Friday Friends - DUSTy Divas - Rhasdala

Welcome to Friday once again dear readers, it is a long weekend here in Western Australia YAY ! For those of you who love blogging - 
Blogtoberfest12 is just around the corner, starting from the 31st October. 
This year, Blogtoberfest is being hosted by the lovely Kat of the I Saw You 
Dancing blogspot - you can check out all the details here. 
http://isawyoudancing.blogspot.com.au/p/blogtoberfest-2012.html

This week I want you all to meet a lovely DUSTy Diva - the super talented 

Gai of Rhasdala - Australian Etsy Seller and a true champion of handmade Natural Skin Care and Mineral Makeup. 

Personally, I use natural based beauty products whenever I can and I can not speak highly enough of the Rhasdala products. I have sampled several of these including this stunning "Penny" Bright Copper with High Shimmer Mineral Eye Shadow

The Mineral "Coral Bay Lip Gloss" in delightful Shimmery Coral.....

and I was super lucky to be chosen as a lipstick tester for a new range that Gai is introducing to Rhasdala - I actually couldn't fault the tester box that was sent to me. 

I found the lipstick to be long lasting, you could get a fuller or more sheer coverage depending on how much you apply, the colours were delicious and blend well together to create new colours, your lips are moisturised beautifully.....shall I go on ? 

Dear readers, I invite you now to have a virtual pamper session and makeover. I hope that you enjoy reading A Mineral Makeover with Rhasdala! See you all soon for the start of a blogging challenge with the commencement of Blogtoberfest12! Have a fab weekend everyone xo ps keep your eye on the Maddabling Blog over the weekend for a special announcement of a new 14 Day Photo Challenge to tie in with Blogtoberfest .......and also as promised, a blogpost about high teas, bush walks and craft swaps xo

A Mineral Makeover with Rhasdala
Who is Rhasdala ?

My name’s Gai, I’m married to Andrew, mum to 4 amazing kids and the woman behind Rhasdala. I make nature based skincare and mineral makeup with a goal to create effective products that are gentle to the skin AND the environment. 

Zen Clay Mask

How and when did your handmade/artistic journey begin ?

My mother always told me that she started painting when she was pregnant with me so I guess creativity is in the blood. I started painting in oils, like mum, when I was a child. As I got older I began to explore other artistic outlets, ranging from portraiture in pencil to fashion design. Unfortunately I also think, A LOT, and finding a way to satisfy both sides of my brain meant seesawing between creativity and science. That is, until I found soap making. Colour, fragrance and science all in one! That naturally led on to other bath and body products and finally to skincare and mineral makeup.

What inspires you ?
For me, inspiration comes from everywhere. When it comes to colours for makeup it might be a flower, a car colour, an animal, but usually the colour appears in my head and then I have a NEED to figure out how to make it work. Not always easy, but always fun! As for the skincare, I have spent a fortune and a lot of years trying to find products to suit my very oily temperamental skin. Nothing ever worked so I decided to make something that WOULD. My skin is better than it’s ever been and I want to do the same for other people.

What mediums do you work with - do you have a favourite ?

Wow, what don’t I work with? On the skincare side I love botanical extracts and different oils, mostly fractionated coconut oil and jojoba oil. They’re just SO good for your skin! When it comes to the makeup, I LOVE MICA! I am constantly amazed at the colours available without the use of dyes. They sparkle and shimmer, they travel from one colour to the next, in one light they look red and look green in the next. In a word micas are AMAZING. So far I have a collection of about 100 colours and I haven’t even started mixing my own yet! Imagine a paint box with that many paints, now make them sparkle and shimmer and change colour. As I said, AMAZING!

What kind of things do you make/create ?

I started making soap and pamper products, but as I progressed I felt more drawn to skin CARE. I learned about natural ingredients and what they’re capable of and wondered why on earth we (meaning cosmetic and skincare companies) fill our products with chemicals when natural ingredients have been proven to work. And then there’s the makeup! I have used mineral makeup for years and when I found out I could MAKE it, I was almost giddy! For a long time I resisted the urge. The potential for products and colours seemed like a bottomless pit of obsession. Turns out, IT IS! Luckily for me, my family and I have learned to manage said obsession and we’re OK!

Do you have a favourite piece that you have made/created ?
As much as I love the fun and colour of makeup, my favourite product would have to be my Purify skincare range for oily skin. It has been the answer to my skin problems. Most major brands are aimed at removing the excess oil in the skin, which usually causes the skin to produce more. I took a different approach when I formulated the Purify range. I used natural ingredients like Tea Tree and Lavender essential oils to kill bacteria that causes pimples, Green Clay to draw impurities from the skin, and Fractionated Coconut Oil to moisturise without leaving a greasy residue. Essentially, by not stripping the natural oils through harsh cleansers and chemical based toners and moisturisers, the skin calms down. The oil production is regulated, pimple causing bacteria is removed and the skin finds it’s own balance. Simple and effective.

