New Years EOTD & My 2011 Resolutions :)

Happy new year everyone!!!

I hope you all had a great 2010 & are ready to start a brand new year :D

Here is a smokey eye look i did for new years :) its heavier than i normally ever do.. and its not very even and/or blended out very well lol (still learning here.. any pointers would be great! :D) but i had lots of fun with it and i like how it turned out in the end, even if its not perfect :)

    

hahaha omg sorry for the scary eye. this was the only one that focused properly :p

taken with iphone 4

products used:

(i'll link to any i've previously reviewed or swatched)

face:

- Revlon photoready foundation in nude (applied with Sigma F80)

- Maybelline mineral power concealer in cream

- MAC MSF natural in medium plus (applied with Sigma F80)

eyes:

- UDPP to prime

- Wet n' Wild Coloricon palette shadows - matte white & shimmery white (pride) in inner corners and center of lid, shimmery grey (lust) in inner and outer corners, matte black (greed) to darken

- Annabelle eyeshadow in Revolver (gorgeous shimmery lavender w/ grey undertones - swatch here) on top and around the white in the center of the lid to help blend and give more shimmer

- WnW matte black eyeshadow as liner

- Covergirl Lastblast Volume Waterproof

- False lashes from ebay

- ELF eyebrow kit brow powder for eyebrows

lips:

- Stila's silk shimmer gloss - lightest pink shade

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My New Year Resolutions

1. Be more organized!
I always make this new year resolution, but after a month or two, i start getting lazy and stop staying on top of myself. However, this year, i actually really want to achieve this and make it last as long as possible. I even bought myself a cute little planner to keep track of all the things i need to do :) yay!


in addition, re-organizing some of my old stuff will help me make better use of what i have. for example, if you've seen my DIY makeup palette lately (click here if you havent!) you know i re-organized alot of my single pan eyeshadows into palettes. This way, not only do i save space, but when i pull out a palette to use, i actually will use more colors/shades than if i had to open each shadow individually :)


2. Spend more time with family
No matter what happens, family should always come first. Although i am home often and always in contact with my parents, i feel like i could do even better.. especially with my younger brother who i feel i've drifted away from this past year. so this 2011, im going to make sure i take some time out of the week no matter how busy i am, to spend some time with my family :)


3. Spend less & make use of what i already have
Gosh, i've been so bad this 2010... spent much more than i normally do!! i used to be really picky & indecisive when buying things.. always calculating if its worth it or not lol so i never really spend too much. However, this past year i've been letting myself 'loose' and really just getting what i want haha. Well, in 2011 that's gotta stop!


My goal is to make use of all the stuff i already own. This doesnt necessarily mean no-buying in 2011, cause that could literally kill me lol. but i want to go through what i already have and use what i already own rather than buying something else that is similar. (yes this goes for not only makeup, but clothes and accessories too!) It'll be a bit challenging to hold myself back, but i think its time i dug out old treasures that i've neglected this past year and put them back into good use :)


4. Get better at applying eyeshadow & possibly record a video
So i've only just recently started to really get into eyeshadow application and all.. previously i usually just used liner & mascara or did a light wash all over my lids.. however, im starting to play around with what i have and i love it :) just wished i was better at it lol so i'll be watching many videos and reading many blog posts to learn more so i can get better :)

also, i know i started writing a blog because i enjoy expressing my opinions through written words rather than verbally (also because im better at written as compared to verbal lol) but my bf has been encouraging me to start making videos. im a bit nervous because i dont think i can really do as great of a job, but i think it'll be fun to set this as a goal, something thats out of my comfort zone :) so well, i'd love to hear what you think! should i possibly do a video review or tutorial? sometimes, some products i feel might be better reviewed if i could 'show' you how it works etc.. but i guess we'll see :) i'll put up a poll in the sidebar if you dont feel like leaving a comment below :)

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anyways, you've heard my resolutions, now tell me..

what are your new years resolutions?

I hope you all had an amazing 2010. now its time for another new year to start and i hope that your 2011 will be filled with more happiness than 2010. Dont forget, nothing is ever too late.. dont hold yourself back thinking that you just cant change the way you do something.. because there will always be a tomorrow, a brand new day where you can start to change. set some goals for yourself, no matter how big or small, they will help you become a better person. and you'll also feel good about yourself when you accomplish them :)

anyways, i hope you all have a blast celebrating the new year tomorrow :D stay confident and end this year with a bang! take care and have fun!

