Red is dead

Why do I love the bad rhymes and puns oh so much? Well, this title does have meaning. The red blog shall be no more. Red is still very much alive as I race around town in my little red riding hood coat, but online it has to be put to rest due to the multitasking nightmare that is my life. This was a uni project and unfortunately there are other uni projects demanding my attention.

Hope you've enjoyed it, and if you have any red questions or things to show me, my twitter will still be available (see below).

Dressing Red

Being a red connoisseur, favourite types or shades of red things have almost become staple purchase. The following is a list of some products; some only found in Australia some possibly elsewhere. If your having a particularly scarlet day you might like to give these a whirl: 

• Shiseido No.8 red lipstick - see an earlier post for more tips on this.
• 6RS or 6.45 hair colour available from some retailers (you have to buy 20vol Oxy. to mix with it) or just ask your hairdresser. This is the colour of my hair in the pics, it's not so in your face red that you look like the stunt double for Rony Mac D.
• Dangerfield red clothing (Aus only), my latest purchases from them including a red hooded jacket and red jumper, both striking shades which get loads of comments.
• Rimmel London Lycra Pro nail polish 323-Riviera Red - not only a rocking colour but it's easy to apply, dries fast and lasts.
• Lancome eyeshadow - can't remember the shades exactly but there's a coppery red along with a gold, brown and beige. It sticks like glue all day to your eyelids and if you have green, brown or hazel eyes it makes your eye colour really stand out. (not recommended with red lipstick, unless your going for the smacked out junky look)

I'm not totally obsessed with sticking to everything in red, and there are plenty of things that I would never buy in red i.e. trousers, socks, or furniture. I also don't really wear too much at the same time...moderation is the key to most passions, obsessions or addictions in life...ooh preachy! Best go down some more chocie biscuits for that ;)

Red Song Sing-a-long

Am in struggle town when trying to write something today, so thought what better way to express myself then through some healthy interpretive dance...join in kids, have made you a Red playlist specially for your listening pleasure. Great to see some cracking songs with red in the title. It's a mix bag, enjoy!



If the above box is having issues, click here.

Photoshop-a-Rama

May be a little less focused on the blog thing lately as am spending the next 4 days glued to my red desk chair creating the blueprint for a website on Burlesque Poster Design. It's an assignment which will be loaded onto a closed server...sorry to anyone who got excited, but it stops us having any copyright issues.

The upside is that the fabulous images I have to scan, edit and upload are taken from a gorgeous book called Burlesque Poster Design: The Art of Tease, foreword by Chaz Royal...who is also the performer for which this poster with the delightful red head was used to promote. Poster is designed by Colin Gordon (2007).

Going to try my red right hand (wow, second Nick Cave reference on this blog) at creating my own posters. Please let me know if you have any sexy burlesque performer names to use for my mock-ups on Twitter and I'll do my utmost to produce you a winning poster e.g. Mistress Red Cheeks, Tits Le Rouge...oh I could go on.

Comic Geek!

Oh what a slacker, a late weekly blog. Kept getting incredibly distracted by a web comic hubby introduced me to: Questionable Content. If you like sassy indie chicks, music and sexual references, then put 4 days aside because once you start reading from the start of the series you'll forget what day it is and your daily responsibilities....such as me not getting any study done.

This moves me onto my next comic Geekery addiction - Scott Pilgrim. Having enjoyed both the comics and the movie, I'm considering getting massively geeky by dressing as Envy Adams for this weeks Supernova in Melbourne. The question is - do I go Envy Adams from the comic with red/pink hair or the blond version from the movie?

Argh, so torn, perhaps I'll just go as normal old me, I still get to see one of my other favourite red heads on the day anyway, the delightful Mr. Simon "You got red on you" Pegg.

Red Quotes

After reading a surprising quote from Gwyneth Paltrow which I found quite apt, I decided to find some more, hers was:

Beauty, to me, is about being comfortable in your own skin. That, or a kick-ass red lipstick.

Others:

Red is the ultimate cure for sadness.

-Bill Blass

The only advice I can give to aspiring writers is don't do it unless you're willing to give your whole life to it. Red wine and garlic also helps.

- Jim Harrison
(I'm half way there then!)

The true colour of life is the colour of the body, the colour of the covered red, the implicit and not explicit red of the living heart and the pulses. It is the modest colour of the unpublished blood.

-Alice Maynell

I've always wanted to go to Switzerland to see what the army does with those wee red knives.

