I notice that my Total Pageview increases whenever I check in on my blog. I don't know if it means that people (yes, you!) have been reading my blog. Or people are just "blog-hopping".
Scenario
"Oooh! This blog sounds interesting! "
*clicks on link to Ty's Blog of Epiphanies*
*looks at first post*
"Meh!"
*clicks on link to a different blog*
Don't worry, guys. I'm not offended. The purpose of my blog is so that I can brush up on my writing skills. However, I do love the notion of having heaps of people reading my blog and loving it to bits! That's in an ideal world. This is the real world. Meaning less than 10 followers for me.
So, I've decided that I will throw a giveaway, like a lot of the beauty blogs that I follow do. This is to boost the number of followers to my blog. Yes, I'm cheating but hey, you stand a chance to win some serious goodies! My target audience will be females unles a large number of male followers voice their presence. Okay, it all sounds good so far. So what's the catch? I will only post the giveaway once I hit a hundred followers.
What?! You might say. From 7 followers (currently) to 100? That would take FOREVER! Well, no. It won't. It may sound like a huge gap to fill but going by the way my pageview increases on a daily basis, if everyone who visited my blog followed, we'd hit 100 within a week!
Okay, so where's the guarantee? What if I go back on my word? Well, you guys trust all the other bloggers. Why not me? I'll try to give a sneak peak at around the 50 mark. I'll start gathering the goodies. For now, I can only tell you 2 things you must do to qualify for the prize.
1. You must be an Australian resident
2. You must follow my blog via Google Friend Connect.
Will keep you guys posted with more deets! If you have any suggestions as to how my blog can be improved or what you would like to see me write about, please drop a comment. I won't bite. In fact, I'd love you for the constructive criticism! Try not to be harsh though. Thank you!
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Crafty
I'm not very talented when it comes to arts and crafts. I have friends who can fashion pieces of cardboard into amazing-looking photo frames or make a scrapbook style "passenger's logbook" from scratch. What do I do? I make greeting cards. Christmas cards, birthday cards, thank you cards... You get the idea. I'm not extremely good but I guess I do have bursts of creative juice running through my veins now and then and produce something remotely decent.
Three years ago, if you told me to make you a Christmas card, it'd look something like that. Really amateur-ish, I know. But in my defence, I have to say that the card looked a lot better in real life than in photo.
Here's a Thank you card that I made. I took a picture of it before I wrote anything on it. It looks much better than my Christmas card. I apologise for the poor quality of the photo. We didn't own a very good camera at the time. Just the other day, when I visited my best friend, whom this card was for, I saw the card again and I was literally astounded. I'm not boasting here but I actually forgot that I was capable of making a good piece of artwork.
So this year, I've branched out a bit. If you read my Buttons post, you would have seen my Christmas snowflake artwork. Apart from that, I've bought and decorated paper folders. This was my first attempt and I wanted it to be fashion themed. No, it doesn't look professional at all. In fact, it looks like something a pre-teen girl would produce. However, from memory, the friend that I gave this to said that she liked it. Who knows, maybe it's been discarded somewhere, left forgetton and to collect dust? I wouldn't blame her at all.
Then, I made another for another friend. I would like to say that I got better at it but I wouldn't dare say so. You judge.
The latest one that I've made. I thought that perhaps simplicity was key. So I created a button theme. I would have liked to take a better photo of it but I wanted to give it to my friend in the morning. So this photo was taken at night. Hence the poor lighting. I did improve on one thing though, this one certainly looks neater!
Three years ago, if you told me to make you a Christmas card, it'd look something like that. Really amateur-ish, I know. But in my defence, I have to say that the card looked a lot better in real life than in photo.
Here's a Thank you card that I made. I took a picture of it before I wrote anything on it. It looks much better than my Christmas card. I apologise for the poor quality of the photo. We didn't own a very good camera at the time. Just the other day, when I visited my best friend, whom this card was for, I saw the card again and I was literally astounded. I'm not boasting here but I actually forgot that I was capable of making a good piece of artwork.
So this year, I've branched out a bit. If you read my Buttons post, you would have seen my Christmas snowflake artwork. Apart from that, I've bought and decorated paper folders. This was my first attempt and I wanted it to be fashion themed. No, it doesn't look professional at all. In fact, it looks like something a pre-teen girl would produce. However, from memory, the friend that I gave this to said that she liked it. Who knows, maybe it's been discarded somewhere, left forgetton and to collect dust? I wouldn't blame her at all.
Then, I made another for another friend. I would like to say that I got better at it but I wouldn't dare say so. You judge.
The latest one that I've made. I thought that perhaps simplicity was key. So I created a button theme. I would have liked to take a better photo of it but I wanted to give it to my friend in the morning. So this photo was taken at night. Hence the poor lighting. I did improve on one thing though, this one certainly looks neater!
