Thursday, December 31, 2009

Happy New year!




It's that time of the year to make plans for the new year. So of them are fulfilled, some are not. I have tried to keep to most of my resoloution for 2009. This is for year 2010.


1) Exercise at least twice a week. (Get back my toned body!)


2) Always be happy and positive.


3) Make Youtube videos at least once a week.


4) Make a dress/top/pants every two weeks once.


5) Sketch and draw my fashion design ideas at least 3 times a week. (Don't waste the ideas!)


6) Spend time with my hubby. Go for salsa dance lessons.


7) Set up my handmade jewelry blog shop. ( It needs more love!)


8) Stop procrastinating and get to work!




So these are my resolution for 2010. I hope to stick to them. I have written them down on a card and paste it on my mirror. I see myself in the mirror everyday so I will see my resolution too. It will remind me to stay in track.


I wish you all a Happy New Year. May all your wishes come true in the coming year. 


God bless you always.


Love Love.

Friday, December 25, 2009

Merry Christmas everyone!


Merry Christmas to all my lovely readers. Thank you so much for supporting my blog and my Youtube videos.
Wishing you all a wonderful holiday with loads of presents and happiness.
Big hugs!

Love Love

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Sewing project: Simplicity 3742

This project was done many months ago. I almost forgot about it. So here is, a pattern from Simplicity pattern 3747 (dress B). It was not a difficult pattern. Since this was one of the first few patterns I tried, it was a little difficult with the instructions. After reading it twice, I understood what to do.

As you can see from my picture, it is very similar with the picture on the envelope. I used size 4. The size was just nice.I had this material (don't know what's the name though!) in my stash and thought it would work best for this project. And it did! Yay!

Overall, this pattern gets a rating of 4/5 for me. Easy to follow, no fuss and frustration. If you know what fabric to use, it will make a beautiful casual evening dress.

Do not mind the shiny face!



Hope you like it!
Love love!

Friday, December 18, 2009

My new sewing machine!

Today, my new sewing machine arrived. I am super happy! It's the Brother Innovis 200 computerized sewing machine. I am so impressed by the machine for it's clean stitches and the settings. Everything is just a touch of a button (how cool is that!). Now I can sew more shirts and clothes with buttonhole. I had a hard time with my old cheap Brother machine XL5070. Finally got rid of that! A new cool machine for my home studio!


Innov-is 200



This is the promotional video for this machine.


Love Love

Monday, December 14, 2009

Hunt for the best sewing machine!

I am looking for a good sewing machine that will last me for a long time. I have been doing so much research for the past 2 weeks. Unfortunately, there are limited models here in Singapore. I hate it when I am to choose from a limited pool of selection. Hate it!
Anyway here are some of the machines that I am quite interested in.

Janome 423S Heavy Duty Metal Housing and Drive 

Janome 1 T-12 Threadbanger

Janome 1600P High Speed Sewing & Quilting Machine
Click to enlarge
Alna 6200
d
Alna 7300
Quilt table
Brother Innov-is 30

Brother BC2100



If anyone has a suggestion on what machine is good, please post a comment. I would be so glad if someone could help.

Love Love!

Friday, December 11, 2009

FOTD - Light green, teal and black

This was what I wore to town today. Went to buy Christmas gifts and wanted to check out the book fair at Suntec (such a waste of time at the book fair, everything was expensive.)




Guess who's standing in the background trying to look cool!



Here are the products used:

EYES
Mac - Paintpot Barestudy (base)
Mac - Pigment Chartreuse (lid colour)
Mac - Pigment Teal (above the lid)
Mac - Minerlise eyeshadow Interview Brown (crease)
Ben nye - Black (crease & as eyeliner)
Mac - Eyeliner Engraved ( water line and upper lash line)
Maybelline - Turbo express mascara Very black (eyelashes)

CHEEKS
Nyx - Eyeshadow Africa ( cheeks)

LIPS
Nyx - Round lipstick Fig (lips)
No brand - Brown lipliner (lips)
Mac - Cremesheen glass Melt in your mouth (lipgloss)

Love Love!

Sewing project: McCall M5882

Hello everyone, I guess this post will be quite interesting for the sewing enthusiasts (Like me). I have finally finished sewing this top from McCall M5882. I like patterns which are not very complicated. This is one which is definitely not. It took me about 5hours to complete. This is not including the numerous breaks in between having chats with the hubby and cooking lunch. Here are the pictures. Read on for the cons of this pattern.

