Last Minute Fill In - Sears Catalog

So Weds. morning I got a last minute call to fill in for a half day Sears Catalog shoot. Days when I'm not working I can be a bit of a sloth so I didn't exactly know what time it was when the phone rang and I'm always paranoid that I'm going to sound like I just woke up (b/c I just woke up lol) so I did a few practice hellos before I actually answered the phone lol.

Thankfully it was only 8:45 am so even if I was still in bed I didn't look too bad...unlike the time when a photographer called me for a last minute paid test shoot on a Tues at 11 am and I was still asleep and somewhat hungover lol!

Apparently the regular MUA sliced her hand the night before while doing dishes. She thought it was going to be okay but while she was doing the first girl it started to split open and bleed...not good. So of course I jumped at the opportunity to fill in for this. Sears is a great client to have afterall.

I literally knew nothing but where I was going when I left for the shoot (hell I didn't even have time to shower). I thought I was doing hair & makeup but when I got there I found out it was just makeup. I was sort of relieved b/c it was for the bridal portion of the catalog but kind of disappointed too when I realized doing both would have doubled my rate and I saw how simple the hair was that they wanted. But I guess b/c of the time constraints they thought it best to bring in both which I can totally understand (the original MUA was going to do both Hair & Makeup).

The one girl was already done so I only had two models to do. They were so easy and gorgeous. Great skin...god that makes things so much easier and quicker. Seriously, working in Shanghai made me forget how easy my job can be when you have a model w/ great skin (unfortunately a lot of models their did NOT have nice skin).

It was a super easy shoot though. Seriously, only two outfit changes and literally only 2.5 hrs of work for me. What a change for catalog shoots...again very different from Shanghai. In Shanghai they sometimes want 50-75 looks in one day!

So hopefully I'll get some more jobs again soon. The Toronto International Film Fest is going on right now and seriously it's one of my fav. times in the city. There's just a different energy and I love it! Who knows maybe I'll get a job assisting someone for that or something...I mean those things are always booked last minute. If nothing else I think this mth will be good for creatives. Troy Moth is back in town and we're already planning a few things and Todd Anthony Tyler is coming back to Canada at the end of the mth so that's very exciting too!

Another Brother Gets Married!

So my other brother Colin got married a little over a wk ago now in Montreal. This one was a little less hectic then the last one for the simple fact that I only had one wedding to go to in one city lol!

It was so nice to get away to Montreal for a few days and overall the weather was wonderful. It did rain when the reception was almost over but at least it held out during the outdoor ceremony...although it was a little hot out there I must admit lol...esp. since I was one of the Chuppah holders during the ceremony (my brother converted to Judaism for his wife).

It was a small wedding and overall fairly laid back and simple which is exactly what I would expect from the couple. It was great though b/c w/ it being so small there was a great sense of family and friendship that sometimes gets lost during bigger weddings.

I got to Andrea's (the bride) house early on Sunday morning to do the makeup. Again another first...it was my first Jewish wedding I'm always use to Saturday weddings lol. There were 4 bridesmaids and Andrea for makeup. Andrea's bridesmaids were all really pretty and easy to make up like Ania's bridal party (my other sister in law). What was great was that Andrea has an interesting mix of friends that come from a wide variety of ethnic backgrounds so it made it a lot of fun for me doing the makeup b/c I got to play up different features w/ different girls.

Her one friend Fang (who is Chinese) worried that I might not be able to put makeup on Asian ppl...that idea was quickly put to rest when she found out I lived and worked in Shanghai for over 6 mths lol!

For Andrea's makeup I wanted to keep everything fairly clean and simple b/c I know she wouldn't be comfortable w/ much more. Andrea has very pale, cool skin so I decided to use purples and greys for her eyes and they were the main focus. I also used a rather bold false lash that really brought it all together. It was so funny b/c to me it was obvious that the lashes were false but so many ppl actually thought they were real b/c you couldn't tell where the fake ones were. That is one of my biggest pet peeves in makeup actually. I can't stand when there is a space between the false and real lashes. The key is to get them as close to the real lash line as possible. I also like to take a mascara wand w/ a little mascara and then really blend the real lashes into the fake lashes so you really can't see the difference. For lips and cheeks I kept it really soft and natural w/ some soft pinks.

When I was in Shanghai I had a traditional silk Chinese dress made for myself so I was so excited to get the chance to wear it at the wedding. It looked amazing but I can tell you silk is not the best material to wear when standing outside on a hot and sunny day holding up part of a Chuppah lol!

Here's some pics from the big day!

The Happy Couple!

Colin, Andrea & Myself
Andrea & Her Bridal Party

The Couple Laughing During the Speeches - I Love This Candid Shot!
Close Up Pic of My Dress & Make Up

Post #100 - Assisting Liz Yu

Yeah my 100th post! How exciting! It will be even more exciting one day when I actually reach 100 followers...ways to go on that one though lol!

