The Big 100 Giveaway Winner!

After two long weeks of waiting, I finally have a winner to announce! I want to thank you all for entering the giveaway and being part of this journey. So, lets not wait any longer! The winner is...

Marie-Ève O.!!!

Congratulations Marie-Ève! I will be contacting you via e-mail to request your shipping information and I will be sending out your prize as soon as possible! I'll also work on a custom illustration for you and send it along with all the other goodies.

Thank you all so much for being a part of The Fashion Skitch. Stay posted because, who knows? I had so much fun working with this giveaway. I'm definitely going to do more!

The Big 100 Giveaway! CLOSED

There are absolutely no words to describe how excited I am that The Fashion Skitch has reached the 100 Likes on Facebook! I am extremely grateful that you have all given my blog a chance being as this is a project I've been carrying out for a while now as a way to keep me constantly illustrating. Let me tell you, it works! Also, I was always creating things here and there so I thought that putting up this blog would be a great way to archive all my ideas and share them with my friends. I never imagined it would be the success it has been! It only makes me want to create more posts and keep you guys entertained, even if it's just for a quick read.

I was anxiously waiting for the moment that Like counter hit 100 so I thought up of the best way to say thanks and that's with a giveaway! It wasn't easy picking out the prizes but I thought that it would be cool if I chose a prize that would reflect the three most important factors of my blog: DIY, fashion and beauty. So here's what's up for grabs:

Anna Sui's "Live Your Dream" 

"Live Your Dream by Anna Sui is a floral woody musk fragrance for women, introduced in 2009. Top notes are floral notes, white pepper and lily-of-the-valley; middle notes are jasmine and Bulgarian rose; while base notes are sandalwood, tonka beans, musk, cedar and teak wood."

I had been meaning to get this for a while and I thought it was a fantastic prize as I've featured Anna Sui in my blog before. I think it's quite a summery perfume and it could suit anybody. Rose scented perfumes have been present in my perfume stash since I could remember and it's a scent dear to my heart. I love the rosy notes in it (you all know I love rose scented things!) and how sweet it is. In my opinion, it's a very nice every day perfume. I even got one for myself! 

Hard Candy's Naturally Naughty Mini Must Haves

Absolutely love this kit! Hard Candy products are super cool and when I saw this, I thought it was a fantastic treat! The shadows suit every skin tone and don't even get me started on that gold glitter mascara. What a way to play up any eye look! The kit also includes an eye liner, a volumizing mascara and an eyeshadow primer.

Dream Away!

I've been making these ever since I needed some extra cash during my first year of college. I've had one over my bed ever since my mom gave me my first one when I was seven. A dreamcatcher like this one I'd sell at around $60. This is a one of a kind piece because I really don't like to repeat my dreamcatchers. After all, it's your dreams it will catch so that's why I prefer to make only one of each. Hang it over your bed and dream away!

Some Sweet Neon Arm Candy!

Friendship bracelets and neon: two of summer hottest trends summed up in one. Get that arm candy going with a bright fella like this one made by yours truly!

I'll also be adding to the package a little personalized illustration but I will sketch it out once I know the winner.

OK! So now that you know what's up for grabs, here's what you've got to do:

• You must be subscribed to this blog. You can subscribe via Google Friend Connect. You don't have to have a Blogger account for that. You could do it via Twitter or even Yahoo! The link is on the right bar of my blog. 
• You must be liking my Facebook page: www.facebook.com/TheFashionSkitch
• Leave a comment below with your e-mail and any suggestions, requests, or simply any thoughts on my blog. If you leave any critiques, make sure they're constructive!
• Tweet about it! Use the Rafflecopter to link it directly to your Twitter.

The giveaway will be closed June 28, 2012 at 12:01 am.

To make sure you've followed all the steps listed, fill out the Rafflecopter to enter. After the 28th I will close the giveaway and choose a winner. I will post the winner and be in contact via e-mail. I wish you all good luck but most of all, I want to once again thank you for all of your support! I genuinely appreciate it!

And the winner is....

Marie-Ève!

