Engineering Week - Bottle Rocket Competition

HA, FINALLY!  I took the time to get back into this blog I created what seems like a lifetime ago.  Since my last post in November 2009 I've had two babies who are now pushing 2 and 4.  Latidah.

So, back to what's good and blogworthy.  CRAFTS.  We are going to, SOMEHOW, create an Incredible Hulk bottle rocket out of two 2 liter bottles.  I will do this using an expanding spray foam.  Not sure how I will do it, but I WILL.  And I will do it well, because, oh you know, a certain little boy is pretty excited at the possibility of winning first place for creative design his second year of participating.

Last year, he decided we will make a Despicable Me Minion.  And a glorious minion he was, winning first place in creative design.  The minions parachute did not engage, he did not achieve the highest point of apogee, nor did he have the longest time aloft...but..he was DARN CUTE and everyone knew it.

Minion lost an eye, his only eye, in the launch but Alex didn't care.  He selected a flashlight as his prize and proudly displayed his MTS Rocket Scientist badge for the Corporate Photographer.  When all was said and done, Alex said to me: "Mommy, this is the BEST DAY EVER!"  From that moment forward I was hell bent on competing every year with my son Alex just because as a parent-that is THE gift from God: the joy of life through your childs eyes and experiences.

TO THE MOON:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=4994213427602&l=7911099273340147556

Mascara Review - 10 under $10

I'm always looking for a better mascara!  I love L'oreal Double Extend Beauty Tubes.  I doubt I'll find anything that performs better for two ply (primer and product) mascara.  I'm in love with the CoverGirl Lash Blast Length (a recommendation of my grandma because 'She saw it on ANTM') for a single ply mascara.  Here's my review on ten different drugstore mascaras under ten dollars. 

#1 L'oreal Double Extend - Beauty Tubes Mascara

Wand: Fluffly like a wooly caterpillar with long bristles. Large, yet still maneuverable on the inner and outer corners of the eye.

Result: This is the best mascara I've found. It lifts and separates, it gives amazing length with it's primer...but the way it washes off in the shower without leaving 'little racoon girl' eyes is the reason I keep coming back.  For some reason I don't think this primer is as good as their original formulas primer I feel I can't get as much length.

#2 L'oreal Double Extend

Wand: Long bristles, not nylon.  Able to really get in the corners.
Results: I love this formula. The lashes get SO long with the primer and then they pop when you apply the mascara.

#3 CoverGirl Lash Blast Hydrofuge

Wand: I don't like this wand at all.  It is huge.  I can hardly get my inner lashes with it and the nylon bristles are way too short.
Result: Um, no.  I can't get enough product on the brush. dip and apply, dip and apply over and over.  The bristles are so small they're worthless.  It's very, very hard to get off.  It certainly does it's job in being waterproof.  (I bought waterproof by mistake.)

#4 Maybelline Volum' Express

Wand: This is a large diameter wand with long bristles.  The kind I like. 

Result: Aaah clumpy! The mascara is hard to work with and the wand has way too much product on it when removed from the tube.  Really hard to wash off in the shower with Dove soap, I was left with major raccoon eyes.

#5 CoverGirl Lash Blast Length

Wand: Really short bristles on a long thin wand.  It's those rubber/nylon bristles which I generally hate.

Results: The long thin wand allows for easy access to the corners and really helps keep the lower lashes seperated and long.  I was surprised how much I liked the result and how effortlessly it washes off in the shower.  Definately one to remember.

#6 Loreal Double Extend Lash Boosting Serum

Wand: Could be longer and just a little more narrow.
Result: Meh. Gave me raccoon eyes after washing off. It took a while to get the clumps out, I had to work it through with the wand quite a bit. Way too expensive for what it delivers.

#7 Maybelline Colossal

Wand: It's the typical long bristled fuzzy caterpillar brush that I like.  Pulls product well from the tube and applies evenly.

Result: OMG tt smells like flowers! Every mascara should be required to smell as this mascara does.  Hyacinth or lilly so sweet and fragrant.  This was a referral from a gorgeous friend, Aryn, who's lashes are remarkable.  I will never forget the lovely smell of this mascara.  Performance is good for a one step product.

#8 Rimmel London Sexy Curves

 

Wand: What the...this is the absolute worst wand I have ever used (well maybe those combs are worse.)
Result:  I had to manuever the humps of the brush to be able to get product on my lashes.  What a pain.  I bet with a decent standard brush, there might be hope for this mascara.  Messy to wash off too.

#9 Rimmel London MAX Volume Flash

Wand: standard bristle brush. 

Result: This stuff was pretty clumpy on the wand.  Doesn't wash off so well either, racoon eyes!

#10 Maybelline Great Lash Big

Wand: Standard bristle brush.  A little too wide at it's widest. Took product well.
Result: Had to give a few more passes than usual and it seemed to mostly darken instead of lengthen or volumize. Probably one of the least impressive mascaras I've tried.

Halloween 2009

10/29/09

Aaaaah :::finger tent::: my crayon box is complete.  I used the left over wrapping paper roll to make a spare brown crayon...to sharpen.  Now I have to figure out how to sew elastic into the felt crayon dress and sew the back up. 

And the dress has been elasticized and sewn.


10/28/09
Tonight I'm working on the box.  I knew from the start that I needed to use wrapping paper on the box but I tried being cheap and it cost me.  Plastic table cloth was twice as big as the paper roll and half the price.  It was see through.  Spray paint, yeah, that didn't work either.  Back to the original plan of wrapping paper, I need to better trust my instincts.

 I have your garden gnomes hostage.  Oh wait those are crayon tips.

And the final crayon...

10/26/2009 Ok, I'm sure you want to see me in the crayon rather than it on a mannequin at this point.  Here it is.  I still have to add the velcro.  I'll save that for last.  In the mean time I'm making another crayon!  Felt is on sale, 50% off how can I not, especially when I found BLUE false lashes, wig, fishnet stalkings and gloves.

And here is the blue I'm making now.

Little bit of progress on the blue costume.  Hat is made, half the stripes are done and finishing the other side now.

10/25/2009
I finally decided to be a red crayon for the costume party this weekend.  I will also have a box to go in. 

I am just getting started with this idea.  I need black felt for the edging and Crayola logo, to put an elastic band in the bust, and sew velcro up the back.  Then cover a party hat in felt.

 

I'll cover the box in yellow wrapping paper and use green acrylic paint for the corners and 'crayola.'

I hope to end up with something to this effect:

10/24/2009

Tonight I stopped for black felt and party hats.  There were no red wigs, no red eye lashes nothing!  Maybe I'll bring red crayon as a spare...and be a turquoise crayon!  There was a ton of pink, purple, green and blue wigs, lashes and accessories.

I used 3M General Purpose 45 spray adhesive to adhere the felt on felt.

I opened the childrens party hat to trace it's pattern and used the adhesive spray on the felt/paper hat.  Here it is up on the model.  I need to add some velcro to the back seam and cut my "Crayola" letters out.

And with the letters.