my everyday makeup routine

I wrote a bit about my everyday makeup routine for B-Looom this week, you can take a peek here! I don't really do too much (mostly just eyeliner, concealer and lipstick) but I'm really happy with the products I use and how easy it is to go from morning-zombie-look to somewhat presentable in just a few steps ;)

tattoo talk

Sarah from The Laughing Medusa interviewed me about my tattoo on her blog yesterday. Click here to read why I got it, what I'd do differently and my plans for future tattoos :)

DIY embroidery hoop wall

One of the first projects I did at my new apartment (and definitely one of my favorites!) was this embroidery hoop wall displaying some of my favorite family photos. I have a DIY post explaining how I did it over on Bubby and Bean today! You can check it out here.

pakistani dhal recipe [guest post]

Hey everyone! My name is Ashlee and I blog over at My Sweet Nomsa. I thought that I would share with you today one of my favorite comfort food recipes. It's warm, with a lot of spices and easy to make. It's my version of Pakistani Dhal.



INGREDIENTS:

3 cups of water
1 cup of red split lentils
1 can of diced tomatoes (14 oz)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 bag of frozen cauliflower (equivalent to 12 oz or 4 servings)
1 vegetarian bouillon cube
1 tablespoon of chopped ginger or 1/8 tablespoon powdered ginger
2-3 garlic cloves
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
chopped cilantro
salt



one/ Heat water and a bouillon cube in a pot until boiling. Add lentils, can of tomatoes, frozen cauliflower, curry, coriander, cumin & cayenne. Bring back up to a boil. Once boiling again, reduce heat to a low boil. Cook until the water is reduced and the mixture becomes a thick paste (about 20 minutes). Stir frequently because the lentils can easily stick to the bottom.

two/ While lentils are cooking, heat olive oil in frying pan. Add onion, ginger, and garlic; fry until soft.

three/ After the lentils thicken up and become soft, add the onions, ginger and garlic to the pot and mix together. Cook for another minute or two for the flavors to blend.

four/ Makes 4-6 servings. Add chopped cilantro and a little bit of salt to top before serving. I like eating this by itself, but you can serve it over rice or another favorite grain.



This is one of those meals where the leftovers are even better because the flavors really settle into each other. Feel free to experiment with the vegetables in this. Add mushrooms to your onion/garlic/ginger blend. Instead of cauliflower, dice up a few red potatoes or zucchini.

Also, if you use whole red lentils (not the split version as specified), it is going to take a little longer to soften the lentils and you will need to add more water to the recipe. Just keep taste testing it and if the water is all reduced down, but the lentils are still too hard, add a cup of water and continue cooking until they get mushy.

I hope you enjoy!

by the sea [guest post]

Hi! I'm Emma Wallace and I am a crazy-fan of Kate's delightful drawings (she did my album cover here!) and whimsical bloggings.

I am a singer/songwriter and I get most of my musical inspiration from classic (and brilliant, of course) songwriters like Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern and my beloved Cole Porter. And my beloved George Gershwin. And my beloved Hoagy Carmichael. And... (please don't make me pick a favorite!) As you see, I can go on and on.

This song, however, I know from a dvd I used to watch when I was a kid called Disney Sing-Along-Songs where they had clips from Disney movies and a bouncing Mickey head cheerfully guiding you through the lyrics.

You are welcome to download the song for free, if you like, and maybe it'll make you think of the breezy summer days ahead!

lace trimmed socks diy [guest post]

It is always the little details that make an outfit. Flowers in your hair, the jewellery you wear or the cute little lace trimmed socks on your dainty little feet.

Lace socks are amazing but weirdly expensive. American Apparel sell them for $14. This is just crazy to me so I thought I'd put together a ridiculously easy DIY where they'll cost you about $2-3 and take maybe 10 minutes to make. Sounds pretty good, right?!



Ok, so you're going to want to start with all this (cat, optional):

socks (I used ankle socks but you could literally use any!)
pins
thread
lace (for one pair you'll only need about 14 inches)
sewing machine (or needle and thread)

1. Take the lace and measure it around the widest part of your foot. It should go around your heel and up across the front of your foot. Cut two pieces of lace to this same measurement.



2. Take each piece of lace and form a continuous loop by folding one end over the other and adding a few stitches to secure.



3. Now this part is easy to do but difficult to explain. Take the lace loop and a sock and put one pin in the back of the sock just under the ribbing (the gathered top). Then put another pin at the front so the lace is equally distributed around the sock when stretched. Another two pins at the quarter points (so between the other two pins). Each sock should now have for pins on it with the lace positioned to sew.



