Just for Fun

A while back, I got a Klutz Pom-Pom Monster Salon.  The other night, just for kicks, I made a monster for Eric.

I don't think he's named it yet.  Any ideas?

I like it!

I saw this posted online today:

A person who uses his hands is a laborer.
A person who uses his hands and his head is a craftsman.
A person who uses his hands, his head and his heart is an artist.
-Louis Nizer

When is face paint not face paint?

When it's craft paint!

When is it dangerous even if it's not craft paint? When it's not FDA-compliant or used improperly!

There's a good article in Monday's USA Today, that you can read here. It explains the allergic reactions - red rashes, etc. - that can result from using craft paint or face paint that's not the good stuff.

Face paint, after all, is not all created equal. That stuff you get at most Halloween stores is usually from China. Remember all those issues we had a while back with products from China? The pet food? The paint used on children's toys? Yeah, same country, similar issues.

The products I use are all labeled as makeup, not paint. So that's a start. If you're looking for face paints, look for makeup. Something to note: Face paint (as other cosmetics) are not FDA-approved. Under the law, the FDA does not approve cosmetics. What they approve is the pigments used in the cosmetics. This makes the makeup FDA-compliant, if one is being accurate. If someone tells you that the face paint he or she is using is FDA-approved, s/he's wrong.

Now, I'm going to assume that anyone reading this is bright enough to never, never, never use craft paint on his face or the face of his child. That means no acrylics, no temperas, no watercolors, no markers, no Sharpies. Non-toxic doesn't cut it. As a good friend of mine in Minnesota likes to say, habanero peppers are non-toxic, but you wouldn't want to rub them all over your face!

So... what about those Halloween kits you see at the stores this time of year?

They're... potentially OK. But pay attention.

If you buy a great-looking kit to do your son up as Darth Maul, and there's an awesome photo of just such a face on the packaging - read the entire package before you buy. If the label or packaging says to avoid the eye area with certain colors (like red or black, which is very common), listen to the packaging, no matter what the photo shows. The packaging and labeling trump the photography every time. Take it seriously.

If the makeup smells funny, ditch it. Do not try to use it, since it could be infected with bacteria or simply old and past its shelf life.

Your best bet? Hire a professional. Even if it's not me (there, now you know I'm not biased). Ask him or her what's being used. If you hear Snazaroo, Grimas, Paradise, Mehron, Fantasy WorldWide, or several other brands (do your research if you hear something unfamiliar), you're OK. If it's craft products, run. Run like the wind. Run like they're trying to give you the Swine Flu.

And the same goes for face painters who won't tell you what they use. If they won't tell you, it's because they have something to hide.

Glen Rock Street Fair

I'll be doing face painting and temporary tattoos at the Glen Rock Autumn Craft Street Fair this year!

The fair runs on October 4, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., in downtown Glen Rock, rain or shine.

Of course, if it's raining, glitter and ink temporary tattoos are a great thing, as they are water resistant.

Come find me and be my canvas!

Hermitage Craft Show

On Saturday, I had a booth at the Hermitage Craft Show in Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ. It was a beautiful day, and I had high hopes. Unfortunately, there wasn't a lot of foot traffic, but I did get some great painting in, sparse as it was.

This was my first customer of the day, a fellow vendor who's very talented sister is an artist and a singer. I'm jealous of the singing talent, for sure. All she asked was that I match the purple eyeshadow she was already wearing. I love it when someone picks "artist's choice!"

This next cutie wanted a Batman face, and let me take a photo, since I've revised the way I do it in recent months. The common element between the face below and the one above is the use of shimmer powders; they really just make a face work.

I brought my temporary tattoo kit with me in case of inclement weater when the water-resistant tattoos make more sense than face painting.

As it turns out, we had a beautiful, sunny day, but I did end up doing a few tattoos anyway, like this one.

While I had time to myself in between customers, I couldn't resist doodling. First, I tried out a more delicate design...

And then I had a little fun inventing this monster...

Again, the shimmer powder came through for sparkle and shading. I know I'm being too self-congratulatory, but I'm excited about this guy. How cute is he?

My last customer of the day was a terrific young man who decided on a dinosaur.

All in all, I was just glad to be out in the sun and painting, and even more glad for the smiles I got in return. There's just nothing like it.

Renaissance Faire, Take 32

The NY Renaissance Faire is 32 years old this year, and on Sunday I attended for my thirty-second consecutive summer. Two years ago, I bought Rennie garb, which has allowed me to do face painting, temporary tattoos, or henna at faires, as well as appear at parties in that costume.

This year, I expanded my costume wardrobe yet again; for my birthday, my husband got me pirate garb! You know what this means... I can now appear at your parties as a pirate! I already had a hat that I'd left home, so I'm not wearing it in this photo, but it's perfect; a buccaneer hat complete with feathers.

A note about the NY Ren Faire. Please, if you are going to attend and feel the need to get painted, demand that the artists not use acrylic paints or craft glitters. They do have some proper products with them, but they tend to use them for only part of the design, then using acrylic paints for the majority of their designs, and putting craft glitter near eyes. I've already remarked on the dangers this poses, here. They are good artists, and nice enough people, but they refuse to listen to anyone who tells them that FDA-compliant cosmetic products are a must.