What are your future plans/dreams/aspirations ?

My plan is to keep going. Keep making and improving my product range. Keep looking for better ingredients. Keep spreading the word – natural ingredients CAN work. Then I want to TAKE OVER THE WORLD! Just kidding, I really just want my little business to sustain my family. That way I can keep indulging in this obsession I have named Rhasdala!

Dear readers - ready to read more about Rhasdala and to explore her amazing range? Here is how you can connect! 

Buy lovely things here from the Rhasdala website:  http://www.rhasdala.com.au/

from the Rhasdala Etsy store here:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/Rhasdala

and from the Rhasdala MadeIt store here:

http://www.madeit.com.au/Rhasdala

and to keep up with all the latest news, become a Facebook Follower here :
http://www.facebook.com/Rhasdala

Pretty Pink Party Dresses - Wednesday Wishes

Wednesday Wishes - every girl wants a Pretty Pink Party Dress right ? Here are some fab dresses I found to share with you all xo..........

Candy pink Tulle roses babydoll dress by keeboutique 

Sequined Confetti Multi Color Shift Dress by carolinabenoit

50's pink tulle strapless formal tea length dress by Shark Attack Vintage

nude lace dress revived cream blush and pink petticoat crinoline 

by Mermaid Miss K

Pink and Blue Cupcake Party dress by RedDollyVintage

Friday Friends - Local Handmade - Baking Mumma

Hello lovely Maddabling readers, hasn't this week flown by ? I sometimes wonder where the time goes to be honest. It is nearly October which means Blogtoberfest ! Watch this space so to speak. For those of you new to blogging, Blogtoberfest is "a festival of blogging held annually in October.  Quite simply Blogtoberfest is an invitation to commit to celebrating every day by posting daily on your blog. It's an opportunity to discover new blogs and make new friends." borrowed from the tinniegirl blog http://tinniegirl.blogspot.com.au/p/blogtoberfest.html 

This week is it my absolute pleasure to introduce the delicously talented Mel of local handmade business Baking Mumma! 

Sinfully good for the taste buds, I have sampled three types of Baking Mumma Cupcakes over the past few months, for the complete chocoholic I can gleefully recommend these

Chocolate Cupcakes with a Malteaser Baked Inside, Chocolate Butter cream and Crushed Malteasers on Top.

Or you can keep an eye out on the Baking Mumma Facebook page for the weekly special Tummy Tickler Tuesday - this weeks flavour was Lemon Cupcakes with Two Tone Lemon and Orange Butter cream.- they had a Terry's Orange Choc segment baked inside, and then a fondant daisy on top. They were seriously almost too pretty to eat - although my lovely hubby didn't hesitate! I also got two Choc Ferrero with Cookies and Cream Butter cream Cupcakes added to my order - oh my ! Here are some photos I took before they all disappeared!

six cupcakes in a sweet presentation box 

Dear readers, I now invite you to put your feet up and relax for a while, and read through 
the Delectable Cupcake Diary of Baking Mumma. Wishing you all a wonderful weekend, keep your eyes peeled for a special edition blog post about high teas, craft swaps and bush walks xo

The Delectable Cupcake Diary of Baking Mumma
Hi, I'm Mel.  I started Baking Mumma in July this year. I loved - still love - baking, mainly cupcakes, and my friends and family said I should start selling them, so I thought 'what the hey?' I'm a 22 year old mum with 2 boys, Xavier who is just over 2, and Oliver who is almost 1. My  fiancé  is a FIFO chef, so it's mainly me at home, and Baking Mumma gives me something else to do while he's away. The name just sort of suited because I love being in the kitchen and I'm a mum.

I love looking for new ideas on pinterest, and chatting to other 'cakey' people on Facebook. I have a reasonably large collection of cookbooks which I like to read over and over again, and I get ideas for different flavour combos from them. I buy most of my supplies off eBay, such as fondant moulds and cutters, and then I get different decoration ideas from those. I have taken over the kitchen with all of my 'cakey stuff'.

I love making cupcakes, more so than full cakes. They never fail to bring a smile to my face. They are smaller and can be decorated all different ways and they are less messy and easier to serve at events because they don't need to be cut and they are A LOT quicker to make. They can be so personal, one little cupcake, made especially for you.

I have created my own chocolate, and vanilla recipe and I use these for the bulk of my creations. I aim for my cakes to taste as good as they look, and have trialled so many recipes to get what I think is perfect.  I love covering my cakes in flavoured butter cream, and then adding different crushed chocolates or themed fondant decorations I make at home and finishing with colour coordinating Sanding Sugars and Non Pareils. 

