A very Daisy Dress – The Great Gatsby Sewing Challange

by Sophie

“So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.”
― F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

Hi Guys,

So I went to Tenerife for a little while which was why I hadn’t gotten a chance to post my The Great Gatsby dress! I finished it right before my SO and I went away and I thought it would be much nicer to take some photos of it in the sun.

I took a large amount of my inspiration from Daisy’s purple and silver dress. For some reason I kept coming back to that dress. There was something about it that I really loved. I decided to alter the Laurel pattern from Colette patterns to make the dress.

I was originally going to make it silver and lavender like the one in the film. However when I went into The Cloth Shop to pick out the fabric I wanted to use I found this really beautiful golden yellow. I fell completely in love with it. Also a very large part of me felt that if this was to truly be a The Great Gatsby themed dress that there HAD to be gold (or green) in the dress, since they’re such important colours in the book.

So along with the beautiful golden yellow I picked a cream lace to put over the dress. When I told my Mum about my colour choice she laughed at me and then said, quite knowingly, “Yellow on the inside, white on the outside. Just like a Daisy.” So I think I made a very Daisy themed dress alright!

So this is my final dress

The dress ended up being much more simple then I originally planned. However I feel that it was probably a good idea to simplify the dress. It meant that I could work on making it well constructed and I’m very happy with the result. There are a lot of firsts in this dress so I feel like I increased my sewing skills without completely overreaching.

Also here’s a photo of the pool! =)

I’m really glad I did this challenge. It was a lot of fun and I learned a lot. I’m hoping to take part in more of them in the future.

Hopefully I’ll have an update for you soon on the reading I did on holidays! I read a lot of books while lying in the sun.

I might do another update of the full Gatsby outfit, I’m going to try and make some super cute accessories to go with it! I’m going to be heading off to see the movie tomorrow. I’ve heard it’s not the best but it’s visually amazing.

– Sophie xo

Lanys Linkage: Craft TV

by Lany

I like reality television shows, but my preferred ones are craft based shows, where talent and skills are shown off and creativity is allowed flourish. Unfortunately there aren’t many, and my two favourites are the only ones I think are worth mentioning. Regrettably both shows are sewing and garment based but I guess it would be rather difficult to make a show where you watch someone knit or crochet for several hours at a time!!

I have watched Project Runway for years now, and I love the exposure to high concept very highly skilled couture sewing skills are shown every week, I love the ‘bizarre’ challenges and the absolutely fabulousness of the show. I also enjoy the (very) American dramatics that accompany the show too! The outfits created are always creative, sometimes pushing the envelope on what fashion can be and I love how innovative and startling some creations can be, it’s always a treat sitting down to catch up with this show.
It’s in it’s eleventh season now, but I am slowly working my way through them as (ssssh) the series aren’t available very easily on this side of the Atlantic! I adore Tim Gunn, I just wish that there was a LOT more of him in the show.
I decided to try and limit myself to mentioning only three designers that I loved (but might not have won!) throughout the first nine seasons and the first season of the Canadian version of the show.
Austin Scarlett is the designer who made me fall in love with Project Runway, I loooved his designs and am so jealous of his vision and skills! Leanna Marshall and her intricate and stunningly beautiful work makes me want to try and become a better sewer, and what higher praise can you give someone other than they are an inspiration? My third favourite is so difficult to chose as there have been so many amazing designers, and certainly I have liked at least some of a designers work in one show or another. I think I would have to go with a woman who took part in the first season of Project Runway Canada, Marie Geneviève, I think her work that reflected her own personality and fun style really captured what I would love to have the skills to design and make some day.

