Mindful Beauty Review

I have had the pleasure of experiencing a handful of products from Mindful Beauty over the last few months. The first thing I loved about using these skin care products, is their fragrance. Each product has the ingredients printed on the front of the label so I know exactly what I am smelling, I didn't have to look far to know its a natural fragrance. When I am using my Mindful Beauty  skincare routine, it transforms my bathroom into a spa. I love wearing makeup almost everyday but I really love cleansing my skin. The cleanser leaves my skin feeling squeaky clean and the soothing facial mist is refreshing and rejuvenating.

I love that the products are made to order. You know your ingredients are fresh and the product has not been stored for a significant amount of time. I bath often with Elizabeth so we enjoyed a Mindful Beauty Bath Bomb together. It felt good knowing the products I use, I can share with my children on their delicate skin. I have tried a variety of natural skincare and it often falls short for me not performing the way I want it too. I am particularly impressed with the cleanser and how well it draws out impurities and how well the scrub works at renewing the skin on my face and body. The scrub is actually quite powerful and the first time I used it, I applied it with a bit too much pressure. Not needed as the scrub does the work for you.

The creator of Mindful Beauty is a Canadian, beauty loving, momma and I just love that she is creating safe skincare for all the other moms trying to stay fresh while keeping their homes safe! You can shop Mindful Beauty in their Etsy Shop here. 

Running My Business God's Way | Its Not About Striving, Its About Relying

I love the story of David and Goliath. Whenever I feel inadequate in a situation I think of this story and remember that it is not my own strength that conquers the giants that stand before me, it is the strength of God in me. I only have tiny stones but with God behind me, before me, within me, I will conquer great feats.

Also, God's timing is perfect. I have had this video edited for about a week now but haven't had an opportunity to upload it so its perfect that I am able to share it on Easter weekend. This is why Jesus died for us on the cross, so that all of God's strengths are now available to each of us simply by accepting Jesus as our saviour. 

God doesn't want me to work like crazy and spread myself thin to do His good work, He just wants me to come to Him with what I have, He just wants my heart. 

In this video I share a little bit more detail on this topic and how God has been working in me not to strive but to simply rely on Him, I hope you will check it out and share your thoughts in the comments on social media.

My Favourite Bible Study App First 5

Psalm 147:8-11 New International Version (NIV)

8 He covers the sky with clouds;
    he supplies the earth with rain
    and makes grass grow on the hills.
9 He provides food for the cattle
    and for the young ravens when they call.

10 His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse,
    nor his delight in the legs of the warrior;
11 the Lord delights in those who fear him,
    who put their hope in his unfailing love.

Book Report | Staying Stylish by Candace Cameron Bure

My mother gave me "Staying Stylish" for Christmas and I finished reading it in January. Since then I have had the opportunity to apply some of the tips offered in the book to my life. In "Staying Stylish" Candace Cameron Bure offers tips on cultivating a look, that will help you feel confident. Advice is offered on all areas of style; wardrobe, skin care, makeup, hair and overall well being. A theme through the book is understanding who you are and showcasing your unique qualities through the way you present yourself.

The is the second book I have read written by Candace Cameron Bure and I also follow her on social media. One characteristic I admire about her and try to emulate in my own life is her ability to prioritize her life based on the leadership of God. She is a woman lead by God and allows His work in all areas of her life, even fashion and fitness. This is something I am taking steps towards each day and Staying Stylish, offered me practical tips that I could start applying right away.

My lifestyle has changed dramatically in the last four years and that is absolutely reflected in my wardrobe. I have been donating items as I turn over my closet the last few years and many of my old clothes are no longer relevant to my current fashion needs. My body has reached a point now where it has levelled out and hopefully wont be changing much so I have started to build a refreshed wardrobe that serves my current lifestyle needs. This book helped me to understand how to go about building my new wardrobe and consider all the different scenarios I need to dress for.

The fashion section is divided into categories based on clothing item and advice is offered on how to shop for an item, tailoring clothes, and how to use specific items in different outfits. I found this helpful as sometimes I can stick pretty close to my comfort zone when it comes to everyday dressing but the various categories helped me realize some gaps I had in my wardrobe, like my outerwear collection. Having a well rounded wardrobe that fits makes presenting yourself well, in different situations easy because you have classic pieces that interchange to create a variety of looks. This is what I am striving for and I am really enjoying the process of developing my personal style in this phase of life. Staying Stylish, is a book I will reach for often as a guide for helping me on my staying stylish journey.

