Make up tutorial: Silver Dreams

Another request from my flickr posting :) Sorry its so delayed :)

What I used:

Eyeshadows: Mirror Mirror & Empress & Nymph Magic Dust by Lime Crime, black eyeshadow by Rimmel

Eyes: Black eyeliner by Bourjoirs

Nails: White nailpolish from Sportsgirl (1 week after application!)

With a medium brush I applied Mirror Mirror (silver) to the whole eye lid extending slightly above the crease in the outer corner (to create the solid looking line on the outer corner I used household sticky tape. I angled the tape from the corner of my eye reaching up to the edge of my eye brow. This creates the solid line & a more dramatic look - especially good with black eye shadow as you don't want to end up looking like you have a black eye).

Using a smaller brush I applied the black eye shadow to the outer crease of my eye - working from the outer corner inwards. I built it up until I was happy with the darkness - blending with the silver in the bottom corner as I went. I also applied a small amount of the black eye shadow to the inner corner of my eye lid to even the look out a bit.

Using the medium brush I lightly loaded the brush with Empress (purple) and dusted over the middle section of my lid - blending into the silver and black. I just wanted that hint of purple to lighten the look up a bit.

To highlight my eyes I applied Nymph (gold/white) to the bottom inner eye and along the brow bone. I also added a bit of Nymph to the outer corner line (after removing the tape).

Apply black eyeliner to the top lashline and apply black mascara.

Apply foundation and concealer as desired on your face. For this look I used a pink gloss on my lips. I'm a bit of a fan of the Rimmel gloss (with colour) at the moment. It gives you a solid colour but doesn't go on sticky and is nice and shiny.

This look also works with bright blue eye liner and a dark purple eyeliner (I've tried both and have been happy). It's pretty versatile as black and silver will go with any colour you can think of. You could substitute the purple for pretty much any colour and end up with a great result.

*To make the colours more vibrant wet the brush before applying eyeshadows and use a primer*

Go nuts!

Love & sparkles
x x x
Brooke

Song of the moment = Kasabian - Where did all the love go?

‘Diva’ Steals Artists Designs!

SO anyone who knows me knows I am a fan of shanalogic.com. It has been brought to the attention of all her shoppers that Diva (yes that accessories store that you see in pretty much any Westfield Shopping Centre in Australia) has been ripping off products and designs sold in her shop and mass producing and re-selling rubbish versions. As a loyal Shanalogic.com fan (and Shana fan to boot) I am annoyed, outraged, disgusted and appalled all in one!

Shanalogic.com is an online store that specialises in all things handmade and indie. From clothes, jewellery, artwork & lots & lots of accessories. Shana offers buyers the opportunity to purchase quality handmade products that come from independant, amazing artists from all around the world. If you want to know more about her site - VISIT IT! You won't be disappointed! You get fabulous customer care and the pieces you buy are of the highest quality and are oh-so-adorable!

I don't even know how to word my outrage with Diva, not only are they exploiting these awesome hardworking artists but they are doing it in a cheap, nasty, crappy way. The rip offs are bad quality and look cheap compared to the originals. So far no one has recieved any responses from Diva (even after multiple people emailing them) regarding their blatant rip off of some of these products (down to the last bead).

See Shanas original post about the issue (complete with more photos like the one above):

http://shanalogic.com/wordpress/?p=2815

Show your support and leave a comment.

WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP?

Get the word out there - email everyone you know who is an artist, designer, or interested in art or jewellery. Post on Facebook, Twitter, LiveJournal, other blogs, any site you are part of where people will read what you say.

All designers need to take a look at Diva's website and check if they are ripping off any of YOUR designs.

If you have a local Diva store, go in, take some photos of any suspicious items, post photos on the facebook group
(http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=112878499771) to make sure that if someone is being ripped off, they find out!

Diva's website is: http://www.diva.net.au/ Feel free to contact them and let them know how you feel about this! Anyone who has a Diva store in their town (mostly Australia and NZ, but they have some overseas stores too!) should call their local paper or, even more likely to support you, indie magazines & other publications, and ask if they are interested in running a story about how Diva is ripping off independent artists.

