Arg I had so many plans for more halloween looks this year, and I just haven't had time to do them!
I just started work (after moving back to Australia), its been about 3 months of not working since I left the UK (there was a lot of traveling and spending time with both my, and my partners folks in New Zealand before moving back here) and the it's taken it out of me.

So I am enjoying my new job, although there is sooo so much to learn, and I have had alot of homework and things to do after work, and I haven't had much time until now. I am starting to get the hang of things a lot more now, and now have more time to do things after work (and more energy! Do you know how much work takes out of you when you haven't worked for a while? I never did until now! I think that is the longest in my life I have been without a job since I left school haha)
That last few weeks I have been trying to organise all of my aplications and everything I need to apply for school next year (makeup school! Wish me luck! I am up to stage 3! what a mission haha)
Last week was devoted to sorting out my costume for myself and my boyfriend for the Boho Ball last weekend.
Sooooo *this* week I had planned to do as many more halloween tutorials as I could, and get some of the requests I had done .... and now I have been struck down with the lurgy!
I have spend 2 days in bed, and another off work, and everday after I got home I have gone straight to bed, and now the weekend is 2 days ago and I haven't had a chance to do anything!
I am so dissapointed with myself and I feel like I have been a let down.
So I am realllllly sorry, and I am really going to make an effort to set aside more time for any requests that I may get from now on, if I decide to do them.
Anyway I hope you all have a wonderful halloween anyway!
love and laughs,
Manda xx

Dark Giesha Luis Royo Inspired

Luis Royo has some dark and sometimes disturping images, but they are never the less very beauiful. A lot of his work features woman wearing not much, but they are often strone worrors.

A lot of them have strange body and serface peircings, and tattoos and markings as well. I think they are really beautiful though.

This is my take on one of the Dark Moon 2010 images. You can see the one I used above.

I don't know if that flash of read down the side was there, but I wanted to add it in, because other wise the look is very black and white. You can decide for youself what you would like to do. I think it would be cool to add a bit of red just above the eye and at the top of the brow from the arch to the end. That to me would give it more of a Maiko feel.

From the research I have done, Maiko tend to wear more red than a Geisha.
Products used:

Kryolan Super colour 001 (white)

Ben Nye Setting powder

Mac Painterly, Paint Pot

Coastal Sense 42 Matte shadow - White

Mac Shark Skin, Shade stick

Coastal Sense 42 Matte Shadow - Black

Urban Decay Zero 24/7 glide on eye liner

Coastal Sense 42 Matte Shadow - Red

Body Shop Brow and Liner kit, o2

Maybelline Liquid Liner

Rimmal London 024 Red Diva

Wet n Wild 508a

I really love this look.

Cheap Bites

One of my wonderful friends, loaned me the use of her neck for this one. Thanks Steph!

So as you may know, last year I did a video on how to do vampire bites using Nose and Scare Wax and fake blood. But not everyone can get those, so I was going to do a video on how to do the same look on the cheap.

I didn't have time to do it last year, so it was one of the first videos I filmed this year.

It's pretty easy to do, and I think for a night out it's probably better than using the nose and scare wax, because than can move throughout the night as the wax stays soft.

Products Used:

Eyelash From the cheapest set of lashes I could find.

In the top bite I used Raven Red by Revlon

In the bottom bite I used 508a by wet n wild

(you can't see clearly the difference it makes in the photo's though I'm affriad)

Liquid eyeliner by Revlon

All of the eye shadow I used where from my Coastal Sense, 42 matte and Blush Palette. I used a mix of different pinks, with a touch of yellow, and purple.

Red Diva 024 by Rimmal

A red lip gloss (I'm sorry I don't know the name, it is one that has been kicking around in my bag for a while and the name has warn off)

Any clear lip gloss on top.

Black Widow Spider Make-up

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=El562XGf_gk




Halloween look number One for 2010.
Acutally I wanted to do this look last year, but I just didn't have time.

Whatda ya think?

