Tattoo Inspiration

A few photos of tattoos and tattooed people I find beautiful. 

All images found on Tumblr.

Love, Close Up

I love instant photos, they have such a raw, real feeling to them. There's no editing, no taking a million photos to pick the best one, nothing digital, it's just in the moment. I really love having the ability to have a collection of these photos amongst all the digital photos I have. And I want to always remember to use my instant camera to remember moments the way there are and not just trying to get a "good picture."

I even plan on having a friend take a few instant photos at our wedding so we are able to have those genuine keepsakes. I can't wait!

Do you use ever use an instant camera too? What do you like most about them?

Shop My Closet via PoshMark!

With spring coming up soon (never soon enough!) I'm really wanting to clean out and simplify my closet, house, and whole life pretty much! I collected quite a few things out of my closet that I've been holding on to for way too long just because I love it still, but so much of it doesn't fit or I just simply never wear anymore! So I decided to try to sell a bunch of it to someone it'll be brand new to! If any of you lovely ladies have the PoshMark app, follow me @camscloset! I just added a bunch of new things, and will continue to as I want to clean out my closet a LOT! And if you don't have this app, I highly suggest downloading it (it's free!) Not only can you sell all of your old things so easily, but you don't have to pay to ship them! It's the perfect app for selling your old clothes, and you can also buy things from others or trade. It's a lot of fun to browse things so many girls have posted!

PLUS! You can earn $5 credit when signing up by using the code HUCPG.
So join the fun and shop till you drop!

&& A Happy New Year Letter Exchange: Project Two

This week I completed part two of the && A Happy New Year Letter Exchange Project (I posted about my first project here.) I had so much fun doing these two projects hosted by Papered Thoughts, I'm sad they're over! This was my first time participating in a mail exchange project and I loved it! It was so neat to be paired with a partner I had never met, and so much fun sending and receiving the projects we were "assigned."

For this project, we were told to stuff an envelope full of happy thoughts, positive words, and good vibes. I wanted to do this while sticking to the New Years theme, so like last time, I went with gold, glitter, and a fun, party feel.

I had so much fun thinking of ideas for this project, and even more fun putting it together. I really love being able to create fun things like this, and especially being able to send it out to a new friend. I don't want the fun mail exchanges to end, so I'm already signed up to do this Valentines Day one. I can't wait!

Here are some photos of what I came up with to send my partner

And here is what my partner sent me!

Links to Love

my view, right now

Some links for your viewing pleasure :)

I really want to use this app for the whole first year of marriage. I can't wait!

“We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.”  I love this. 

Everyone should watch the documentary Selfie by Dove, all about redefining beauty.

Just might need to get this swimsuit for the honeymoon!

10 Tips for a Productive Life

I have no idea how this photo I posted got so big on Tumblr!

Utah is Ending Homelessness by Giving People Homes. So wonderful!

Don't forget to go enter to win a Kindle!

I don't know why I like this commercial so much, it's so dumb haha.

I need the Mr. to go with my tattooed lady doll.

A few books I would love on my coffee table: one, two, and three.

Can't wait to start this Handmade Valentine Swap!

I'm thinking about buying this book to start to learn Modern Calligraphy. 

Was given a Leibster Award by Simply Audrey Kate and Food, Booze, & Baggage! I wanted to make sure I at least addressed them here in case I don't get around to posting all about it.

Go check out a few of my real-life friends' blogs: Katie, Tiffany, Haley , Brianna, and Matt.

All About Tattoos

For being only twenty years old (twenty-one in April!) I have my fair share of tattoos. Three big pieces and three smaller ones to be exact. So I thought it only made sense to share a little bit of what I've learned about this big part of my life.

I never knew I wanted tattoos until I was seventeen. I didn't know anything about them actually since growing up in a small, pretty conservative town, I never really saw much of them. I'm not even sure what the reason was that I initially became interested in tattoos, no one in my family has any, but the moment I did I needed to have one right then in there. That was the first mistake I made. I went out one night around 9pm with my then boyfriend and my older sister's id, and we drove around until we found an open tattoo shop. I had done zero research on anything, and didn't know the first thing about tattoos, I just knew I wanted one. I went into the random shop downtown and told the man I wanted a quarter-sized tattoo of a sacred heart on my wrist. Don't ask me why I wanted that because I really don't know. I wasn't even really religious. I guess I just thought it'd look cool. He tattooed it on me and I was too excited to be "tattooed" to even notice the shaky lines or that it was completely tilted. Hiding it from my parents was easier than I'd thought, too. So it was all good. So good, that a couple months later I went back and got another little tattoo. The word lovely on the side of my foot. Again, didn't really think about it, just thought it'd look cool.

