obsessed.

valentimes day.

2012-02-15T11:07:00.000-08:00

matchy matchy.

heart attacks.

vday craft.

best valentimes day in a long time.

how was your lovey dovey day?

LAdventures: venice canals.

2012-02-13T08:39:00.000-08:00

miss renee and i popped over to the venice canals

and i'm OBSESSED.

it's so serene and gorg and deliciously unexpected.

i need to hurry up and get a bf (now accepting applications)

so we can have romantic strolls on a weekly basis.

what're your fave LA spots?

christmas flashback.

2012-02-10T10:38:00.000-08:00

sure, it's february.

but i miss home.

and christmas was pretty darn great.

just took a trip down memory lane.

cousin time. mama time. niece time. nephew time.

i love my family.

LAdventures: park's finest.

2012-02-09T12:18:00.001-08:00

last week, renee rallied the ladies for a night out at the park's finest.

only open on fridays, filipino bbq is the name of the game.

shredded pork, tri tip, coconut beef, grilled veggies, cornbread.

the. food. is. SO. good. the service is amazing.

they hooked us UP.

pretty sure this is where you'll find me friday nights

from now until forever.

is it friday yet?

teenPROM.

2012-02-09T11:59:00.001-08:00

super excited to see m'name in a glossy.

5 or 6 editorials in one magazine. hooray!

next stop: vogue!

aminat.

2012-02-09T10:36:00.000-08:00

final edits from my shoot with rowan daly + brandon sapin.

had a great time shooting at griffith park. gorg.

love love love.

golden globe recap.

2012-02-01T23:33:00.000-08:00

the ladies of the golden globes rocked it OUT this year.

i was doing some seriously drooling over the looks.

here are a few of my faves:

i'm not usually a big fan of super straight hair on the red carpet

but heidi klum rocks it out to perfection.

it's super sleek and gorg but has a hint of bend and movement

that take it from ordinary to extraordinary.

salma's luscious curls are nice but it's her color

that's totally drool worthy.

it's a brunette take on the ombre that is so delish.

emma stone is perfection.

her color. her coloring.

love the side swept part. so simple, so chic.

who were your golden globe faves?

outtakes.

2012-01-23T22:54:00.001-08:00

teamed up with uber talented photographer lindsey boice

and celebrity makeup artist ermahn ospina this weekend.

it was a late night shoot that went into the wee hours of the morn.

if this outtake is any indication, the sleep deprivation was totally worth it.

stay tuned for the final images. so excited!

ladies i love.

2012-01-07T11:48:00.000-08:00

assisted lucie on the paul mitchell the school next top stylist shoot.

excited for the campaign launch...the images are GORG!

had a great time playing with the FP's and even had

a quick catchup with color guru, kate caussey.

i love that i'm ALWAYS surrounded by amazing mentors.

i'm a lucky lucky girl.

nye.

2011-12-29T23:02:00.000-08:00

new years is kind of a weird holiday for me.

last year was pretty good.

a few years ago i went to dland. that was fun.

every other year...totally forgettable.

i don't know what i'm doing for new years.

probably watching this video over and over.

(can we TALK about joseph gordon leavitt??!)

i die.

what are you doing for new years?

finally joined google+.

2011-12-28T09:39:00.000-08:00

google+

(yes, i know i'm late in the game)

i don't really get it.

i know...so uncool of me.

one of my friends posted this.

cool.

do you google+?

my little cupcake.

2011-12-14T23:57:00.001-08:00

tyler came to visit

("business" trip)

luuuurve him.

we went to magnolia bakery (twice)

i introduced him to the joys of roscoe's.

we had so much fun.

i wish every day was fun with tyler day.

oh hayyyyyy.

2011-12-12T08:46:00.000-08:00

i'm a blonde now.

and yes, they do have more fun.

LAdventures: food truck party!

2011-11-30T08:29:00.000-08:00

i was out running errands downtown the other day

and came upon a food truck party on wilshire across the street from LACMA.

15 food trucks all in a row. aaaaaamazing!

my tumbly was a grumbling so naturally i stopped.

there were so much deliciousness to choose from but i couldn't

resist the food truck of my people: lidia's dominican kitchen.

roasted chicken. red beans. rice. TOSTONES?!!!

heaven.

i love LA.

a toast! to french toast.

2011-11-29T08:10:00.000-08:00

last week, i came into a large amount of baguettes.

(left over catering from a shoot i worked on)

wanting to mix it up i decided to try making french toast.

i gathered up some eggs, cream, vanilla and cinnamon

to begin the adventure.

honestly, i didn't measure out the ingredients.

