Monday, December 31, 2012

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!!

     I don't know about you all, but I absolutely LOVE the New Year! It feels as if your slate from past years has been wiped clean and you can start fresh. The hopes, dreams, and possibilities for the New Year seem almost endless and everyone strives to make the coming year their best yet.

     Now, I'm not going to lie to you and tell you that every year I keep every resolution I've ever made; or even that I remember every resolution I made. But I am here to tell you that THIS year I will...because YOU are going to keep me accountable.

    Below is a list of my New Year's Resolutions! Feel free to post your New Year's Resolutions as a comment and we'll keep eachother accountable. Then, on December 31st, 2013 we can come back to this blog post and see how many of us kept those pesky little resolutions!

     LET'S GO!!!

  1. Get to my "ideal" body weight and wear a BIKINI in Summer 2013!
  2. Post on my blog DAILY.
  3. Post on my Youtube DAILY.
  4. Journal DAILY.
  5. Read The Bible.
  6. Read The Book of Mormon.
  7. Pray every night, every morning, and before every meal.
  8. Volunteer at LEAST once a month.
  9. Go to the Temple once a WEEK.
  10. Go to church every Sunday.
  11. Keep a memory jar to open next December 31st.
  12. Book acting gigs.
  13. Get a national agent.
  14. Take a vacation.
  15. Compliment someone every day.
  16. Give money to a poor person whenever I have cash.
  17. Take consistent dance, acting, and voice lessons.
  18. Move back to NYC.
  19. Inspire people.
  20. BE HAPPY!

Monday, November 19, 2012

College VoxBox by Influenster!

Have you all heard about Influenster? If not, it's time you did! Influenster is a free-to-join website where people like you and me are rewarded for giving our opinion on new and exciting products! Once you join the website, you begin to unlock "badges" by writing reviews for products, sharing products on your social networking sites, and filling out surveys. The COOLEST thing about Influenster is that they frequently provide their users with something called a VoxBox. A VoxBox is filled with new and exciting products and is sent to you completely FREE OF CHARGE! How awesome, right? They have a variety of VoxBox's-- there has been a Beauty Vox Box, there are Dog & Cat VoxBox's, and so much more! You don't have to be a blogger to qualify for one of these boxes, all you need to do is get on their website and start filling out surveys that tell them more about YOU so they can pair you up with the perfect VoxBox! Remember, you are not garaunteed to qualify for a box, but the more active you are on the site, the better chance you have of receiving one!

I started becoming active on Influenster about a month ago and I've just received my first ever VoxBox!! It is SO easy to get a box of goodies sent straight to your doorstep for FREE I just had to share this with you all!!

SIGN UP NOW to get started at: http://www.influenster.com

Here's a peek at my first VoxBox the College 2012 Box!!

VoxBox Overview
 
NYC Show Time Glitter Eyeliner


 

This eyeliner is GREAT! It goes on smoothly and is very pigmented. The glitter is fine enough to where you don't feel it on your skin, but the look it gives is great! Perfect if you need a little pick-me-up with your makeup and don't have time to do an entire eye look.
 
imPRESS Press-On Manicure


 

I absolutely LOVE these imPRESS press-on manicure nails!! They are SO easy to use-- they literally take just a few minutes to put on and you're good to go. They fit my finger nails perfectly and they don't look "fake"-- it really does look like you spent hours doing your nails. These come in a variety of colors and designs and I definitely recommend these when you're in a pinch for time. They lasted about four days on me!
 
Energy Sheets


 

This is a GREAT pick-me-up during the day! It has a nice minty flavor and gives you that extra boost of energy you need during the middle of the day. These to me are really like a breath mint with a little extra "go" in them. They don't make me jittery but definitely give a boost in energy.
 
Pentel EnerGel Pen


 

I'm such a pen fanatic-- and this has become my new FAVORITE pen! It's nice mix between a gel pen and your classic ink pen. It writes smoothly, doesn't smudge, and is over all a great pen. I'll definitely be keeping this in my purse at all times!
 
Tropical Necco Wafers


 

I had actually never tried a Necco Wafer before so I can't really compare them to their "original" flavor, but I quite liked these! If you like fruity candies, these are definitely worth a try!
 
