Christmas: H.C. Andersen Christmas Fair

Hi guys, this weekend was there was the H.C. Andersen Christmas Fair here i town Odense. I went and took some pictures for you guys. I do dearly love Christmas fairs and markets, but it isn't as fun when you are going alone.

The motto of the fair is "Christmas when H.C. Andersen was a child", so there was this lady playing this wind up music box. 

The fair took place in the old part of Odense city, there were stalls put up selling various crafted goods.

There were also horse buggies going through the narrow streets.

After walking around in the old part of the city, I walked along the street to the square in front of Town Hall. These decorations were hanging above the streets,

This is the big Christmas tree on the sqaure.

In addition to the Christmas fair in old town, there was a food fair going on in front of Town Hall.

Vendors from all over Europe came to sell cheese, sausages, paella and sweets. There was also selling of some crafts, like slippers and antlers from Finland.

Behind the deparment store is a collection of trees. They were decorated with pretty sparkly lights, which isn't that obvious in this picture.

From the food fair I bought these Dutch Donuts. (I couldn't resist!) But I also bought brusselsprouts, so I think it cancels some of the unhealthiness out ;)

How are you guys' Christmas' coming along? I had planned on baking cookies etc. but I've tried to save some money on food this month, but I bake some when I go home to my parents on the 20th. Also I wanted to give you a little update on how my reading Calling Mrs. Christmas is coming along. I've only read 100 pages, but definitely on purpose, because it's about to turn into a love triangle and I don't want that to happen! I feel as if though I don't read on, it won't happen ;)

Yesterday I watched Blair Fowler's on some organizational tips video on YouTube (Blair's tips), and I got inspired and tried to be organized today, but since it's 20:50 and I've only checked three things off my to do list for the day, I don't think I've done very well. It feels like my brain has turned into oatmeal, probably because I slept very poorly last night. I hope I'm not develop insomnia, 'cause not being able to sleep is happening to me more and more frequently.

Anyway, have a good one! - Elk

Christmas 2013: Reindeer nails and Christmas novels

Hello guys, today I have another nail-look for you.
I meant to make the reindeer's more festive by giving the middle one a red nose, but I forgot ;)

I also want to talk a little about Christmas novels! Last year I didn't read a special novel at Christmas time, even though I intended to. This year however, I am reading a special Christmas novel! It's called Calling Mrs. Christmas by Carole Matthews. I will do a review when I finish reading it, but I can already say that I really enjoy it so far!

Have a good one, see you later for some more Christmas posts :)
 - Elk

Christmas 2013: A Recap

Hi guys. So last Christmas I had a big assignment in school. It lasted from the 5th of December to about the 20th, it was a big and important assignment that required all the time, focus and energy you had. Therefore I unfortunately didn't have time to make many and exciting Christmas posts which I had otherwise planned on. I did however make some Christmas nails but I simply didn't remember to put the up, I was so swamped. But designs like that don't expire so without further ado, here's a 2012 recap of the designs I never posted.

Gingerbread man meets the french manicure. Sorry about the shine in the middle of the gingerbread man. I only painted him on my thumbs but of course you can paint him all over your nails if you want to.

This reindeer manicure is inspired by Cutepolish's tutorial on YouTube: Cute Rudolph Reindeer Nails. So cuuute!
Now, those were the designs I unfortunately didn't post last year but that doesn't stop you from being inspired from them this year! :D

 - Elk

Yepee! (And some man-makeup.)

Hello guys! After.. How long? 1½ years I've finally given up hoping to find my beloved camera.
My blog activity went south when I lost my camera, and even though I tried to blog I failed miserably.
Well, I'll let you know that I have just purchased a new camera online, merely a little handy one. I no longer think that I deserve or trust myself with a big nice one. (Yes I am punishing myself.)

