A day at the museum

 Post sponsored by Product Talk by Nuffnang, thanks.


We were very happy to recently receive some passes from Nuffnang to the Melbourne Museum to see the feature performance Tiddalik the Thirsty Frog. When I told the pickles we were going, they were over the moon. We have lived in Melbourne for nearly 10 years and I'm ashamed to say that I had never taken them (or myself) there before. To be totally honest, I'd never really thought about it until I was given the tickets, I then started to check out the Museum's website.....


Why had we not visited here before? There was all this "stuff" for them (and us) to see and do. Stuff they love. There was so much "stuff" that we didn't see it all in one day, which is great because we can go back again and again...which I love. I'm always looking for something to do for all of them that won't drive me insane and won't cost the earth. So freebie tickets or not, they had me at hello...lol


So, off we went...

We got the train to Parliament train station

We crossed the gardens at the Royal Exhibition Building...while trying to do our best "The Sound of Music" impression. 

We arrived at the Museum just in time to catch the 11.30am performance of Tiddalik the Thirsty Frog.

Tiddalik the Thirsty Frog is a collaboration between Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre, Melbourne Museum & Ilbijerri Theatre Company.

This Victorian Aboriginal creation story belonging to the Gunai people of Gippsland is about a greedy frog who drinks all of the water from the world, leaving nothing for the other animals and plants.
After some deliberation, the other animals decide that the only way to get Tiddalik to return the water, is to get him to laugh and spill the water out.
I remember reading this story at school...did you read it too?

The pickles and their friends got to have their photo taken with Uncle Herb Patten, who narrated the story.
I took my little pocket camera with me, so my photos inside the theatre were a little blurry...sorry.

One of our friends, Gab, who came along (there was a bunch of us), made these cute frog cookies to share. Thanks Gab!
We were talking about how the kids may not appreciate these things that much now, but one day, when they look back at these photos, they will remember some of the little things their Mums did to make it special.. hopefully. 

She also made the rice paper rolls....I've asked Gab to do a guest post on how to make these rolls...so stay tuned.....

It's a great idea to take a packed lunch and some snacks when you go to the museum and there's plenty of comfy places to sit while you enjoy your nosh.
We also took rolls, popcorn and red frogs too!

Thanks to my friend Vanessa for this photo of pickle#2...who is officially 4 wombats high!

As an additional activity to tie in with the frog theme, the pickles painted froggy masks at the Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre 

Pickle #3 LOVED THE GIANT LEGGO!!

And the turtles

And the roos

Um, yeah..I'm not a fan...but it was behind glass & stuffed...just the way I like my spiders!!

Same with this fella....eeew. The pickles on the other hand thought it was great.

Not everything was stuffed...these frogs were having a good old time.
Cuteness.

One of the favourites of the day was the Dinosaur Walk
a must for kiddies of all ages. We literally had to drag them out of there to go home.

Of course this bit of bling caught my eye...lol
Reminds me of something from the Superman movie.

We had a great day and I was totally exhausted by the time we got home, but we plan to go back to the Museum again soon & we're considering becoming MV Members check out the benefits.

Maybe we'll se you there?

My Take on Kate's look - Golden Globe 2012

My take on Kate's look- Golden Globes 2012 by marniea on polyvore.com

Smokey Bronze Eyes & FOA Illuminator

I called my friend Lara yesterday to see if she would let me try out Face of Australia's new Illuminator that I had picked up (when getting some milk!). Turned out she was going for dinner later that night, so she was happy to be my "guinea pig" yet again...thanks Lars

 1. Firstly, I applied the Gorgeous Cosmetics eye primer to her lids and then some shimmery bronze eyeshadows (mostly from the NYX Nude palette)
2. Next, I used an eyeliner pen and winged out the lash line just a little.
3. Then I blended a little black eyeshadow with the MAC pencil brush, to soften the top lash line and give a little definition to the bottom lashline. I used iInk pencil from Gorgeous Cosmetics to line the top and bottom water line (tight lining). Lars then applied her own mascara, because she freaks out when I do it (lol)...she used Dior Show mascara. Then I applied 3 sets of individual flares to the outer corner of each eye with the dark lash glue, I like it better than the clear one these days...meh

Lara's little bag of tricks. Cute bag..I think it's Mimco

The eyeshadows from the NYX palette have great pigment, I find them very similar to the MAC eyeshadows. The glittery finish that I applied to the inner corners and blended out is a loose dust from Gorgeous Cosmetics in Suede (looks beautiful on it's own too).
You'd think this post was sponsored by Gorgeous Cosmetics, but it's not...I'm just a BIG fan of this Aussie brand.

I used the MAC 190 foundation brush to apply Revlon's Colourstay foundation and thne to apply and blend the FOA Illuminator in Angel Mist to Lara's Cheekbones. I used my fingers to blend a little under her brow and on the cupids bow too.