 
This VoxBox was sent to me for reviewing purposes.
 
 


Saturday, October 27, 2012

Wet n Wild Color Icon: Swatches & Review

First of all, let me say that I have a new found respect for all of those beauty bloggers out there! It took a good hour and a half to swatch all of these bad boys, phew!

I've been hearing a lot of hype about these Wet n Wild Color Icon shadows so I had to do some investigating myself. Do they live up to the hype? I have to say: YES! Wet n Wild has come a LONG way from the company I remember in high school. I remember trying to get ANY color pay-off out of their eye shadows and I remember even their lip glosses being pretty crap. I don't know what they did, but they have completely redeemed themselves for me and turned their business around. If you don't have the extra money to spend on high end makeup, or simply don't want to, I think these palettes are an amazing alternative! I'll even be using some of these colors in place of some of my MAC & Urban Decay colors. Yes, they're THAT good!

The formulation on most of these is spot on-- the matte shades generally aren't powdery and as you can see from the pictures, when placed on top of an eye shadow base, show up extremely well. The metallic colors are definitely my favorite, they have a really creamy texture and go on much like MAC Veluxe Pearl shadows. My least favorite of the formulas would have to be the glitter-- although the glitter itself doesn't seem to create too much fall-out the shadow definitely does. I find this formulation to be the most powdery and "hit and miss" throughout the palettes.

Now, it's not all good. As you'll see by the swatches below, you definitely need to use an eye shadow base to get the full color pay-off with these guys. I used MAC's Painterly Paint Pot and it worked wonders! There were also a few "dud" colors in each of the palettes that you will be able to see from the pictures.

All in all, is it worth the money? Heck yeah! Is it worth more than what they're charging? Probably so! I say, go out and pick one of these bad boys up for the make up lover in your life, they'll be thanking you later!

Now, on to the good stuff...

Spoiled Brat Trio



No Primer 



With Primer


Blue Had Me At Hello 8-Pan 


No Primer 


Primer



 Petal Pusher 8-Pan





No Primer



Primer


Drinking A Glass Of Shine




No Primer



Primer 



Comfort Zone 


No Primer




Primer




THE WINNER OF THE GIVEAWAY IS LYDIA ROBINSON!!!

FTC: All opinions are my own I am not affiliated with Wet n Wild.

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Job Interviews

Oh. My. Gosh.

I am SO tired of job interviews! Can we just fast forward to when I'm making money acting? That would be super fabulous! Anyway, as I'm paying my dues with background work and small speaking roles and not making much money doing it, the job hunt continues! It seemed like these two interviews were going to be promising...not so much. Nothing really turns out the way you think it will, does it?

Let's start with interview #1-- tanning salon. My interview was at 7:15pm and I showed up at 7:00pm. I didn't think it was a big deal, if anything I thought that showing up early to an interview would be a GOOD thing. Apparently not for this lady! She looked at her watch and said, "Go wait in your car...you can come back in at your interview time". Umm...EXCUSE ME?! I had to take a few deep breaths so I didn't punch her in her face. I walked out to my car...and drove off. End of interview #1.

Interview #2 seemed like it would be promising; I had already been offered a job at this store in its Herald Square location, now I was just meeting with the other store to see if I could get hired on there. Seeing as Herald Square is their #1 store in the world, I figured since I got hired on by them, I could get hired anywhere! Anyway, I get to my interview and the first thing they tell me is, "We have already hired all of our Holiday sales people and we're not sure if we are going to be able to train you". THEN WHY DID YOU HAVE ME COME IN FOR AN INTERVIEW IF YOU CAN'T TRAIN ME?!?!?! This is what I felt like yelling at them, but no worries-- I kept my cool. I went through the hour interview and they said they would call me in a few days to let me know if they'd be able to squeeze in my training or not. End of interview #2 and my faith in humanity.

I'm just so done with interviews. I just need to get a job so I can make money, live in NYC happily, and audition, audition, audition! It's turning out to be just a bit harder than anticipated. I'm trying to keep the faith that it will come together but I seriously hate wasting my time.

