Rabu, 30 November 2011

I have a job!

I started a new job this week as a retail assistant in HMV. For my first day, I painted my nails to match the uniform and I thought I'd do a quick post to show you! 
From a conversation I had on Twitter, I gather that HMV definitely exists in Singapore, Canada and obviously here in the UK, but there are no stores in the USA so apologies if you don't recognise the imagery!


I used A-England Lancelot* as a base. For the lettering and logo, I used white acrylic paint and Nails Inc Shoreditch. The lettering was all done with a dotting tool. My pinky is a stamp from Bundle Monster plate BM225 using Sally Hansen Chrome Anemone.


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Shoe of the Day #1

So, for my very 1st "Shoe of the Day" post, I chose Cheyenne.  Why?  Well, simply because Cheyenne isn't a "heel".  While I do love a cute high heel boot, they are just not practical for the wet, slippery, icy New England winters.  And, although I would prefer a cute FLAT boot (like Lindy, which I ordered in both colors before they sold out in my size!), a wedge is a good compromise!  You can look stylish day-to-day, without busting your a** on the ice AND you can wear them out dancing without hurting your feet!  :)



Possible "Night Out" look (minus the sweater.  Add a long, sparkly necklace, some chunky bracelets, and voila!  **Plz keep in mind, I live in NH, so a "Nite Out" outfit here may very well be a "day-to-day" outfit elsewhere):


Outfit found via Pinterest


Here's a pic of Rosie Huntington-Whitley wearing a pair of black, knee high wedge boots while running errands.




What do you think?  Are you a fan of wedge boots, or would you rather pass on them?

Also, here's a pic of Lindy, that I had mentioned, so you can see what I was talking about!  :)
Lindy (in brown)...SO comfy!


**Check out my Liebster Blog Award Nomination!!!!!**

All-natural Pores and skin Care Tips

Beauty Tips / Skin care Tips : Lots of us don’t know about our skin type and what should be applied on the skin to get the glow/complexion like our favorite star. Replace to think about trying for the lotions that are valuable in the market, try these easier tips to present yourself, the sensational skin. Here are some easy, simple, naturally nourishing tricks to prepare.
Definitely, following these tips would give you best of the achievements, only after utilizing it at regular basis and at regular intervals. Therefore, be ready to take care of your skin with these ‘natural skin care’ recipes.

Even your favorite star could be applying these tips… in her daily routine!
1. Taking Care Of Carrot Mask:  Bring a carrot, grate and mingle it well with one spoon of honey. Utilizing this all over the face and leave it for only 15 minutes. Now, wash and recognize the difference after regular use.

2. Punch of a Pineapple: After mashing up well a pineapple slice, mix it with the juice of an orange or a lemon and add all these components with wheat flour. Utilize this mixture on the face and neck. Scrub it off after some time, to get fresh and soft skin.

3. Lemon, Egg Protector: Stir an egg white till it gets peak up and put it in the freezer for about 15 minutes. Now, give the juice of a lemon and a grated tomato with this. Utilize on the skin; practice the same for minimum of a month to get the soft skin.

4. Utilize Guava Grace: Blend one guava;
mix it well with the mixture of oatmeal and lemon juice. Utilize this now on the face for about 20 minutes and wash it off to see the better glow.

5. Spinach Support: Bring a cup of raw pure spinach, and one spoon of fresh cream, mingle well all these and apply on the face. Leaving it for about half an hour and wash it off to see the charming skin to assist your great looks.

6. Ravish Radish Touch: Bring half grated fresh radish, one spoon of vinegar, one spoon of lemon juice and one spoon of honey. Mingle all these components in a glass of distilled water and store in a bottle. Wiping your skin regularly to shrink open pores and fall off greasiness.

7. Healthy Honey Treatment: Mingle one spoon of honey with the white of an egg and grated potato. Utilize this on the face and let it dry. Washing it off with cold water and feel the magic of freshness.

8. Marvel milk treatment: Mingle together 50 grams dried pea powder, lemon juice, one pinch of camphor and a little milk. Utilize it over the face and leave it for 15 minutes and scrub it off with milk. It is good for treating scars.

9. Strawberry silky soft: Mingle well about 5 strawberries, 1 spoon of china clay and the juice of a small orange. Utilize this on the face and scrub it after about 20 minutes with a towel dipped in cold water.
10. Tomato and Sandal pack: Mingle well one grated tomato, one spoon of sandalwood powder and half spoon of china clay. Mingle again all these components in rose water and utilize on the face, leave it for 15 – 20 minutes. Washing it off to help tightened skin.

