Amelia Kay Photography Giveaway

What a wonderful time of year to be inspired by the love of life and all it has to offer. I don't know about you guys, but I am a very visual person and one of the most inspiring things for me in my life are beautiful images. I love photography as you might have guessed from my own amateur ventures, but experiencing the world through the eye of a different camera lens is invigorating and I love meeting new photographers.

With that, allow me to introduce Amelia Kay whose images are dreamy and whimsical and leave you wanting to more. I love the vintage feel of her work, and her subjects are so interesting. Good news Embellishers...Amelia Kay Photography has partnered with Embellished to offer you a special giveaway opportunity!

1. What got you started with photography?

I have always been into photography - ever since I was a young child. It wasn't until after my daughter was born 4.5 years ago that I took it more seriously and started to teach myself the basics of photography. From there, I found my true passion was fine art photography, especially macro photography with flowers or every day objects!

2. What's your story?

A lot of my friends and family encouraged me to think about turning my hobby into a business as I became better at fine art photography. They didn't have to encourage too much because when I was a child, I dreamed of being a professional photographer! So to take this leap from hobby to business was a dream come true!

3. What is your favorite thing about having your own shop?

The fact that I am my own boss! Also, I am still over the moon that I have turned my hobby into a business, so when my kids are in school full time (in a few years) my Etsy shop and my photography will keep me busy during the day!

4. If you could have a super power what would it be?

To be able to fly! I love to travel and see other places, so being able to fly would be amazing!

Be sure to check out the Amelia Kay Photography Blog and follow her on Twitter and Facebook

and get your daily inspiration when life calls for it!

So here is your chance to win an 8x8 or 8x10 print of your favorite photo! As usual you have 4 opportunities to enter, but make sure you post a comment below for EACH entry or it won't count when the random number is drawn!

1. Visit the shop and comment below on which print you would choose to win

(make sure I have a way to contact you)

2. Become a follower of The Embellished Life Blog

3. Tweet about this giveaway! (tag @fashiondiva304 so I can keep track)

4. Become a Facebook Fan of Embellished!

This is a 4 day contest so doors close at Midnight, Thursday, February 4th, NYC time.

All readers are welcome to enter, good luck darlings!

Miss France 2009 - After JP Gaultier Défilé

Je préfère Chloé Mortaud en mannequin pour JP Gaultier qu'en Miss France pour
Mme de Fontenay. Pas vous ?
(merci Naylaah !)

Blow Wave Boy - Trocadéro - Paris

Sofia Fisher at Chanel Show - Paris FW

Waves of Clarity

One of my favorite places to be is at the beach. I love walking along the shore and listening to the waves, with the sand in between my toes as the water continually washing them off. It is so peaceful. Its a place I always know I can go and clear my head.

*Photo compliments of Alvaro Puentes via Flikr*

Where is your place for zen?

Rouge

I have seen le "Moulin Rouge" hundreds and hundreds times and I cannot
grow tired of it. Every time I pass near Pigalle (Place Blanche), I cannot stop myself from having
a look at it just to check if its red is always so ... rouge, like a giant lipstick.

Sunny Saturday...in my mind.

As a Southern Girl I very much enjoy the heat and plenty of sunshine. Now living in the North of France I have had quite a difficult time adjusting to a constant state of cold and overcast, I also feel like a vampire with the serious lack of melanin in my skin!

Yesterday was the strangest weather day of my life. It was raining in the morning, followed by a brief parting of clear blue skies, and then it started snowing...like a blizzard! It was snowing cats and dogs! But that's not all, later in the evening it sleeted! What?! That's right I had 4 kinds of weather in a 12 hour period, no lie.

*Photo compliments of Amy Sneder, Flikr*

This picture felt like a hot summer concert in a park to me. This has only made me realize how ready for warmer weather I am. Bring on the sunshine please, I'm ready for my sundresses, shorts, Rainbow Sandals, and really long sun drenched days!

