Endings and New Beginnings

Has it really been over 4 months since I last blogged?! Let me start by apologising for my absence but life sometimes takes over. So where have I been?

Firstly my Pappa died. My Nanna died 5 years ago so losing my last remaining grandparent hit me hard. His death made me raw, I literally cried at everything from adverts on TV to dishes in the sink. I still well up thinking about him. He never wanted to get old, in fact he hated it. He was always full of life, always joking and loved us grandchildren. That's the way I will remember him, not that in his last year of life he didn't know who I was or the way old age had taken its toll on his body and mind. In a way his death has helped us as a family because we had all become so distant. I rarely saw my siblings or mum but now all I want to do is spend time with them.

As well as grieving I have been working at Maccy Ds. I work there full-time now so have had little time to focus on my art. My makeup kit dwindled as the products slowly went out of date and I couldn't afford to replace them. Friends would ask what's happened to my makeup business and I didn't have the heart to tell them that due to grieving for my Pappa I had no motivation to do anything creative. The grieving process is a funny thing. All my energy went on working at McDonalds and trying to pay off debts long overdue.

I announced last week to those that know me that I wouldn't be doing makeup on others for the time being. Firstly I don't have the kit but secondly I'm no longer insured. Now that my creative juices are coming back I will continue to create art on myself through my social media channels, blogging/YouTube/Instagram. I want to keep practicing but also it just simply makes me happy.

I hope that by being away so long I haven't been forgotten. I will try to be more social on Twitter and Instagram so my old followers know I'm still around. I'll blog about my latest YouTube video later today.

Thanks for reading my bubbly friends xxx

Norwich Fashion Week Vintage show 2014

 

Last night saw The Puppet Theatre, Norwich come to life for an 18th Century inspired Vintage Show during Norwich Fashion Week. I turned up at 1pm rising into a cloud of hairspray in the dressing room. The hair stylists were busy teasing and back-combing models hair into extravagant updos and everything was running smoothly. As I set up my makeup kit the other makeup artists started to arrive. The Makeup Artists and Hair Stylists were either currently studying or had qualified from Jackie Hamiltons School of Beauty. We were all showing our support of the school by wearing our branded T-Shirts.

 

We had all previously met to discuss the makeup and had decided that the bold white brows and lashes combined with either a pink or orange cheek and lip would stand out the best on stage. Everyone was helping out each other in regards to products - there was a lot of borrowing going on. Which reminds me.. if you took a brush home by mistake (easily done as we had to pack away quickly to make way for clothes) that wasnt yours can you please drop it into the school asap, its very much missed in someones kit, thank you.

 

I was over the moon being the first to pick my model to work on. I snaked outside to where the models were having a much needed break and spotted Jess from a distance and knew I wanted her. Her skin was amazing to work on and the colours really stood out. To book Jess she can be found on Sandra Reynolds Website. The second model of the afternoon was the striking Anna-Maria Green who has the most friendly personality. She's travelled all the way from Bury st Edmunds for Norwich Fashion Week. I used an orange palette on her as I had to alternate colours to make sure there was an even number of pink and orange hues going down the catwalk. Last but not least I was able to get my hands on a man! This was the first time I had ever applied makeup on male skin and he was a sport for letting me. I know it's very odd for a guy if they haven't had makeup on their skin before.

 

I was very happy with the end result on my models. After every ones models were checked under the lights a few models cam back to have their colours brightened. I then shot off home to get changed for the nights performance. I was lucky enough to grab one of the last tickets.

 

The theatre itself was very small but the models made the most of the whole area by walking up and down the stairs. I hold my hands up to them they really had a long day and ended it on a high. Many local designers showcased there businesses from reclaimed fashions to newly designed hats. I even discovered a few brands I didn't know existed in my own home town. I for one will be getting my knickers from Proudlock and Harry from now on. I would really like to collaborate with Mystic Magic as I was blown away by his couture head wear designs!

 

 

A huge well done to all the models, makeup artist, hair stylists, photographers and everyone involved. There's so much organisation that goes into a show like this and I'm proud to say I was a part of it. To read more see today's EDP news.