4. Now you're ready to sew! All you need to do is just one line attaching the lace to the sock - easy! Make sure you pull the sock as you sew so that the lace bunches up when it's finished. I found it helpful to put the sock over the base of my sewing machine (I removed the front section) that way you don't have to worry about pulling the sock as much while you sew.



5. Repeat with the other sock and now you have a beautiful pair of amazing socks!



And now, if you're crazy like me you'll go on to make another four pairs and wear them for the rest of your life!



Take Care,
Gabriella, Pixie and Pixier

almost stylish [guest post]

Hello Scathingly Brilliant readers, this is Kati from Almost Stylish. I was so sorry to hear that Kate's cat soul mate had passed away, and was happy that I could do something to help her whilst she needs time away from her blog.




The oufit I'm wearing in these pictures is mainly second hand with a little bit of Primark - a good recipe for an affordable look! I'm a huge believer in buying second hand, not only for financial but also environmental reasons. I've also went a year with only buying used, you can read about my experiences here.




I knew I wanted to try out a light blue and brown outfit, got all clothes in these colours out of my wardrobe and started putting something together. I like how it turned out, I'm not quite sure about the tights, but oh well, you gotta try things out of your comfort zone from time to time! I hope you all have a lovely week and may have a look at my little corner of the Internet where I share outfits, DIYs, recipes, snapshots from daily life and additions to my etsy shop Katinka.



Cardigan: Primark // scarf, blouse, skirt, belt: second hand // tights: no idea! // shoes: Deichmann

-Kati

after eight cupcake recipe [guest post]

What do you do when you're having a really, really bad day? You know, one of those days where the universe seems to be working against you, and everything is going wrong, and you end up crying because you can't work out how to turn up the volume on your laptop. When I'm having a very bad day, cupcakes are the answer.

These cupcakes are, for lack of a better word, ridiculous. I mean, look at them...they've got green edible glitter on them for goodness sake! But sometimes needs must.

I loved After Eights before going vegan, and thankfully Divine now do a vegan version! Hurrah!

Makes 12 large cupcakes

1 1/2C self raising gluten free flour (I use Dove's Farm)
1C sugar
1/2C dark cocoa powder
1/3C oil
1C water
1tsp balsamic vinegar
1tsp peppermint extract

1/2C vegan margarine
2-3C powdered sugar
Dairy free milk
1tsp peppermint extract
1/2tsp natural green food coloring

150g dark chocolate
Edible glitter
12 Divine mint thins

Preheat the oven to 175/350. Line a muffin pan with 12 muffin cases and set aside. In a large mixing bowl combine all the cupcake ingredients and mix until no big lumps remain. Using a tablespoon or ice cream scoop, fill the muffin cases 2/3 of the way full and bake in the oven for 20mins. Place on a wire rack to cool while you make the frosting.

In a stand alone mixer or using an electric hand mixer cream together the margarine, peppermint and coloring. Then add the powdered sugar 1/2 a cup at a time, adding milk when the mixture gets too stiff. Once everything is combined whisk on high speed for around 3mins, until the frosting becomes light and fluffy. Transfer into a piping bag and carefully pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes. I like a lot of frosting on my cupcakes, but you can use as little or as much as you want!

Once each cupcakes is frosted, melt the chocolate in the microwave for around 1 1/2-2mins, and drizzle over the top of each cupcake. Then sprinkle over a little edible glitter and finish each cupcake with a mint thin.

Enjoy xo
Charis, from Floral Frosting

diy clip in bangs [guest post]

Hi there, my name is Ally and I blog over at now that's pretty. Today I'm here to share a little DIY that can totally change your hair but doesn't require any awkward cutting or growing out periods. The other day I was out shopping and saw clip in bangs (we call them winges over here because they are fringe wigs...oh yeah we call bangs fringes). They looked pretty cool but were uber expensive so I decided to make my own. The only downside to the DIY version is that you have to wear a ribbon to cover the seam but there's nothing wrong with a little encouragement to decorate yourself with bows right?



You will need:

Hair extensions of the same colour as your hair- I had some from when I'd been growing my hair out but you can usually get them in chemists and beauty stores quite cheaply. If not you can use a wig and then cut the hair away from the net (keeping the hair fibers on the seam).

A needle and cotton
Scissors
Hair straighteners



The making- 1) First straighten the hair you're working with, it makes it easier to manage and judge length. 2) Cut off the existing clips or attachments. 3) You will now be left with hair on a seam. Do this until you have a few layers because you need the bangs to be nice and thick. 4) Layer up your seams and sew them together (You don't have to be very neat here as long as its relatively strong). Also at this point check they are the right width for your head. 5) You now have the hair you will be working with! 6) Re-attach some clips- one in the middle and one at each side. 7) Finally cut your bangs. It's better to cut a little at a time than to suddenly realise you've cut it way too short. 8) Yay! All finished! I left some little tendrils at the sides as well because they make it look a little more natural.