Hope you like it! You damn well better because it gave me the creeps to do it. When I had the lashes on under my eyes, I kept thinking there was something 8 legged on my face. And when then when I had to look for pic's of a black widow spider to put on my finger, I was kept feeling something crawling down my spine, and ever dark spot I saw I'd jump at. Hahaha I'm such a wuss! :D





Here's what I used:




Painterly paint pot by Mac


Red by Star Gazer


Vitamin E Face Mist, by Body Shop


Shark Skin, Shade stick by Mac


#40 (black) Loose Dust by Napoleon
A glitter Gel, or lip balm


Midnight Star by Splash mixed with some Red Sparks! by TKB (both glitters)


Brow and Liner Kit, 02 by Body Shop


Blacktrack fluidline by Mac


Lash Stiletto by Maybelline


Individual lashes




Spidery lashes!

Soft Gold for Red heads and Blue Eyes

So! Like I was saying, this look is for a friend of mine who has a very classic red head compelction (woops spelling!).

She is very very fair, with a gaw-jus ginger, almost Honey Blonde colloured hair.

We were talking about make-up in our dance class the other day, and she said that she really didn't know what to do when it came to make-up.

She had tried going into makeup counters before at places like Mac, and some of the different makeup houses in David Jones and Myre, and the makeup advisers always had really dark makeup, and tried to do dark looks on her, which she just didn't feel confident wearing (she doesn't normally wear any makeup at all).

So this is a very soft gental look with her in mind. Once you have more confidance, and are feeling alittle bolder there is so much you can do!

I forgot to say in the video that for very fair skin, and blonde/red head complection it would look nicer to use a brown mascara instead of black, but I don't have one, and just automaticly said "apply black mascara". Use brown!

So for this look I used:

Paiterly by Mac

Body Shop Shimmer Cube 06 - Lightest shade

Jardin Aires by Mac

Soft Gold by Inglot (I will get the number, but I am at an intnernet cafe at the moment. Internet being hooked up on Tuesday!)

Woodwinked by Mac

A very small amount of the Copper colour in the Shimmer Cube 06 by Body shop, lightly swept accross the lid to warm up a touch more.

Brown eye definer by Ben Nye

Small amount of black liquid liner (I wouldn't recomment using this for very fair/redhead people, but I wanted to add it on for myself)

Mascara - I'd suggest using brown, but I used a black on myself because I don't have a brown.

~Halloween~

Halloween is just around the corner!
Last year, I simply didn't have time to get done very much, so I really want to make up for it this year. Hopefully my boxes from the UK will be arriving soon, and then I can get into it!
This is a list of the things that I would like to do this year. I probably won't have time to do all of them, but this is my list so far. If there is any from there that you would like to see, please let me know which one's so that I know what to start working on first.
Also if you have any request's please let me know as well :)

Medusa
Sphinx
Black Widow Spider
Vampire bite's using everday makeup
Vampire Makeup using Everyday makeup (This is a request that I filmed this last year but didn't have time to load it up cos youtube was having issues at the time for me. I am hesitant to load it because there is just so much out for vampires at the moment, but I have it so I may as well put it up!)
How to make your own fake blood
Marie Antoinette
Luis Royo Inspired look
Luis Royo Inspired Gisha
Day of the Dead girl (again I may not do this. I really wanted to do it the year before last, but did not have the right things for it. Last year so many other amazing Guru's did it, that I think it would be silly for me to do it as well)
Mermaid
Poison Ivy
Scare Crow
Corpse Bride
Sally - from Nightmare before Christmas
Betty Boop
Terminator - take #2
Zombie - take #2
Clockwork Orage
Queen of the Damned -Akasha

If there is anything there that you like the sound of and would like to see, please let me know!
And if you have any request's let me know about them too :)
See you all spoon!
xx

My Top 20 Travel Tips

1. Don't take more than you need too! Seriously, you will be there wanting to buy something and be thinking damn, I really didn't need to bring the kitchen sink with me after all. It's dang heavy to carry, it takes up all of your shopping space, and it weighs a tone, that could be on all these neato things from .

2. Wear sunscreen. Remember that song from the Class if 1999? They had it right. Sunscreen is awesome. And plus it keeps your skin nice and wrinkle free, and stops sunspots and skin cancer and that stuff. So trust me. On the sunscreen.

3. Take some small zip-lock clear plastic bags. You may not need them, but if you are caring liquids or gells (under 100mls) on your carry on you will need them. You can normally get them at airports, but I have seen some places charge for them, and they can come in pretty handy for things like toothbrushes, wet clothes, broken jewelery and all sorts of things that you'd otherwise be thinking "Man I really wish I had a ziplock bag right now.