Attractiveness Tips Do-it-yourself Face Lightening Packs

Beauty Tips / Experience Lightening Cream:
Enhance the appearance with do-it-yourself deal with whitening features. The features are made from various ingredients that are natural lightening agents. The elements combined together to prepare the do-it-yourself deal with whitening features are natural hence it suits all appearance and does not damages the pores and epidermis in anyways.
Face whitening with Lotus
To make this fairness pack, take 2 lotus flowers along with its stem, 2 tablespoon milk, 2 teaspoon almond oil and some rose water. First clean the flowers and stems thoroughly in the running water. Then pluck the petals and keep it aside. Cut the stems into small pieces and grind it in the mixer along with milk to make fine paste. Collect the paste in a bowl and add almond oil to it. Mix it well. To apply it on the face first clean the skin with face wash or cleansing milk. Now apply the paste on the face and neck, leave the eyes and mouth. Stack 3-4 lotus petals together, sprinkle some rose water on it and put the petals on left eye. Repeat the same for right eye too. Relax in this position for 20 minutes then clean the pack with cold water.
It is best to use this pack in morning as the skin’s absorption level is quite high in early hours. Secondly, ensure not to expose the skin in sun for one full day after applying the pack. In order to get best results apply this face whitening pack using lotus once every week. Continue it for 3 months and note the change in the skin color.

Almond face whitening homemade pack
To prepare this pack soak four almonds overnight in milk having 2-3 saffron strands. Next morning, peel its cover and using the same milk and saffron strands in which the almonds were soaked grind the almonds in the mixer. Make a fine paste. Ahead of applying the paste on face, first clean the skin thoroughly. Then apply it on the face and neck. Hold it for 20 minutes, later wash with cold water. Use it alternate days for 3 months for best results.

Face whitening using gram flour
Gram flour when mixed with raw milk reduces the darkness on the face. Take two tablespoon gram flour, 4 teaspoon raw milk and 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice. Mix all three together to make fine paste. The consistency of the mixture must be moderate. Apply on the face and neck and leave it for 20 minutes. Then after wash the face. It should be used one in 3 days for 2 months to observe the change in the facial skin.

Sandalwood powder helps in face whitening
This powder assists in face whitening with its natural properties. To use this pack mix together 2 tablespoon sandalwood powder, a pinch of turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon each of freshly prepared lime juice, tomato juice and cucumber juice. Apply it on the face and neck with the help of a flat brush. Keep it on the skin for 20 minutes. Subsequently wash the face with water. It can be used every day for face whitening.
All these tips should be used as mentioned. As a result the darkness of the face shall reduce and fairness shall be improved. Use these homemade face whitening packs and get the desired results!

Pores and epidermis Care Tips For Junk Skin

Beauty Tips / Skin Care Tips: Who would want to have an oily skin that causes pimples or acne? Definitely no one, so let us identify first what causes oily skin.
It is because of the over production of your sebaceous gland, which is responsible for producing an oily substance called sebum.

We all know that too much of anything is bad, thus too much of sebum is not good too. It can clog our pores, leading to accumulation of dead skin cells resulting to pimples. Too much oil on your skin can definitely mess up your looks, so consider using skin care products that are good for oily skin.

When thinking of the best skin care solution for oily skin, consider those that have oil free content, preferably one with salicylic acid, which has been proven to minimize sebum production. You can try using a cleanser that is made specifically for oily skin, and use it at least twice a day. You may have to use it more often during hot or humid weather. Check the labels of the products you are buying to make sure that there are no harsh ingredients that may harm your skin in the long run.
Choosing the right oily skin care depends on the severity of your skin’s oiliness. If your skin is not that oily, products that are suitable for all skin types might work for you but if your skin is extremely oily, then you should use the “only for oily skin” skin care products. The second step in your skin care is applying a toner. An alcohol based toner can help you lessen the oil but avoid using it too much for it can damage your skin. After applying the toner, you should put a mild moisturizer to prevent skin from drying. This may be optional depending on the extent of your skin’s oiliness. If ever you decide to use one, make sure that it is oil-free and water- based. You can also add to your skin care regimen the use of clay mask for at least once a week.
You should be patient though in trying different kinds of products until you find what is appropriate for you. If you don’t like trying, you can consult your dermatologist to find out what would be the best skin care product that will suit your skin type.

Liebster Blog Award!