I think it was by the time I was eighteen and had moved into a bigger city for a while that I realized I wanted to be actually tattooed and not just have a couple dinky pieces on me. I got really nervous and thought I had messed up for good by starting out the way I did. So finally I did research on artists and tattoo styles, and decided what I actually wanted and not what would simply look cool. When I was nineteen I decided I was ready to get my first big tattoo, and got it done in a spot that wouldn't show in everything like my other two. I ended up loving it and was so glad I had spent a while thinking about it. I finally covered up the funny heart on my wrist with a real and beautiful piece that I love, and plan on covering up my foot one very soon!

So six tattoos later I have learned a lot about the whole thing, and put together a list of tips for anyone who is planning on getting tattooed, so hopefully you don't make the same mistakes I did!

• DO YOUR RESEARCH! All artists are not created equal. Take the time to find someone who knows what they're doing, and who also tattoos in a style you like. Look at portfolios and talk to a few different artists about what you want until you find someone who can fit your needs. Try not to get caught up in just being excited, take your time it'll be worth it.
• Don't get tattooed just to be cool or because you think everyone else is doing it. Tattoos are a life-long commitment, you really don't want to be stuck with something you got just because a friend got. Also, avoid getting a trendy piece. Don't completely copy something you find on Pinterest or Tumblr, make sure it's something you really love and not something that you just think is cool right now.
• Don't decide who you get tattooed by based on price. If the tattoo is cheap, it will look cheap. It's so worth it to spend a little more for a good quality tattoo. And don't ever let a friend with a tattoo machine tattoo you, even if it's free, it's a bad idea!
• Decide if you are really really ready for the commitment. Being tattooed comes with a lot of shit that can be a deal breaker for some people. For one, your older family members probably won't be a huge fan of them, and they probably won't keep their opinions to themselves. So every holiday and family dinner, get ready for lectures and eye rolls. Also, complete strangers won't be afraid to speak their mind either. They'll ask to see them, ask if they hurt, ask the meaning behind it, ask what you'll do when you're eighty years old, ask EVERYTHING. It does get old, trust me. I have gotten my feelings pretty hurt before when strangers and even family members have told me they look bad and I'll regret them. There are quite a few people out there that feel obligated to share their opinions on other peoples' lifestyle choices, even if they're offensive and rude, and it can get hurtful. Another big one is jobs. Work places have become more lenient about tattoos, but unfortunately there are still some out there that will make you cover your tattoos. Will you want to mess with wearing long sleeves every single day, even when it's really hot out?
• My final piece of advice if you're going to go for it would be to start in a more hidden spot. Get tattooed in a place that won't be shown very easily. It will give you a good idea of if you like being tattooed. When I got my first big one high up on the side of my thigh, I was always wishing it showed more and didn't want it hidden because skirts and shorts covered 90% of it. So that made me feel more comfortable about getting tattooed in more visible places.

I've been tattooed for a few years now and am positive I want a lot more. I absolutely love having beautiful, unique artwork on my skin that I get to wear forever. Being tattooed does have it's disadvantages for sure, but for me, and a lot of people, it's more than worth it. And don't worry, this generation is one full of tattooed people, so you won't be the only colorful eighty year old out there :)

Benefit Cosmetics Review

A couple weeks ago, I received a message from someone asking me to do a makeup tutorial on my blog. I thought this was very odd since I never wear a lot of makeup at all. All I ever do in the morning is a light layer of foundation, under eye concealer, blush, one line of eyeliner, and mascara. It takes me about five minutes, maybe less. I've always wanted to be able to do better makeup, but figured how I did was good enough. But it really wasn't. I was rarely happy with how my makeup turned out and it was always completely gone by about 4 or 5.

One of the biggest issues I've had with makeup is finding a foundation light enough for me. I am VERY pale and the last thing I want is a line under my face looking like I'm wearing a mask. So I did a lot of research and watched a lot of Youtube tutorials and decided I wanted to give Benefit Cosmetics a try. I've always thought their packaging was so cute, and I have read a lot of good things about them! It's a little pricey compared to what I used before, but I figured (and hoped) that meant it's really good stuff and would be worth it.

Everything I purchased, and what is pictured above is:
Stay Flawless 15-Hour Primer
Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow Foundation in Ivory
Erase Paste in Fair
Boi-ing Concealer in 01
Watts's Up Highlighter
Posie Tint Cheek and Lip Stain
Creaseless Cream Shadow in Bikini-Tini
They're Real! Mascara

I decided to keep my liquid eyeliner (Maybelline Line Stiletto) because I had just bought one and really like it, and MAC's Hue lipstick is my favorite, so I stuck with that too.

When first trying this makeup, I started like always with an SPF moisturizer. I then applied the primer all over. I've never used primer before because I for some reason thought it was unnecessary, but I realized DUH that's probably why my makeup doesn't last all day (and it did end up holding my makeup on SO much longer!) I then applied a layer of the foundation. It's SPF 25 and I think would work really well for anyone with dry skin like me because it has a little dew to it. The color was still a little too dark for me, so I mixed together a pump of it with my moisturizer and spread it under my chin and on my neck, which made it match pretty well! I blended it all together with a sponge after using a foundation brush to apply it. I then dabbed a little bit of the Erase Paste under my eyes. It looked really good! I have pretty dark circles under my eyes, and this stuff covered them pretty well while still looking natural. After that I used a dab of the Boi-ing concealer around the red parts of my nose. I bought this to also use on blemishes but happen to not have any at the moment, so we'll see how well it works for that! I was a little apprehensive about this cheek stain. I have only used powder blush before so thought it might look weird, but I really love this stuff! It gives such a nice, natural flush that blends in so well, and the color is perfect for my pale skin! I honestly didn't like it on my lips though and ended up wiping it off, so it'll just be for my cheeks. The highlighter was something I was really excited about and have always wanted to try. I have pretty dry skin and it looks dull sometimes, so I wanted to be able to give my face a nice glow. I applied one swipe on each cheek bone and one on the bridge of my nose. One swipe was just enough to add a little glow when the sun hit, and makes my face look more healthy and moisturized! I almost didn't buy the eye shadow because that's something I've never, ever used before, and was afraid it would be too much since I still want to look really natural. I ended up buying a very neutral creme shadow just to try it out. I like it a lot because it's so easy to apply with my finger and just evens out my eyelids. On top of that I added my usual eyeliner. Then finished with the mascara. I bought a trial-sized tube because the mascara I used before was pretty good and I didn't really see this one making a big difference, but it actually did! It works really well and I'm glad I decided to try it out!

I'm very happy with the results of this makeup, and am so glad I decided to try something new. It really makes a difference when you spend a little more money and time on your makeup, and can make you feel more confident, which I already do! I'm really glad it still looks pretty natural, and was easier than I thought to put on! I definitely recommend Benefit if you're looking for new makeup products (they also don't test on animals!). I tried to take a photo of how it turned out but had a hard time doing that, so you'll have to take my word for it ;)

Have you ever tried Benefit? What is your favorite product of theirs? How do you like to wear your makeup? I would love to hear all about it! And I hope this helped you out if you were in the same spot I was before!

xo
Cam

PS. My friend Cara over at The Marvelous Flight of Cara is giving away a KINDLE on her blog today!! Go enter and try to win!

Wedding Thoughts

As of lately, my mind has been completely overflowed with thoughts concerning our wedding coming up in a few months. If you've been married or helped plan a wedding, you know just how many details go into that single day, and how overwhelming that can truly be. Every little detail from what color the flowers should be to how I should do my hair is taking so much energy and causing me legit stress. June 13 needs to be the most perfect day of my life. And for some reason, in the moment, I'm letting myself believe that the color of a few flowers will determine if that day lives up to my standards. If every tiny detail isn't amazing what am I afraid will happen? Weddings aren't about putting on a show, they're about celebrating finding the one you want to spend your life with with all the people you care about. I want it to be the best day of my life because I'm marrying my best friend and not because everything looks beautiful, that's just an added bonus to have fun with! People always expect complete perfection for their wedding day, which is unrealistic for anything and will ultimately lead to disappointment. I know this all seems kind of obvious, but a lot of people, myself included, can get somewhat blinded by the less important parts of getting married and put what really matters on the back burner.

So by writing this I'm promising myself that for the rest of the wedding planning process, I'm going to try my hardest to not get overly stressed out. I want to enjoy the bonding of planning a wedding together with my fiancé. I just know that ten, twenty, thirty years down the road, we're going to be happy looking at our wedding photos because of how happy we look, not if the colors coordinate perfectly or if my hair isn't amazing. Above everything, if June 13 ends with Joe and I as husband and wife, it was a successful wedding to me, and I'll be so happy.

Shopping, Second Christmas, Cards and Cupcakes

I really had a lot of fun this last weekend. Joe has a fuller schedule at work now so we always want to have fun and do a lot over the weekends. On Saturday we started with bagels at our favorite local bagel place, seriously, we go there every weekend! Then we did a lot of shopping including vintage stores, getting a few things for the kitchen, and getting the first of our wedding craft supplies (which is exactly five months away, eeep!) We ended that day with dinner at The Raven and saw Catching Fire for the second time, if you haven't seen it yet go see it, now!

Sunday Joe and I went out to his parents' house to celebrate a very late Christmas with them, since they've been out of town a while. It was fun dressing Christmassy again and getting to have an extra little holiday. Plus they brought us back a bunch of goodies from Vermont. Then that night we had a couple friends over for tacos, cupcakes, and the season premier of GIRLS. It's one of my favorite shows right now and I'm so excited it's back! Does anyone else love that show? Then we played a round of Cards Against Humanity which is so hilarious every time.

So now it's Tuesday, which means back to our regular old weekly routine. But it always gets me through the week knowing how wonderful our weekends always are and how fun it is to just run around town with nothing to do!

Hope you had a fun weekend too and have a great week!

My Wedding Inspiration Board

only five months to go...

Simple Burlap Hair Bow

As you've probably noticed, I am a big fan of hair bows. I feel like they're just the perfect addition to an outfit, adding a feminine touch to even the simplest of outfits. So I put together this little tutorial on how to make these bows. I chose burlap because it's so unique and fun! So here we go...

What you'll need:

-12" long piece of burlap (depending on the size of the bow you want)

-3" piece of burlap

-fabric scissors

-hot glue gun

Start by folding the bigger piece of burlap long ways, glue it down.

Then fold it in half the other way to make a loop.

Flatten your loop, grab the middle and pinch it together, glue it down.

 Note- you will probably get glue on your fingers because it will seep through the burlap, so make sure your glue gun is on low heat, or you'll burn yourself.

Next, fold your smaller piece of burlap long ways and glue down.
(The piece I ended up cutting for this was a bit big, so you may need to cut it down as you go)

Wrap the smaller piece around the middle and glue together in the back. Finish by gluing your choice of barrette to the back and easy peasy! You have a new little hair bow to add to your huge collection! (or is that just me...?)

Don't worry if it frays on the edges a little or looks a little messy, it adds to the appeal of the burlap. 

Play around with this and try different sizes and folding techniques! Also, you can try these same steps out on pretty much any type of fabric, I think I'm going to try velvet next!

Have fun and let me know if you make any cool bows!

New Manicure and Thoughts on Blogging

How pretty is this nail color. It's OPI "If You Moust You Moust" from their Minnie Mouse Collection. I usually gear more toward darker colors like black or red for nails, so I thought it'd be fun to give something completely different a try. It's so vibrant and girly! Plus Joe noticed right away and said he loved them, so it was a good choice!

Anyways, I feel like recently I've been getting more and more into blogging and always thinking of things I want to write about. When I first started this blog, I felt stuck a lot and didn't post very often. I think because I was trying to live up to something and didn't want to bother if it wouldn't be "good enough." Now, I post almost every day. I feel a lot more confident just posting what I feel and not worrying if it doesn't meet a pretend protocol. And although I do plan on doing more "bloggy" posts in the future, I still want to come here to talk about my day, rant, and show off my new manicure. I really enjoy having this online space where I can do that whenever and however I want, and I think that's the whole purpose of having a blog!

So I don't have many followers yet, but I really appreciate the ones I do have, and want to  know more about the people who read my random little blog. Who are you? How'd you discover this blog? What do you enjoy reading most here? What would you enjoy me doing more of? Spill your guts, I want to know it all! And thanks so much for reading and following :)

ALSO- I removed the captcha thing from the comments, sorry if that was an annoyance! Thanks Tanya for letting me know about that!