Saturday, March 28, 2009

Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion + Sunscreen SPF 15 Product Review

From Skin MD Natural :
Shielding Lotions are a new type of skin care product based on years of research into how skin heals. They form a protective shield with the outer layer of skin and help keep out irritants. They allow the natural oils and moisture to remain in the skin so it can heal better and they're light in texture so they go on without a greasy mess. Your skin needs help to keep out these moisture-robbing irritants. A fundamental difference between Shielding Lotions and traditional skin care lotions is that Shielding Lotions enhance the skin's own natural protective abilities by turning the outer layer of skin into what could be described as a hydrating invisible shield making them many times more effective than mere protective lotions and moisturizing creams."


The Goodness of Skin MD Natural :

Prevents Dry Skin

Non-greasy

Hypoallergenic

Fragrance and Colorant Free

Dermatologically Tested

No Animal Products and Testing

Paraben Free

Non-comedogenic (will not clog pores)

Other than that, Skin MD Natural also alleviates dry skin, eczema and psoriasis, providing relief from dry skin and itching and outperforms other skin care products such as moistu­rizers.

If you suffer from dry skin, you know that just using a moisturizing lotion does not solve the problem. This is an entirely new con­cept in skin care requiring a new classifi­cation: "Shielding Lotion". Skin MD Natural keeps moisture-robbing irri­tants away while proprietary "super" humectants hydrate the skin throughout the day. Skin MD Natural is promptly absorbed without the slightest hint of any greasy or oily feeling or residue, transforming the outer layer of skin into a hydrating invisible shield.

My review:

Living in a country like Malaysia really is fun and challenging. My country is near the equator and that's why I'm always exposed to the sunlight. I can do lots of things in the Sun, but it's rays are stinging me! It makes my skin dry and sometimes flaky. I have tried on a few types of lotions before but they just don't work as well as I have expected.

Skin MD Natural sent me a Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion + SPF 15 sample a few days ago for my review. I was eager to try out this new product to see if it really works and when I applied it on my face, I found out that it's not greasy like the other products I've used before. After a few days using Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion + SPF 15, I'm totally in love with it! My skin is now softer and smoother and it feels so good!

My sisters wanted to try this product too and after they did, they were so delighted to see the difference on their skin!

Their GUARANTEE:
We are so certain that you will absolutely love the way Skin MD Natural™ feels, goes on, and how it protects and hydrates your skin that we unconditionally guarantee it.

Want to buy Skin MD Natural products? Click here
Price listing:
Skin MD Natural - $18
4oz bottle1 to 2 month supply with daily use
Bonus: order 5 or more bottles and receive a bottle of our new SPF formula FREE (a $25 value).
California residents add 8.25% sales tax

Skin MD Natural + SPF15 - $25
4oz bottle1 to 2 month supply with daily use
Bonus: order 5 or more bottles of our SPF formula and get 2 bottles of our Skin MD Natural original formula FREE (a $36 value).
California residents add 8.25% sales tax

Skin MD Natural - $183.60
Case of 12 bottles(15% savings off the single bottle price)
Bonus: order a case and receive a bottle of our new SPF formula FREE (a $25 value).
California residents add 8.25% sales tax

Skin MD Natural + SPF15 - $255Case of 12 bottles(15% savings off the single bottle price)
Bonus: order a case of our SPF formula and get 2 bottles of our Skin MD Natural original formula FREE (a $36 value).
California residents add 8.25% sales tax

Gallon - $294.14(40% savings off the case price)
Bonus: order a gallon and receive a bottle of our new SPF formula FREE (a $25 value).
California residents add 8.25% sales tax

To obtain a sample for FREE:
Send A Self Addressed Stamped Envelope To:
21st Century Formulations Free Sample Offer
9663 Santa Monica Blvd.,
Suite 860Beverly Hills, CA 90210

* For addresses outside the U.S. - self addressed stamped envelope must be stamped with 1 ounce (29 grams) of postage.

To all bloggers:

If you'd like to write a review for Skin MD Natural, click here to obtain your free sample!



Special thanks to Skin MD Natural for giving me the chance to write a review for
Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion + SPF 15!

Friday, March 27, 2009

I Got A Friendship Award!!!

When I checked my mail today, I found out that one of my blogger friend, Crystal from Bead Happily Ever After sent me a...

Friendship Award!


This is the first time I ever received an award and I'm really happy and excited! You can read about her wonderful post about this award here :


Crystal really is a nice person. She always brightens up my day with surprises! I still remembered the day she replied my comment in her blog personally by mailing it to me. It was an unexpected e-mail, but I'm glad she's did so.