I chose to do Top B. Here are my pictures of my Top. Well, it's more of a dress for me since I am quite short! :)


Front view

Hem line

Back view

Invisible zipper ( not the best workmanship!)


As mentioned above, this pattern is great for those who do not want to have to fuss over the instructions and crack your head on where to start. The instructions were very clear and concise. The material used was cottion viole and poplin 100% cotton. This is the best material ever for hot humid country (like Singapore). It was also an easy material to work with.

Now for the part I was not pleased. The armhole was so tight. I am a size 4. I guess the next time I use this pattern, I will have to use size 6 instead. I guess the company drafting the pattern did not consider people who have chubby arms! :) The strap under the bust line was a little high, so if someone of a slightly bigger bust wearing this might have problems with the fitting and zipping.

So my dear lovelies, I hope you liked this post. Fashion designing and sewing is my passion and it is what I want to do as my second career. Army was the first career and it has made me what I am today. I am glad I was in the Army!

As my hubby always says, ' You will never know until you try!'.

Love Love

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

FOTD - Neutral everyday look

Today I went to enroll myself in a sewing class. After a long break, I am getting back into the dressmaking groove. This was the look I wore. I used the 88 neutral palette and my favourite lipstick Fast play (Mac).



That's all for now!

Monday, December 7, 2009

Nail of the day : Faceshop nailcolour PK108

I am loving this colour so much. It reminds me of MAC lipstick in fast play. It is a pretty mauve pink tone nail colour. I think it compliments darker skin toned ladies. Here are some pictures.







Hope you like it! 
Love Love!

Saturday, December 5, 2009

I won a contest!

I just realized that I am one of the winners of a contest KandeeJohnson from YouTube hosted. She wanted us to do a Cleopatra costume inspired look. When I saw her video, I was so excited because Cleopatra is my favorite historical character. So I submitted the look not because of the prize but for that particular cleopatra look (this is how crazy I get when I hear Cleopatra!).






She commented about my video entry. It made my day! Here it is,


http://kandeethemakeupartist.blogspot.com/2009/10/cleopatra-contest-winners.html 


''FOR most creative and just all together AWESOME looks: (in no particular order)
Umapreve... did an amazing job and made Cleopatra look wearable....her smile is gorgeous and makes you want to smile along with her...beautiful voice is soothing to listen to....fabulous job, and her make-up looks gorgeous!!!!!''


I am happy! Very happy!

Thursday, December 3, 2009

My future! No more in the Army!

Guess what I have finished my 10 year contract in the Army. I am so excited and happy to have received my civilian identification card back after 10 years. During the 10 years in service, I had to use the military issued identity card.

It feels very different knowing that you are free to do whatever you want. I can finally do part time make up artistry, spend more time drawing my fashion ideas, cooking for my husband and being the girly me.

Working in a male dominated environment is not as easy as one might think. I had to endure male chauvinism and proof that I was either equally good and even better than guys. It was a very competitive environment.

With all said, I did make very good friends. My best friend is also in the Army. I will miss all the fun time we had working together. Army life is tough yet interesting. One must experience it to understand what I am talking about.

Now I am a civilian, I have to get used to thinking like a civilian and dressing like one too.. No more army t-shirt and jeans for me. It's going to be more fashionable clothes since I am going into the fashion industry.

Hopefully, if all works well I will go to a fashion school next year 2010. My dream of being a fashion designer cum entrepreneur will come true. God has blessed me with a good life. I am a very happy person now!

It's never too late to achieve your dreams!

Love love!

Christmas tree!

Hubby and I finally got around to decorate our Christmas tree. I am so excited. Christmas is one of the few holidays I look forward to. Makes me feel like a kid waiting to open presents.

I love the Christmas spirit. Merry Christmas in advance to everyone.





Love Love

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Nail of the day : Faceshop nailcolour PP404

After so many years, I am finally getting into the nail polish hype. This is from Faceshop, it's made in Korea. Quality if not that fantastic but it's pretty good for beginners who do not want to spend $20 odd dollars on a nail polish.

It is a beautiful lilac colour. Very pretty and soft. I had to put two coats in order to have the colour show up.

Cost of this is $2.90.

Overall rating : 4/5 stars

Nailcolour PP404



Love love

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Christmas wishlist!


