It's all about me!

Ahh Christmas. It means even more excuses to go shopping. Funnily enough, I always go out with a list of things to buy other people and only seem to come home with things for myself. One for you, two for me!

So, as usual, I'm hunting for things for Boyfriend and Sister and end up finding a bunch of stuff I love. You've all seen the 'boys are stupid, throw rocks at them' cartoon by Todd Goldman. Todd has over 5,000 designs that he has slapped on t-shirts, pyjamas, hoodies and all manner of accessories, which can be found at www.davidandgoliathtees.com. I was blown away with the awesomeness (not a real word?) of his stores The Stupid Factory over in the States, so was incredibly delighted to discover the site ships internationally (woohoo! are you listening Sephora?), and they promise 4-6 business days with UPS tracking. Rare.

For myself, a couple of lovely light pj sets for summer ('Spooning Leads To Forking' and 'I'm A Hoot'), for Sister 'It's All About Me' (incredibly appropriate) and 'You Rock, You Rule' pjs and for Boyfriend 'Duck Duck Goose World Champion' shirt.

You can spend hours browsing through the site, laughing at all the cute cartoons. and it's almost guaranteed you can find something for everyone you know. I know I did, although I mainly bought stuff for me.

Price: The accessories start from as cheap as US$1.00, unfortunately UPS international shipping is very expensive (think upwards of $40 if you're buying clothes)
From: David and Goliath tees or The Stupid Factory (in the US)
Why you need it: Perfect for that personalised gift with a touch of humour. Plus, this stuff isn't widely available in Aus so you'll be original.

Ugh

Todays post is brought to you by Panadols new Rapid Handipak. The pack is slim and stylish looking (well, as stylish as a pack of painkillers can look) and, golly gosh, the pain relieving goodness works its magic a treat.

I have bought so much cool stuff in the last few days that I am dying to write about, but it has taken all my strength just to bring you todays post. I'll be back tomorrow I swear! In the meantime, I'm going back to bed.

Price: $3.50
From: supermarkets, chemists etc etc.
Why you need it: To fix your achin' head

And now your good deed for the week...

I love to buy stuff. Things and objects give me great joy. But every now and then I find something wonderful to spend my money on that, while I don't have anything to take home and play with at the end of the day, still gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling inside.

After much coercing, one of my friends in the office decided to do his bit for charity and grow a mo. Movember is all about raising awareness of mens health issues by having some fun (usually at the growee's expense) while getting cash for prostate cancer and male depression - both very serious and worthy causes. It was an honour to sponsor him and we have had endless laughs with his Mo Is Me newsletter that he sends around every few days, with 'growth update' photos and his wifes annoyance factor on a scale of one to ten.

I'll save him the embarrasment of publishing his photo on here, but about a week ago I did send around an email entitled 'separated at birth', saying that one of the men pictured is the most famous cocaine dealer in the world and the other is Pablo Escobar. Many dirty gringo jokes ensued.

To all the brave souls who sacrificed their looks and comfort for a month of fuzz on the face...I salute you!

Price: However much you feel is suitable, but be generous! Remember, anything over $2 is tax deductible
From: The Movember website - either sponsor someone you know or make a donation
Why you need it: Mens health issues are just as important as womens!

Like a tropical island vacation...

Hawaii is one of my favourite places in the world. IN. THE. WORLD. Stepping off the plane and onto the waiting WikiWiki bus, you can't help but wonder if your aeroplane flew into a time hole and you landed in 1980. Walking down Kalakaua Avenue is an amazing mix of touristy fare (ABC Stores for the win!) and high end fashion, and taking the trolley over to Ala Moana is a religious pilgrimage for a shopper like me. But it's the beach I really love. The warm, soft sand and the still blue water are like nothing else on earth. Watching the surfers being pushed gently back to shore, you have to wonder if the surfing gods are holding them up because the waves are no bigger than ripples but they never fall down. On my next trip I am 100% committed to learning how to surf, and plan to sign up with the Hans Hedemann surf school as soon as I get there.

So Hawaii. I'm a big tropical girl. I would dearly love to dedicate an entire post to the Tommy Bahama coconut and mango candle in a tin that I have been passionately burning, but it wouldn't seem fair because Tommy Bahama don't ship internationally (much to my dismay). However, I have found a new tropical love that I can share with you instead.

I would like to think I am an early adopter. In fact, I can confidently say I AM an early adopter, but clearly I dropped the ball with the Tom Ford for Estee Lauder Azuree Soleil range. I was very fortunate that Estee Lauder gave me some beautiful makeup from this collection many many months before it was available in shops (the bronzer is a winner), so I wasn't racing down to Myer when it was finally launched. I would need fingers and toes to count how many times I have walked past the display and never taken the time to stop and smell the fragrance. STUPID! The skinscent atomiser, or eau fraiche if we are being posh, is simply beautiful. It's like gardenias, warm sand, coconut, caramel and tropical tropical tropical all rolled into one beautiful bottle. The bottle itself is a marvelous blue with an old-school gold lid - very Tom Ford.

Price: $100
From: Myer or David Jones
Why you need it: Eau fraiche is a weaker form of fragrance (ie. not as strong as 'parfum') which means it is light and breezy and super appropriate for wearing every day. You'll feel like you are always in tropical paradise!
The good news: When you spend $95+ at Estee Lauder on fragrance right now you get a super cool tote bag, perfect for overnight rendezvous or carrying gym gear. Choice of red or black (I chose red)
The bad news: The perfume is very limited edition and is starting to sell out in stores already, so you need to act quick! Also, the bonus tote bag offer is also limited. All the more reason to go out and buy it today (or tomorrow, if you are reading this in the evening).

If I could trade lives with anyone...