Anyway, I mentioned last wk that I assisted on a photo shoot and it was my first time assisting. Well wouldn't you know it I got my second chance at assisting later that wk. Last Sunday I got to assist Liz Yu (creator of Yaby) on a Runway Show for this Taiwanese designer that was visiting all the way here from Taiwan. I thought at first she might have hired me b/c of my vast experience on Asian models lol...but actually there was only one Asian model in the whole show to my surprise.

Liz also hired another assistant Whitney Sellors to help out. It's really weird in Toronto sometimes b/c you'll know a makeup artist's name and their work for a long time but you'll never have actually met which was the case w/ Whitney. I had heard her name for a few yrs now (the Toronto market gets small quick) but I had never actually met her. Totally nice and a great person to assist w/. It was also nice to hear that she reads this blog - Hi Whitney!

The look for the show was really soft. Grey eyeshadow w/ a bit of blue black smudged along the lashes, natural blush and a pink/nude shimmer lipstick or red if they were a special girl. There wasn't a face chart so to be honest my first model was totally not right but once I saw what Liz did w/ her first girl I figured it out.

What sucked was the models were all suppose to be there at 2 which although was super early was still the call time. By 4 I think only half the models had arrived. By the end one of the models never arrived which is totally uncalled for and unprofessional IMO. So at 7:30 we had a replacement girl come in where we had to scrub off a pound of makeup and mascara and comb out a head full of back combing to get her ready. She literally had all 3 of us poking and prodding at her to get her ready in time...but we did!

The other thing that kind of sucked was the show which was suppose to start at 8 didn't start till probably 8:30. The call time was 2 so all the girls had to get massive touch ups b/c the makeup had been sitting on their faces for so long and the curls had completely fallen out of their ponytails so it almost felt like we were doing things twice.

But overall it was a fun experience and it was great to finally work w/ Liz on something. I thought I had all the Yaby eyeshadows but after that show I realized there is definitely a few I need lol! Plus some new blushes and lipsticks too lol! I swear before I know it I going to become Liz's biggest promoter besides herself.

Here's a few behind the scenes pics of the girls.

The wonderful Liz Yu at work! She did amazing on those fingerwaves...I'm impressed!
All the Girls!

Thieves Look Book

Yesterday I got to work on my male grooming skills for a look book shoot for a clothing company called Thieves designed by Sonja den Elzen. The model Brett was from Elmer Olsen Models. What a sweetheart! He's only 18 and just got into modeling not too long ago but what a great look. Hopefully he'll go far.

The photographer was Maxime Bocken. A great young shooter in Toronto that I was actually hoping to meet so what a great opportunity. We did some outside shots as well as some in studio stuff. Can't wait to see the pics!

While I was at the shoot I also got a call from my agent for two half days of assisting which was a nice surprise. They know I want to get better at hair so basically the assisting job is helping out w/ hair and nails for the campaign and look book for Nada, a really cool Canadian designer. I did the campaign today (talk more abou that later ;) ) and the look book tomorrow. I was assisting a really talented (and nice) artist w/ Judy Inc. named Sabrina Rinaldi. She was totally helpful and I was a bit nervous...if you can believe it it was my first time EVER assisting lol. Nice not to have to bring my kit though I can tell you that ;)

Well here's some behind the scenes pics of the very sweet Brett for Thieves.

Me Fixing the Hair
Maxime Shooting

Jen Tse the Stylist adding some Accessories

Brett looking Pretty lol!

YTV Bumpers!

So yesterday I got to do my FIRST agency job! Considering it was my first I'd say it was a pretty big one. I got called last minute on Monday to fill in for another MUA who was sick. I got to be the Key MUA/Hair for a bunch of YTV Bumpers (promo ads) all revolving around a young magician. For those in Europe YTV is a kids TV network in the US and Canada...it's pretty big (at least to me).

So I was a bit nervous the night before b/c I literally had no info except my call time and location on Tues. Thankfully, my nerves were quickly put to rest once I was on set. Everyone on set was totally nice and what I had to do was super easy. One lead guy (the young magician Neil) and 3 sort of background teen actors. The magician Neil was a really nice young guy and he did some really cool tricks for us.

Thankfully the weather held out for us too. I was afraid of rain and in the morning it was super hot but it did cool down thankfully. So after the initial makeup I literally just had to powder all day (how easy is that)! Plus the food on set was AMAZING! I'm so use to doing crappy indie film work where they feed you crap food that it was so nice to have some great catering on set!

I was actually kind of hoping the MUA would be sick for the next two days of scheduled shooting but unfortunately for me she was fine for Weds. Still YTV is a great first credit to add to my agency resume and I was Key which is totally cool. I mean I didn't even have to assist anyone.