I know it has been a long time since I posted anything. Finally I feel better after the operation two weeks ago. I thought for a start , I could share my wishlist for Christmas with all of you.

I know that not all I wish for will materialise and come true but one can always have hope (right?).

1) Bonia handbag and purse (The bags I have now are in bad shape because fair, wear and tear)
2) Good glass cooking pots that can be used on the stove and oven, preferably the ones from visions (love to cook for my Hubby and family, makes me happy when I see them enjoy the food)
3) Have curtains in my makeup and sewing room! (This I will have to motivate and sew it myself)
4) To make this Christmas a happy one for my husband as he is far away from his family.
5) Spotlight gift card (So that I can go shopping for crafts!)
6) MAC cosmetic shopping!

I hope I am not asking too much. In anyway, I am very thankful for the wonderful life I have now. Cannot wait for 2010. Many good things are expected.

That's all for now! Do leave your wishlist ideas in the comment box. It would be nice to know what others are wishing for.


Love Love

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Will be away for a while!


Hi everyone,

I will be away for awhile. Not that I am going for a vacation but for a minor surgery. Nothing life threatening.

I will not be able to make any Youtube videos nor post any blog posts for awhile. Nevertheless, I will be back when I am fully recovered with some good news about my life and the future.


Bye for now... See you soon!


Thursday, October 22, 2009

Antique gold & black eye tutorial

Finally, I got the time to do a tutorial and edit it. Here is a look I wore for a friend's home party last Saturday. The occasion was Deepavali. Deepavali is also known as Diwali by the north indians. It is a festival of lights. I am not a hindu thus I may not be the right person to explain why this festival is celebrated by the hindus. I think there are many resources on the internet with regards to this festival. I love the food and company during this occasion.

Here are the pics, tutorial and products.










Products used:

FACE
Mac - Select moisture cover concealor NW35
Mac - Studio fix NC45

EYES
Mac - Painterly paintpot
Mac - Locomotion pigment
Mac - Cinderfella mineralize e/s
Nyx - Antique gold e/s
Mac - Ricepaper
Mac - Engraved powerpoint pencil
Mac - Boot black liquid liner
Maybelline - Volume express mascara

CHEEKS
Nyx - Cocoa blush

LIPS
Mac - Underplay lipstick
Mac - Melt in your mouth lip glass

Love love

Sunday, October 4, 2009

Easy black smokey eyes

I am so excited about the Mac style black collection. Have been waiting and wanting to buy the mineralized eye shadows for a while. Most Mac collections are released in Singapore much later then other countries. The good thing is that you get to see swatches and reviews of the products from the US much earlier. To me this is good as I will be able to pick out what I would like and not like.

With all said, I did a tutorial using the mineralized eye shadow in Cinderfella. What an interesting name!










Here are the products used:
EYES
Two faced shadow insurance (primer)
Nyx - Black bean (base)
Mac - Cinderfella mineralized e/s (upper & lower lid)
Nyx - Barely there e/s (Highlight & blending colour)
Mac - Silver fog pigment (inner corner of eye)
Maybelline - Volume express turbo mascara (lashes)
FACE
Nyx - Cocoa blush (cheeks)
LIPS
Mac - Honey love lipstick
Nyx - Nutmeg lipliner
Mac - Melt in your mouth lip gloss

Hope you like this look!

Love Love

Monday, September 28, 2009

Cleopatra makeup look

Cleopatra is one of my favorite historical characters. I do not know what she would have looked like in person, but I am sure she was gorgeous in her own way. This is my interpretation of how she would have looked. I was inspired to do this video by Kandeejohnson (YouTube). She did a look very similar to that Elizabeth Taylor wore in the movie (Cleopatra). Here are the pictures and the tutorial.











Products used are:
EYES
Maybelline - Brown eyebrow pencil (eyebrow)
Ben nye - Black matte eyeshadow (eyebrow)
No brand - Gold eyeliner (base for all over lid)
La femme - Aqua sparkle dust (lid)
Mac - Liquid liner boot black (upper and lower lid)
Sephora - White eyeliner (corner of the lid)
Maybelline - Volume express turbo mascara (eyelashes)
CHEEKS
Nyx - Copper blush
LIPS
Nyx - Bronze jumbo lip pencil
Lakme - Brown lip pencil


Love Love!