Carry on good chaps

I have lived in my current house for 2.5 years, but it has been constantly evolving from the day we walked in. The couches are mismatched, and so is most of the furniture. But piece by piece I have made it my own (our own?). I sanded and painted one of my bookshelves and the coffee table, I built a wine rack (essential), we have framed and hung various pictures from our trips and the shelves have gradually filled with sentimental pieces that bring enjoyment just by being there. My Mamma bought me the most amazing matryoshka dolls in Russia but since I didn't buy them I don't know if I will post about them. Maybe I'll put a pic up soon.

Anyway, I love having art on the walls. One wall is covered in trip pics, one has the most gorgeous vintage prints of cats we picked up at some markets in the financial district of NYC, one has vintage Disney pictures (which I finally had framed after 8 years) and now I am proudly hanging my latest acquisition.

Keep Calm And Carry On was originally designed as a british wartime propoganda slogan during 1939. It was commissioned to relay to the people off Britain that all was well and that everything was being done to prepare the country for the war. Sadly, the poster was never officially issued but turned up 50 years later in an auction and the rest, as they say, is history. Cut to Lark Handmade, who make the most delicious and whimsical products. Based on a cornerstone of recycled, hand made, organic, fair trade and sweatshop free, you feel good about buying their products and know that you are supporting a quality Australian company run by real people who care enough to try and make a difference. Gives you the warm and fuzzies. Lark have produced a range of Keep Calm And Carry On merchandise like tote bags, buttons, mugs and aprons, but I was instantly smitten with the poster. It fits perfectly into the Ribba frame from Ikea (as pictured) but I have popped mine into the 50x70 Fjallsta (also from Ikea) so it has a nice thick black border. It looks amazing with the red and the black together and reminds me everyday to keep calm and, funnily enough, carry on. Nothing like art that inspires you, right?!

Poster
From: Lark Handmade
Price: $19.95 + shipping
Why you need it: Everyone needs art on their walls and it's a great conversation starter

Frames
From: Ikea
Price: $59 for the Fjallsta, $49 for the Ribba
Why you need them: Art needs to be framed!

Picture credit: Larkmade.com.au

Happy birthday bella!

Well done me. Post about a Monday magazine on a Thursday. Whatever.

Happy Birthday Grazia!

Can you believe this beautiful magazine is celebrating its first birthday already?! Well I guess I can believe it since I have every single issue piled up on my bookshelf and I can't fit any more on the pile now (new year = new pile). How has this shining bastion of fashion and news evolved over the past year? Great covers, witty columns, inspiring fashion and to-die-for food. I flicked through the first few issues this week and it's amazing to see just how much it has evolved. There is a much better balance now of expensive and affordable fashion. It's the right mix of celebrity and real news. And the food...oh gosh the food...

Matthew Evans' Out of the Pantry column is drool-worthy every single week. He has a simple yet passionate way of describing food and I challenge you to read a column and not want to either a) fire up the stove and/or b) move to the country and grow your own fresh produce.

So how do I enjoy Grazia? I always go straight to the editors letter (Editor-in-chief Alison is deliciously crazy), then Matthews Evans column, then High Maintenance...just got higher by the hilarious Lucinda Pitt. After that I go front to back and devour every single page. I'm a flagger as well, so I always fold the corner on interesting stories, things I might want to buy or websites I want to check out.

What was the point? Oh, that's right. Basically I love Grazia. It's a great mag and I'm looking forward to many more birthdays.

Price: normally $5, this week $2.50
From: supermarkets and newsagents
Why: Fashion and news in a great format

Picture credit: Grazia.com.au

Peachy delight

There is nothing I love more than a fresh face - dewy skin, clean eyes, long lashes and a gentle flush to the cheeks. I have always been a powder blush girl, mainly because I have never found a cream that I actually like or that I can apply without looking like bozo. But goodness me that has all changed. I scored a beautiful Becca lip and cheek creme in tuberose (aka watermelon pink) last week and it has changed my makeup routine. No kidding.

First up, the packaging is delicious. It almost looks like a bath plug, it's rubbery so I can't smash it (clumsy) and it has a mirror inside for convenient touch ups. Big tick.

The colour suits my skin tone perfectly - I'm calling it makeup destiny (or kismet, simply because kismet is a really cool word). Has that ever happened to you? When you stumble across a product and it is just so perfect it's as if the makeup gods were just willing the two of you to meet. