long time- no see.

my last post? July 31, 2009. and i'm quite sorry to hear that from myself.



My life has been a busy mess from that point on. I went to dance camp from the beginning of August, until the middle of it. Which was a total blast. I learned so much and it really was the time of my life. I may not have made best friends there, and had met the worst most cruel girls in my life, but the classes, oh the classes! How i'd live to live at intensives. And the residental rehersals for our pieces, they were so much fun! I had some particularly amazing famous teachers, that I absolutely adored. To tell you the simple and obvious truth right now, I didn't enjoy the classes while I was taking them. But now - looking back, they were simply amazing!



Also, at the end of the summer I created a youtube channel - under the name of daisycheekz. Subscribe! :] It's a beauty, makeup, fashion (the obvious love of mine) channel, and I'm really excited about that!



Also, I hung out with my friends, went bikeriding, ate pizza from the local pizzerias, and watched movies. It was a lot of fun to just hang out and relax, for once in my busy life. But - i alwalys got busted for staying out too late from my parents. The terrible consequences for the best things everr.

Anywho, school started, which sucked a lot but I have some great teachers and challenging courses - but I can't wait to get into the middle of the year with the teachers.

I'm going to finish up the Life Changing Experience in China post laterr. :] Just wanted to give a short update!

lovee,
christie

That Trip, This summer (ctd. Part 2)

How did this become more then a one part installment? I"ll really never know, but it has! The last blog post was about fashion, and ended with a bit of critique - whoops, not supposed to end like that. But in China, I really had a few life changing experiences and one surprising event, I guess I should write about that, trust me, I think this is the last one!

1. Life Changing Experiecne #1

This is probably the most moving event of charity, I myself, have ever participated in. I worked in a school at my dad's local town, Qing Zhou. It's in the province of Shang Dong, and it used to be this teeny town (still is) that was dirt roads, with not even proper runninng water. It used to be completely 100% country. I remember the first time I went there still, there was no normal toilets, they were these holes in the ground with a little cermaic circle surrounding them. The smell is absolutely unbearable, and there is no such thing as sanitary. But, this time when I went back to China, where my heritage comes from, I found a developing town. There were huge department stores, and proper plumbing in most modern houses. But, the sad thing about things developing (which is basically all of China), is that everything old, everything you remember, is just gone - like that. All in three years, all in one year, all in 10 years. It's just gone, and the only part left is that within your memory. A whisp lighter then the floating clouds above your head, right now. Just ponder upon that thought, how sad is it? I had a first hand look at that. I visited the place where my dad grew up, I've been there before, but never has it been so fresh and clear in my mind, which is as well growing up, pondering upon what used to be - the barbies and the games with my sister who had alwalys been so close to my heart. The house where my grandmother lived, who recently passed away just over a year ago, as well as my grandfather was completely under construction, only the foundations and the structure of the building recognizable. My mother told us about how in my father's apartment, there were two rooms, and his parents sacrificied everything for him, their money so he could study. We visited a building just across the dirt street of my father's old house, his best friend's house - at least one of them, the only one he still keeps in touch with. His mother was there, in a tiny little building, on the first floor, made of rock and wood, it look almost primative. Inside I could see there was 3 rooms, plus the "living room" with a TV covered with a cloth cover and newspapers everywhere. She lived alone, had bad hearing, bad eyesight, and her house reeked of something disgustingly unimaginable. But, once she saw us, her smile was brighter then the sun itself and her eyes poured out tears of happeniness and old memories became her. It made me so sad to see that, to only live in the past and remember that, because that is all she has. Her son is visiting her soon, and all these trips to all these people are so bittersweet. Especially one visit, the one to my grandmother. The one in the grave. I'm so glad I still have 3 grandparents, and I will be forever grateful for it. I love them all to death, but the languages that we don't share tear us apart. I find that the hardest thing, not being able to express your love, whether through a bunch of roadblocks such as language, or personality. At her grave, all her children and grandchildren were there with their loved ones. Her daughter weeped tears and howled louder then I"ve ever heard. And her eyes were red and swollen because of the thoughts of loving memeories with her mother. Everyone missed her so much, her importance in everyone's life, including her husband's was so unbearably large. And when I saw this, I knew her impact on everyone's else's lives was great. In the family, everyone alwalys said, the third sister and the first (the oldest and third oldest) had the best children. That was my daddy, uncle and sister. And I bet that my grandmother is so proud of all of them - because they're making their mark on the world, and on the people around them.

Anyways, I forgot to mention my school experience through all of that. The first day I entered thorugh the ratty doors, I gasped inside my head. A rowdy group of about twenty children were sitting on rotting desks and rickety chairs. But, through the week, I made a real connection with some of them, helping them understand and know what it was like in the USA and learn English. The people in this town don't know English very well and even the high school english teacher, well isn't very good. I tried talking to her, and she had a terrible accent and could not speak very well at all.

This is a lot, so another installment later!!

TTFN,

Christie

i've been gone lately...

because, well, guess!!! reallyy!



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I was in China - on vacation! I had so much fun! First, because of the Dollar to Yuan conversion, every dollar is worth about 6.5 Yuan, and about 7 Hong Kong Dollar (HKD) is worth one USD. Isn't that exciting? Because, then everything is like super cheap, and even if you're just a middle class girl here in the US - you're not in China. You can go to the most expensive stores and basically be a really rich girl, and buy out all the best clothes. One thing though, the styles - not so great. Like imagine cotton candy pink, wayy too many frills, neons, and way too many cheap looking rhinestones - ew. It was soo hard to find something without rhinestones. Do you know how hard that is? I bought only up to maybe, 7 things? Because well, I don't really have a love for rhinestones. But, on a brighter note, I did buy some really cute accesories - including a not real, but super cute Anna Sui wallet! I've so much to talk about, everything really, it's like when I came home, I just had to go and hang out with my best friend! So, let's get started. I've already chatted a while about shopping, so why don't we get on with the fashion.

1. Shopping and Fashion

So, I know everyone is so excited about a ton of new collections, fall trends and back to school clothing! I know I'm super hyped. So, for some reason Teen Vogue has been sending me issues, like 5 of them, even though I'm so sure I didn't pay. But, I'll make a list of everything I bought.

-a black vest with tons of pockets, zippers, strings, it sort of reminds me of cargo pants, but in a super comfy sweatshirt material. And it looks rocker-chic, which is the perfect look I wanted. It's about 5 inches above my knees, from a brand called In>Color, and was 70 Yuan.

-a mustard yellow and black dress, from a label I am sure to never remember. Its sort of a "Business Chic" dress, with a satin pencil bottom and adorable black jewels across a square mustard neck. I believe it was about 160 Yuan.

-a double brested, grey sweatshirt coat for 100 Yuan.

- Velvet 3 inch high stilletos in black with a rhinestone detail on the sides. 52 Yuan

- Purple converse with a design on the sides, 30 Yuan

- An Army Green Tote with cute kitten details, 50 Yuan

- Faux Anna Sui Wallet with roses all over, 50 Yuan

Also, from a "Seconds Shop" called The Garmet Shop in Macau, I scored tons of brand name clothes that fit well, but just had some "non-perfection" if you say. I got a Lucky Brand Sweatshirt (50 Yuan), Jcrew Yellow V-Neck Tissue Tee (32 Yuan) and a Calvin Klein Sports Bra (50 Yuan)

That was actually about it, not much for 4 weeks, right?

Also, I have like this huge BTS (Back to School) List! Like seriously, how the hell am I going to get it all? I've scored down some key items, and I'll put them up at the bottom.

But my list includes, 5 pairs of jeans, and cute accesories and clothing.

I recieved the September issue of Teen Vogue, but not Seventeen, I hope it comes by this Saturday! Taylor Momsen is on the cover - I used to love her, and her super cute, super preppy style, Her hair used to be really pretty, straight and I wanted it. But now, it's different, sort of weird layers and it reminds me of a beaver. I have no idea why. But, as usual Teen vogue as zero substance, basically the amount the models featured in it eat. But, let's not get into that...

Charlotte Russe has a totally new collection, that features cool trends and styles, I can't wait to buy stuff from their! Also, the new Anna Sui for Target collection based on Gossip Girl, how much better can you get than that?? I bet it's going to gorgeous, and worth the splurge (well in my sense of money), like that Tracy Feith leather jacket, that was gorgeous, and worth the $150. I checked out "Miley and Max'' or something for Walmart, you know, that collaboration of Max Ariza and Miley Cyrus? Some suff was pretty cute (like the black skinny jeans, a cute vest and the tye dye wash out tees) but others, were just way too out there, and didn't seem at all like Max Ariza, just Miley - such as the leopard print skinny jeans. I let leopard print go one place, my ballet flats. Also, some things were just too juvineille, even for Miley- such as the vest + tee thing, I hate those things. Why connect them? Real layers is the only real way to go! Miley has great style usually, but her collection, is way worse than Hannah Montana's style.

Because this is like super long, I'm only going to post up this section and it'll become a series.

TTFN,

Christie

budget makeup

my life really is a sad thing. I have an extreme love for makeup, but I can't wear anything except the most expensive brands. My budget cannot afford this. And the only type of foundation i can wear is mineral foundation, por example, I recently used an eyeliner and eyeshadow and my whole eye is now swollen. So I'm making a list of budget makeup stores that are for the non-allergic, and well, the ones like me. I'm actually most sensitive to eye makeup. and anything put around the eye area.

Non-Allergic

• E.L.F. (Eyes Lips Face): Usually found only online at eyeslipsface.com although gift sets are sold in Mandee and some makeup is sold at Big Lots and local Dollar Stores.
• Drugstore Brands such as L'oreal, Maybelline
• .mark and avon: sold only through a representative or online
• Ulta
• Sephora
• Coastal Scents

Allergic

• Coastal Scents
• Mineral Makeup from any store (except E.L.F.)
• Ulta
• Sephora
• Maybelline
• Clinique

Starter Makeup Kit

When teens are just starting out while experimenting with makeup, I believe that there is a set kit that every parent or teen should supply for themselves.

The Starter Kit

• Eyeliner: The basics are three eyeliners, one in black, brown and white. Some eyeliners that are of good quality and are drugstore brands are NYC (the 99 cent ones) and also Covergirl and L'oreal. Sephora makes a great Sephora brand eyeliner. Ones I do not reccomend are from E.L.F. and other cheap brands because they can cause allergic reactions and the Brightening Eyeliner form E.L.F. does not apply any pigment.
• Foundation: In one of the following forms: Liquid, Powder, or Mineral. There is also a 'whip' avalible from Maybelline. I suggest Milani and L'oreal mineral foundations in both a pressed and loose powder. Covergirl's foundations are the best for a normal powder. L'oreal True Match is the best liquid foundation for my skin type (combination, yellow undertones). When one is just starting out, do not apply a ton of foundation, you only need to apply it to the t-zone to even out your skin tone.
• Concealer: Any concealer usually works, although again, I do not reccomend E.L.F because I got an allergic reaction to it. PIck a concealer in a shade lighter then your foundation skin tone. Apply your foundation on the dark circles under your eyes and on your blemishes. I like Neutrogena and Covergirl Foundations as well as the Sephora brands and this random Korean brand I bought somewhere :]
• Eyeshadow: Eyeshadow is the most fun to play with, so I suggest the 78 or 88 matte pallete from Coastal Scents. They are only around twenty dollars and are of great quality. Buy as many colo rs as you want because the looks you can create with shadow are infinite. You can even create a colored eyeliner out of a shadow!
• Makeup Brushes: Buy a foundation brush, concealer brush, eyeliner or lipliner brush, eyeshadow brush, eye crease brush, eye smudge sponge, blush brush, and a angled bronzing brush. I suggest Esscene of Beauty, Sonia Kashuak and E.L.F. for brushes.

Have fun buying makeup!

Source: coastalscents.com , drugstore.com