Q&A with Sara of *LuckyYouHandMade*

I have loved getting to know the wonderfully talented Megan of ChinaDollIllustrations, and Jess of HelloThula. Here's a chance for you to get to know the creative soul behind the blog LuckyYouHandMade!

 Q) First of all, for those readers who have yet to see your blog, what is it that you do?

 I do many things but my focus is on felt brooches, lace and embroidery accessories and I also make paper mache dolls

Q) What materials do you use/prefer to use?

I mainly use hand dyed felt but I love using silk as well.

Q) Did you study your craft? Or did it come out of a passion for making pretty things?

I actually studied to be a chef but have always loved making things. 

Q) Is there anything in particular that you absolutely *love* making more than anything else? Why?

I love making my dolls because they always end up with such personality.

Q) You recently had work displayed at the Mr Price 031 Collection, thats incredible! What

was that like?

It was amazing to be involved with such a professional, slick show with all those talented designers- a real ego boost!

Q) Where can we get our hands on your awesome pieces?

I have some things for sale at Con Amore at the La Lucia Mall in Durban but anyone can mail me with any special orders - sara@luckyou.co.za

Awesome, now to just get my bum down to Durbs to get my paws on some of those hairbands....click here to check our Sara's blog and stay up to date with her latest offerings!

Thrift/Antique Store wanderings...

If you're on the lookout for something, dare I say it, *vintage*...head out to Queen Street in Kensington for some bargaining and treasure hunting. I am on the hunt for a working type writer...I don't suppose any of you know where I can pick one up for a reasonable price??

Ye Olde Collector 

Furniture - Art - Collectibles

154 Queen Street, Kensington

011 615 4987

Ye Olde Collector (yes, the same name as above!)

Collectibles - Porcelain - Jewelry - Art

156 Queen Street, Kensington

011 616 3578

Revlon Concealer...

Having tried out a fair share of concealers in my day, I have to say that this one winds hands down. It covers imperfections, and stays put all day long! It's slowly getting warmer, spring is finally on its way, and I know that when it does get hot, this little baby is gonna make sure it does what its supposed to. I have actually been using it instead of foundation, just dabbing on a bit and then setting with powder (review to follow soon) and my skin looks natural and even. Sometimes I find that foundation can look too heavy, so this works like a charm when you just need a little cover. At R170 it's not the cheapest product out there, but it has lasted me for quite a while already and way out performed my MAC Select Moisture Cover which stayed on for about 30 mins before fading. I give this bad boy a 4/5 with the only downside being the price.

500 Pencils

What would you do with 500 pencils? Bet you wouldn't think to store them like this:

500 pencils is the coolest idea since sliced bread. Every month, 25 pencils get delivered to your door, packaged in tones and hues tantalizing enough to make your mouth water (lemon drop, pumpkin pudding) and some that just make you day dream (drizzly afternoon, mermaids gown). 20 months go by and your left with 500 gorgeous pencils, and some great ideas on how to store them! Now, where's my credit card :) 

Thanks to Elle Decor for posting the above find, I loved it so much I had to repost it to all of you!

Shoes, glorious shoes!

A few weeks ago my mom got married :) yay! What a special day it was! Anyway, with a lovely dress and everything else to match, the last thing I had to find was a pair of shoes. These babies were just too darn pretty to keep locked up in my cupboard, so I thought I'd honour them with their very own blog post...

They did set me back a small fortune, but were worth every cent. Thanks Aldo for having such fabulous shoes!

Maybelline Foundation...

Hi lovely friends! I'm trying something new with my makeup review posts...what do you think? 

I thought this foundation was pretty good value for money. At R170 a pop, I was quite impressed. At first I was planning on trying out Maybelline's new Fit Me range, but was told by the lady at the counter that they offer very little coverage. As I was looking for something with a bit more coverage, she recommended this one. It lasted all day without giving in to shine (my skin tends to be more on the oily side) and was very easy to apply with my new Mac Stippling Brush :)  I would give this foundation an overall rating of 3.5 out of 5. I liked it, but there was just something about it that makes me hesitate to give it anything higher than a 3.5...but I can't seem to put my finger on it. Anyway, pretty good value for money and will last for ages as with this foundation, a little goes a long way.

