Meow Cosmetics – Aurora, Ice Blossoms, and Sugarplums!

Meow Cosmetics – Aurora, Ice Blossoms, and Sugarplums!

Aurora

Borealis & Australis

            I bought both because a basic silver and gold glitter might be useful.

Without Flash

With Flash

Both shades are nice glitters that would jazz up any boring color.

Ice Blossoms

 Hoar frost

I bought Hoarfrost because it looked so good on Arika's blog. I think Crownbeard looked nice as well but was worried it would be too pale and too close to my skin color.

A pale, almost white pastel color with a hint of lavender and almost no glitter. A nice shade and I have no idea when I am going to wear it. Hmmm maybe mixed with the 100 other purple samples I bought.

(without flash on the left and with flash on the right)

     Sugarplums

Nutcracker & Vision

            I loved all of these colors and was sorely tempted to get the sugarplum blush but ended up just getting my two favorite purples. I’m a bit of a sucker for purples although I’m not sure I look all that good in them.

Without Flash

With Flash

            

          I liked both but I really liked Nutcracker (left). It was reddish purple, therefore warm, and very complex while Vision was a cool purple with blue undertones but also complex.

Altogether now!

Meow Cosmetics – The Christmas Collections

Meow Cosmetics – The Christmas Collection

So, I conservatively tried out some Geek Chic cosmetics and then went nuts sampling Meow Cosmetics. The entire Christmas collections were on sale so I bought mostly from those.

While I like Geek Chic, especially the Win or Die collection, I thought overall Meow’s colors were more complex. However, there were some colors that seemed pretty repetitive and the website sorely needs to show the colors swatched on skin since the sample pictures are somewhat deceptive. That being said, they have beautiful complex colors and I recommend them to anyone!

Today my many many samples came and I gleefully swatched the crap out of my arm! In fact, I swatched and washed so many times by arm was really sore by the end.

Anyway, the package came in a nice small padded envelope and the samples themselves were tucked into a cute leopard print bag, which was a nice touch! I also got two extra samples thrown in. Nice! I also appreciated the handwritten “Thank you Teal” on my receipt.

Here they all are, lined up!

All the various Christmas collections samples

Other collections samples

Cake Invasion!

I mentioned this briefly on the Izalia Laser Spa facebook page, ie the place I work at, that we had a wedding cake invasion.


However, I didn't get to show all the pics I took, thus this post!


Anyway, one morning before work Occasionally Cake, a wedding cake shop that also does cupcakes etc, photographed their beautiful cakes in our equally lovely spa. 

I know, it's almost too pretty to look at directly.

It was a marriage made in heaven and the sugar of it all was captured by local favorite photographer Paul Bohman.

They even have snazzy t-shirts!

I got to talk to the co-owner and cake creator Sabrina and she is super nice and passionate about her cakes and the decorating of her new store near the waterfront in Old Town Alexandria. I'm sure by the time it's open (sometime in March, fingers crossed) it will be gorgeous! Can't wait!

Until then, enjoy the eye candy!

My favorite cake!

Oooohh the colors!

Welcome to Art Deco!

Geek Chic Cosmetics

Geek Chic Cosmetics

My first foray into make-up reviews! Finally took the leap into make-up blogging and decided to start with Geek Chic Cosmetics since Arika said that her favorite new eyeshadow and lip product was from them.

            I played it conservative and bought 6 eyeshadow samples.

From the Timey Wimey collection I bought “We Are Coming” and “Bigger On The Inside.”

 

10 Man Raid “Glass Cannon”

Win or Die “Across the Narrow Sea”

Geekily Ever After “Bridezilla” and “Prenup”

            -Unbeknonst to be they discontinued the line after I bought the samples from them. Thought this was a bit cheeky considering they never mentioned that on the collection page. “Prenup” has been renamed “Brony” and is in the Single Player collection. "Bridezilla" is no where to be seen...

            It came in a padded first class envelope with a business card and invoice with a handwritten Thank You! across it.