The most recent show in this vein that I have gotten into is The Great British Sewing Bee, quite simply, I LOVE this show.
Wearable articles of clothing, beautiful execution (that make me wish I was as talented and amazing as the people who took part), and the beautiful atmosphere of gentle competition makes this my standout favourite (for all reality shows, nevermind craft based shows). It also makes me feel  that this skill level is attainable, that I can do it!
It aired in the last few weeks in the UK on BBC, and I think it was the sublime down-to-earth attitude that drew me to this show. The pieces created are ones I can imagine (and hopefully one day will get around to), sewing and wearing. The people who took part were all relatable, yet the drama was not projected onto other contestants nor was a make believe drama created to add interest to the show. The contestants had strong personalities that shone through in their work.
I also was very taken by the style of presentation and judging that was adopted by this show, the judges saw the work being carried out on the garments, the presenter, Claudia Winkleman, had genuine relationships with the participants and the very subtle British/Irish style of humour and comradeship  made me really fall in love with this show. It also helps that the tailor Patrick Grant (he took over Norton and Son when the business was flailing and resurrected the company) is so well dressed that you cannot help but fall a little bit in love with him (or is it his clothes I’m falling for? Who knows! All I know is it’s love!), I also have a super soft spot for May Martins approach, and her constructive criticism. (I also may want to try to sneak into Ann’s home and force her to teach me everything she knows!)
Oh and how can I not mention the room the show is based in, that haberdashery selection, the fabrics, the trims, the buttons, everything just makes my mouth water!
I had read criticism from a lot of British TV reviewers, complaining that the show was boring or a waste of time, I just think that it’s glaringly obvious that they really don’t understand the workmanship that goes into sewing and they cannot appreciate the effort and satisfaction of producing something that you’ve made yourself. I really hope this show comes back for a second season!! I would also love to dream about a spin-off of this show, where sewing classes are taught and simple projects worked through by like a Delia of sewing, that really would be the icing on  the cake for me.

What do you guys think? What TV shows do you think highlight genuine talent and skills? Have you any recommendations?

All the best,
Lany
xx

GlitterNotGold Seamless Pledge

by Lany

When you go clothes shopping what do you look for?

Do you look for something cheap, a bargain, that will last only a few washes and was mass produced?
We’re all guilty of having gone for the big chain store options, even when we are all aware of the horrific conditions the workers in garment factories are forced to put up with. We know of the ill treatment and lack of prosecutions for violations of human rights. Some of the more recent factory disasters have surely given us chills, thinking about the dangerous conditions people are forced to work in to survive. It’s chilling to think that people (both adults and children) are being exploited so that we can buy a t-shirt for under a fiver.

People are beginning to call this fast fashion, and consumers are beginning to question more and more if they wish to support this regime of cheap clothes produced by cheap labour in factories with little or no regard for the lives and well being of their workers. The cost of fast fashion is so much more than the garments we buy!

We need to start thinking of our own morals and our ethos, and start looking at shopping as a way of demonstrating our ethics. We need to show that our beliefs translate into actions, and the first step is to become more aware of what it is you’re buying. Paying attention to where companies source their clothes, seeking out more sustainable clothing companies and actively doing so may take a lot of time, but it’s time well spent.  You don’t need to go out and buy a whole new wardrobe of new clothing from ethical companies, just be aware and make a more conscious decision when you next feel the need to shop! Swapping clothes with friends of similar sizes, second hand shopping, ethical company choices, even just living with fewer choices, making our own clothing, there are loads of things we can do to change.

The fabulous blogger Elena Cresci of Seamless has started the Seamless Pledge, a pledge to try our best to make a difference, and it was coming across this pledge that cemented these thoughts into a blog post!

Cheap disposable fashion accessories may only last a few months, but your demands to companies can make changes that last forever.

We can’t change the laws of a country, only the governments can, but we can demand better of our own native retailers and hope that this will initiate change for the better!

For a myriad of reasons the Seamless Pledge is a great idea, I could keep warbling on about this topic all day but suffice it to say we all fully believe in the benefits of taking time out from our busy consumer lives to appreciate the choices we make on a daily basis.

Without further ado our pledge:

We, the ladies of Glitter Not Gold, take the Seamless pledge until the end of 2013. We will abstain from buying any new clothes until the end of our pledge. We will find ways to be fashionable without breaking the bank and without contributing to the cycle of fast fashion consuming the high street. We will trawl through charity shops, we will attend clothes swaps, we will look for second-hand items on eBay and Etsy and we will continue to make our own clothes with our own hands.

We hope you guys will join us, let us know if you do!
Lots of love,
Lany and all the ladies here at GNG!
xx

The Great Gatsby Sewing Challange

by Sophie

Hi everyone,

I’m still waiting for my Laurel pattern to arrive. While was browsing around looking for inspiration I came across http://misscrayolacreepy.blogspot.ie/

She’s just announced that she’s doing a The Great Gatsby Sewing Challenge and I am jumping on this! I love the book The Great Gatsby quite a lot and I’m really looking to the movie. I’m not 100% sure how I feel about the casting but it looks like the world alone will make the film brilliant. Also the costume design. The costume design is beyond breath taking and the colours are divine. Lot’s of golds and greens (of course!)

