60 Years of Disneyland Magic!

Disneyland is 60 Years Old!

Yesterday Disneyland celebrated it's 60th birthday. In honor of such an incredible occasion I felt like sharing some of my love for Disneyland & it's creator, Walt Disney, and what they have done for my life.

My mom & I at Disneyland before the Partners Statue existed

Walt Disney is my biggest hero and inspiration. Disney takes up so much of my soul, I cannot fathom my life without Disney in it. Disney has influenced so much of who I am and what I've done.

Walt Disney was an innovator. He had the ability to dream and imagine a world that had yet to exist and had the determination and intelligence to turn it into reality. His imagination coming to life created pure magic. A magic that no one else has been able to come close to replicating.

 I admire Walt Disney's work ethic, morals, tradition, creativity, imagination, drive, and his ideas. He is known as "Uncle Walt" to a lot of people, but I call him "Grandpa Walt" because he feels so much like close family to me and someone who has deeply influenced me in  very profound way. I love him dearly,

 I treasure his dreams and ideas as much as my own. I believe in what he wanted for The Walt Disney Company, with every fiber of my being. He inspires me with who he was as a person, businessman, everything he imagined into reality, and everything he hoped for for our future. I cannot imagine anything better than having the legacy of giving pure joy and hope to millions of people around the world for decades.

Disneyland is Your Land.

Halloweentime with Crystal

Disneyland is my home. I feel it's a part of my DNA. I consider my first trip to Disneyland when my mom was nine months pregnant with me. Haha. "We" spent the whole day riding It's a Small World, since it was the only attraction she could go on! Since I came out of the womb, my heart has belonged to Disney and Disneyland has always been my favorite place in the world. I watched Peter Pan daily and Neverland, for me, was this magical place I desperately needed to go to. It was a place where mermaids lived, pirates roamed, and no one grew old, so no one died.
Then one day, when I was still very young, I realized Disneyland was my Neverland.
I'd go on Tom Sawyer's Island and run around climbing on rocks, going across bridges, and having adventures as a "Lost Boy"  through trees, forts, and tunnels pretending to be in Neverland. But I really was. I had pirates, indians, ships, an island, and even my magical mermaids. Most importantly, when you are at Disneyland, you never grow up. Children and adults alike can have the same amount of childlike fun.

Meeting my idol, Alice. I'm in the pink, accidental Cheshire Cat Disneybound

When I look back on my childhood my memories always include Disney in some way. My happiest moments happened at Disneyland. The park let me believe in dreams because it constantly made my dreams come true. I think a lot of adults forget what Disneyland is like through the eyes of a child. I have never forgotten what it was like for me. Some people think it's just a vacation, a fun or happy memory to give kids. But Disneyland is so much more than that. It is a huge part of my foundation, and the things that happened to me at the park when I was a child fueled parts of my personality that are major aspects of who I am now.

Tom Sawyer's Island Adventures

One memory in particular,  I was standing where the Partners Statue now is. The music was playing. but the park was empty (the good ol' days), it was around twilight and Pinocchio walked by and waved at me.Then walked up twirled me and started full on waltzing with me. I'm telling you right now... as a very young child, who completely and utterly believed in the characters, and watched all the Disney films on repeat constantly...

This was a dream come true!

I was a child dancing and twirling with Pinocchio in front of Sleeping Beauty's Castle in Disneyland, with twinkling lights and beautiful music. My life was made. Pinocchio spent so much time with me. We had a whole dance, and I was beaming. Afterward I ran to my parents in the sublime happiness that I think only children can conjure. This is why Disney is different. Disney has always cared about quality, substance, & going the extra mile to bring MAGIC to very person's life.

Michelle, Sid, and I being silly on Main St

That magic has always stayed with me.

