Wednesday 31 December 2014

On the Seventh Day of Christmas...| The Frosted, Subtle, New Years Eve Look

 I've been a sloth for the past few days, (drinking mulled wine in my Pyjamas), but as it's the last day of 2014, with only a few hours left 'till the BIG "2015", I think it's high time I put on some sort of a face. And so, to welcome in the New Year, I've Ended up with this. A frosted, subtle look.








Tuesday 30 December 2014

On the sixth Day of Chrstmas...| Presents still under the tree

We aren't like most families. Very rarely do our presents get opened on the 25th of December.

It started off when we were little. If we were naughty, we weren't allowed to open our presents, not until we learnt the error of our ways, or until mum felt we had suffered enough. We would cry, we would whine, but it did the job, if we wanted to open our present we'd better behave.




As a tradition, we open our presents after our dinner. Bellies stuffed, nighties and pyjamas back on. And so, as we've gotten older, we have gotten used to this arrangement of the 25th going by with presents still sat under the tree (mum still finds it necessary to make us wait, of course. Besides, it's not as if our stroppy outburst and arguments have improved with age).


Our presents are usually opened before New Years eve, but as it stands, it's the 30th, there's been another full on argument, and as you can probably tell by the images, we still have a bundle of presents under the tree. However, unlike the younger Kartonia, I now kind of like this tradition of ours. It's unique to us. It allows the festive feeling to continue as it should do along these twelve days of Christmas, not to mention the bargains I got on those presents I couldn't get before 25th, which I've now secretly slotted secretly under the tree.  Genius.


,


Monday 29 December 2014

On the fifth day of Christmas...| Help, these people are Bonkers



I've been absorbing my families antics today. Like really absorbing, taking it in and noticing the details.
There's Noise, there's Banter, there's Arguments. It's bonkers.


Noise:Today, sat there, watching a film,we spoke. And by "spoke", I mean, all of us spoke, at the same time, all over each each other, our voices getting louder as we each fought for our voices to be heard. Who knows what they were talking about, I can't even remember what it was I was talking about, but all I know is that several times today,  voices were raised until a blur of screams ensued, and my head began to spin.

Banter: We always tease each other, but seriously, this Christmas, a season of goodwill and love, has seen some serious banter going on. Banter, which, to the untrained ear of any normal being, would do nothing but offend. Even as i quickly type this now, I've just been sworn at by sister, who has followed her expletive by the sweetest of smiles. But it's

Arguments: A series of Arguments having broken out so far. Slammed doors, knocked over presents. Swearing, Footsteps storming up the stairs, and fights over the last chocolate are pretty normal things anyway, but as usual the Christmas festivities has only highlighted and amplified.


Together, honestly, we're off our rockers. I pity those who turn up on our doorstep, or those merely walking past our house. The sounds that must come from our house (I'm guessing it sounds like a mixture of squealing pigs, excitable pigeons, koalas, and thundering elephants) must be petrifying.

We're Loud and we're Bonkers, and I love it, but shh, don;t tell this lot that.

Sunday 28 December 2014

On the fourth day of Christmas... | Sparkly, pretty, Christmasy Homes.

Oh, that warm, fuzzy feeling that a house decked out for Christmas gives me is on another level.




Since the beginning of December (mid November for some) homes, streets, shops, you name it, having been decking themselves out for Christmas, ours included. Outside of our house, amongst other lights, stands these gorgeous reindeer, and I am in love with them. My love is as strong for them this year as it was the last and shows no signs of dwindling. I genuinely fear for their safety. I mean,, they're so preety. What if  their lights go out forever? What if the wind finds a way to take them away? What if we need a replacement and never find them, or the equivalent to them again? What if -- Shh. I can't think about it. I won't. But how cute. eh?

My granddad's Christmas bells.

 We always have this little otter on the windowsill, but he just looked so cute with golden lights of Christmas and the sun going down.

There's something so magical, and heart-warming about this time of year, with its twinkly lights, baubles, and golden hues. Shops, streets, and houses are glimmering and I'm dreading the 5th of January when it's time for them to come down.

Until then, I will continue to bask in the festive warmth and twinkling lights that surround me.

