's the people around you or the environment can cause unnecessary stress. Remove yourself from this and you will feel a lot better trust me! I'm not a morning person but I find that waking up a few minutes early helps. I can feel the eye rolls I'm getting. But seriously if you take those few minutes to adjust and to take some deep breaths, you might feel better.   Monday's are the most toughest days, because everyone's starting to get back to normal from the weekend. It also seems like one of the longest. I remember when I was in high school the mood I was in, always showed on my face. But now that I'm older I look at as a re ...

I have a love/hate relationship with my hair. Sometimes it won't cooperate with me and I'm so over it, after a well. But I'm starting to realize what my hair wants and does not want, or what it needs. So I decided to share these tips with you and hopefully they will help you! Even thought I have curly hair, these tips just doesn't apply to only "curly haired girls". It applies to straight hair or wavy, thin or thick hair, and fine or coarse hair.   Stop using heat Heat is one of the top reasons for unhealthy hair. From experience it fries the ends of your end and it becomes brittle. If you don't want to stop using heat, at least decrease the amount you put on your hair. Also I would recommend using a heat protectant spray, I know a lot of people don't bother using it but it's really important.   Stop using Sulfate hair products   Sulfate products are damaging to your hair. For example, it strips away the natural oils from the hair. B...