37 Things I'm Thankful For

We would worry less if we praised more.

Thanksgiving is the enemy of discontent and dissatisfaction.

– Harry Ironside

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Things I’m Thankful For:

  1. A warm puppy to cuddle
  2. My health
  3. My happiness
  4. Books
  5. Free Documentaries on YouTube
  6. The Beach
  7. Healthy alternatives
  8. Tea
  9. Green Makeup
  10. The Sun
  11. Airplanes
  12. My Organic Garden
  13. California (it’s 65  degrees today!!)
  14. Long skirts
  15. Nature
  16. Travel
  17. Horsecats, unicorns and snort pigs ( aka Raelie)
  18. Museums
  19. Writing
  20. Organic Food
  21. Learning to be kind to myself
  22. Smoothies!
  23. My juicer
  24. My house
  25. Boats
  26. Kale
  27. New York
  28. Hiking
  29. Mountains
  30. Q
  31. Art
  32. Good movies
  33. The Moon
  34. Pandas
  35. Castings and auditions
  36. My Wonderful Friends
  37. My Amazing Family

What Are You Giving Thanks For Today?

Love & Light

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How Skincare Saved My Trip

How Skincare Saved My Trip

The last thing I want to worry about when I’m living out of my suitcase is my skin.  This recent trip to NY came at a stressful time in general – health wise, mostly, but little things also added up.

For instance, because I am Standby for the plane, as well as Standby for First Class, I have to dress like I’m going on the plane for First Class, regardless.  Not only because if I don’t, they won’t let me on the plane at all, but – I don’t know, did your Dad ever pick you up from the airport after not seeing you for months?  I mean, you wanna look nice, right?

Anyway, #firstworldproblems aside, that normally means I am stuck in the worst possible, last ditch Coach seat on the plane that everyone else looked at and went ” ewwww who wants to sit there?”, wearing the fanciest thing I own with a ton of makeup on for 5+ hours.  Not only that, every time I travel from West to East, I lose practically my whole entire day from the time difference.  You try getting on a plane at 7 am and arriving at 6 pm!  I mean really?!   A WHOLE DAY is gone before I can wash my face!!

Never mind all the time spent waiting at the airport before I get on the plane, or the drive home from it after arriving.  That alone is enough to get my skin acting up for days.

But, honestly – I’ve never stepped off the plane more confidently.  In fact, this trip – I didn’t even NEED makeup, and these travel-friendly skincare products were able to get some use on the plane ride!  All thanks to a Travel-sized, TSA approved sample pack of Pai!

This is the story of:

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This Organic Skin Care Sample Set is a perfect introduction to the Pai brand, and it includes:

1 x organic muslin cloth
4 x 5ml pots of moisturizers: Chamomile & Rosehip, Avocado & Jojoba, Geranium & Thistle and Macadamia & Rose
1 x 5ml pot of Kukui & Jojoba Skin Brightening Exfoliator
1 x 5ml pot of Camelia & Rose Gentle Hydrating Cleanser
I have extremely sensitive skin – it reacts to every little thing that I do (or don’t do) to it!  So I have to be super careful about what I use to treat it after a long flight or in dealing with totally different water than it’s used to.  I used the Kukui & Jojoba (my skin loves Jojoba – thanks Mixed genes!) for my Exfoliator when I arrived in NY and I couldn’t get enough of it!  My only “complaint” is that I wish there was more in the sample! 🙂
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Out of all the skin creams in this pack, the Chamomile & Rosehip is my favorite!  My super sensitive skin soaks it up!
It makes me skin feel smooth, calm and glowing!  I am really sensitive to creams and this not only didn’t irritate my face – it worked!!
The smell is also DIVINE.  I recommend this to anyone with eczema or skincare problems!  I will absolutely be purchasing a whole bottle!
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The Camellia & Rose Cleanser was also extremely helpful throughout my trip for the perfect face cleanse!
One day running around NYC shooting and your skin, nails, even the inside of your nose is likely to be clogged with some dirt and smog.  For this, the organic Muslin cloth is actually one of my absolute favorite parts of this set!  It’s perfect for removing dirt, makeup and crud from your face if you’re traveling, in a dirty city, on a plane or just woke up or plan on going to bed soon! 🙂  It’s been wonderful all around!
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All of Pai’s products are 100% Organic, and they work fabulously!

Thank you very much.

Love & Light

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An Exclusive Look Into … THE WAKE UP EP!

Life Lately…

Life Lately…

Time to play catch up!  I think the last time I did this was almost two months ago! (oops!) So many beautiful things have happened.  Let’s see…

Music: 

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I’ve been spending a good deal of time in the studio working on my EP with some folks over at Speakeasy Sound.  Writing everything the way we wanted was frustrating for a few days (who knew lyrics were the hardest part?), but I’m super super happy with the first song we’ve done and am looking forward to the rest!   We have big, big music plans! 🙂

My music video for Her Crazy with DeAndre came out and has been really well received!  Very happy with it!

