You can now get interactive with Handi Mandi as she plans out upcoming projects . . .
For example (as of Early January 2013):
Creating a jewellery display using an old picture frame, metal mesh and some small door knobs.
Here are a couple of tricks to spice up your Christmas or New Year get-togethers.
Just a quick FYI: all drinks featured in this video are completely virgin, not a single spec of alcohol. So these are safe for kids during your holiday festivities.
TIPS:
Freshen up your cheese platters with gourmet crackers and cheeses.
~ The good gourmet crackers can be found in the deli section at the grocery store or at a gourmet shop.
~ Deli cheese that I would recommend are double or triple cream Brie cheese (single cream is almost a liquid), plain or flavoured goat cheese, Camembert, or anything smoked or featured at the deli or gourmet shop.
*Be sure to try a sample if can, so you can make sure it’s a good choice before purchase, staff are usually quite accommodating.
~ Toppers for your cheese can be any combination of the following:
nuts (pecans, walnuts, almonds, pistachio, etc);
fresh or dehydrated fruits or even the pie fillings (cranberry, apricot, pitted dates, orange, tangerine, clementine, apple, pear, pomegranate, figs, etc);
herbs (parsley, cilantro, cayenne, chili, etc);
jellies, like roasted red pepper;
honey;
maple syrup;
etc.
Toppings or additives to your hot beverage (like coffee, hot chocolate, some teas):
powdered candy cane (can also be mixed into bakery mix before cooking or into or onto frosting)
cinnamon
whipped cream
shaved chocolate
cocoa powder (or just a sprinkle of hot cocoa mix as a cheaper alternative)
etc.
Tropical Shirley Temple:
1/3 – 1/2 glass of fruit juice (completely or mostly real fruits; mango, orange, etc)
Ginger Ale (fill the rest of the glass)
Grenadine Syrup (add to taste)
Fruit slice and/or maraschino cherry on a toothpick, sword or tropical umbrella
I would love to hear your requests, comments, feedback or what you do to spice up your Christmas, New Years or Holiday Festivities.
Links – Christmas Decor:
Glitter Pine Cone Centerpiece
Super Easy Candle Centerpiece on a Budget
Decorative Porch Planter
Metallic, Glitter & Lights
DIY Vase with Epson Salt
DIY Wreath
DIY Tree Make Over
Here's an extended clip from this coming Monday's episode - Max's connection to the case (SPOILER):
I stumbled onto this page a couple days ago and it is filled with amazing pictures of truly creative designs: tech, architecture, furniture, living space designs and layout, and much much more. So check out ‘Interesting & Creative Designs‘ on Facebook, you won’t be disappointed.
My brother told me to check out the video he posted on his wall of this amazing male dancer using this huge ring in a routine. It was AMAZING!!! I cannot even begin to tell you how ridiculously cool it was, so click the link and see for yourself.
That’s right, I’m a Valentine’s baby! I’m almost at a quarter of a century, oy! I had a great day at work and I’ll be sure to report on the birthday parties to happen this weekend. Love you all bunches!
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I apologize for not posting these pictures sooner, but here they are. The family played euchre, a tradition at family gatherings, wherein I exclude myself because I suck at all card and board games and get upset when I don’t win a game ever!
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Meanwhile I busied myself by playing with my two little cousins, both got a make-over as you can see here:
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I gave Brooklyn a lesson on how to do her eye shadow and blush and as she practiced, Braeden got to look like a pug:
Brooklyn's putting on some blush with the new brush set I gave her
Two beautiful girls, taking a pose
Brooklyn helping Braeden with the final touches
Uncle Harvey, the kids grandfather, comes over to check out their new looks
We finished the our meal with Jared, the ‘brother from another mother, whose been unofficially adopted’, does his usual stint and has us all laughing our butts off. I should really get him on camera, I tried, but he got self-conscious I guess and the clip I did get wasn’t that funny. Jared should really start his own comedy channel, he’s hilarious! Apparently my cousin Erica remarked: “I would give him free dinner’s too” I guess to mean if it meant he would ‘perform’ a comedy routine as he usually does when he visits.
Last but not least, we ended the evening with the movie The Pacifier featuring Vin Diesel, good times.