Overall this book was a fun easy read filled with that classic Candace Cameron Bure pep that we all love and lots of pictures to inspire our own looks. A great read!

xoxo
Audrey

Home Life | Stay At Home / Work At Home Mom

I have been working mostly from home for the last few weeks. Being home a lot allows me so much time for thought and talk with God. Sometimes I hope for a little adventure project that will take me out for the day but most of the time I just try to settle into the days and the pace of home. 

Time at home brings me back to the basics, to simplicity. 

I love to be out and about but I do truly love being home. 

I really like the responsibilities of my days and am grateful for everything. 

When I had children my world suddenly got smaller. Maybe it doesn’t happen to everyone but it happened to me. Family, close friends and a few new online/texting friends became my new world.

I remember, especially with Elizabeth, the newness in postpartum as such a raw emotional place to be. It’s a happinesses so grand it spills out regularly in tears. My home is now connected with all of the memories of that phase, maybe that’s why I like to be home for stretches of time, to try and hold close to the rawness of motherhood. My home is where I find my basic female self. I like her. I like her feminine caring and nurturing strengths. She is the foundation of everything else I offer to the world because mother and lover is who I was designed to be as a woman.

When I am home my spiritual core becomes stronger. Home is where I recharge and find inspiration.

I am stumbling through this phase regularly but I love it.

xoxo
Audrey 

An Entrepreneur's Prayer

Dear Lord,

Thank you for the gift of working for myself. I am so grateful for the responsibilities and blessings that come with this role.

Thank you for allowing me to create and build.

Help me to bless others with this gift as you have blessed me.

Please guide me, my spirit is creative and distracted at times. I want to do so much everyday.

My dreams are big but I know yours are better so help me to stay in line with your will for my business and personal life.

Thank you for gifting me with entreprenurial friends, working alone can be lonely at times.

Thank you for a husband and family who support my work. Entrepreneurs may work for themselves in business but there is a team that works with them in life, to allow for work success to happen.

Help me to value, honour and love rest.

In seasons of waiting, help me to remember the past successes you have given me to remind me of your faithfulness and the focus to keep on doing what you designed me to do. 

Lastly, thank you for being the CEO of everything, this role is far to large for little old me. I will accomplish all things through your strength alone. 

xoxo

Audrey the entrepreneur 

Grown Your Instagram

Hey guys, I have started writing a series of posts with tips on social media in the areas I create content. I am sharing these posts on my personal website. You can check out the most recent post here with tips on how to grow your Instagram.  Be sure to subscribe to the news letter over there, so you can be the first to receive all the fun content and join the conversation.

Wildfire Women Sarnia Meet Up Recap

It has taken me a week to absorb everything I learned from the first Wildfire Women Ontario meet up and I am excited to share a few things.

The week of the event I started to feel nervous, I do have experience speaking in front of people but I have never hosted an event with the focus being on God. At first I started to second guess myself, "what kind of qualifications do I have to be hosting an event like this, I am not a ministry leader", but then I remembered that the enemy will attack us as we get closer to our true calling in life.

1 Peter 5:8 Be sober minded, be watchful your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

I armed myself with the word of God and prayer and did my best to move through the week prayerfully. The first lesson I learned, God calls me to places of fear and discomfort because He is trying to draw me closer to Him. When I am unsure of my footing, I cling to God as my strength, its not a comfortable place to be, but it does always bring me closer to my Heavenly Father.

God didn't leave me hanging, I had the support and prayers of the panelists and my friend Brittney who sent me the most beautiful encouraging prayers to power me up.

Once the conversation started with all of the wonderful panelists, all of my nerves disappeared and we all chatted like girlfriends, Gods presence was felt by everyone.

