DIY: Autumn essential

What's more comfortable during your morning class than a hot cup of coffee? Right, not much. Maby some tea or hot chocolate. The thing is, being a student and all, I don't really have an endless amount of money to buy coffee every day. And usually I'm late anyway so I don't have time to get in line at the coffee corner.

To fix that problem I've been searching the internet for a cool travel mug. At thinkgeek.com I found some awesome dr. Who mugs. But they were actually a bit above budget, since I had to pay quite a lot for shipping. And for that money I could buy myself a semester worth of coffee.

Today I found a super simple travel mug for only €2.95 and decided to transform it into a TARDIS mug myself! Check the entire process below!

 

First of all: your supply list

 - A travel mug

- One ruler

- Black felt tip markers

- An old atlas 

- Tardis blue paper

- Some white paper

- Scotch tape

- Scissors

- Something to cover the table with

 

The mug I got today had a really boring cappuchino background. So I took apart the mug, removed the old decoration and put aside the black parts.

 After that I took a page of the atlas and wrapped it around the transparent part of the mug. I marked the bottom of the paper and cut out half a circle. This allows the paper to fit in the mug at the bottom.

I put the background insider the mug the way I wanted it and marked the top (see the black line) and cut off the paper that didn't fit inside the mug. After that I put it back in and used tape to secure it on the inside.

 Tardis time! I decided I wanted a really simple tardis on this mug. The shape was cut out of thin blue paper and I used a ruler to get perfectly straight lines. I didn't measure all the windows because I didn't want it to become too static.

 

The tardis needs some windows too, and a flyer on the outside. To glue it on I used spray glue, but you can use anything you like. 

Glue your tardis to the background and put it inside the transparent part of the mug. Re-assemble the mug and you're ready to go!

Have fun with your mug! I would love to see if anyone tried this diy!

Love,
M


Find me at instagram and check out my other blog aboutthebluesky if you want to see or read more!

make up madness: kissable lips

Don't all girls just love to have the most kissable lips of all? Preferably in a color/tone/shine that lasts, because no one really has time to run to the bathroom for a touch up every hour or so. And if you're wearing lipstick, having lip shaped staines on every cup you touch are not the result you were going for.

For me, finding a good lip product is a quest I've been on for years. And over that time I've tried, thrown out, used, loved and hated a stash of products that is almost resembeling a mountain by now.
Last week I went through said mountain and decided to get rid of every product that I hadn't touched in a year, the mountain went down to a small hill and I am left with my favorites.

Today I will show you, my all time favorite lip products for all effects:

1. Lipgloss - MAX lipgloss €0.50
The basic, for every occasion lip gloss. My favorite brand is not only budget, it's super super cheap. It doesn't have the sticky feel most lipglosses have, and it fades really subtile. That way you're not left with a strange red circle around your mouth when you're to busy to toch up. I've got about seven colors but these are my favorites!

2. Emphasize your own beauty - Maybelline Color Sensational Popsticks (crystal pink)
This lipstick is somewhere in between a lip stain and a lip balm. Super comfortable to wear and it  gives a natural and subtle result. This lipstick emphasizes your natural lipcolor and feels really soft. It's a perfect finish to a natural make up look or a day at the beach.

3. Bold color - ELF studio matte lip pencil (rich red; €4.00)
This lip pencil can be used as a liner, or a lipstick. It gives a bright, matte, red color to your lips. And it's a color that lasts! Usually I wear it just as it is, but when I want to glam up even more I add some lipgloss to the middle part of my lips.

4. Perfect Pink -HEMA Pure shine lipstick (Dark Coral; €2.50)
Simple lipstick in a pink that is not super bold but definately there! It's comfortable to wear, feels almost like a lip balm, and lasts for hours! 

5. Lip stain -Catrice color infusions (rosewood avenue)
A lip stain is like watercolor for your lips. It colors your lips in a subtle and almost transparant way. Results are different for everyone. But this one works for me. A big plus: it's long lasting, even when having dinner/drinks. Another plus, it's like a big felt tip marker so you can apply it exactly where you want it.

6. Lip balm -Labello
And last but not least: just an average colorless lip balm. Because honestly, boys don't like lipstick. It makes you feel kissable, but they won't want to. They fear pink and red marks all over their face.. at least my guy does. What boys do love, soft lips. And this is my all time favorite weapon! Labello lip balm.


The moment we've all been waiting for: this is how they all look when I wear them (and the internet premiere of my new hair color!)

Am I the only one with this endless quest for the perfet lip product? Probably not.. hopefully this little article helped you a bit in your own quest.

Love,
M.

(this article was also published on my personal blog)

Peaches for Monsieur Le Curé, or Chocolat III

This morning I started reading Peaches for Monsieur Le Curé, the sequel of The Lollipop Shoes, which was the sequel of Chocolat, the wonderful novel by Joanne Harris that first caught my attention with Johnny Depp's deep brown eyes. Just as the previous 2 novels, the 'voice' of Vianne Rocher immediately trapped me in her world. All of a sudden I'm not in my tiny room in the Netherlands, but I find myself in a small (fictional) town called Lansquenet in Southern France.