(eyeballing it is how i roll in the cooking department)

but here are some discoveries i made:

make sure to cut the baguette thin enough or let it soak long enough that the egg mixture gets soaked all the way to the middle. otherwise, you end up with an egg-y outside and a dry inside. nobody likes that.

we were low on syrup, so i combined some cinnamon and sugar in a separate bowl and dipped the french toast in it right after pulling it out of the pan. delish! you could also put it back in the pan for a sec to caramelize the sugar. worth the few extra minutes (promise).

i'm no genius in the kitchen but this was super easy. it's a great way to use bread that's a couple days old and kinda crusty. the egg mixture softens the bread right up!

genius.

2011-11-22T09:55:00.000-08:00

i just discovered the genius playlist function.

basically, you take a song that you love on your ipod,

click genius and it uses your music library

to create a playlist for you based around that particular song.

uhhh...game changer.

example. so i'm rollin' with m'girl renee and robin thicke's "get you alone" comes on.

we both start car dancing like crazy and i say: "i need to build a playlist around this song."

and miss renee "i'm so smarty pants i passed the bar" says: "let's see what genius comes up with."

oh, only the best playlist everrrrr! including:

prince - musicology

marvin gaye - got to give it up

beyonce - get me bodied

112 - dance with me (!!!)

estelle - more than friends

GENIUS!

what song would you build a playlist around???

gratitude: day 21.

2011-11-21T23:11:00.000-08:00

holidays alone are no fun at all.

LUCKILY, m'peanut is coming to visit.

eeeeeiiiiiii!!!

i'm headed to OC for turkey day.

i'm grateful i don't have to be alone for thanksgiving!

gobble gobble.

gratitude: day 20.

2011-11-20T17:17:00.000-08:00

i'm grateful for rain in los angeles.

the sky is usually hazy with smog

but after it rains in LA,

the hills are so green and the sky is so clear.

it's gorg.

it rained last night and it POURED today.

love it.

gratitude: day 15-19

2011-11-20T12:15:00.000-08:00

fail.

look, nobody's perfect.

i'm grateful for that.

WINK!

LAdventures: firefly

2011-11-16T13:06:00.000-08:00

so technically, this isn't unique to LA

but since it's been an integral part of my LA experience thus far

we're calling it a LAdventure.

space western.

two words i'd never think to string together.

one delightful tv series.

(honestly, they had me at nathan fillion)

my roommates + some new friends gather together most every sunday

catch a couple episodes on netflix

eat some cookies

and remix the theme song

eat some more cookies

talk about how we never want the 13 eps to end.

basically, we just dork out a bit.

nbd.

LAdventures: royal donuts croissants

2011-11-15T12:57:00.001-08:00

there's a donut shop

that is THE donut shop.

a little mom and pop place

that is positively delightful.

in the words of my lovely roommate:

"this ish is delish."**

seriously people.

best. donuts. everrrrrr.

go {there}.

**may not have been said specifically about royal donuts croissants, but prolly was. and either way, it's a fitting statement.

the hunger games.

2011-11-15T01:21:00.000-08:00

oh man oh man oh man.

loved the books,

super excited about the movie...

are you?

gratitude: day 14

2011-11-14T10:57:00.000-08:00

i'm grateful for the book of mormon.

i made a goal to read it from

start to finish between now

and the end of the year.

so far, so good.

i feel peace when i read it.

and i'm reminded again and again

that jesus is the christ.

the book of mormon is true.

learn more about the book of mormon {here}.

gratitude: day 13

2011-11-13T10:01:00.000-08:00

i'm grateful for music.

sometimes i sing.

sometimes i'm sung to.

i love it all.

i sing praises to God.

i sing along to the radio.

it all makes me pretty happy.

what kind of music do you love?

gratitude: day 12

2011-11-12T23:48:00.000-08:00

i'm grateful for creative friends.

i have friends that blog.

friends that don't.

friends that sew.

friends that decorate interiors.

friends that write

friends that sing.

each of them have worked hard

to hone their skills.

it's very inspiring

and i'm grateful.

11.11.11

2011-11-11T23:11:00.000-08:00

i just felt like i needed to post

on 11.11

at 11:11.

that is all.

did you do anything special to celebrate?

gratitude: day 11.

2011-11-11T15:59:00.000-08:00

i'm grateful for couples in happy, healthy relationships.

sure, i'm not currently half of such a relationship...

but i'm still grateful.

i'm grateful for the small acts of kindness

the warm looks

the kind words

the displays of affection

really, i am.

seeing people happy in relationships

gives me hope for the future.

my future.

sure it's not always rainbows and roses

i get that.

but it's something to be grateful for.

and i am.

gratitude: day 10

2011-11-10T15:41:00.000-08:00

i'm grateful for my body.

i don't always take the best care of it.

i don't let my body sleep enough.

i feed it too many bad things and not enough good things.

i often criticize it for being a bit on the chubby side.

but through it all, my body takes me from point A to point B and back again.

it allows me to dispense hugs and high fives.

my body is a miracle.

chi-town.

