I hope you all have a happy, fun, and safe New Year! Be careful! :)
Don't forget about my Orglamix giveaway, posted below. Start your New Year off by winning fabulous mineral makeup!
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Happy New Year!!
Posted by x at Thursday, December 31, 2009 3 comments
Labels: 2010, celebrate, happy, happy new year, party, safety
Monday, December 28, 2009
Orglamix Review & Giveaway!
The holidays have come and gone, and they were wonderful! I'm happy to have gotten what I did from my family, considering how hard the economy has been this year. Hopefully the new year will bring more joy and prosperity.
To get back into the blogging game, I'm hosting a giveaway for Orglamix makeup. If you visit a lot of blogs, you may have come across these lovely cosmetics made by Cheri. She graciously agreed to send me an eye color collection to review, as well as give away one color collection (or three single color shades) to one lucky reader!
I've won several shades from other blog giveaways, so I'm pretty familiar with these products. However, the color collection Cheri sent me was the Wicked collection, pictured here. As a rule, I'm not one to pull off bright greens and dark shades, but I felt adventurous and wanted to give it a try.
Orglamix is home to mineral makeup that is formulated without a lot of unnecessary chemicals such as nano particles, synthetic dyes, parabens, and bismuth oxychloride, which can cause skin irritation and can be dangerous in mineral makeup when not filtered correctly. Bismuth is used to make makeup shimmery and affix to the skin easier, but Cheri has found a way to accomplish this without using this chemical. Simply put, her mineral eyeshadow stays on wonderfully and shimmers for long periods of time. Her Sweet Pea shade is very light and yet shimmers like diamonds. Also, she is a member of PETA, so you know that these are animal cruelty-free.
Here are pictures of me wearing the Wicked collection. The greens Eucalyptus and Lagoon are so lustrous, and the dark shade Obsidian gives a smoky effect that really speaks of the popular Broadway show. Note that I don't have the best camera in the world.
Compared to others like MAC, Orglamix is very affordable at just $3.99 per shade (before shipping). Some would say that the container is too small, but you're paying over $10 less, and you really don't need to put a lot of the powder on! (And recently, she has upgraded her container size!) She sells brushes and Magnetism, an eye primer, but I've successfully used these products with just concealer cream and a cheap eye brush. Just imagine these with her applier products!
And now, onto your favorite part of reviews: The Giveaway!!
Mandatory Entry: Visit Orglamix's store and pick your favorite eye color collection (or three shades). Come back here and post a comment with your favorite. With every entry, including this one, please leave a way to contact you, either with an email address or Etsy username.
Optional Extra Entries:
Posted by x at Monday, December 28, 2009 266 comments
Labels: beauty, etsy, etsy feature, giveaway, glamor, makeup, pretty, review
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Christmas on Etsy.
Well, tomorrow I'm going home for the holidays, so this blog will be on a mini-hiatus as I celebrate with my family and friends. When I return, it'll be back to tweeting, posting, and Etsy-ing while doing art. Also, I'll be reviewing Orglamix makeup and holding a giveaway for one of her amazing eyeshadow collections, so don't forget! :)
Posted by x at Tuesday, December 22, 2009 7 comments
Labels: accessories, christmas, clothing, colors, etsy, etsy listings, hiatus, holidays, jewelry
Monday, December 21, 2009
Be Safe... on your Blog.
My computer is just sitting there, in the room. I go downstairs to enjoy dinner and some time with my guy. I go upstairs, sit in the chair, and look at the screen.
My background has changed to green and black with "WARNING! Your computer has been infected. Serious malware has been detected!" Things are popping up (those gray pop-up boxes with the "dun!" noise) about Trojans. Yep, my computer has been infected. Still is, as I type this.
It was just a month ago when my PC had been infected the first time. Not the first ever time, but the first in a long long time. That was easily taken care of, but I noticed weird programs in my task manager's list. Jipsysguard.exe, by the way, is not something you want in there. So this could've been the root of this new virus, deemed Netsky.