 

oX Wendy Xo

 

Professional Beauty Warpaint 2014

 

The day finally came, the day I would be taking part in my first ever makeup competition. Today I headed down to London, makeup kit in tow with my model Beckie Bayliss. It was a journey and a half after not being able to park at Epping and having to drive further down the road to South Woodford instead. Then forgetting to take enough change for the car park and when we finally arrived at London Excel I found out I needed a pass for my model to get in, nobody informed me of that earlier! Somehow we got to the competition area with 20mins to spare. Though it was so hot while we were waiting to go in that poor Beckie almost fainted and we had to call a medic. After being removed from the area to help her cool down and give her the once over the medic said she was good to go ahead with the competition, she was such a trooper!! We were told the area would be quite chilly compared to the rest of the show so made sure to wrap up but it was quite warm to begin with as everyone was so busy.

 

I was in the Editorial category which meant I had to focus on perfect skin and contouring. The overall theme was Summer Holiday. I was inspired by the German photographer Agnieska Doroszewicz of created a series called Candy Girls. I used candy inspired by summers spent at the seaside to create my look.

 

I set my kit up and waited for the countdown to start. I made sure my table was kept tidy and I sanitised my hands throughout the 2 hours we had to create our look as I was being marked on hygiene. The judges came round several times and asked questions. I was the calmest I'd been all day, I find doing makeup so relaxing and it makes me incredibly happy to see it come together.

 

The brief for the show didn't state that an outfit was needed, nor accessories, but I created a headpiece, nails, and shoe decorations. The outfit was a last minute thought and in hindsight I should have spent more time on it. The hair was fashioned into an Afro style to resemble candy floss and took much longer than I thought to finish. I ended up using the entire 2 hours to create the whole look. We then had to wait an hour for the outcome. I received many amazing comments about the final look from the other competitors, judges and general public passing by.

 

I was gutted when my name wasn't called for 3rd, 2nd or 1st especially with all the work and thought that went into it. I stuck around though to receive feedback. I picked up my score sheet and was pleasantly surprised, I'd expected to see mostly negative comments but it was anything but.

 

"Best idea/inspiration I have seen. Amazing idea and inspiration, beautifully executed! Would be great to hold back slightly on one of the stages - less can be more - more attention to detail of the outfit and overall appearance." Judge Dani Guinsberg

 

"I love your reflection of the theme and it's great to see so much time, planning and thought has gone into the hair to complete the look. I really think your model's look could work with a major fashion house such as Mui Mui. I would have recommend a different dress to complete your look as this would have made your overall finish exceptional." Second judge, name note noted on scoring sheet.

 

Overall points I received..

16 Exceptionals

4 exceeds requirements

2 meets requirements

 

I am actually OVER THE MOON about those marks. Basically those 2 last points meant I just missed out on third place and it came down to my work station/hygiene (I didn't have a bin with lid on the floor and table could have been tidier). My makeup application, design, choice of model, blending and contouring received all exceptional marks. Not winning does not matter, knowing that my skills are good enough to compete in this strong industry is great news and will push me harder to make this my full-time career.

 

oX Wendy Xo

Unique CV ideas

 

 

Lazy Sunday is happening right now. I was suppose to be doing a photoshoot today with my friend and a model but the model had to drop out at the last minute. So after admitting defeat and accepting that I wasn't going to get hold of a different model who would suit the criteria I decided to shift my priorities. You see makeup for me currently is more of a hobby. I collaborate with other newbies to build up our portfolios for future career moves. I have been in the beauty industry for nearly 3 years now and I've been a qualified makeup artist for 6 months. Work for me has been mostly temporary jobs to fill the time and pay the rent. As you'll remember from previous posts I wasn't born with a brush in my hand. The last 12 months haven't been fulfilling career wise. I'm at the stage where I feel like I could climb walls or start collecting cat ornaments unless I find a full-time job soon.

 

After several applications, some taking hours to complete, and several posted and emailed CVs I am still no closer to seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. I have decided to go back to basics. The first step in the process of getting a job... the CV. I was staring at it and thinking if I had to read this would I care? It looked bland, structured and wouldn't be out of place in a filling cabinet. Perfect if I want to be forgotten easily. Where's my personality? Where's my USP? My skills and experience alone isn't going to tell the reader who I am.

 

What is a Unique Selling Point (USP)?

It's that something that makes you different to everyone else. When starting a business it's the first thing you have to discover otherwise what's the point in starting. You may have several unique selling points like being a people person, caring, creative, plays a trombone. I ask you to go away and write down everything that makes you unique. It's a great confidence booster.