Anyone else feeling the late winter blues?

Don't forget to enter for free mineral makeup! Make those winter blues a little more sparkly and fun!

Skye Stracke - Paris Fashion Week

Giovanna Battaglia - Rue St-Martin - Paris

Tina - Rue de Turenne - Paris

I a am Stylist
I wear a vintage Jacket with artic Wolf from Canada
Black leggings and boots from DINSKO (Sweden)
My top is designed and made by me
My bag is from BURBERRY
Fashion is expressing myself and feeling creativ.
My look is vintage, black and classic at the same time.
I love politness and generosity of people.
I don't like people who are too superficial.
If I had 1 000 € I would go to CHANEL Boutik and go crazy !

Cute Girl

Cunning, attractive, cute girl contrived to charm.

Black & Blond Gang - Rue Cambon - Paris

January Pondering & Giveaway Winner

Well, January is finally coming to a close and with that comes the established tone for the coming year. How have you done so far on your resolutions? I don't really care for them so much myself as I feel they set you up for failure, but the goals I have placed for myself to accomplish this year in general are shaping up quite nicely. I am increasing my brand awareness for Embellished through buzz marketing and this blog. I have been consistantly running, and getting much further along in my training for a marathon...10 mile runs are what I'm up to now! And I have reached a place where I can enjoy my time here in France and savor the things I have here while I have them!

*photo compliments of mylittlepipsqueek*

Now all I have to do is busy myself over the next little while to pretend that I am not missing the Super Bowl this year! I look forward to it all year, and I don't think I have ever missed the big game in my life, so being in France will be a challenge!

How is your 2010 shaping up thusfar?

Now for the news you want to hear, here's the winner of the Gossimar Wings Necklace Giveaway....

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max: Result:13Powered by RANDOM.ORG

...Anastasia of Matt's Crafty Wife!! Congratulations on your unique handmade necklace, I know it will make quite a statement!

If you missed out there is already another giveaway going on that is live for more than another week! Don't miss your chance to win some amazing Mineral Makeup!

Irina - Rue St-Martin - Paris

I wish to be a model. I am looking for an Agency.
I wear a coat by H&M
All my outfit by ZARA
except my bag by H&M and my shoes by ANDRE.
Perfume: "Elle" by YSL
For me Fashion is Style
My look is simple
I love Music and I hate Strawberry Yogurts.
If I had 1 000 €, I would buy those striped blue and white
CHANEL Shoes.
My message to the world: Live Fashion more !

Uliana Sergienko - Rue Cambon - Paris

A slav Princess ...

Pierre Cardin - Avenue Montaigne - Paris

Irina Lazareanu - Bonne Nouvelle - Paris

Igor - Avenue Montaigne - Paris

I am a Performer-Stylist

My look is trash
Fashion is extravaguant
If I had 1 000 € I would buy apair of those beautiful orthopedic shoes.
I love Soup.
My message to the world: make love !

Maja - Rue Cambon - Paris

5 under seems nothing for Maja "the Graphic Wizard"

Jane Austen Romance

As an avid reader, I have my special stack of books I know I can return to and time and time again be swept away by the timeless story. I adore the characters of Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters, etc, and was inspired by their romance to create a few things over the weekend. I'd love to hear your thoughts!

The Bronte Rosette

Crush satin in aubergine and white lace neatly twisted with delicate vintage black French lace for an exquisitely rich sensation of romance. Topped off with a sprig of black and white feathers for glamor and demure.

The Marilyn Peacock Rosette

Blow passer-bys away with this chic statement piece that is sure to turn heads. Formed by twisting Aubergine crushed satin into a tidy rosette and then adding intoxicating green peacock plumes for allure. Be prepared to be desired!

Which one is your favorite?

Also today is the last day for the Gossimar Wings jewelry giveaway!

Enter HERE and don't miss out!

