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By Brigette Danielle

Soo,
I have decided once a month to do a Spotlight piece showing different cities their own hidden gems. Call it the creme de la creme of your city! This first Spotlight Piece is for Kansas City and a new up and coming salon Called "Plush Life Beauty Lounge"! 

Ladies and Gents, meet Jennifer Duckworth! The owner and creator of Plush Life Beauty Lounge
right in the heart of Kansas City! Located at 3423 Main St, Kansas City, MO, it really is only a hop, skip and a jump away... no matter what side of the border you're on (kck or kcmo). A Kansas City native with refined taste and a passion to help women "bring out their inner goddess" Jennifer is a highly trained stylist with unlimited creativity.

Jennifer Duckworth
Plush Life Beauty Lounge is " dedicated to the modern day busy woman" and  pride themselves in "...creativity, offering a wide range of high quality services and the best of products.".

With a free consultation, you will have the chance to talk with your trained stylist, hear their recommendations and choose from a wide variety of services which include cuts, colors, straighteners and even luxurious extensions (which they specialize in)! Not to mention... they also have lash and brow services available! 

Rated a 4.9 out of 5 stars on google reviews, Jennifer's clients have nothing but great compliments and wonderful experiences while at Plush Life.... Here are some of the reviews!



Cierra C-
Plush Life Beauty Lounge

"Jenn is a perfectionist! I love all my experiences at Plush Life. You're in an out without a long wait time. Its a nice personable experience, I looove what Jennifer has given to us women. Oh and PL's Virgin Brazilian hair is very high quality. Blends with almost every texture I've seen her do. And shes also #1 for quality Sew-ins and hair extensions in Kansas City!"

D Cal
"Jenni does a beyond GREAT job!!! You will look fabulous after she is done!!"
Kimberly J.-
 "Jennifer keeps my hair flawless! Best sew-in in kc! Get your life at Plushlife Beauty Lounge ladies! You won't regret it!"
So to all those in the Kansas City area or just Visiting... make sure you stop by Plush Life Beauty Lounge!
Check out their website below and book your appointment! 


Plush Life Beauty Lounge






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Hello all! 

So after being out of town for a leadership training, I tried and tried and tried to stay on my healthy eating regimen. But when you are with a lot of people... all day long, snacking seems to be the only thing to keep you going lol. I did have some healthy snacks but not enough "meals", so by the end of the night the things I would eat would in no shape or form benefit me. However, I did try this AMAZING red wine while away :). 

So now that I'm back, I have been thinking of things that I would do to jump start my "diet". The first thing that came to mind was where I shopped. I love our Farmers Market in Dallas! They have the best fresh produce and not to mention you get tons of food for minimal prices! When you walk through the metal sheds (open walls) you see so many different farmers with rows and rows of fruits, veggies, nuts, herbs, sauces you name it. They have samples for you to try and if you are not careful you will buy their whole stand, that's how awesome they are!!

Anyway I could go on and on about how delicious the food is and how you feel when you first arrive, but one thing outside of the quality of food is the price! Of course shopping in season plays a huge role in what you bring home, but you definitely get what you pay for! The picture above was taken last fall from The Dallas Farmer's Market. I haven't been able to go in a while because we have moved outside the city. But all the this fresh organic produce was purchased for less than $40.00! 
In the bags ( except cereal) was huge green apples, 2 bunches of bananas and one pineapple! 

Yes crazy right?! 

I strongly encourage you to shop at your local farmer's market to save a few $$$ and have the most nutritious food possible! 
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PRODUCT ALERT!!!

So a while back, I was lucky enough to attend a glow getter seminar by the one and only Angel Merino, also known as Mac Daddy! He is one of the beauty industries leading artists and an all around beauty guru.. so you can only imagine how quickly I grabbed my ticket (first 10)! 

Of course after learning his killer techniques and tricks, those that attended this private event were able to see the FIRST product of his cosmetics line " Artist Couture" which is his Diamond Glow Powder... 

These loose powders give you theee best glow you could ever imagine! These glow powders are super luxurious and will suite all skin tones. There are 9 different powders, each with their own unique iridescence. They are extremely light weight and don't leave the cakey feeling either. Use a little use a lot.... wither way USE IT!!!

