Sunny Slide Up

look your best: favorite makeup products

The time has come – we are having our engagement photos taken next week! I chose the amazing Crystal Stokes to do my photography. I can not quit looking at her work and can not wait to see the pictures we take! For my engagement shot, I am having Erin Ashley do my make up… look at a picture these two amazing women worked on together for the Carolina Bride Magazine… I told you – I can’t wait!

Sadly these women are not with me every day, so I have to do the best I can for myself! I have a few blogs that I have follow that help with make up techniques and easy ways to do your hair!

Maskcara – this girl has amazing ideas and techniques! She also gives you reviews on products that she has tried and suggests. It is a great resource! One things she does from time to time is before and afters – check this one out!

Secondly, always look forward to a post from The Small Things Blog – she is such a real girl with practical ideas on makeup and hair. When doing my hair for weddings or special events, I always check out her hair tutorials! Maybe I will do this one for a wedding we are going to this weekend… I wonder how it will look with curly hair?

Do you guys have any favorite makeup or hair style bloggers?

charleston staycation

by Stella Lancaster | adventures

Hi friends! I know we have all had a whirlwind year and the holidays are shortly upon us. I have done a lot of traveling this year — and have been out of town almost every weekend since June. Whew! So before gearing up for the holiday season, I made time for a much needed STAYCATION!

Conde Nast

We are so blessed live Charleston, South Carolina. The Holy City has been busy snapping up international travel & destination awards:

Best City in the World 2012 – Conde Nast

Top City in the USA 2013 – Conde Nast

Ravenel Bridge

In 2012 Burton and I traveled cross country for 9 months with our spunky dog Luna. We fell in love with many cities, but were content to return to the Carolinas and call Charleston HOME. I enjoy living in a city where we can bike or walk everywhere. And where foreign languages tickle my ears as I walk through our cobblestoned roads. And the food? It’s ah-mazing!!

Downtown Charleston at CofC

Here is a run down of an ideal weekend staycation in Charleston:

FRIDAY

wake up leisurely late as I don’t work on Fridays 🙂
bike over to Taco Boy to meet friends on the patio for fried avocados and mango margaritas
drop by Earthling Day Spa for an afternoon massage
hop back on my bike and cruise Waterfront Park to The Battery
circle back around for a sunset dinner at Fleet Landing
cocktails at Rarebit (Moscow Mule) or Belmont Lounge (Manhattan)
pop in for show at Redux before biking home
bourbon nightcaps on the porch with friends

SATURDAY

brisk walk to Kudu for a to-go coffee
sip my coffee as I wander around the corner to Marion Square for the Farmers Market
place an order for crepes, while picking out fresh flowers for the week from Johns Island farmers
pet ALL the dogs, adore all the children
enjoy a picnic blanket with friends while we eat, laugh, and people watch
light lunch of cucumber soup at Gaulart & Maliclet known by locals as “Fast & French”
rooftop cocktails at Cocktail Lounge
oysters for dinner at The Ordinary

SUNDAY

beat the noon brunch rush at Hominy Grill, chocolate pudding as my appetizer
drive over the Ravenel Bridge with the windows rolled down, out to Station 28.5 on Sullivan’s Island
enjoy my bare feet in the sand, before heading to Poe’s Tavern for a bloody mary on the porch
sunset bike ride to Salty Mikes at the marina, looping back downtown to race through the ghost ridden cobblestone alleys
place a to-go order for for pad thai from Basil, enjoy it on my porch with my boo 🙂

MONDAY – back to reality!! 🙂

Waterfront Park Fountain

Need more ideas? Click here to read what Freunden von Freunden loves about Charleston. Daily Candy raves here.

Planning a visit?? Please get in touch, and please come visit!! I have tons of suggestions — from romantic to quirky to adventurous. And … I would love to meet YOU!!

XOXO

-Stella

giveaway: local charlotte package

by sunnyslideup | sunny slide up

We hope everyone has enjoyed celebrating our birthday as much as we have this month. As a grand finale to our birthday month of giveaways, we are offering up package of local goodies from around our home town of Charlotte to award one lucky local reader!

Alright, so what’s in the package? Check it out!

Antique Photograph Scrapbook & Voucher for a FREE Earlybird Entry to Vintage Charlotte Holiday Market

Remember that awesome Vintage Charlotte giveaway we started the month out with? Well, they are back! This time offering up an unused antique photograph scrapbook and a voucher for for a FREE earlybird entry to their Vintage Charlotte Holiday Market.

45 Minute Photo Session with Edited Digital Files from Tiffani Evans Photo

Perfect for a family session, engagement, baby, kids. Events not included. Edited digital files included with the option to purchase prints. *Must be redeemed within 6 month. Session will take place in the greater charlotte area.