2011-11-10T12:49:00.000-08:00

took a quick trip to chicago last week.

ate pizza (twice) that knocked my socks off.

visited one of my fave OC girlies, her bun and her hubby

(thanks for puttin' me up matt + cassie!)

saw the sights

(and by sights i mean a giant statue of marilyn a la 7 year itch)

chicago is my fave.

will definitely be going back.

i need more of that pizza in my life.

have you ever been to chicago?

any fave places?

gratitude: day 9

2011-11-09T23:57:00.000-08:00

i'm grateful for the business of beauty.

as a hairstylist, i'm in the business of making people feel beautiful. it's so rewarding to be able to take time everyday to make someone feel just a little bit better about themselves.

as a cosmetology educator, i have the opportunity to share my passion for people and my love for the beauty industry with students who are new to the business. it's so rewarding to see it "click" with a student, which in turn fires them up to go out into the world and make their mark. it's very inspiring.

i'm grateful for all the wonderful people i meet in the various aspects of the industry. in the school, on set or in the salon, i'm constantly exposed to so many different types of people from all walks of life. it definitely gives me the opportunity to learn something new from someone new, every single day.

quanto sorprendente!

2011-11-09T13:23:00.001-08:00

just found out that a shoot i did with DQP

was featured on the vogue italia website.

holy frijoles!

or whatever the italian equivalent is...

kind of exciting.

gratitude: day 8

2011-11-08T23:45:00.000-08:00

i'm grateful for the technology that allows to review general conference talks throughout the year. i've gotten into the habit of listening to a conference talk every day and it seems like i always catch something new that i didn't hear or learn listening the first time.

i'm grateful for the technology that allows me to keep in touch with my family. my 3 year old nephew knows how to call me via skype on his own. it's amazing and endearing and i'm so grateful. it's nice to know that even though we're far apart from each other, my family is only a phone call or video chat away.

i'm grateful for the technology that allows me to participate in family history work. i'm new to the genealogy game but i can't image how daunting a task it was before family records were searchable online. i'm grateful it's MUCH easier now and i'm excited to learn more about my family lineage.

my ty.

2011-11-08T11:34:00.000-08:00

popped over to denver and had a quick visit with this handsome gent.

our time together was limited, but we made the most of it.

stove top s'mores

delicious brunch

card games

it was easy breezy and way too short.

but i'll take what i can get with this dreamboat.

miss you, tyler!

gratitude: day 7

2011-11-07T13:29:00.000-08:00

via

i'm grateful for the opportunity and motivation to always be improving myself.

sometimes the motivation comes from friends or family.

sometimes from relationships. wherever it comes from, i'm grateful for it.

i'm grateful for the sense of accomplishment that comes from a job well done.

a love of hard work seems to be a learned behavior.

i'm lucky to have parents that taught the value of work at an early age.

i'm grateful that each day is a new opportunity to be the best i can be. some days don't end so well, so it's always nice to know that tomorrow is another day

and a new chance to do and be good.

dear diary...

2011-11-07T10:26:00.000-08:00

i've never been great at keeping a journal.

keel's simple diary is a game changer.

its no pressure, fill-in-the-blank format is perfect for someone that needs a little push in the journaling direction.

such a fun birthday gift or great for the holidays.

i've been using it for the past little while and i'm obsessed.

the prompts help create a little snapshot of your day in a fun and unconventional way.

maybe someday i'll graduate to "real" journaling, but for now this works for me.

do you keep a journal? how often?

gratitude: day 6

2011-11-06T17:58:00.000-08:00

i'm grateful for people that are kind.

i'm grateful for people that are patient.

i'm grateful for people that are generous.

gratitude: day 5

2011-11-05T11:57:00.000-07:00

is it weird to be grateful for beyonce? cause i am. i recently stumbled upon her documentary "beyonce: year of 4" and, in a word, i'm obsessed.

3 reasons why i'm grateful for bk:

she shows that when you combine talent with hard work,

amazing things can happen.

she encourages people to reach for the stars

and not accept anything less than EVERYTHING the world has to offer.

she's a strong willed, independent woman.

sure, she's got a man...but she was her own woman first.