Saturday 27 December 2014

On the Third Day of Christmas... | An Abundance of Food

Food, food, food. There's so much yummy food.


I cooked this year, an act which is becoming a bit of a habit in our house, and, as the tables currently stand filled with nibbles, the fridge still has scrum-diddly-umptious leftovers that are dwindling fast, We're eating full, hearty meals of meat and sauces in the morning for goodness sake. We're eating chocolate for lunch. There is no order to our madness, and I'm loving it. 




My mum made these yummy spicy, fish fritters, which have disappeared and have had to be remade several times so far. They're are seriously too good.  

 My signature summer-fruit muffins were requested by my younger brother. And the cake, of the same sort, sits in my new cake tins by Denby. I love these tins a little too much, my brother, of course, loves what they are designed to hold.



Oh, I love Christmas. 

Friday 26 December 2014

On the Second Day of Christmas... | Boxing Day

…Annnnnnd the secrecy, wrapping, and distribution of gifts continue.

I love taking out my well-hunted pressies from their hiding places, wrapping them up and seeing them look all pretty with their bows, which leads me to one of the things I love about Christmas.
Giving presents.


As a child it was always about wishing to see what it was that was under the tree for me, but now, finding that one thing I feel fits that certain person, seeing the look on their face as they receive their well wrapped gift, especially if it turns out they really like it, feels sooooo good. I love it. It's a serious natural high for me, people. A serious natural high.


What about you, do you love hunting, wrapping and handing out presents, or does the mere thought of next Christmas's present hunt fill you with dread?

Thursday 25 December 2014

On the First Day of Christmas... | Love and be Loved



Merry Christmas!


The last few days of advent has seen me running around like a headless chicken on the hunt for presents (which, like every year, I had planned to do in advance, but, as usual, failed) and stocking up on lots of yummy nibbles, drinks and food for this Christmas period.

And so it begins. Christmas is here. The first day of Christmas. A day where family can row and food can burn like never before, but before doors start slamming, or possible wishes for the day and Christmas period in general to end, take a second and look around you. I mean really look. Look past all of the annoying little stuff. Look past the present you possibly hate, the effort you've put in to something that seems to have been overlooked, the rowdy aunt in the corner, or the cremated food, and take what's there in. This is your family, no matter how big, small, annoying, or loud. These are your friends. This is your Christmas. Love and be loved.

So, whilst I'm about to go and bang the turkey in the oven, whilst half of my family are still asleep, and the other half are nattering in the living room, I just wanted to say that, wherever, or whoever you are with today, be it family, or strangers, I send you lots and lots of love and wish you a merry, merry Christmas.

Kartonia. xx


Thursday 27 November 2014

Talking Periods with the Males in our Life


"Shhhh! I'm on my period."

"And there is no way I'm going to that cute guy at that till. He'll see my basket of pads and tampons."






If you're a female, then that "time of month", that uncomfortable, nauseating, painful  first few days, awash with emotions and cravings, where the shedding of our uterus lining literally feels as described (the gouging, tearing away of flesh within), is something you are either more than aware of, or soon will be.

 The gushing of uterus lining and blood that expels from our nether-regions cares not for the type of knickers or outfit we're wearing. It doesn't care about the important event we have for that day, nor does it care for the intricately laid sanitary towel, or fresh tampon you may have just placed. If it's going to gush, it's going to gush. And if en-route it feels the need to present itself in the form of pain that resembles metal hooks latching, dragging and slicing through the flesh of our uterus, it'll do that too, for some more so than others, so, considering this, shouldn't the other half of our human species be more clued in on all of this.

I mean, that's half of all of humans either menstruating, going to menstruate, or having menstruated. That's a lot. And yet, a lot of the guys I know don't seem to know very much about what actually goes on.  Many shudder at the thought, even when some of those thoughts don't go further than  "blood" and "grumpiness". And it's not exactly there fault, is it? If it doesn't happen to you, or people aren't frank about it with you, apart from doing all the research yourself, how are you supposed to know?
.
Some people like to treat the whole time-of-the-month thing as if its a process never to be spoken about. A process females, on all accounts, are to keep from guys. I've seen guys literally, recoil at the mere mentioning of the subject, whilst some women's eye widen with horror, as they laugh nervously, when you go into details in front of a guy. Some women find it necessary to hide their tampons and sanitary towels up their sleeves en-route for the toilet, whilst others break into a sweat when their handbag falls and out pops the dreaded, rolling tampon or flying pad, and all the while, other people expect that of them. They expect your ability to hide your period, and your sense of embarrassment when you've failed at that.