...Maggie Alderson would be in my top 5 choices. She's creative and witty and always inspires me to try something new/be more fashionable/start writing again. Other people who also have this effect on me are Mia Freedman and Zoe Foster, but that's a whole other post.

On a Sunday morning I would claw my way through the mountain of newspapers trying to find Maggie's column. It was the perfect accompaniment to my traditional Sunday croissant (which I don't do anymore...my hips can't handle it like they used to) and if it was a particularly amusing column I would tear it out and carefully pin it on the wall for inspiration.

Sadly, over the years the paper has disintegrated and scraps have been lost in moves, but that's ok because now all her funniest columns have been put together in Gravity Sucks. She tackles life, kids, the amusing way your body changes over time and the ever-changing face of the fashion industry. She's funny, endearing and she reminds you that life isn't always serious.

Buy it for your Mum for Christmas and you'll be her favourite for the day (not that you weren't already her favourite).

Price: $29.95
From: Borders, A&R, or any other cool book store
Why you need it: For a good laugh, for inspiration and for a really engaging read. Easy top put down and pick back up.

Charge it, pawn it, zoom it, press it...

I'll be honest. I don't get that many calls on my mobile. Mum calls, my sister calls, the odd call from Boyfriend if we aren't together and random sms conversations to catch up with people I haven't seen for a while (who haven't moved online to facebook yet). So all in all, I can keep the battery situation under control. However, there is always bound to be a day when I am stranded in the middle of nowhere (because I go to nowhere frequently) and suddenly, right when my car is being surrounded by wild emus, my mobile battery will die. It's a constant fear.

But fear no more! I have purchased the Energizer Energi To Go mobile phone charger, so that I will never be without battery again. Practical, handy and an extra weight for my already bulging handbag. I can deal with that though. I already have the kitchen sink in there so what's a little extra bulge right? Now I just need the iPod charger cos, gosh, I hate it when my iPod dies on the bus.

Price: $34.95
From: Coles, Woolies, anywhere else you buy batteries
Why you need it: So you are always full loaded and ready to go. In all seriousness it's a very practical idea.

So you want to be shiny...

If you are retarded with makeup, like me, then you have come to the right place. I'm so hopeless with makeup that I try to do sultry, sexy eyes and end up looking like I have been punched in the face. Blush = clown. Lipstick = dribbling down my chin. If, however, you are good with makeup, then I'll let you keep reading anyway, because even a klutz like me could introduce you to a product that could change your life.

Cue 'That Gal'.

My latest and greatest find comes from the benefit counter (via Sephora...oh how I love Sephora). It's some pink gunk in a twist up little tube that you slap all over your face and it makes you all shiny and dewy and lovely and then it's really easy to put on your foundation/tinted SPF. It literally is That Easy. Twist tube, wipe on face. Suddenly you're beautiful (not that you weren't already, sugar) and everything you put on over the top of it stays put for hours while keeping you all soft and luscious at the same time. You get that natural 'I just spent some time in the bedroom' look without having to mess up your hair (since no-one actually gets their sexy bed hair from being in a real bed). Miracle product? I think so. But don't just take my word for it...

Price: AUD$51 or US$27
From: AUS - Myer or DJs or US - Benefit/Sephora
Why you need it: so you look all lovely and glam without putting any effort in. Minimal fuss, maximum benefit (get it?!)

Sprinkles of Cheer...

With the festive season upon us, the apartment I share with Boyfriend and Flatmate needed some holiday dressing. Being a) limited on space and b) in Australia, a giant fur, while lovely, is not so practical. We have these beautiful giant twigs that are covered in fairy lights in a big vase in the corner (which ROCK - but they deserve a post all of their own) which we intend to hang decorations on, but you can't celebrate christmas without a proper Christmas tree. Or something at least resembling a proper Christmas tree. Enter Christmas Tree-In-A-Box.

This amazing find was somewhat by accident while I was out window shopping on Oxford St in Paddington. Purchased from one of the best bookstores in the country - Ariels - this delightful little box of joy is a DIY paper Christmas tree which is 2 feet high when it's all put together. You put the trunk together, push all the branches into place and then hang the sweet little paper baubles which have glitter on them. So adorable!

Price: $19.95
From: Ariels, or any other cool book store
Why you need it: Who doesn't need some Christmas cheer! It's just the right size for any occasion and it's super cute.

Get your credit cards ready...

Woo! First Post!

Ok, so, I like to buy stuff. A lot of stuff. I am the ultimate consumer whore and nothing makes me happier than bags and bags of goodness. My favourite photo of me on my recent trip to Hawaii is me sitting on the hotel room floor surrounded by 16 shopping bags. That was only day one at Ala Moana! Did I lie on the beach? Occasionally. Cocktails at the Mai Tai Bar? Once. Ala Moana? Every day!

So I'm going to tell you all about the awesome stuff I have bought that I think you should buy too.

Always read the PDS before investing...

Stuff That I Bought is a personal blog written by Elise Phillips.

I occasionally receive products from beauty brands and public relations companies, as well as being invited to product launches and information seminars. These products and services are graciously submitted to me for consideration on StuffThatIBought.com.

Complimentary products, services and samples will never influence what I write on my blog. I only write about products that I have used and enjoyed, and would be comfortable recommending to my friends. If a product submitted to me does not meet this requirement, I will not write about it.

As STIB is a personal blog, all of the opinions, commentary and bad jokes come directly from me. Most of the reviews are positive, because I am a positive person and would much rather write about things that you should buy, rather than things that you shouldn’t. All of the opinions on this site are honest assessments of the product or service in question, regardless of whether I have paid for them or not.

STIB does not guarantee reviews for submitted products or services. I am not paid to write reviews on this site. I write this site as a hobby to share my passion for discovering new products and making poor puns.