"i don't need people to think for me.

i've never been that way

and i don't ever want to be that way."

you go, beyonce. you go.

gratitude: day 4

2011-11-04T10:56:00.000-07:00

i'm grateful for friends that want to hang out on the weekends. seems silly, i know. but a girl can only stay at home alone so many friday nights before it starts to affect her self esteem. seriously.

i'm grateful for my roommates. we're each so different but they love and accept me just the way i am. they make me laugh...like everyday. it's the best.

i'm grateful for hugs. sometimes, i hug too much but i rarely hug too little. hugging makes me happy. the best is when people hug me without having to be asked. have you hugged a friend today?

never too old.

2011-11-04T08:00:00.000-07:00

spent the evening as the hamburglar

hung out with the likes of marge simpson (angel westover) and kim kardashian (tiffany jordan).

we mingled

we danced

we laughed our heads off.

you're never too old for halloween.

did you dress up?

gratitude: day 3

2011-11-03T15:00:00.000-07:00

santa barbara. may 2011.

i'm grateful for california sunshine. when the sun is shining, you can't help but feel like everything's gonna be alright.

i'm grateful for all the amazing friends i have made in the 6 years i've been in california. people so amazing that we've become more than just friends; we're a family.

i'm grateful for the opportunities i've had in california: personally, professionally and spiritually. being down here on my own has been an interesting and awesome experience. i wouldn't trade the experiences i've had while here for anything. in fact, i look forward to many more wonderful experiences!

LAdventures: tara's himalayan cuisine

2011-11-03T10:52:00.000-07:00

met up with the lovely erin elton for lunch at tara's himalayan cuisine.

i'd never had himalayan food before

(not even sure i could point out the himalayas on a map)

but was delighted to find it similar to indian food, a fave of mine.

our waiter recommended the chicken chili and it was DELICIOUS!

topped off with some naan and a little rice, i was in heaven!

what're your fave food spots in LA?

gratitude: day 2

2011-11-02T23:41:00.000-07:00

photography by DQP. september 2011.

i'm grateful to FINALLY have found my calling in life.

i'm grateful for mentors that love me and push me to do better.

i'm grateful for the Paul Mitchell culture and the encouragement to be nice (or else!).

gratitude: day 1

2011-11-01T08:30:00.000-07:00

m+d. los angeles. december 2009.

i'm grateful for a Heavenly Father that knows me, loves me and is mindful of me.

i'm grateful for the most loving and supportive parents a girl could ask for.

i'm grateful for each of my five siblings. we're all so different, but the older i get, the more i appreciate those differences.

thankful in all things.

2011-11-01T08:00:00.000-07:00

the church released this video last year and it delights me as much now as it did when it first came out. there's something about listening to people express gratitude that is so inspiring.

"let us be grateful for what we are and for the circumstances God has given us for our personal journey through mortality...when we understand that God offers us opportunities for blessings and blesses us through our own adversities and the adversities of others, we can understand why He has commanded us again and again to 'thank the Lord in all things.'" - dallin h. oaks

it's the time before the most wonderful time of year. a time for gratitude. i'm committing to take time every day this month to list something i am grateful for. some will be serious, some will be silly...they'll all be true. get excited.

pleased ta meet cha.

2011-10-26T09:38:00.001-07:00

back in 2005, i moved to the golden state full of hope for a tanned, celebrity-studded lifestyle.

(actually, the move from washington to california is what prompted my very first blog post)

it was just the adventure i needed and i've never looked back.

6 years does a cali girl make. i love it here. so much.

and now, i'm changing it up again.

things are picking up in the beauty biz and i needed to make the move from OC to LA.

orange and LA counties are only 60 miles apart, but it may as well be another world.

hard to explain but it's REAL different. the people, the lifestyle, the attitude (oc peeps got attitude but LA peeps got ATTITUDE *snaps*).

change is good.

i'm really excited to discover a new place. there's so much to see and do in LA. so many new and interesting people to meet and opportunities to be had.

oh hey, LA. let's do this.

hats on hats.

2011-09-06T08:04:00.000-07:00

happy day after labor day! renee + i celebrated by

heading to alhambra for some delicious ice cream.

'twas declared hats on hats. yep, THAT good.

experienced a bomb scare this week.

right outside my friends' house. holy drama craziness.

we hauled ace out the house and when we got back,

the bomb squad and all their peeps were gone.

so...guess the bomb didn't go off.

did ya hear? i'm working at

paul mitchell the school - sherman oaks.

it's so great. keeps me super busy but i love it!

how was your labor day? what's new with you?

some lemons are sweet.

2011-08-17T14:56:00.000-07:00

via

loving the lemon painting

it's a great pop of color with a little quirk.

i'm a fan.

wacky week.

2011-08-15T22:47:00.000-07:00

photo shoot.

haircut.

photo shoot practice.

photo shoot.

homegirl hangout.

cupcake enjoyment.

happy girl.