1. Gorgeous Cosmetics eye primer.

 2. NYX Nude eyeshadow and lip palette.

3. Gorgeous Cosmetics Liquid Eyeliner Pen

4. Dior Show mascara

5. Revlon Colourstay foundation

6. Gorgeous Cosmetics concealer in medium

7. Face of Australia Illuminator in Angel Mist (it's a limited edition)

8. Clinique Long Last Glosswear in Brandy Twist.

9. NARS blush & bronzer duo in Orgasm & Laguna

Have a safe and happy NYE, whatever you may be doing and I'll see you in 2012.

{Review} Luminous colour Glaze® Clear Shine & no more floozying around

I'm going to admit it now, just so you know...I am a hair product junkie...there, I said it.
But I have been seeking help, OK?

Since finding my amazing hairdresser Heather (thanks Natasha), I have cut back on my floozy product days and one night (product) stands and settled for a more respectful hair life. It's funny how, when you meet "the one", that your hair life can change forever. She knows what I want and she "understands" my hair and I never leave feeling dissatisfied or disappointed.

Heather, if you read this, please don't ever leave me...I may just die, or at least, my follicles might .

Now that I don't have to fight my hair to behave, everything just falls into place...except the frizzies. The frizzies, I believe will be the bane of my hair life forever.

My (lovely) sister in law, who also sees Heather (it's a family affair), has tried the Keratin phenomenon that is currently about, and is fairly happy with the result. I have yet to give this a go.
But, I have been using the Luminous colour Glaze® Clear Shine from the John Frieda® Hair Care experts for a while and I am THRILLED with the results!!!

It was really windy today when Mr3P took this.

I use the Glaze every time I wash my hair, after shampooing & conditioning. I leave it on for a few minutes and rinse. It feels a little squeaky after I rinse, but then dries so smooth AND shiny...especially after I use a straightening iron. I usually don't need to add a serum, but the floozy in me can't resist. (Just a leetle bit  Morrocan Oil can't hurt...can it?)

Fragrance: light...smells like a hair salon product...sorry to be vague...you know what I mean...don't you?

Value for money: Well worth even the full price as I only use a small amount and my hair is long and VERY thick. I've had this for a couple of months and I'm only 1/2 way through the bottle. I usually use it whenever I wash my hair, which is typically twice a week, three times when I remember to do a treatment.

I purchased my John Frieda Luminous colour Glaze® Clear Shine from Priceline for about $13 ( it was reduced for a catalog sale) but I believe it normally retails for $19.99.

Tell me are you a hair product junkie....or just a bit of a floozy?

Feel free to link your hair posts with your comments. I'll be sharing some more of my favourite hair products very soon.

Stay beautiful xx

I'm back

School holidays are almost over and I have missed this blog A LOT, so I'll be back to my usual blogging any day now. 

There will be a few changes so stay tuned.

And to all of those readers who have stayed with me during my rocky road lately, THANK YOU.

See you soon.

Me, the Make-Up Artist

If you've ever read my blog before, you would know that I am also a make-up artist. I've haven't talked about it much on here before, but I felt my blog just wasn't complete without regular posts about make-up and beauty stuff. After all, it it a part of my life that I really love, so why not share it on here? So here's a little about me...the Make-Up Artist...

I am a professional make-up artist that has worked in the make-up industry for over 21 years (I’d like to say that I started when I was 5, but that would be a lie).I was trained by the brilliant Rick Findlater (Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, King Kong, Last Samurai…to name a few) Starting out working in the film, fashion & tv industries and then went on to run a small make-up academy, with many students going on to successful make-up careers with credits including Star Wars, Matrix, Scooby Doo, House of Wax, Bait, Hercules. I am also very proud to say that one of my students (and good friend), Mark Cleary recently was given an Emmy honour for his work on the Speilberg/Hanks series “The Pacific”. (you can read about that here) Nice one Markey!

Eventually, I decided to “hang up” my brushes for a while to start a family (aka the pickles).

I couldn’t stay away for long and  have had the pleasure to work with hundreds of Brides, bridal parties and  family and friends for their weddings and special, red carpet occasions. The “special occasion” make-up has always been my favourite area of make-up to work in.

So much has changed since I started in make-up, with cosmetic companies getting better and better with their products and formulas, to the styles and looks of the moment changing and bouncing back time and time again. When I first started, Kate Moss was an unknown and no one had even heard of a GHD!! MAC was impossible to buy in Australia and you were lucky if you had a friend or relative going on an o/s trip so they could get you some goodies. Today, it’s as easy as a few clicks and a credit card. Maybe that’s a good thing, because when I first started, I wanted EVERYTHING IN MY KIT and it weighed a tonne, but as time went on and my experience grew, I realised it really was quality over quantity. I still WANT IT ALL today, that hasn’t changed, but now I am much more selective of what goes in.

If you’d like to learn about the tips, tricks and techniques that I have learnt along the way, plus reviews on products that I love (new and classic) then stick around, because I’m going to share them with you.