Anyway, I figured that a little handy one would be sufficient for blog use. It's an "all-around" type camera.
With that I hope that I'll get back in the blogging game because I do miss it. Also, my calender reminded me that the 1st of December is the first day of "blogmas", and I found myself smiling and thinking "yes, I'll do it!".

150 USD poorer, here I am, back on the blog. Whew. Why this sudden need? Well I'll tell you. For some reason I decided to try and turn myself into a man, with the help of makeup and I thought to myself. What is the fun in that if you can't snap a picture of it and upload onto the internet? ;)

See you soon!
 - Elk

Definitely a setback

Hey guys. So, my last post was in May. Wow, that's a long time ago! And I'll tell you what happened. Ever since I lost my camera which my parents gave me for my 18th birthday, a year go now, blogging-wise I've been going down hill. I've been feeling so guilty for loosing it. Evidently the camera probably has been stolen considering the fact that I moved out of boarding school, graduated this summer, and when I packed my room the camera didn't appear. Also it hasn't been found at home. Given the fact that at school dozens of people have had their cameras stolen, I'm probably another victim.

None the less, I've been feeling crappy and guilty about it. Taken in to account what an important part pictures are in my blog, loosing the camera was a major crisis. I don't feel like my phone-camera quality is good enough and I really hoped that I needn't go back to my old camera.
That in combination with exams, hunting for new apartment, graduating, moving to a new city and starting up a new education has taken a toll on the blog.

I thought about the blog many times, how I really should get back in the game and how I myself hate blogs that end up like this one, no new updates. But, let's not cry over spilled milk. Now I made this update and we'll see how the future goes.

 - Elk

Nails: Vintage Roses

Hello to the ey'o! What's up you wonderful person!?
I'm super excited about this nail look, I've always thought that it was really pretty but never dared trying to re-create it. But, I decided I'd go out on a limb and give it a try. The result I can only say pleased me very much, and I', certain that it'll turn out even better the next time I make it.

Have an awesome morning, day, evening - whatever it is where you are ;)

 - Elk

Empties: April 2013

Hello you lovely people! I realized that it is time for another empties post! The collection of empty products build up faster than you notice really and I will try to post shorter empties but more often in the future.

I numbered 'em, ya like it? 1) Pure Skincare 3 in 1 cleansing wipes, not perfumed. I really like these wipes! Very nice and saturated, nicely priced and they didn't have that odd not-scented scent which some products can have. They didn't dry out before time etc. Would repurchase, but I think I have found my holy-grail wipes which are some other ones, but these one take 2nd place. 2) Facial cleansing wipes from Iseree. They wipes themselves are OK, but nothing amazing. After only a couple of uses, the sealing mechanism failed which your might know is pretty essential for wet-wipes and they therefore dried out fast. For the same price as the Pure wipes, I definitely won't repurchase.

3) Blackhead clearing scrub from Wallgreens' generic brand. I'm telling you right here, right now. It has been a struggle for me to use this up! It's really no good. A slippery base and some few rough beads just ain't cutting it! I ended up using it in the morning where you don't really have alot to clean off.

4) Christmas Surprises handcream from Oriflame. To be honest, I don't see what this has to do with Christmas. It's a berry scented thin handcream that wasn't really doing it for me and felt more appropriate for Spring than Christmas time.

5) Cherry Tree and Sweet Almond 2 in 1 shampoo and conditioner, again from Oriflame. First of all, disapponted about the scent, not at all as almondy and floral as I would have liked - plain. Second, shampoo and conditioner at the same time my arse! I actually found that this shampoo was quite drying to my hair. And lastly third, this didn't lather up nicely and creamy. It took alot of product for one use and felt rough on the hair. 6) Head and Shoulders Damage rescue care & repair conditioner. Lord in the heavens this smells wonderful! And for my normal to dry hair it was a very nice fulfilling conditioner, also it was good with my dandruff ridden hair.

