Where have I been?!

Hello my friends! I have been quite bad lately, being incredibly MIA and such, so I figured I owed you guys an explanation. I rarely go through periods where I neglect YouTube, but this month has definitely been one of those times. On top of that, July is a really special YouTube month for me, because it was this time 2 years ago that it all started! That's right... this Friday, the 23rd, is my 2nd birthday on YouTube. I will have to make myself a cupcake to celebrate :)

So where have I been? You guys know I have been traveling a ton based on my tweets, but I rarely explain exactly what I am doing (mainly because it won't fit in 140 characters). So a few weeks back I went to NYC with Blair for some meetings and a meet up. We met with Bobbi Brown and Marie Claire, along with a few more companies. We had a meet up which was incredible and we got to meet a ton of you, which was our absolute favorite part. I don't think you guys even realize how special it is to meet you in person. We spend all of our time alone in our rooms talking to a camera so it makes it way more real when we can meet some people who watch us... makes it seem a little less silly.

Blair and I stayed in a hotel in the middle of China Town so that was fun because we normally stay in midtown; we got to explore a part of the city we never have before.

After that we flew to LA for more meetings and 2 more meet ups, IMATS and the one at Forever21. IMATS was CRAZY!!! Last year I got way more shopping done, but this year was more fun overall. We spent the entire day hanging out with more of you guys, getting to know you and answering (and asking!) questions. Here is a picture of Blair and I in our hotel room right before leaving for IMATS ------>

Another picture, this one at the Forever21 meet up:

We flew home for one night and then we were back at the airport, flying to Memphis for our Marshall's commercial. That shoot was SO MUCH FUN! Blair and I got to shop around while they filmed us, and I think it turned out really well. You can check out my dorm room decor video for the link to the commercial. Blair and I have practically moved into the airport and we have gotten quite good at it. I will make a little list of everything I carry on with me (don't lie, you are curious...)

Elle's Airplane Carry-On Requirements:

• Laptop
• Camcorder
• Chargers
• My makeup brushes in my MAC hello kitty case - you can't carry products on but I always carry my brushes... I would hate to lose them!
• Fuzzy Socks
• Neck Pillow
• Fuzzy Blanket (these 3 things make for a very cozy environment)
• Headphones
• Book (I'm currently reading the City of Bones, which I quite like)
• Gum (I have bad ears... they pop like crazy on planes!)
• Hairbrush
• Travel size shampoo/conditioner/soap (I have a cute little set for this, I'll review it in my july favs video).

So yeah.. anyways. We then flew back to LA for another project that we can't mention yet, but as soon as we can we will! We also had a photoshoot, which was SO much fun. Here is a behind the scenes picture, even though its a bit blurry because it was taken on an iPhone. We are going to Atlanta this weekend for something else... I kinda can't wait to have a whole week at home to detox, as much as I love traveling.

I promise I will be back on the video making wagon soon... this last month just got kinda crazy.

More updates:

Bear is doing wonderfully, he can now jump up on my bed by himself, which I honestly didn't know if he would ever be able to do (my bed is high). The only thing weird is that he is slightly bowlegged now, so I'm not sure if his hip set properly, although his vet said it's perfect. I have to stop myself from diagnosing him with more problems, as I am a slight hypochondriac. Case in point: Last night Blair realized she has an eye infection (we had a makeup artist that used the same mascara on 3 girls... NEVER LET ANYONE DO THAT!) and I spent almost 30 minutes in front of a mirror examining my eye, making sure it was still there.

We are not living in LA! Gah I don't know where this rumor came from, but no Blair and I are NOT in LA. We are considering moving there, yes, but we have not signed a lease yet. We haven't even decided on a place TO sign a lease at yet! Please don't believe everything you hear.. I feel like people are quite impressionable on the internet.

I wanna do a quick update on my hair extensions because it has been... 7 weeks now? They are doing great, and I am slightly addicted to them. I want to wear them forever. I have made a few mistakes with them, such as melting a few of the bonds together with my curling iron and forgetting to sleep with them in a braid one night (they tangle WAY worse than normal hair... be forewarned) but overall I think they have been pretty low maintenance. I love them, I think they were worth it, and I will get them again. Unless they pull all my hair out. And then I probably will rethink that statement. Don't judge.

I just realized I am sitting in the dark writing this post... what am I, a vampire?!

Quick list of videos coming up:

July Favs

Bath Product Review

A silver tutorial

A contest (YAY!)

Have any requests? Tweet them to me! (I sounded just like a commercial there).