By the way, a lot of make-up pictures that you'll see on this blog have had some photographic processing (I don't own photoshop but I do use picnik.com to edit stuff), mainly because I don't own any fancy lighting equipment and this program helps me A LOT. My clients are kind enough to let me use their images on this blog and I want them to be reassured that their photos look great..and if this means some tweaking, then so be it! I love playing with the editing, it's just an extension of what I do, you can get some great effects and have a bit of fun with it. For anyone who has a problem with that, then I suggest you might enjoy other blogs that are a little more raw than mine. And if you have a negative comment about my work, then please try to find the courage to leave a comment that identifies who you are and not some anonymous dribble. So in saying that, this IS MY little blog and My little space on the net and I WILL be expressing myself and my work in a way I choose. So there ...lol xx

 All product reviews and suggestions on this blog will be from my own opinions and will not be influenced in anyway by another party. I will give you my honest opinion about what I use and recommend, but they are my opinion and may not suit everyone. No 2 faces are alike, so what looks good on one person will not always suit another. I believe that you, (the reader), should always test products (especially anything that will go on your skin or near your eyes), for sensitivity or allergic reactions. Always do a patch test and follow the manufacturers instructions. If you’re not sure, then don’t use it. All products in my kit are purchased by me, with my own money. If a company sends me a product to try and I review it on this blog, then I’ll let you know. OK?

Please feel free to leave your comments (I LOVE getting them) and also leave any suggestions or questions you might have.  I’ll try my best to answer them quickly.

See you on the red carpet!

{how to} Smokey Eyes & Red Lips

Time for a little festive glamour. Red lips and smokey eyes are a favourite look at the moment, so I thought I'd share with you the steps and products that I use to create the looks below.

If you want to know a little more about me, the Make-Up Artist (click here).

Always make sure you have no moisturiser on your lids as this will prevent the make-up from adhering properly and you'll end up with that yucky creasing. I don't know about you, but I have enough creases in my life without creating new ones...lol. I like to use a wet wipe or cotton pad with a little toner on it to swipe over my lids...and then let it dry.

1. Blend a primer or eye base over the lid and blend it up towards the brow. I like MAC paint pot in Painterly.

2. On the lids, pat on a light, silvery eyeshadow. Through the crease and outer corner and using a small brush, pat on a deeper shade and blend a little to soften the edges. I like Revlon Colourstay Eyeshadow Quad in Sandstorm or Sterling Rose.

3 & 4. Pat on the lid/inner corner some loose dust in a shimmery silver or beige with a fluffy eyeshadow brush. I like Gorgeous Cosmetics shimmer dust in Suede & this eye shadow brush from Make-Up and Glow (online store)

5. Take an eyeliner pencil and smudge it along the top and bottom lashline. If you like you can apply it to the waterline too (inner lashline). I like iINK Liquid eyeliner pencil in carbon black by Gorgeous Cosmetics. In 21 years of being a make-up artist I have NEVER found anything like this...it's AMAZING!!!!

6. You can curl the lashes first and then apply 2 coats of black mascara (I use waterproof for bridal events...for obvious reasons). I like Maybelline Great Lash Mascara Waterproof in very black.

7&8. Apply strip lashes or 4-5 individual flares to the outer corner of the lashline using black lash glue (my fave). I like MAC lashes and Duo Adhesive from here or here.

9. Shape your brows by using little hair like strokes with a good brow pencil in a similar colour to you eyebrows. I like Gorgeous Cosmetics Nouveaux Brow pencil.

In case your wondering, I always do the eyes first and the rest of the face second. I find that if I get fallout or smudges (and I often do), then it's easier to clean up the skin before the foundation is applied. it just keeps everything fresher.

For the face.

1. Apply a primer all over, except for the eyes of course. I like Face of Australia primer.

2. Apply your foundation with a brush or sponge to achieve the coverage you need. I like Graftobian HD foundation pots. from Make-Up & Glow.

3. Using a small brush, apply concealer where required (if needed at all). I like Ben Nye concealers.

4. Apply loose powder with a big fluffy brush to "set" the foundation. I like Derma Colour fixing powder (waterproof) Your foundy's going nowhere one you apply this!!! Trust.

5. Now apply a little blush on the apples of the cheeks and some bronzer in the hollow of the cheekbone, blending up toward the temple. Less is more and it's much easier to add that to remove! I like Nars duo blush in Orgasm/laguna.

For the lips

Line your lips with a red lip pencil and apply a shimmery lips gloss in clear or a favourite red tone.
I like NYX lip pencils, Rimmel lipgloss (from Kmart or Priceline) in Forever Yours and Dior Addict lipgloss (which I used on the bridesmaids and I don't think you can get the exact same colour anymore...boo), but the Rimmel one was a close match.

Edit: I've just found the name and number of the Dior gloss it's called 

Christian Dior Addict Ultra Gloss #851 A Relish of Berries. 

Hair by the fabulous ladies at Hair Meleo.
Go "like" them on Facebook and tell them I said "Hi"

Finally, set your make-up with a mist of MAC Fix+ and you're good to go.

What make-up do you recommend for this festive season? I'd love for you to share in the comments.

see you on the red carpet!