Last of all AVOID DIVA. I will admit that a large chunk of my "cheap" jewellery is from Diva but I am quite happy to never buy anything from them again. I have earrings, head pieces, bangles, beaded necklaces, chunky rings and more from them but I'm determined to NOT support a company who steals from artists. I may only be one person and I may not make much of a difference but please help do your part to support artists.

I'll be doing some covert ops when I am in a shopping centre from now on. I'll take a look in Diva to see if I can spot any other Shanalogic pieces and I'll be taking photos to post. I've seen the love-o-meter necklace in their store one day whilst wearing the love-o-meter necklace (their crappy version didn't have the spinny arrow).

Support artists - Shop indie & feel good about every purchase!

Love & sparkles

x x x

Brooke

I am alive still... I promise

The Killers @ V Festival Melbourne - by ME!

I am still alive.

I've been busy in my "real world" life and this blog has taken a back seat.

I apologise. Hey I never said I was very good with commitment. Just be happy I'm back :)

A lot of things have happened since I last wrote. I've been on adventures, met musical heroes (Andrew McMahon I heart you), seen beautiful people get married (x 3 couples), seen UNBELIEVABLE live bands (Razorlight/Kaiser Chiefs/The Killers/Coldplay/Jack's Mannequin/The Grates/Kings of Leon/RED RIDERS - here's looking at you), seen hilarious comedians (Russel Brand & Dylan Moran), planned my amazing USA holiday, got PROMOTED at my job, met some fun new people, witnessed crazy cuteness courtesy of my gorgeous nieces - to put it simply I've been living and busy and happy.

Right now I'm listening to the new Mandy Moore album and it's so light and happy and I'm freezing but I realise that life is good. I have spent the day material shopping with my Mum in hopes to re-create this dress I saw on forever21.com for our upcoming awards ball (for work). I found all the material I need for it, now Mum needs to get sewing.

Here's the planned outfit, lets hope we can pull it off (I think we've got a good chance):

We're going out for dinner tonight and then I'm going to see The Hangover with my sister. Hopefully it's a good funny movie - from what I've been readings it's getting great reviews and people seem to love it on twitter.

I can hardly believe it's June already. 1/2 the year has passed by in what feels like the blink of an eye. I've achieved a lot of things. I've also failed at some things. The rest of the year holds so much possibility I can hardly wait!

The most exciting thing to come is that I am headed back to the USA with my sister. We're travelling around for about 4 weeks. It's a lot exciting! I am spending my birthday in New York City and then travelling south to Disneyworld before flying across to San Francisco to shop & relax for a few days before seeing Jack's Mannequin (eep!). We will then meet up with some beautiful camp friends (STORM!) and hopefully fit in a short trip to Las Vegas. We fly over to Chicago for a long weekend of Lollapalooza festival madness (OMFG! Perfect!). Then we fly back to San Francisco and meet up with that lovely lady (STORM) who will *fingers crossed* be able to organise a reunion of sorts before we drive down the coast and fly back home out of Los Angeles.

It's set to be a crazy, busy, exhausting, amazing, beautiful, exciting, trip! I cannot wait to spend some money in shops that I love without having to spend ridiculous amounts of money on postage. I am going to be able to try things on before buying them and I am going to come home with a whole new wardrobe!

Oh and I have something to look forward to AFTER we come home. About a week after we return we are going to see The Academy Is... AGAIN! Those fabulous boys have decided to return to our shores and they timed it perfectly! It'll be the smallest venue we've seen them at which is amazing in itself. They are the support band again but I think this time they'll get a longer set than when they toured with Panic! at the Disco.

We have exciting times ahead that's for sure. Hopefully I'll be able to update on at least a weekly basis. I am entering a new phase of my life - more responsibility, more happy times, more life choices - I'm eager to see where this is going to take me and eager to write about it. I feel this is a time I never want to forget!

Love & sparkles

x x x

Brooke

Song for the moment = Cobra Starship - Good Girls Go Bad

P.S I am going to see Lily Allen on Friday night - I have had these tickets for AGES so it's a bit exciting! I'm going to be keeping myself well busy until this trip, I'm trying to distract myself :)