My fave (as pictured above) is Gold Digger. It gives the perfect "golden glow" that makes your skin look like you are a Greek goddess.. I absolutely love this highlighter!

He now has 9 different Diamond Glow Powders, 

1. Conceited
2. Double Take
3. Gold Digger
4. Illuminati
5. Lickable
6. Mermaid Fantasy
7. Sugar Daddy
8. Yasss!
9. Supernova

All of these can be purchased from his web site, just click the link below!!!!


http://www.artistcouture.com/collections/diamond-glow-powder
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So this is totally RANDOM! 

  I'm sitting here enjoying my lunch and doing some work. When I go to log onto my site and start a post, which I'm doing on my laptop because we are out of town, I am still logged into my old account, which I did not notice. When I click through to start editing, I noticed it was different... very different. It was my very FIRST blog... EVER. lol It was about my weight loss journey and as I read over some of the posts, it was very eye opening.  Seeing the old me from years ago and how much I have grown since then made me realize.... Life is not a race but a marathon... We won't get what we want unless we keep pushing and keep trying to better ourselves. I'm really glad I seen those ( forgot they existed), it totally made me appreciate every up and down I have been through...

Anywho... if you are interested, here is the link to the blog!

 http://theshrinkingofme.blogspot.com/
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As a long time makeup lover, I really believe that you can never have enough lipstick.. There is no shade that should ever go untouched, even if it's just to try out.  Your lipstick says a lot about who you are and how confident you are. Now lets be realistic, I'm not saying go out there and buy every shade of blue you see and wear it everyday for weeks... (maybe a fitting occasion) but always try something new. 

These two colors were actually shades I had never even thought of. Back then I was still learning how to create looks that flowed and enhanced my features. I wasn't looking for these they were just thrust-ed upon me from the makeup gurus of our time....

I'm pretty big on following people that are well known for their crafts or I feel like I connect with on a student/teacher level (me being the student obvi). But two people that I look up to in the world of makeup, @ooh_lalaa_livia and @ themayaahmad blogged about these shades and when I tried them, I fell in love! 

Both lipsticks are from MAC.
The lighter shade is Sweet & Sour (A24) and it is a cremesheen. Like the matte lipsticks, I advise to moisturize your lips very well before use. Even though it is a creamy lipstick, it will tend to dry your lips out a tad..

The darker shade has become my go- to red lipstick for fall... it is called Rebel (A24) and it is a satin. This color is so romantic and sexy! I pair with with a liner called deep red and it gives it a little extra dimension.

So, if you don't have these colors already I HIGHLY suggest you snag them and add them to your lipstick club ASAP!



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Easy Chalk Board Pencil holder

What you will need: 
Cans/ Jars
Chalkboard Paint
Brush
Chalk


Step 1: Take off label on can and wash and dry inside and out.











Step 2: With your brush, cover the can completely with horizontal strokes. Wait for it to dry then repeat. Once dry repeat with vertical strokes.









Step 3: Once completely covered, let sit and dry completely.                     





 


















And that's it! It's as easy as 1, 2, 3!
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 I love small boutiques just s much as I love designers. One of my favorite local apparel lines is @shopneversatisfied (instagram). They have great clothing, new trends and even items that can be customized! 
 From kids and unisex to accessories and hats they have a wide variety of everything!  Check them out and follow them on twitter @ishopns.. to get special codes for discounts. They are always having random promos so you gotta check often!
click the link below to see their website!

www.shopneversatisfied.com

www.shopneversatisfied.com
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white, navy, fuschia


 One of my passions in life is fashion... I have always loved putting together pieces for people and the ultimate dream is to obtain my own shop and sell my own pieces.. But I hate sewing and I am a terrible artist!
If you haven't guessed or noticed already, I am a busy mama with a lot on my plate! So really, spending hours coming up with one design is not an option. So for now most of my fashion life comes from creating looks and dressing people, which I LOVE just as much. 
Since I am really busy and a lot of people that seek my help are not in my area,  I decided to create online "look books" and style guides for different occasions. 

First off let me just sayI adore this outfit!

In between playdates and school stuff, I own my own business and from time to time, I have meetings in person and events to attend. An outfit like this is the perfect transition outfit. You can go from PTA and play time to business meetings and business events.So it only makes sense to have something fitting for both!

