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Gardening in High Heels

cultivate a beautiful life

March 25, 2015

Award season

March 25, 2015

The always-hilarious Laura from Life with Lolo for some reason thought I was groovy enough to be nominated by her for the Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award!  I’m not gonna lie, I’ve gotten nods (thank you, thank you everyone) in the past for various awards and I usually don’t get to write the post in time because I just forget other things come up.

Check out the Sisterhood of the World Bloggers AwardAs Laura says, “Lazy ass, party of one..”

But I felt in my soul like I needed to step it up and do this one.  I have to say, some of these really made me ponder.  I want to entertain and be deep at the same time.  That’s quite the paradox.

Before I start, I’mma be serious for a moment.  Thank you to everyone who reads my writing and takes the time to comment and share it.  I love you guys.  I wouldn’t do it if it weren’t for you.  The connections I’m making with you, whom I would never have met if it weren’t for the internet, are so meaningful to me.

I feel like I’m meeting people who are my long lost sisters.  You dig?

So, on to Laura’s questions!

What is the very first thing you do in the morning and the very last thing you do before going to sleep?

First thing in the morning is hit the snooze.  Literally, hit it.  I use Sleepcycle as my alarm in conjunction with my UP24 and to snooze, you shake/hit/otherwise bring harm upon your phone.

The last thing I do is either text Jonathan (cue the awwws here), read, or watch an episode of whatever I’m currently in the middle of on Netflix.

What are your favorite boy name & girl name for your future children (I know you have them) or just in general…?

I seriously don’t have a favorite name.

Where’s the farthest place you’ve ever driven to (or road tripped) why did you go and who were you with?

The farthest distance that I’ve driven is to Williamsburg, Virginia to visit my mom.  I’ve done it alone, I’ve done it with Jonathan, and I’ve done it with my mom.  It’s been since November and I think this is officially the longest we’ve gone without seeing each other.

This whole full-time job thing is getting in the way of random car trips.

What is the best gift you’ve ever received?

So many.

If you could see one person or group in a dream concert (alive or dead) who would it be?

I’m so close to saying Anberlin.  I saw their farewell tour on my birthday last year with Jonathan (another road trip!) and I’d love to bring them back.

 What is one food that just grosses you out?

Honestly……I don’t think there is a food that grosses me out.  I like just about everything.  I haven’t tried snails, though, and I wouldn’t eat a puffin, but it isn’t because it grosses me out but because puffins are so cute.

Has someone close to you lost someone in their family? How did you handle it (this is happening right now to me, help!)

I think I’ve had more deaths in my family than my friends have had in theirs.  The times that someone has had something happen, I just try to think about the person and how they handle situations.

If this person needs to come to you naturally, make sure they know that you’re always available.  Badgering them to talk is not going to do anything.  On the flip side, if they need to talk everything out, ask questions and listen more than you speak.

What is your favorite tweet or instagram you’ve ever shared? Show us the link!

So to find this picture I had to go back two and a half years in my Instagram feed and there were so many good pictures and memories that I wanted to share.  Dogs, cute hair cuts, good nail polish days.  Lots of food.

But these are my favorites.  I was going to include only the Franktuary menu because that was the night I met Jonathan, but the duck is just too cute to pass up.

Boring fries were anything but #foodtruck #fries #carbs #boring #signs

A photo posted by Angelica Ross (@syntaxxerrorrr) on Jul 28, 2012 at 8:02pm PDT

So much awesome in one picture. #quackpgh #tbt @thejonathang

A photo posted by Angelica Ross (@syntaxxerrorrr) on Oct 17, 2013 at 7:23am PDT


 What is the one purchase you’ve made on your own that you are most proud of?

There have been some expensive purchases that I’ve made in the past.  My laptop, a nice camera, some of my college education, but I’m going with my car on this one.  It’s been the most expensive and the biggest decision.

I negotiated myself (could use some work there), payed the initial costs myself, and am paying off the rest of the car myself.  I also paid for insurance and this year’s AAA membership myself.  Boom.

What is your job and where do you work (because I’m nosy like that).

I am a Marketing Consultant at a SaaS company in Pittsburgh.  It’s more customer service than consulting, but that’s where this blog and my freelance social media contract work come in.  It’s a lot of work and a lot of balls to keep in the air, but it’s a necessary evil.  Sadly, this job doesn’t pay too much, so I do need to work on the side so I can squirrel away what I can.