I’ve been looking at patterns and I think I’ve settled on this one

I’ve been looking at a lot of the stills from the film for colour choices. A lot of the colours Daisy wears are golds and lavenders as well as pinks.

I really like the lavender and silver look of this dress as well as the lace. Also the little silver gloves are beautiful.

I love this gold dress. Gold plays huge significance in the book and this is really beautiful. I like how it’s sparkly but not too over done. I also really love the furry thing!

I really really love this dress. The colour of pink is really pretty and the bottom of the dress almost looks like feathers or butterfly wings.

I think I’m going to go with a pale lavender and gold colour scheme for my dress. I feel that a The Great Gatsby inspired dress needs to have gold in it! Also I think the gold will warm up the lavender without being overwhelming. I think if I have time I might try to make some king of fake fur shawl as well and a little matching hair band. For a lot of these outfits it’s the accessories that really make the outfit.

I found this handy website that you can put an image into and it will create a colour scheme for you! Pretty cool!

I’m still a beginner sewer so I’m probably being overly ambitious with this dress but I have to try! I’ll update you with my progress and the many many problems I’m probably going to have! All of my updates will have this nice little stamp on it.

Wish me luck!

Sophie

Mint Green Jumper and some Tardis’

by Sophie

Hi guys,

So when I finished knitting all of my Christmas presents I embarked on a wonderful journey of actually knitting something for myself again. I bought a book in Easons in Dublin called “Learn to Knit, Love to Knit” and it’s brilliant. It has lots of really nice patterns in it and I’ll be making as many of them as I can. Some are quite difficult but it teaches you how to do everything step by step so you will eventually have the skills to do even the most complicated patterns.

The sweater I picked was the simple sweater pattern they have in the book. The pattern is really easy and the only tricky bit is the decreases on the sleeves as you shape them. I would highly recommend this pattern for anyone who’s done a few small knitting projects before and would like to try their first jumper.

So this is how the sweater turned out.

Sorry for the HORRIFIC mirror picture but I got my boyfriend to try and take a better photo of it and it just didn’t want to come out right.

What I really like about this sweater is that the colour came out amazing. I used Debbie Bliss Aran Cashmerino for the wool and I think it came out lovely. The sweater is very soft and it hasn’t started to ball yet.

The only problem I had with this jumper was that it ended up being much larger then it was supposed to be. This was even after I made a size 10 instead of a size 12 to compensate for how loose I knit. I don’t think this would be a big problem for anyone else but I am a very, very loose knitter so this was a problem for me.

I also tried my hand at sewing properly for the first time a month or so ago. The first thing I made was a pillow cover. It was pretty simple but I really liked how it came out.

After I made the pillow case I decided that I would make a tablet cover for my boyfriend. He loves doctor who so I got fabric from etsy with Tardis’ on it! =D I got a soft material for the inside and the I put quilt batting in between the two so it it would protect the tablet better.

I’m really happy with how it came out and my SO really liked it as well.

I’ve done some more sewing since but I’ll show you that some other day!

Lots of love,

Sophie

xx

Sewing Inspiration

by Sophie

Hi everyone,

I know I completely dropped off the face of the planet! I completely apologise! I have actually been doing quite a lot of crafting since I last posted. I have plenty of knitting christmas presents to share with you! I have also been dripping my toes into the wonderful world of sewing, which my friend over at Mabel Makes got me into. I started off with pretty simple things and I did a class teaching me how to use my sewing machine. I’ll post up a lot of my stuff over the next little while so I can show you what I’ve been up to.

I’m going to be trying my hand at my first dress in the next coming weeks. The lovely people over at Colette Patterns released their new pattern, a shift dress called the Laurel dress. When I saw this dress I kind of fell in love with it. It’s so simple but there’s so much you can do with it. They even have an extra booklet with the dress that you can download. It gives you ideas of ways you can make the Laurel dress unique.

Over at their blog, the Coletterie, they’re doing a competition of the most interesting ways people make their Laurel dresses so I’ve been looking at ideas on what I want to do with mine. I’ve decided after lots of ideas came to mind that I might do a few of them. I’m going to do a really bold one with a bright pattern (maybe polkadots? =O) and bright colours, a pastel one with softer and more girly colours and then a wintery one which I think I might make out of woven fabric or knitted fabic. Anyway here are some of the dresses that I’ll be taking inspiration from.

