Working from home is fraught with danger. Overeating, daytime T.V, believing that Snuggies are fashion…  How do I deal with this workplace minefield?  By watching children’s television in the daytime.  Given, it isn’t that often, but when it gets too quiet here and I need a little something in the background, I tune into Sesame Street and this is why.

Sesame Street does Mad Men!

Just for something new, I thought I’d give you a little Vlog today. It is nothing fancy, just me, my couch and my little happy snap camera with its inadequate microphone!

My First VLog from super kawaii mama on Vimeo.

If you think this sucks and you never want to see my try this again, feel free to say so. But I hope you like it for something a bit different. Feel free to encourage me and I may just make this a regular feature.

In my outfit post the other day I asked you if you knew what hair secrets I’d used to short cut the usual styling process. Some of you were right on the money!  For a while now I’ve been receiving comments and emails asking me if I had tried Bumpits - these new hair “thing-a ma-bobs” that give you that kind of bouffant volume. The first time one of you asked me about them I wondered just where the hell ones “bum pit” was! They’ve been big news in the US for a while, but haven’t been regularly available in Australia yet.  So I searched them out on eBay (paying attention to get genuine ones) and decided to give them a try.

I create so many different hair do’s that require teasing or other ways to get volume at the crown, that I had nothing to loose trying these… although there was the risk I’d end up looking like Sarah Palin!  So I’ve been using them to create a 1960′s look, a Himegyaru look, even a bit of a Marge Simpson look! I’ve found them very easy to use, but I don’t know if this would be the case for everyone.  The instructions recommend a little backcombing and lots of hairspray, but I’ve been using mine with neither. However, I do have a lot of very thick hair – the kind you could loose a pencil in for a week!

I just separate my hair, (like in the pictures shown on the official site) and pull the hair back over the Bumpit.  Then I use a single hair comb to secure it at the base.  I haven’t yet tried to wear them like the model, with no securing pins, as I don’t think they’d stand up to the rigors of my day without them.  There are loads of tutorials around by different people showing you how to use these, but I think that the best execution depends very much on the texture of your hair.  Emily Noel has some great reviews and tutorials over on You Tube that I’d recommend you check out as a good starting point.

Of course, because we are all different and have our own interpretations on these things, I’m hoping to get together a short SKM version of how I use the Bumpits for a more alternative look.  If you have any advice or recommendations for each other on these – where to buy, good tips and what doesn’t work for you – please feel free to post it in the comments and we’ll see if we can all help each other make these work the way we want them to.

I have to say, I am a convert.  The only thing I’d like is an even BIGGER Bumpit to make some very serious hair… or perhaps a systems where you could lock them together..

You know what they say, “the higher the hair, the closer to god!”

Sunday, a family day. This week I had a huge surprise. I met up with my family and baby brother for dinner on his birthday. My other brother had long since been travelling the world with this girlfriend and had made appearances for family birthday’s via Skype. As we settled in for dinner on Thursday night, who should walk in the door but my brother!  All the way from Italy, right to our table – with absolutely no warning! Both my baby brother and I died of surprise and while his eyes misted over I promptly started blubbing in the restaurant, much to the amusement of the other patrons. Today we continued with the family theme, taking as much opportunity to see him before he has to return. So we all headed out for more food yet again!

The days are still misty spring days. Beginning and ending with a chill, but with the kind of long absent, soul warming sunshine in the middle. Days when you want to be warm and comfortable to stretch out in that sun, sneaking a nap after lunch. So today’s outfit was about stretch, flounce and softness.

The hair was loose and simple, given a bit of punch by.. you guessed it… Bumpits!  I’ve been trialling these for a while now and quite like how quick and easy they are to use. They aren’t yet readily available in Australia, but I purchased a multi pack of black ones via eBay. I have heard that there are “Hollywood” versions available too that give you even more volume for super huge hair.

The bows are the most darling little clips sent to me by an exceptionally clever reader who has started her own makeup and accessories line. I’ll have much much more for you on that topic later on, but if you’d like a sneak peek, head on over to My Little Rockabilly.

Makeup Details:

Eyes – Baked Sugar collection by Physicians Formula

Lips- Aubergine Max Factor Colour Perfection

Nails- Stick on deco nails from Thailand

Outfit Details:

Black lace trim top – Entrace  Skirt – Boo Radley

Stockings – Johnathon Aston  Shoes – Keds

Necklace – Peter Alexander  Hair Bows – My Little Rockabilly

Okay, sorry but I just could resist that title! For some of you this is going to be old, old news. The kind where I hear you say, “OMG you didn’t know that?!”

For some time now, I’ve been in love with the totally over the top Japanese 3D manicures. The lace, pearls and Hello Kitty faces that make it impossible to undertake any kind of activity short of posing prettily on a toad stool like a fairy tale Princess.   But I still really wanted some! I had no idea how I was going to find the time or the supplies to give myself this kind of manicure, nor how it would last past even one morning of dressing struggling toddlers. But I was willing to give it a try in the name of beauty science.

I’m still yet to take a dive off the decora nail deep end, but am dipping a toe to see what happens and whether or not I put an eye out in the process.  I’ve always had excellent natural nails. The kind that are long and strong, but the curse of that is that I often use them as tools and experience rather painful breakages. Also, the ever changing inspirations behind my wardrobe, see me wanting to change the length, shape and colour day in day out.  I’ve tried acrylics ( and removed them rather painfully during mid run one winter snowboarding trip), and even gel overlays.  But I’m kidding myself if I think I have the time to throw away sitting in a manicurists chair every other week having them filled, filed and balanced, let alone the cost of constant maintenance.

When I was in Bangkok recently, I came across stores selling already beautifully decorated nails that could be stuck on and removed later.  The last time I had stick on nails I was 12 and trying to improve my sophistication level for the Sunday School audience. I remember that those maroon nails didn’t even make it intact to the church, some falling victim to the car door handle and others to the little buckles on my shoes. And I’d never given them another go since that day. Logically, when I think about it, if C.D, mini disks, and now MP3′s had been invented since that time had passed, I figured that stick on nail technology must have also improved!  So I bought myself a box of those stick ons which have remained in my drawer until yesterday…

…And I love them!

Not only do I get a full manicure in 5 minutes flat, I can just soak them off in hot water for 10 minutes and use them again another day. So I’m sold, (so far) on the new and improved stick on nails. No they aren’t the most practical for someone who does a lot of typing and all the usual child related activities, but they are a cute, fast and pretty solution when I don’t have to do those things.  Although it has taken me far longer to type this post wearing them! What do you think?

Let the crazy experiments begin!