PR9.

2011-08-08T08:04:00.000-07:00

have you been watching project runway?

my sched has been ridic and i haven't been able to watch.

LUCKILY, saturday is a special day...it's the day

to catch up on Project Runway! so catch up i did.

the "come as you are" challenge in episode 1

was really interesting + i think the designers produced

some really great designs.

episode 2 was...interesting. the designs were

either very good or absolutely horrid.

am i allowed to like becky's design? 'cause i do.

i feel like i'm going to need another ep or two

before i pick a favorite.

who's your fave?

ariel.

2011-08-04T08:00:00.000-07:00

photography by DQP

i love love LOVE androgynous looks +

gorgeous ariel rocks the platinum pixie well.

styling short hair can be tricky.

some of my fave products for short hair are:

PM spray wax for texture

PM slick works for texture + shine

PM thicken up for added body

PM extra body finishing spray for hold without weight

which celeb rocks your fave short style?

what's your fave styling product?

lions + tigers + bears.

2011-08-03T11:38:00.000-07:00

seth decided he wanted to hit up the san diego zoo.

neither of us had been, so we picked up dusty

and headed on down south.

that place is giant + oh so fun.

dusty + seth + me is a pretty good mix.

mostly, dusty + seth just spend a TON of time

making fun of me for

1. being a girl

2. getting carsick

3. sleeping in the car to avoid said carsickness

4. anything + everything

post zoo, dusty took us to the most UH-mazing

bbq joing everrrrr. phil's bbq. delish.

best. day. ever.

onward and upward.

2011-07-20T18:42:00.000-07:00

it's been a crazy busy few weeks.

lots and lots and lots of victories.

first of all, i passed my state board exam.

please excuse my haggardness. 4am wake up calls

and hours of grueling tests will do that to a

would be cosmotologist. but alls well that ends well.

i passed! now, to find a job...

i worked on an amazing shoot with some very

talented people. see all the images HERE.

oh and "like" my fb page while you're at it, will ya?

spent the past week in vegas at paul mitchell the gathering

working with my favorite lady. i worked alongside some seriously

talented people and we busted out some seriously amazing hair.

life is good, people.

beauty shoots are my fave.

2011-07-14T08:05:00.000-07:00

a couple of images from a recent beauty shoot with

DQP and au mauricio. some seriously talented people.

i'm honored to count them as colleagues.

i'm thinking about doing a tutorial for the second look.

tutorials are scary...and a lot of work.

we might be turning over a new leaf here, people.

get excited.

sneaky peek.

2011-07-06T08:00:00.000-07:00

gathered the team and tromped around trabuco.

the hair. the light. the styling. i'm obsessed.

final images coming soon!

doin' work.

2011-07-05T08:05:00.000-07:00

just a couple of teasers from the fashion

shoot for companere magazine i worked on this weekend.

lemme tell ya, this editorial hairstyling thing ain't for sissies.

it's WORK. but i love it. so so SO much.

speaking of loving, or just liking a lot, head over to my

Paula Peralta - Hairstylist page on facebook.

give it a thumbs up and then pass it on to your friends!

30-day challenge.

2011-07-01T00:51:00.000-07:00

i was first introduced to chalene by winn claybaugh's

masters series. she's amazing and incredibly motivating.

chalene is a huge advocate for to-do lists and goal setting.

i need help with both, so i signed up for her FREE! 30-day challenge.

i might just post my journey on this here blog.

wish me luck!

cheap and easy.

2011-06-20T08:00:00.000-07:00

instead of the designer clothes and wads of cash for my bday,

i want everyone to "like" my hairstyling page on fb.

it's my birthday and i'll shamelessly self promote if i want to.

thirty eve.

2011-06-19T22:12:00.000-07:00

this photo was taken 20 years ago. i was 10.

yep, that's right...10 plus 20...the dirty thirty is here, people.

i'm not exactly where i always thought i'd be at 30.

not even close, actually. no job. no house. no husby.

BUT...i have hope. this is the year. MY year. i can feel it.

me and 30. we's gonna tear it up. get ready. get excited.

neon trees tickets for sale!

2011-06-15T10:16:00.001-07:00

selling two neon trees tickets.

july 16 in cost mesa.

6th row, center section. UH-mazing seats!

$60 for both!

email me if you're interested.

dangerous curves ahead.

2011-06-07T14:44:00.000-07:00

vogue italia. june 2011. gorgeous.

renee says, "it's a revelation!"

i say it's simply amazing. UH-mazing.

if you are not offended by fashion breasts,

see the full story here.

justin be-bear.