Yesterday I received an email from a friend who shares 2 of my MAJOR addictions.....Shoes and Books (which would be a GREAT blog title...Hmmm.  Anyways, back to my point).  Why do you care if I got an email?  Maybe you don't, however, I do!  :)  Jena from Pure Textuality nominated me for a Liebster Blog Award!!!






I went to my old friend, Google, for info on this (I like to be informed), however, upon searching, I have come to the conclusion that there is no actual "winner" of this award.  Basically, if you are nominated, you already ARE a winner, as the more you are nominated, the more people see and visit your blog~giving you the chance to attract new readers/followers that may not have normally found your blog otherwise!  Which (to me) is in fact better than winning a plaque or trophy that will collect dust in your office.


Rules of the Liebster Blog Award are as follows:

  • Thank the blogger who nominated YOU 
  • Nominate 5 blogs of your choice that have LESS than 200 followers
  • Copy and paste the award on your blog
  • Hope that the people you’ve sent the award to forward it to their 5 favorite bloggers and keep it going!

So, here are MY picks for the LBA (no particular order, just blogs that I like reading):


And, that's it!  Thanks again to Pure Textuality for my nomination!!  Please take a second to browse my 5 nominees.  Stop by & leave them a comment, let them know ShoeGirl sent you!  :)



Today's Favorites - Lino Ieluzzi's Shoes


For those that don't know who Lino Ieluzzi is, he is the owner of the famous shop in Milan, called Al Balzar, as well as one of the more popular faces seen on The Sartorialist. I would have never thought to do a quick post on Mr. Ieluzzi, but at the request of a reader, I figured that I would give my two cents on his infamous contrasted cap-toe monk straps that he is known for wearing. What I can say, is that I always appreciate someone who wears something that is unique and differentiates them from the rest. But, as far as these colors go, I would probably would have chosen them in other combinations. Not to say that these two colors don't go well together, but just to say that they are definitely not my favorite. I do like them, however, and more so, appreciate Mr. Ieluzzi's style in general, as I believe that he has a way about him that could be described as bravado, but in a good way. So what I am getting at, is that I do give my thumbs up on these shoes, but would want them in a different color combination. Your thoughts??


Senin, 28 November 2011

A new direction!



Hello!!! *Waving hands like crazy*


So, as I have mentioned in my last few posts, I have been feeling VERY uninspired lately.  The posts that I HAVE managed to get done, is solely out of guilt, as I have had comments asking when I'm going to post or how people miss reading the blog.  I'm SORRY!!!  This blog has been EXTREMELY fun for me, for the most part!  I love finding shoes (or other fashion deals) and sharing them with all of my readers (some of who have become friends)!  However, lack of "awe-inspiring" shoes lately, combined with the fact that as much as I try to be "fashion forward"......I can't change the fact that I live in NH (well, I can, but my kids are here, & I can't COMFORTABLY afford to move....yet) and NH is most definitely not a State known for fashion.  


As much as I looooove my shoes, its hard buying them & having to go into my closet to admire them.  I go out typically once a week....I STILL have shoes I have not worn, and I haven't bought new ones in months.  I have tried "dressing up" (aka: nice jeans, nice shirt, & heels) to run errands, and get crazy looks for it.  I know, I know...I shouldn't care what other people think.  However, I don't think heels for the grocery store, or laundry is needed, and as much as I'd like to wear heels for these things, its much more practical to throw on my sneakers/(fake) UGGs.  


This brings me to my "new direction" for the blog!  


I am giving fair warning.....the blog will still focus on shoes/fashion/deals/etc, HOWEVER, I may also blog about books, DIY hair/makeup tips for cheap, and any misc random "daily life" things that I feel like discussing.  If you are not interested in these new things, THANK YOU so much for being a reader of this blog.  I will be sad to not have you as a reader anymore, however, I do understand!  :)


One thing I WILL try to do, is a "Shoe of the Day" post.  It could be a ridiculously expensive pair of shoes that we can all admire from afar (well, maybe some of you lucky ladies can afford, but not me), it may be an UGLY pair that I just have to share, it may be a very cute, affordable pair.  Whatever catches my eye on any particular day!


Anyways!  Just wanted to get this out there!  I'll do my 1st Shoe of the Day post either later today (I MUST do laundry today....lots of laundry), or tomorrow!  Hope everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving!!!!