Eye Popping Peepers Giveaway

I have an absolute obsession with the beauty department! I love learning new techniques for styling my hair or applying my makeup, changing things up makes life a little more fun for me. Sephora is my beauty mecca, I love wandering around discovering new tools and being intoxicated by new scents. Something I have become interested in, in the past couple years is mineral makeup. I hear a lot about it, but what's the big deal? When I discovered Orglamix I was excited to catch up with Cheri and learn so much about Mineral Makeup and her line!

And good news Embellishers...Orglamix is sponsoring an amazing giveaway just for you!

-All photos property of Embellished unless otherwise noted-

*photo compliments of Orglamix*

1. What got you started in making mineral eyeshadow?

I am a self proclaimed ‘product junkie’! From my humble beginnings as the president of the Lip Smacker Club in the first grade to today, I have an insatiable appetite for all things beauty related, so Orglamix was a natural transition for me. It started after the birth of my first daughter in 2004 when my skin (along with my self esteem) freaked out. Seemingly overnight my complexion became sensitive, blotchy and unbearably acne-ridden. Nothing I tried worked, so I began researching ingredients in makeup and stumbled upon mineral makeup. I was instantly captivated by the good-for-you sparkly potions in a rainbow of hues, but once I gave them a try, I was obsessed!

2. What is so important about mineral makeup?

Since I started Orglamix, mineral cosmetics have become much more popular in retail, but I’m committed to keeping all Orglamix minerals strictly au naturel. True mineral makeup contains only all natural, finely ground minerals from the earth, without any of the chemicals, dyes, fillers and preservatives found in traditional makeup. All mineral makeup is not created equal. Read the ingredient labels, know what you are buying. Makeup sensitivity is often the result of synthetic dyes, fragrances, and preservatives, so any makeup that eliminates these is going to eliminate some of the related problems. Pure mineral makeup has many benefits such as: - Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide which have natural, anti-inflammatory properties, that have a calming effect on the skin, particularly important if you suffer from inflammatory problems such as sensitive skin, rosacea or acne.

-Non Comdongenic

Unlike traditional makeup products that contain synthetic ingredients that can clog pores and create skin problems, mineral makeup is free of synthetic fillers and oil. It will not clog pores, and it's not going to aggravate an acne condition or cause a flare-up as easily as some traditional makeup can.

- Sun Protection With an average SPF rating of 15

Due mostly to the high content of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide -- two ingredients commonly found in traditional sunscreen, mineral makeup offers natural sun protection. Even so, it’s recommended to use sunscreen under makeup and then use the mineral foundation as an extra boost.

- Preservative Free

The prime ingredients used in mineral makeup are inorganic, (unlike most makeup) which means that bacteria and microbes cannot live in the makeup. The fact that the ingredients are inorganic also means that no preservatives need be included and that the makeup will have a long shelf life, so long as reasonable care is taken to apply the makeup with clean brushes.

- Healthy Glow

Mineral makeup contains a lot of pigment which allows, for buildable coverage that will last all day. It’s well-suited for hiding the skin’s wrinkles, crow's feet and fine lines, due to the fact it reflects sunlight. The result is a very healthy, natural glow with youthful effervescence.

3. What do you love about Orglamix?

I love everything… even if I have to pull an occasional all nighter to get everything accomplished! I love having a platform to release my creative energy in a way that other people can enjoy, appreciate and benefit from. I love the fact that Orglamix brings out the best in women who use it. It’s amazing to see the transformation. I feel very blessed to have such an awesome group of customers. It makes me very proud.

I love the fact that Orglamix is strictly au naturel, yet customers do not have to sacrifice anything-- quality, texture, color or value. You get it all with Orglamix; and I think it’s the number one reason the brand is so successful and growing so quickly.

5. What can we expect to see from you in the future?

Lots, lol! I have so many exciting new products that are going to launch in 2010, I can't wait! Two of them are concepts I've been working on since my initial launch. They are new and different concepts so I am so excited to see how the market --esp my fans-- will react to them. I also look forward to expanding my distribution and bringing Orglamix to select retailers in the very near future.