I love the idea of the lace over a plain slip, especially in bright colours. I worry that it might be too difficult for a beginner to sew though.

I love this shift dress. It looks almost like a large jumper and looks both stylish and super comfortable.

I love love love this dress! It’s so beautiful and I love the use of the ribbon to break up the dress as well as the scalloped neckline.

I really like the sleeves on this dress. The plain colour of the dress and how simple it is makes the sleeves really pop out.

I really like how this one is using the pattern at the bottom as a gradient and it breaks up the dress and makes it really interesting.

I really love this dress. I have a thing for yellow and I love how the bow hangs on the front of the dress. It turns a simple dress into something really interesting.

I think this is really cute and a nice way to add some pretty detail into a dress without a huge amount of difficulty.

Peter Pan collars! I love them and I’m adamant that one of my shift dresses will have one on it!

I like how this dresses pattern is complicated and how the sleeves are flowing. I think it would be lovely in a floral pattern as a summer dress.

So those are some of my inspirations. I’m also looking at maybe doing some colour pallets to make sure the colours will work together before I buy the fabric. I’ll update you on my progress as I attempt to make my first dress!

So where do you guys find your inspiration for your projects? Do you do colour samples before you start? Please tell me your wonderful ideas!

Sophie

xxx

Lanys Linkage: Mothers Day Ideas 2013

by Lany

Mothers day is around the corner (10th March 2013 FYI) I decided I’d do a round up of some great gift ideas!

• Bake her something scrumptious! Apple pie muffins(low fat, which is a nice thoughtful way to treat someone on a diet!), Milky Way cookies, flourless chocolate fudge truffle cake (the name is making me salivate…),  peanut butter cookies, red velvet brownies…or some good old fashioned rice krispie buns! As long as they are made with love I don’t think anyone minds!!
• If your mum loves TV boxets there’s a whole host of options! I’d recommend; The Office, either the American or the British one, Breaking Bad (although who isn’t watching it these days!), 30 Rock, Black Adder, David Attenborough: The Life Collection, The Wire, Mad Men, House, Scarecrow and Mrs. King, Love/Hate…the list is endless! If however she loves films you could do worse than getting her a subscription to Netflix!
• If you have the fabric, and the time, how about a make up case? Or a phone protector? If you’re going all out how about trying a QAYG (Quilt As You Go) tote bag?
• Fill a photo album with photos that bring back great memories! (Boots chemist also run a service for canvas prints!)
• The staple gift of my childhood was breakfast in bed! (Although I often ended up putting more on her quilt than on her plate!) You don’t have to serve it in bed, but having breakfast ready for the woman you want to honour in your life is a pretty neat treat. Jazz it up with some whole wheat chocolate chip banana bread pancakes and you’ve got  a gold star headed your way, for sure!
• Soaps, hand creams, lotions, potions, perfume, make up she’d never buy herself! The list is endless! Go to local markets or fairs and see if there are any local people making soaps or natural products! A nice scented candle has never gone astray (unless she’s very senstitve to scent!!)

• Get together with some siblings, friends etc, and create a craft gift basket for you mum(/aunt/grandmum etc!) you could get her more supplies (a stash boost is ALWAYS appreciated!). Or increase her library of patterns? You could get together some patterns you’d think she’d love on Ravelry (you have to join to view, but a lot of patterns are free, and those that are there to be bought are at very reasonable prices!) and print them off and present them in a pretty folder! 🙂
• Charitable donation to a cause close to your mothers heart, some great suggestions include Cancer Research Society, Bernardos, ISCPA, Trocaire, Irish guide Dog Association…the list is as endless as the causes these charities help.
• You could get the book loving lady in your life a set of new books, an ereader or even a voucher (for when you’re unsure of what books she has bought recently!) to further her bookophile ways! Historical, biographies, fiction, thriller, crime, travel books, craft books, the list is endless!
• Tickets to a play or concert! Always a nice gift idea, just make sure to subtly hint before hand to see if she’s busy that date!
• A playlist! Making her a playlist of your/her favourite songs or even just a mix of music that reminds you of her is a great idea and would make a lovely thoughtful present!
• Doing something for her, if its something small like doing the chore she hates doing the most, or helping with the weekly shopping, just doing something to show that you know how much she does and how much you appreciate it will mean a lot.
• Make a card! Store bought cards are all well and good, but the effort of making a card will not go unnoticed 🙂 (this applies for all occasions!)