            The samples came in clamshells. A note about clamshells, originally I thought clamshells would be easier because you can dip your brush in etc but seriously EVERY TIME, no matter how careful I am, I open and close the cases I lose product. They’re also difficult to open and I definitely want to move them over to baggies now.

Here are the geek chic pictures:

Prenup, now named Brony.

Bridezilla is no longer so I can't find an image for it

How they look in their clamshells:

Annnnd swatched!

Without Flash

With Flash

These are swatched over my face powder in Fair from Smashbox.

We Are Coming: Nice brown with gold highlights. I have mostly been using it as interesting eyeliner and much prefer it over straight black.  See!

Bigger on the Inside: Niiiiccceee teal color with gold sparkles. Looks better on the eye than just the swatch on the arm.

Glass Cannon: Lovely light blue with white sparkles.

Across the Sea: I was surprised by how much I liked this shade. It suits my skin color and is simply lovely. It is a medium blue with silver sparkle but the description doesn’t do the color justice.

Bridezilla: White with white sparkle. Eh, it’s white. It’s nice, especially in the corner of the eye but forgettable.

Prenup: This is an interesting pale pink. While it looks kinda basic when next to other shades it takes a surprising depth and, even applied lightly, is quite bright.

I’m clearly proud of my first swatches!

I'm celebrating by not wearing any other makeup. :P

Here they are on the eye!

Into the Blue: I used We Are Coming as liner, Bigger on the Inside on the outer corner, Across the Narrow Sea on most of the lid, Glass Cannon towards the inside corner, and a little bit of Bridezilla on the very inner corner of the eye. Finally, Prenup is the brow highlight.

 

Cotton Candy: A lot more of Prenup was used this time…clearly. So, We Are Coming as liner again, Glass Cannon on the outer corner and Prenup on the inner corner and brow highlight.

What happens to the makeup after a long frustrating day?

I have to say I’m surprised so much color remained because I remember the day I wore that makeup and I rubbed my eyes in frustration a couple of times.

You’ll notice that the eyeshadow collected in my crease which will probably always happen but since I don’t wear primer I’m not exactly helping the situation.

I would order from Geek Chic again, espeically the Win or Die collection. I want to buy a full size of "Across the Sea" and "Bigger on the Inside". I also want to get "Big Daddy" from their bio balms collection.

Paper Tape Dress Form - Chapter 4

Paper Tape Dress Form - Chapter 4

The Stand

There is probably a lot better blogs out there talking about making a stand. Some say music stand, or make one with lumber from Home Depot, etc. I’ve even read about an old trombone stand and a birdcage. Basically you make a stand with whatever crap you have handy. I think a stand is much better than a hanging form, which just requires a really good hanger.

For me I work for a laser spa and one of our old rolling magnifying glass/lamps died, so I took it apart and used the heavy rolling base.

Here are my materials. I used the rolling stand base, two steel rods which are actually old file hanger insets (long story how I got these), and a reinforced paper tube. Get some strong tape too.

I taped the two steel rods together and stuck it down the hole in the stand. Then, I pre-cut a hole in the paper tube to go down on the steel rod.

Then I stuck the paper tube in the form across the shoulders and stuck the whole thing on the rod.

 

I had Ansell hold it in the right position, ie my height, while I taped it all together. The gorilla tape I used was so insanely strong that I didn’t have to use much.

Once it was taped I secured and reinforced all the joints with paper tape.

 

Annnnnnnndddd we are FINALLY done! TA-DA!

I was so happy to finish this. I didn’t enjoy making the stand and just wanted it to be done so I could get to the sewing.

Now we can really see how it looks compared to me!

It’s important to note that the sewing form won’t have your exact measurements; my form ranged from a ¼ inch to ¾ of inch bigger than I am, which is to be expected.

IN THE END...

My sewing form is my shape, my height, and pretty much my measurements, and it cost me $20 ($10 for papertape and $10 for two turtlenecks) and a total of 5 hours start to finish. It is so much better than a bought sewing form and I am SO EXCITED to start sewing!!!

Me and you and you and me
No matter how they sew the seam, it has to be
The only one for me is you, and you for me
So happy together!