GreySkiesAndSilverLinings

Happy Wednesday! 

Hope everyone is well.

It has been a while since I have posted a wedding related post, but here it is! 

Today's bridal post is every girl's favourite...

MAKEUP!

On your wedding day you want to have your makeup perfect and flawless. You will have enough on your mind that day, makeup defiantly doesn't need to be on that list. The important thing for me is finding someone I can trust and someone who makes me feel comfortable. 

Finding the right MUA for me came very easily.


If you have not heard of Laura Dempsey, you need to get on it and check her out.
Laura is a freelance makeup artist here in Waterford. This lady has serious skills.

Here's a bit of background about Laura: 

Laura started having an interest in makeup in TY, like most of us girls, watching loads of Youtube tutorials. In 5th year, she decided this was definitely the career path she wanted to take. Once Laura finished 6th year, she then attended B.F.E.I in Blackrock and did a year of "Theatrical & Media Makeup". The course itself covered everything from bridal to theatre, to movie and fashion makeup.

After finishing the course in B.F.E.I, Laura then starting working on a makeup counter and began to build up a loyal clientele. She also began doing Youtube tutorials and starting using social media as an online portfolio.

After working on a makeup counter for a year and a half, Laura decided to take the plunge and go full-time as a freelance MUA. Laura is now working for herself, taking weekly appointments, doing one on one lessons, masterclasses as well as bridal makeups. 

Laura did my makeup for my engagement party back in January & I instantly fell in love with it. I could not stop looking at myself and took a million selfies, as you do.

Most people would know I am very self conscious about my appearance but when I had my makeup done from Laura, I felt amazing. As cheesy as it may sound, I felt beautiful. I knew after that, that this was the lady I wanted to beautify me on the biggest day of my life. 

Here is some of the fabulous work Laura has done:

Laura has also done the fabulous Marissa Carters makeup! How gorgeous is she!

Below are Laura's social media accounts :

Instagram-@laudempseymua

Twitter-@DempseyLaura

FB-Laura Dempsey Makeup

YouTube-Laura Dempsey Makeup

Snapchat- @laudempmakeup

Thank you so much for reading guys, 

Until next Wednesday

Jamie 

Hi guys, hope everyone is well.

I have been super quite on social media the past few weeks and 

it has certainly been a while since I had a blog post up. 

In this post I am going to talk about why I have been silent on my social media platforms and why I have decided that it is time to start putting me first.

So I guess i'll start back at the start...

As you all know now, my dad died suddenly last September and it has taken a huge toll on my life. I am very good at pretending that I am ok & its only people who are close to me that really know the extent of how I am feeling. As I have said in previous posts, my dad was my best friend & the person I confided in. To have that person taken from me with no warning, has left a void in my life. Talking to friends and family about my dad was helping to a certain extent but I knew I needed to take that one step further. So I decided that it was time to speak to a professional. I built up the courage and started attending bereavement counselling.

Now can I just say that I was totally anti-counselling. I attended counselling when i was younger and I felt it was a waste of time. I felt no better after I went, to be honest I felt worse. So after dad passed away, I went to my GP who prescribed me new medication for my anxiety and he said then about attending counselling but I just brushed it off. From previous experience, i knew it wasn't for me. Well thats what I thought. 

A couple of months on my new medication & I felt no better. I started to feel worse. So back to my GP I went, where he prescribed me new medication. Again, he mentioned the counselling to me but this time something clicked with me. Nobody was going to make me feel better only me. I had to start wanting to help myself. And thats what I did. 

So this was the start of me putting myself first. Since dad passed away I felt like I was constantly doing things for others and felt like I had no time for me. And it was making it harder for me to process not having my dad here.

Going into a complete stranger gave me some sort of relieve. That I could say what I wanted and say how I actually felt without having to worry about what other people thought. My first session kind of went the way I expected it to go. I bawled! I cried more or less for the whole hour. I knew I was going to get upset because even now when I talk about dad, I get this lump in my throat. After my first session I was a right-off. I was emotionally drained for days after it, but i needed it. I needed to cry. I needed for someone to just sit there and just listen to me. 