For this look, I paired sleek navy trousers with an amazing bright blazer, simple accessories and ol faithful herself.. a nude heel! 

As a professional  woman, your days will always vary and who knows what curve balls will come your way when you are a mom as well. One thing is a must in your closet...you should always have something similar as a go to! You want something that looks stylish but also ready power through business meetings...  Professional attire with a POP!



white, navy, fuschia by bybrigettedanielle featuring leather handbags

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navy, rose and white


I LOVE a good Brunch! First off mimosas are the best thing ever! Then you pair them with steak,eggs and croissants and I am in heaven!! Seeing everyone look snazzy is just the icing on the cake.

This weekend when you hit the brunch scene with your fellow brunchers, step it up a notch and wow them with an outfit similar to this one!

One thing I know about brunch is that you can expect to eat more, richer and savory food than you normally would.. So what you wear definitely needs to be comfortable yet no lack the in its appeal. 

One of my favorite style of skirts is a pencil skirt. A pencil skirt is always fashionable and effortless. Also as proven through the decades, timeless.  Definitely a few things that rarely go together lol. Pair it with a loose blouse and minimal accessories for a clean chic look. As always keep that heel handy! 
  
 Check out the details below for this outfit!


navy, rose and white by bybrigettedanielle featuring a white blouse

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Everyone meet Cynthia! 

Cynthia is a good friend of mine and when she asked me to do her makeup, I quickly jumped at the opportunity to do her makeup! Cynthia was recently married and she was wanting a special look for date night with her new husband! One thing I will pretty much 99.8% of the time recommend for date night is a sexy smokey eye! A good smokey eye brings out a whole new level of sultry and glam that you or your significant other may never have seen before! Plus it's always good to have a YOWZA look!

For this look, I used deep, chocolate browns and black at the outer corner of the eye. I mixed these colors with a shade darker skin tone shadow to blend into a natural highlight right below the brow.

 Anytime you are using broad range of colors, make sure you have a "transition" color. A transition color is one that is between the lightest color shadow and darkest color shadow you are using. This will help with blending them together and keep the eyes from looking unfinished.

 With a deep sultry eye like this one, you don't want to draw to much attention away from your eyes. The best option would be to pair your smokey eyes with an amazing nude lip!
But if you really feel daring...a deep lip or a matte red one!

*** When using a matte lipstick, make sure your lips are moisturized very well***
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Meet Phoenix, Thailand, Baltimore and Italy..
(yes those are their real names)

  These are the craziest, silliest, sweetest, smartest and all around goofiest kids in the universe, but I wouldn't change them for anything! My family is my heartbeat..everything they feel, I feel.  My wonderful little family is indeed a blended family but that doesn't change anything. We laugh, cry, sing, dance, go crazy and everything else... just like a "normal" family.

  However.... we do have something that is not so normal. One of our little peas (my step daughter) lives over 8 hours away :(.... It isn't easy getting chances to see her because of the distance and schedules.. but we make the best of it. Thank God for technology! We  FaceTime each other as much as we can and thankfully she is old enough (and very smart) to use one of her Igadgets to text us or skype us during the day! 

The distance between our family is one of the hardest things we have to go through. We want everyone to be happy, but the truth is... we're not. It's hard knowing that someone you helped create (dad) and someone that you have loved before they were even born (both), is not there when you first wake up. They're not there for you to kiss them goodnight or even just to sit and watch them be them! It's so challenging.... but it's the life we live.

Of course now with every kid there are milestones, hurdles, lessons and challenges. It's part of the job description. That's why parenthood is the hardest job in the world. Knowing that you, yes YOU, are responsible for every outcome of their young life can be intimidating or just outright nerve wracking! 

  Yes, at times it gets over whelming, but it's always worth it when they give you those HUGE hugs just because! Or when you are sick and they comfort you or, when you try to cry behind the cabinet door and they rush over just to make sure you are ok. And it's definitely worth it when they just say "I love you".


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Need a jump start?


Looking to jump start your workout routine or make it more intense? Then this may be the app for you! 

When trying to lose weight or tone, your workouts have to become more and more challenging. Keeping a routine the same for too long can become ineffective and after a while your body just goes through the motions. There is no challenge, no resistance for your muscles.. it just becomes normal movements in your everyday life. Not to mention you sweat less and you begin to burn less, so your not really loosing weight.