When I was a child, Disneyland was a lot different than what it is today. Characters walked around freely and we could just run up to them and talk, it felt more organic and real. We also wore fanny packs, neon, scrunchies, and tie dye shirts. You do not see that around the park  as much these days. Though fanny packs are coming back. Haha. When I think about when the park opened in 1955, I think about how people dressed so well compared to now, it felt like a classy time, It reminds me how different the park was in so many ways, not just in different attractions. It's really night and day to how it is now. There are so many things I wish I was alive to have experienced in Disneyland. Though, I really do feel like I grew up in the golden era of Disney and Disneyland. The thing that will always remain the same whether it's 1955 or 2015 is that feeling you get walking into the park Walt Disney built. The park Walt Disney dreamed up and turned to reality from start to finish, My favorite part of Disneyland is the intimacy of the park. It's not overwhelmingly big, it's not spread out, It feels personal, it has history, such beautiful history. I love walking where Walt walked, sitting where Walt sat, and riding attractions that he was alive to see made. It makes it so much more special for me. My favorite thing is to look up at Walt's apartment and see his light on and know, Walt is always here. Every night as I leave I always make sure to walk by his apartment, wave at the window and say, "Goodnight Walt!" It's a tradition of mine, I've never skipped.

David's Recess themed B-day. My friends and I love having themed Disney days, on birthdays and throughout the year.

Never Grow Up.

Tigger, Jessica & I many moons ago.

As a child, the moment I learned you could WORK at Disneyland, it became my biggest dream. I didn't know what it meant, what you did or how you did it but as a child I just knew I HAD to spend my life in Disneyland. As I grew that dream grew with me, turning into something real that I felt I was meant to do. I believed, if anyone is meant for Disneyland, it would be Miss Disneyland herself aka: ME. I grew up in theater. I have always loved Acting, dancing, singing. I did it all and loved it all. When I was old enough to realize that people actually do this job at Disneyland I decided I wanted to be a performer. I wanted to do for others what so many did for me as a child. Deliver that Walt Disney magic.

At sixteen I went to my first audition.  I found my people.  At sixteen I was one of the youngest to become a cast member. They waited till I turned 17 to have me actually "on stage". I wish I still had the gumption I did back then. I was too young to be scared and it worked in my favor. At sixteen I achieved my biggest dream.  I have a mom whose ideals were the same as the ideals that Walt Disney had, so she has always encouraged me to dream, believe, and achieve. I am very lucky.

I knew I could achieve a dream that a lot of people told me I couldn't because I grew up with Disney. I grew up with Walt Disney teaching me that nothing is impossible. That if you dream it you can do it. I ALWAYS believed him, and I always will.

My Alice in Wonderland themed birthday last year.

I worked for Disney on and off for many years. As a child I wanted to be president of Disneyland,which I thought meant just living IN Disneyland  and essentially being like Hagrid in Harry Potter, Being the keeper of keys and grounds haha. But as I grew up that same dream still remained, I just learned what it actually meant to me. All I really wanted and will always want is to protect Disneyland. To uphold Walt Disney's ideals, while still moving forward in a way that Walt Disney would be proud of. I wanted to cherish Disneyland for him, to make sure this place that he put so much of himself and his magic into, never lost his magical and unique heartbeat in any way.  I believe Walt Disney's magic is different than any other magic. He knew a recipe that no one else has been able to make exactly like he did.

.

Spring Dapper Day 2014

The Circle of Life

Sister Day.

I'm now at the age where I have nephews, and I get so much enjoyment taking them to Disneyland and seeing their faces as they experience the magic for the first time. Disneyland is incredibly special with children. Now I see, what my parents saw when they came with me as a child.
Disneyland has been with me through every stage of my life. The good and the bad. In fact, when I first got sick, Disneyland was my fuel to get better and when I learned about my illness and the long road I had ahead of me, The Lord and Disneyland were my two sources of joy and light to keep me forever hopeful and positive that I could get better. Because of the dark days, and the ever steady crutch Disney and Disneyland has always been for me, I feel Disneyland is more important to me than ever. Which frankly says A LOT. I turn to Disneyland when I'm happy and when I'm sad. Disneyland has kept me sane, comforted me through loss, death, and heartache. Disneyland has seen me as a guest and a cast member, in relationships and single, healthy and through illness.