My second and third session, I didn't cry. I just talked about my dad and other aspects of my life that led to my depression and anxiety. No matter what anyone says, talking does help. My forth session was the last one I have had to date as I was away on holidays and I think it was the hardest one of them all. It was the Tuesday after Fathers Day & I was still upset about not being able to celebrate the day with dad. This was the session I dreaded but knew I would have to face eventually. I spoke in detail about the lead up to my fathers death, the during and the after. It was by far the hardest conversation I had in that room. Reliving the whole thing over again. It made me feel ill. But the counsellor has determined that I am going through trauma right now. I still haven't reached the grieving stage. Which terrifies me in a way, because I feel like absolute shite right now & it's only going to get worse before it gets better. But the one thing she did say & she is 100% right, I need to start putting myself first and doing things for me, because you can't look after anyone else if you are not 100% yourself. 

So I have taken her advice and slowly but surely I am putting myself first. Which leads me on to the next difficult decision I had to make over the last few weeks. It was a question, that only since losing my dad, has been playing on my mind. Where am I going with my life? I am 25 years old, working since I was 16 & currently working in a retail company for the last 7 years but not being able to see beyond that. That depressed me. I wanted to take the leap and start something new but my job was a safety net. I always questioned it, What if I leave and can't find a job? What if my new job only last a couple of months? What if I don't have enough money to live on? There was always the WHAT IF! 

There's a quote that I have always loved and its...

"Life begins at the end of your comfort zone".

Even though I love that quote I was never able to live by it because I was stuck in my comfort zone. But something gave me that kick up the behind that I needed to take that leap & thats exactly what I did. After 7 years, I finally grew a pair and handed in my noticed. To say I was petrified is an understatement but after it was done, i felt like a new women! It was time to close a chapter of my life and start a new one. & thats exactly what I have done.  

So, am I happy I gave counselling another try? 

Most definitely.

Do I regret taking that leap out of my comfort zone? 

Not one bit!

So there you have it folks! 

The reason for my silence over the last while but I am back. I am ready for the next chapter for Jamie May! 

*If you've enjoyed this post give it a little like ;)*

Thanks for reading,

JamieMay X

Hello folks! 

I have been out of action for quite some time but I am back. 

&

Wedding Wednesdays are back!

So this weeks addition to my bridal series is..

The Bridesmaid.

For me, the bridesmaids have such a huge roll, well in my wedding anyway. I don't know if that is the case all the time but for me, they are a huge part. Before Craig had even popped the question I knew how many bridesmaids I wanted and who they would be. It was probably the easiest decision I was going to make. For me, I need four ladies who will keep their cool on the day when I am a bag of nerves. I need these four to make me laugh and probably make me cry while we get ready for the biggest journey of my life. Four ladies that I can trust and love like my blood. And that was the easiest choice ever, especially because one was already my sister! SO, that was the easy bit. 

Now for the hard part, THEIR DRESSES! 

In my opinion, throwing your bridesmaids in a horrendous dress that they hate, on a day where they will be nearly at the end of every camera lens would bother me and to be honest, would ruin my day. I've even heard of brides making their bridesmaids wear horrible dresses to make them look better. Like seriously! I want my ladies to look and feel fantastic on the day and enjoy every moment like I will. So my bridesmaids will have a huge input on what they wear on the day. 

I've obviously been browsing for dresses already, even though the wedding isn't til June 2018. Styles will definitely change between now and then, but no harm in having a browse. Right?

Below are some bridesmaid dresses I've spotted on Sabella Bridal's website. Sabella Bridal is a local bridal shop in Waterford and is definitely somewhere I will be visiting closer to the wedding. 

Stunning piece from Angelina Faccenda.

How's everyone doing? Hard to believe we are into May already, feels like yesterday was Christmas.