I stumbled on this site 6 months to a year ago and I always make sure to check it every couple of weeks. As a Canadian, I’m not fond of the sexual humour but those joke are not common on the site. Here’s the link and some of the latest articles:
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WATCH: Hippos make a mess when they fart (Video)
FREE CAGE: Looking for a good home (Pic)
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15 Amazing Fire Photographs by Tom Lacoste (15 Pics)
14 Rare Snacks and Drinks Usually Not Found in America (14 Pics)
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14 Bizarre Animal Hairstyles (14 Pics)
HOW TO: Create this Photoshop Mirror Illusion (6 Pics)
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16 Hilarious WTF Signs (16 Pics)
Handicap Dog Gets a New Hand (5 Pics)
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22 Outrageous Customized Coffins for the Dead (22 Pics)
13 Photographers Behind Iconic Photographs (13 Pics)
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14 Adorable Animals Wearing hats (14 Pics)
24 Awesome Vinyl Sleeveface Art (24 Pics)
Security at Grandma's Nursing Home (Pic)
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That’s all folks! I apologize for not having posted anything sooner, I have project in the works coming to you soon!
Here are some links to photo galleries from the event:
Disclaimer: I do NOT own the rights to any of these images, they are linked to original content from which they are pull from the three sources listed above.
Evan Rachel Wood - If you're a red-head, green was the way to go; Add the sheer neckline and multitude of cohesive textures and it's 10 out of 10
Sofia Vergera in Vera Wang - Fabulous! I love dramatic silhouettes, especially mermaid dresses. Perfect colour with lots of design detail and textures doesn't put it over the top, it's a perfect mix.
Lea Michele in Marchesa - OMGosh! Lea looks ravishing in this gown, Marchesa never seems to fails and the silver perfectly accents her golden glow. You're putting Halle Berry to shame babe!
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Dianna Agron in Giles Deacon - A blonde babe in red could not be sweeter, add the exquisite leather cutouts imitating lace and it's on fire!
Amber Riley - She looks amazing, complimenting colour with design details like the sweetheart neckline and gathers to the asymmetric line flatter her curvy figure
Charlize Theron in Dior - An updated Grecian goddess stands before you, in a slimming silhouette with a portion of dramatic volume accented by a peek of leg knocks it out of the park
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Salma Hayek in Gucci - I'm loving this strapless number, strut those curves! Fabulous combo of gold metallic and black sequin(?) VERTICAL stripes (horizontal lines of any kind make you look wide, as in big caboose!)
Elle MacPherson - She's got the golden glow and the blonde tresses to pull this off like no other. Again, I love the mermaid silhouette and the mock-corset stylelines that come off the body at the neckline for a dramatic balance to the full ruffle skirt
Kate Beckinsale in Roberto Cavalli - Elegant neckline gives a modern edge to the lace/texture detailing with soft, flowing godet inserts. Stunning!
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Reese Witherspoon in Zac Posen - Zac, you just made Valentino proud! Reese looks amazing, the sweetheart neckline, the stylelines on the hip downplay in bulk with such a dramatic silhouette and she's just glowing in radiant red. May I suggest wide horsehair braid for the hem so it won't deflate
Octavia Spencer in Tadashi Shoji - Perfect, simply perfect. Lavender radiating pleats to the center draw the illusion of a slimmer figure, the neckline assures everything is strapped in and she's not afraid to show some skin just because she's curvy.
Diane Lane - She look amazing: slim and curvy with a gold paillette embellished sheer delight and that hair, she looks like one of those iconic movie stars, like she was pulled from a retro poster and vamped up for the Globes
WENDI DENG MURDOCH in Tom Ford - She looks stunning, I love the pink fading to black at the hem, I'm not one for fringe, but this is fabulous! So why is she wearing bright turquoise and violet accessories?
LAURA DERN in Andrew GN - Fabulous! A ravishing blonde with a fantastic body in a gorgeous green dress, she's rocking everything in this look!
HELEN MIRREN in Badgley Mischka - Stunning Midnight blue petal detailed dress with with crossover v-neck and silver accents with an overall flattering silhouette, she is just glowing in this dress!