Disneyland sees me alone sometimes, with family a lot. I have very special mother/daughter Disney days and Sister Disney days. Disneyland sees me with friends often, beautiful wonderful friends. Friends who love Disneyland like I do, who enjoy the park like I do, Friends who are just as nerdy and passionate about Disney as I am. Friends I've been able to forget worries with, forget illness with, Forget stresses with. Friends that make me laugh hysterically and friends that add so much love and magic to my life, in and outside of Disneyland.

My closest friends I can thank Disney for.
 Disney brings people together.

                                                         

Friendship is Magic! Friends that bracelet together, stay together! 

"The idea of Disneyland is a simple one. It will be a place for people to find happiness and knowledge"

There is nothing more enjoyable than being a comfort dork with your friends. Here Traci, David & I enjoy our faces.

Thank You.

Michelle and I being our alter egos, Anastasia & Drizella

Thank you Disneyland, for giving myself, and so many people I know, a place of joy and imagination. 
A place where we all can come together and go on adventures in different lands, with different themes, in different times. 
Disneyland allows us to step out of reality and into a world of fantasy and history. Disneyland encourages us all to believe in fairy tales, happily ever afters, and dreams coming true.
Disneyland has let us fly to the second star to the right, fall down the rabbit hole, go to our laughing place, sail to the Caribbean, catch flights to Endor(now flying to many other locations), meet wild animals, Pick up hitchhiking ghosts, fly through space, and go on so many other fantastical and magical adventures.

Disneyland has raised me, taught me, hired me, entertained me, and blessed me with irreplaceable friendships, deep laughter, happy thoughts, hope, love, constant comfort, and magic.

I'm wishing...

Here's to your next 60 years Disneyland! I plan on being a part of every single one of those years! Thank you for giving me a sanctuary and a place where my heart is truly "home." 

Ciao, 

Nina Grace

My TOP 3 Makeup Primers in my Makeup Artist Kit!

Have you ever purchased a beauty product and couldn't wait to try it? But then you do and it's just the opposite of everything you either heard or read about it? It just ends up being a complete let down and sits at the bottom of your makeup bag, never being used? Yeah, I've been there. Plenty of times.

As a Makeup Artist, I deal with all different types of skin. No one person is the same. No one product works for everyone. I think that is the biggest lesson I learned when I got into the beauty industry. I know we all, including myself, rely on reviews. They are helpful, informative, and we all want to know that a product worked for other people, in hopes that it will work for us. But that doesn't give us a guarantee that it will. There have been many products that are loved by other makeup artists, beauty magazines,and consumers that just did not work for me, and that is okay. If we all were the same, there wouldn't be so many amazing cosmetic brands, such an array of colors, textures, designs, and effects. The diversity of the beauty industry is part of why I love it. I love creativity, individuality, and one's own uniqueness. Cosmetics let us express are own personal style. That is thrilling!

With all that said, I do have favorite products, and I always love to talk about them! Once we fall in love, don't we just love to tell everyone? That isn't limited to relationships. I know that I personally LOVE telling people about products that I am passionate about. I want to spread the love and allow others to try  amazing products that could help them as they have helped me, or helped clients of mine. But, just because it works wonders on one person does not mean it will work for another. We are all different. Just something to always keep in mind!

I keep several primers in my kit for all different types of skin I put makeup on. I always need to be prepared and have what suits every skin type. These are my TOP 3 Primers I always keep on hand:

TOP 3 MAKEUP PRIMERS

 

1.CLARINS Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch ($36)

This is number one for a reason. The texture is just incredible. You feel like you are rubbing velvet on your face. It makes your skin feel magnificent. But the true magic of this product is how well it fills in your pores, fine lines, wrinkles, and imperfections. It gives you a remarkable canvas for your makeup to look stunning on. It's non-comedogenic,  allergy and ophthalmologist tested.
 I use this one for skin that may have more wrinkles, fine lines, visible pores, uneven skin, acne scars, etc. It can be used on any skin type but it's particularly brilliant for really smoothing out skin and prepping it for a more flawless makeup application. You also get a lot of bang for your buck. It lasts a really long time. You do not need a lot at all! I've gone through 2 sometimes 3 bottles of other primers in the time of one jar of Clarins Instant Smooth. It goes a long way! 
 

