How much do you weigh in terms of kittens? Compare weight!

Have you ever wondered exactly how many iPads, table tennis balls, blueberry muffins or even grains of sand it would take to equal your body weight? To have this curiosity answered, visit the fun new weightandthings.com by Withings. Just enter your actual weight and instead of it telling you whether your weight is good or bad, it will simply provide you with a series of amusing weight comparisons.


I think this website is from the makers of the same Withings WiFi scale I purchased from Apple last Christmas. It was slightly expensive for a scale ($100+), but it had some great features like wirelessly sending your weight to your iPhone or laptop. Anyway, have fun comparing weight! I'll let you know that I'm worth a lot of sushi by weight. ;)
Disclosure: This post contains sponsored content.

Around the World Blogging: AU's CommunityChannel

Natalie Tran being her usual self. (photo from lonelyplanet)

Natalie Tran, better known as CommunityChannel on Youtube, is the number one video blogger in Australia. Her videos are funny in a very relatable, self-deprecating kind of way. Her video topics vary from personal updates to false promises of lamingtons. It took me quite a few videos to learn to appreciate her and her sense of humor, but once I got there, I was sold for life. Unfortunately, she hasn't released many videos in the past year. Fortunately, there are still many videos to choose from as she has produced nearly 300 videos in the past 5 years.

Natalie cab be initially perceived as crude, dorky or strange, but give her time and she'll grow on you. She might still be crude, dorky and strange after you get to know her, but you'll learn to appreciate her for it. She is an intelligent girl and it shows (most of the time). :)

Some of my favorite videos from Natalie include:

Gorgeous Handmade Gift Wrap Ideas

Polka Dot Gift Wrap Ideas
Custom Gift Wrap
If you like these polka dotted gift wraps, head over to Project Wedding and learn how to customize your own. Chelsea Fuss teaches readers how to wrap chocolate bar party favors, but you can easily integrate these cute and simple designs for any gift. They're super easy to make and super cute too!

Homemade Gift Wrap
On her Lovely Junk blog, India de Beaufort teaches readers how to add flowers and accents to ordinary gift wraps. Did I mention that she is also one of the most talented and beautiful woman I've ever seen? If you don't know about her, India stars in ABC Family's Jane by Design. You can also visit her website to hear her beautiful singing. I really can't say enough good things about India!

Around the World Blogging: Singapore's Xiaxue

I'm writing an Around the World Blogging series in which I feature influential bloggers from... well, around the world. Please do me a favor and recommend some of your favorite blogs below! Today's feature is Xiaxue, or Wendy Cheng, from Singapore.
Xiaxue Wendy
Xiaxue poses with her pet bunny. (photo from xiaxue.sg)
Xiaxue is probably the most popular blogger in Singapore. Her blog is thoroughly entertaining, but not completely enlightening. She is extremely honest, but also abrasive, rude, insulting and vain. Despite all of that, her blatant bitchiness and bluntness keeps me coming back for more. She is completely uncensored. Reading her blog is kind of like a guilty pleasure. Her blog contains mostly beautifully photoshopped pictures of herself in addition to a lot of crude observations and angry rants. I love her honesty - but I don't and can never love her. Being the honest person that she is, she can be very quick to attack anyone for saying or doing anything that she finds unpleasant. She is also very defensive whenever she is criticized. She is totally hypocritical in that sense. As she admits to all her faults, however, I somehow learn to accept them. I still cringe when she berates someone for something very small (that she would do or probably have done before). Still, I have been a silent reader of her works for many years and continue to check out her blog every now and again.

Giveaway: Do Bloggers Need Business Cards?

The demand for blogger business cards has been increasing in recent years and many bloggers have jumped to write about the trend du jour. Ling from the Best Beauty Blog expressed the necessity of business cards at blogger conferences, Bree from the Blog Stylist explains on her blog all you need to know about business cards and Zoe from the London Lipgloss calls business cards priceless in terms of blog networking.

Free Business Card Giveaway

I personally have never ordered blog business cards as I don't attend blogger conferences or even mingle with people in real life. (Hey, I'm working on that.) Although I do not own blogging business cards, I have to admit that I'm intrigued. I will be attending some blogging events in the near future. I think about how handy it would be to have some on hand. Mostly though, I think about how pretty I can make them.

Luckily, UPrinting.com, a business cards online business, is sponsoring a giveaway to give one reader a chance to win some of their die-cut business cards. I have not tried their printing service, but I have to say that their rounded corner business cards look enticing. I'm excited try some for myself! This giveaway is a great opportunity for a blogger and start up business owner to get her own business cards. If you're at all interested, please enter away as it takes only a few seconds.

Favorite Personal Fashion/Lifestyle Blogs

Buy Now Blog Later
buy now, blog later is a shopping blog written by Laura (also previously known as lollipop26). Laura's beauty and fashion reviews are both quirky and honest. Her entertaining writing is lighthearted yet intimate and allows readers to live (and shop) vicariously through her blog.

Cupcakes and Cashmere
Cupcakes and Cashmere is where Emily shares the details of her personal life as well as her advice and wisdom on home organization, fashion, beauty and cooking. She is a beautiful gem, both inside and out. Her photographs are top quality and the writing that accompanies them brings life into every shot.

A Cup of Jo
A Cup of Jo is written by the sweet, amiable Joanna. As a writer, a mother and a wife, Joanna shares some of the most fascinating stories and tidbits of her life. She'll blog about anything from fashion to bikes to yummy treats for the little ones.

