Ah 2013 - I've Been Expecting You

Happy New Year everyone, for an inspection of Twitter you seemed of got a little merry last night. I spent my evening on the sofa with the husband avoiding the bits that made me feel queasy in the film Prometheus, as well as watching the fireworks in London on TV.

I have no New Year resolutions because I never seem to keep them with all the best intentions. I know what I need to do this year - finish my BTEC coursework before February, carrying on blogging and stop worrying so much about life itself.

Over the past year this blog was born, I've turned 30, lost a job, and gained a job. I've been poor and then poorer and have been on a spending ban for as long as I can remember. However, through the support of husband, family and friends, I haven't gone barking mad just yet.

2013 will hopefully bring a little more stability and balance with life and blogging - As I've said my BTEC is due to finish in over a months time as well my home moving into something smaller (I'm still working out how to move my make up kit over!).

For now I shall leave you from one of the pictures I've been editing today from my assignment and once again with you all a very happy and beauty filled new year.

My BTEC in Make Up Artistry Course

Currently being a Beauty Swot!

As you can tell this week that blog enteries are a little thin on the ground, for those who don't know I am currently studying for my BTEC Level 2 Intermediate Certificate Make Up Artist. After many years of doing it in a sales environment, I decided to put what I've learnt into a bit of paper to confirm that I can do it.

I enrolled with ICS Distance Learning, the great advantage of this is that I can fit in around the times I'm working as well as finish quicker than the year you are given to complete. It does however require a lot of will power to do sometimes, the literature says that you should allocate 3 hours a week to complete. I have been lazy and haven't done some for a few months, however my life is now settled down enough that I can do my first practical piece this weekend (now I have the funds to buy the last pieces of equipment but also having a functioning hand after hurting myself a few weeks back).

The course is split into four assessments:

1. Personal and Career Development as well as legal requirements
2. Preparing skin for Make Up treatment
3. Demonstrating a range of make up designs
4. Demonstrating a range of make up designs for catwalk, special effects and occasions.

You do get supplied with some items for use like a textbook, skin care pack, disposable items, etc. Make up you need to purchase yourself, I have been building a kit over the years and it's not even close to being finished yet! Each practical assessment needs to be provided with photographic evidence of every stage, so you will need to be prepared for a model as well as photographer will you work.

It is a great course, as I have said that it suits my work times and when I want to do more it has that flexibility. I think I have found it easier with my background in already working as a artist for Estee Lauder, as a beginner I would of found it much harder to do as a lot of it is from textbooks (your tutor is at the end of a email). The course fee itself is £557 at the moment, and I pay mine monthly at around £60 for 9 months, there is also a £58.50 fee to pay to the assessment board on starting. If you want to read more then try the ICS Distance website

If all goes well I can post some of the pictures of evidence so you can see what I am doing next week.

This post was not sponsored, I just wanted to write about my course in case someone was thinking about it.