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Skitch-I-Y: Tribal Bib Necklace

If you read my Mother's Day post, you might remember me mentioning Jenni Radosevich from I Spy DIY and her really cool projects. Well, my absolute favorite DIY from hers has got to be her tribal necklace and of course, it brought me back to jr. high school when I was the girl that braided with thread all the other girls' hairs and sold friendship bracelets for pocket change so I could score awesome goodies at the candy shop across the street from my school. In other words, I HAD TO TRY IT OUT! I always like to try things a little different than shown so I played around with colors, lengths and amounts. I also used some different materials as Jenni because I couldn't find bungee cord but I actually love the results with what I used. It's also lighter and cheaper. The cool thing about this is that you can make practically anything with it. You can keep it simple and make a bracelet like Jenni does as well, or you could even make a belt! It's really the most simple form of friendship bracelet but taken to the next level. I wanted to play around with neons since they're the hot ticket this spring/summer, and I made one for my mom's birthday. I kept hers smaller and neutral as she's petite and wouldn't wear neon like me. Anyways, let's begin (image heavy post ahead)!

You'll need:

• Assorted colored threads and/or nylon twine
• Cotton Clothesline or bungee cord
• Scissors
• Beads (optional)
• Masking tape (not shown)
• Glue (UHU, Magnatac- not shown)

Step 1: Take the cotton clothesline and measure out the desired length. It all depends on how you want to do your necklace. If you want it single then you can cut as long or short as you wish. If you're going to do a bib necklace like me, I recommend cutting one long strand of about 30"(so you could wear it of the length of your liking) and the rest is up to you. My initial tube was of 9" so it would fall nicely on my decolleté. For each tube you will use three clothesline cords. For the first one you will cut the 30" one and two shorter ones aligned in the center of the long one. For the rest you will cut them all the same size of your preference. Secure the ends with masking tape so they wont unravel. You can add some tape to keep the tubes steady and remove them later on as you go wrapping the thread.

You should have something similar to this:

Step 2: Take your colored thread of preference and tie a half knot at the end of each tube (for the tube with the long cord, you will start where the short ones begin). Make sure it is really taut so it wont loosen up. If you prefer to make another half knot, then go ahead. Do not cut your thread just yet!

Step 3: Tuck in the extra thread in between the cotton cords and start wrapping your thread by the end that you haven't cut yet. Make sure it is even and really tight or you'll get peekaboo spaces. Wrap as much as you like. You can add small beads if you wish as you go wrapping it around but for that you would have to cut your thread before the aforementioned time so you could string them through. I chose to keep mine simple as the neon colors were enough detail for me.

Step 4: If you wish to change thread colors, simply make a half knot with your old color and tuck in the excess in the cotton cords. 

Step 5: Repeat the same process until you cover the entire tube of cords. You can change colors as often as you like.

Step 6: When you reach the other end, wrap a double knot to hold in in place. Cut off the excess and secure it with a drop of glue. Also, don't forget to wrap some thread to the cords that you'll use to tie the necklace to your neck so they wont unravel!

At this point you could finish it off with just one tube or make it a bracelet by doing it shorter. If you want to learn how I did mine, keep reading.

Step 7: Make as many tubes as you wish and the length that you like. I cut mine in a degradé so they would go from largest to smallest. 

Step 8: Align your tubes and secure them in the center with a band of tape. This will make the weaving much easier to manage. The weaving will be diagonally as the arrows point out. The more diagonal inwards, the more closed the necklace will be (you can see the difference between both necklaces above). 

Step 9: Here I have shown it separated from the pack for your better viewing. You will take the first or last tube and tie some thread. Secure it with a droplet of glue. Make sure the knot is facing the backside of the other tube and is not exposed. We want this to look as neat as possible.

Step 10: Start interlacing the thread over and under successively until you reach the other end and back. Pull the thread taut, cut off the excess and secure at the end with a discreet knot. Put a dab of glue. Do this as many times you wish making sure it looks neat. Do this along the length of the necklace until you reach the outer ends. I did it about every inch or so (where the shortest tube ended successively).

And you're done!

