The winners are:

A. Coll, 2600; K. Mendoza, 3076; S. Shirren, 6020; M. Cormack, 2795; P. Davies, 2527; H. Tomlinson, 4211; K. Petras, 3129; B. Gibbs, 2731; A. Price, 3194; L. Jilka, 2154.

Olympus has announced the E-620 digital SLR camera, which the manufacturer claims to be the world’s lightest with in-built image stabilisation.

The E-620 weighs in at just under 500 grams (475g to be exact) and is expected to be one of the more affordable dSLR cameras on the market. Local pricing is yet to be released (we won’t see the camera until April), but US pricing has been announced as US$700 (body only).

Despite being one of the more cost-effective digital cameras in its category, the Olympus E-620 has some features and functionality seen in higher-end cameras, including a 2.7-inch LCD screen. Its built-in flash also offers support for wireless off-camera flash synchronisation.

Other specifications include 12.3-megapixels of resolution, 4fps burst speed and four aspect ratios.

Click here to find offers on Olympus digital cameras from retailers near you.

By Caroline Warnes

New Zealand jewellery house Meadowlark has obviously been inspired by Zoolander’s Derelicte fashion collection with these apple core earrings.

Honestly though these earrings are pretty unique and they come in either sterling silver or 9ct yellow gold. The sterling silver version will cost you around $60 in local currency while the gold version is a more pricey $245.

I only recently discovered Meadowlark jewellery and they have some nice pieces. The serpent cocktail ring is gorgeous, though pretty expensive at $345 (I’ll stick with my owl ring for now).

The collection also includes necklaces, brooches, bracelets and cufflinks.

Meadowlark jewellery is only stocked in two boutiques in Queensland in Australia, otherwise you will need to buy it online.

By Caroline Warnes

I don’t wear mascara very often - frankly it’s a pain to apply and remove on a daily basis - but when I do wear it, I’ve always been a Maybelline fan.

In my opinion, Maybelline makes by far the best mascaras for under $20 (Christian Dior’s DiorShow Ionic is the best overall, but will set you back over $50).

However several of the Maybelline mascaras come remarkably close to emulating the Dior look, for less than half the price. Full ‘N Soft has always been a winner.

I’m yet to try the new Maybelline mascara - XXL Curl Power - but have read some good things. Maybelline says it will dramatically curl and extend your lashes by 45 degrees from root to tip, wtih up to 12 hours or hold and no clumping. It comes in three shade: very black, soft black and brownish black (very black will give you the most dramatic effect).

You can buy Maybelline products from selected pharmacies and department stores.

By Caroline Warnes

Sony Ericsson will unleash the first 12-megapixel camera phone to hit the Australian market later this year.

The phone, which is yet to be finished, has been codenamed “Idou” by the manufacturer, CNET is reporting. It is expected to be available in the second half of this year.

According to reports from the GSMA World Congress, the Sony Ericsson Idou is being positioned as a multimedia powerhouse, combining the groundbreaking 12-megapixel camera with a vibrant 3.5-inch 16:9 touchscreen display and a media player that plays video in landscape mode.

The design of the Idou appears to be similar to that of a standalone digital camera, thanks to the rear sliding cover.

Further details of the phone will be made available in the months to come.

Click here to find offers on Sony Ericsson mobile phones from retailers near you.

By Caroline Warnes

How well do you know your sporting trivia?

If you think you know your stuff, put your money where your mouth is at Dick Smith and you could win the ultimate Sony sports entertainment pack.

The Sony prize package consists of a 46-inch Bravia LCD TV, Muteki home theatre system, Blu-Ray player and Handycam and is worth over $5500 all up.

Enter the competition online here. You have until March 16.

Only recently has the existence of something called the handbag hook come to my attention. As the name suggests, the handbag hook is a hook for your handbag. You can carry it around with you and slip it onto the table at bars, restaurants and other places with tables and floors of unknown cleanliness to protect your handbag from dirt and damage. Not to mention it makes life a lot easier - your bag is literally right in front of you.

If you browse around your local shops, there are plenty of specialty and gift stores who sell variations of the handbag hook. There is also a heap of sites, including one local site that specialises in them, Hooked on Accessories.

