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On hiatus

31 Oct

On hiatus

Versatile Blogger Award

11 Apr

Versatile Blogger Award

The lovely Luna from Metamorphosis gifted me with the Versatile Blogger award.  I’m still a bit in shock because I adore Luna’s blog.  So it seems that I get to give you 7 facts about myself and then tag other bloggers.  I have no idea who has or hasn’t won this, so if I name someone who already has it, please forgive me!  And now to cover some things that aren’t posted in my “About” section…

The Versatile Blogger

1.  I read quickly and often.  Last year I devoured more than 300 books, and I retain what I read.  I will also re-read my favorites over and over again.  I know there are people in the world who don’t enjoy reading, but to be honest, I don’t understand that AT ALL.  And now, dear reader, will you leave me a book recommendation?  If you do, I’ll love you forever.

2.  I love crave need storms.  Even though I’m in Wisconsin now, I grew up in Florida, and I dig hurricanes like you wouldn’t believe.  I am in such awe of nature and for some reason turbulent weather soothes me.  It’s raining right now; I have the windows open so the smell and sounds are coming through, and I’m grinning like an idiot.  Give me the thunderstorm of the century, some tea, and Beethoven’s Sonata Pathétique, and I am good to go.  Which probably ties in with…

3.  I’m a Pagan.  I wouldn’t classify myself as Wiccan because I focus more on spirituality and less on spell work, but I believe there are many paths to the divine and mine is firmly through nature.   I have never once found any level of peace in a church but I only have to step into the outdoors to find it all around me.  Blessed be.

4.  I have been fortunate to have many animal companions on my journey, including countless cats, dogs, rodents, fish, birds, a couple of ferrets, a sugar glider, a squirrel, a panther chameleon, a red eared slider, a possum, and a three-legged skunk named Tripod.  The majority of these were rescues; the only pets I’ve ever purchased were a pair of gerbils when I was 11.  If I weren’t a writer, I’d be a veterinarian.

5.  I am madly, passionately, completely head-over-heels in love with words.  When I was 6, I asked for a dictionary for Christmas.  When I discovered the existence of the thesaurus, I felt the world open up before me.  I’m not exaggerating.  A good poetry reading can make me weep like a child.  I had a Very Bad home life growing up, and getting myself lost in words is what I credit with saving my life.  I became a writer after I read the following from Anaïs Nin:  “If you do not breathe through writing, if you do not cry out in writing, or sing in writing, then don’t write, because our culture has no use for it.”  It was like a spiritual experience, a paradigm shift, and those words unlocked something in me.  I am a writer because I don’t know how not to be one.

6.  Music is my boyfriend.  My musical collection is vast and varied, from classical to industrial, indie rock to contemporary folk, classic country to opera to punk.  I’m a classically trained musician (guitar) and can find the beauty and soul in almost every musical genre.  Caveat:  if it’s rap/hip-hop played on the radio, chances are very high that I Hate It.  I do like some rap artists (the ones usually labeled as “intelligent hip-hop”) such as Talib Kweli and Mos Def, and can’t figure out how it is that they aren’t famous, but Kanye West is.

7.  I’m a “bleeding heart”.  I believe that it’s my duty, as a member of the human race, to help out others in need.  My friends say I’m “too nice” and that I often get taken advantage of, but honestly, I’d rather be tricked than fail to help someone who really needs it.  Growing up, there wasn’t a lot of kindness in my world, so I try to do what I can now to give some to others.  Random Acts of Kindness, Project Beautiful, Free Hugs- yeah, I eat that stuff up.  Anything that injects a little more beauty and love into the world, I am all for it.  In other words, I’m a total sap, but what I want for everyone is for them to see how beautiful and awesome and worthy they are. </hippie.

So that’s me in 7 (overly verbose) snippets.  Blend that with what’s in my About section and it pretty much sums up the whole of my existence.

 

I tag:

Violetta @ erosdiscordia – My partner-in-crime during the nightmare that was high school, and still one of the coolest darn people I’ve ever had the privilege to know.  Politics, feminism, and soul.  What a sweet, powerful blend.

 

(I don’t know if there’s a set number of people I’m supposed to be tagging, so I’ll stop here and tag more if necessary.  :) )

 

Hacked!

7 Apr

Repairing the install after being hacked… content will return shortly, hopefully this time without the male performance enhancement links. :P

Edit- site is mostly functional now, but a lot of the images are missing.  Those will be fixed slowly over the course of this evening.  Must sleep now; there’s not enough tea in the world to keep me awake any longer.

