Smell ya later, 2020. (This is an old photo from Smell ya later, 2020. 

(This is an old photo from this summer when I did my Harley Quinn makeup, but the energy felt right.)

I’ll be honest, I think the first half of 2021 is gonna be brutal but there is a light at the end of the tunnel, babes. We are almost there so stay safe and stay diligent.
I posted an embarrassing photo in my stories so I I posted an embarrassing photo in my stories so I have to balance it by posting a hot one here 😂 Also wow I haven’t posted since HALLOWEEN. I’ve been spending most of my IG time on my candle account, @brennancandleco, but I truly MISS Y’ALL. I formed so many great relationships over the years and I want to get back to that. So you’ll be seeing more of me, probably in a less curated way than you used to. I might lose some of y’all but I hope the ones I call friends will stick around because I really do miss you. 

And lastly, if you ARE into more business-y content from me, follow @brennancandleco, there are some pretty awesome things happening over there if I do say so myself.

Photo by @narirophoto
I may be at home, but I wasn't going to miss out o I may be at home, but I wasn't going to miss out on transforming into Furiosa. 

2020 has been a heck of a year, and I think we're all feeling a bit like we're stuck in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Ready to turn things around and kick our own Immortan Joe to the curb.

Happy Halloween. Stay home.
My latest project: @brennancandleco 🖤 My latest project: @brennancandleco 🖤
Welp I think this negative space mani is my new si Welp I think this negative space mani is my new signature look so prepare to get sick of seeing it in different colors. 💅🏻
Our tomato plants finally started flourishing and Our tomato plants finally started flourishing and thennnnn there was snow in the forecast 🙃 Tomorrow we are supposed to get quite a lot and I’m very cranky about it. Hoping our plants survive but more importantly, I hope the snow puts out the wildfires that seem to be never ending. It’s been a brutal summer for many reasons, but it’s still pretty cool to look at this bowl and know we grew these tomatoes from seeds. Also there’s currently zucchini bread in the oven from our garden ☺️
I am so so so grateful to @crispy.ray for designin I am so so so grateful to @crispy.ray for designing this and putting it on my body, y’all 😍 They are SUCH a talented artist and all around great person. I felt super comfortable and they executed my vision perfectly. 👽 I’ve been a diehard X Files fan since I was a kid (swipe for evidence and a photo of me and Gillian Anderson where I have never felt uglier lmao), so this means a ton.

Re: COVID-19. Truthfully I felt super nervous to get my tattoo and super nervous to post it here. I’ve still been doing my best to stay home but am also (like many of you, I think) struggling mentally. So where is the balance? Honestly I don’t know. I haven’t had a haircut (besides doing it myself), had my nails done, or sat down to eat except for once (and it was a place with no servers). I barely see anyone except my husband. Some days it’s fine and others it’s “how much more of this can I take?” So anyway. I took a risk, but @blackbirdinktattoo was taking everything very seriously. All were masked and sanitized (duh it’s a tattoo place) and I specifically chose a leg tattoo so Christa and I wouldn’t be breathing on each other. I long for the day when things are normal again. I long for the day when I can see my family again. But for now, I’ll try to safely find small pockets of joy and normalcy and ride those little waves until the next pocket of joy.
Dennis and Sweet Dee are here to help ward off the Dennis and Sweet Dee are here to help ward off the Sunday scaries 🐾 In case you missed it in my stories, these are our newest fosters! (We just decided on names today - I think having to name two slowed us down 🤣) Usually we only have pups for three nights but we had to keep these little pals for an extra week before they’re ready to be adopted. 

Also I PROMISE I am going to record a video/write a post about fostering this week so keep your eyes peeled for that. 

Annnnd last but not least if you’re in the Denver area and looking for a puppy, message me if you want more info on either of these little ones! 🥰
Once Upon A Time in Hollywood is still one of my f Once Upon A Time in Hollywood is still one of my favorite movies from the past five years, please don’t judge me 😂🙈 “Hey! You’re Rick f*cking Dalton. Don’t you forget it.” (that line was improvised btw - it was based on something someone told Brad Pitt once when he was struggling 💕 I just love that.)

Print by @rbrunoill
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Fashion · October 2, 2017

October 2017 Small Goals

This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click and/or make a purchase, I may earn a few cents at no additional cost to you. Any products gifted by a brand will be marked "c/o." Thanks for helping make this blog possible! <3

2016 was trash but apparently it was just getting us ready for 2017. I don’t know if things are really getting worse in the world or if we just have a more pessimistic outlook, but things have really felt terrible this year. Waking up to the terrible news of what happened in Las Vegas was absolutely gutting. It’s still too fresh for me to say a whole lot, but it felt uncomfortable to not say anything in this post. One thing I will say is thoughts and prayers aren’t enough. They just aren’t. We say this after every tragedy but if we don’t start taking action soon things are just going to escalate. I honestly don’t know much about pushing for greater gun control besides voting in the right people, so if you have resources to share, please do. 