Thanks very much to Maybe Mej for the background

**Pata Pata** Joburg's answer to AfroChic

Located in the heart of Joburg's business district is this gem. Pop in for a late afternoon drink with friends, or stay for a bite to eat while you take in the sounds of local jazz bands. Next door is the Bioscope Independent Cinema if you fancy something a little more artsy, and on Sundays don't forget to check out the ultra cool Market On Main.

Hours:

Monday to Sunday 08:00 - 11:00pm

Directions:

Main Street Life, 286 Fox Street, Maboneng Precinct, Johannesburg

*Essie* Van D'go

At the moment I'm really loving Essie's range of nail polishes. I did a post recently on # 633 High Maintenance which is very sheer and pretty. 

This one, #710 Van D'go, is a bit more on the barbie side of pink. I would say it tends more on the salmon side though and is perfect for Spring. Just make sure to do 2 coats, the first coat always looks horrible, but the second coat is like magic...here I'm wearing Rimmel's Stronger base coat and Sally Hansen's Insa-Dri Anti-Chip Top Coat which dries all polish in seconds and leaves a nice shine.

Find it at Dischem for +-R90

#30DaysOfMe...Day6

Wondering what these posts are all about? Click here :)

Day 06- Favorite super hero and why

Image from SuperHero

I have always been a Batman girl. I have always been inspired by the character who oozes mystery, power and great ab's :) Beside's, I always wanted to be Robin (but a girl version so lets rather say I've always wanted to be *Robyn*). Batman doesn't actually have any superpowers, *shock, horror!* and instead uses his intellect, detective skills, science, technology, wealth (not forgetting he is a millionaire), martial art skills and intimidation in his continuous war on crime...cool hey! Who wouldn't want to be his friend :)

"In the original version of the story and the vast majority of retellings, Batman's secret identity is Bruce Wayne, an American millionaire (later billionaire) playboy, industrialist, and philanthropist. Having witnessed the murder of his parents as a child, he swore revenge on crime, an oath tempered with the greater ideal of justice. Wayne trains himself both physically and intellectually and dons a bat-themed costume in order to fight crime. Batman operates in the fictional American Gotham City, assisted by various supporting characters including his crime-fighting partner, Robin, his butler Alfred Pennyworth, the police commissioner Jim Gordon, and occasionally the heroine Batgirl. He fights an assortment of villains such as the Joker, the Riddler, the Penguin,Two-Face, Poison Ivy and Catwoman" Wikipedia

Who is your favourite superhero??

*Spring* Cleaning your MakeUp Brushes

Most makeup artists will tell you that you should clean your makeup brushes after each use, especially for foundation and concealer brushes, so as to stop the spread of germs and other yucky things like that. With eye shadow brushes, it's good to do this once or twice a week (or more if needed).

Make Up Brushes are an investment, and if cared for properly, can last you ages! Here 3 steps for giving your brushes a quick clean in between uses. I would advise giving all your brushes a deep clean (post on that to come soon) every 2-3 weeks.

Brush cleaners:

I have yet to come across any other brush cleaners other than MAC. Body Shop used to sell one, but no longer stock it :( MAC's Brush Cleanser is R150 for 235ml which will last you for a long time if used sparingly...a little goes a long way :) A lot of people recommend shampoo's as brush cleansers, which are good for deep cleaning your brushes, but no good if you just need to give them a quick blitz in between uses. 

Pour a little brush cleanser onto a piece of tissue (cotton wool will absorb most of the cleaners so tissue is better to use. Toilet paper will just break unless you use 3 ply).

Dab the brush onto the wet tissue, brushing back an forth until you start to see the makeup coming off the brush. Try to do so in forward and backwards motions so as not to wreck the bristles. When the tissue becomes too dirty, open the tissue up and continue the same thing on the 'clean' part of the wet tissue. Do this until your brush is clean. Repeat with all your brushes, using a new tissue and more cleaner when the other becomes too dirty.

And voila! Clean, new looking brushes :) I have done this for all of my brushes, including lip brushes, big powderbrushes and eye shadow applicator brushes. It works like a treat on all of them :)

Getting my *Run* on!