Changes…

2 Apr

>My domain name is hosted through GoDaddy, and thanks to years of sexist and cruel behavior by the CEO of said company, I am letting it go.  The new domain name will be www.karmicdreaming.net — only it’s not working properly just yet, and once it is, I’m unsure if beautyfrugalista.com will continue to point here.  So sorry; what should have been a relatively straightforward process has become quite the clusterfuck due to several companies pointing fingers back and forth.  In the next few coming days, if you don’t find me here at beautyfrugalista.com, look me up at karmicdreaming.net.

Current Products

1 Dec

>I saw this on Phyrra’s blog, and she got it from Veronica, who got it from…. yeah.  You get it.  Meme.  :)

Shampoo: Lush I Love Juicy, Chagrin Valley Shampoo Bars

Conditioner: Lush Veganese, camellia oil, Oyin Handmade Whipped Pudding

Styling Products: not often, but Oyin Handmade Shine and Define when the occasion calls for something

Shower Gel: Lush Snow Fairy at the moment (literally, as in ten minutes ago).  This changes fairly regularly.

Body Moisturizer: Lush King of Skin.  For the tough areas like elbows, feet, and scars, Lush Lemony Flutter

Deodorant: Oyin Handmade Funk Butter in Black Cedar Fig (winter) and Coco Mango (summer)

Cleanser: Lush Angels on Bare Skin, jojoba oil

Toner: Apple cider vinegar or rose water- depends on if I’m dry or oily at the time.

Exfoliator: Lush Ocean Salt

Moisturizer: Lush Imperalis and Neutrogena Visibly Even Daily Moisturizer SPF 15

Foundation Brush: Everyday Minerals Flat-top Kabuki

Concealer: MAC Studio Finish SPF 35 Concealer in NW20

Powder: Aromaleigh Glissade in 2L or Meow Cosmetics Pampered Puss in Sleek Bengal

Blush: Aromaleigh Verve and Gothic Lolita Rococco, Meow Cosmetics Taboo in Fetish, Everyday Minerals in Waffle Cone and Chit Chat

Highlighter: Aromaleigh Illuminator

Eyeshadow Base: Too Faced Shadow Insurance, Urban Decay Primer Potion, and/or Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy

Eyeshadows: Aromaleigh (especially the Rocks! collection), Meow Cosmetics, Urban Decay.  I’ll have to make a post of all my favorite colors one day.

Eyeliner: Urban Decay 24/7 liners in Zero, Flipside, Ransom, and Oilslick

Curler: Tweezerman Lash Curler, when I remember, which isn’t often.

Mascara: Aromaleigh Lash Primer plus Dior DiorShow or Benefit BadGal Lash Mascara

Lipstick: Urban Decay, Tarte, Prescriptives, Clinique (Black Honey only)

Lipgloss: MAC, Urban Decay, Fyrinnae Lip Lustres, Nyx.  Here’s my confession- I keep accumulating lipglosses and I’ve never finished a single one.  Ever.  Not even close.

Nail Color: Zoya, China Glaze, OPI, LA Girl Rock Star

Perfume: Ormonde Jayne Woman, all the Chanels but mainly Bios des Iles, No 22, and Cuir de Russie, anything by Annick Goutal but especially Eau de Charlotte, Robert Piguet Fracas, Givenchy L’Interdit if it’s the original and not the re-issue, Guerlain Shalimar and Mitsouko, and anything by CB I Hate Perfume but especially Burning Leaves and Black March.  Oh, snd Thierry Migler Angel when I want to smell like everyone else.  I heart my perfume.

Why I’m supporting the Mineral Makeup Mutiny

29 Oct

Why I’m supporting the Mineral Makeup Mutiny

>Hi everyone.  I’m Amanda.  I’m not a famous blogger (although I do blog), or a make-up artist (more like a novice), or anyone very special (outside of my own little world ;) ), but I am a customer.  I love buying products, and I buy them often, but I’ll be blunt.  I don’t have money to waste buying products I already own under different branding.

I’m very much a capitalist.  I absolutely support the right of company X to buy product from company Y and resell it.  I DO NOT support company X’s claim that their product is unique or formulated by them in any way.  I want to spend my money supporting businesses that create and inspire.  Being lied to about a product inspires me to find another company from which to purchase my cosmetics, which isn’t exactly the inspiration I was hoping for. 

I’ve gotten lucky.  As far as I know, I haven’t purchased two (or more!) of the same shade, but I’ve come close to purchasing from companies that I later discovered were repackagers.  It is time the market is held accountable for the honesty that customers deserve. 

I’m not as knowledgeable as most of you probably are about the different companies, but if there’s one thing that gets my panties in a twist, it’s knowing that unscrupulous people are taking advantage of, and misrepresenting themselves to, their customers.  Makeup should be something fun that lifts our spirits, instead of being just another area where we’re getting ripped off.

Disgruntled,
Amanda

 ****

 Mineral Makeup Mutiny