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You can check it out here:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQWFTUjyxZs&w=560&h=315]

It’s also over at MTV.  SO weird to think that if TRL still existed, I’d be on it! :X

It was super fun to do, everyone on crew was great, DeAndre is a riot and it was my first job through Q so it will always have a special place in my heart.  It was also my first on-screen kiss!!  So be sure to point and laugh at me kissing an 18 year old.  Not awkward at all! (totally awkward :X  )

Last month I saw my friend Fred perform in a show in LA.  He’s plays bass in a little band called Marilyn Manson, and they’re currently on tour with Alice Cooper. 🙂

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It was totally amazing to get tea with someone in the morning and at night watch them rock a stage in front of thousands of people, jumping around and doing what they love!  My friends make me very proud!

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If you’re around anywhere that they’re touring this month be sure to check them out!  They’re some of the sweetest people I’ve ever met in my whole life. Watching Alice Cooper sing Schools Out with some of my dearest friends was truly a life changing experience and a dream come true!  That man really knows how to bring it!

 And who doesn’t like being VIP? 🙂

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We got an organ!!! One of our dear neighbors Aram has been holding onto this organ forever, and offered it to me and J last week!  OHHHH man.  I.love.this.thing.  I’ve been fiddling and diddling around with it all week long.  THE NOISES!!!  I feel like a little kid!  Do you have any idea how long I have been picturing a piano in my house?  Years, I tell you!  Years!

Art:

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Finally got around to checking out the Helmut Newton Exhibition here in LA.  I’m in love!  They also show a neat documentary about him with commentary from some of the models he worked with and photographers he inspired.  Totally in love with this man!  If you get a chance to see his art anywhere, DO IT.  Your life will be forever changed.

Modeling:

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I shot my first Editorial in LA with Stardust Magazine last week!  We did 4 different looks and I really can’t wait to see how the photos turn out!  Is this really my job?!

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Q updated my portfolio (yay!), and here’s some random work I’ve done the past few months that we’re all super proud of:

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Life: 

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It’s my favorite season: Beach season!  July in LA is pretty hotttttt but not humid which I’m liking lots!

It was friendship loves Cassandra, Rian and my baby Raelie’s birthdays this month, so we had celebrations galore!  My OG best friend Kate got married just a few weeks ago, too!  I wish I could have gone to NY and been a part of the wedding, but I had to stay in LA to work.  I’ll be visiting New York next month though for wedding present exchanges and catch up! Soooo crazy!  What is this that everyone has babies or is putting a ring on their finger?  I don’t wanna be a grown up!  I’m gonna just stay in California chasing my dreams until I wake up old.  Is that too much to ask?  Haha. 🙂

Health & Fitness:

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I’ve lost a few close people recently, and it’s not been the easiest month.  I went through a few days of real emotional self-absorbtion before taking a long hike that really put things in perspective again for me.  I’m very grateful to at least be in a place where I can keep my sadness in check.  I don’t try to fight those moments anymore the way I used to, but I allow them to find their place in the scheme of what I’m going through, and I deal with them in a healthy way, so I know I’m making a lot of headway.  There are things that used to be much harder for me to accept that now feel like very inspiring life lessons.

One of those that the World lost this week is the inspiring childhood cancer fighter and makeup guru, Talia Joy, who I love dearly and who we will all remember fondly:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a88P_tBDAgU&w=560&h=315]

She’s such an inspiring soul. Try not to cry watching her cancer vlogs. Just try.

But I have to admit it, despite it all, I’ve tried my best to treat myself really well, and I think there’s really something to be said about doing so!  I’ve really tried hard to let things slide, even when people were truly trying to bring me down or I wanted to give up.  It’s helped my health a LOT to realize what stresses I can and cannot control.  I’ve gathered a new faith in myself and my position in the World, and I’m really liking it.

Month 3 of Hatha Yoga and I’m seeing a huge difference!  Things that were once threatening to “go south” seem to be holding up!  I may have a figure I’m proud of for a few more years now. 🙂  I’ll be 27 in a few months and I never thought I’d be this healthy, clear headed, driven and passionate about the road I’m on.

July nutrition has been LOTS of salads with LOTS of nuts and veggies, probiotics, vitamins and my newest most favorite thing: morning dancing!  It’s so helpful and rejuvenating to let your body do what it wants for the first few moments of your day.  I recommend it to all!

Thank you guys so much for checking in with me, especially since some days I forget to check in with me.  Thank you for your e-mails, for your comments and your love!  There are days I don’t even look at my blog and when I come back and see all your clicks and get your e-mails I am reminded of why I do what I do! 🙂

Love & Light

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Oh hi there!

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I am packing for Mexico today… One suitcase already full of Around the World Lookbook gear: eco friendly, handmade, hand crafted, home made, sustainable jewels, shirts, skirts, pants, dresses, bracelets, necklaces, beauty products, sun screen, shoes, accessories… I am overwhelmed at all the love and I can’t WAIT to rock & shoot it all!