VENT OVER! :-)

Sunday, October 14, 2012

The Big Apple

Wow! In the four months since I have written, I have learned and grown so much. I was in a fantastic production of "I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change" and learned so much about my strengths and weaknesses as a performer. I was so blessed to be a part of such an incredibly talented cast and crew and I am so thrilled that I was able to show both my voice and acting chops. It was an amazing experience, and it helped me grow as a performer so much. For that, I will be forever grateful.


The cast of "I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change"!


I also moved to New York City. I never thought that I had the courage to get up and move across the country with only a suitcase. I didn't know a single person when I moved, I found a roommate online, and soon enough I settled into New York life. I feel so at home in New York. I know that I was meant to come here, and meant to learn so many lessons. I learned that I can not only make it living on my own, but I can thrive. I learned that my relationships with my friends and family will not die because I am away from them. I learned that I can make it as an actor, and I will. I also learned that I have SO MUCH to learn-- and I'm trying to be a sponge and soak it all up. I'll post with more details about exactly what I have been doing in NYC soon!

Times Square!

I will be back in Kansas City on November 17th until January 14th. Although I wish I could have stayed in New York, I know it's for the best. I know that I want to be with my mom during the Holidays and I know that I need to come home, work seasonally, and save up more money to head back to New York. I have so much more knowledge I know that when I return to NYC in January I am going to be incredibly successful. I know this with all my heart and I can't wait to show the world what Sarah Montoya can do!

A great mural I passed each day as I walked to my acting & voice lessons.

Friday, June 22, 2012

Wine & Design

Holy moly!

I can't believe it's already almost July! I'm so sorry I haven't posted in what seems like FOREVER! Let me give you a little run-down on what's been going on the past few months.

1. I quit my 9-5 job
2. I have auditioned non-stop.
3. I've been taking 2 voice lessons a week, and one acting class.
4. I've been going tracting a lot with the Sister Missionaries.

That about sums it up! After quitting my 9-5 I have been doing my best to audition my little booty off! I start rehearsal for a hilarious musical called "I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change" on Monday and I couldn't be happier!!! I'm also currently looking for a part-time job here in Missouri, full-time job I can do via the computer, or a full-time job in Los Angeles.

Oh yes, that's another thing...I've decided to move to Los Angeles. I love acting TOO much to waste time in Kansas anymore. I have to get out there, get to every audition I possibly can, and live my dream. I know I can do it, now I just have to do it.

My best friend Kevin is going to be moving out there in September so I'm hoping to do the same. I may give it a test run from September to December and see how I feel. I always seem to feel a bit better when I take things slow instead of committing for a year's lease or something.

Today my mom and I went to something called Wine & Design-- basically you drink wine while learning to paint. It was a blast! My mom's turned out great. Mine on the other hand...not so great.


Here's mom's picture! Isn't it great?! I REALLY love it and I think she did a wonderful job!


 
And here's my picture. Umm...yeah. It looks like a child painted it. Hah! Oh well, I had fun!!

In case you couldn't tell by the two butterfly paintings, tonight's theme was a butterfly. I wish I would have started my first painting experiment with something a little more...simple. I still think my mom's looks so good! We'll definitely be going back next month.


That's all for now folks! I'm applying my little heart out for jobs and auditioning as well. This is just what I needed...time for a fresh start. Ahhh...feels good. 

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

MAY?!

Holy moly!

I can't believe that it is already MAY! Time has been flying by. I am back from Las Vegas and I actually turned in my resignation letter at work two weeks ago. My last day is May 25th and I'm filled with excitement and fear all at the same time. I love my job, don't get me wrong...but I feel like it was taking up time that should be spent on other things namely church, acting, and school. I'll finally be going back ON CAMPUS next semester!!!! I haven't been able to be on campus for two years because of school and I am so excited to get back. I also am really excited to have the availability to go to more lessons with the Sister Missionaries as well. I'm pretty terrified that I won't have my income anymore...but I know that God will provide.