Angelina Jolie in Atelier Versace - Great colours, decent design value, but unless you're tanned, they're washing you out Angie
Emma Stone in Lanvin - Everything is rocking, the colour choice, love the shoulder detail, fabrics, but it's not form flattering
Michelle Williams in Jason Wu - I love velvet burnout, so I can understand the need for a more simplified silhouette, but this is just a little too plain for my taste, it OK
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Julianne Moore in Chanel - This dress is a twice repeated section of horizontal gathers and layers of ruffles, the only thing working is that black is slimming and it's not unflattering. She was literally saved by her choice in emerald green earrings
Mila Kunis in Dior - The neckline asymmetric twist of chiffon over nude was the only thing that saved this dress, while the fullness in the rather bland skirt needed to be scrapped
Natalie Portman - Despite the fact that I don't like satin and the silhouette is slightly aged, it does remind me of Audrey Hepburn (no, I don't mean the hair), it's a colour update of a classic and she's pulling it off
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Jessica Alba in Gucci - It's not the best nor the worse of colours, it's pretty. It's not the most amazing of dresses, but it's not unflattering either = Pass
Julie Bowen - A gorgeous dress on one side and beautiful women on the other, but they were not meant to be together. The dress is the same colour as her skin-tone on top of blonde hair! Get a tan, then we'll talk, but the dress is a pass.
Kate Winslet in Jenny Packham - Despite the plain skirt which seem to have puckers on the hip and the monochromatic colours, she looks gorgeous and she's working it. Just ditch the random orange bracelet, bordering on Halloween theme
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Jane Lynch - Lovely colour, little concerned about the hips looking heavy and if you're over a certain age, please tread carefully when wearing plunging halter necklines
Tilda Swinton in Haider Ackermann - Love this designer and his clothes, but I'm concerned with the colour choice and the jacket, it's bulky, shiny and just unflattering at the waist. The dress looks gorgeous, the accessories are rocking as is the hairstyle
Tina Fey in Oscar de la Renta - Love the colour, the ruffled skirt, so I'm going to assume ignorance when deciding it was okay to have horizontal lines that made you look wider than you probably are
Jessica Chastain - A beautiful woman being washed out by her dress. Don't get me wrong, the dress is gorgeous: the style, embellishments, the silhouette, it's perfect, but it's not the best colour for her skin-tone or her hair colour.
Seth Rogen and Lauren Miller - I'm not fond of this colour yellow, but it gorgeous all the same. Despite having lighter skin-tone, she pulls it off and I love how the organza is draped around the neckline
Mireille Enos - Despite being a light redhead in a golden-yellow dress, it's captivating: form-flattering and embellished metallic beaded detail. It would have perfect on a tanned brunette, but it's still a pass.
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Julianna Margulies - I have nothing bad to say, but it's not fabulous though I love the shimmer of the fabric almost has a plastic effect and the green colour of earrings are an interesting choice, it's just that, pretty
Ariel Winter - Taking into account her age, she still chose a fun and flirty dress that had great purple colour to show off a textured skirt and flattering, draped neckline. Perhaps hem it a little so it will accent her calves and give her appearance of more height
CALLISTA FLOCKHART - A little black dress, it's okay, but it's hard not to roll my eyes at the tiers of gathers. I'm reassured that she's at least committed the least fashion faux pas, because she always plays it safe
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ANDIE MCDOWALL - Understated colour makes it's flash as Andie shines and flaunts her still fabulous figure. The pattern on the sheer is could use a remix, but overall a good look
GEORGINA CHAPMAN in Marchesa - This is barely passing the bar, if it weren't for Bohemian predictions everyway from Sunday being predicted for Spring/Summer 2012, I would have failed this for being retro hippies meets prairie girl meets bohemian gold lace
DEBRA MESSING in Monique Lhullier - Debra must have shopped for her dress with Julianne Moore: a red-head in a black dress with emerald green accents. She could have done better and found something less bulky, but it's manageable.
Zooey Deschanel in Prada - The colour combo is fine, if you're into lime green; However charmeuse skirt is a gorgeous fabric, it's being contradicted by the jewel-crusted tweet AND a lace collar.