4. Take Ear plugs and an Eye patch! I used these almost every night when we where traveling! It is akwards to throw something at someone you don't know who is snoring while staying in a hostel or backpackers. And alot of hotel's have very thin walls and you can hear people nextdoor and on the street.

5. Take a book or a magazine and an MP3 player. At some stage you will be waiting for a plane or a bus, or a boat, or a train and it is good to have something to entertain yourself with. I would recommend not taking something fancy like an ipod, just take something cheap and replaceable just incase you loose it, or someone decideds it is shiney and wants it for themself.

6. On that note, be careful and have your wits about you. You probably won't get pick pocketed, but you might. When you are in busy places, keep and eye out, be weary of anyone that approaches you.  If they keep talking to you when you have said that you can't help, or are not interested or don't have a lighter, look around you. They often work in teams' one person will try to distract you while the other will pick your pockets.

Also there are bag slashers that will cut a whole in your bag nic your wallet and be gone. I haven't had it happen anywhere while I was traveling, but I have had it happen about 30seconds from my door when I lived in the centre of London. (admitidly I did look like a tourest cos we were carring bags and suitcases just returning from a holiday. "Can I borrow I lighter?" "I don't have one" "Can I just borrow a lighter?" "Um no, I don't have one" he just kept going on = DING DING DING DING DING!)  I realised what was happening and whipped around just as some guy was pulling his hand out of my pocket. I hadn't felt a thing and he would have gotten away with it, if I had not realised something was up and turned around. Luckily for me, and unluckily for him I only had a handful of snoty tissues in my pocket because I had a cold. Ha Ha! In your face you pocket picking arse!)

Also I would not recomment taking anything valuble or specail to you, be it jewelery or anything else. Even in backpackers people can take things from right out of your drom. It normally doesn't happen often, but it does happen. I had a jacket stolen once. Not happy.

7. Take your own food as much as you can. You will save so much money! There will be food anywhere close to a big tourist attraction, but it is hard to find a cheep place and often the food is pretty rubbish. It is nice to eat out while you are away every now and then, but it is a good way to spend all of your money and often the food is not fantastic, because it is aimed at tourists that will only go there once and never come back. If you really want to eat out, get a Lonley Planit and check out the recomndations. You can trust them. Other than that, I recommend finding a supermakert (and in some places even they are not cheap) and buying a few things for a packed lunch or to at least take along to snack on. You will save a bundle!

8. Take a tourch. Them things come in mighty handy! The headlamps that campers use might look a little silly, but they are even handeir still because well.... you can use your hand! Both of them! (asuming you have two) and besides, no one can see you looking silly because it is dark.  If you come home late, and there are people asleep in your dorm don't be a dick and turn on the main light, whip out your little torch :)

9. Take a padlock. If you can't put your things in a locker then you can at least put in around the zips on your luggage. Most backpackers or hostels will have lockers, sometimes you will have to buy or hire a key from them, so it is cheaper to just have one with you.

10. Take a scarf. If you are going sight seeing, often that will be going to some of the breathtaking chruches or mosques. It doesn't matter if it is not something you believe in. It is a holly place and you should respect them. If they have signs up saying don't take photos, Don't take photos. If they have signs up saying no talking, don't talking. Even if there is not a sign up saying to cover your head or shoulders do it anyway. It is respectful. I have seen people cueing up to get into St Pauls Basilica for 2 hours, only to get turned away at the door because they were not covered.  It doesn't matter if you don't believe in it, it's about experiencing a piece of history or culture of where you are right then and there.  Even if it means nothing to you, there are probably a lot of people that have pilgrimaged from all over the world to get there to see that, so show a little respect.

11. Take a camera! I'm guessing you are already planning to take one, but take along spare batteries and spare memery card as well. And a charger. Also, as much as it is good to have your big camera that takes amazing photos (and I took mine everwhere) it is really handy to have a small one as well. They are easy to carry, don't take up much space or get in the way, and you can get them out easy peasy to take a photo without any fuss.

12. Check out the plugs in the country you are going to, and take a plug adaptor. A universal one is a good idea because you can use them most places.