2. BECCA Ever-Matte Poreless Priming Perfector ($36)

 Ever-Matte is a diamond in the rough. I do not think people know how fantastic this primer is because it's not the simplest primer to apply. But if you are able to give yourself an extra 30 seconds or a minute to apply Ever-Matte properly, you are in for truly sensational results. Ever-Matte is an Oil Control Primer that ACTUALLY works! Ever-Matte is specifically formulated to target oil-prone areas. It minimizes pores and keeps your skin matte and fresh for up to 12 hours. It can be used throughout the day to control excess oil. Ever-Matte can be used alone,under makeup, over makeup whatever you need to help with minimizing pores and controlling oil. This stellar product is sweat and humidity resistant, which makes it irreplaceable in my kit. It's also free of oil, alcohol, silicone, and fragrance. I personally use it along side another primer since I do not need oil control everywhere. I have a lot of clients who have oily skin, and have complaints that they deal with their makeup becoming oily really quickly, shiny, etc. With oily-prone clients I immediately turn to BECCA Ever-Matte, it makes their skin matte all day, controls their oil, and allows their makeup to look flawless all day!
TIP: Ever-Matte pills easily. It can create white residue, etc these are common things heard from people not applying Ever-matte properly. People put too much on, rub it in, let it dry and then try to work with it. These are all common mistakes that happen that make people think Ever-Matte isn't a good primer, when it is quite the miracle worker for oil prone skin types. Very little goes a long way. Warm it up in your hand first, makes it a bit softer, then apply very small thin amounts in the areas you need it. Do NOT rub it in (it's not a normal primer)

3.SMASHBOX Iconic Photo Finish Foundation Primer ($36)

Smashbox Studios has always known how important primer is to a flawless makeup application. So much so that the very first product the company made was in fact, primer! Smashbox KNOWS what their consumers need in a primer! Photo Finish is a blend of antioxidants and vitamins that soothes skin, supports natural collagen, smooths and perfects skin, fills in pores and fine lines, and evens out skin texture. Smashbox's unique formula diffuses light allowing it to hit your skin and blur out any imperfections you may have. Who doesn't love that?? This is my go-to general primer for clients! It's fantastic! 

You can find the above products at:

Clarins  

BECCA 

Smashbox 

Sephora 

 

There are lot of primers I love and use, but these three are always in my kit because they allow me to be able to prep all different skin types from oily to dry! Do you have any primers you swear by? I'd love to know about them!

Ciao,
Nina

Disney Inspired Fashion Series #1: Cinderella

Disney.

What do you immediately think of when you hear that word? Does it bring a smile to your face? Does it make you think of your childhood? Do you think of happiness? Or does the word not mean a lot to you?
For me, Disney, provokes thoughts of pure joy, imagination, youthful adventure, and the magic of our deepest dreams coming true.

Disney's magic is extraordinarily powerful. It transcends age, race, location. It inspires us all, dares us to dream, imagine, and believe not only in ourselves but our happiness, enthusiasm, and happily ever afters. Disney reminds us to enjoy our beautiful life and this stunning world.

Disney Bounding.

One of my favorite things to do is go to Disneyland with my friends. For many years I've loved to theme outfits when I've gone to the park. Whether it be a group of friends all going in fashion inspired by a certain theme or just picking a particular character myself. More recently though, the idea of turning an everyday outfit into a Disney Inspired look by picking certain colors or patterns, etc, has turned into a phenomenon in the Disney world. The term "Disney Bound" is widely known and commonly used nowadays. I have a lot of friends who have turned Disney Bounding into an art form. It's always amazing to see them take every day fashion and pair them so perfectly that a Disney fan can just glance at them and instantly know what character their every day fashion is inspired by. It takes lots of creativity and a passion for Disney and it's characters. I truly love a good Disney Bound.