The styling- 1) Unclip all your fastenings. 2) Clip your bangs on. 3) Use a straightening iron to slightly curl your bangs under. This makes them look less rough. 4) See? Much better. 5) Since you can still see the seam you will need to cover it. You can get a little creative here, I usually use a ribbon but in the past I've used plaits or curls of my own hair. 6) Ta-daa!

Have fun with your new hair style!

quick & easy hairdos [guest post]

Hello wonderful readers of Scathingly Brilliant! I'm Britney from Scout and today I am blogging for Kate while she is away. I am sure that we can all understand the hardship that Kate is going through. I recently lost my dog and its so heart wrenching that at times it is unbearable. You've spent their life thinking you are prepared but up until it happens you never realize just how much it will hurt. Lets all send Kate hugs and love from all around the world. Lots of them!!!

In honour of Kate (and her brilliance) I'm going to show you a few quick and easy hair-dos to make your day better if you are feeling a little uninspired and sad!! When I am a little down and even if I have no where to go I'll do my makeup, hair and get dressed up. Its amazing how it can make a difference!



First and foremost a pretty little half-up beehive. If you want to do a full beehive its super easy to just tuck in all the ends! I would have to say this one is my favourite! And it is remarkably easy too! I love the vintage, 50s feel this hairstyle gives. Plus it can make any outfit so much more prettier!! Who doesn't like a beehive?



1. Part the top section of your hair from the bottom. 2.Tease the top section all up!! Try and avoid the very top as this will show at the end and I'm betting you'll want it to look smooth! 3.Use a bun ring to add extra volume. 4. Simply tuck it in under the teasing. 5. And pin it down with bobby pins. 5. Tease the side sections out more and then clip at the back (with more bobby pins). 6. Spray and smooth with lots of hairspray. 7. Add any finishing touches. I added a big white bow as a homage to Kate! 8. And wear it with pride!!




The Tinkerbell Bun is just as easy, perhaps even more!!! I recently purchased this pretty floral hair tie from a New Zealand accessories store but you can find similar (possibly prettier) here, here (this one has butterflies!) and here. All you need here is a bun ring, a hair tie and any pretty decorative things!



1. Start with your hair out. 2. Put it into a silly (but fun) high pony tail!! 3. Grab a bun ring. 4.Pull the pony tail through the ring. 5.Drop the hair down (making sure it covers the ring completely) and tuck in the edges. 6. Decorate!!! With anything you like!




This is the easiest!! So simple! You can just put it up and go! Generally when I am at home and want my hair out of my face I'll go for this. I've used a scrunchie-esque bow. The bow itself has wire in it so it keeps itself in great shape!!! And its in a pretty red polka-dotted pattern. Whats not to love?



1.Start with a head of teased and voluminous hair. 3. Bring it all into a pony tail and wrap the hair tie around a few times. On the last time through don't pull it all the way. Leave some tucked in. 4. If needed add some bobby pins until you are happy with the shape. 5. Done!



I sure do hope I've given you some Kate inspired inspiration!! She sure is one amazing gal. Am I right? So lets all send her our well wishes and hugs. If you are going through something similar reach out!! Take steps to make yourself happier (like putting your hair up all pretty even if you aren't leaving the house). Its not easy. But people always tell me it will get easier! And I am pretty sure the passing of a loved one gets easier when you are surrounded by more love, friends and family.
Britney

introvert's introduction [guest post]

dress: borrowed // skirt: diy // tights: mom's // shoes: forever 21



Hey all! I'm Lauren from the blog Introvert's Introduction, and I'm a college student from Alaska living life in Oregon. I was so sad when I heard that Kate's kitty passed away. As a cat mother myself, I can't even imagine how hard it will be; I hope this post can help out just a little bit.



In the past few weeks, I've been thinking a lot about the future. It's probably sparked from the fact that us college people are having to choose housing for next year, and that has brought on much stress and foreseeable drama. But to be honest, it made me kind of scared for just a few years down the road when I'll finally be out of school. I never really thought seriously about buying a house, getting a job, having to pay bills, and now it's practically around the corner. That's scary stuff people! But I mean, I guess since thousands of people have done it, then little ol' Lauren can too.



The other part of me is just incredibly excited for the future. I get to buy my own house and decorate it, I get to have a real full time job, I get to finally live on my own. Perhaps great experiences come with just a little bit of cost. Needless to say, let's bring it on!

I hope you have a really fabulous day today!