New on the Facebook Page - and Free!

If you're not already a fan, you'll want to like and follow

Face & Body Art by Larissa on Facebook.

We've got something new on the page, #FridayFunDay, and every Friday, a new completely free and completely original downloadable activity sheet will post for your child to enjoy!

All you have to do is print the crossword, word search, maze, or coloring page.  Print as many as you like, and feel free to share!

Be sure to email or PM back your child's completed coloring page for the opportunity to have the artwork featured on the page too!

Solutions to the crosswords and word searches will be posted as a comment in the corresponding original post the next Friday.

An Award!

For the first time in my 15 and a half years as a professional face painter, I decided to enter an international face painting competition, and it was worth it - I was awarded 3rd Place for international 2019 Face Painter of the Year!

FACE, the organization that certified me as a face painter, has a yearly conference, which took place this past weekend in Northern Ireland. Although I wasn't able to be there, since I'll be in Chicago later this month for my own 10 year wedding anniversary with Eric, I was able to enter two of the competitions via email, so I did!

The Showcase Face theme this year was Magic of Ireland.

Everything in the painting, except Giants Causeway (County Antrim), is based on photos that I took during our honeymoon in Ireland 10 years ago in Counties Wicklow, Kerry, and Cork.

That face placed me 3rd in the Showcase Face competition!

The Working Face competition had a time limit, and a Maritime theme.

While it didn't win or place, the points from the Maritime face, combined with the points I received for the Magic of Ireland face, placed me 3rd as international Face Painter of the Year too!

'Tis the Season

Eric and I had such a great time at holiday parties this year!

We had a repeat performance at a corporate holiday party - our third year! - with face painting and temporary tattoos.

And then I had the best time ever on Christmas Eve, where I was hired to face paint at a family party ... dressed in elf!

The family was terrific, and I had such a blast. 

I got to play the character the whole time, which was hysterical when one of the kids asked how I'd gotten there, and I told him the truth - Santa had let me borrow one of his spare sleighs.  The boy wanted to see it, so I explained to him that Santa's magic disguised the sleighs, so that when human eyes looked at them, they looked like regular cars, and showed him my Ford Escape out the window, which he understood was obviously proof of Santa's magic!

On top of that, I was so good this year that Santa let me hand out his gifts to the kiddos in his stead.  I honestly teared up at the honor.  It made my night.

For New Years, I was at a country club with friends, face painting at a blacklight glow party, and got my first ever request for a ram!

Nothing says New Year's Eve, though, like a glowing zombie!

Absolutely nothing.

New Brushes

I was contacted by someone who distributes a brand of face painting brushes I'd never heard of before, Artacts brushes.  She asked me to do a video review in exchange for receiving the brushes, so I agreed.

I received them the other day, and first tried them tonight.  All opinions are truthful and my own.


They really are terrific, and the next time I need new brushes, I'll be ordering them myself, from here.

Practice, Practice

You can never have too much practice, and I've joined a challenge for the next month, with one of my body art Facebook groups, to do some sort of body art practice every day.  So on Tuesday evening, I pulled out my face paints, especially some new colors and brands I have, and practiced some sea life cheek art.  I felt like my sharks were in a rut and wanted to try something new... so I did!  And then I kinda kept going.

Not bad, if I do say so myself!

Cherry Reds, Chapter 4: The July 4th Edition

I had a great time again Friday evening, face painting at Cherry Reds in Wyckoff.  As an aside, I highly recommend the blueberry, strawberry, and banana smoothie, which is my absolute favorite.

My first "customer" of the evening was one of the owners, who suggested a koi - my very first time painting one!

And then this little cutie's grandma suggested something patriotic for the holiday.  Good thing, too, since at my actual annual July 4 event at the Indian Trails Club, we were so slammed I didn't have time for a single photo!  Without this one, I'd have no patriotic photos at all this year.

Later in the evening, a contingent of teens came in, some of whom were visiting from Texas.  Great group of girls, and so fun!

They were all into the sea life...

... and a dog.

Strawberry Social

I had several events last weekend, but only took photos of one painting, because it was too adorable - and funny - not to!

The theme of the first birthday was "Strawberry Social," and this friend of the family took it in stride.  There's seriously nothing better than an adult with a stellar sense of humor, and nothing more fun to paint than a bald head.

It was a great compliment too, as he's an artist in his own right but was impressed with my work!

Zombie Land

I recently painted and did glitter tattoos at a 7th birthday party at Frank's Pizza in Oakland, NJ.  It was a fun place for a party, actually; the kids got to make their own personal pizzas in between getting their balloons from the twister the family hired and face painting and tattoos from me.

The birthday girl chose a leopard, and her little sister a lion cub.

They were so cute.  My little lion kept roaring, even through the singing of Happy Birthday!

I had a couple more cats, too, of both the wild and house variety.

This time, the odd faces out were the monkey, butterfly, and smilie.

Why?  Because even more popular than my cats were my zombies!  We had a whole zombie horde, all shuffling and moaning and groaning.  They were out-and-out hilarious.

 

Better watch out!