I am seriously over the moon with how these turned out! I think I'll make myself many more in all the colors available! This statement necklace is fun and bright and well... just pretty darn bold! I wore mine out today to work and at the post office, people actually stopped my to ask me where I got it! They couldn't believe it when I told them I'd made it. It took me about 4 hours to make the big one and just a one hour for the smaller one. This is a necklace that must definitely be worn with a simple outfit, as it says so much on its own. You really wouldn't want to steal its thunder. If you're going neon, wear it with neutrals for the extra pop! Now, oblig fashionista picture~~~~

If you'd like to know about my makeup, for my eyes I used Wet n' Wild's Mega Liner in Black (best liquid liner ever), Estée Lauder's Roseberry, Ben Nye's Red eyeshadow, Nars Desire blush, Makeup Forever's Star Powder in 44, Nyx Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk, Milani's Liquif'eye Liner in Black and Benefit's Bad Gal Lash mascara. Nars Casino bronzer for contour and for my lips I went full blown Sephora's Hot Hues lip balm in Crazy Coral.

Swing by I Spy DIY for more amazing DIY ideas! I myself am obsessed! Don't forget to check out my Facebook page and Like to stay posted on daily updates, follow me on Tumblr and also on Instagram! I'm LilaLane. Feel free to tag me or post on my Facebook wall your own tribal creations!

Also, I really want to thank you all for your support! I'm more than humbled by the amazing feedback I've been getting from you all. I'm more than open to any suggestions and requests on how I can improve my blog because after all, the biggest joy I get from blogging is seeing you guys enjoy my posts, appreciate them and try them out. Thank you all so much and help me spread The Fashion Skitch joy! Share away! So many more goodies to come!

Skitch-I-Y Sneak Peek!

That is all. Until my next post!

Here's the Skitch: Rose pout

Scold me again as I fell for the Photoshop crash fandango again. This time my computer battery died on me while I walked away from my computer for a few minutes while I was sketching a Zoe Bradley illustration for tonight's post. Guess who hadn't saved her work. So...

Sephora's Hot Hues Lip Balm in Crazy Coral
Instagram: LilaLane

It's time for another beauty post!!! *cheers*

For this occasion, I wanted to share with you guys my favorite picks for lip tints, balms and glosses. With the exception of one, I've been using these products for at least six months or more so you know firsthand that they're way more than tested, approved and loved. I have been sporting some vibrant lip colors lately but if there's something I always have on hand, it's a rose tinted lip color. Well, not exactly rose but something that looks natural and gives my pale lips a bit of umph~. Also, since my skin is extra dry I always want extra nourishment. 

Here's the roster of swatches: 

                       warm-------------------------------------neutral-----------------------------------cool

From left to right we have Urban Decay's Pocket Rocket Lip Gloss in Jesse, Clinique Almost Lipstick in Chic Honey, Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey, Avène Cold Cream Lip Balm, Korres Wild Rose Lip Butter , Sephora Hot Hues Lip Balm in Crazy Coral.

Urban Decay Pocket Rocket Lip Gloss in Jesse

Price: $19.00 on the Urban Decay site

 $13.00 on Amazon

Amount of product: .27 oz. (8 ml)

Tint: Sheer burgundy with light sparkle

Definitely wanted to start off with this one! Well, these glosses have a long list of atributes. First of all, they're very lasting, they blend extremely well, they're not goopy and they have a fantastic scent (each Pocket Rocket has a different pheromone scent). They also wear out nicely and very little bleeding occurs (at least in my case). Since this goes on quite sheer, it looks pretty nice over any kind of nude lip color so it turns into a pretty pinkish tone. I absolutely love it over my go to lipstick, Clinique's Blushing Nude. Jesse in particular smells of crème brulée, which so happens to be my favorite dessert. In terms of price, I think $19 is kinda steep for a lip gloss, but we are talking of UD and I have to say, these things really are top notch quality. If you are lucky like me, you can get you own Pocket Rocket like I did. Five dollars, Haute Look. Yes, $5. Seeing as I found it for that price and I don't see it anywhere in the UD website, I believe it is discontinued but I did find it at Amazon so there must be a few lying around. 

These glosses have a quite humorous concept to them. The "pheromones" in them entice you to them, just as it happens when you're attracted to someone else. Of course, the holographic guy posing in the brush holder is sexy enough and then realize what a Pocket Rocket really is... don't get any ideas, ladies! This is a clean blog. *wink, wink*. That might explain the packaging! Just have fun swishing the tube around and seeing him undress. Each Pocket Rocket has its own backstory. Jesse Just so happens to own a dead-end bar and has many, many tattoos. Mmmm, sexy. 