Karmin G3 Flat Iron! And the Winner is...

Before announcing the winner, i really would like to thank each and every one of you (even those who didnt enter) for supporting and following my blog. I started this blog in May 2010 and never expected anyone to follow. now its nearing one whole year of blogging and i have met and became friends with soo many wonderful people that its insane. i really love the blogger community because everyone here is so supportive and so kind to each other. its really amazing to see and this community is filled with so much talent :)


bottom line is, i really am thankful for every single one of my followers :) and i really hope you all enjoy reading my crazy long blog posts (i know.. i tend to get carried away lol) :) also, special thanks to Kris from Hair Products Pro who contacted me to sponsor this giveaway :)

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okay! time to announce the winner of the karmin G3 salon pro flat iron giveaway! *drumroll*


here is the number random.org picked...

so #311.. which corresponds to....

MsBubu !!

Congrats :) You are the winner! I will be emailing you shortly for your contact info so that Hair Products Pro can mail out your new flat iron to you :)

Thanks again to everyone who entered! If you didnt win this time, that's okay! dont be sad :) I will most likely be hosting another giveaway once i reach 500 followers. I am slowly starting to pick up goodies here and there, but the giveaway wont start until after i reach 500 followers, so keep your eyes open for when that giveaway post comes! :D

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Next up, here's a sneak peek at my new years eye look :)

DIY Makeup Palette

I know you've all been waiting for a LONG time for some more DIY projects! so finally, here is one that you can try at home :)

Recently, i have been trying to clean out my room and i found that i had a lot of single pan eyeshadows that needed to be more organized. So i went online looking through the obvious choices, MAC palettes, Z palettes, UNI palettes.. all which looked AMAZING but would end up costing me at least $20 CAD and more.. especially with shipping :(

So i searched around for some DIY projects, and found a whole bunch of amazing people who came up with some really good ideas! So please please please note that i did not really come up with this myself. i basically watched several videos of other DIY makeup palettes, kind of combined some good tips and twisted it up a bit to make it work with what i had at home :) If you want to watch videos or find more posts about a DIY makeup palette, just youtube/google "DIY makeup palette" and you will get a TON of great tutorials !

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So enough talking, here is my little tweeked version of a DIY Makeup Palette! Enjoy!!

completed projects :)

completed projects :)

Things you'll need:
- a dvd / cd / psp box (try to find something that is plain and sturdy, refer to instructions for more details)
- a strong pair of scissors
- a utility knife (may be optional)
- magnetic sheet / strips
- a pencil & ruler
- scrapbooking paper & stickers to decorate
- your eyeshadow pans!


Instructions:

Step One: find a good sturdy box (dvd, cd, psp)

 The first thing you want to do, is find a sturdy box. i have seen many tutorials using dvd boxes and cd cases.. i didnt have any free ones laying around, but what i did have, were some psp boxes which i felt were really sturdy and clear.. so i used those :) Plus, these are narrower than dvd boxes so i felt they were a little more compact for travelling :)

The main thing you are looking for here, is a sturdy box (i find cd cases are somewhat fragile and not strong enough to withhold travelling, but they will definitely work and make good palettes to organize your makeup). Also, if you're going with the dvd or psp/video game cases, try to look for the ones that have a transparent film in the front to hold a cover.. it'll come in handy later :) Take out all the instruction manuals and covers and you're ready to start!

transparent film

Place your eyeshadows in the box to see if the sizing is good :)

Step Two: Measure your magnetic sheet / strips

(You can do this project many different ways.. this is just a guideline so feel free to change it up!)

If you have an adhesive magnetic sheet (you can purchase these at local craft stores, i got mine from Michaels for $15.. and from the 2 palettes i made so far, i think i have enough for at least 10-15 more!), measure out the size for the bottom of your palette (should be the front cover side). If you have magnetic strips, just measure out enough horizontal or vertical lines to cover the front side of the box.