Besides all the presents you can buy or make, I really think the most important thing you can do on Mothers Day is spend some time with your mum, it could be a video call if you’re living abroad (and many are in these days of emigration), a long phone conversation if you’re unable to take time off work, or just calling round for a cup of tea and a chat!

I hope you all have a good mothers day, if that’s visiting or remembering your mum/aunt/grandmother/whomever you want to honour, til the next post, stay safe and take care.
Lany
xx

Inspiring Blogger Award!

by Lany

Hello! Apologies for the prolonged absence, we’ve all been super busy at work with hardly any time to ourselves!

We do have some posts planned though for the coming weeks anyways! 🙂 Stay tuned for those; recipes, sewing projects and viewpoints are promised!

Wanted to start blogging again with a mention of a blog to blog award called “Very Inspiring Blogger Award” that we were nominated for by the lovely and awe-inspiring blogger Avis over on her blog Oh Sew Tempting! You should definitely check out two of my favourites (of her most recent posts) here and here!

Since the award is blog-along I’ll copy the rules here:

1. Thank the person who nominated you.
2. Add The Very Inspiring Blogger Award to your post.
3. Share 7 things about yourself.
4. Pass the award on to 10 nominees.
5. Include this set of rules.
6. Inform your nominees by posting a comment on their blog.
Hmm well 1, 2, 5 and 6 are already done! 😀

Seven Things About Us

(i) Well Sophie and myself are both science graduates who have a passion for arts and crafts.
(ii) I like to talk… A LOT. I mean a serious amount beyond what most people consider chatty.
(iii) We love food, it’s the best thing ever, in particular baked goods….and delicious meals….actually any food
at all ever, except avacados, Dana loves avacados though!
(iv) Prints are my biggest weakness when it comes to fabric choices, cannot resist a cute print, which means I
always have problems when I go lookng for a matching block colour…
(v) I didn’t like dark chocolate until Sophie and myself tried out “vegan January” now I love the stuff!
(vi) I can’t knit very well (like not at all really), but I plan on rectifying this situation in the coming months!
(vii) We both eat icing from the bowl when decorating cakes….. ;-; it’s just too tempting!!
Extra Special bonus number (viii) Sophie has two adorable cats, Gin and Tonic whom I looove!! 😀

Our nominees for this award in no particular order!!

KandraYoung
I love her quilt here in particular, although her blog covers many topics! I may not be religious but I do enjoy seeing how spiritual she is in her everyday life, and the amazing art (and food) she creates!

Magatha May
Amazing taste in shoes, clothes, quotes and images, cannot get enough of this blog! In total agrement with this post and am lusting over many of the items mentioned in this one!

room6design
She has a beautiful family and a pretty home which she posts the most envy inspiring pictures of! I like this “tutorial” she posted on how to make a giant chalkboard at an affordable price!

Random Descent
An up and coming Irish journalist/editor and a great writer to boot! I am looking forward to amazing things from this blogger, whom is penning her first book at the moment! Here is a review she wrote recently that makes me desperate to get stuck into that particular tome! Oh and did I mention she also has her own radio show called Reverb? She uploads the playlists onto MixCloud too for your listening pleasure!

can be bitter
While I sometimes think the intelligent lady behind this blog can over read into some situations I do enjoy this feminist blog, I also like her taste in music!

The Misfortune of Knowing
I like this womans reviews of books, her take on life and her stance on childrens literature! Almost all of her good reviews make me want to go out and buy the book immediately, and one of the more recent posts like that is this one about Richard III.

Scientific Femanomaly
This blog is by a fellow scientist (I’m a physicist! >.<), she’s got an amazing blog, and she tackles what I think are interesting issues with a strong voice and solid opinions she also posts interesting posts about recent scientific studies etc, I like her anyways!

Aurora La Petite
A truly inspiring blog, with to-die-for photos and great book reviews, recipes and interesting content! I am loving these photos and this recipe at the moment 🙂

Doodle Mum
Sophie showed me this blog about a year ago, and now the author has just released a book! So excited! Her relatable stories and engaging artwork make this blog just so endearing to me, it really brightens up my day when I see it in my reader!