-Billy Connolly

Well I do have some insight for you Billy, my trusty red mini Swiss Army Knife purchased in Switzerland will be entering its 8th year of life this September. Granted I'm not cutting ropes, flesh etc. However the scissors have been chopping nails, paper, plastic and more all this time and have never been sharpened. Guess that's why the Swiss are good with money too, they never have to spend it on replacing crappy broken tools.

Red Escape

Hubby and I decided to have a little getaway for our 1st year anniversary down the Great Ocean Road, then up to the mountains to stay in a naughty little 5 star villa in Halls Gap. We happily don't own a car so for occasions such as this Europcar has come through with the goods, and look - she was red!!! They must have known.

If you like pictures of pretty things, red or not, I suggest you check out hubby's photo site Jas Shoots. Has some gorgeous scenery and animal shots...sleepy koala is a winner.

2 cases of red wine from The Gap Vineyard later (recommend the Merlot), a million hugs and kisses (sickening yeah?), about 100 locusts in the front grill (later eaten by peacocks in the carpark at the Halls Gap Zoo) and about 800kms on the odometer = marvelous trip!

The Old Bag is back!

Not quite! A new bag in fact, although I am another year older since last month. But you'll all be pleased to know that the original purpose of this blog, which was for the purpose of an university assignment, scored a High Distinction! Who would of though it? Yes, blow that trumpet! However in order to celebrate this triumph in my return to school after ten years, I had to reward myself. Hence the lovely bag you see:

Found at the Alannah Hill clearance house on Brunswick Street, Fitzroy, Melbourne. It's not often I find a bag I actually like, there's such impractical tat out there. It's simplicity of design, yet still strikingly original was what grabbed me....not even mentioning the colour, think you've got that by now.

Husband asks 'so why did you need a new bag?' Well, for one - I don't have one exactly like this one. Two - because, stop asking questions and make me a cup of tea. End of questioning.

Big Red Kiss Goodbye!

 Awe, don't cry! It won't be for long, just a couple of weeks hiatus. Thought I should leave with some age old advice regarding red lipstick, as every women should give it a go at least once in their life...it seems to give your lips a life of their own. As mine did making lip prints all over the shop...little terrors!

In a previous incarnation I was once a make-up artist for Shiseido. Our uniform included No. 8 Red lippy, which I still wear today. It is THE perfect red lipstick, there must be others out there but I love this one as it doesn't report to be anything fancy e.g. long lasting, plumper, moisture rich...blah blah blah. It just is red and gorgeous. 

Now ladies, there are tricks of the trade to keep a red perfect pout. I shall reveal them, but remember use the lips for evil, not good ;)


Step one: Apply natural colour lip liner to dry lips (not chapped, just without balm or moisturiser)
Step two: Get a fine lip brush and coat liberally in red lipstick, then apply starting from corners of mouth around the edges of the lips, nice and carefully - red lippy should never be rushed, it's a calm ritual. Then apply to rest of lips.
Step three: Get tissue and dab lips (You know the cover teeth bite down thing), repeat step two, then apply last coat and then leave your lips alone!
Step four: Leave your lips alone! Cannot stress this enough, no rolling or smacking them together to 'distribute colour', it just distributes it into your mouth and onto your teeth...not pretty. Pretend that they are precious, and they probably are considering the mischief they are going to get you into.
Step five: Eat using your teeth...I know this sounds simple and probably a bit stupid, practice in front of mirror if you need to because there's a fine art to not looking like an idiot. Take small bites, opening your mouth slightly wider, then scrap food off the fork/spoon, kind of pushing your lips out into a pout...ok now I really sound like a knob. Think 'How would Marilyn Monroe eat'. When sipping from a glass, only bubbles because glass is smaller or through a straw for mixed drinks, pay close attention to only letting the glass or straw touch the inside of your bottom lip.

So this does sound like a crap load of work and effort, it's just practice though, I don't even think about it anymore....and hopefully I don't look like an idiot either. I usually only have to re-apply once during an evening, and even then I usually only take a bit of lippy on a retractable lip brush...perfect for little purses.

So go out there ladies and pout your gorgeous red lips, feel free to give me feedback from my advice - it can also be used for other colours of course, although I dare you to try the red and send me pics!
Big red kisses! XXX

Stop! In the name of Red!

Yeah, I'm a big nerd but I work hard at creating such catchy titles....So, was thinking today about the nature of red, how it makes me feel and how it is seen as a symbol. Stop sign or warning sign is one of them. Heard from a parent the other day that their child's school has stopped using red pen to mark school work because it 'has negative connotations', seriously? You need a little fear at school anyway, bring it back I say!...maybe that's why I got fixated on it....No, probably more because it invokes passion, lust and devilish behaviour, and trust me there were absolutely no high school teacher crushes involved in that decision! Filthy minds you have. 