I'm sure most girls will agree with me when I say that in order to get started on a new project/goal/idea, you need to have all the right stuff/equipment first right? Well, it's exactly the same when starting a new sport. You know you need those nice shorts that make your bum look just right, and of course the right sports bra to keep everything in place and don't even get me started on the water bottle!

Well, about 5 weeks a go I started running for the first time. It wasn't easy, but I have been following Shape Magazine's training schedule...12 weeks to run 10 k's. Last week (which was week 5) i completed the Total Sports 10k Ladies race, I didn't run it all, but I did finish...yipee! What an amazing feeling.

So to rewards myself, I went out and make a purchase, of these sexy little guys:

If you're looking for a store to buy your shoes from that really do know what they are talking about, check out Runner's Sweat in Fourways Crossing, Jo'burg. The guy who helped me had me running around the centre in my dress, with different pairs of shoes on, but boy did he know what he was taking about!

And I thought I'd also show you my running partners...

Cleo is an 8 year old Labrador cross Alsatian and is my most devoted running partner...

Katy is a 7 year old Labrador cross Great Dane and, despite her size, is a real softy. She has the loudest bark but never bites :)

Xena (yes, just like the "Xena the Warrior Princess" from the TV show) is a 7 year old Standard Poodle. But don't let these photo's fool you, she is the most vicious out of all 3 dogs. Her favourite past time is killing chickens (ok now I sound really cruel, she did this once and now is always on the lookout for potential targets!).

So there you have it. I take all three of these mutts out running with me. By running, I mean walking to the park and then running around it while Cleo and Katy (to the best of her ability) stay by my side, and Xena goes of on a mission to find chickens/rats/small dogs to harass :)

Sally Hansen *Insta-Dri* Anti-Chip Top Coat

I have been using this top coat for a good few years now...it must be good if I keep buying it right :) Well it does exactly what it claims, and that is dry any nail polish in 60 seconds. If you're like me and have 2 coats of polish on and a base coat, it's a little more than 60 seconds but definitely shorted than the 2 hours I used to have to wait! It also gives your nails a nice glossy finish.

Using a topcoat helps to prolong the life of your manicure (just as a base coat will do) but it also stops your nail polish from chipping.

Pick it up at your nearest Clicks or Dischem for  R80 (a little dear but worth every cent!)

The *Honey* Guys...

Driving from the Farm to Pietermaritzburg, Farmboy and I passed these delightful characters. Selling fresh honey off the comb (for R10 a chunk) we, as the saying goes, **overindulged**. This led to a very long and windy ride to Maritzburg and a few stops along the way to 'get some fresh air'.

We did check to see where they 'found/scavenged' the honey and they got it from the Bee Farm they work on where the owner sells the honey by the barrel :) Anyway, couldn't resist a few pic's (and some padkos for the road!)

#30DaysOfMe...Day 5

Click here to find out what these posts are all about.

Day 05- A picture of somewhere you’ve been to.

This picture was taken by Farmboy in Cambodia at Ta Prohm. This temple forms part of the Angkor Wat Temples in Siem Riep and was one of the locations for Tomb Raider. Just a little useless piece of knowledge for all of you :)

Rimmel Stronger *DoubleDuty* Base Coat

This little baby is my absolute favourite base coat (and has a beautiful shimmer that looks fantastic when worn alone too). It's a "double duty base coat, enriched with calcium and keratin. These add strength to weak nails and protects them from damage. I've used this base coat for 4 years now, and although I've tried others, have yet to find one that works as well as this one.

When painting your nails, it's important to always use a base coat (even though it does add a bit of time) as it will stop your nails from getting that horrid yellow tinge. Wearing a base coat also prolongs the life of your manicure. This one in particular has helped my nails stop 'peeling' too.

Find it at Clicks and Dischem for +-R45.

Woman's Day 10k run!

This Woman's Day, TotalSports and Shape magazine teamed up to bring us a 5 & 10 k race in Jo'burg, Durban and Stellenbosch. For the past 5 weeks I have been following (well at least as best as I can) Shape's training schedule to get fit and ready to run 10k's. Now, I had a vague idea that the race was at the beginning of August, but this didn't quite register until a week before when I realised I would have to cut my 12 week program down to 5 weeks...eek! Just so you know, before I started with the program, the furthest I could run was to the kitchen to answer the phone and even then I felt like my heart was going to explode. I hated running and always felt so useless whenever I tried. But with the goal of having already registered for a race, the rest just happened :)

I didn't run the whole thing, I walked, a lot, but the point is I finished it and I was not the last person to cross the finish line either. What an exhilarating experience! And, not a bad way to get fighting fit and bikini ready for summer.