2011-05-25T08:00:00.000-07:00

last week, miss katie was laid up in hospital.

angel popped in for a visit and brought what might

very well be THE get well soon present to end all

get well soon presents.

a five foot tall teddy bear dressed like justin bieber.

amazing. i know. angel wins.

kate + ginny.

2011-05-24T08:00:00.000-07:00

loving this month's spread in marie claire.

ginnifer goodwin. the face. the hair.

i die.

ps. did you see something borrowed? thoughts?

nickel diner. nay-nay. kissing.

2011-05-20T13:56:00.000-07:00

'member my newly lawyer-fied friend renee? sometimes i think of her as nay-nay. i don't call her that to her face. i'm kinda scared to. don't know why. just am. awkward like that, i guess.

anyway, my nay-nay took me to nickel diner in downtown LA last week. i had some killer mac and cheese. nay-nay had a delicious beef stew concoction over mashed potatoes. i snuck a bite...or two.

our waiter was the raddest, tatted up, "i'm too cool for you" kinda dude. by dessert time, we were all the best of friends. nobody can resist the hysterical laughter that generally occurs when renee and i are together. speaking of dessert, this place serves the most amazing red velvet cake i've ever had. EVER. no seriously people. this place is worth the trip for the dessert alone.

oh also, they have old school sodas. in bottles. y'know, like bubble up and stuff. i picked kiss cause...well, i like kissing. and in the interest of full disclosure, blog friends, i hoped that drinking it would bring a little more of my favorite activity my way. it's been a bit of a dry spell. oy.

anyway. nickel diner. downtown LA. GO THERE.

love you. and kissing. and you.

renee ebony miller.

2011-05-18T08:30:00.000-07:00

this is m'girl renee. she lives in LA, is a total foodie,

just passed the bar and is one of the funniest people i've ever met.

i love her so much i couldn't resist doing a post about her

oh. hey renee, aaron neville called...

ocmco presents: messiah in america.

2011-05-17T08:36:00.000-07:00

just finished another ocmco performance.

these are a few of my fave ocmco peeps + my fave

post-performance treat courtesy of claim jumper.

ocmco is hittin' the road and performing in

salt lake city next month? wanna see us?

check back later this week for ticket information!

this is my life.

2011-05-16T18:29:00.000-07:00

been working hard. REAL hard.

and never been happier.

life is good, people.

yipes! stripes!

2011-05-12T09:29:00.000-07:00

worked a shoot last week with the very talented

frederic charpentier and team.

can't wait for the final images to be released!

for all of you wondering how i achieved my

UH-mazing slicked ponytails,

i used PM Slick Works and PM Freeze and Shine Spray.

and then with a wave of my magic hair wand

BOOM! done.

four eyes.

2011-05-09T16:19:00.000-07:00

i need glasses. here are the finalists.

which ones should i get?

winner winner.

2011-04-29T00:58:00.000-07:00

just found out that i've been selected as 1 of 200 winners

to attend PBA beauty week in las vegas this year. exciting!

beauty week is a fabulous networking and educational opportunity

and i'm looking forward to soaking it all up!

button front skirts.

2011-04-26T09:30:00.000-07:00

peanut says: "H no!"

i say: "hmm...kinda like it."

what do you say?

get the skirt {here}

oo-tah.

2011-04-25T19:13:00.000-07:00

spent the weekend in utah with my darlings.

martha grad-ee-ated from byu.

to celebrate, papa ostergar cooked up a storm.

breakfast, lunch and dinner. that man's got skills.

sethie is my fave. ain't he cute?

brian came down from slc for a visit once or twice.

he's fun and oh so charming.

met up with susan and her darlings too.

gus gus is my bf now. UH-dorable!

yep, these is my peoples.

bonding time.

jackie may popped over for a visit.

she's the best. so sweet.

saturday night, we hit up the bombay house. oh my yum.

good food. good company. yeps. 'twas a good night.

loved utah so much, it almost makes me want to move there.

ALMOST.

ocmco.

2011-04-20T11:09:00.000-07:00

time for another concert.

get your tickets and get excited.

it's gonna be good.

mister mister.

2011-04-19T09:54:00.000-07:00

finally saw jane eyre. um yeah.

mr. rochester is dee-lish.

what i've been doing.

2011-04-18T23:05:00.000-07:00

hanging out with girls that look like this

(self esteem is at an all time high, people)

working for a lady who requires that

her coffee look like this (as in EXACT color)

planning and preparing for this totally

amazeballs event (will you come?)

paying attention during theory class (obv)

practicing for the state board exam

(wish me luck!)

hanging with these girls

(dc + greg laswell. winning!)

trying new recipes with this little princess

(ain't he cute?)

loving joy the baker more than ever

(this deliciousness tastes like summer!)

life is grand, people. what have YOU been up to?

it's friday.

