When I think of a sultry smoky eye I think of a look that is only appropriate for a formal evening out. I also think of dark grays and blacks and truthfully, I think of a mess because I’ve never been able to fully accomplish this look without looking like a chimney sweep. I usually get black everywhere and it can be a very hard color to work with.
Below is a video (my first) I’ve put together showing the steps to create this winter’s trend. I am by no means a professional, just a mom who, over the last year, has developed a love of makeup and who is working hard to better understand it’s uses and proper application. As with any skill, practice makes perfect so I will continue to practice and learn new tips and tricks that I can share with you. Until then I hope this video helps you achieve a beautiful subtle smokey eye!
Jessica is a military wife, married to her husband Nate of 14 years, and stay at home mother to three energetic and fearless children, Sophia, Brandon and Rachel. Originally from Greensburg, Pennsylvania, the military life has given her a chance to live all over the United States and meet many amazing people along the way.
Other than going to candlelight service, my holiday outfits are usually pretty casual. Our family tradition is to go to church on the eve of Christmas Eve then go out to dinner afterward. We spend Christmas Eve in, eating as many finger foods as we can stuff in our mouths, playing board games and watching It’s a Wonderful Life and A Christmas Story.
On Christmas morning, I make monkey bread and Craig and I drink coffee in front of the fireplace until the kids wake up (or more like we wake them up, that’s what happens when they get older!) Then we either spend a casual day at home, go visit my sisters and their families or host Christmas dinner at our house.
Welcome to our house at Christmas! Here are a few pics of this year’s decorations.
Now onto the outfits! Here are three casual Christmas outfit ideas that you can most likely pull out of your closet perfect for spending a cozy day by the fire, visiting relatives or hosting Christmas dinner.
All of these outfits are included in the Winter 2017 GYPO Style Challenge – plus 31 more! You’ll get your winter trends shopping list, links to recommended items and 34 days of mix and match outfit ideas delivered to your inbox daily. Plus the support of our active private Facebook community. It’s not too late to join! Learn more and sign up HERE.
It’s the day of the week at GYPO where we celebrate what makes us feel pretty. Whether it’s a new outfit, hairstyle, or makeup, the I Feel Pretty link up is about anything and everything that makes your life prettier. Even if you’re not a blogger, you can still play along. Just tell me what made you feel pretty this week in the comments.
You pretties are seriously THE BEST! Recently I put out an SOS on my Facebook page for some Christmas cookie ideas for a cookie exchange that I’m going to tonight and you came through big time.
My cookies are all packaged up and ready to go! For my packaging, I used acrylic trays I found at Dollar Tree and filled them with paper shreds, ornaments and baking cups from Hobby Lobby. I wrapped them in printed cellophane tied with wire edged ribbon.
It was too hard to decide on just one recipe so I went with four different goodies in my packages – cranberry orange cookies, raspberry almond shortbread thumbprints, spiced pecans and bird’s nests.
I decided on these because they remind me of my childhood. It’s impossible for me to smell almond extract without thinking of my Grandma Bussard’s house. Her neighbor Mrs. Miller made the most amazing Christmas cookies in every variety imaginable! Some of my favorites were her pinwheels and of course, her raspberry almond thumbprints. This recipe from www.feedinspire.com tastes exactly the same. These cookies are so buttery, they melt in your mouth. I love the tart raspberry spread with the sweet shortbread cookie. Get the recipe HERE.
Alison’s Spiced Pecans
It’s not Christmas without my spiced pecans! I make mine with cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves for extra flavor.
1 Egg White (slighly beaten)
1 Tbsp. Water
3 cups Pecan Halves
1/2 cup Sugar
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. Cloves
1/2 tsp. Nutmeg
Preheat oven to 350, line baking sheet with foil.
Beat egg white with water, stir in pecans.
Mix sugar, salt and spices. Sprinkle over nuts coating thoroughly. Spread into pan in a single layer.
Bake 30 minutes, stirring one to two times. Don’t overbake.
Bird’s Nests
Most people make these treats at Easter but my family LOVES them for Christmas. We skip the icky jelly bean eggs and just go with the chocolatey nests.
1 bag of Chocolate Chips
1 bag of Butterscotch Chips
1 bag of Chow Mein Noodles
1 jar of Dry Roasted Peanuts
In large bowl, mix the chow mein noodles with the jar of peanuts.
In another bowl, pour both bags of chips and melt in microwave 30 seconds at a time, stirring afterward until smooth.
Once chips are melted smooth, pour over noodles and peanuts. Stir until coated.
Drop by tablespoons onto wax paper and allow to set up.
It’s Your Turn: What’s your go-to favorite cookie recipe for Christmas cookie exchanges? Drop a link or recipe in the comments!
Welcome to another edition of SAHMonday – outfit inspiration just for the stay at home and work from home moms of the world (like me!) who aren’t heading out of the house on Monday morning. You can check out the other outfits in this series here.
These outfits are perfect for when you want to feel comfortable, yet put together, so that you can face the day and any errands you may need to run. Plus, most of these outfit formulas can be pulled straight from your closet!