The award comes with some instructions. I have to pass it on to 5 other bloggers, and include the award photo (the one with a heart inscribed FRIENDS right up there ^^) and the following pre-written text:

“These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to those bloggers who must choose at least 5 more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.”


So right now, I would like to pass on the Friendship Award to:



Please visit these blogs if you've time. I bet you'll love them!

Thursday, March 26, 2009

I Won A $20GC from Statement Made

A few weeks ago, I won a $20 gift certificate at Jamie's Precious Peas from Statement Made. I was so excited and I chose a Read Myself to Sheep bookmark and two Coordinating Earrings. So, to express my gratitude, I decided to write a post for Statement Made.





My gift arrived by airmail! I'm always so excited to receive packages by mail!





It comes in two petite, beautiful bags like this...





This adorable bookmark is perfect for that someone who loves to read before bed. Bookmark stands 6" high and has a wavy base. Accented with turquoise and lime beads as well as a pewter "sheep" charm.




Wow, it really is shinny...A bit too shinny, perhaps...
This is the powerful effect of flashlight!


A pair of shinning Blue Coordinating Earrings!



A pair of custom-made pink Coordinating Earrings! They're very pretty!

(Sorry for the poor quality of this picture. I didn't use the flashlight because it's too bright until the image is white!)



Actually, this Life in a Bubble bracelet is my "first love", but it is priced $25, so I had to give up. But no matter what, I'm still very happy to get the Read Myself to Sheep bookmark and the two pairs of coordinating earrings!
Thanks again, Stephanie, from Statement Made for these beautiful gifts!

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Featured Artist ~ Theresa from Studio 618

As all of you know, I respect every single person who sells handmade products. They're creative, innovative and they make wonderful things! Today, I'm going to introduce you to an Etsy seller from Studio618, Theresa! Theresa sells beautifully handcrafted jewelry and Judaica gifts. I'm going to show you some of my favourites now!




Star of David and Zirconia Necklace




Eleanor Bookmark




Heart of Gold Necklace


And now, for the interesting interview!

1. Please introduce yourself. =)
My name is Theresa, a metal smith who crafts jewelry and accessories in my home studio. I'm also a mom to a teenager.

2. Why was your shop started?
I love creating and designing. When my handiwork starts piling up, then I wanted to sell some off to get more cash for the next experimentation. I usually have more design ideas than I have time or cash for the materials though.

3. What/Who inspires you?
I'm easily inspired. Other artists' work inspire me to push myself to go further. Simple geometry can be basis for an entire collection. I am inspired by my cultural backgrounds, literature, special techniques, or even graphics. One thing that is not terribly inspirational to me is time limit. It seems like I can't think of good designs when I'm pressured. I like it much better when ideas come naturally.

4. Tell me about your most precious possession.
Friends, family and knowledge are most precious to me. In terms of material possession that I own, I would say it is my jewelry tools and my bedroom set. My bed frame (including headboard) and 2 dressers were handcrafted by Debey Zito, a furniture maker who uses traditional Japanese joinery to create her Arts and Crafts style furniture. They are made out of natural cherry, which is a sustainable wood grown right here in the US. I took her woodworking class and made a pine bench and a maple hinged chest myself. Check her work out. You'd be blown away by her work.

5. Which items in your shop receive most compliments from customers?
Item that has the most sales in my shop is my hand inscribed bookmarks, probably due to the fact that the inscriptions can be customized. These personalized bookmarks are like a permanent written notes or messages to the recipients. I inscribe each of the bookmarks with my own handwriting, making each one unique. Hand inscriptions appeal to those who prefer the handmade appearance instead of letter stamping (using machine produced tools) or machine engraving (which can appear too perfect and lack the handmade charm). Both letter stamped and machine engraved messages can take up a lot of space, resulting in more materials used that add to the cost. My hand engravings can adjust to fit, much like the way you write sentences to fit in a given blank space on a sheet of paper. Hand inscriptions require total concentration and extremely steady hands. Of course, good handwriting is essential. Read my blog post on micro engraving.

6. What is your favourite material used when you're making jewelries?
My current favorite is silver, even though gold is a lot easier to work with. Under the current economy, I am working more with silver, brass, bronze and copper.

7. How do you promote your Etsy store?
I am just not very good in promoting. So far, I'm relying on my blog, Twitter, Facebook, and several networking sites. I also have an ArtFire store which sells different items than my Etsy store. So be sure to check out both stores.

8. Make a wish for yourself / your friends / family etc.
I would like to wish everyone patience (until our economy recovers), peace, health and happiness. And for you Aik, I wish that you would be surrounded by beauty each day of your life.