Saturday, July 23, 2011
4 Pairs of Shoes & a Handbag
So I have this thing for shoes. I know I'm not alone in this. It's a female thing I suppose. Okay, I don't mean to generalise but I think it's the case for a lot of us girls. We've past the half way mark for 2011. And guess what? In those six months (from January to June), I managed to buy myself 4 pairs of shoes. Oh! And let's not forget a handbag as well. I was going to name this blog "4 Shoes & a Handbag", just like "4 Weddings & a Funeral" but I opted out because it'd be grammatically incorrect.
A bit extreme huh? Some people only buy shoes once a year and I managed to go through 4 years worth of shoe quota in 6 months. I do feel guilty and am appalled at myself. But they are simply irresistable! I'm not kidding. You'll understand what I mean once you see them.
I bought this pair of heels from Forever New. I think they are called Floral Harlows. Yes, they are one of the most impractical things that I've bought in my life but I love them! And that's all that really matters, right??! They cost $80 but I think it's worth it because they are of good quality. They are surprisingly comfy for a pair of peep toes!
I purchased this pair of smart-looking heels from Famous Footwear for $50. They are not of the extremely good quality, not very comfortable but hey, they look great! I simply couldn't sleep at night unless I owned it! I'm thinking I have some kind of "shoe disorder" going on? What do you think?
I made a bold vow that I would not buy another pair of shoes for 2011. Then, my ballet flats disintegrated after a month of traipsing around uni in them. I threw them out in outrage. I bought them at Famous Footwear for $15. I guess when you think about it, it's not so bad. Just $15... But if I had to buy a pair of ballet flats every month because they fall apart and can't handle all the walking, I'd be spending $180 a year! So, I decided that I could break my vow just this once. I got myself this $70 pair of pumps from Betts. It should last me AT LEAST a year... Hopefully!
Then winter came around and I wore my boots to uni everyday. Before long, I had worn the heels out and holes were forming there. They are 3 years old, so I didn't blame them. After my exams, my mum took me to DFO as a reward and bought me a pair of new boots from Wittner! It was on SALE! I got them for $100. Well, my mum paid for them, so my vow is still intact! Aren't they beautiful?
I've never owned a proper handbag before. The free beach bag from Elle and the simple, young girl-ish and brandless handbag that I own don't count. While we were at DFO, my mum spotted a collection of bags from Fossil. She really adored this bag and bought it for me. From $90 to $50, it was a bargain!
So, there it is. The tale of 4 (pairs of) shoes and a handbag!
A bit extreme huh? Some people only buy shoes once a year and I managed to go through 4 years worth of shoe quota in 6 months. I do feel guilty and am appalled at myself. But they are simply irresistable! I'm not kidding. You'll understand what I mean once you see them.
I bought this pair of heels from Forever New. I think they are called Floral Harlows. Yes, they are one of the most impractical things that I've bought in my life but I love them! And that's all that really matters, right??! They cost $80 but I think it's worth it because they are of good quality. They are surprisingly comfy for a pair of peep toes!
I purchased this pair of smart-looking heels from Famous Footwear for $50. They are not of the extremely good quality, not very comfortable but hey, they look great! I simply couldn't sleep at night unless I owned it! I'm thinking I have some kind of "shoe disorder" going on? What do you think?
I made a bold vow that I would not buy another pair of shoes for 2011. Then, my ballet flats disintegrated after a month of traipsing around uni in them. I threw them out in outrage. I bought them at Famous Footwear for $15. I guess when you think about it, it's not so bad. Just $15... But if I had to buy a pair of ballet flats every month because they fall apart and can't handle all the walking, I'd be spending $180 a year! So, I decided that I could break my vow just this once. I got myself this $70 pair of pumps from Betts. It should last me AT LEAST a year... Hopefully!
Then winter came around and I wore my boots to uni everyday. Before long, I had worn the heels out and holes were forming there. They are 3 years old, so I didn't blame them. After my exams, my mum took me to DFO as a reward and bought me a pair of new boots from Wittner! It was on SALE! I got them for $100. Well, my mum paid for them, so my vow is still intact! Aren't they beautiful?
I've never owned a proper handbag before. The free beach bag from Elle and the simple, young girl-ish and brandless handbag that I own don't count. While we were at DFO, my mum spotted a collection of bags from Fossil. She really adored this bag and bought it for me. From $90 to $50, it was a bargain!So, there it is. The tale of 4 (pairs of) shoes and a handbag!