Even though I'm only about 50 pages in, this book is one I would recommend any romantic soul. The whole feel of this book is so cute that I simply can't put it down anymore - only for making more tea. I wish I had a better word for this than 'cute' or 'romantic'. I'm sure there is, but as of now I'm in weekend-mode so don't you give me that look ;)

A few weeks ago I wrote about my Summer Bore, and how I planned on curing that bore with books and friends. I wish I had started reading this book before instead of right at the end of summer. It makes me want to put up a hammock and eat lots of fruit while lying in it listening to birds...

So here's my shout out to you: get this book, settle down with a nice big mug of tea and don't leave your chair for at least another hour. Relaxation guaranteed.

Lots of love,
- KoKo
doesn't KoKo sound better than MP?

Oh, and if the book doesn't have the warm story I'm expecting, I'll be the first to tell you just how wrong I was.

Shopping In My Own Closet

Shopping, buying new stuff, clothes, shoes, make-up, decoration, kitchen utensils. Things you really want at that moment. But never actually need, or use a lot. Things I buy because, well, reasons?

Until this month, the month after my summer vacation, the month that will not be finished by the end of my money. Unfortunately, this month has quite some fancy occasions that require some awesome dresses. Dresses that I can't buy, because of my lack of budget for it. Dresses that I won't need, because I have so many already. 

And it was this realisation that made me feel quite uncomfortable. You see, I've got so many clothes, and own a closet full of shoes. And still I think it's necessary to buy more. Even though I haven't worn most of these. At least, not for more than half a day. 

When I packed my bags for two weeks of travel, you could hardly see a gap between the stacks of clothes in my closet. 

So why did I want a new dress for the glamorous birthday party? In spring I bought a super glamorous dress, one that I've never worn. Because I didn't like it? No, because I've not yet found the right occasion. And now that occasion has come, I still don't want to wear it.

I've bought blazers, that I've been wearing only once before they disappeared in the back of my closet. Shirts that have only seen the living room and the supermarket. Skirts that have only been to the pub once. How much money did I spend on these pieces?

Money that I would've otherwise spend on different wardrobe pieces. Because somehow, I enjoy it. When all I do is waste my money, and feed the pollution, the consuming nature of today's society. Exactly what I dislike. And still, I surrender.

While, honestly, I don't want to.

So since this month is a time where I don't have the money to fill my wardrobe with useless pieces. I think this is the best time to finally wear the forgotten items. To not waste money on other pieces that'll end up in the back of my closet. To go to the party, wearing last spring's dress. And wear it with pride. Probably without anyone taking notice. 

This is the time to get creative and find new outfits, without spending another euro for one whole month.

Love,

-M

Behind the Cray Cray: M

For today: everything you do or do not want to know about me, M, one of the craydians. I'm a 22 year old student who is simply incapable of doing nothing for the day. I'm in love with thrift shops, DIY projects, cooking, reading, movies, photo's, music and most of all: people.

How ever difficult I find people sometimes, I don't like to be alone. Going out for a drink, hanging out at the beach, watching movies, having dinner or drinking tea. Call me anytime.

Together with my boyfriend I live in an awesome apartment in The Hague. I enjoy being in the house, and making it in to our home. I have a deep fascination for fashion and (interior)design and the best way to feed this fascination is at the thrift shop. There I find basics, or accesories for everywhere in my life. My kitchen cabinets are filled with vintage tin storage cans, my wardrobe with thrift shop treasures and my living room with fun accessories.

Shopping is someting I preferably do alone. I buy way too much of anything and sometimes think I can wear something different every day of the year without repeating one single look.

When I'm not busy around the house or with friends I'm studying. Currently a second year student in Commercial economics, and a graduated graphic designer. When I finally finish school I hope to be in advertising or marketing, but I recently discovered event planning, so who knows where I'll end up in a few years.

If I write I've got the music blasting through my speakers at full volume. Currently I'm obsessed with the album bad blood by Bastille. But last week it was Macklemore, and before Michael Bublé. I listen to pretty much anything but R'n'B. And when I dance to good music, that's love.

I mostly write about fashion, interior, DIY's, make-up and cooking. Besides here at craydians I've claimed some other corners of the internet at aboutthebluesky, (personal blog) twitter and instagram.

Love,

- M

The Glory in Defiance: An Analysis of The Success of Lana del Rey

Last week,  I was sitting on the bus, travelling to see my love again. We had been having some difficulties, especially in communicating our wishes and desires, causing us to clash. I was very anxious about what seeing him again was going to be like, yet full of desire to hold him again. So, in my bittersweet mood, I plugged in my earbuds and started listening to Lana Del Rey.