The first infection came right after I visited a blog I follow. A popular one. I won't name names, and I'm sure this person doesn't know about it, but viruses can creep through the net. I hadn't opened any attachments, but I clicked on an article link and boom, infected. So keep an eye out on what you put on your blog and keep your computer clean by regularly checking up using software. (By the way, AVG version 9.0 is not good enough unless you're willing to pay, because it will not clean those viruses. Get an older free version.)
So be safe everyone! Other than that, I am excited about Christmas and, as a gift, Patrick is getting computer parts to build a new computer, so hopefully I won't have to deal with this crap anymore. :P Happy holidays!
Posted by x at Monday, December 21, 2009 8 comments
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Sunday Shares.
So, I finally found the time to take some pictures and post new Etsy listings! About time, right? Sometimes I wish I could make clothes and jewelry because it'd be faster with more quantity. But, you know, you stick with the gifts you were given.
Posted by x at Sunday, December 20, 2009 6 comments
Labels: art, cute, design, drawing, etsy, etsy listings, handmade, love, new, prints, tea
Friday, December 18, 2009
Friday Featurette.
Today's late featurette goes to marbled, the shop of designer handbags and totes. I only need one purse from time to time, but I still like to admire all the lovely handmade bags out there on Etsy.
Marbled is just plain cute, and pretty affordable when compared to other stores of the handmade variety. Chic and elegant, to just plain cute! There are plaid, floral, and solid colors to choose from. This is my favorite:
Etsy indicates this store is only a few months old, so it's rather novel with just 17 items for sale, but hopefully more products will come with more exposure. I just love little tote bags! :)
Posted by x at Friday, December 18, 2009 3 comments
Labels: bags, cute, etsy, fabric, friday featurette, handmade, totes
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Lykke Li.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
My first handmade journal.
I've always wanted to make one of these!
Posted by x at Wednesday, December 16, 2009 0 comments
Labels: handmade, holidays, journal, plt, pretty, relax, scores
Monday, December 14, 2009
Motivation Monday.
I will do well today. My Printmaking final will be great. The matte redo will be great. The items are great, the title is great, and my critique will be great. Some flaws will occur, as usual, but it will not tarnish my overall design.
I will do fine on my Ed. Psych exam. I will make the necessary grade, or better, to get an A in that class. I will be prepared for it, though I haven't had much time to study. I will do well on it by taking my time and breathing.
I will get all As this semester, no matter what. I will do well today.
Okay, let's go! :)
Posted by x at Monday, December 14, 2009 3 comments
Labels: art, monday, motivation, perfection, school
Sunday, December 13, 2009
And now, the Winner!
I'm very happy with the response my big giveaway received. After the deadline passed I went to random.org, put in the numbers, and came out with #27 or...
MissKnits! Congratulations, Mel! The prize-givers have been contacted, and I will mail out my prizes on Tuesday.
She has a lovely shop of handmade items, as well as a supply store at BitsfromMissKnits. You can also check out her blog here.
For those who didn't win, don't be discouraged! I'll be holding another giveaway soon. Makeup lovers, definitely stay tuned!
Well, tomorrow is my last day. Printmaking final, and an Ed. Psych exam. I'm kind of nervous!! I really hope to make all As, I worked my butt off this semester and it has been the toughest so far. Wish me luck!
And thanks for visiting. :)
Posted by x at Sunday, December 13, 2009 2 comments
Labels: BIG giveaway, etsy, printmaking, school, winner
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Only two remain!
Phew, so that's three classes down, and only two more to go. My drawing final went really well, as well as my e-portfolio for Art Ed. and photography final was good. The only problem is is I've been up for over 36 hours with only 6 hours of sleep in between. That's what college finals are about, though, if you aren't a time management god/goddess.
I'll be teaching middle school tomorrow morning, then finishing up Monday with an Ed Psych exam and my printmaking final. Exciting! I am really ready for the holidays to get here; REST REST REST! And maybe I'll be able to produce some good stuff to put on Etsy.
PLEASE DON'T FORGET: my BIG giveaway ends on Saturday at noon! Six people including myself are giving away great prizes, and under 100 people have entered so your chances are pretty good compared to most big big giveaways. Click the link or scroll down, spread the word to your friends! You don't want to miss it.