Since Disney Bounding has become so popular, clothing lines have now started making clothing specifically for their Disney Bounding customers.  It's become extremely easy to put together a Disney Inspired look with clothing already inspired by some of our favorite Disney characters!

A Disney Inspired Idea.

As a Makeup Artist I love being artistic and creating characters.  I also love showing that every single one of us can sprinkle pixie dust on our every day fashion and transform into one of our favorite Disney characters!
I will be having a Disney Inspired Fashion Series here on my blog. Each one will feature a different character inspiration. I look forward to showing you what is coming up in the near future, I know you will love it! Each character will feature a model showcasing fashion you can purchase in stores, also hair and makeup you can easily replicate. All of us have a Disney character inside of us, why not add a little magic to our every day?
Feeling  little Disney Princess today? Disney Sidekick? Or maybe even Disney Villain? Show it! Rock it! OWN IT!

Disney Inspired Fashion Series #1

The first Character we took inspiration from for The Disney Inspired Fashion Series is Ella from Disney's Live Action Cinderella. This outfit was perfect for spring and can take you right into summer! The soft blue dress is from KOHL'S Cinderella Collection. They are a perfect example of clothing lines releasing Disney Character Inspired everyday fashion! The dress is truly beautiful. It's soft, romantic, comfortable, and packs a big fashion punch. The lace details on the back and sleeves are my favorite and they really stand out.

 I wanted to show a more casual/comfortable way of dressing with this beautiful dress, so my model, Crystal Noel is wearing some silver ballet flats adorned with rhinestones. They were the perfect combo for the inspiration of Ella's shoes in the film. Ella wears ballet flats most of the film, but then, of course, has her glass slipper moment. The rhinestones and the silver were a good representation of that, I felt. On the fashion side, They give a more relaxed and comfortable look. It allows you to dress down a lace dress, that could easily be dressed up with heels and jewelry and enjoy the femininity of this beautiful dress without having to lose the comfort!

MODEL: Crystal Noel (Crystal's Blog)
FASHION: Dress-KOHL'S Cinderella Collection // Ballet Flats-Forever

Very special thanks to Crystal Noel, for always being such a wonderful model on these passion projects, she is always up for anything! Love you darling!

I hope you all have a magical week!

Have fun adding a little extra magic to your wardrobe!

In the words of this weeks Disney Princess, always remember to 

Have Courage & Kind.

Ciao,

Nina 

The Pastel Bunny - HAPPY EASTER!

I hope everyone is having a blessed Easter today! Easter is a truly beautiful holiday no matter what your beliefs are. For me, today is Resurrection Day. Today and everyday I am so thankful for Jesus' unfailing love and sacrifice. Easter and Spring is a time to rejoice and me grateful for all we have been blessed with.This season in general is a perfect example of the magnificence of miracles. Spring is one of my favorite times of year because it's a constant reminder of hope, new beginnings, and the beauty in everything around us. Spring brings new possibilities! 

This weekend I was working on a Spring fashion Cinderella Inspired photo shoot with model and blogger Crystal Noel that will be released in a couple days, but since today is Easter we thought we would get into the spirit a little bit, bunny style, with a few silly photos to wish everyone a very blessed and beautiful Easter! I hope your Easter has been a wonderful one, and I hope it has kicked off a truly remarkable Spring, full of stupendous adventures!

Very soon I'll be posting the Spring Fashion photo shoot Crystal and i shot this weekend that was inspired by Disney's Cinderella! I'm really excited to show you, it was SO much fun! I know you all will love it!

Now, to add a little pastel beauty to your Easter, I Introduce you to Crystal The Pastel Bunny. ;) 

 

 

Remember to always be courageous and kind. 

Lots of Love, 

Nina