I have a large collection of cookie/fondant cutters and moulds, which makes making decorations quick, easy and fun. You can buy them for almost any theme or occasion, and there are some really cute ones. I use gel colourings, so I can colour my fondant or butter cream what ever colour I like, and using gel means I only have to use a tiny amount.

Some of my favourite cupcakes I've made so far would have to be the chocolate sunny rainbow themed cupcakes I made for a 9th birthday. They were so bright, and happy. I used a lot of fondant and different cutters, and hand made the rainbows. They took a long time, and it was something I hadn't done before, and they turned out better than I had hoped. The little girl who had them for her birthday loved them, and I heard feedback from the party for weeks, which was a great feeling. 

I also loved using a Lego mould I bought recently, and made some cute two toned vanilla cupcakes with little Lego men and blocks on top. I guess anything that is bright and fun is a something I enjoy most. I am hand painting some leopard print butterflies at the moment, and these are also a favourite because they are so cute and funky.

I would love to one day have my own cupcake shop. It is a very far off goal at the moment, but one can only dream! A cute, cosy, bright sweet smelling cakey wonderland! For now I am happy to be baking at home and still having enough time to play with my babies everyday, I can enjoy the best of both worlds here.

Dear readers - would you like to sample these delicious treats for yourself ? You can connect with Baking Mumma on Facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/BakingMumma

Spring Rain - Wednesday Wishes

the sweet smell of spring rain - the inspiration behind the Wednesday Wishes blog post today xo

Crochet rainbow brooch with aqamarine stone raindrops 

falling from a cloud by other worlds

Spring rain, felt dress by bigzibogzi

Photo Umbrella Blue Birds on Wires by JenHanlonAshPhoto

rain earrings - bluegreen and mauve by eganaise

Hand Painted Flats - Hope - Rainbow, rain cloud, 

and raindrops size 10 shoes by CircumhorizontalArc

DUSTy Divas, Friday Friends - Handmade by Gemmie

Hello everyone - another working week is over and the weekend is here! I am looking forward to watching the AFL finals over the weekend, trying some new recipes and catching up with some girlfriends on Sunday. Do you have anything special planned ? This week I want to introduce a brand new DUSTy Diva and fellow Aussie Etsy Seller, meet the multi-talented Gemmie of Handmade by Gemmie!  

Handmade by Gemmie is simply the sweetest shop - how could you not fall in love  with this adorable Soft Toy Fox............. 

or the equally gorgeous red Vintage Kitten Bunting? 

They say Home is where the Heart is - I confess I do adore this Soft House Toy/Cushion and the attention to detail........   

And one pick especially for all the Rockabilly Fans out there, how divine is this Black Rockabilly Bunting ? 

Time now dear readers for you to have some you time and for me to hand over the story telling reigns to Gemmie - so you can all be inspired by The Sweet Handmade by Gemmie Story! See you all on Monday for a special edition blog post about craft swaps, bush walks, home made high tea snacks and other lovely things x  

The Sweet Handmade By Gemmie Story
I have always loved doing creative things and I originally had a cupcake business. However, after adopting three gorgeous rescue kittens it was no longer possible for me to have an at-home baking business so I needed to find a new creative outlet. I always loved the decorating part of making cupcakes best, and felt that could transfer well to sewing.

Although I had been sewing since early high school, I had never really explored it too much but earlier this year since joining a craft group at work I started to really get into it! 

I started with a few small projects like baby quilts and soft toys as gifts for friends, and soon found that I loved working on different colour combinations, using different materials, and the overall design process.

So Handmade By Gemmie was born! I set up my Etsy shop in July this year starting with a range of bunting, and have since expanded to soft toys. I will soon be introducing a range of ipad covers, phone covers and fabric magnets to the shop too. 

Increasingly I am using recycled materials in my work, like vintage sheets, old clothes in retro patterns, or old crocheted doilies. I love the look and feel or repurposed materials, plus the fact that it has a much smaller impact on the environment than using all new products.

I am inspired by all kinds of things but usually I see a particular piece of material like an old tweed jacket or a floral vintage pillowcase and an idea will spring to mind, like making a cute fox!

I am attending my first market for Handmade By Gemmie in October. I'll be a stall holder at the Green Living Festival in Canberra which is on Sunday October 14, the last day of Canberra's famous Floriade Festival. 

I'm really looking forward to meeting some of my customers in person and showing off an even bigger range of my products, and chatting to people about the materials I've used.

In time, I hope to regularly attend markets as well as having my Etsy shop. At the moment I work full time as a public servant, but eventually I would love to scale that back to working three or four days a week and dedicating the rest of the week to sewing for my little shop.

Dear Maddabling readers - do you want to see more? Here is how you can connect with Handmade by Gemmie:

You can buy lovely things on Etsy here:  
http://www.etsy.com/shop/handmadebygemmie
and become a Facebook Follower here : 
http://www.facebook.com/Handmadebygemmie