Listening to the panelists answer my questions I received a few overarching messages. These conversations and meet ups are important because there is so much power in numbers. Hearing others speak truths that I also know strengthened my faith and courage to be more bold in my walk with the Lord. We all have these amazing stories about the good work God has done in our life and those stories can be life changing for others so sharing them is imperative to doing the work of God. I need to pray more and seek His direction more diligently in everything I do being unafraid that my decisions don't match those of the world. And, thirdly, the more I talk about God the more comfortable I become sharing His good news with the world, and that is really what it is all about, I want to be the hands and feet right where I am.

God is awesome and His greatness is available to us all.

Thank you to everyone who helped with the night, it was a success because of everyone taking part open heartedly.

As for the next event, I am still praying on that matter and I would ask that you pray for myself, Brittney and Wildfire Women too, that God guide us in the direction we should go.

If you were at the event or watched the live stream I would love to hear some of your take aways, please comment below.

xoxo
Audrey

Wildfire Women Sarnia Meet Up

I am hosting an event on Thursday Oct 26 at Lilith Boutique in Sarnia 6pm-8pm, "God's Impact On The Entrepreneur" and I would love for you to come. I will be asking four female entrepreneurs questions about their entrepreneurial and faith journey, and I know their stories are going to be inspirational and encouraging.

Wildfire Women is a tribe of women who's hearts are to empower and inspire each other to chase our wildest dreams! You can learn more about Wildfire Women on their website. So what is my connection to this Kelowna based group, well, I am friends with the founder Brittney  and we met on Twitter.

A few years ago, I had been praying for God to introduce me to some new Christian friends, and then I found Brittney through a hashtag I had followed on Twitter. Brittney is absolutely a dream chaser and she inspires me every time I connect with her, to step out of my comfort zone and dream a little bigger.

My hope for our first Ontario Wildfire Women event is that, through honest sharing and storytelling people will experience God in a way that shows we do not need to be perfect to walk through life with Him. And, a life lived for Christ is one that is filled with adventure, dream chasing and huge leaps of faith. Through Christ we learn who we were created to be, and when we discover our calling in life, mountains will begin to move.

I am so grateful to the panel of women who said yes, and took a leap of faith to be a part of this initial event. I hope you will take a moment to get to know them a little by reading their bios below and I look forward to seeing you Thursday night.

Itinerary
6pm-6:15 mingle and complimentary refreshments
6:20 welcome and opening prayer from myself
6:25-6:50 testimonials from panelists
7-7:45 panel discussion on questions
7:45-8 audience questions and sharing
8 thank you and closing prayer

RSVP on the Facebook Event page here. 

Leanne Fera 

Born and raised in Peterborough, Leanne Fera has now been in Sarnia for 14 years and considers herself a "local".  She is a wife, mother of three girls, friend and owner of Sweet Annie's Urban Painting & Decor, a residential painting business that also offers creative DIY workshops.

Rebecca Reading 

I'm a wife & mom of 4. I have the privilege of working with and co owning Shoes @ 144 Front with my sister everyday. Our family is close knit and I'm so thankful for each of them. After living in the GTA for 10 years, it was nice to come home. My favourite thing to do is cook for the people I love 

I also love reading books, especially any that challenge & encourage my faith in Jesus.

Patti-Jo Park 

I am a co- owner of the downtown Sarnia Activewewar store- One Tooth. I was raised in Petrolia on a farm and then headed to Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver for university and life experience!  I aspire to be called a Jesus follower, wife, daughter, sister, friend and leader.  Trying to live a healthy whole life physically, spiritually and mentally are important to me and follow through all aspects of my life.

Kira Jade Nixon 
Is a professional singer, international performer and owner of Kira's Enchanted Princess Parties. She is also a wife to her life long sweetheart and mommy to their sweet one and a half year old little boy. Having a career in the entertainment business can be both exhilarating and absolutely heartbreaking. There have been both triumphs and failures and without the knowledge of God's unfailing love and plan for her life it would be impossible. Kira is learning more and more everyday to trust in His plan for her life and looks forward to what the future holds.

Makeup Seminars by HAL Makeup Artistry

Recently I have been hosting a lot of makeup seminars and I have to tell you, I am loving this part of my job right now. I love talking beauty, thats really why I started my YouTube channel but being able to interact with you during a live seminar is a whole new level of fun. I love creating specific looks for different needs and answering all your beauty questions. I run various types of makeup lessons, seminar style like the video you will see below, one on one in your home as well as, with a group in your home. I feature my favourite Arbonne makeup at these events, the events are free of cost and if you love the makeup we use, you can order directly from me.