Irish Election Literature
Various election literature spanning many different years, political viewpoints and topics, truly fascinating slices of Irish history (past and present!)! I may like it because I have a very strong interest in politics and in Irish history, just look at this post, it even casts a light on socio-economic conditions at the time!

I hope you find a new blog to follow, if not two or three!
Let me know of other blogs you think are worthy of an inspirational blogging award! 😀

Have fun and take care,
Lany
xx

Christmas Craft Bonanza (Part I)

by Lany

It’s finally safe to post pictures of most of the gifts I made this year!
Some still haven’t been given to my friends, the few I haven’t managed to meet up with during the holidays so I won’t post those just yet, I’ll put them in a part II (at some point)!

I crocheted most of my handmade presents this year, as it’s probably my favourite craft- so fast and the results are usually passable 🙂

This cowl was a present for a very good friend, Lisa, and I hope I picked colours she will wear!
The cowl was worked using two balls of Sirdar Softspun in the Smokey Green and the grey “Frostie” colours that are kinda shimmery, with a strand of each colour held together to form the working yarn. The pattern is a catherine wheel one found via ravelry on People Webs (the comments on this pattern are invaluable).

The pattern calls for 131 stitches in the foundation chain to form a 60inch cowl, I crochet quite tightly but not overly so and used about 161 to get a roughly 45 inch cowl. I suppose it depends on what yarn you’re using and how tight/loose you crochet. In the comments however a lot of people only achieved a 40inch cowl from 131 stitches, the author suggested adding on ten extra stitches until desired length is achieved, hence my extra thirty stitches.

The pattern has been reproduced by other blogs claiming it as their own but as best as I can determine Peoples Web is the blog it originated from!

I hope Lisa liked and enjoys the cowl!

Roisin is another very good friend of mine and I decided that sparkly arm warmers were in order!

I just used a chevron stripe, and I was going to use it around the wrist, but I hated starting/ending on a non-straight edge, I didn’t think it looked right and  I knew that if I had them they would drive me crazy if the edges weren’t straight. So instead I just turned my chevron on its side and sewed the beginning stripe to my final stripe, leaving a gap where the thumb can go.

The wool I used is King Cole Galaxy in Saturn and Red, the sequins are already dispersed throughout the wool and its super soft!

They ended up looking a lot more Christmassy than I had anticipated!

I hope Roisin (of Random Descent) gets some use out of them.

Paula is another unfortunate victim, I mean friend that got a homemade present this year!
I made her a hat using Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran in cream and dark grey.

The wool is so soft and a delight to work with as it drapes wonderfully.

I just did a normal treble hat with double crochet edging to make it fit tighter around the brim. It was finished off with four rows of double crochet (single in US terms) alternating belwteen the cream and grey.

I carried the cream around the inside as you would for fair isle crochet/knitting and it seemed to work well. The picture below is what the side looked like! A bit messy but you get the idea!

I hope Paula liked it and that she gets some use out of the hat!

Last for this post is Sophies homemade present!
I wanted to make her socks, but since I decided too late about the sock making I didn’t have time to practise knitting and get the hang of double pointed needles, I attempted crocheting socks instead! They turned out a bit big but they will do as comfy around the house socks I hope! 😀
I cannot remember what wool I used (if anyone can recognise it form the striping pattern please don’t hesitate to let me know!)  but it was a self striping sock yarn.

Apologies the photo isn’t the best, the lighting situation was far from ideal, it’s a blue/green/white combo!

I used this pattern that I found on ravelry, it’s from South Bay Crochet and is a toe up pattern. The heels were a bit tough to figure out until I got the first one finished, the second was much simpler to approach.

I finished the socks off with a simple scalloped edge, because I didn’t think they looked completed without it!

I know they’re too big to wear as everyday socks but maybe she will be able to get some use of them as “round the house too lazy to put on shoes” socks!! xD

Anyways I hope you all had peaceful holidays and that getting back to the grind isn’t too taxing.
Did you receive any home made gifts? Any baked goods? Any handmade cards?
Oh and if you have any pattern suggestions drop me a line in the comments!

All the best, and hopefully once I have delivered the other gifts there will be a part II up soon!
Until the next post,
Keep well,
Lany
xx

Rainbow Hair! (and a slight bit of self acceptance)

by Lany

Sorry for the loooong absence from Glitter Not Gold, I have moved for my job, changed my city of residence etc and have not got the internet at my new home yet 🙂
To be honest I quite liked living without the internet for the past while, might write a blog post about it at some stage.