Thanks for giving me the chance to interview you, Theresa! I'd like to wish you happiness, beauty and good health! And not forgetting my dear blog visitors, readers, and followers too! Have a nice day, everyone! =)


Lovely links:
Theresa's Etsy store : http://studio618.etsy.com
Theresa's Artfire shop : http://studio618.artfire.com
Theresa's blog : http://studio618.blogspot.com

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Advanced English Idioms for Effective Communication

I promised Miss C to post some of the Advanced English Idioms, and here it is - some extracted idioms from a book of 556 pages. I will continue posting this whenever I have time.

Abandon oneself to something : To give oneself up completely to something, especially to passions and impulses
Tom failed many times and finally abandoned himself to despair.

Above-board : Honest

Above oneself : Self- satisfied

Absence makes the heart grow fonder : We have more affection for our friends and relatives when they are away

Absence of mind : Inattention

Achilles' heel : Weakest point of a person's character

Act high and mighty : To act proudly and powerfully

Act in bad faith : To act dishonestly

Actions speak louder than words : What we do is more important than what we say

Add fuel to the flames : To cause someone more angry

Advanced in years : Old

After a fashion : In a way, but not very well

After a storm comes a calm : There must be something better after an unpleasant event

Against all odds : Despite strong opposition

Akin to : Similar to

Alive and kicking : Healthy and active

All agog : Eager, full of excited anticipation

All at once : Suddenly

All but : All except

All good things come to an end : No pleasure will go on forever

All in convulsions : In a violent fit of laughter, etc.

All is well that ends well : It is the end that matters, not the beginning

All play and no work makes Jack a mere toy : One should not play without working

All set for : Ready for

All skin and bones : Very thin because of undernourishment

All the rage : In great demand

All things are difficult before they are easy : Whenever we do something, it is always difficult in the beginning

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy : One should not work without some recreation.

New update:

Allow the heart to rule the head : To be influenced by one's emotions rather than by one's reasons

Analogous to : Similiar to

And the like : And so on

And whatnot : And so on

Angle for something : To try to get something by indirect means

Antagonistic towards : Unfriendly to

Antipathetic towards : Showing dislike

Antithetical to : Directly opposed to

Any stick will serve to beat a dog with : It is easy to find fault with a person if you want to

Appear for someone : To act for someone as a lawyer

Apple of discord : The cause of dispute, a bone of contention

Apply double standards : To treat one person differently from another

Apprehensive about : Worried about

Apt to : Likely to

pg.23

Saturday, March 14, 2009

An Interview With Crystal

I'm so honoured to be given the chance to interview Crystal from Bead Happily Ever After. In her shop, you'll find a spectacular collection of vintage beads in both glass and lucite, contemporary beads, lampwork beads, and polymer clay beads. She has another shop which sells handmade jewelry, irisblue222. Here are some of her jewelries, which are my personal favourites :



The gorgeous Flirty Fuchsia Dangle Earrings!



The Tantalizing TEAL BRACELET in Swarovski Crystal!



The fabulous Passion for Purple Pendant Necklace!


Now for the interview:

1. Hi, please tell us (all my readers and I) more about yourself.
I’m a woman who loves all forms of art. Ever since I was a child I’ve had the desire to learn to create something beautiful. Of course at first it was with paper and a little box of crayons! :-) Over the years I’ve learned many different types of crafts including needlework, decorative painting, sewing, knitting, floral arranging, doll making, and beading. My work has been sold in gift shops and at artisan shows and craft fairs. I’ve been making jewelry for 5 or 6 years now and I enjoy it tremendously. On a more personal note, I’m married to my best friend and we have two wonderful daughters, who are all grown up now.


2. How was your shop started?
After making jewelry for friends and family for a few years, I began to receive many kind compliments on my designs and also encouragement to begin selling my creations. I discovered etsy around the same time, and it seemed to be the perfect place to display my work. I’m so impressed with etsy– it’s a wonderful community of people who appreciate the beauty of items made by hand. I think it’s so important to support the arts and the spirit of creating. Everyone benefits from art – those who create it,those who buy it, and those who simply look at it! It’s inspiring and soothing all at the same time. Bravo to etsy for recognizing that the Internet needed a place dedicated to showcasing handmade treasures.


3. What inspires you?
Art in general inspires me, but I am particularly inspired by vintage jewelry. It is definitely an art form. Although the materials used were often inexpensive (rhinestones, lucite beads, glass beads, and plated metals), many vintage designs truly rival the finest pieces of precious jewelry. One reason for this is that many of the designers were originally trained to make fine jewelry. That's another whole topic, however! LOL


4. What handmade possession do you most cherish?
Ah, that is a tough question! I absolutely cherish anything that someone has taken the time to make for me. It would be impossible to choose a favorite but . . . I treasure doll clothes that my grandmother and my mother made for me many, many years ago, and an afghan that my husband’s mother made, and a set of prayer beads that my sister-in-law made for me, and some beautiful origami art made by a dear friend, and the handcrafted gifts and cards that my daughters have made, and finally, although my husband has not made gifts for me – he chooses very thoughtful gifts with cards and wrappings that have a coordinating theme and this I cherish as well.