So this post is something a bit different. It's not beauty related & it's probably something not everyone is going to want to read, but that's OK. Can't win em' all. 

Losing a parent, for me, is one of the hardest things I have ever had to face. Growing up and even now as a "grown up", I always expected both my parents to be around forever. But sadly that isn't the case. As you all know by now, my dad passed away suddenly last September from a heart attack. When children say "My dad/mam are my best friend" that statement could not have been more accurate. Growing up, I was always a daddy's girl. Me and my dad did so much together. He was, as cheesy as it sounds, the first man I ever loved and trusted. He was superman. If ever there was trouble, dad would always sort it. He was always my rock and the person I confided in. He knew my deepest secrets and I knew I could tell him anything and he would never judge me. And he never did. I always imagined the day I got married and the scenario that would take place before we walked down the isle. And how he would have made some stupid joke to distract me from my anxiety before entering a room full of people. Or how amazing a grandad he would make and how my children would idolize him like I always did. As I sit and type this now, I have tears both of sadness and happiness in my eyes. Sadness , knowing I will never have any of those things and happiness, knowing how amazing he would have been. 

Nothing in life can prepare you for a loved ones death. And there is certainly not a thing in this world that can prepare you for a sudden death. 

The smallest bit of comfort I found was knowing my dad didn't suffer. He was in no pain and knew no different when it all happened. For me, he was always invincible. No matter what life through at him, he kept going.

People seem to think I am dealing with my dad dying fairly well. They could not be more wrong. My whole world has been turned upside down and I don't know whether I am coming or going. The first week after dad died, I didn't eat. I would pick at things but I could not stomach food. Every time I thought about what had happened, I just wanted to throw up. Even now, 8 months down the road, I still feel the same way. My appetite has improved but there are times where it all comes flooding back and I want to vomit and this could last for days. 

I constantly question why he was taken from us. And it angers and upsets me every time. There is such horrible, nasty people out there. So why him? One of the good ones. But I'm starting to believe that your life is mapped out for you and if it's going to happen, it will happen. But trying to deal with all of this is something I'm still struggling with. Dealing with the fact he was here and two hours later he was gone. Or the fact that he was perfect that morning. Or how I'm going to make it through my life knowing I'll never see him again. These are all things that I never thought I would be dealing with at 24. 

My Best Friend x

Ok, so you're probably wondering if this post is called "Dealing With Grief", why am I not talking about dealing with it. And here's why. I don't know how. I don't know how you "deal" with grief. Because to be honest, eight months on I'm still trying to deal with it. Someone passing away, whether it be a parent, a partner, a friend, it doesn't matter, you don't just get over that person dying. And no matter what people say, you grieve for as long as you need to. There's no time limit. 

Some might say that I am dealing with it but for me, I'm just taking it one day at a time because if I didn't I think I would be in a worse mental situation than I'm already in. The one thing I will say that helps, family & friends. If it wasn't for a certain few, I honestly do not know what I would have done. 

Sums up our relationship with our dad x

So that's my two cents on grief. I don't think anyone knows how to actually deal with the passing of a loved one. 

Thanks for reading guys, means a lot to me.

JamieMay 

My post today is about my five must have products that I could not live with out. In the last couple of months I have starting using different products from skincare to makeup and these five products have impressed me the most. 

Before I used to remove my makeup with cleanser and cotton pads. To be fair I used to go through cotton pads like there was no tomorrow. But when I purchased the Cailyn Dissolve It, cotton pads actually last a bit longer in my kit. For me it's a must have, even at €25 it will last you ages. It can be bought over on The Cailyn website http://cailynireland.ie/dizzolv-it-makeup-melt-cleansing-balm-50ml.html 

Tomitago 

I don't know about you but I can be a cheap skate when it comes to forking out money for foundation. I have always been one for drugstore foundations and can't justify spending €40 on foundation when you can get one for €10 that does the same job. So Flormar perfect coverage foundation has become the answer to my prayers. I'll be honest, I didn't have high expectations of the product when I purchased it. But after using it once, that totally changed. It's definitely by far my favourite drugstore foundation and so affordable at €10.99. It reminds a lot of Estée Lauder double wear, I'm not saying it is a dupe for it but it's very close. I have wore it on nights out and working long days and it does not move for me. My only thing I don't like about it, is the smell. But I can get over that. 