Better updates to come with this break. :)
Posted by x at Thursday, December 10, 2009 2 comments
Labels: art, BIG giveaway, etsy, finals, sleepy
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Saturday Spotlight.
I missed yesterday's featurette thing, so busy with school! Also, please don't forget about my big giveaway, it doesn't end until December 12th! (Scroll down.)
Today I'm going to feature thaimodish. It's about time I did! I love so much about this store: the unique style, the colors, the fair pricing (shipping is expensive, though). I've been pining after so many items I've lost count! Here are just a few of my favorites:
I would definitely love to own one of those pieces for Christmas. It's a bit out of my reach for now, but I can dream! :) Take a look, you'll be amazed.
The VAS sale was pretty slow, because there was a championship football game going on in the nearby stadium. Some sales were made, including one of my printmaking designs! *Squee!* I was so happy when the girl picked it out and showed her mother. I also traded in that tea-n-coffee stained painting for a lovely silk scarf with a fellow craft student. So, for me, it was a success.
I'm loving the response to my giveaway posted below. Also, I've recently received a few items I've won myself. I don't know how I've been living without Etsy and all of you fine folks behind it! The holidays just got brighter. :D
Posted by x at Saturday, December 05, 2009 2 comments
Labels: clothing, craft, craft sale, cute, etsy feature, favorite, pretty, saturday spotlight, style
Monday, November 30, 2009
My Multi-Prize Giveaway!
Hey everyone! I hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving holiday, whether it was spent stuffing your face or stuffing your stockings for loved ones (and yourself, hehe).
So, it's finally here. I'm really grateful to my internet buddies and fellow Etsians. I've reached 300 followers on Twitter, and over 100 on this blog. I sure hope it will continue to grow as the days go on! In lieu of this community, the holidays, and just good ole fun, I present to you..
Some Etsy sellers have graciously donated their items to this giveaway in the spirit of giving. Please take the time to visit their shops and peruse their items and their sales. (You'll want to do this anyway for entries!)
ONE lucky winner will receive this prize package, valued up to $60, after being selected by Random.org. Here's what is included, and how to enter:
Tina from FlockTogetherCrafts has donated a beautiful Guinea Hen Feather Headband. Love it!
John and Donna McLean from LaughingFridge has donated one of their adorable magnets, the Pirate Fat Cat Aaaaarrt Magnet! :3
Tricia from SimplyUniqueKreation has donated a gorgeous Red Wave Ring. It is a size 8, but the ring size can be adjusted for the winner.
I am offering a 3-card set of a mystery printmaking design, as well as the pretty photo album shown above. Album contains 10 plastic sleeves, sized approximately 6x6".
Haley from Haleysscrapbooknook is offering one item from her store valued at $7.50 or under. Check it out!
Danielle from 7SeventeenGallery is offering a lovely little original painting titled A Little Windy. It is already framed!
How To Enter!!
MANDATORY: Visit each shop and pick out your favorite item. Then come back and post in a comment the items you picked, whether by name or URL. Please do this all together, for it counts as 1 entry only! Don't forget to put your contact info for all entries.
Extra Entries:
1) For EACH shop you heart, including mine at laurart, you'll get ONE entry. Please list your Etsy username. Do separate comments.
2) If you buy an item from one of the shops before the deadline, you'll receive a whopping 5 entries! Just post the item listing with your Etsy username.
3) Follow my blog using Google connect. 1 entry
4) Subscribe to my blog feed. 1 entry
5) Follow me on Twitter AND post a tweet about this giveaway that includes my name @spektorish. Please include your Twitter username and a link to this status. 1 entry
6) Follow @Flock_Together. Leave your Twitter username. 1 entry
7) Follow @uniquekreation. Leave your Twitter username. 1 entry
8) Follow Tina's blog for 1 entry, Tricia's blog for 1 entry, and Danielle's blog for 1 entry.
9) Become a Facebook fan of FlockTogether for 1 entry.
10) Blog about this giveaway, then comment with the link to it for 1 entry.
