Winged Eyeliner

Every time I see my friend Jenny (above), her eyeliner game is on point. Her eyes always look so dramatic and pretty. Feeling inspired (and because I've had the same makeup routine for the past few years), I'm starting Operation Look Like Jenny. Basically it involves me wearing winged eyeliner every day this week. I figure if I don't make myself practice consistently then I'll always feel too nervous to ever do it. So, I'm excited to report back next week and share any tips I learned along the way. And for some extra inspiration this week, here are a few more pictures of nailed-it eyeliner...

My Breakfast Ritual + A Giveaway!

I'm not much of a morning person, but I am a big believer in breakfast. I'll usually eat a bowl of oatmeal or cereal with chia seeds mixed in and make a whole-milk latte. I love the simplicity of my weekday routine, but I thought it was about time to switch things up a bit. I'm a sucker for whimsical kitchen items and found so many at Uncommon Goods, a shop that features unique designs and handcrafted gifts and whose mission is to support and provide a platform for artists and designers. Here are a few of my favorite finds...

First, I traded in my regular bowl for this one with feet. They would be so cute for dinner parties!

Then, I swapped my coffee cup for this pretty scalloped one. As you finish your drink, a hidden animal is revealed inside.

Finally, since we don't have a dishwasher, I have to do whatever I can to motivate myself to wash up after eating. I replaced our old dish soap container with this recycled apothecary bottle. It looks so pretty sitting next to our sink! Even Alan approves.

Just in time for Valentine's Day, Uncommon Goods is giving away a $30 gift card to a Quiet Like Horses reader. You can pick a gift for a special someone or for yourself (you can find a few gift ideas here). For a chance to win, please visit Uncommon Goods then leave a comment below. Please also leave a way for me to get in contact with you should you win. A winner will be chosen at random on Tuesday, February 10. (Update: The winner has been emailed!)

(This post is sponsored by Uncommon Goods, a brand whose products I adore. Thank you for supporting Quiet Like Horses' sponsors!)

Bathroom Game-Changer

Everyone does it. At different times of the day, and some with more gusto than others, sure, but one thing is certain: Everybody goes #2. In fact, I used to think intimacy in a relationship came from knowing a person's hopes, dreams and fears, but now I know better. To know someone is to know their poop.

One friend told me she can't go in public unless it's at Starbucks (the identical bathrooms put her bowels at ease). Another confided she only goes once a week. And yet another friend, who suffers from Crohn's Disease, coined the term "poomergency" to describe the types of accidents she'd occasionally have at the most unfortunate times: while bending over to retrieve her luggage at the airport or right before a long car ride home from a hike with her then new-ish boyfriend.

It's not all bad though. Sometimes we'll share tips and tricks. My friend Dianna just showed me this new contraption she got called the Squatty Potty, which she had delivered to work. It basically positions your body into a more natural squatting posture over the toilet for faster and easier elimination. When she went to pick it up at the front desk, the receptionist said he'd gotten one for each of his daughter's for Christmas. The absurd name had already piqued my interest, but now, people I actually knew were buying them in multiples. My mind raced. I had to know more. Was it legit or was it a joke? Was I missing out? So I set off in search of the truth: I checked Amazon reviews.

And let me tell you, the reviews were glowing. It's been described as perfect, deeply satisfying, and genius. People go on trips and can't wait to come back home to use it again. One guy wrote that it changed his life. His hilarious review made me laugh out loud.

A Surprising, All-Natural Breath Freshener

I just discovered an all-natural breath freshener hiding in my kitchen cupboard: Cloves! The dried flower buds, which I'd previously only associated with baking, kill odor-causing bacteria in the mouth, instead of just masking it. Just suck on one as you would a mint. I was pleasantly surprised at its subtle flavor and mild heat. As someone who dislikes artificially-sweetened gum but loves onion and garlic everything, I've already started a stash in my purse. 

Would you try it? If you have, what did you think? 

Seven Ways to Tell Someone They're Cute

You know those days when your hair is on-point and your eyebrows look perfect? But then there are those other days when your outfit feels all wrong and you have lipstick on your teeth? It made me think about how everyone could use a little extra encouragement now and again, amiright? When I saw these "you're cute" cards, I knew they'd be perfect to randomly surprise people with. (They’d be cute for Valentine's Day, too.) So I packaged them up for people and left them to be found. Below are seven different ways to get the message out to your friends and family.

1) Wrap it up inside nesting boxes. Because opening little boxes wrapped up in ribbon and layers of pretty tissue is fun. 

2) Frame it. Friends can hang it up as a sweet reminder before they head out the door or set it on their desks on bad hair days. 

3) Send it via snail mail. Don’t sign your name. Just add lots of confetti!

4) Tape it to a mirror. Best done when no one’s looking. 

5) Place it in a mini mailbox. Because mini things make everything better. (Mailbox from the Target dollar bin). 

6) Replace someone’s bookmark. Punch a hole in the corner, thread ribbon through and slip it inside the pages of a book. (I did this for Alan; he was pleasantly surprised :)

7) Clip it to a computer screen. Write “This is very important” on the back to get your friend’s heart racing just a bit.