Personally, I have had my fair share of ups and downs this year, and I know a lot of you guys are in the same boat. August was a bad month for me with small goals, and unfortunately September was too. My husband getting laid off really hit us hard, but we’re trying to remain hopeful and optimistic. September was mostly about “survival mode” for me – just doing my best to take care of myself mentally and to support my husband the best ways I could.

  1. Establish a new style ID – Unfortunately I didn’t do this, but I DID get through the first chapter of the Feel Good, Dress Better Workbook and cleaned out my closet! So that’s something.
  2. Be more intentional with blogging – Yes! More of this in the coming months as well.
  3. Get a new schedule in place – Check! I still need to tweak this a bit, but things are looking good.
  4. Workout regularly and stick with Insanity Max 30 – Nope. When I get crazy stressed, my physical health is the first thing to go (it’s a terrible habit). When I get back to Denver Tuesday night, I plan on getting back on track this week.
  5. Paint/organize linen closet and paint dining room – Linen closet got painted but that’s it 🙁 Painting isn’t cheap but it *does* cost money and we’re not spending on anything that’s not a must-have right now.

October is going to be a “get back on track” month for me personally, plus a focus on business. Here we go!

  1. Make some changes to the Everyday Unicorns shop – I don’t want to give away too much, but I’m going to be making a few changes to the shop. More on that later!
  2. Design some fall and winter designs – I loooooove sweatshirts and long sleeved shirts, so I’m excited to add more of those to the shop! So long, summer!
  3. Finish the online courses I’ve started – In the last year I’ve purchased several business courses and sadly, I have quite a few that I need to finish. This month I’m making it a top priority so that I get my money’s worth and, hopefully, improve my business strategies!
  4. Keep a tidy house – My husband and I both really (mentally) benefit from having a neat living space. With all the stress we’re going through, I know keeping things clean and tidy will really help out!
  5. Establish a holiday season plan for my blog and Everyday Unicorns – ’Tis the season for tons of sales and content! This is the first time I’ve EVER planned a holiday strategy in advance so I’m pretty stoked about this one.

Let’s do this, October! Ready to kick Q4’s booty! Per usual, I’m linking up with Writes Like a Girl, so make sure to check out the other small goals posts there!

xoxo
Valery

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Comments

  1. B says

    October 2, 2017 at 1:53 PM

    I can’t wait to see what you do with the shop!

    • Valery Brennan says

      October 2, 2017 at 5:38 PM

      Thanks soooooo much <3 You're a doll!

  2. ShootingStarsMag says

    October 3, 2017 at 3:06 PM

    What happened in Vegas is terrible and horrifying and I HATE that it’s no longer as shocking. I mean, it’s horrible, but it almost feels like these things will keep happening, and they will unless things change. A lot of politicians get money from the NRA so they say how awful these things are yet they don’t want to control guns and that’s what needs to happen, at least I think so!

    I’m sorry to hear about your husband being laid off! I hope you have a much better october!!

    -Lauren

  3. Priya Pappu says

    October 4, 2017 at 10:27 AM

    Honestly a holiday strategy is *such* a good idea. Thinking about blogging through the upcoming holidays (even starting this month) is kinda stressing me out which is so not what it’s about! Cheering you on for a great October!

    Priya the Blog

  4. Jess says

    October 4, 2017 at 7:25 PM

    Right? Just when you think 2016 couldn’t get any worse, there’s 2017! Ugh. It’s impressive that you got two of your September goals done, considering the changes and uncertainty in your life right now.

  5. Heather N Webb says

    October 6, 2017 at 5:16 PM

    Oh man, I can relate to just spending on essentials right now. I’m having to change my shopping habits and it’s so hard but I’m working to pay off credit cards by the end of the year and also wedding stuff. It’s not a huge wedding but it’s still more expensive than I thought it would be. So all the good vibes for the money stuff (and your husband finding a new job ASAP!).

    I’m also so excited to see what you do with the Everyday Unicorns shop! I hope October is a better month all around!

  6. Arwen @ I Love A Good Book says

    October 12, 2017 at 9:15 PM

    I understand about trying to finish courses you bought. Sometimes it’s so easy to just put them off. Even though it’s free I have started the GitHub course at codeacademy several times. It’s a tool that would help my business a lot. So here’s to a go get ’em attitude on the classes this month.

    My Sept Wrap Up and Oct goals if you’d like to take a look. http://books.thetechchef.net/september-wrap-up-and-october-goals/

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Smell ya later, 2020. (This is an old photo from Smell ya later, 2020. 

(This is an old photo from this summer when I did my Harley Quinn makeup, but the energy felt right.)