2011-04-08T06:09:00.000-07:00

i know i'm a LITTLE late but i just saw this video for the first time.

oh em gee. we-e-e-e-eek-end. so awesome. so bad.

party and party and yeah.

whatcha up to this weekend?

should i?

2011-04-03T21:41:00.000-07:00

i'm thinking about cutting my hair.

and by thinking i mean it's prob happening this week.

i want something with a little sass and i think this look fits the bill.

don't be freaked out by the doll head. it's just how we roll.

besides, a practice run is always a good idea.

so. what do you think? should i go for it?

lazy sunday.

2011-03-23T12:30:00.000-07:00

here are some images from my latest photo shoot.

the photographer was going for a "lazy sunday" feel.

nothing fancy but i think they turned out nice.

good job, carmax.

2011-03-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

photos aren't our strong point.

2011-03-17T22:35:00.000-07:00

but when seth comes to town, we always have a good time.

the dinner conversation was...ridiculous.

we laughed harder than we had in ages and ate

the most delicious desserts ever!

always a good time when sethie's in town.

so fast so fast.

2011-03-10T22:16:00.000-08:00

how crazy fast have the past few months gone by?

i been doing lots and lots of hair.

photo shoot galore, people. love love love it.

whatcha been up to?

never say never.

2011-02-22T12:17:00.000-08:00

i fought it for a long time, but i can't fight it any longer.

one never say never viewing and i've got the younger hunger.

and it's not just his affinity for high tops that's got me goin.

he's just so dang cute. i'll be your baby, JB.

born this way.

2011-02-21T08:16:00.000-08:00

confession: i'm gaga for gaga.

not in a cultish, gays for gaga sort of way.

mostly in a "this girl is a marketing mastermind

and i gotta give her props" sort of way.

and my roomie only fuels the flames by bringing

home fashion magazines. gaga looks good.

her new single is kinda catchy too.

don't be a drag, just be a queen.

get it, gaga.

caper 2011!

2011-02-17T11:43:00.000-08:00

last week, i hit vegas for a three day frenzy celebrating

the paul mitchell family and the art of hairstyling. caper 2011.

honestly, i'm still recovering. not joking. i've got the

vegas cough to prove it.

i spent a lot of time watching the masters on stage.

angus mitchell, stephanie kocielski, ladonna dryer.

cutting, coloring and styling like you wouldn't believe.

i had the opportunity to work backstage assisting with

the model prep. it was hard work but very exciting and

i learned so much!

yeah, i hung out with the likes of these

lovely ladies - stephanie kocielski and lucie doughty.

don't even worry about it.

this is my new friend ladonna. i'm obsessed.

the feeling's mututal. after i graduate, we're

gonna take over the world together. just wait.

caper wasn't all work. i hung with my peeps a bit.

we dressed in white and ate teeny tiny desserts.

we stood around and looked super cute.

bryce made supermodel faces. it's what he does.

but mostly, we just ooh'd and ahh'd over the

amazingness that was robert cromeans. serious.

caper was RAD. someday i'm gonna be ON that stage.

just you wait and see.

btw.

2011-02-14T16:06:00.000-08:00

happy valentines day.

good find, peanut.

love me some divas.

2011-02-14T15:43:00.000-08:00

did you watch the grammy's last night?

i thought the tribute to aretha franklin was UH-mazing.

i loved that florence welch was up there AND held her own.

and it's official: i love jennifer hudson. gorg.

nice work, ladies!

naha.

2011-02-11T21:42:00.000-08:00

for the past month or so, i have been working hard

on my entry for the student stylist category for NAHA.

i submitted on february 7 (a whole day before the deadline - go me!)

and couldn't have been more glad to have it off my plate.

i celebrated with a trip to vegas! more on that later.

the past several weeks have been some of the most

challenging but also the most rewarding as well. i've never

been happier or more sure of myself. it's a great feeling.

what's new with you?

curly world.

2011-02-07T18:44:00.000-08:00

loving that textured hair is so super trendy right now.

i'm feelin' a photo shoot recreating this look coming on.

who wants to be paula's next top model?

via

wise words, indeed.

2011-02-07T08:00:00.000-08:00

i've been hustlin' big time the past couple months

and things are starting to happen for me.

i've gotta keep it under wraps for a bit longer

but i'm goin' places. cool places.

places i never thought i'd be going this early in my career.

it's a great feeling.

vidal sassoon.

2011-02-04T17:49:00.000-08:00

so. excited.

deep deep deep in love.

2011-02-03T08:25:00.000-08:00

i am OB-SESSED with adele. times a gamillion.

her new album is redonkulously good.

her voice. gahhhhhhh. can't get enough.

in my oPINion.