On another positive note I got my second agency job tomorrow! I'm working on a music video which is cool. What's scary is that I've actually agreed to a Key Hair Position. Not even doing makeup...JUST HAIR! This is beyond scary to me if you must know b/c hair is definitely not my strongest area. I've been trying to get better of course but I am after all still a makeup artist first and hair second. But guess what for all those newbies out there sometimes that happens. Sometimes even as an MUA you get called in to do Hair! So everyone wish me major luck tomorrow and I'm sure I'll have a story to tell :S ...hopefully a good one! I just need to keep tell myself - Fake It Till You Make It!

2 Weddings, 2 Cities, 1 DAY!

Last weekend I had the stressful pleasure of actually pulling off two weddings, in two different cities in 1 DAY! Oh did I mention one was my half brother's and I was doing the makeup for it lol!

Yeah so I had one wedding in London, ON - my brother's. I went to the rehearsal dinner and ceremony for that one (full Catholic service 1.5 hrs later :S lol) and then hoped on a train to Windsor, ON (my hometown) for the reception of a second wedding that my boyfriend was standing up in. I actually knew the groom from high school too. Definitely a LONG DAY. I was up at 6:30 am getting ready for the one b/c I kind of had to get ready before the bride and bridemaids arrived to my hotel room. Plus the ceremony happened to be unusually early - 11:30 and the girls (2 bridesmaids and the bride) were arriving from getting their hair done at my room at 9:15 and had to be makeup ready and dressed by 11:00. I did another bridesmaid earlier in the morning at 7:30 before she went and got her hair done.

Overall, it went really well and the girls were so easy to work on. I mean all of them were naturally beautiful so it wasn't exactly hard work to make them look their best. All of them wanted a pretty similar look which was fine w/ me b/c I never actually got to perform my usual mandatory trial on the bride b/c she lives in Montreal. I did a bronzy/brown smokey eye w/ more of a nude lip and a peach gloss. Added lashes to the bride and I really think it opened up her eyes a lot. She had never had false lashes before so it's always funny when a girl sees herself for the first time w/ them how different she thinks she looks. All the girls were super happy w/ their makeup which made me so happy b/c w/out a trial the last thing I wanted was for Ania (the bride) to hate her makeup on her special day. Can't wait to see the pics and add them to my bridal portfolio. I just hope the makeup lasted throughout the whole day b/c I wasn't their for touch-ups, but I did leave a touch-up kit w/ one of the bridesmaids w/ lip gloss, translucent powder and a puff and oil absorbing papers for oily skin.

The Windsor reception was nice and the food was great (definitely indulged A LOT too much lol). Next mth I have to do it all over again and go to Montreal for my other half brother's wedding. Yes, they both decided to get married in the same Summer. Of course I'm doing the makeup for this one too. Should be a little easier though. The wedding ceremony starts later and I don't have to rush off after the ceremony to another city I can actually enjoy the reception of this one. The only stressful part is this will be the first time the family will be meeting the bf :S lol! Anyone, who knows me knows this is a BIG deal as I NEVER introduce the family to anyone lol!

Me doing my thing...btw I put hair extensions in my hair if anyone was curious (suppose to be more curled but damn wind). Also I got the dress in the pic above in Thailand if anyone was wondering.
In the Church
New Happy Couple outside the Church - Gorgeous Dress!

Never Use Print100.com

So this is just a little rant of mine. I figure I write a blog this is what they are for sometimes lol. Plus I just want to warn ppl of this company b/c they DO NOT stand behind their 100% satisfaction guarantee offer that they have and that pisses me off even more.

So recently I ordered some new business cards. I went w/ this company Print100.com that had been suggested to me by another MUA. I had ordered business cards from them before and I was relatively happy so I wanted to go w/ them again. They are a Hong Kong company w/ really affordable rates, free FedEx and a money back (or reprint) guarantee so I thought how can I go wrong.

Well anyway, I ordered my cards and this time I even ordered a heavier stock paper so I was expecting a decent card. That was not the case at all. In fact my card w/ lighter and flimsier then the last set of cards I got from them! I don't know if they have changed their paper quality since the last time I ordered from them or something but I was not happy. I mean these cards just feel cheap so in all honesty I can't even really hand them out to anyone. My friend did a great job in designing them but the paper quality is just crap.

I figured that since they had a money back or reprint guarantee this wasn't really that big of a deal but guess what they reneged on their guarantee even though it is clearly stated on the website as such - NOT COOL AT ALL! So anyway, I thought I would just take this opportunity to put them on blast and say NEVER USE print100.com They DO NOT stand behind their GUARANTEES!

Btw here's the design my friend came up w/ for me. I like it. It's very simple and sleek.

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