Friday, July 22, 2011
Alluring Apothica
In case you're wondering what Apothica is, it's not a bottle of perfume or a brand of cosmetics. It contains both those things but it's not a magazine/catalog or a pharmacy that "has gone back to its apothecary roots". It's the name of a website where you can shop for all of your beauty essentials. To quote from Apothica.com, "(we are) an online beauty boutique, which carries the finest selection of skin care, body care, aromatherapy, and cosmetic products on the market today, including the most natural, organic products available. We are dedicated to providing you with high quality products formulated to promote and enhance your natural beauty."
It truly is an impressive online store. From cosmetics to candles to hair care products. It's like many online shopping sites combined but even better! They carry brands from CHANEL to Clinique to L'Occitane. They cover more "ground" a department store can! What makes them even better than your average online beauty shop is that you can send them questions through LIVE HELP. Just click on it and ask away! It even tells you if there's anyone available at the other end! So check them out a.s.a.p. They have a SALE going on at the moment and you could potentially find some goodies at a cheaper price!
Talking about cheaper price, this reminds me. Ever since the 2008 GFC, many countries are still finding their economy down on its knees, trying to get back up. In these tough times, if you still long for a new lipstick or a fresh tube of mascara but need to cut back on spending, I would like to suggest the brand Stila. Their makeup are of reasonable quality and at a very affordable price. Personally, I have yet to try them myself but I have heard and seen good reviews of them on the internet.
Image source: Makeup and Macaroons
So if and when I do get my hands on any of these money-savers, I will post a review. If you are using or did use Stila, drop a comment and give us a quick review! If you want to get your hands on some Stila products, you can find them on Apothica.com. In fact, just click on the link and it'll take you there straight away! Have fun browsing/shopping!
It truly is an impressive online store. From cosmetics to candles to hair care products. It's like many online shopping sites combined but even better! They carry brands from CHANEL to Clinique to L'Occitane. They cover more "ground" a department store can! What makes them even better than your average online beauty shop is that you can send them questions through LIVE HELP. Just click on it and ask away! It even tells you if there's anyone available at the other end! So check them out a.s.a.p. They have a SALE going on at the moment and you could potentially find some goodies at a cheaper price!
Talking about cheaper price, this reminds me. Ever since the 2008 GFC, many countries are still finding their economy down on its knees, trying to get back up. In these tough times, if you still long for a new lipstick or a fresh tube of mascara but need to cut back on spending, I would like to suggest the brand Stila. Their makeup are of reasonable quality and at a very affordable price. Personally, I have yet to try them myself but I have heard and seen good reviews of them on the internet.
Image source: Makeup and MacaroonsSo if and when I do get my hands on any of these money-savers, I will post a review. If you are using or did use Stila, drop a comment and give us a quick review! If you want to get your hands on some Stila products, you can find them on Apothica.com. In fact, just click on the link and it'll take you there straight away! Have fun browsing/shopping!
Friday, July 8, 2011
Did you know?
I've decided to share what I know about uncommon but wonderful uses of certain household items that you may not have known of. I hope this post will help you solve a few of your everyday problems!
Baking Soda/Bi-Carb Soda
Apart from helping your cake expand, baking soda can help you eliminate horrible odour from almost anywhere! I've tried it myself. It "sucked" the rancid smell out of my aunt's car. Here's what I did: I poured some baking soda into a rectangle plastic container. I spread the powder so that it covers the entrie base of the container. Then, I left the container (without its lid) at the passenger's foot area for a few days. By the 3rd day, most of the smell was gone! It's a great alternative to buying an air-freshener, which only masks odours instead of getting rid of it.
Tips
1. The larger the base of the container, the better.
2. A large suface area is more important than large amounts of baking soda. But if you only have a container with a small base, you'll have to put large amounts and mix the baking soda now and then (so that more powder is exposed to the air and able to remove the odour).
3. Place the container where lots of air can come in contact with the baking soda. It's no point if you put it in the glove box (then only your glove box will be odour-free).
4. Have smelly shoes too? Sprinkle some baking soda into them!
Charcoal
I'm sure most of us have found our freezer rather stinky from storing fresh fish frequently. The trick to removing the odour is to place a small block of charcoal in the freezer. The smell should be completely gone within a matter of days. I leave mine in the fridge until the odour returns, which by then means that the charcoal has already "sucked up as much smell as it could". That's when I replace the block with a new one. Try it and you'll be amazed!
Tip
1. Place the charcoal in the far back corner of your freezer so that it does not get in your way of storing/searching for food.
Salt
Feel a sore throat coming? Mix yourself a concentrated solution of water and salt and gargle your mouth/throat after meals. This should stop the sore throat from developing. Why does it work? In simple terms, just like how salted fish is preserved, the bacteria would find your throat a difficult place to survive in if it's salty. Their water gets drawn out in a hypertonic environment and thus "killing" them.