Best Delicate Skull Jewelry from Etsy

I've been seeing more and more skull jewelry on the market in recent years. Skulls aren't limited to just gothic fashion anymore. They also come in delicate and fine, dainty and all. Some of my favorite skull pieces from Etsy are below:

Dainty Gold Skull Necklace
Tiny Gold Skull Necklace (photo by DaydreamParlour)

Tiny Skull Gold Bracelet
Tiny Skull Bracelet (photo by PetiteCo)

Gold Skull Earrings
Memento Mori Gold Earrings (photo by atelierlaf)

Sigma Brow and Lashes & Angled Brow Review

Sigma has recently released two new brushes, the Sigma E75 and Sigma E80. I've shared the preview info on Twitter before, but now it's time to release the full review. I think many of us have been anticipating the release of these brushes for quite some time now. Sigma has always offered a plethora of affordable quality brushes. They have been loved for making their versatile professional brushes available to the public. Anything professional makeup artists had the advantage of using, Sigma made accessible and affordable to every day people. It hasn't been until recently, however, that they've developed the most needed brow brushes. And it's about time. Eyebrows are one of the most important features of the face, yet often the most neglected.

Sigma Beauty Eye Brow Brushes

Free Schick Hydro Silk Razor

Schick has generously offered 200 free Schick Hydro Silk Razor to the readers of this blog! The first 200 readers who signup here will receive it. Unfortunately, this offer is only available to readers with US mailing addresses. Did I mention that each of our followers receive an additional six razors to share with their friends? (This isn't a sponsored post or anything; I just thought this offer was too generous to pass up.) Have fun with your new razor and enjoy sharing the additional freebies with your friends or blog readers. ;)
Free Schick Razor Coupon
    Schick Hydro Silk Razor:
  • A special water-activated Moisturizing Serum hydrates to replenish skin’s natural moisture throughout each shave. It’s infused with nourishing marine extracts and rich shea butter. 
  • 5 Curve Sensing Blades deliver an incredibly close shave for silky smooth skin. 
  • Skin Guards are added to each blade, doubling the points of contact between the blades and the skin. The blades and Skin Guards work together to smooth your skin as you shave and to reduce irritation. 
  • The Compact Oval Cartridge is designed exclusively for the contours and curves of a woman’s body including those hard to reach places. 
  • Aqueous Soft Touch Handle is ergonomic by design with a soft rubber grip and is inspired by water for a beautiful look. The patent-pending duck bill feature enables the razor to be placed on a flat surface while holding the cartridge head away from that surface. 

A New Direction for Handmade Reviews

I started Handmade Reviews in 2010 with the intent of making it a personal lifestyle blog that would loosely focus on health, beauty, fashion and blogging. As time went by, I found myself writing more and more beauty and cosmetic product reviews. I eventually decided to turn Handmade Reviews into a pure beauty blog. Having a blog with a specific, narrow topic meant that I could get to know my audience better. It also meant that I would become a part of the tight-knit beauty blogging community. It has been good. So good. I have developed relationships with a lot of great people, bloggers and readers alike. But despite how great everything has been, I believe that some changes are now necessary for this blog to continue.

Even though Handmade Reviews has been labeled as a "beauty blog" for the past two years, it hasn't been that wholly. And despite the fact that I've been calling myself a "beauty blogger" for the past years, I am not one. Not truly and wholeheartedly. From time to time, I find myself wanting to write style posts or posts about household items, health, homes, life, blogging, etc. And I do write them, but guiltily so. I've gained a good following of readers throughout the years. Most readers subscribe for beauty posts, so I feel incline to write only those.

At this point in my life, however, I feel so much passion for other things in life that I can't bare to omit them in my blogging any longer. I want to explore not only beauty, but the aspects of beauty blogging, fashion blogging, or just dining and wining in general. I understand that I can always start a new blog for my other interests, but this blog is a representation of me. It should reflect my passion. And starting today, it will.

This does not mean that I will not continue writing about beauty. I will continue to write as I have always written. It's just that I will probably be writing more - and about a lot more things.

P.S. I am not about to bombard you with posts on my outfit of the day, blogging tips, household product reviews or anything like that. Far from it. I actually haven't planned for any posts but beauty-related ones. As you must have noticed, I've been very behind in my writing. I've promised a lot of reviews that have not yet appeared. Please be patient with me. I have a lot of posts planned and I will definitely produce them. I just want to write this post so readers aren't surprised once I start yammering about Italian fashion or something.
Handmade Reviews Lifestyle Blogger Katherine

Sigma June 2012 Coupon and Free Sigma E05 Brush

Check out the NEW JUNE 2012 Sigma COUPON -->
Sigma Coupon Code April 2012
Sigma is now giving away a free Sigma E05 brush with every purchase over $30.

The new April 2012 10% off Sigma coupon and April 2012 Sigma giveaway are both up! Enjoy your Sigma brushes, discounts, specials and gift certificates. ;)

Sigma Brushes Coupon April 2012

APRIL2012   10% off  Sigma order plus FREE gift when you click coupon code and enter APRIL2012 into coupon box on Sigma checkout page.

(Sigma Coupon Expires April 31, 2012) New April 2012 Sigma Coupon Code!

View the complete list of Sigma Coupon Codes
Click to enter the new April 2012 Sigma Giveaway!

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. I am never compensated for my opinion. My priority is always to my readers and I express only my honest opinion in every post. Read Handmade Reviews' full disclosure and honesty policies.