Naya Rivera - Grey? What were you thinking girl? Not only does the front seem puckered, but the neck and shoulder are unflattering and the back cut out won't save this dress
Madonna in Reem Acra - I like everything from the waist up, below that is a nightmare of taffeta(?) boxes that look like one large basket-weaving project
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Frieda Pinto in Prada - Colour is fantastic, but the fabric is horrendous and the silhouette is completely unflattering
Nicole Richie in Julien Macdonald - Aside from silver/grey theme that she pulls off, this feels like a blast from the past, like 5-10 years late for the runway debut
Mary J. Blige - Pastel colours always look amazing on black skin tones, (no that's not racism), but I wore that same encrusted material on my grad dress . . . from grade 8 in '02!!! Adding feathers isn't going to dress it up
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Sarah Hyland in Dolce&Gabbana - The obvious corset boning in the bust area is only aging this nude lace dress and it's not helping to add a random black and (gold/copper) waistband
Melissa McCarthy in Badgley Mischka - Don't be afraid to show your curves, embrace them. Besides the gold accented v-neck collar, she looks like she followed Scarlet from Gone With The Wind and used a polyester-looking curtain to make this dress
Claire Danes in J. Mendel - This monochromatic nightmare just turned a beautiful feminine figure into a boxy, masculine wrestling shirt with black Spiderman webbing and drab long box skirt, Lord have pity!
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Jessica Biel - Not enough golden skin to even do this dress justice, despite being lace (which I just don't like on the lower half) it needs more skin SOMEWHERE and accessories in another colour for balance (you're asking for trouble when the shoes are too matchy)
Kristen Wiig in Bill Blass - It's practically the same colour as her skin-tone and if you're going to have a slit in the front, pose with some leg. The silhouette and design value from the hip and up are fabulous, but the bottom is a mishap like a seam tore, change the colour and it could pass
Nicole Kidman in Versace - White and pale skin do NOT mix well, and she's a redhead to boot. Then there's the CGI illusion of her bust details, is it trying for the 3D effect?! Should I be wearing the glasses? I didn't even like this bedazzled Versace collection
Sarah Michelle Gellar in Monique Lhuillier - I like the fabric, like paint being swirl around in a pool of water, but it's kind of bright, almost neon. Big NO NO = bulk on the hips, especially when it looks kinda like layers of body fat
Shailene Woodley in Marchesa - The only think I like about this dress is the gathered fullness falling down the skirt, I make out the rest. There's chiffon/georgette gathers with lines . . . and is that lace too?!
Amy Poehler in Naeem Khan - The fabric looks gorgeous, but it needs to be another colour cuz you're being faded, and I'm not liking the only stylines are the basic body block seams; someone get the designer a pattern book or a fashion magazine!
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Maya Rudolph - I love the fabric print/texture, but you're killing me with the aged silhouette and what on earth possessed you to wear neon pink lipstick when you're a redhead?!
Katharine McPhee - This dress looks so dated, the beige barely survives by her brunette hair, the neckline, corset boning-like seems and leaf pattern is a yawn. The only going for it is the hem detail
Amanda Peet - Colour is key! It's perfect for this dress, but not for the wearer. I'm still deciding whether this dress came from a vintage Parisienne fashion or prairie girl catalogue
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Kelly Osbourne - Love the peacock blue, but the design detail is a flop: the bubbled skirt looks like there was a pattern error and her bust and shoulders are very pointed, did they use an iron? She could have used a hair dye
SHARON OSBOURNE - The UK Telegraph's comment says it all: "If Sharon doesn't wear this monochrome monstrosity again, she could always use the reams of fabric to upholster a sofa."
BUSY PHILLIPS in Temperley London - White dress, white hair, white make-up: WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?! You're going to be competing with other celebs for 'fashion face-offs' and you come looking like a ghost . . . from Christmas past . . . in fringe to boot!
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MELANIE GRIFFITHS - The belt assures us she's kept her figure all these years, but what would seem to be a wool dress with cropped fur jacket and leather accessories are indicating she missed the Viking siege before arriving at the Globes
MERYL STREEP - She's a phenomenal actress and she played in Devil Wears Prada, yet she seemed to have left all her fashion sense in the dust. She looks like she walked off a set of a Western flick ... is there another Cowboys and Aliens going into production?