This site is actually really cute - I love the vintage look hooks here, and the crystal hooks should appeal to anyone who loves bling.

If only I had discovered these ingenious “handbag hooks” before I systematically ruined my Balenciaga city bag over the course of two years.

Image from Silvias Shop

By Caroline Warnes

We are giving away a $300 shopping spree at Barefoot Tess, a website that specialises in shoes for women with larger feet.

The owners of this US-based site have collaborated with popular designers such as Steve Madden to offer stylish shoes up to a size 15.

The site has recently opened an Australian section and is offering free international shipping for orders over $300.

To be in the running to win this prize, we’d like to hear your most embarrassing story involving large feet in 200 words or less. Visit the Down Under section of the Barefoot Tess site here to submit your entry. Entries close next Thursday.

Competition terms and conditions

$55 may seem a little overpriced for a mere umbrella, but this one from Oroton is no mere umbrella.

Well, actually, it is just an umbrella, in the sense that it doesn’t double as a laser gun or cure cancer. But Oroton’s umbrellas have a reputation for being sturdy, well-made and long-lasting, unlike your average $10 supermarket variety.In fact, most umbrellas I buy these days don’t seem to last the first moderate gust of wind. They just don’t make them like they used to.

Seeing as our weather has become so prone to mood swings of late, going from showers to humid heat in the space of an hour, I have decided to invest in an Oroton umbrella at the first possible opportunity (ie, next pay day, or if I find $50 on the street before then).

I love the large version in Oroton’s signature print, as pictured here, but you can also get smaller fold-up versions and the decorative O version is pretty, too.

By Caroline Warnes

I can’t believe the Oscars have rolled around again for another year.

I love the Oscars. Well, not so much the ceremony itself, which just seems to be gratuitous industry backslapping. But I love the red carpet arrivals. It seems to be the one day of the year when I can legitimately sit at work looking at pictures of celebrities posing without appearing to be slacking off.

It’s also the day for which the best designer frocks are reserved. If you can’t look good at the Oscars, then you really have no hope.

I’ll update on the red carpet as new photos come through. My thoughts on the arrivals (click on the name to see a photo):

Miley Cyrus: Who?

Mario Lopez: What is AC Slater from “Saved by the Bell” doing at the Oscars? And did he fall into a vat of fake tan on the way there?

Freida Pinto: Loved her so much in “Slumdog Millionaire”, and love the colour of the gown, but the exectuion is a bit beauty pageant. It actually looks kind of cheap: picture

Vanessa Hudgens: I don’t know who this person is, but can I just say that I am so sick of fishtail gowns. Boring. I do like the lace detail though.

Lisa Rinna: Everything is too big. The earrings, the hair, the lips… holy hell, the lips. Ease off the Restylane.

Mickey Rooney: That’s weird. I could have sworn he was dead.

Heidi Klum: Am I the only one who gets the impression Heidi Klum is just a big dag in person. Her outfits always look slightly off.

Sarah-Jessica Parker: Has she had a boob job? Matthew Broderick is beginning to resemble a congenial butler.

Beyonce: I think she forgot to put on her jewellery and weave. I’m undecided on the dress. On one hand, it’s a fishtail. On the other, the gold detail is kind of cool. On the first hand again, get over yourself Beyonce.

Marion Cotillard: Last year’s winner for Best Actress. NOW THAT’S A FROCK! Why are the French so eternally stylish?

Jessica Biel: Good to see she tucked a napkin into the front of her potato sack before she left the house.

Penelope Cruz: Disappointing - she’s so beautiful but never takes risks.

Anne Hathaway: I’ll bet you a million dollars this dress is a Marchesa. The cut is flattering, although I’m a bit over sequins.

Kate Winslet: She’s hot. Love the dress. Hope she finally wins.

Sophia Loren: After the ceremony she’s heading to a wild wild west dress up party at the Last Chance Saloon.

Angelina Jolie: Oh come on. This is getting ridiculous. The woman doesn’t ever try. Well then again she probably has better things to do. Like adopt the population of a small country. Brad Pitt’s moustache looks stupid.
Photos from News.com.au and Getty Images

By Caroline Warnes