The pictures featured in this post are provided by my friend Christy, I love how she captured us enjoying this fun interactive event.

I also have to give a huge shout out to Bluewater Dance Academy for having me and my amazing models for the day, who were so still and patient!

I hope you enjoy this quick video and if you are interested in the products I used they are listed below as well. You can get in touch with me to book any events or order products at heatherlapier@gmail.com

All Arbonne

Brush Set (travel case included no sale available)

Eyes

Eye Primer

Shadows 1)(all over) Fog(cream)

2)(lid) Onyx(black)

3)(crease blending) Pebble(grey)

Eye Liner Carbon

Shape It Up Brow Pencil colour options: Light, Medium, Dark

Mascara

Face

Makeup Primer

Perfecting Liquid Foundation SPF 15 (variety of shades available)

Got You Covered Mineral Foundation Powder SPF 15 (variety of shades available)

Bronzer

Blush Merlot

Lips

Lip Liner Pomegranate

Lipstick Currant

Real Talk | Network Marketing | Arbonne

Hang out with me as I share why I am an Arbonne Independent Consultant and answer some frequently asked questions about the Network Marketing Industry. 

Shop Local Sarnia

Photo by Shannon Turner
T-shirts by Sweet Tea Apparel

We are about a month from Christmas and gift giving is definitely on my mind. I don't have a ton of gifts that I need to buy as my family has started to draw names and as we add more littles to the picture, holidays become more about them. This all being said I love the process of brainstorming the perfect gift for a loved one, something that is a perfect surprise and treat that they may not purchase for themselves.

As you brainstorm your gifts this year please think carefully about the unique local vendors that surround you. Our local shops in Sarnia work very hard to bring us unique items to make gift giving easy. The owners and employees of these businesses are also excited to help you shop and choose the perfect gift for the special person on your list.

Ever since I started to work for myself I began to become more aware of the amazing variety of home based businesses we have in Lambton County, either people who make unique items in their home or are representatives for Network Marketing companies, the ways you can support local business owners with your holiday shopping dollars are endless.

When you head out on your Christmas shopping adventures this year, take the time to consider who you could shop from and support as you plan your gift giving. I promise you, the local businesses and your family and friends will thank you.

Here are some of my favourite vendors:

These t shirts for the whole family are rad - Sweet Tea Apparel

A gift card for a family photo shoot or the photos themselves are great gifts - Shannon Turner Photography

Lenox has some really fresh styles for guys, I always find it challenging to find very on trend clothes for Ty but they currently have it going on - Lenox Athletix

I love shopping One Tooth for quality and stylish fitness apparel - One Tooth

You guys know my favourite skincare and makeup is Arbonne, there are so many gift options for the  beauty lover on your list - my Arbonne store

Another hot beauty item this season are nail wraps, these are awesome for a quick fashionable manicure from home, perfect for a busy mom - Jamberry

For the kids on my list, I love to shop for books and special toys from Sarnia Bookkeeper

I hope this list of awesome local businesses helps you with your Christmas shopping this year. Please comment below with your favourite Lambton County businesses and the links to their websites so we can all learn more about our local vendors.

Merry Christmas
Audrey

How To Become A Freelance Makeup Artist

I am sharing some tips on how to jump in and start your own freelance makeup artistry business in this weeks vlog. 

Promotion

As wedding season slowed for my makeup artistry business I started to evaluate the business structure of Arbonne as I was already an Arbonne Independent Consultant, when you work for yourself you learn very quickly how to change directions from time to time to make your business work.

With faith I reached out to my up line and let them know I was now ready to be coached in this business that terrified me. My greatest fear was this "what will people think of me, as a Christian how can I maintain integrity in this role?". (I had preconceived notions about network marketing that have now been dissolved) I learned the system, started to apply it and worked at doing it with God by my side, just how I try to approach most areas of my life. 

God made me a promise, keep Him the focus of all I do and he will take care of me and my family. 