That’s what I have to say about Laura’s questions.  I am having serious anxiety with this nomination thing.  Are you “too big for this?”  Is this something you’d like do?  Am I missing someone?  Ugh!  If you’re up for it, I’d love to nominate:

Jaelan at Making Mrs M
Katy at Wild and Wanderful
Meghan at Hayes Days
Julie at Artwork by JM
Beth at The Fashionable Eye
Michelle at Sole for the Soul
Kristin at My Life as a Teacup
Jess at In Pursuit of Simple
Nadia at The View Is Beautiful

And answer:

What is your favorite ice cream flavor?
What did you want to be when you were little?
Puppies or kittens?
If you could watch one movie for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Where is your favorite place to find inspiration?
Have you ever made something from Pinterest that totally worked (or failed)? What happened?
What do you drink when you go out?
Heels or sneakers?
What’s your best-kept blogging secret?
What is one thing you haven’t told your readers? Spill the beans!

And if there’s anyone I missed who wants to answer these questions, too, go for it!  Please share the link with me when you do!

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4 Comments · Labels: Life, Right Now Tagged: award, blogging, life, lists, q&a, questions, reflection

March 24, 2015

Creative Closet: Favorite Denim

March 24, 2015

I love denim so much, I could live in jeans.  LIke, find-a-large-pair-and-make-myself-a-tent live in jeans.It’s another prompt from The Creative Closet that was made for me.  Denim is my favorite.  It’s casual, classic, dressy.. It can be whatever you want it to be.

This is an outfit I wore to work on Friday and got so many compliments on it, I couldn’t not post it.  And it’s an outfit that I don’t want to take off.  You know that feeling when you just nail something and it all comes together juuust right?Denim is perfect any time. Love casual, destroyed denim looks.The problem is…I didn’t take pictures that day.  In true Angelica fashion, I let it go until the last minute, but I absolutely had to participate today because my girl Jaelan is co-hosting the link up.

That is another post for another day, but it involved a self timer, a car, and a scarf.  I need one of those remote thingies Katy told me about from Amazon like, yesterday.

Despite all that, I still couldn’t narrow down the pictures.  I told you, I’m never taking this outfit off.  Pardon me, but I look damn good if I say so myself.  It’s all in the accessories (and a confident attitude is the best accessory, but rockin’ necklaces really help.)Destroyed denim from American Eagle. Perfect for spring with a light sweater and a bright lip!Destroyed denim from American Eagle. Perfect for spring with a light sweater and a bright lip! Add a scarf for a little extra something on a chilly day. Destroyed denim from American Eagle. Perfect for spring with a light sweater and a bright lip! Destroyed denim from American Eagle. Perfect for spring with a light sweater and a bright lip! Add a scarf for extra texture.Most of my jeans are from American Eagle because they fit the best to me.  The thing about denim is that what feels good on one person doesn’t feel good to the other.

Usually I wear jeans that are skinny (here, here, here) or that have a boot cut flair (here, here), but these straight jeans rolled up just a bit work on me for some reason.Isaac Mizrahi Live watch, Studebaker Metals brass cuff, and Pandora #armparty American Eagle Straight Jeans Destroyed denim from American Eagle. Perfect for spring with a light sweater and a bright lip!Paired with my other favorite polka dots and some bright lips, I have spring casual written all over me, don’tcha think?

Top: Sonoma
Sweater, scarf, jeans: American Eagle
Booties: Old Navy
Watch: Isaac Mizrahi Live
Cuff: Studebaker Metals
Triangle necklace: from The Shop in East Liberty
Lips: Almay Smart Shade Lip Butter in Pink Medium

What’s your favorite denim look?

[disclaim]Don’t forget to enter my giveaway for a chance to win a copy of Hausfrau, Jill Alexander Essbaum’s new juicy read![/disclaim]

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14 Comments · Labels: Outfits Tagged: american eagle, creative closet, denim, jeans, old navy, ootd, spring outfit, studebaker metals, style, the creative closet

March 23, 2015

What’s in my bag – eyes

March 23, 2015

Eyes and lips are my favorite part of makeup.  I have way too much of it and I love it.  Throughout the years, I’ve used all kinds of shadows, liners, mascaras, glitter, matte, normal colors, and crazy ones.  So I know a little somethin’ somethin’ when it comes to eyes.

Last month, I went a little crazy listing my favorite skin care, so I tried to keep this short(er) and sweet.  While my collection rotates, somethings stay the same.  Here are the essentials in my makeup bag when it comes to eyes.

Eyeshadow is the best part of makeup! Must have products that you should have in your makeup bag for eyes.

Primer

I have oily skin which means oily eye lids.  I have tried all kinds of primers and I love Lorac Behind the Scenes Eye Primer and Urban Decay primers.  Usually I still get a little break down by the end of the day because I haven’t found the EXACT right product that’s bullet proof on oil slick eyes like mine, but these are pretty close.

Lorac Behind the Scenes Eye Primer is fantastic and so worth it.