 If you are thinking about getting your run on but need a bit of motivation, click here to join hundreds of other women just like you, who, with a little help from Shape, could be the next Comrades winner! :)  Just sign up for their weekly newsletter which is sent to you every friday with the next weeks training schedule. The program is broken down into 3 days of training, with lots of idea's and tips on getting the most out of it. Plus, join their facebook and twitter profiles to connect with other women out there going through exactly the same thing :)

PS the SPAR Women's Challenge is happening on the 27th August at the SuperSport Park in Centurion, Jo'burg with entries open for both a 5k and a 10k race. Go on, your body will <3 you for it. Plus all finishers will receive a medal and a goodie bag...yay! Click here to enter.

Maybelline *The Colossal* Volum' Express Mascara

For years and years I have turned my nose up at Maybelline, mostly due to the fact that at Dischem and Clicks its always the Maybelline shelves that look bare and in a horrible state (maybe thats because they have such bright light bulbs lighting them up that it ruins all the makeup!). Anyway, I thought I would make this purchase as I was in need of a new mascara and didn't have too much cash lying around :)

And I have to say...it's *AMAZING!!!!*. One of the best mascara's I have ever used! I so definitely am eating my words. Goodness me! It out performs every single of one of my mascara's...even my Dior *DiorShow* which I spent a small fortune on, and even my MAC *Plushlash*. Now don't I feel silly...

It plumps, lengthens, curls, volumises and lifts all in one stroke. It's the perfect mascara! And for only R99 a pop, a definite must have!

Missioning around *Centacow*

On a recent trip to Durban, Farmboy and I decided to do a little exploring of the area surrounding his farm in Creighton (you're not alone if you have no idea where Creighton is...it's about 40 kilometers from Ixopo, KZN). Centacow Mission was founded in 1888 by Trappist Monks, when a man called Abbot Francis Pfanner purchased a small farm in this small corner of Kwazulu Natal. Missionaries developed Centocow into a flourishing station where the brothers cared for the farm, did all the carpentry, blacksmith work and made the bricks for building operations. Today Centocow Mission looks desolate. Farmboy recently made a purchase of an exquisite piece of yellow wood furniture from one of the few monks still staying at Centacow, who told him that they now offer one of the buildings as accommodation for conferences etc.

Enough with the history lesson :) here are some pictures to set the scene for you...

MAC #187 DuoFibre Stippling Brush

I am a very lucky fishy to say that I received this as a gift a few weeks back:

 A little while ago I did a review on UBU's range of makeup brushes at Click's. Their stippling brush is pretty good, and at only R99, it's a steal. But let's be honest, it ain't no MAC!

Ok so first things first, what exactly is a stippling brush?? 

A stippling brush is used for applying foundation. It gives the skin an airbrushed finish and blends beautifully. It can be used with wet or dry foundation/powder and leaves a flawless finish. I used to apply my foundation using my fingers, and then with a flat foundation brush, but I could just not get the same look that I get every time with this bad boy :)

#187 Duo Fibre Brush is made from a soft blend of goat and synthetic fibre.

At R450, it's one of the most expensive brushes on the market, but like they say, once you go MAC you never go back, and this is a great investment if you wear foundation often :)

Revlon *Custom Eyes* #020

I've done a review on Revlon's Custom Eye's before, but I went out and indulged in another palette :) this time #020 Naturally Glamourous.

These eye shadows are really pigmented, and blend so easily together. They have real staying power, my makeup lasted all day without fading. I know quite a lot of people (myself included) can sometimes get a bit snobby and only want to buy/use MAC products, but these are fabulous, and a whole lot cheaper than MAC. Eacg Custom Eye's palette contains 5 shades, with a handy set of instructions on the back to show you which shade should go where.

At R160 a pop it sounds mighty expensive, but for 5 shades (thats R32 for each shade) it's a bargain ")

Above are swatches of colour for the Naturally Glamorous Palette.