2011-02-02T21:50:00.000-08:00

susan turned me onto pinterest a couple of weeks ago

since then, my pin boards have multiplied like wet gremlins.

are you pinning? let's be pin pals.

bakersfield beefcake.

2011-01-26T08:00:00.000-08:00

my sethie came to visit this weekend.

we celebrated the birth of our beloved dusty + spent a

good chunk of time be boppin' around balboa island.

oh AND seth got a flat tire. it took a team effort

(and by team effort i mean i stood there and said: "great job!"

while seth + angel actually did work and changed the tire)

but he got the spare on and we were on our way again.

so much a man, my sethie.

come back!

tory's ombre: curly edition.

2011-01-25T08:00:00.000-08:00

'member how tors came in for some highlights last week?

well i convinced her to come back in

for a trim + conditioning treatment!

while styling, she agreed to let me play with

her natural curl and see what we came up with.

boom! amazing hair! can you believe this curl?!

AND her hair was super soft and smooth.

call me to make an appointment for the

AWAPUHI GINGER KERATRIPLEX

CONDITIONING TREATMENT!

your hair will thank you!

built a cake.

2011-01-24T08:00:00.000-08:00

angel + i baked a cake last weekend. angel's family recipe. important side note: angel's fam is amaze-balls times infinity. and their cake is as amaze-balls as they are. you need this cake in your life. so i'm gonna do you a solid and give you the westover family recipe. get excited.

3 medium carrots, peeled and cut

1 c. orange juice

1/4 c. oil

1 yellow cake mix

3 eggs

1-1/2 c. coconut

1 c. packed brown sugar

3/4 c. chopped pecans

1/3 c. milk

1/3 c. melted margarine

1 tsp. vanilla

Combine carrots, juice and oil in blender until carrots are finely chopped. Mix cake mix, eggs and carrot mixture on medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour into greased and floured 9x13 pan (we used a bundt pan...i was in the mood for a bundt cake). Bake at 350F for 35-45 minutes (may be a little longer for a bundt). Combine remaining ingredients and spread over hot cake. Broil cake 3 to 5 minutes or until topping is golden brown (THIS IS IMPORTANT! watch the cake VERY carefully while broiling it...it will burn VERY easily and that would just be no good!). Serve warm or cool.

marky marc.

2011-01-21T08:00:00.000-08:00

i'm obsessed with the hair from

marc jacobs' spring 2011 collection.

the slick side parts. the soft waves.

GORG.

one year older.

2011-01-20T08:00:00.000-08:00

3 friends. 5 guys. balboa bars.

it's a good way to kick off another year of life.

happy birthday, angel!

old hair, new hair.

2011-01-19T08:00:00.000-08:00

tors has great hair. long and luscious.

even still, this lovely lady needed a change.

so we spiced up her old hair...

...and now she's got this fancy new hair.

ombre baby! it's all the rage and i'm lovin' it!

soft, diffused highlights. yes yes and yes.

who wants it? come and get it!

golden globes.

2011-01-18T08:00:00.000-08:00

i've always loved red carpet fashion

but now that i'm in the beauty industry, i obsess

over the hair. OBSESS. like...big time. so. let's talk turkey.

obv we need to talk about emma stone.

i just did a post with her glorious ginger mane.

do you like her as a blonde? i'm getting used to it.

i really really LOVE her in this peach dress!

i know next to nothing about olivia wilde.

i do know that her hair is R-A-D.

i love that it's all sleek and sexy. it contrasts

nicely with her fancy schmancy gown.

now, onto the pink ladies.

i love everything about each of their hairstyles.

lea's tendrils, sandra's fringe, megan's soft waves,

scarlett's softly swept updo. it's all gorgeous!

i can't resist mentioning sandra + scarjo's similarity.

seems like they share more than just an affinity for

men named ryan reynolds. oh snap!

and finally, i have a love + hate attitude toward

lea michele. i think it's mostly that i have a hard

time differentiating between lea and rachel.

but red carpet lea is almost all hits and no misses.

she gets it every time. can't hate her for that.

what was your fave golden globes look?

stylin.

2011-01-17T08:00:00.000-08:00

i made ashley be my model for

a photo shoot last week. old school roller set.

comb it out. tease it up.

miss jade worked miracles with the makeup.

and here's the finished product!

get excited for the pics from the photog.

they're AMAZING!

who wants to model for me next?

W magazine + emma stone.

2011-01-11T08:00:00.000-08:00

emma stone is hot. and funny. and hot.

i love this screen test she did for W magazine.

charmed, i'm sure.

btw, i'm obsessed with W magazine these days.