As you can see, my psp box has a hinge to hold in an instructions manual, as well as a spot on the back side to hold the disc. I decided to keep the hinge 1. to save myself from extra work :P and 2. so i could use it as a thumb rest to hold my palette. You could definitely take out the hinges to make more room for your eyeshadow. In my case, i could take it out and fit one more :)

Step Three: Cut out the size you need and adhere to the case

Using scissors, cut out the portion you need. Before adhering the magnet, make sure to place it in the case first and see if you can close it properly. If not, make adjusting trims until it fits nicely. 

Remember how i left the hinge on my box? So what i did was measure where the hinge was, cut some slits and shortened that area slightly. that way, my magnetic sheet could fit all the way down even with the hinge there.

When you're done making sure the magnet fits good, just peel the backing off and adhere it to the box. If you dont have the adhesive ones, apply a layer of white glue, apply the magnet on top and put a few heavy books or items on top until it dries.

Then check to see if your eyeshadows stick :) some eyeshadow pans may not be magnetic. In that case, you will need to stick magnets to the bottom of the pan prior to placing them in your palette.

Step Four: (optional) Remove disk holder (please be careful!!)

If the case you chose has a place for a disk, you may want to remove it if if pushes on your eyeshadows.. Or if you want to have a clear window to see your eyeshadows like the z palette does.


First, mark where and what you want to cut out. In my case, i just wanted a circular window so i just wanted to cut out the disk holder. If you want, you can cut a rectangle window just like the z palette.

Next, if your case is rather thick, you may need a utility knife to cut through the plastic. Even if your case is rather thin, i recommend using the utility knife to cut a small opening so that your scissors can fit in easier. Please make sure you are very very careful when using sharp objects to cut the case! If you're underage, please get adult supervision or get someone to help you cut as this may take a bit more effort and strength. And for everyone, please take your time when doing this part.

I recommend using the utility knife to first trace around the area you marked or want to cut out first a few times. then, find several points and try to push the utility knife edge through the entire plastic creating kind of like a dotted line where you can then cut along with the scissors. You then want to carefully cut with the scissors and then use a nail filer to smooth the edges.

Step Five: Decorate!

Taking any scrapbooking paper, construction paper, stickers etc that you have, start to decorate your palette :) I used some thicker scrapbook paper to make my palette slightly more sturdy.

Using the cover sheet to measure the size i need, i cut out the portion i needed and then inserted it between the case and the transparent film.

Next, i used a pencil to draw a circle where i wanted the window to be. If you cut a square window, you would trace the square :) since my psp disk holder is not exactly a circle, i had to do the best i could at creating a nice circle. Then, cut out the marked area from your paper and insert it back into the film to make sure everything fits nicely and the shape is what you want. Make any adjustments needed.

Then, the rest is really up to you! so get creative and decorate to your hearts desire :) use stickers, glitter, cut out paper designs or even draw on what you want! I used several flower and leaf stickers to decorate along with some 3D round circle stickers for the middle. I also added an orange border :)

Step Six: Place your eyeshadow pans in!

you can arrange them any way you want :) These are all my annabelle eyeshadow pans (most of which i had previously won from giveaways) plus my one stila duo eyeshadow pans.

what the palette looks like when closed

making sure my eyeshadows stay :)

and then..  i went on to make another palette since i had some free time :)

This time around, i didnt cut the window in my scrapbooking paper.

So i had a plain front cover to work with :)

i filled this palette with my wet n' wild coloricon palettes :) as well as one of my single wnw eyeshadows, and yup, i ended up moving the stila duo eyeshadow pans into this palette.

i then added another round eyeshadow pan to my first palette to make it look more even..

also, with depotting my wet n' wild coloricon palettes, i could easily transfer the eyeshadows to a smaller palette to keep in my purse for touchups

  

this is my ELF custom palette case

and thats it! heres a final picture again of my two new eyeshadow palettes :)

i really hope you enjoyed this DIY tutorial! I know there are a ton of better ones out there, but this is just what i did and i must say, i loved how it turned out!  I feel much more organized now :) and with the smaller sized palettes, it is easier for me to bring along during shorter travels. Plus, i had so much fun making it :D!

i hope you all had an amazing christmas & boxing day :) new years is coming so soon! i know everyone says this, but i cant believe 2010 is coming to an end.. if i have time, i'll try to post up a new years eve look :) until then, enjoy this festive week!