Ok this post has gotten way long so I will leave you at that. I love you. That is all.

xoxo

Elle Fowler

Totally Rambly Update

I think I have totally confused some of you with my back and forthness from my house to my parents house over the last month. I did a quick vlog, which I will put up soon, but while I am sitting here watching Gossip Girl I might as well fill you in on what's going on in my life. The back and forthness has been due to two things: traveling, and taking loads of my stuff to my parents house to make moving out easier - my car doesn't hold much.

It's the end of another school year, but this one is different; it was my last one. My senior year of college, my very last semester. I do have a few more classes to take this summer, since I fell behind this semester from traveling and decided to finish up online, but as for standard school, living on campus - it's over. And I am very sad and nostalgic about it; I'm having a tough time. Our lease is up at my rental house so I am moving out and back to my parents for the month of May. In June I will move on with my life, a new chapter, I just haven't worked out the details. I will be getting my own place though; after living on my own for 4 years it will be hard to live with my parents for even a month. I am quite independent, and even though I love my family to death a month will be more then enough time to regroup and figure out what my next move is. If I seemed sad in my most recent tutorial, the bonfire at the beach one, this is why. I'm attaching a picture of my little warm house that I am very dearly going to miss - it makes me sad and happy at the same time to look at it. The steps of doom are on the side so unfortunately you can't see them, that would have been funny to show! The hill drops off steeply and the steps are steep and narrow, and IMPOSSIBLE to navigate in the icy winters :) College was the best 4 years of my life, and I wish everyone the best of luck who haven't started yet. If you are in the middle of your college years - enjoy every minute.

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On a more cheerful note, there are things about my family home that I miss when I am not there. Bella, my girl cat, has absolutely no coordination and is forever falling off of beds and couches, never landing on her feet. Sometimes while she is walking she trips over her own tail. She has been sitting in this one big flower pot in the front yard and it makes me fall over laughing every time I see her, plopped on the dirt with a serene look on her face. I think she meditates in there.


Bear has had his own "issues" lately. He has developed this habit of sleeping UNDER my bed instead of on top with me, which I don't like one bit. I like to hear him purr and for him to be there for me to cuddle with when I wake up in the morning. So I had this great idea to make a barricade (BEARacade - get it?) all around my bed so he couldn't get under. I sat there planting boxes and baskets all the way around the bed, plugging the holes with blankets and making it impossible for him to get under there. About an hour later I noticed he was missing, so after looking everywhere I removed a box and peered under the bed, and there he was. I have NO IDEA how he got under there. He totally outsmarted me. I'm still scratching my head over it. If anyone has any inklings, please clue me in. There he is with his favorite tennis ball ---->

Dad and I have gotten in the habit of taking a walk around the neighborhood after dinner, when it starts cooling off outside. Normally we speed walk, try to get our heart rates up (my dad used to be a runner) but the last time we literally just moseyed along staring agog at all the houses. We were like two agogers agogging at everything. The worm on the ground, the grass, different houses, everything. We were the nosy neighbors that everyone has who everyone secretly wants to buzz off.

I finished the book "Twenties Girl" by Sophie Kinsella which I really enjoyed. I would recommend it if you want a quick, easy, girly read. It was one that I didn't want to put down, just because I related to the character and the writing style so much. I am currently at the tail end of "Need" by Carrie Jones, and to be quite honest it's been difficult to get through it. I'm not sure why, because it involves werewolves and fairies and supernatural things that I love, but it just hasn't captivated me the way I needed it to. I ended up pausing and reading the entire Twenties Girl book right in the middle. I'm also halfway through "Love the one you're with" by Emily Giffin, which is another easy read. It's basically about what happens when you find the love of your life, and you marry him, but then you find the REAL one you were supposed to be with. Do you stay with the one you married? The book is basically about that :)

I will have my April Favorites winners up soon, and as far as Tarte - that was on them. They have already picked their winners and contacted them. I will list the names in the April Favorites video, but you would have already been contacted on the email address you signed up for the contest with.

Lost just ended; it was the saddest episode. It was the one from last night, May 4th, and I am incredibly sad. I don't want to ruin it for anyone who hasn't seen it yet - but it's a tearjerker. There are only a few episodes left - how on earth are they gonna wrap it up!? For a long time I thought that the whole island was limbo - a place between heaven and hell where the choices they made on the island affected their fate, but I just have no clue anymore. I have watched this show since the very first season. Lost nerds - UNITE!

Last thing: Project 10 Pan has been completed! I will do a separate blog post on this including the items I finished up and my thoughts, so look out for that!

Speak soon,
Elle Fowler