7) Sad sad relationship I have with my Elvital products. I don't buy Elvital hair-care anymore even though this conditioner (and shampoo) used to be my favortie, but it upsets my dandruff so much! I got this from my friend who gave it to me because it gave her dandruff, my mom has also mentioned that Elivtal hair-care gives her dandruff. However, if someone hand some Elivtal over to me I will use it up, but not purcahse.

8) STAYglam lipcolor from Orilflame. This was a dual-ended colour and gloss. The colour part was awful so I sawed it off and just used the clear gloss. In the end though, as you can see it wasn't clear no more so I'm tossing it. 9) Hard Candy Plumbing Serum in Material Girl. I'm so so so upset this is not available in Denmark and I can't seem to find it online because I love this gloss and it's one of my top favorites. It gives a minty tinkle on the lips which I'm not to keen on, but it's mild. Oh but the colour, easy to wear, slap this and mascara on and you're good to go! 10) ELF Lucious Liquid Lipstick in Babylips. I really liked the texture and taste of this gloss (yes it's basically a gloss). However the colour didn't pay off, it' kind of just looked like a clean gloss, but on the other hand Babylips is a nude colour. Again, easy to wear, the way I like it.

11) Nivea 24h Extreme Resist lengthening mascara and goodness me this is extremely resisting! I'm quite positive that if a nuclear bomb exploaded, everything but this mascara would burn. There would just be little mascara tubes left, no eyelashes or anything. It sounds weird I know, but this mascara is really good! I went thorugh two of these and don't know where to get them regularly. The brush is amazing, the effect and the staying power. One con though, a bit hard to get off ;)
12) L'Oreal Voluminous Original mascara. Really liked this. Usually I prefer rubber brushes but I felt like the brush here was big enough to be volumizing but small enough as not to be obnoxious (is that you spell it, I don't think so...) and getting the lashes nice and coated.

Galore of randomness! 13) Sanex dermo intensive deodorant with vitamin E. Not really sure what the vitamin E is for, but hey, vitamins I guess is alwyas good. Unfortunately I don't like this deodorant. I felt like it didn't dry fast and didn't keep my skin dry. Also the design of it is good for haping standing at home and NOT for travelling unless you want deodorant all over your clothes. 14) No time for Shine pressed powder from VisionsV, colour ivory. I'm perfectly satisfied with this powder, as I am with most powders. 15) Nutra Nail High Gloss Topcoat, again I'm perfectly happy with this topcoat. It has a nice brush, it didn't go gloopy too quickly, about the HIGH gloss thing I don'y know, I think it was avergae shine. 16) Vanilla Kiss lipbalm for H&M. This I bought at Christmas 2011, it came in a duo pack and I'm working on finishing the other one right now because I DESPISE IT! Rather than curing my lips I feel like this made the chapped parts on my lips worse! Also it feels and smeels synthetic - yuck! 17) ELF undereye concealer and highlighter, I believe this is from the studio line. I really love the concealer part, but don't see the purpose of the highlighting part. The highlighter if you didn't blend it enough left white streaks and cast on you skin and if you blended it enough you basically blended it away. The concealer though was nice and creamy, lit up my undereye area, was delicious and saturated and lasted me a long time.

Samples galore! I know this is crazy, I should have fewer samples in each post! Anyway, these aren't numbered so I'll write about them left to right. Uniq One Cleansing Balm - didn't like. First of all, it's doesn't lather up because it's sulfate free. I'm sure that works for some but not for me and it meant that I actually used the whole sample at once. It made my hair oily (immidiately out of the shower) and heavy. I'm certain that I used this wrong, but I'm not going to try again! Mádara tinted moisturizer in rose beige. I kind of liked this and kind of didn't. I like it because I thought it had a BB cream thickness to it and it left a nice finish. However I didn't like it because it smells a bit odd, it has tiny tiny sparkles in it and it's kind... Sticky?.. Besides I didn't get it in my colour :( Murad anti-aging moisturizer with SPF. This was OK, I used it at a time where my skin was really in need of hydration and this simply didn't help. It was too thin.