I spent today in Glasgow at a networking event for media professionals where I met a number of fantastic and talented web designers and computer game developers. I am the first to admit I know nothing about either area however they guys made me feel welcome and part of the crew.

So thank you very much. I followed this with a trip round House of Fraser's with my friend Alex, we did the tour of the make up counters. I stopped in to price up new brushes, yes I am obsessed!

I had a look at Urban Decay and Bobbi Brown. Have to say thank you to the girls on both counters for being so accommodating and chatting.

And as I have now discovered my cousin Carrie Murdoch is working for Shisedo over at John Lewis, I am very proud of her she has worked extremely hard to get where she is and I should visit more often and catch up. But like everything else when do I get time?!?!

Come see me this weekend at the Princess trust fundraiser organised by Sonia Scott (all talent UK) the agency.

One of the calls I make regularly is to my agent John, at this point I could make cheap jokes about avoiding dealing with me because I have called twice in the last two days but I try and share info with him as often as I can because what benefits me benefits him really.

So we chatted briefly today about the different things that are on the go. I am not busy enough just now, its driving me insane!!

I am one of those people who needs to be constantly busy to keep going. I guess my mind wanders if I am not to careful and that is not good, in a way it reminds me of my current track list on my mp3 which includes Madonna's sorry and my favourite Sophie Ellis bexter track; heartbreak make me a dancer.

Why do I do this to myself, well I suppose because music makes me happy. My ritual of a morning is to switch on my music and drink coffee as I dance round the living room, something my little dog finds odd. Well at least judging from the expression on his face.

I am looking into picking some new pieces up for my kit including:

more effects make up from the treasure house
Some palettes from unmask the beauty
and brushes from crown.

I will be posting pics soon, I want to play around with my new SLR camera and get some new pics done. So I will include a shot of the dog to.

In the meantime I want share with you Sophie's track and video, hope you like it as much as I do.

I was on model mayhem this morning and reading the odd thread, even on my off time I am still keeping track of things, and noticed a thread on essentially credit stealing.

What is it about people that makes them think this is acceptable?

I have had this happen to me and nipped it in the bud really quickly. I rarely take on assistants or work with other artists for this reason. My work can be done solo. I have worked in teams and seen an alarming lack of respect for their fellow artists.

Is it just me thats seeing this or is across the board?

More than once I have seen shows and shoots organised and I have been working as a make up artist under a less expereinced artsit and the first question I ask is whats mny brief? What do you as the key want me to do? I then check the details of my work, I don't get pissy and huffy if I have to change something slightly, or have to check my work with a senior artist.

Its the job. Its the chain of command.

I had to explain this to a trainee at a show once and it just didn't sink in:

As a make up artist you are always working to a brief. When you go on a photo shoot you are given a brief to follow. It might be glam rock. So you come up with a look that supports that. if it isn't right then it has to be redone.

Its all about time and money.

The brief might be minimal, my favourite was from a director who said "Just do what you do." he knew my work and was happy to let me get on with it. This might not always be the case.

I have watched people and admittedly this was students, who having got the breif immediately started competing with each other. What started as a trashy ended up being glam.

This was not what they were asked for and it showed a lack of maturity in thier skills as an artist. The designer gives a brief I follow, if my team doesn't listen then I am the one in the frontline as the key.

So why is it when working its still acceptable to try and make your job bigger than it is?

"I wasn't an assistant I was the personal make up artist to....." Translation: I was being supervised by the key who assigned me an actor to work on. So that they could see my skill base.

"I don't do assistant." Translation: no one will put up with me.

"Well I am only doing this because your working on it." Translation, I need the contacts and you have been around longer so I can pick your brains discreetly.

"I worked on a music video for a really well known artist, organised models and did all the design work. It was a privilidge to be there" Translation: I was working for free and they took advantage of the fact that I was desperate for the credit.

"I don't really want to do corporate or weddings, I prefer artistic shoots and glamorous make up." Translation: I can't get that work, tell me how you get or better yet give me your client list!


Sometimes this businessis frustrating but I am still here.

I have had another class this week with the fantastic drama department at Ayr college. The students who ranged from the NC to HND students all participated and made the class run smoothly.

We covered all the basics of stage make up. The highlight was workingg with the brusise wheels and creating some bruising, scratches and making people look generally gorey.

I want to say a big thank you to Helen Fratter for asking me to teach the class and add that any time you need me your welcome to call I am very impressed with the students and the skills they learn in the department.

Many of my friends are asking me to push myself further and go into the production side of the business. Iam planning to make a horror movie. Why casue I love them and have idea's that I would love to be able to see made.

So fingers crossed I will (finally) get this done.

I have been really busy between one thing and another its been a really busy week. I am touch with a new supplier who has been great to work with and is very accomidating when it comes to finding products for me and we chat for ages about the biz, so kudos for unmask the beauty.

I need to say a big thank you to the girls at treasure house of make up who were fantastic this week and sent me products on short notice for a video project with unscene productions. Yes the buried treasure shoot was this weekend.

I have included a small selection of the photos for you my readers and hope that you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed working on the shoot.

My assistant/make up artist for the weekend was Aileen who preformed every task with cheer and made my life alot easier.

Its official I once again have a website. I decided to focus my energy on getting something out there. I have had people contact me about working with them and honestly its less hassle to send them a CV and the link to my website. But like everything else I have been so busy on other things I neglected it.

So finally I have done it. My new official website is:

wwww.illusionsbyjc.com

I thought my work is essentially creating an illusion: for film, theatre, print or just teaching people how to create realistic wounds and lacerations. So the name sprung from there.

I hope you all like the site as much as I do.

OK most people spend their Sunday cleaning their cars, checking up emails, paying bills and generally organising themselves or just relaxing. Not me, I decided to update some images in my book. Spending a little time on it I created a small casualty make up. The photo was taken by me using my every trusty fuji finepix camera and using some of my teaching stock of bruise wheels, wax and blood.

My younger sister agreed to be my victim to help create this and her time was greatly appreciated. Why am I doing this you ask? Well I am in the middle of revamping my business, I will be doing a major re marketing effort over the next few weeks and months, a new, shiny flash website will be up and running soon to showcase the best images in my collection and I will be making steps toward creating new images myself with my trusty camera.

I promise this is all fake and that Donna was not hurt during the application of this make up (although it was tempting)!

Keep watching for updates and news.