A Puffer Vest and a Plaid Scarf
Today we started styling the first of our 34 days of outfits in the Winter 2017 GYPO Style Challenge and this is day one’s look. It’s made up of classic pieces – like a cable knit sweater, skinny jeans, a plaid scarf and riding boots. But the addition of this season’s velvet trend makes it feel fresh and new! Every piece in this outfit is a few years old except for the velvet puffer vest. Further proof that you don’t need to spend a lot of money to reinvent your wardrobe every season. Once you have your basics in place, you can just add in a few new trends to keep it fun.
It’s not too late to get in on the fun of the Winter 2017 GYPO Style Challenge! Here’s a sneak peek of a few more of the looks that we’re styling in week one.
Sign up now to get your winter trends shopping list and first week of outfit ideas plus three bonus holiday looks immediately. Learn more HERE.
Welcome to this week’s Pretty Profile where we feature one of our amazing GYPO Style Challenge Pretties! Have you been curious about the GYPO Style Challenge but you’re not totally sure what it’s all about? In short, they are a resource, a learning tool, a confidence builder and a gateway to meeting some amazing women! Not only are you receiving the benefits of knowing what you’re going to wear each day, but even more than that, you also have the benefit of meeting the most amazing, supportive group of women in our private Facebook group. They just have so much to offer which is why we asked some of our Pretties to share with us what the Style Challenges have meant to them.
Meet today’s pretty, Mary M.
1. What ‘season of life’ are you currently in?
Parenting littles
2. What led you to try out a GYPO Style Challenge?
Initially, it was because I found it on the GYPO blog, and thought it sounded fun. That was when I was married with no kids and although it was TONS of fun, I gave it up for awhile when I got pregnant and had my baby. I regretted this decision when my baby was over a year old because I spent that entire year feeling frumpy and in a rut. I decided to rejoin in Fall 2017 and got my mojo back.
3. What’s your best advice for first time Style Challengers?
Participate!!! Comment on people’s pictures, post your own, engage in the fun…you will learn so much and make some great friends. I’ve never seen another group like this one. Everyone is sweet, caring and not an unkind word is ever spoken. If you ask for critical feedback, people will give it, but in a nice way.
4. What piece from your closet do you feel your best in?
Anything brightly colored!
5. What are your favorite stores to shop?
Target, Old Navy, JC Penney, Nordstrom/Nordstrom Rack, Marshalls
6. How has GYPO Style Challenges impacted your life?
I feel like I have gotten my style back. I feel great every morning when I wake up and know exactly what to wear, and that it is so well put together.
7. If you are an annual member, what was your favorite benefit of the annual membership?
Not yet, but plan on being one!
Ready to Start Your Style Journey with Us? Now’s the Perfect Time!
Join now and get your Winter 2017 GYPO Style Challenge shopping list plus 34 days of mix and match outfit ideas. Registration closes at midnight tonight! Learn more and sign up HERE.
Do you struggle to put outfits together? Are you stuck in a yoga pants rut? Not sure if you can make the latest trends work for you? You’re in the right place!
I’m Alison, a mom of three and recovering yoga pants addict on a mission to make getting dressed and feeling pretty the easiest thing you do all day! Learn more about my story HERE.
I am so glad I was part of the Fall 2019 Style Challenge. It gave me confidence and so many great outfitt ideas. The ladies in the group were very supportive and I will defintetly be doing another challenge in the future.
Betty Weyandt December 20, 2019
I’ve been participating in the GYPO Style Challenges for three years now and I’ve loved it. I’ve always loved clothes, but I didn’t know how to put outfits together. My closet is now full of mix-and-match outfits, I have learned how to dress myself, and there is no more stress in figuring out to wear. The private FB group is full of wonderful ladies that build each other up. It’s so fun and is seriously the best group on FB.
Kirstin Rasmussen November 20, 2019
Get Your Pretty On has changed my life, seriously. I have always chased what is trendy but found from season to season, that things go out of style and I was wasting money on items that I would only end up wearing a few times. GYPO has enabled me to simplify my closet, helps me make smarter purchasing decisions, and I feel so put together and confident using the outfit formulas that are provided. This program is a GAME CHANGER. I've been following GYPO for a few years now and my only regret is not jumping on board sooner.
Michelle Kline November 20, 2019
Great community of ladies, helping each other look stylish, without breaking the bank, and using much of what you already own.
Chosen Faith November 19, 2019
GYPO challenges have been one of the best things I have done! It had taught me so much more than just creating a closet of clothes that I love but also to have confidence in myself, how to pick and choose colors that work for me instead of against, and had given a wonderful community of Pretties who are so special.
Maraline Freeman October 16, 2019
I love GYPO!!! I finally feel put together and stylish! The shopping lists and outfit combinations make shopping and getting dressed effortless.
Krista Probst October 16, 2019
SHOP THE ACCESSORY LINE
SHOP THE LOOKS
A NOTE TO READERS
Please know that Get Your Pretty On uses affiliate links in some of our posts. This means that clicking on or purchasing through a link may help me earn a small commission, which helps make this blog possible. Thank you for your support! For more information, please see our Terms & Conditions.
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
Jessica is a military wife, married to her husband Nate of 14 years, and stay at home mother to three energetic and fearless children, Sophia, Brandon and Rachel. Originally from Greensburg, Pennsylvania, the military life has given her a chance to live all over the United States and meet many amazing people along the way.