Chinese see red as a symbol of luck, good fortune, happiness and prosperity. It is used as a traditional wedding gown and to wrap New Years gifts in, very apt for this time of year. Plus my birthday this week....red gifts are most welcome. To see what can be wrapped up in a silky red ribbon check out my Wishlist - Link on the sidebar.

They call me the wild rose....

Not really, but good song! Kylie and Nick Cave, the unnatural

combination that came up with that cracker of a song. I once saw Nick Cave getting impatient for his coffee standing in a queue at the coffee hut in Brighton station (UK), hilarious! But I digress....

Today I trimmed my red roses lining our front yard. When we moved in 3 months ago, they were a sorry lot, loads of dead wood, hardly any flowers. But I had to wait until Christmas to get some gardening equipment, so I fretted; wondering if they would just crack it and die. So as soon as I had the chance I hacked into the little buggers with vigor! They have now been refreshed and renewed, each with about 10 or more gorgeous blood red roses. Husband was lovely enough to take some very arty shots of them for me, one is here but for more visit his photo blog: http://jasshoots.tumblr.com/post/3160819555/nice-lady. 

Taking orders for valentines day...actually maybe not, I just love my not-so-wild roses too much!

Red or Alive

People close to me know my other obsession apart from red, is Etsy, so I have created a treasury on this wonderfully addictive site for some deliciously sexy things. Click on Red or Alive to view some naughty things I found....and just things I like. If anyone has any suggestions of red themed treasuries I can create, like red home decor, party dresses, hair pieces, you name it and I'll curate it. Beware when you click on this treasury though, may make you red in the face....oh how I love a good pun!

Stationery....don't fall asleep.

Yes, I may be mad...writing about stationery of all things. But it does go with my case for the red obsession. Purchased these little beauties for my previous job, as it was forever becoming a hassle to find a stapler or calculator when you needed one...they liked to go on wonderful adventures usually into other people's drawers. So naturally I went out and picked the biggest(Actually it was the second biggest the first was A4 size!) brightess calculator, a tiny little stapler and a hot red sharpie to mark everything. Wait, before you start thinking OCD, there was method to my madness; for the year after that until I left, no-one stole my things. They borrowed but always returned. Unfortunately they may not suit my new company....they have Blue in their title and have a blue themed office...ironic!

Loving Blood Red Shoes

So this year when I voted in the Triple J Hottest 100, for my top song I voted for 'Light it up' from a little duo from Brighton UK called Blood Red Shoes. Laura-Mary Carter on guitar/vocal and Steven Ansell on drums/vocal. I am forever amazed by little duos/trios who make such a big rocking sound. I lived in Brighton for a year and some, got up to mischief  there before I found my husband and now we happily get up to mischief together....but I am still kicking myself for not taking up a friends offer to go to Blood Red Shoes back then when I'd never heard of them...argh. The love affair would have began much earlier. Not to worry, lately I've enjoyed Blood Red Shoes' two albums - Box of Secrets (2008) and Fire Like this (2010), can be played together on shuffle, and still share an amazing sound with each song holding it's own. Follow them on twitter if you like www.twitter.com/bloodredshoes 
Recommend listening whilst commuting, cleaning, studying and ballet....rock ballet, fuck yeah!

Trusty Red Bottle

On stinky hot humid days like today in Melbourne, drink, drink, drink. Naturally I have my trusty red drink bottle, but it wasn't always around... I used to buy water in a bottle then refill it for a few weeks until it smelt bad and looked unsightly. 


My guilt of continually buying plastic started to eat away at me, and then I read some things about a nasty chemical BPA, which is found in clear plastic, so this was the deal-breaker. Off I went in search of the perfect reusable aluminum bottle, found my lovely red Laken at a camping store, it's now paid for itself....and the water tastes lovely with no yukky plastic smells, the other benefit - when I decide to have a baby there's now a better chance it will not be hormonally imbalanced...the other other benefit, it matches my lipstick ;)

New Look Red Blog

Just a nice little quickie to introduce my new look new themed blog. Red being the key word in the title, my favourite colour, why not talk about since I am subconsciously drawn to it most of the time. Maybe I'll get bored of it, or maybe I'll embrace it even further and you'll find me it a manic state writhing on the floor in red silk laughing like a crazy person.
For anyone interested in the colour obsession I found an interesting blog/website today http://www.colourlovers.com/
Feedback on the design, needs a bit more red perhaps....?