Minggu, 27 November 2011

The Perfect Winter Boot

Septieme Largeur

A few weeks ago, I did a post about the 5 Essential Shoes for Winter and listed that a heavy brogue boot would definitely be one of those shoes to get you through these cold months. What I did not realize then and just recently stumbled upon was the fact that there is another boot, not too far off from this, which I believe could be the ONE shoe (boot) that anyone would ever need for the winter season. That boot being, a light brogue boot with a leather sole, preferably as an oxford as seen here by Septieme Largeur. The reason that I did not think of this, is because you rarely see them. But after getting a pair and thinking about it, it makes perfect sense. Not only does it look good casually but can also be paired with the thicker suits that one tends to wear during the colder months.
























As you can see, the features of the boot give it everything it needs to be as a dress shoe: slim sole, sleek last shape, normal heel height etc. The only thing that makes it casual would be the metal, ring eyelets (the bottom ones, as the trouser should always cover the top ones). But they are so nondescript that they create the perfect balance of being not too casual for pairing with suits, but just casual enough to make these boots look real good with a nice pair of jeans. The design, quite admirable, is something that I would have never thought of. And that's why I did not mind actually getting a pair, knowing that I would not put something like this into my first collection, and will now have to think about whether or not I will ever add it at all, for fear of having to give these away!

Edward Green (ladies) -- Leffot
Laszlo Vass










Rider Boot Co.

Perfetto










After wearing them a couple of times and thinking about their versatility, I realized that this very well could be my go-to winter shoe. It's dark, elegant but casual and can be paired with the majority of outfits that one could create, with the exception of fancy dress. That being, I figured that it's the perfect winter boot. Now as a second choice, as the oxford version is hard to find, I would have to say that the derby brogue boot is a good contender. I would not pair it with a suit but it makes a darn fine shoe for jeans and the likes of winter-type trousers such as moleskins and corduroys, just the things that I gravitate towards (as I am sure that you do too) once that weather gets so cold that I can feel it in my bones. And after re-evaluating my shoe collection, I see that oxford shoes are something that I do not really need to add any more of, and boots are something that I have far too little of. Good thing there will be 3 different boots in my first collection. I won't mind nicking a couple of pairs....

Alden

Edward Green -- Photo courtesy of Leffot

Sabtu, 26 November 2011

Pac-Man Nail Art!

A few days ago, a twitter friend suggested I do Pac-Man nails and I instantly jumped on the idea! Pac-Man was on my short-list for the Week of Geek but didn't end up making the cut and I guess I just forgot about the idea until Araneae mentioned it.


I used yellow (George Buttercup shine) as a base for my ring finger and black (Rimmel Black satin) for all the others. I used a nail art brush to freehand the outline of Pac-Man with black acrylic paint then black polish to fill out the remaining bits of nail.

For the ghosts, I used white acrylic paint to make out the shapes and then coloured them in using Miss Sporty Orange, Barry M Raspberry and L'Oreal Bebe. The blue of the maze is Barry M Cyan Blue which I painted on with a striping brush and I used a dotting tool with La Femme Grey Cream for the pac-dots.




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Jumat, 25 November 2011

25% off at Viva La Nails!

I've heard legends of Black Friday but being in the UK, I've never had the chance to experience a Black Friday sale! Viva La Nails are running their own Black Friday sale this weekend and you can get 25% off everything, and that means EVERYTHING using the code BLACK

I've lined up a few of my picks from their shop below. Viva La Nails is where I got the gold bullion used to create my now notorious studded manicure so if you've been thinking of recreating the look or have your own ideas for using those little bouncy balls, I'd snap up a pot or two today.

Code: BLACK
code valid Friday 25th November - Sunday 27th November 2011

 
 
 



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J.Fitzpatrick & Gaziano & Girling Collaboration


I don't know how many of you remember, but before I ever went to have my collection made up in Spain, I went to Tony Gaziano to learn how to make a pattern. He spent the day showing me using one of my very own designs. At first I thought that I would try and take another skill on board, but after seeing how intricate it can be and understanding that it would just add a few more years onto realizing my goals, I decided that I would leave it at that and maybe come to it at another point in life. But, that day was very integral to my knowledge in understanding why a pattern (and how it fits on the last) is so important. I realize that it is not just a shape that makes the shoe, but how the design (pattern) fits on that shape. How it compliments the curvature of the last. This is something that I am now struggling with in my own prototypes. Getting the pattern to fit the last, properly, is no easy feat, especially on your first round of making them. They usually need adjustments. 













Needless to say, this is the final result of my design. You may say, 'oh this is nothing unique,' but if you look carefully, I have extended the adelaide to follow the top line of the shoe, giving it sort of a 'wing-like' characteristic. As well as that, I have minimized the heel counter. I did that because I wanted to emphasize the flannel that I used, so that it would be the main focus of the shoe. And even though some might find these characteristics to be unpractical, I find them to be the refreshing difference to everything else that already exists.
