5. Which items in your shop receive most compliments from customers?
I suppose it would be my earrings simply because I sell them most often.Earrings are a more affordable purchase – something that we can buy to treat ourselves now and then. Women love a new lipstick, or a pretty new scarf, and earrings also fall into that “something small to jazz up my wardrobe” category. I also receive compliments on my necklace and earrings sets and the beads that I select for my designs. Beads are one of my passions so I love working with them, especially vintage beads – which are an art form in themselves.


6. What is your favourite bead/gemstone?
That is easy! Amethyst! I love purple! :-)


7. How do you promote your Etsy store?
Well, I actually have two etsy shops one for my jewelry and one where I sell vintage and contemporary beads. In making jewelry, I became so interested in beads that I studied everything available to learn more about them. I began to use more and more vintage beads in my designs and eventually decided to offer them on etsy. My customers are very helpful in recommending my etsy shops, and I also have a blog, which has brought me new customers and also many new friends!


8. Make a wish!
My wish is for you, Aik. You are an extremely bright and talented young woman, and my wish is for you to find success in whatever path you choose for your future. Most of all, I wish for your life to be filled with love and much happiness!

*Thanks, Crystal! That's so nice of you! =)

Oh yes, she also owns a blog http://beadhappilyeverafter.com/blog
Please visit to check for any new giveaways!

Friday, March 13, 2009

My Prize from Jacqleen Bleu!

I won a prize from Jacqleen! I received the package yesterday and it was wonderful. I never thought she would decorate the letter so beautifully...Thanks, Jacqleen! =)

She sent me these:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=21683036






It came in a beautiful package like this...




Look what's inside! A set of 5 beautiful photos + a handcrafted note tied with a ribbon.



The view from another angle...




Isn't that great? I was so lucky to be chosen as the winner! Thanks, Jacqleen!
If you're interested in browsing Jacqleen's Etsy store, click here . She has a wonderful collection of photographs which reflects life in dreams and vice versa.

Jacqleen Bleu:
I find corruption and sadness in beautiful things, or beauty in the most insignificant details. I capture dreams on film. Whimsical, quirky, surreal, a conscious living dream. Things maybe you'd only see in dreams. A magical world or realm I believe can exist. I shoot whatever I see that creates a twinge in my spine. I have no direct format or style, but just rather explore all and present whatever vision I see in my mind however it comes out...

Look At My Cute Bro's Exam Sheet!

My brother's name is 叶传杰 (AikC.J.) but he wrote 叶传木 in the exam sheet!
He must've forgotten how to write his own name...
We laughed until our tears came rolling down!
But luckily, the teacher added four 点 (dian's) below his name with her red ink pen.

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Addicted...

I'm so addicted to the internet. I can't possibly live without it. I admit that I'm quite crazy about giveaways. I enter every single one I can find. My brain is operating very slow now. My eyes are blurred now. OK, I'll try to post more things about my life, my friends and family, just like my lovely blog title.


But wait...I've something to tell you! I've just won a 11" x14" print signed by the artist, Matt Schwartz! I'm so excited. I decided to pick this : 11x14 polaroid transfer of blue sky and clouds



Beautiful...isn't it?
Thanks, Matt and Miss B!

Thursday, March 5, 2009

天使与恶魔

我们的心里住着两个人,一个是好的,一个是坏的。好的俗称天使,它会劝导你去作好事,行行善。坏的那个,叫做恶魔,是怂恿你去干坏事、伤害人的幕后推手。人类是脆弱的,他们往往会经不住恶魔的诱惑,一步一步地迈向黑暗。就算良知被埋没、心灵被吞噬,他们还是无惧无恐,因为他们的双眼已经被邪恶的势力所蒙住,再也无法看清事实;他们的脑袋已被那股永无止息的欲望所荼毒,使得他们失去判断能力。为了追求金钱、权势、地位,他们会不折手段,就算会伤害到很多无辜的人,他们仍不会停止,因为他们已被恶魔完完全全地控制住。

虽然天使是好的,但它往往无法让人类安分地做个好人, 因为人类是贪婪的、虚荣的;他们永远都不会满足于现状。天使最后还是无法改变人类。没有人会一百分地接收天使,因为在每个人心中,有一个角落,是留给恶魔的。。。

在每个躯体里,都隐藏着两个不同的灵魂。不管你同意抑或否认,这还是一个不可改变的事实。