Her music was strengthening my state of mind and I felt that typical rush of excitement you get when you really feel music. At the same time, I remembered some of the commentaries I read about her songs, so I started to listen more carefully. During my inspection, I realized her music was certainly characterized by overly dramatic vocals and slightly cliché and pretentious lyrics that reminded me of the poems I wrote when I was 15. Yet, for some reason, the combination of it all was appealing to me.

I am not the only one who feels this way. One could view her as part of YouTube/Vevo royalty, with her Instagramesque videoclip Born To Die nearing 115 million views as we speak. Keeping in mind that she has landed several modeling jobs for industry leading magazines like Vogue, she has clearly become something of a celebrity. Why does this woman and her music, speak so vividly to the imagination of the public eye?

Lana Del Rey operates in a period of time in which extremely dramatic performing by pop stars is appreciated when done right. Think about the likes of Lady Gaga and her numerous copycats. However, Lana  doesn’t have to put on a dress of meat in order to put the drama back into pop culture. She makes nostalgically reminiscing and embracing the pains of puberty and the gloriousness of being deviant relevant again for a larger public through sound, vision and personality.

Born To Die was released in a time of societal pandemonium caused by the current global economic climate. Large economic restructuring doesn’t only influence the contents of our wallets, but also influences our mental and physical experiences of everyday life. Her music embraces its violence, its aggression and its all pervasiveness. By drawing  on familiar pains of having loved and being lost and combining them with the modern hurtful societal experiences of the recession, her music speaks appealing volumes.

Through singing about wanting to live on the road, being wild and free, and her pussy tasting like Pepsi Cola she uses explicit but poetically veiled erotica resembling the older vampire literature of Anne Rice. By  drawing on icons like Elvis, Marilyn Monroe and Jim Morrison, she uses symbols of stereotypical American (pop) cultural heritage to create recognition and authority. The dichotomies that she builds (like Gods and Monsters) aren’t at all clever but are so obvious one wouldn’t think of them. By artistically and agentively transforming these pop symbols by rearranging them, by putting them in new but familiar contexts, she spins a web of authenticity.

She couldn’t have reached her popularity through creating music that fits within the current sociocultural climate alone. She had to have a persona for her to seem sincere , a persona that corresponds with the message of her music.  She has been living that self representation quite successfully, I think, always behaving like a character of a postmodern novel. Often, her photoshoots invoke the same feeling as her texts do. Her beauty is fashionable, nearing the average of a certain standard of white, thin, pale beauty, while simultaneously diverting from it through emphasizing her larger than normal lips. Lana Del Rey’s performance is consistent  inside and outside of music; always working within the accepted frames of reference but making it her own by always giving a slight twist.

How genuine her beautiful deviousness really is, remains to be argued,  if needs  to be emphasized constantly. Of course it is all part of a (commercially driven) performance, but doesn’t the fact she so deeply feels the need to do this make her especially and genuinely broken?

I could go on with this attempt at an analysis for a while; exploring her obvious daddy issues that shine through her lyrics and ask the question whether this all isn’t the product of the pretty damn powerful music industry, but a blog might not be the right forum for such an essay. I’ll leave attempts at producing such writings for my upcoming year as a graduate student. Oh, and by the way, for those who wonder; luckily, being reunited with my love wasn’t at all bittersweet. I even forgot my earbuds on my way home.

Love,

J

Microwave lava cakes

Microwave lava cakes, is that even possible? Yes it is! And it solves a lot of problems in my kitchen.
Like all other girls on the planet, I love chocolat. In all it's shapes/styles and flavors. But my favorite still remains: lava cake. With cherries, ice cream, or just as it is.

Eventhough I'm a good cook, I can't bake a cake to save my life. Really, I can't. So when I read the recipe for microwave lava cakes, I was way too curious not to try it. But I wrote it down and kind of forgot about it. Until today!! Read, and get completely addicted to these five minute lava cakes!

They are so easy to make, and a great way to treat your guests to a nice surprise when they come over. Most of the ingredients will probably be already in your kitchen somewhere, so let's get started:

Five minute lava cakes

Ingredients:

4 tb self rising flour
2 tb sugar
2 tb coco powder
1 egg
3 tb of milk
3 tb butter/ oil
1 tb chocolate chips

1 large mug










How to make it

1: Mix the flour, coco powder and sugar

2: Add the egg and mix again

3: Add the milk and butter and mix until it's all smooth

4: Put the chocolate chips in

I used regular chocolate, and put them somewhere in the middle of the mixture

5: Put in the microwave for about 3 minutes (900w). Depending on your microwave you can put the cake in a bit longer/shorter. It should be fluffy and firm when you get it out.

Garnish with cherry's /ice cream /whipped cream or anything to your liking and enjoy!!! You can serve the cake in the cups you used to make it, or put it on a platter. Anyway, It's gonna be delicious!


Love,
-M


(found the original recipe here)