Speaking of God, I recently got the opportunity to meet the prophet Thomas S. Monson last Saturday when he came to Kansas City for a Cultural Event and our Temple dedication. It was INCREDIBLE! I always believed that he was the prophet but I don't think it really hit me until he walked into the room. You could literally FEEL the Spirit as he came in and I was crying and smiling all at the same time. My cheeks hurt a little after his talk because I was smiling from ear to ear. I hope that if any of you get the opportunity to be in the same room as President Monson you take advantage of it. I can't explain the feeling that I got...but it sure was incredible.

I really miss Sister Moore & Sister Porter. They've both been transferred to the middle of nowhere Kansas! I write them every week and Sister Porter & I have a journal that we send back and forth and write our letters in. It will be great to sit together and look over it once her mission is over. She's having a tough time with her current companion and I just don't know how someone could be so cruel. Especially someone who is on a Mission for the Church. It really hurts my heart for her but I know she will be fine. She's an amazing girl and she has so much to offer. She's touched my life so much, and she's sure to touch so many more.

Anyway, I better get off here and do some work, right?! Only a little over two weeks left and I'm out of here!

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Jet Setter

I just realized that I haven't been home for longer than a month without flying out of the state or country. WOW! Next week I'll be headed to Las Vegas to participate in Chairman's Club-- the highest honor you can receive in my company. I am so excited...I love to travel and this is such a blessing! While in Las Vegas I'll be staying at the Encore by Wynn-- a BEAUTIFUL hotel. I'll also be seeing Celine Dion at Ceasar's Palace which I am SO excited for! She is one of the great voices of our time and I am so happy that I will be able to experience her voice live and in person...ahhh. :)

In May I'll be heading to New York City for a week-- cannot wait! I'll be shopping, eating, and seeing every Broadway play I can fit in my schedule. You know, the usual Sarah stuff. I think I've been going to NYC withdrawals lately so I'll be so glad to get back there.

In September my mom and I will be going to Miami for three days followed by a 5-day cruise in the Bahamas. I've never been on a cruise before so this should be really interesting! We're going to be swimming with the dolphins which I'm sure will be one of the coolest experiences ever. I'm so happy that my mom and I are best friends and we can experience these things together!

Other than that, my world has been pretty calm. I'm adjusting to my new role as an Account Manager slowly but surely...more about that later.

If you have the opportunity to travel, DO IT! God has created such a beautiful world and so many people don't get to see even half of it. I want to see the world, explore, and have many adventures in my life. I pray that you all are able to have the same experiences.

Monday, February 13, 2012

So Many Blessings...

Can you say "WOW"? My life has been so unbelievably blessed these passed few months. I have been skiing in Austria, had a massage in front of the Alps, seen two incredibly Broadway shows, spent Thanksgiving in New York City, been invited to Phoenix with our sales group, won Chairman's Club to Las Vegas, got a raise and a promotion, got a new car, and most importantly, been baptized. When I look back over my life since November I can't help but feel a little overwhelmed. I have SO much in my life...I am so thankful...and I know so much more is in store for me.

Recently, my life has taken a turn for the even-better. I was baptized on January 20th, and I couldn't be happier. The missionaries that taught me Sister Moore (http://mooreinmissouri.blogpsot.com) and Sister Porter are the most incredible people I have ever met. They teach me about the gospel, life, and myself every single day. I have grown so much as a person and I owe so much of that to them. They are some of the kindest, most genuine, selfless people I have ever had the opportunity to meet. I am so happy that they came into my life and I know we will be lifelong friends.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has brought so much joy and positivity into my life. I am beginning to study my scriptures each and every day and in doing that I feel closer to the Lord and I feel closer to myself...if that even makes sense. I've also began praying every night. Not the type of praying I used to do; half-hearted, while listening to the noise around me, and thinking about my day. No. I have been focusing all of my energy on prayer and it has become sort of a meditation for me and I love it. Christ has blessed me so much with these simple but heart-felt prayers. The other day at work I had to make a very difficult call to a customer-- this customer was irate and I was not looking forward to calling them. Before I made the call I said a quiet prayer to the Lord. To my surprise the client was not irate anymore and in fact they were very agreeable. It was such a pleasant call and I was so very thankful that I said that prayer.

Prayer is so powerful. Focus, pour your heart out to the Lord, believe in Him, and trust that He will always respond. It works. :-)