This giveaway will run until Saturday, December 12. The contest will close at noon or 12:00pm CST. Later on the winner will be picked, and I will post their name with their permission the following day.
So many entries to be had, wow! I am so excited, it has been so long since my last giveaway. I wish you all the best of luck. Tell your friends! :)
This giveaway ends December 12th at noon CST. Any posts after that will not count. For shipping costs, this is only open to the U.S. and Canada, sorry!
Posted by x at Monday, November 30, 2009 77 comments
Labels: art, BIG giveaway, etsy, giveaway, holidays, jewelry, prizes
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Short Saturday.
In short, here are my plans for the day:
Also, putting last-minute touches on the giveaway to come soon! I decided to wait until I'm back home to put it up. And I even have an idea for a future one around the Christmas holidays. ;)
Posted by x at Saturday, November 28, 2009 2 comments
Labels: drawing, giveaway, guns, plans, short saturday
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Giving thanks.
Give thanks to your neighbors,
and strangers on the street.
Give a happy smile and cheer
to everyone you meet.
Forget our troubles, differences,
just have a happy day.
And please forgive my poetic attempt
at what I'm trying to say:
Have a Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! :)
No Friday Featurette, since there's shopping and whatnot to be done. Don't worry, though, because a lovely giveaway will be coming up! :D
Posted by x at Thursday, November 26, 2009 0 comments
Labels: happy thanksgiving, holidays
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
How refreshingly NEW!
So, what's a good way to procrastinate doing my schoolwork?
If you guessed updating my blog layout, you'd be correct! I know it's very naughty of me, but I couldn't resist. I thought the old one wasn't cutting it for the theme and purpose of my blog. I think this is much better. I'm aware it may appear wonky in other browsers, but hey, I'm no bloggin' whiz. I used to be a layout whiz, back in the days of yore as a bored 15-year-old internet addict, but no longer.
Please, let me know what you think! I'm so happy to have a 3-column design instead of just two, leaves lots of room for links (advertising? *wink*) and more!
OH! I've already passed 100 followers, hooray!! As promised, a big giveaway is coming up. I won't spoil everything, but I'll just say that there is more than one Etsian involved. ;) Keep a look out shortly.
Posted by x at Wednesday, November 25, 2009 7 comments
Labels: art, blog, celebrate, design, etsy, giveaway, layout, new
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
One more to go!
Wow, I'm already just one follower away from 100 Google friends! That's amazing! You know, I never saw myself being a blogger. Activity has died down a bit, sure, but that's not anyone's fault but my own for my busy-ness. Don't forget, I'm thinking of cooking up a giveaway when I reach the 100th. It could be a shop gift certificate to a featured Etsian, could be an item I'm giving away myself... just stay tuned. :)
In the meantime, speaking of giveaways... therikrakstudio is hosting an INCREDIBLE giveaway! And when I say incredible, I mean just absolutely incredible. It contains a huge prize package worth over $450!! WOW! And ONE lucky winner will receive it, picked by random.org
So head on over and enter! Great gifts for the holidays, for sure.
Posted by x at Tuesday, November 24, 2009 4 comments
Labels: accessories, blog, etsy, followers, giveaway, holidays, website
Monday, November 23, 2009
Quick update!
So, today was my first "sick day." I didn't attend class this morning because I've finally caught the sickness. I had a perfect streak going of zero absences in all my classes! Luckily, the other two classes for Mondays were cancelled, so I've been able to get rest. I still feel bad, and I think it's stress. All of this is piling down on me once again. I ran into my neighbor earlier, and after discussing finals he humorously added, "And then the crying starts." No kidding!
But, a little ray of sunshine to peek through this mess: I won a giveaway! Well, two to be exact, I just mentioned one on Twitter. First, my dream of owning a pair of feather earrings came true thanks to Tina of Flock Together Crafts! And today, I got an email from therikrakshop about winning the fabulous Sponsor's giveaway. So there are some happy pieces to my stress puzzle. Hopefully the luck will continue! :)
(Edit: Just found out that I won this giveaway, too! A while ago I won an eyeshadow color from Orglamix, featured on my pirate Halloween outfit, and now I won a collection!! I am so excited! This makeup is divine, I encourage you to take a look.)