When I first started my weight loss journey I signed up for every class that 24 hour fitness offered. I went faithfully to my favorite classes and pretty much scheduled my life around them lol. But thanks to the best trainer in the world, I fell in love with Nike Training Club (NTC). Each class had a different theme like cardio, legs, arms and so on.... I would take this class like 8 times a week! It was that amazing! There wasn't a class that would make me sweat more or work as hard as NTC. But after my trainer left 24 hour and to started his own training camp, I needed something in between his classes that was just as effective.I really didn't go back to 24 hour much after he left.. I was seriously spoiled!!

After research and asking my old gym buddies, they are seemed to recommend the Nike Training Club app. Now I have had apps before that I would grab because they were free or they randomly popped up in ads on my smart phone. But once I got this app I started using it right away and I seen results too! My first week routine I lost 10lbs! I'm pretty positive I would have lost more but my diet is always my downfall lol.




One of the best things about the Nike Training Club app is that it is a free app! I love that it lets you keep track of  calories burned, minutes you've worked out and it gives you a custom routine for your personal goal. It even shows you how to do every workout and even allows modifications. This in my opinion is one of the most effective, personal and accurate apps around. I definitely recommend you get this if you are wanting to change up your routine. Also, did I mention you don't even need weights or other equipment!? Some of the workouts you can use some equipment but for most of the workouts you don't need anything! Great right! Overall this is my favorite app for workouts.

Have a favorite fitness app? comment below so I can check it out!

* It will also require the Nike running app to keep track of your miles*

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Summer 2014

Yes... I love 80's music lol. 


This Picture was taken  Summer(2014). I was almost to my pre pregnancy weight after losing 100 lbs with my 2nd child and then after my 3rd child (gained 60 lbs) I was able to lose a little over 50 of it...But I, like a lot of people go up and down....

Have you ever just sat and looked at yourself? I mean really looked at yourself? Well unfortunately for me, I can't stop staring. You wanna hear something kinda crazy? Ok good! 

Im probably not the only one that does this but when I look at myself, I don't see me. I don't see the mom that is there for every big moment for her kids. I don't see a wife that supports and does everything she can to be a Proverbs 31. woman. I don't see a business woman that has been working hard for her dreams to come true. And I don't see a woman that is happy.

When I look at myself, I see the quitter, the excuse maker and honestly at times, the woman that embarrasses the ones she loves because of the way she looks. 

All my life I have been big. Bigger than all the kids in my class, bigger than my friends, bigger than the older kids... just big. And now that I am an adult, I am still bigger than all the moms in play group, bigger than my friends, bigger than guys and still just big and unhappy. 

I have to admit, I get beyond upset when I can't wear my husbands clothes or when a simple shopping trip turns into hours of trying on clothes and fighting tears because everything I love doesn't fit or I don't feel confident in it. Being over weight is something that is constantly on my mind. I think about wanting to be healthy, I think about how obsessed I was with my body and how I was nearly starving it. I think about so many things constantly every single day.

   
November 2015



This is the most recent "body" picture I have taken... As I said... Im up and down... But education and consistency is key! I know what to eat and what not to eat.  My lovely condo has an AMAZING gym and I actually do love to workout! Every time I feel like I just want to quit forever.... I sing "Don't Stop Believing" to keep me pushing. 

Now I'm starting to get back on track a bit. I started at ground zero and I have began taking the same steps I did before ( except this glass of wine I'm currently drinking). 

I know that this is a journey and there is no such thing as a quick fix and I don't expect it to be one.

I just can't stop believing (and doing)
 
 I will be posting updates on my journey! So keep watching! 
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If you know me then you know I LUUUHHHHVVVVVVV makeup! I have always been fascinated by it! The way you can transform your face, enhance your beauty and even hide a few flaws ( for me it's scars) is nothing short of magical. As you know I am a mom and we kinda have a reputation for not always looking our best. I admit there are days when I don't even brush my hair for the day or I stay in oh so comfy yoga pants.  One thing I always tell my gals, is that they should have a daily look! You don't necessarily have to do it every day, but a simple look that you know you like is the optimal goal.