This one is for all females who have trouble removing period stains from their clothes or bed. You don't need any special washing detergent. Simply squirt some soap/handwash onto the stain and sprinkle some salt over it. Scrub before and while rinsing. The stain should come off easily. I do not know the science behind it but it seems to work.
I hope you've found this post useful. I've tried all of them myself and they have worked for me. It's not a guarantee but I sure hope they work for you too. I'll be testing out the lemon-pimple trick next and will let you know if I'm successful!
Baking Soda/Bi-Carb Soda
Apart from helping your cake expand, baking soda can help you eliminate horrible odour from almost anywhere! I've tried it myself. It "sucked" the rancid smell out of my aunt's car. Here's what I did: I poured some baking soda into a rectangle plastic container. I spread the powder so that it covers the entrie base of the container. Then, I left the container (without its lid) at the passenger's foot area for a few days. By the 3rd day, most of the smell was gone! It's a great alternative to buying an air-freshener, which only masks odours instead of getting rid of it.
Tips
1. The larger the base of the container, the better.
2. A large suface area is more important than large amounts of baking soda. But if you only have a container with a small base, you'll have to put large amounts and mix the baking soda now and then (so that more powder is exposed to the air and able to remove the odour).
3. Place the container where lots of air can come in contact with the baking soda. It's no point if you put it in the glove box (then only your glove box will be odour-free).
4. Have smelly shoes too? Sprinkle some baking soda into them!
Charcoal
I'm sure most of us have found our freezer rather stinky from storing fresh fish frequently. The trick to removing the odour is to place a small block of charcoal in the freezer. The smell should be completely gone within a matter of days. I leave mine in the fridge until the odour returns, which by then means that the charcoal has already "sucked up as much smell as it could". That's when I replace the block with a new one. Try it and you'll be amazed!
Tip
1. Place the charcoal in the far back corner of your freezer so that it does not get in your way of storing/searching for food.
Salt
Feel a sore throat coming? Mix yourself a concentrated solution of water and salt and gargle your mouth/throat after meals. This should stop the sore throat from developing. Why does it work? In simple terms, just like how salted fish is preserved, the bacteria would find your throat a difficult place to survive in if it's salty. Their water gets drawn out in a hypertonic environment and thus "killing" them.
This one is for all females who have trouble removing period stains from their clothes or bed. You don't need any special washing detergent. Simply squirt some soap/handwash onto the stain and sprinkle some salt over it. Scrub before and while rinsing. The stain should come off easily. I do not know the science behind it but it seems to work.
I hope you've found this post useful. I've tried all of them myself and they have worked for me. It's not a guarantee but I sure hope they work for you too. I'll be testing out the lemon-pimple trick next and will let you know if I'm successful!
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Katy Rocks
So I haven't been infatuated (smitten/besotted/call-it-whatever-you-like) with a star in a while. Two months back I attended Katy Perry's California Dreams concert and it was A-MAY-ZING! I am not exaggerating. That may have been my first concert but I can feel it in my gut that no other concert by any other singer can rival hers. Okay, perhaps I'm being a little bit bias here. Apart from being exceptionally sexy (voted by FHM as the sexiest woman alive), Katy is incredibly gorgeous in real life. Her performance was impeccable, sending all rumours of her sounding terrible live to the grave.
Katy's Last Friday Night music video was released recently. Playing the role of a nerdy teenage girl named Kathy Beth Terry, she was transformed into a hot party girl in the video. I was impressed by her acting skills and the Last Friday Night MV was a huge step up from her out-of-this-world E.T. MV. I won't rattle on anymore about how wonderful Katy Perry is. If you haven't seen her music videos , I recommend that you do. Last Friday Night will have you laughing, E.T. will leave you mesmerised and California Gurls will either leave you utterly speechless or make you have wet dreams of Katy!
Katy's Last Friday Night music video was released recently. Playing the role of a nerdy teenage girl named Kathy Beth Terry, she was transformed into a hot party girl in the video. I was impressed by her acting skills and the Last Friday Night MV was a huge step up from her out-of-this-world E.T. MV. I won't rattle on anymore about how wonderful Katy Perry is. If you haven't seen her music videos , I recommend that you do. Last Friday Night will have you laughing, E.T. will leave you mesmerised and California Gurls will either leave you utterly speechless or make you have wet dreams of Katy!
Songs by Katy Perry that I like
Teenage Dream
California Gurls
Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)
Not Like the Movies
E. T.
Waking Up in Vegas
Peacock
Ur So Gay
Hummingbird Heartbeat
Hot 'N Cold
Teenage Dream
California Gurls
Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)
Not Like the Movies
E. T.
Waking Up in Vegas
Peacock
Ur So Gay
Hummingbird Heartbeat
Hot 'N Cold