 

That brings me back to mine. My USP isn't within my work experience or my education. For me it's all the things I have taught myself, life lessons which have served me. How do I show that in a CV?? Well for starters the boring layout had to go, it's ridiculously dull. I opened up PicMonkey and started from scratch. I had a look around online for some ideas and also what I had to include -

 

Must Include for potential employers - Name, Address, Experience and Education, Contact details

 

Did you know that most employers skim read CVs? What they are looking for are the above info and key words. These key words are normally within the job description itself so do your research. If they can't find those within the first 10 seconds then you and your hopes are thrown onto the discard pile. Don't use a photo. Our eyes are drawn to photos hence why Pinterest and Instagram are so popular. If you add your face to your CV however then the reader will miss important facts on your CV. Remember they are short on time and skimming. You can use colour but keep it simple, too many colours may look unprofessional unless your a graphic designer.

So here it is my finished CV. I managed to condense it onto one side of A4 after omitting all the junk and adding bullet points instead. Doesnt it look better! If you had to choose between reading the CV on the left and the CV on the right if you only hand 2 minutes to spare which would you choose? I hope this inspires you to review your CVs and good luck with your job hunting.
 

 

 

Hugs 'n' Kisses

oX Wendy Xo

 

Business Collaborations

 

 

If I've learnt one thing from starting my own business it's to work with others. Funny isn't it really? You start out your own business because you want to work for yourself but soon find out that the only way forward is to work with others. I don't mean employing others either. I mean working with like-minded individuals and businesses.

 

Anyone starting out with their own business will understand the importance of collaborating with other businesses. If anything it helps you learn what works and who you want to work with in the future. Small businesses need to look at each other as partners, not competitors. By making yourself known to those within your industry on a local scale you set your business up for a better future.

 

Relationships in business are crucial to the success of your own. I have collaborated with many people and hope to continue this well into the new year. As a makeup artist I need models, photographers, stylists and more to be able to make my vision a reality. By joining forces with these other creatives who are also starting their businesses we in turn help each other to reach our goals. Today I visited Wedding Angels (photos above) on Angel Road in Norwich to view a wedding dress. The fabulous owner James has kindly agreed to loan me the dress for a photo shoot and in return he will receive the photos for his own use. Without this collaboration I wouldn't have been able to go ahead with the shoot, my funds don't stretch to the cost of a bridal gown. This way I get my photos for my portfolio and future publishing's and James business get free photos and press. It's a win win.

 

There are many ways to find businesses to work with: Word of mouth, social networks, email, yellow pages, even referrals. Sites like Purpleport and Model Mayhem and perfect for people in the creative industry. You set yourself up a profile and can put out casting calls for free. I have benefited most from Purpleport than any other in regards to collaborations. It's great for Time for Print (TFP) assignments but not so much if you want paid work.

 

Would you like to read more business posts like this one?

 

Motivation: You Can!

I'm going to get a bit 'real' here. I don't often write posts like this as I find opening up hard to do especially  to strangers, I have to trust the people I spill my guts to. I feel though that you my lovely reader are trustworthy and won't judge me (I hope).

Five Minute Friday: In Between

Not heard of Five Minute Friday? Check out Lisa's blog http://lisajobaker.com/ and add your name to the blog hop once you have posted. You don't have to participate every week just pick and choose you favourite topic and join in the fun :)

**********Bloggers post for 5 minutes flat about a set topic and they aren't allowed to edit or backtrack on their words. It's about the love of the written word and just letting it flow***********

 

Contraception: Mirena Coil - the good and the bad

I have just finished work and was looking forward to chilling with some chocolate while I caught up on my homework. Instead I'm on the verge of tears, pressing my hot water bottle to my stomach as hard as I can to stop the pain :( You see 3 weeks ago I had the Mirena fitted by my doctor. I had tried everything else and this was my last option. I suffer from terrible cramps and the doctor thought I could have endometriosis for awhile but said if I did it was only mild. She said women who suffer from the pain of endometriosis use the Mirena to control the pain, so I was encouraged to do the same.

When you're gone ... R.I.P

It's been a tough few days for my partner and his family. His Grandad passed away this morning after a tumour was found last week. There was nothing more the doctors could do for him. Stuart was the last person to be with him before he passed. There is some comfort that can be taken in being able to say goodbye to the ones you love dear. It's a sad time when a family member dies, you don't know what to say to anyone.

