Lips - Oh the vanity.

I'm posting this because my friend Ebony, when she posts photos of herself, always manages to capture her lipstick colour magnificently.
Me? Not so much.
I wondered if perhaps I'm using the wrong colour for me?
So I fiddled around with the camera and colours this afternoon and am posting the following photos for you to comment.
Which colour looks best on me?
Got any suggestions for colours I SHOULD try?

All photos were taken at the same time of day, same light, same room blah blah blah.
Same same.

This one was a surprise. Because in RL it looks SO BRIGHT on me. It's a light pink colour and I totally thought it would show up better in th ephoto.. But no matter how many photos I took, it never showed up bright enough. So. I assume that my eyes are tricking me, and it's not actually as bright as I thought it was.

Fairy Floss - Australis Show Stopper Gloss Stick

From Blog Photos

Another surprise.  Because this one looks more red in RL.
Again, the photo picks it up as less red and more of a rosey brown tinge do you think?

Hoola Hoop - Australis Show Stopper Gloss Stick

From Blog Photos

This is one I always have in my handbag.  Colour came out as I feel like it looks in RL

Berry Blush - Loreal (The actual ONLY real lipstick I own)

From Blog Photos

Again, in RL this looks more red/pink. It def didn't come up as bright in the photo.

Macaroon - FOA Sheer Gloss Lip Crayon

From Blog Photos

Lastly, this is a natural colour which I feel comes out pretty much in the picture as it does in RL.

Sundae - FOA Sheer Gloss Lip Crayon

From Blog Photos

So. Thoughts?
Suggestions?

December Week 3

Like everybody else, I'm neglecting my blog because life is just so busy right now!
Today we celebrated my husbands birthday. He turned 35, but he got a stunt kite, RC Car and a pack of lego (which is he putting together now).  Yes, I did say 35. Not 5!!!!  I like that he's young at heart. We both are really, and enjoy doing silly things like this.  I feel like it keeps us young and at least we get a laugh.

Hubby putting together his lego set

From Blog Photos

Also this week I was busy putting together another swap through swapbot. One of the activities was to make up a guest list of 6 people (alive or dead) that you would invite to a dinner party.

My guestlist. The one you can't see is Lucifer (I have questions!)

From Blog Photos

Another activity was to sew a button onto 'anything'.  So I sewed to buttons onto a piece of note paper for my partner to use for own note to someone else.

Sewed buttons onto a picture of a bike for the wheels! how cute!

From Blog Photos

Because we live near the beach, hubby and I decided we'd like to get a snorkel and flippers for Christmas from his parents. So we went and tried pairs on and I ended up with this pair...

Flip Flip Flip. Keep on swimming swimming swimming...

From Blog Photos

Pretty excited to get into the water (as long as I can keep my fear of sharks at bay...)

As for 2013, well...I may allow some social media things to fall by the wayside, but I do plan to continue my blog (even if it's just photos, because I do enjoy sharing them), instagram and twitter.
I won't say merry Christmas yet, because I do still hope to get in another post before then!

Beverage and Candy Swap

Today I received a swap which involved sending someone else a beverage of some kind, and a candy. Essentially, an 'afternoon tea'.

I was pretty happy with what I got. Thankyou briii93!!

A Hello Kitty Hot Chocolate Package

From Blog Photos

Candy Cane flavoured marshmallows dipped in chocolate!

December - The First Week

Well I haven't had a very big happymail week I'm sad to say. But it /is/ the start of the Christmas Season officially so I can't complain!  Without having much mail to reply to I have been singing christmas carols whilst wrapping gifts.

I DID, however get my second letter from my Korean Penpal. She is so interesting, and asks lots of questions about the Australian lifestyle. I think we'll be penpals for a very long time as I'm enjoying our exchanges.  She also sent me some Korean skincare products.

I've no idea what they are, but I'll give them a go!

From Blog Photos

Whilst on an errand, picking up something ELSE in the area, I snuck into my favourite craft shop and picked up a couple of pages of scrapbooking paper.  I like these kinds because I can cut them up and use them as little notes in letters or swaps.


From Blog Photos

From Blog Photos

Also I got to see my little niece in concert! She does Acrobatics, and had her end of year concert at a proper theatre. It was amazing, and I was so excited. She did SO WELL.  The photo is a bit fuzzy, sorry but she's in a green leotard as she was a dinosaur!

From Blog Photos

In other news, hubby has hurt his back and so he's been off work, at home, unable to move much. So the Television and DVD player have been getting a mega workout.  I really dislike having the TV on so much, especially during the day, but for moments like these it's a good thing to have.

Mondays HappyMail

Two awesome pieces of happymail today.
Firstly, I received my swap from the Smash Around The World thing I had on swapbot. Thankyou Julie for this AWESOME feather. It's from her best friends Amazon Parrot.  Apparently for most of the time she is green, but before she malts she gets beautiful, fiery, bright feathers that then fall out.

A real amazon parrot feather! the colours are awesome.

Then I received my first letter from Penpal Bonnie in Canada. As you can see, she sent me some yummies along with her letter, Christmas Card and Christmas pencil.

Tootsie Fruit Rolls are DELICIOUS. (and are now in my tummy)

I haven't tried the Double Bubble Gum yet, but I'm told it's awesome.

Beautiful wintery card

Today we managed to get some Christmas Shopping done, and I've been sitting here writing back to Bonnie listening to carols on my ipod.

Smash Around the World Swap #2

Thought I'd share a couple of the items I'm sending off in my Swapbot "Smash Around the World Swap no.2".  It's been fun, yet again and I can't wait to see what I get in return!