Clinique Almost Lipstick in Chic Honey and Black Honey

Price: $15.00

Amount of Product: .07 oz

Color: Sheer auburn and burgundy

Black Honey

If there's any makeup product I've been die-hard loyal to, it's Clinique's Almost Lipstick. Have you ever experienced that moment when you try a beauty product for the first time and your life was completely changed, that you literally walked out of the door all giggly and starry eyed, that four years later you still feel the same way every day when you chuck it into your makeup bag? When I first tried on Black Honey it was the beginning of a deep relationship. I'd finally found the tint my pale lips craved with the longevity I needed without being overpowered and obvious. These "almost lipsticks" are nicely pigmented but the cool thing about these is that they let your natural lip color show through by adjusting to it so they kind of make your own personalized lip color. When these first appeared on the market back in the 90's, only Black Honey was available and it was a sensation.

Chic Honey

When you use a product by Clinique, you know it is dermatologist tested and recommended and it is 100% allergy free. These lip colors glide on easily, they're very emollient, comfortable, non-scented and non-sticky. They're so smooth, they're a blend between a lipstick, a lip balm and a lip gloss because they do give your lips a bit of shine. They've been recently re-launched so there's a wider range of color selection that varies from pinks to peaches. Black Honey is the brightest of the range being a deep burgundy color. Chic Honey is more opaque, auburn-ish tan and it has a bit of sparkle to it. The packaging is sleek and durable in the trademark metal tube Clinique is known for. Since this product is a "little goes a long way" type, that tube will last you forever. I know I've been using my Chic honey for ages and I still have plenty left. As far as the success of Black Honey, you can also get it in combo with a lip gloss of the same shade but I personally don't think that's necessary.

Avène Cold Cream Lip Balm

Price: $9.00

Amount of product: 0.14 oz.

Color: Sheer with slight shimmer

I stumbled upon Avène products in a freezing Paris (during the summer!) of 2007. By then my dermatitis was starting to manifest itself on my skin for the first time and my entire body was just literally cracking open with the coldest weather I've ever endured. My mother and I rushed into a local pharmacie for the first time in search of soothing products for my skin and lips. The look on the gentleman's face at the counter was priceless when he saw our lost and astonished faces as french pharmacies are quite different from what we know here in America. After the pharmacist reviewed my condition he gifted us tons of mini samples from companies like La Roche-Posay, Vichy and of course Avène. He recommended this lip balm above anything else. I've tried decent lip balms after this one, but this one still tops my list.

This is absolutely the longest lasting product I've ever tried. The company promises up to 8 hours of wear. I wouldn't exactly say 8, but it's damn close. This product is formulated for dry and very dry skin types (right up my alley) so it's a given that this will be extremely hydrating. The extra rich formula takes care of that. It's hypoallergenic and non-comedogenic (doesn't block your pores), it provides anti-oxidant protection and it's made with Avène's eau thermale for insured hydration. It has a slight scent but it's nothing too strong. It's pleasant. I use this balm as a base for my lips when I do my priming process before makeup. It sets a soft tone to my lips. The thing with these is that they have an expiration date. Well, mine is long since passed but it still works as fine as it did on day 1 and I STILL have plenty left. The good thing is that the Avène range is now at my local Walgreens so I can go get another whenever I want. 

Korres Wild Rose Lip Butter

Price: $12.00

Amount of product: 0.21 oz.

Color: Sheer deep alizarin crimson

I can't say my experience with the Korres was the same as it was with the Clinique Almost Lipstick but it was similar. I was looking for something similar to the CAL but a little bit more bright and colorful. Also, I was on a very tight student budget. Venturing into my local Sephora and running around forever, I found this! Korres products are known for the use of natural ingredients. This one is made up of natural oils that soothe the driest lips. The formula is incredibly creamy, hydrating, glossy and the wear is just lovely. After the balm has worn off, it leaves a nice pink tone behind until it completely vanishes from your lips. Since the color on this one is quite strong, you only need a bit to make your pucker pop. It has a soft scent of wild rose (my fave!). I personally am not a huge fan of the packaging as mine did break with a bit of use but it's still all in there. This product is petrolatum free and it comes in a very wide variety of colors ranging from Guava creme to Plum dark. 