Taking care of my family may not always look like promotion, I know this, but this month it does and for that I am grateful. God always provides and he absolutely did this month and in lots of different forms. I accomplished what I did not by my own strength but by His, Amen! 

2016 Arbonne Holiday Unboxing

I am sharing everything in the 2016 Arbonne Holiday Collection, you do not want to miss this. 

Learn more about my Arbonne business and start your Christmas shopping from the comfort of your home - http://HeatherLapier.arbonne.com 

Entrepreneurialism

I am sharing my thoughts on my entrepreneurial journey so far and encouraging anyone who has ever had dreams about working for themselves.

Gods Got This

Hang out with me on a little drive while I share some thoughts on gratitude and how putting God at the centre of my life has helped me gain strength over negative thoughts and discover purpose for my life.

Discover Arbonne by HAL

In this video I share my Arbonne story, a little about the company, the products I love and the business opportunity. 

Arbonne allows me to dream big with no limitations, I am the CEO of my life and I am doing it at the convenience of my family and friends. My goal is to have my income surpass that of my husband so he can retire early and explore projects that he is passionate about. I am in this for the long haul. He has always supported me in my dreams and one day, with the help of Arbonne, I will be able to return the favour.

I can't do this on my own, while this opportunity is entrepreneurial for each individual, it is also a team sport and I have been blessed to begin this process with some amazing women. Our team is excited to welcome more people looking to design their lives with a career that puts them in the driver seat. To begin the conversation you can give me a call or send me a text at 519 384 8778 or an email at heatherlapier@gmail.com.

Arbonne Opportunity

You may already know this but if not, I am an Arbonne Independent Consultant. I started buying Arbonne makeup for my business because I wanted to offer my clients a natural option to beauty and I thought their makeup could stand up next to the other brands I carry in my professional makeup kit. As an Independent Consultant, I get 35% off the products I purchase so I decided to start trying the other products Arbonne offers. I was also very interested in trying all their other products as I am slowly trying to fill my home with more natural options, as I run out of something, I buy a healthier replacement. 

So far I have tried the fibre, baby skin care products, FC5 skin care line, deodorant, shampoo, RE9 Advanced skincare line, all the cosmetics, protein, sunscreen and Tyler is even enjoying the mens skincare products. All of the makeup I use is great but I especially love the Arbonne mascara and primer! You guys know I have tried a lot of skincare and after using the full RE9 line, I feel like my skin has never looked more fresh, even and blemish free. I share complimentary samples of this line and other skincare products with anyone who wants to give it a try and almost everyone has the same reaction, they LOVE it!

The icing on the cake of this entire Arbonne company is that as an Independent Consultant I have the opportunity to generate income from simply sharing my favourite products with my friends and family, this is something I would do anyways. 

The team building side of Arbonne is something that really excites me and after working alone for over a year to launch HAL Makeup Artistry, tapping into team resources through Arbonne was a breath of fresh air I welcomed with open arms. Now I am ready to build my own team, I want to work with anyone to get their business going, who wants to increase income in their household, experience time freedom, meet new people and have fun while you work to achieve personal goals. 

Network Marketing is a scary thing to think about, I had my own fears and insecurities about adding this role to everything else I am already doing. I was also scared of peoples opinions of me selling products simply because I myself have had a few bad experiences with unprofessional Network Marketers. It is unfortunate that with any industry, we allow our bad experiences to cloud our opinion of an entire group. Within my first month of working my Arbonne business, every fear in my mind was flipped by it being proven wrong. After doing a little research I found out that the Direct Sales industry has grown over 17% in Canada in the last few years and over 20% globally. I really enjoyed this article about a children's clothing company that decided to sell through consultants over stores http://www.canadianbusiness.com/innovation/peekaboo-beans-direct-sales/

It is an exciting time to be a part of this industry, I believe my generation is beginning to realize that we wont get ahead by working longer hours but we will gain so much by building our own dreams and enjoying the process alongside our families. 

If you want to learn more about the Arbonne products or opportunity, I would love to share them with you. Please always feel free to get in touch to chat at heatherlapier@gmail.com. 

Lastly, I have set a goal for myself to become an Arbonne Regional Vice President within 5 years which will have me enjoying the White Party in Vegas, check out this years event here and below are some pictures of some of my favourite Arbonne items.