As far as the construction of the shoe goes, allow me to explain. So after Tony and I (really just Tony) completed the pattern, we had one of the closers that he uses sew all of the pieces together. This proved to be a difficult request due to the nature of the fabric. Yet, after a struggle, he still managed to do so and ended doing a very good job on such a difficult piece. The intention was then for me to make the shoes myself, but after a couple of complications, including lack of time and the fragility of the upper, we decided to just have it made in the G&G factory on the DG70 last. And as a surprise, they ended up constructing it with the Deco standard of construction and finish, to give it more of that 'handmade' feel. So that being, the concoction that you see presented here is designed by myself conceptually (and on paper), with the pattern done by Mr. Tony Gaziano, and then made up by the wonderful workers at Gaziano & Girling. The only downfall to all of this, is that this shoe will unfortunately be a one-off, as the flannel used is far to delicate and difficult to put into mass production. But, the design will be something that I incorporate into my first collection.


(Just to reiterate for clarification, this shoe will not be available by either side, and in the future, the design will be made available by me, not G&G)


Rabu, 23 November 2011

Business As Usual

Dear All,

It's 5:30am and I am about to be off for a quick one-day business trip. I am sorry that I did not get around to posting yesterday, but as usual my time was scarce. I can't really write much as I have to leave in 10 minutes but just did not want another day to go by without posting something. So, for another quick post, I will do my best to leave you with something that tempts the eyes and makes you want to come back tomorrow to see what's next!

Enjoy your Thursday!

-Justin, "The Shoe Snob"


Picture: To the best of my knowledge, these are John Lobb

,

♪♫ This could really be a good life...

This week is shaping up to be a very very good one! I had a job interview yesterday for a Christmas temporary position as a sales girl in a record shop which I nailed so I'll be starting that next week. Then today, I got a call from another job I applied for which is basically a Chalet Girl position but without the Alps! It's live-in so it also means I'll be able to move out of parents' place for a while. I have to go for an interview/trial kind of thing this Sunday and if I'm successful, I'll start in January - I'll keep you guys posted on that!

And to top it all off, this blog hit 2000 followers today! Thank you all so much for reading and following! I hope I say it often enough but I really don't think I could say it enough. It means the world to me that you all like my little piece of the internet enough to keep coming back and showing your support. THANK YOU!

Today is a Wednesday so here comes the pink!


Stamping Plate: Bundle Monster BM205
Base Colour: Models Own Utopia
Stamping Colour: Barry M Raspberry
Accents: BYS Flirty Sparkle
Top Coat of NYC





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A-England Mythicals Review (Elaine, Galahad, Lancelot, Tristam)

About A-England
A-England is an indie nail polish brand created by a lovely lady called Adina Bodana and based in London, England. The concept behind the brand is great - beautiful, quality polishes to 'crown your hands and feet'. 

The Mythicals collection is a range of regal colours with majestic names taken from the legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table (wiki). I love this touch, it really gives a whole new level of authenticity to the brand and truly shows the love that's been poured in to creating the collection.

Swatches clockwise from top left: Elaine*, Galahad*, Lancelot*, Tristam*.

Elaine
Swatches here
Elaine is the ultimate Royal Purple. Application is flawless in two coats and it's so shiny, even without a top coat! Elaine and Galahad have very similar formulas - they're so creamy which makes them very easy to apply.


Galahad
Swatches here
Turquoise is my absolute favourite colour to wear on my nails and Galahad fits the bill perfectly. Again, it's a two coater - the formula is creamy and applies like a dream.


Lancelot
Swatches here
You can just about tell from the swatches that Lancelot is a red tinged black shade. Super vampy and a heart-breaker, just like it's namesake. My only qual with this shade is that it chips much quicker than the others - after about 2 days tip wear was quite visible. It's still a reasonably long lasting polish but the other shades lasted longer before they started chipping on the tips.


Tristam
Swatches here
Aaah Tristam. This is truly a beautiful polish. In shade or under artificial light, it's a pretty, glass flecked Indigo shade but in sunlight, the holographic effect is revealed and it sparkles every colour of the rainbow. This is going to be gracing my toes a lot in the summer months!


You can buy The Mythicals Collection from a-england.co.uk with free worldwide shipping.

A-England on Twitter
A-England on Facebook

*items were sent for consideration (see my disclosure policy for more details)


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