 



His Grandad was such a comedian. I didn't know him for very long, just the 4 years that myself and Stu have been together. When I first met him I didn't know he was such a joker. I listened intently at his little story. I wish I could remember what the story was about now.  He got to the end of his story and made his punch line, that's when I knew the whole thing had been a joke and I feel for it, hook, line and sinker. I've never met someone who had such a great sense of humour. That will be how I remember him.

Five Minute Friday: Afraid

It's that time again. I missed last weeks post as I just couldn't think of anything to write. This will be very quick as I have to leave for work in 25mins. Check out Lisa's blog http://lisajobaker.com/

Bloggers post for 5 minutes flat about a set topic and they aren't allowed to edit of backtrack on their words. It's about the love of the written word and just letting it flow. I thought how beautiful and on this snowy Friday thought I would join in for the first time.

 

Open Eve at Jackie Hamilton School of Beauty

This is just a short post as a follow up to my 'MUA in the making' post. Tonight I went to an open evening at Jackie Hamilton School of Beauty where I will be studying starting in March. I was joined by my friend Sheena, who qualified beauty therapist and nail technician, who is supporting my choice to re-start my career.

The school is situated on Dove Street, Norwich and I was surprised to see have an office space adjacent to Pixiwoo!! I don't need to tell you who they are surely. The school was a lot smaller than I expected, simply just one room split into a theory area where all the paper work is carried out and the practical area. The practical drew me in as there were 10 chairs sat next to 10 tables with illuminated back stage style mirrors. I've always wanted one of those! I even had a peek at the makeup set which I will be given on introduction. The tutors were very friendly and informative. Answering all of my questions and in return asking me lots of questions about why I've chosen to study makeup. I was the first one there so received the tutors full attention and browsed the folders of other students. After 20mins the room started to fill up which was my queue to leave.

Five Minute Friday: Cherished

I came across a hashtag I hadn't seen before this morning on Twitter #FMFParty and I had to take a look. I then discovered a ladies blog http://lisajobaker.com/ The hashtag stands for Five Minute Friday. Bloggers post for 5 minutes flat about a set topic and they aren't allowed to edit of backtrack on their words. It's about the love of the written word and just letting it flow. I thought how beautiful and on this snowy Friday thought I would join in for the first time.

Overweight at 28

Sorry for the rhyming title XD I play way too much Bingo. I HATE diets with a passion! The only time I have tried it was 4 years ago before I met my boyfriend. Well it wasn't so much a diet as it was a stop eating all together marathon. I lived off soup and crackers for nearly 2 months and exercised for an hour every day. I lost over a stone and felt great. But like all good things it had to come to an end. As soon as I went back on the chips I put it all back on plus double.

 

Since then I haven't been near a person on a diet nevermind done one myself. I have just avoided them completely. Everyone seems to be on a diet now. We all have that one friend who is on a diet and their favourite phrase is 'the diet starts tomorrow' everytime they slip up. They make you feel bad because your not on one. So basically calling you fat lol I am the first person to tell someone to embrace their CURVES. Mind you though when I say curves I mean these ones ➷

Clothes Show 2012: Goody Bag #2

 

Second post in my goody bag series which I collected from The Clothes Show on 7/12.  As an avid Cosmo reader since the age of 15 this bag was always going to be my fav. It's a shame their bags weren't as awesome as the Models Own and my were the staff in a tizzy. Their wasn't enough change so I had to wait to be served while they found some. 

 

Cosmopolitan and Company Magazine had teamed up at The Clothes Show this year. The goody bag only cost £3 can you believe it?!? Cosmo itself is £3.60 and Company £2 ✩

Start a blog in 5 easy steps today

Beauty Blogger and Makeup Artist Wendy England of painttheukpink.blogspot.co.uk gives her 5 steps to starting your own blog.

 

Everyone has a blog now right? Blogs are a vital part of online social networking, showcasing our work, reviews, thoughts and hobbies to a wider audience. Blogging is an online Diary for the whole world to see, so you may not want to reconsider that post about your flatmate who dyed her hair pink by mistake and is now hiding under a scarf at work, she won't thank you for it. It is about expressing yourself but not to the point where people cringe when reading your posts. I have put together a few tips that may aid you in your start up...