I’ll be honest, I think the first half of 2021 is gonna be brutal but there is a light at the end of the tunnel, babes. We are almost there so stay safe and stay diligent.
I posted an embarrassing photo in my stories so I I posted an embarrassing photo in my stories so I have to balance it by posting a hot one here 😂 Also wow I haven’t posted since HALLOWEEN. I’ve been spending most of my IG time on my candle account, @brennancandleco, but I truly MISS Y’ALL. I formed so many great relationships over the years and I want to get back to that. So you’ll be seeing more of me, probably in a less curated way than you used to. I might lose some of y’all but I hope the ones I call friends will stick around because I really do miss you. 

And lastly, if you ARE into more business-y content from me, follow @brennancandleco, there are some pretty awesome things happening over there if I do say so myself.

Photo by @narirophoto
I may be at home, but I wasn't going to miss out o I may be at home, but I wasn't going to miss out on transforming into Furiosa. 

2020 has been a heck of a year, and I think we're all feeling a bit like we're stuck in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Ready to turn things around and kick our own Immortan Joe to the curb.

Happy Halloween. Stay home.
My latest project: @brennancandleco 🖤 My latest project: @brennancandleco 🖤
Welp I think this negative space mani is my new si Welp I think this negative space mani is my new signature look so prepare to get sick of seeing it in different colors. 💅🏻
Our tomato plants finally started flourishing and Our tomato plants finally started flourishing and thennnnn there was snow in the forecast 🙃 Tomorrow we are supposed to get quite a lot and I’m very cranky about it. Hoping our plants survive but more importantly, I hope the snow puts out the wildfires that seem to be never ending. It’s been a brutal summer for many reasons, but it’s still pretty cool to look at this bowl and know we grew these tomatoes from seeds. Also there’s currently zucchini bread in the oven from our garden ☺️
I am so so so grateful to @crispy.ray for designin I am so so so grateful to @crispy.ray for designing this and putting it on my body, y’all 😍 They are SUCH a talented artist and all around great person. I felt super comfortable and they executed my vision perfectly. 👽 I’ve been a diehard X Files fan since I was a kid (swipe for evidence and a photo of me and Gillian Anderson where I have never felt uglier lmao), so this means a ton.

Re: COVID-19. Truthfully I felt super nervous to get my tattoo and super nervous to post it here. I’ve still been doing my best to stay home but am also (like many of you, I think) struggling mentally. So where is the balance? Honestly I don’t know. I haven’t had a haircut (besides doing it myself), had my nails done, or sat down to eat except for once (and it was a place with no servers). I barely see anyone except my husband. Some days it’s fine and others it’s “how much more of this can I take?” So anyway. I took a risk, but @blackbirdinktattoo was taking everything very seriously. All were masked and sanitized (duh it’s a tattoo place) and I specifically chose a leg tattoo so Christa and I wouldn’t be breathing on each other. I long for the day when things are normal again. I long for the day when I can see my family again. But for now, I’ll try to safely find small pockets of joy and normalcy and ride those little waves until the next pocket of joy.
Dennis and Sweet Dee are here to help ward off the Dennis and Sweet Dee are here to help ward off the Sunday scaries 🐾 In case you missed it in my stories, these are our newest fosters! (We just decided on names today - I think having to name two slowed us down 🤣) Usually we only have pups for three nights but we had to keep these little pals for an extra week before they’re ready to be adopted. 

Also I PROMISE I am going to record a video/write a post about fostering this week so keep your eyes peeled for that. 

Annnnd last but not least if you’re in the Denver area and looking for a puppy, message me if you want more info on either of these little ones! 🥰
Once Upon A Time in Hollywood is still one of my f Once Upon A Time in Hollywood is still one of my favorite movies from the past five years, please don’t judge me 😂🙈 “Hey! You’re Rick f*cking Dalton. Don’t you forget it.” (that line was improvised btw - it was based on something someone told Brad Pitt once when he was struggling 💕 I just love that.)

Print by @rbrunoill
Complementary 🧡💙 If you have hooded lids and Complementary 🧡💙 If you have hooded lids and/or you’re scared about mixing colors, this is such an easy way to do it, y’all! Monochromatic on top (I incorporated an orange shimmer but you could keep it super simple and just blend out one shadow), and then a different color on bottom. I was worried the blue would look too heavy on me since my eyes are a bit downturned but I think it turned out just fine! 

I’m using a @shopaltergo palette again here, this one is a dupe for the Natasha Denona Metropolis palette ($129). The Alter Ego palette is a whopping $22….and so far it’s a GEM. I don’t have ND so I can’t compare them directly but I didn’t have any issues with these shadows at all.

Lips are @lagirlcosmetics liner in Keep It Spicy + @flowerbeauty lipstick in Spiced Petal
Brows are eyeshadow and a bar of soap

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