Pumpkin Pause

NOTE: I did move for a bit however I decided to recombine the blogs so you'll find all the posts here and previous links removed.

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Hey Everyone,

In previous post I mentioned that I'd be switching gears. Well, by switching gears, I've decided to mosey on to a new blog called >Pumpkin Pause, so you can find my latest writings there. While I will continue to focus on makeup, I'll be writing about a variety of other things as well.

Hope to see you there!

Goodbye, For Now

The last few weeks I've been contending with continuing the blog or not. Today I even took some pictures about a new blush I'd been trying out in the mean time as well as a shampoo. But the reality is that my heart hasn't really been into lately. I've been focusing a bit on other art mediums and writing has taken the back seat.

I've been working on this blog for a while now and I've learned quite a bit. I still have a lot more to learn. Even now, I'm still on the quest for the perfect lipstick but last night I mixed my very first red lip balm. Still a ways to go, not just a lot to learn but a lot to try. With that being said though, I think I need a bit more time away from here to try other things. 

So for now, goodbye. 

Winners of the First Ever Giveaway!

Thank you to everyone who participated while I've been on hiatus. This morning I contacted the two winners by email to alert them that they've won. Just in case they've missed that email though, here are the two winners! Congratulations and thank you everyone!

First Ever Giveaway!

Hey there Readers!

I'm still taking the time out to get used to my hearing aid (and if you're so inclined, you can read about that here). In the mean time however, I realized that I have an awful lot of samples that there's no way that I can get through. So I went through everything and for the first time ever, I'm creating a giveaway! 

I've created two sample packs (they are just regular samples, not deluxe) along with one full sized item each. I will not be posting pictures of the sample bags since the content of them are subject to change. The 2 winners are guaranteed at least 5 samples and 1 full sized product of my choosing. Everything is new, purchased by myself and it's a mix of things you've seen on the blog but a lot more of items that you haven't seen. This is not a sponsored post. 

In order to enter, you need to do the following:

• You must be following this blog -- you can follow with either Blogger, BlogLovin, or any aggregate of your choice, but you will need to comment to verify this.
• You must be aged eighteen years or older (and therefore okay with giving me your address so that they prize can be mailed). 

Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hard of Hearing

As I've a bit of a medical issue to tend to (nothing major, but if you are so inclined, you can read about it at etcteros), I'll be waning a bit in terms of my ability to test and write. As a result, I anticipate being gone for about a month (or a month and a half) or however long it takes me to adjust. I might update during the time that I am gone but not on the regular schedule. 

The Wheel is Turning

For the one year anniversary of The Plum Eyeliner, I mentioned that I had a project that I was working on to be slated for early 2013. Well, that project has been to really get into making cosmetics and to start, I'd try my hand at nail polishes. I can officially say that I've started the prototypes as I've entered the "learning" phase of making my own. There's still a lot for me to learn; I've created four prototypes which I revealed to my friends last night, and I've got a few more ideas so that I can continue practicing. With that being said, I can't wait to see what happens -- I'm not really sure what direction this will take or if it will trully reach fruition but it's exciting to try. 

New FTC Disclosures

Several of the blogs that I follow have been posting about the new FTC Disclosure that needs to be included with posts because if you receive a product for free, it is considered an advertisement when you review it. That creates an interesting position for me to be in since I generally purchase all of my own products. The main exceptions being when I receive products from friends (which includes Kara's Way) or from the VoxBox program. I've always disclosed when I received a product for free which includes when friends donated them to me in order to keep the blog going. Nonetheless moving forward the disclaimers might be a bit more blatant than normal. 

You can read more about the new New FTC Guidance on Disclosing Products Provided For Review at this very well articulated blog post.

I'll also take the time to reiterate a few minor points:

• I do not use affiliate links and while I have considered them, at this point I do not think they will feasible for this blog in the near future. All of my outbound links go directly to the page and I do not gain anything from it.
• I have not made any money off of this blog (nor have I made anything off of etceteros for that matter), I have not saved any money, and I don't expect that to change in the near future. 
• While many of the products have been purchased by yours truly, some have been provided by VoxBox and Kara's Way (and I have always clearly states. 
• A few items have been donated by close friends who (admittedly, none of my past posts fit this criteria, but those I'm in the process of researching and trying out a few products which fit this criteria and the people who provided them) are not affiliated with any businesses (or blogs) and were just looking to get rid of things.

With that being said, I look forward to figuring out a seamless method of making it clear without it being too intrusive. If you've any questions about this blog and the procurement of items, please feel free to reach out and I will provide further information.

A Labour of Love: One Year Later

This blog has been an absolutely labour of love from the time of inception, which was November 28th, 2011. I had many reasons for creating the blog, none of which that I will get into. I'd like to believe that over the year, I've learned some, I've grown some, and most importantly, I've practiced my writing.

I am a writer, first and foremost. I began this blog to practice more because I haven't been able to get around to finishing my books. So I decided to challenge myself about writing on a topic that I hadn't really discovered.

Sure I could apply black eyeliner with one hand while staring into a compact, but blending? Actually applying said eyeliner in an actual line versus going for a cat eye? Trying out different eyeshadows that weren't black (or red)? It was a challenge and it still continues to be a challenge.

Sadly, I don't have much to commemorate this anniversary: it's the fourth quarter, my birthday is coming up, and we're in the midst of the holiday season. I've got something that I'm hoping reaches fruition in 2013 but it's still on the blackboard as I figure out the logistics. I'm also considering a revamp which is also slated for potentially early 2013 (but rests upon that other item getting off the blackboard). Anyhow, as always I'd love to hear your suggestions and feedback. I know that I have some things that I could stand to improve upon (perhaps not being as lengthy would be one of them) but I'd love to hear about them as I move toward improving this blog in the future. 

A Bit Overdue

Don't worry though, it's only for a month. The guest bloggers are getting ramped up so they might take over the helm while I focus on some projects. I'll be back and in the mean time I'll be doing my research and getting ready for September. If you do miss my writing for some strange reason, I'll be posting to etceteros about my projects and general rambling.

Coming Soon: Guest Bloggers!

I'm really very excited about this because I've finally reached out to a few people about this and I've gotten some positive responses. (Translation: I finally asked some of my friends to come on-board). Anyhow, I'm sure they will get around to making their own introductions but I just wanted to announce it as they are in the process of getting ramped up. The ladies that I've asked to come on-board for now are amazing when it comes to makeup (I either look up to them when it comes to makeup or tend to go to them for suggestions) so I can't wait for them to get started.