 A few days ago. my youngest brother, aged 12, was curious as to what was this "period thing" that me and my sister was always having, which caused us pain and had us seeking what he likes to call "nappy's". And as his sister, it was my place to enlighten him on the oh, so mysterious "Period". So I did. I broke it down, openly discussing the process as my mum cringed, which was somewhat better than her cry of, "Kartonia! He doesn't need to know all of that." when I declared my period and its process to my other brother, aged 20, He, however, did run a mile covering his ears screaming, so I guess she was onto something there.

My youngest brother, however, seemed genuinely interested, and why not?  It's a weird, foreign thing for him. A process he could never imagine happening to the closest females in his life, let alone his mum, and all the women he's ever met. Did he flinch? Did he run away screaming like his older brother? No. He nodded, said my other sister must always be on her period considering her constant grumpiness, and got on with what he was doing. And, in all honesty, I wasn't expecting that. I was expecting a look of disgust, mainly because that's the look some guys give. But no. He was cool. And he should be.

Maybe if we were all just more open about it with the males in our lives (granted, for the first dozen times, some will scream, whilst others will merely disappear over the horizon) it'd lose its stigma. History has shown times where everyone was cool with periods, Why now, in our modern age, are so many people ashamed of it?


 I'm a human, a female one. I menstruate. Get with it, or get out.




 What do you think? 

Friday 10 October 2014

Autumn/Winter Makeup 2014 | Season of the eyes


By far, my favourite area for make-up is the eyes. I love seeing other people's eye make up, and I love putting on and playing with styles of my own.


So if we're to take note of the make-up worn on our recent catwalks, I, without further ado, will proceed to grin like a Cheshire cat, because eyes seem to be the focus for this Autumn/Winter.


Here's my take on this Autumn/Winter's bold eye look, with sweeping blacks, metallic greys and silvers.

Excuse me while I shove my face onto your screen.





Bold, Bold and more bold.  Autumn/Winter 2014 cries out for lashes to lashings of mascara, eyeliner and dark shades. All of which are topped off with nude lips.








Will you dare the bold look this Autumn/Winter?






Saturday 4 October 2014

Colours of the Rainbow Makeup | Red & Gold

I haven't been wearing much make up recently - who am I kidding? I haven't worn any make at all. Sacré bleu! I know, I know. So I thought why not, in jumping back in, make a SPLASH. 

A splash of Red & Gold










Now, you might be saying, 'Oh for goodness sake, Kartonia. Summer has finished now, This looks summery.' And to you I say.  A summer face is cool. You don't need to restrict yourself. Besides, it's still kind of summery outside. And look. Red and gold. It kind of looks like the leaves on the trees at this time of year... kind of.







To start off I gave my skin a bit a moisture with Avon's Royal jelly face cream. and then plopped on a bit of Avon's Extralasting concealer.




On my eyes there's Maybelline colour 24hr eye-shadow in Eternal Gold and some of this this little pot of gold eye-shadow glitter that I have. (I've lost it's lid and can't remember where I got it from, so were just going to have to call it that. "little pot of gold" Sorry.)




Now, I don't have any red eye shadow, so, waste not, want not and all that, I used some of my lippy. Avon's Matte Ruby 










I also have Avon's Extralasting 

liquid eye-liner and Jillian Dempsey lash booster




On my cheeks, my favourite and long term partner in crime, is Avon's Arabian glow Deep bronze.  It's what Avon calls a Multistylo, as it can be used on your eyes, cheeks and lips. I've been buying this for years. Love it.



And then, stepping it up a notch, I wore the Matte Ruby in the way it was intended.  






A splash of colour or what,
right? 




Will you dare add a splash of colour?








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