One more thing, before I go. I love dripping and splattering, experimenting with direction, and also different media. For a few days I've been building up on a 18x24" canvas layer after layer of coffee, tea, and India ink. Here is the result:
Should I put it in my shop? :) What do you think? Should the presentation be different? (Flip around, sideways, etc.)
Friday, November 20, 2009
Friday Featurette.
Today's goes to Kneehighsnpigtails, a lovely little jewelry shop I've recently come across. I love their antique style, and the items are reasonably priced. Even the banner is really attractive! :)
They even have a section called "Over the top earrings," which they can be but I still love the look. Not sure about wearing some of these items on casual Fridays, but they're gorgeous any way you look at it.
Posted by x at Friday, November 20, 2009 2 comments
Labels: earrings, etsy, friday featurette, jewelry, necklaces, pretty, style, victorian
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Woodcut: Final Result.
Hey guys, remember that woodcut I was semi-griping about? Well, after 8 1/2 hours of cutting, cutting, cutting, proofing, and printing 18 editions, here is the final result...
Posted by x at Wednesday, November 18, 2009 3 comments
Labels: art, club, craft, craft sale, editions, final, printmaking, visual arts society, wood, woodcut
Wordless Wednesday.
(Forgive my slow postings, the art finals are approaching and they are more than just tests, they're accumulative, comprehensive works that take much time and attention. Please bear with me!)
Posted by x at Wednesday, November 18, 2009 2 comments
Labels: exhausted, school, wordless wednesday
Saturday, November 14, 2009
The PLT.
I just want to say, the PLT is not easy. Don't think about cramming for it the night before. Many factors play into this test. Studying for it is the main reason I could not post a Friday featurette or anything, sorry.
Posted by x at Saturday, November 14, 2009 4 comments
Labels: brain food, hard, learning, plt, praxis, school, test
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
3 years. <3
Today marks the 3-year anniversary for my sweetheart and me. I can't believe it! Time goes by so quickly when you're in love. ;)
To celebrate, we're... relaxing. Exciting, yes? A nice little movie night with snacks as we cuddle on the couch (or the floor, depending on which system we use).
In high school I never thought I'd meet the "someone just for me" until after college. I wasn't really bothered, and my self-esteem was pretty low. However, my senior year brought me Patrick, who just happens to be the brother of my best friend. Coincidences are spooky sometimes!
Our love is only growing stronger. We have our ups and downs, but we accept each other completely with warm hearts and loving kisses.
Ah, sorry for the sap. May you enjoy your love, be it of friends, family... or that someone just for you. :)
Posted by x at Wednesday, November 11, 2009 1 comments
Labels: 3-year, anniversary, celebrate, happiness, love, movies, Patrick, relationships
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Woodcutting.
Woodcutting is not easy. No, really, it isn't. The first couple of assignments in Printmaking involved cutting linoleum blocks, which wasn't the easiest thing to do per se, but at least linoleum is soft. (Tip: placing the block in contact with heat makes it even softer. I put boiling water in a small tin, covered it with foil, and placed the block face-down on the foil.)
Posted by x at Sunday, November 08, 2009 2 comments
Labels: art, craft, design, help, printmaking, school, wood, woodcut
Friday, November 6, 2009
Friday Featurette and Halloween!
Hey everyone, sorry it has been so long. The internet going on and off doesn't help a blogger, that's for sure! Here's a quick featurette of a journal-maker (I'm obsessed, remember?) and some Halloween photos!
This week's featurette goes to BlueToad. The name itself is pretty cool. This store specializes in journals with beautiful OOAK covers for very reasonable pricing. Usually handmade journals, even of small sizes, can be expensive. Also, some ACEOs are available. Here is the shop description:
"Welcome to Blue Toad, a collective world of the creative mind, a place that will take you on a creative journey offering a variety of items to meet your whim and bring a smile.
BlueToad, a part of Tremundo, was the featured artisan on HGTV. Additional information on our shop profile and more creative collection at tremundo.etsy.com and visit us online at tremundo.com"