 When we are overwhelmed with life, home stuff, work stuff or just a stressful week that has you feeling blah, makeup is one simple way to easily lift your spirits. You feel different, you feel motivated, and ready to take on the day. All you need is something simple that you can get down pat so it will always look crisp and flawless...... even if in a hurry!

So here are a few things that you will need to have for your daily look!

  1.  Eye Popping Mascara.- Get one that really gives you lift and volume! 
  2. At least 2-3 different nude lip colors! (gloss, lipstick, pencil) -These three babies will take you to the promise land when you are wanting a clean daily look.
  3. Neutral tone eye shadows.- Browns can go a long way... there are so many different shades of brown out there... you really only need 3 (cool, warm and deep) just make sure you blend baby blend!
  4. Pale blush.- My absolute favorite is Dainty by MAC. It is the perfect shade of dewy pink! 
  5. Light foundation/ powder- Let me be frank..... YOU DON'T WANT A CAKE FACE EVERYDAY! As much as I love a great full coverage, you want to make sure your face is not suffocating... let that thing breathe! If you have something you want to cover then use a tad concealer or correcter.. Plus TOO much makeup can cause breakouts more than usual.
  6. Last but not least...... EYELINER.... if you are going for full on wings like ^^^^^, then go for that always reliable black liner. Just use a liquid with fine brush so it won't look as heavy as something like a gel or pencil. For the waterline, use deep browns or similar to make your eyes pop!

One thing I pride myself on is classic looks. I have a variety of set looks that I do and they are pretty much "classic" or "simple" looks but boy do they make me feel good!

I hope you enjoyed these little tips for everyday makeup! Drop me a pic of your everyday makeup in the comments!!!

Ciao for now!!
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So a lot of my friends are childless, and every now and then I can clearly see the difference! I always considered myself as a pretty fashionable person.. and  just because I am a mom, that doesn't mean that I can't dress up a bit! I always loved trying new combos, new styles and looking into different sources of inspiration. I really have eclectic taste, so a lot of my outfits are random and usually "not planned". If it looks good and I feel good in it.... I'm wearing it!

  BTW....I love these jeans! These jeans have pretty much been my "go to" pair. You know those pair of jeans that fit perfect in every way? The color is perfect, the fact that they go with everything, the pair you feel your most confident in? Yea these are those! I honestly wear these jeans once a week. That probably is a bad idea but I LOVE them!

 These jeans are from Forever 21 and I found them hiding on a rack burried behind the early release clothes for fall. It's almost as if they were waiting for me to hunt them down and give them a good home lol.
  I also found this  cardigan and body suit from Forever 21! Although this body suit is comfy and could be used for just about any outfit, I wasn't very happy with the over all quality of the fabric. After one wash it seemed as if the fabric had thinned out and it became a tad see through.. with the right lighting.

  Forever 21 actually has decent finds at good prices (some stuff not so decent). I think overall they have a pretty wide variety for all ages (why else would the store be SO huge), but not so much for all bodies. I don't mind buying something that is marked up $2 more because of it is "plus size", and I don't even mind going all the way to the back of the store. My real only "issue" is that Forever 21 doesn't have enough variety in it's plus size section. S

Sooo, when getting your latest threads at Forever 21, I have one rule for all you plus size gals! 

Try on EVERYTHING!

Everything looks one way on a mannequin and completely different on you! And if you are a mom, you definitely need to try on everything! There were plenty of times I would see something and think, "I can't wear that I'm a mom" or "I cant' wear that my body is not even close to having a shape". But once I seen how I looked and not a picture or mannequin, my mind would change about 90% of the time.
 
  The shoes are Enzo Angiolini  and I got them from Nordstrom. I will be honest, they are not as comfy as they look, but the are actually great quality shoes! I have had these shoes for a few years and they really have stayed in a near perfect condition!


Sooo moral of the story....

Just because you are a mom, plus size or anything in between, you can be hot! 

What is your "go to" mom outfit? Let me know in the comments below!!
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About me

About Me

Welcome to By Brigette Danielle!

I'm a full time Texas mom of 4, wife, homeschooler and coffee lover. This blog is dedicated to sharing family topics, beauty, plus size style, mom hacks and more. Welcome to my little world, I'm glad you came to visit.


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