First I am staying at the super posh Avalon Hotel in Beverly Hills.  Marilyn Monroe used to live there for a period of 3 years in the 1950’s and my favorites/mentors/idols Lucille Ball & Mae West also stayed there.  I am SO excited to shoot there!!

I thought I’d share with you some of the photos that Kris shot on our last trip to Joshua Tree/Palm Springs.  The idea of the Around the World Lookbook was planted during this trip and I’ve gotten such an overwhelming response since that I really can’t stop smiling!  I’ve been doing some extra running, lifting and push and pull ups to get my body in shape for some of these exquisite clothes!  Despite the tummy burn, I am super satisfied! 🙂

I really feel like the luckiest girl on Earth sometimes.  When I was young I used to sketch out and draw out plans like this and I kept them really dear to my heart.  To have so many wonderful people, companies and products interested in what I am doing and willing to support me in it is really beyond words sometimes.  The fact that in less than a month after we shoot this I will be in Italy shooting and exploring and styling even MORE is almost too much to comprehend!

A big, warm, long thank you to all of you!

Thanks again for making this possible, everyone! Beautiful photos to come! ♥

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Photographer: Kris Rodammer | Styling: MOL | Chest Piece: New Age Couture | Necklace: MORPH Knitwear

If you know of a Sustainable, Eco-Friendly, Handmade or Home Made Brands or Companies who would like to participate in Italy, please contact us at:

TaraMackey@me.com

Thank you!

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Love & Light

 

Beauty Blast, Art & some announcements

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Hey guys!  Am I too late for Easter? 🙂

My good friend Sam Spratt and I collaborated on this lovely painting.  You can check out “Mary” over here!  And don’t drool too much over Sam’s work – he gets very shy about it. 😉

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I hope you all had a lovely holiday!  Me and Josh went to the Self Realization Temple in LA to say some prayers and meditate and say hi to Jesus (the real reason for Easter!) and we visited the Elliott Smith Wall in LA to pay a bit of homage.  I picked up some plants at Sunset Nursery to start Spring off right, and I have a fantastic announcement!

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I’ve signed exclusively with Q LA!  They have been my dream agency for a very long time.  When I lived in NY I used to stalk their site and drool over all of their totally gorgeous girls and guys, wishing, hoping, praying… that some day… 🙂

Well, the day has come.  Mantras, prayers & dreams come true!  I really appreciate them taking a chance with me.  It’s a big step and I’m really happy with my choice.   We had a meeting and I signed yesterday, and by today, they had already uploaded my portfolio and we’re getting moving on castings!  Super profesh – I am very happy. 🙂

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Raelie is too!

There are a few other things going on that I can’t wait to pop the top on, but I really like to have work to show before I talk about things. 🙂  I appreciate your e-mails and you guys bearing with me! I’ve been well- just busy!

I am a bit overdue for a Beauty Blast, so I’ll share some of that with you now too!

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I found Leahlani not too long ago on Etsy and I couldn’t wait to share this brand with you all!

Leahlani Natural Skincare products are created by Leah, a certified and trained holistic esthetician. All of Leahlani products are free of toxic ingredients and loaded with nourishing and natural ingredients that are designed to work in harmony with your skin.

Kauai Coconut Butter, blended on Kauai, is rich with vitamin E to heal and repair, & Shea butter, which is antioxidant rich.   Shea butter is also especially beneficial for stretch marks, eczema, dry skin, & general skin problems.  This Body Butter is delightful.  I really appreciate the hint of Vanilla.  Some Coconut products make my skin irritated but this is pure and lovely!

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Definitely my favorite of the bunch, I’ve been using the Honey Microdermabrasion 3-in-1 Mask, Cleanser and Exfoliator daily for nourished, hydrated, kissable skin!  I love the smell, the texture and it doesn’t taste half bad either. 🙂

photo 1-1This Lavender Spritzer is perfect for a pick me up on a hot day, or after a good bath!  I really love the subtle scents and warm aroma.  I spray some on my pillow at night for Aromatherapy!

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Leahlani’s Pikake Dream Cream is amazing!  I love the smell – Rosehip, Jasmine & Nature! 🙂  It just calls to me!  I really love to put this on before bed and let it sink into my skin.  Luxurious!

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I’m normally not “too big” on Eye & Wrinkle Cream (call it denial! Haha) but I’ve given this one and good go and it’s really wonderful.  I’m happy with it!  Smells really pure, 100% natural with no irritation, I think I’ll be sticking with this for a long time!  A little goes SUCH a long way!

Aloha!

What a great week!  Thank you all for sticking with me and for believing in me.  Sometimes it gets hard to believe in myself and I have a lot of (totally normal) “WTF am I doing with my life?” moments.  It’s really nice to know it’s been purposeful after all. 🙂

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Love & Light