Eye Liner

I have been using gel liner for a while.  It was one of my first makeup breakthroughs.  I love MAC in Dipdown.  It’s a perfect brown that’s great for day and can be darkened up for night.

But if I want a dark eyeliner, I reach for L’Oreal Lineur Intense Carbon Black.  It lasts for ages and the wear on it is fantastic.  The tip is flexible and creates a super thin line.  It’s perfect for a cat (or kitten) eye.

If I want something a little more smudged out, I reach for a pencil liner.  I love Bare Minerals, Urban Decay 24/7, and Stila Smudge Sticks.  These all smoke out nicely and last for a while.

The best eyeliner and mascara.

Mascara

I’m not picky with mascara.  I love Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes.  Bare Minerals Flawless Definition, or good old fashioned Maybelline.  Covergirl also makes great mascara.  I love the Lashblast line.

A girl's best friend is eye shadow, liner, and mascara.

I do like the Maybelline colored mascara to use on my lower lashes instead of liner.

Eye Shadow

I play favorites with my eye shadows.  I’ll get stuck using one palette.  I’ve been using Urban Decay Naked 3 a lot recently, but if I had to choose, I would give that up and keep the original Urban Decay Naked palette.

I love Lorac eye shadows, too.  They’re so silky and insanely pigmented.  I was looking at the Unzipped gold palette, but I love the original Unzipped palette.

Oh man Wet n Wild is seriously underrated.  I love their eye shadow and it’s super cheap. $5 for an 8-pan palette?  Holla.

Urban Decay Naked palette, Lorac Unzipped, and Wet n Wild palettes are amazing. Never giving them up.So that’s what’s in my makeup bag.  These are things that I love and use on a regular basis.

What are your favorite eye products?

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10 Comments · Labels: Makeup & Beauty Tagged: bare minerals, eye liner, eye shadow, eyeliner, lorac, makeup, makeup monday, mascara, maybelline, urban decay, wet n wild

March 22, 2015

Sunday Lately, 12

March 22, 2015

March has gone by so incredibly quickly.  It feels like there are things that just happened yesterday, like the March Levo Pittsburgh event, though now it’s actually two weeks ago.  Does that happen to anyone else?  Ugh!  Just when I feel caught up, things sneak up and tap me on the shoulder and say, “Ha, thought you had a handle on me, didn’tcha?”

What have you been doing lately? Link up and let me know!

Doing

Last weekend, I spent hours clearing things out of my father’s house.  There’s still more work to be done, but it’s getting cleaner.  It’s a sad and surreal experience.  I’ve lived in different places and grown up in my mom’s house, too, but my first memories are in that house.  It’s hitting me that I’ll probably never read a book on the back porch underneath all the trees or see the really big Christmas tree in the living room…and I’m now going to cry.  So onward with the other things!

Appreciating

Seriously, the small things.  Like the ice cream glacier Jonathan brought me on Tuesday night.  (For those of you who aren’t near a cute little mom-and-pop ice cream stand, a glacier is like a Blizzard – I hope you’re all familiar with DQ.  If you don’t know your ice cream, we can’t be friends.)

Also suuuper appreciating when traffic isn’t that bad in the mornings.  I’ve been leaving my house on the early side, a little after 7am, just so I can avoid traffic.  I get to work about 30 minutes early, but I’d rather do that than sit in rush hour traffic.  I hate traffic.  Boo hiss traffic.

Designing

My blog blah blah blah I say this every week and nothing ever gets done.  Ugh!  I just need someone to tell me how to make the content area wider.  I can probably figure out the other CSS changes myself, but I’m just not figuring out how to make this one (kinda big deal of what I want this to look like) change.

Humming

I have a co-worker who likes to sing one line of popular songs over and over again.  That results in me leaving work with “Uptown Funk” stuck in my head on repeat.  Not cute.

Expecting

Quite honestly, I have no idea what to expect anymore.  I know I wrote about getting back into hyper planning mode last week, but I have no idea how to plan for half of the big things that are looming over me.  I have no idea how to sell a house.  Or help to clear out a house.

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So that’s what I’ve been doing.  I’ve also been reading a lot.  If you missed it, I’m giving away a copy of Hausfrau to a lucky reader.  Check out this post to see a review and enter!

What have you been doing lately?

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2 Comments · Labels: Life, Right Now Tagged: giveaway, hausfrau, lately, weekly wrap up

March 20, 2015

Hausfrau book review and giveaway

March 20, 2015

There are so many questions I have after reading Hausfrau by Jill Alexander Essbaum.  I’ll try not to give any spoilers here, but I seriously read the last sentence and was like, “Is that all?!?  What happens next?!”