A rusty bottletop found on the shore near home

From Blog Photos

My shopping list, inside a homemade envie

From Blog Photos

Used an envelope I recieved in a different swap to send everything in.

From Blog Photos

Now, I suppose I'd better stop procrastinating and make a start on dinner perhaps?

Last week of November Mail and News

Today is the 1st of December, officially the Christmas Season, so let's get last weeks mail out of the way.

I am part of a Collaborative Drawing Swap with three other Aussie women which I'm really excited about. Part 1 I did straight away and sent to Elizabeth with a chinese card with a note on the back, then wrapped in washi tape (non sticky of course)  I love wrapping letters in washi tape because it just looks so great.  I just stick washi tape onto some thin paper, and use the paper cutter to slice off the remaining paper. Easy.

Collaborative Swap Part 1 off to Elizabeth

I was really happy to get a letter from Amanda, my longtime American Penpal. She also sent me a Christmas Card (the first of the season!) which means I'm going to have to think of something inventive to put my cards on this year.  The wind blows through the windows a lot so it will have to be something secure that won't blow away.  Er...that is, assuming I actually GET some more cards that is.

Cute Deer Happymail from Amanda in the States

 Recieved my second letter from my newish South Korean penpal. I'm yet to open it - might save it for tomorrow!

Some washi tape love from my S.Korean penpal

 Today I found a little sparrow out on the porch flapping around. Looked like it hurt its wing, so I put it into a box inside to rest.  It relaxed and slept for about two hours until which time it was flying about (inside my house unfortunately!!!) and was ready to be released again. Must have just gotten a bit tired or something. I'm glad it was okay and didn't have a broken wing. I really didn't know what to do with it otherwise.

Little bird

I've been struggling a bit this week with lack of contact from some people/friends of mine. It seems they are too busy to bother to text, email or call me, and I'm just a bit sick of doing all the chasing all the time.  If I don't contact them, they don't bother to contact me and it really hurts.
I've got all my Christmas Cards to send out to people which I will do, but after that I'm not sure which direction I will go with some of these people. It might be a New Years Resolution that I just be selfish and cut myself a break - let someone make friends with ME (however that could leave me pretty lonely, couldn't it?!)

Collaborative Drawing Swap

A note for Carol, Carolyn and Elizabeth....

See the photos below (taken from 365 Journal Fodder) so you can see what I mean.
(But because there are four of us, we'll be folding the paper into quarters instead)

When you send the paper onto the next person on the list (which will be in the email I send you guys) you will need to make sure that they can ONLY SEE the last quarter of the drawing that has been done.  The way we can do this is to paperclip some cardstock (or other non-see through material) onto the parts above so only the last quarter is showing.

That then means that the person who gets it next has to use their imagination to come up with something else that may not even be related to the first part of the drawing!!!

RULES:
Um. Well. No rules really.
Let's just stick to pen/pencil/texta etc.  No paints. No stick on things.
You can draw/colour black and white, or use colour. Up to you.


Theme: No theme. Just use your imagination.

When you receive the drawing back complete, please email me a photo so I can pop it up here on my blog so we can all see the end result.

FUN FUN!

My crazy art for the day

Thought I'd share my bit of crazy art for the day.
It drew it lightly in pencil first, then used watercolour paints.  The letters are done eith a thin sharpie.

Thought I'd get in touch with my art journal  - the one I have has grainy paper, so I started (yet again) another one.  It's A4 in size, 110gsm paper which is a BIT thin for doing watercolours, but it doesn't matter.

Smash Around the World Project Update!

I've been saving all the little letters and things from people who have sent me things and wanted to be part of my Smashbook for this project. So here are the updates photos.

A 'Smash On' encouragement from Donna

From Smash Book

A secret Postcard swap from.......not telling!!!

From Smash Book

I love this little note to the postie. From the UK

From Smash Book

From Georgia  page one

From Smash Book

From Georgia P2. LOVED the stamps in the little envie. Thankyou!

From Smash Book

Note from Georgia

From Smash Book

Old used 1915 cards from Betsie - these are cool

From Smash Book

Note from Betsie

From Smash Book

From Smash Book

From my new Penpal, Sara in Western Australia

From Smash Book

An envelope swap on swapbot from Lilacnyellow

From Smash Book

A little bit of Cookery

ONLY because this is possibly the easiest dessert you could make AND because it's the season where you often have people over for dinner, I thought I'd tell you about this quick little recipe.

All You'll Need

*A large can of fruit (such as apricots, peaches or you can use fresh/frozen berries if you like. I used a can of fruit salad)

*One packet of vanilla cake mix

*3/4c melted butter

Here we go!

Preheat your oven to 180c

Pour your canned fruit into an oven proof dish

I used SPC Fruit Salad

Pour over the top, the dry mixture only of the cake mix

I used White Wings Angelic Vanilla Cake Mix

From Blog Photos

Spread evenly!

From Blog Photos

Melt your butter in the microwave on or the stove

Cut the butter up to melt faster

From Blog Photos

Pour over the top of the cake mix

Drizzle over the top. It won't cover all the cake mix, so don't worry

From Blog Photos

Bake for 1 hour.

Remove from oven and allow to cook for ten minutes before serving with ice cream

YUM!

From Blog Photos

November Week 3 Happy Mail

Yay for Happymail  - here is what I recieved in the mail this week.

Love the little note to the postie on this one.

From Blog Photos

A swapbot swap for items to Smash into the smashbook

From Blog Photos

A secret postcard. Shhhh! Love her work.

From Blog Photos

Letter from Penpal in the UK

From Blog Photos