13.Don't buy the first thing you see! If it is right next to a train station, or an underground station, or right next to a big attraction, you will almost certainly find it cheaper somewhere else. Probably right around the corner.

We got out of the tube and saw a fella selling sunbralla's in Rome. He was selling them for 8euros. We said we'd take one for 5. He said ok. My, my, aren't we cleaver! We walked around the corner and saw a stand selling them for 3. D'oh!

14. Buy a Lonely Planit of the place you are going. They are full of wonderful tips, bits of informations, recommandations, lingo. They are heavy though. We meet one chick that would rip out the the pages of the places she was in and carrie that round with her. What a brilliant idea! It gets heavy carring everything with you. Lonely Planits come out every year so it doesn't matter if you rip out the pages, because in a year there will be out of date anyway.  Then if you want to be a nice person, when you leave you can give them to someone else.

15. When in Rome... Don't buy water. Ok well buy the water once so that you have a water bottle, but don't buy any more after that! The Romans are very proud of their water. You will see water spots all over the place where you can fill up your bottle for free and the water is perfectly fine to drink. It tastes good, its cold, and its free! Yay!

16. Print out confirmation of all of your bookings. Something may happen where you get to a hotel or backpacker or airport and they can't seem to find your booking, or don't have a space, or the price has gone up. If you have a print out of confermations from them, they can't wiggle their way around you. It never happend to us, but I have heard of it happening to others. We took a print out of every single place we went, just incase. It is better to be safe than sorry!

17. Take a notebook, and write down all of the numbers of hotels, or busses, or anything you think might be handy. Just incause it's not as easy to find where you wanted to be and you need to call up for directions. People are normally really helpful and can tell you how to get where you need to be. Also have things written down on paper incause your phone goes dead and you need a payphone.

18. Print out a copy of your passport and leave it with someone back home that you know you will be able to get in contact with.

19. Wear comfy shoes! Its all very good and well to have sexy looking feet, and if you can manage to strut down a cobble street for a good 6 or so hours, then I take my hat off too you and expect you to give me some tips! But I would much perfer to have comfy shoes and no blisters or sore feet. I don't mean that you have to wear sandles and socks, but I wouldn't really recomment high heals or something that might give you lots of blisters either.

19.2 Oo while I remember, it is a brilliant, brilliant idea to take a little mini first aid kit too. If you are only having carry-on then you won't be able to take scissors or anything, but take some plasters or band-aid's, insect repallent, insect bite cream (No matter how much I spray myself with no-bitie stuff, I still get bitten) sunscreen, (aftersun is good to sometimes incause you forget sunscreen), Ginger pills if you get travel sick, Imodium! You probably won't get food poisening, but sometimes just eating food you are not used to can upset your body a bit.

20. Have a totally amazing time! You will go to so many amazing places and see some amazing things! Have fun, be possative, and look at the bright side of things. Even if something awful and unforseen happen's - it may seem like a disaster, but you will have a great story to tell when you get back, and the older you get the funnier it will seem!

OK.

So I have had this blog for almost 6 months I think, even though I haven't told anyone about it. (one would wonder what the point in that is? Yeah me too.)

But I have hardly used it in the last 6 months, so I am going to make a effort to start using it properly again!

I keep starting to write something, and then I will have to run to work, or I will be half way through and then I will get tired and fall asleep and forget about it. I have about 5 blogs that I have started to write and never finished! Fail I know. hehe

So I guess this is just kinda a short wee note to that I am writing up here, because if I write it up here, I will actually do it.

Now that I am back in this side of the world I am going to start doing more videos again, and I am going to tell people about my blog. Maybe I well even have a sneaky contest on here.... one can never be to sure... ;)

So what I hear you asking will be on this mistery blog that no-one actually knows about? I'm not 100% sure. I think just a bit of this and that and the other. Whatever comes into my mind at the time that I sit down to write in it.

It is most likely going to be a random mishmash of things. Might have something to do with dancing, might be about make-up, might be about making things hand made, might be questions and getting your thoughts on things, might be a contest, might just be about whatever I have been doing lately, Might be about travel, might just be reminicing about the past. Honestly don't know.

In the mean time... have a kitten :)