If you are a lover of cream contour, you need this in your life. I purchased the SoSu Complete Contour Palette at the Beauty show in the RDS this year. It retails at €30 and it is so worth it. You have both cream and powder in this palette and you also have your highlighter. I have used several different cream contour palettes and I have failed miserable at applying them but with this, it's so creamy and just blends so perfect. Also it has a little diagram on how to apply each product. I would highly recommend it. 

This is another beauty I purchased at the Beauty show this year. This retails at €10 and it is the best highlighting palette I have got. These three highlighters are out on there own. My favourite one is the middle one. And going out I like to use the one to the right. If you haven't already got this, I would highly recommend getting your hands on it. 

And there you have it guys, my top 5 must haves.

Thanks for reading guys 😊

Jamie May X 

 

Hello my dears! I hope you are all well. So are you ready for my third instalment of my "Bridal Series"? This post is about what we have organised so far after getting engaged at Christmas. Hold on to your seats lads, this is going to be a mad one! 

The Venue

Ok, so there is so many options for a wedding venue but it's picking the right one. Which isn't easy! A lot of thought went into deciding where we both wanted to celebrate our day with our family & friends, it had to be somewhere that felt right. Myself & Craig had said before, we would head off on a cruise ship & get married out at sea (bit random,  I know). But realistically there's no place like home. So with that idea out the window we both agreed to celebrate our marriage in our hometown. As most of you know myself & Craig are from Waterford & picking a hotel in the city was hard. Waterford has gorgeous hotels & venues for weddings. But for me there was one place that just stood out. And it had to be  The Tower Hotel. You just know when you get a gut instinct. We had both been to weddings in The Tower & they were so beautiful & even felt a bit magical. And that's what we want our day to be. And it has such beautiful views of the city, like the river & Reginald's tower.  

So as you've probably guessed, our reception is going to be in the tower. 

Church or No Church ? 

Right so this decision was fairly simple. We wouldn't be the holiest of people. To be fair, I only attend mass if it's a must. And to be honest I'm quite ok admitting that here. Everyone has their own beliefs and I have mine. Anyway, if this wedding was happening this time last year I can bet myself and Craig would be having our whole wedding in the hotel. But as must of you guys know now, a hell of a lot has changed for Craig & me in the last 6 months. For people who are new to my blog I'll just explain briefly what I mean. My dad sadly passed away suddenly last September from a massive heart attack. It has left a huge void in my life as myself and my dad lived together and were basically best friends. Getting married and not having him there to walk me down the isle is going to be one of the hardest things I'm ever going to do. Saying that, Craig & I have decided (and it wasn't a hard decision) that we are going to start our new journey as husband and wife in the church where my dad is buried. He might not be there physically on the day but he will be close by. 

The Music is KEY

Having the right music & band on the day is defiantly important. You need someone who obviously can sing. Someone who is a good craic & someone who will get everyone up and dancing. So for us that was a really easy choice.

Let me just jump back 7 years here. August 2009. My debs. The band that played at my debs were The Waxies. The music was brilliant and the band were absolutely gas! Had the whole place up dancing. It was a great night with great people.


But let's get serious for a second.. The first song that me and

Story So Far

So that my friends is where we are at with our wedding plans. Some may think that we are crazy getting organised this soon because the wedding is not til 2018, but the time will fly by and it will be here before we know it. 

Thank you everyone for having a read. I hope you are enjoying my bridal series so far. Let me know what Ye think! 

Til next time my friends 

J X