6. If you could have a super power what would it be?

I love this question! I would like to be able to wave my magic wand (mascara? lip gloss?) and have any women be able to experience beauty. I get so many emails from women who do not feel beautiful. It’s sad. True beauty comes from within, so no matter what someone looks like on the outside, each and every woman should be able to feel and believe in their own beauty.

*photo compliments of Orglamix*

7. Any extra tidbits?

Orglamix Believes:

» Natural beauty shouldn't cost a fortune.

» That six deep breaths a day can improve your life.

» We are all beautiful inside and out.

» That you already make a difference in the world.

» Speak your mind from your heart.

» A good laugh is an essential ingredient to your day.

Ok Embellishers, all this is wonderful but are you wondering how it would actually wear on you? Well guess what? I have tested... and I am a sold out convert! This mineral product line has amazing color and coverage, a brilliant shimmer and stays on ALL DAY! No fading, no creases!

I received the cutest personal package from Cheri to see for myself just how good the product is. I used a starter kit (pictured above) similar to this one HERE. I took the shadows out the complimentary travel bag, got out my trusty shadow brushes and got to work. BTW I love makeup kits, they make life so simple, all the fun without the fuss!

Great Lasting Coverage!

All day strong. No creasing.

Customization!

Cheri will work with your eye color and needs!

Also, she has WEEKLY SPECIALS like this kit for everything from smokey eyes to daywear!

Expansion!

After falling in love with the amazing eyeshadow I can't wait to begin trying the rest of her line!

Orglamix offers foundation, blush, bronzer, AND the brushes (above).

Check out this handy Starter Kit HERE that fills all your makeup needs!

One happy customer!

Make sure to keep in touch with Orglamix for their latest products and special customer deals. Join the facebook fanpage HERE and follow Cheri on Twitter HERE

GIVEAWAY TIME

So here is your chance to win a Mineral Eyeshadow Kit of your own! You have 4 opportunities to enter, but make sure you post a comment below for EACH entry or it won't count when the random number is drawn!

1. Visit the shop and tell me below what is your favorite item

(make sure I have a way to contact you)

2. Become a follower of The Embellished Life Blog

3. Tweet about this giveaway! (tag @fashiondiva304 and @hautebeauty)

4. Become a Facebook Fan of Embellished!

This is a 2 WEEK contest so doors close at Midnight, Wednesday, February 10th, NYC time.

Good luck darlings!

How to Portray a Scene Style that is Cool

How to Portray a Scene Style that is Cool

The cool thing about scene kids is how they portray a scene style that makes them look smart and modern.  If you want to be a real scene kid that attracts people instead of annoying them, you must dress up appropriately.

You can wear tight skinny jeans that expose your slim legs but make them loose at the back.  See to it that they remain to be tight, but just in case they get loose, use a dryer so that you can get back their elasticity then, shrink them a little.

Your jeans should not be flares or bootcuts, but straight-leg pencil jeans.  Hook up a carabiner, then, clip it on your keys and put on the side of your skinny jeans.  Choose the tightest fitting t-shirt but don’t wear crew necks always as they look awkward, or you can wear band shirts and graphic shirts.

Be sure that the band you are displaying is the latest.  You can wear vintage band shirts with birds, animal prints and skulls which are the latest scene designs.  Avoid using Pokemon and foil print because they are already outmoded.

Scene kids normally wear loads of eyeliner and converse chucks or vans.  A lot of scene kids wear bandanas around their necks or cover their face.

Scene girls wear shoes that are bright such as vans, ballet flats, Converse, or high heels which are eye-catching.  To make your shoes look great, you can add things like neon shoelaces with signatures of your friends on your shoes but make sure they look personalized.

Cool Scene Style

Karl Lagerfeld - Rue Cambon - Paris

Ah ! Celui-là !