Sephora's Hot Hues Lip Balm in Crazy Coral

Price: $10.00 (on sale for $3.00 *limited edition*)

Amount of product: 0.1 oz.

Color: Sheer neon coral-pink

This one is the only one I haven't really used for that long, about a week maybe. But I just had to include it! This is way too exciting not to post and rave about! I went the other day to my local Sephora and I always love to check out the sales bins. There were so many pretty lipsticks on sale and waaaaay at the bottom of the bin were three of these lip balms but just one coral colored. I've been meaning to try out corals on my lips for summer so I gave it a shot and since it was a balm and it said neon, even better. The price tag was a definite winner too. Little did I know the surprise I was going to get when I purchased it and opened the tube...

*gasp!!!*

Another one!

THIS THING IS ACTUALLY NEON! It was crazy! What a lovely product! I couldn't wait to get home and take pictures to actually swatch it. The surprises didn't end when the color payoff wasn't actually coral but more like a hot pink. Really hot pink! I didn't mind it because the color was just so cool. It's quite natural looking instead of the expected neon. It looks so pretty over pale lips. I can't really say much about this product other than the basics: it's got a tangerine-like smell to it, the packaging is sleek, the color payoff is nice and it moisturizes OK. It has a few set backs like it does have kind of a strange taste to it. I wish it went away but it does linger. It also isn't long lasting. More like 1 hour... tops. Also, it does stain a bit. Not bothersome on the lips but getting the swatch off was a bugger. Anyways, I only paid $3 for it so I don't really mind. This was kind of an impulsive buy. I'm really glad I got it though because it really is fun to wear. 

What are your favorite lip products? I'd love to hear your opinions and your favorites to try out new things. Leave a comment below. Don't forget to Like on Facebook, follow on Twitter, Tumblr and on Instagram. I'm LilaLane. 

The Skitch: Spring Makeup Trends

Leave it to me to wear a dark palette on my wardrobe all year long. How do I occasionally experiment with color? My makeup! Here's where I go crazy literally every chance I get. If there's always something I look forward to in the morning it's deciding my look of the day. I'm quite excited about some of the makeup trends for this spring because they truly are right up my alley. It's all about playing up the eyes or lips. 

I present you all with my new face chart model. I like to call her Lila. 

Neon lights

Play up your peepers with an extra bold color for that edge your look might be missing. If you're not into sporting bright colored accessories, a touch of neon for spring on your makeup might be just what you need so try out a bold aqua or pink on your lids or lips! It might be a bugger to find neon colors in the US because the FDA doesn't approve of them (booo!), but by simply adding a white base to any bright eyeshadow, the color will instantly pop! Try out NYX's Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk or and always remember to prime your lids for extra payoff!

Bold blue

I'm really excited for this trend because it's one of the few that will actually carry on to fall. If you saw Prabal Gurung's f/w 2012 show the models sported a striking blue lid. Blue tones are also fantastic for brown colored eyes. They're complimentary colors so it's a given that your eyes will go from boring to amazing! Practice out many different looks with blue colored shadows. But take it easy, blue shadow can be messy and your look can go haywire! Just remember to play it up gradually. Maybe start out with a nice eyeliner or a navy smokey eye. You can also play with your mascara color. 

Neutral brown and a pop of poppy!

Neutrals are always in and how about taking that smokey eye and softening it up for the spring? Grab your brown colored shadows and blend all along the lids for a soft, yet sultry look. Rub on a nice, peachy color on the apples of your cheeks and play up the look with a bright coral color or a classic red lip! If you're not into a bright lip, keep your lips toned down with a nude color and maybe a swipe of gloss.

Wing it!

I believe there is one look that is absolutely fool-proof and timeless: the winged eye! Absolutely no other look is as flawless as this on is in my book. Whether you like to get your done with pencil, gel or liquid liner, it's a look that'll lift any eye. It takes a little practice mastering the wing, but I promise that once you've got it down, it's a makeup look you'll want to wear almost every day. Play it up with a bright coral, red or pink lip and you're out the door in 1, 2, 3! You can even add some false lashes for that extra va-va-voom!

I'm really excited for these makeup trends this spring and they're all looks that can be easily transformed for any outfit, occasion and season. They're playful, exciting and easy to achieve. What are your favorite spring makeup trends? 

Reserved Rights Desirée V. 2012