JODIE FOSTER in Giorgio Armani - What were you thinking?!!! This is space opera meets baby boys nursery written all over it, and the black chunky shoes and no other accessories just knocked you back into the 90s!
LIVIA FIRTH in Giorgio Armani - This is such an aged and heavy looking dress with black satin with monochromatic floral upholstry inserts . . . 'eco-friendly' doesn't have to be drab and ugly
ELIZABETH MCGOVERN - The fabrics are gorgeous, especially the striations on the organza skirt, but this much bulk and you've got a disaster. It's completely unflattering and has next to no design value
GLENN CLOSE in Armani Privé - No matter how 'unique' the neckline is claiming to be, it's boxy and a beaded square panel isn't going to save a shapeless velvet dress with bulky satin accents
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PIPER PERABO in Theory - Clearly feeling left out of the limelight from last year's Globes wearing a black dress, Piper decided to channel some Lady Gaga and come down the red carpet in an oversized plastic wrap. She could have saved this disaster if she chose a similar FABRIC and added some design value to her top
Abel Korzeniowski's guest - I saved the worst for last! Yellow and black?! She's a bubblebee with lace detailing and dress shirt closure slapped together, then she couldn't decide on a spaghetti strap or tied halter that completely unflattera her bust, finished with ridiculously shameful black godet inserts on the skirt hem. On top of all this, it doesn't even fit and without a side profile I can't figure out if she's 4 1/2 months pregnant!
I didn’t even bother commenting on certain dresses, like George Clooney’s date: Stacy Keibler, it had no design value. Neither did Ricky Gervais’ date.
This is of course not a remake of Tony Stark’s Iron Man suit, but rather an interpretation into Marvel’s notorious catsuit-clad female super heroines. The iconic red and gold (which is not a yellow metallic, but a cream metallic; nothing says fake, tacky gold like yellow) is accented by dark silver, complete in body contouring style-lines with neck and shoulder cutouts for feminine touch. This is a continuance of my Marvel Madness streak started by this post about My New Thor 2 Concept Art.
"Iron Man"-styled catsuit-clad female heroine
(Click image for more of my work)
Again this completely hand-drawn, -coloured (pencil crayons), and -penned. For a deeper red, when a crimson won’t do, shade with a violet or blueberry purple. For Caucasian skin tone, start with a light peach, followed by an arizona topaz, a chestnut (not a regular brown, b/c you want a natural tan undertone). Smooth and blend it all with a white and shade with a grey. If you want tips, tricks or tutorials on illustration to final presentation as it’s done in the picture, feel free to leave your requests in the comments. Thank you!
I was looking for inspiration, started off looking through my list of fave designers on my fashion website The Brainchild Exhibition, looked up J Mendel’s newest collections on his site, and then looked for copy of the images I could save to my picture database I keep. Through the search I found this fabulous website – Drape and Cuts, finally somewhere that appreciates fashion with design value instead of what I find is the complete copy of an everyday item with a simple micro-tweak (fabric change, new print, move the dart there = BORING!)
When I say this, it’s because I used to have a pile taller than me of fashion magazines that I had been looking through since 2001! That’s not including the hundreds of historical fashion books I have perused and the movies, television and fashion reports I have viewed. I’m not claiming myself to be worthy of rivalry with famous judges like Michael Kors or Nina Garcia, they have their own taste as do I. If you see my work (available for viewing on my online portfolio), I challenge the design and construction, essentially trying to recreate the wheel against better judgement and advice from my college professors than to simply take a concept I like and make it my own.
Here are some of the posts I found have the most interest . . *cough*, design value fashion:
Olivia Wilde in Reem Acra
Gowns by Patrice Ramos-Diaz
Gowns by Patrice Ramos-Diaz
Source: silverfawn
Vera Wang Bridal Fall 2011
Vera Wang Bridal Fall 2011
Vera Wang Bridal Fall 2011
Vera Wang Bridal Fall 2011
Vera Wang Bridal Fall 2011
Philipp Tampus
jenny packham
Halle Berry in Marchesa at the Oscars
Leann Marshall, Project Runway Season 5
Zac Posen Resort 2012
Mandi Lavoie is a student entering into the Industry, planning for career in fashion, costuming & props as well as creative writing for television/film.