Back at the end of July I decided that I wanted to do something different to my hair. Last year I had cut myself a deep fringe (which made me look REALLY young, it was also my first time ever attempting to cut my own hair) and I’ve had my hair all shapes and lengths over the past 5-6 years, so I decided that I’d try to dye my hair for the first time ever!This was really my first time seriously thinking about dying my hair. I have naturally a brown/auburn hair colour and I quite like it (ooh vain, I know!), I think its the only hair colour that would suit me- I feel blonde, black or red hair would just bring out the fierce redness on my face even more.

Rosacea gives my face a very uneven skin tone, something which I used to really dislike and hate about myself.
Not only do I have really red patches of skin on my cheeks/nose I also suffered from lots of spots due to really oily sensitive skin, which reacted badly to most skin products that I tried out. All of this added up to make a very insecure teenage me.
I tried getting into wearing heavy makeup, but anytime I tried to balance out my skin tone using makeup, I’d end up caking it on and creating a weird powdery flakey looking layer atop my skin. I’d look at myself in the mirror just before leaving the house I would only just see the horrible powdery orange skin that I had created. It looked so trashy and awful that I couldn’t bring myself to wear it in public. I would quickly rush back into my room and swipe the mask of makeup off my face, making my entire family wait some more, and end up irritating my sensitive skin even further with wipes and makeup removers. Even my own skin that I hated was better than looking like a tangerine! I tried many many many types and brands of skin care products (I must have cost my parents a small fortune with everything I tried), most just did not agree with my skin in the slightest and made matters worse!
In the end I discovered that the only thing that makes teenage breakouts go away is time, although I still get the odd breakout (mostly due to stress), and they are irritating, it’s nothing like what I used to get.

The experimentation with different brands and so forth in my teenage years has resulted in one good thing, I now know what I can and cannot use on my ever changing skin. The only cleansers that I have used with any success have been Ponds Cold Cream Cleanser (the little jar that I always associate with my grandmother, but there’s a reason she uses it- it works), and I am a strong advocate of Liz Earles Hot Cloth Cleanser, and plain old Dove soap with water.

The main thing is that I will always have red cheeks, rosacea is always going to be a part of me, like it or lump it. So I decided instead of letting it be something that I hate about myself I’ve let it become that have accepted about myself, I can’t change the skin I’m in so I might as well feel comfortable in it!

Also if I really don’t want to appear red faced I wear Vichy Dermablend make up, it’s the only foundation that I have used that I don’t have to apply a heavy amount to get complete coverage, and this probably leads to the second reason I use Vichy; the fact that using it doesn’t lead to spots and breakouts.  I like the tutorials by Lisa Eldridge on foundation and concealer application, as I really like her natural look, hopefully by trying to emulate her techniques I end up with something vaguely similar!

Anyways I seem to have diverged quite a lot from my starter topic, to continue where I left off, I like my hair colour as I think its the only one that will ever truly suit my skin tone! So I decided that I didn’t want to change the colour of all of my hair, and also that I didn’t want to go for a plain colour, plain isn’t really me!
I love prints and colour, and decided that my personality was not suited to the usual blonde or red streaks, it was best summed up with a mix of teal and hot pink.
I bleached the ends of my hair (I chose to do this because if I didn’t like the end result I could just as easily chop the dyed parts off), checked to see if blonde suited me- it really didn’t- and reached for the Crazy Colors dye! I chose a wash out dye, as I liked the idea of changing my colour quickly and experimenting on a weekly basis!

I chose Peacock Blue and Pinkissmo for my hair dye experiment, and placed the greeny blue colour at the top of the bleached parts of my hair, and pink at the ends. The two colours took well and the part where they met turned out really cool, varying between blue and purple hues, making my two tone job look like a really cool mix of three or four colours- success! (Well, I hope!)

I really like my hair anyways, and my family and other half seem to like it too, with my boyfriends little brother exclaiming “Oooh I like your rainbow hair!” (hence the original title of this post!) 😀

I haven’t had my camera with me much since the move, so here’s a pic I snapped on my laptop a while ago!

Have any of you dyed your hair recently? Tried new hairstyles or done something different with your look?

Yours, rainbows and smiles!
Lany
xx