I’m not going to lie, it took me a while to get into the action of the novel.  I didn’t dislike Anna, but I didn’t like her either; that made for some pretty bland action at first.  Basically, Anna is this exhausted, complacent, lonely hausfrau (who never confirms that she is lonely/bored/etc) and enters affairs…because she can pretty much.  Again, we never know why.  I love that we don’t.  Some things in life aren’t explained and just happen.

The more I read this, though, the more intrigued I became.  How is Anna going to disengage herself from these lives of lies?  What will her husband do?  How will she get found out?  Will she get found out or will she extract herself no harm, no foul?

It was sort of like reading about a train wreck.

Hausfrau by Jill Alexander Essbaum is beautifully written and has crazy amounts of intrigue. Review and giveaway!

There were more than five things that stood out to me as I was reading this that really made me wonder.  (I tried not to do this, but there is a spoiler and it’s noted as such.)

The Bruno Scale

When Bruno is around more, Anna acts out less.  The more attention she gets from him, the less she needs it from other people.  That’s a pretty basic observation, but I do think it’s worth mentioning.  His presence in the present can’t undo the past, so there must be some retribution for Anna’s actions (and oh is there ever).

But he’s trying!  You see him trying!

I actually like his character.  He appears to be the only one who is active.  It’s true, Anna is doing the cheating, and she’s probably doing it because he’s passive towards her, but when we see him interact with other characters, he’s always active whereas Anna closes herself off.

Mary

Oh lordy, I do not like Mary.  Everything would have been fine if she just kept her mouth shut.  Trust me, I’m not rooting for Anna here, but I’m definitely rooting for Mary to mind her own damn business.

She’s the catalyst for both good and bad.  She brings Bruno back to Anna, but she also really, really breaks Bruno and Anna apart.

There is a lot to say about her character, which is interesting because she only appears for part of the book.  She sets a lot of things into motion.  She’s almost like Anna’s affairs themselves: provides something to feel good about for the moment but ultimately is a downfall for Anna.

Maybe I’m reading this at a basic level, and every book needs a villain, and I’m just inserting Mary into that slot where it wasn’t the intention.  Help me out here, anyone else see that in her character?  Perhaps foil is a more appropriate term.

Anna’s birthday

Here’s another thing that Mary screwed up!  [Spoiler alert] She planned a birthday party for Anna when Anna expressly said not to do anything.  Mary and Tim / Anna and Bruno had a fantastic day together with their kids.  You see a hint of humanity in Bruno and a switch slowly turning for Anna.  I almost thought this was the pivotal moment moment for them.

And then Mary doing Mary got in they way.  Lady, if someone says “I don’t want a party,” you don’t force them to have a party, especially when they’re as standoffish as Anna.  And have so many different lives.

What happens when Bruno finds out?

This is kind of a big question that drove me to keep reading.  So, Anna is cheating, this we know.  What we don’t know is what will happen when Bruno finds out.  I can tell you – it’s good.  And all Mary’s fault!  Well, okay, Mary didn’t force Anna to cheat.  But she started it!

I wrote this one down as I was reading and it seriously bugged me.  Like I mentioned, this question drove me to keep reading.  If Bruno is one of the most active characters, what action will he take when he finds out he’s been cuckolded?  We never see him get scary-angry, but his power and authority is definitely conveyed.

Fire…what?

What does the fire symbolize?  Playing with fire, I guess, but where does it come from?  It happens when Anna meets Stephen and carries throughout, but it only appears at certain times.  I guess it’s play with fire, but maybe it’s also destruction and may be renewal (like a phoenix).  Pay attention when you’re reading this for the fire references and tell me what you think they mean/where they come from.

I’m almost leaning towards destruction, but 90% off the book is destruction and there aren’t that many references to fire.  Perhaps it is referring to Stephen and his particular involvement in the novel.

Hausfrau by Jill Alexander Essbaum is beautifully written and has crazy amounts of intrigue.

[line]

So, have I piqued your interest in Hausfrau?  Good!  The book is already out (released on a lucky day, March 17th) and one of my readers can win a copy of the book thanks to Penguin Random House and 20SB!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What have you been reading lately?

[disclaim]I was provided a copy of Hausfrau to read and review and another to give away bu Penguin Random House and 20SB.  These are my honest opinions about the book.[/disclaim]

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10 Comments · Labels: Five Things, Reviews Tagged: book club, books, five things, giveaway, hausfrau, review

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Who’s Angelica?

Life Un-styled Blogger, Gardener, Shoe Lover..among other things

I'm here to encourage and empower you to grow where you're planted and embrace the weeds that sometimes pop up. I'll share inspiration, products I like (and you may too), and stories from the garden.

Gardening In High Heels is for badass babes who aren’t afraid to get a little messy. Want to learn more? Start here.
           

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I occasionally receive products and/or payment from companies to review and/or give away. Sponsored posts and giveaways will be noted as such.

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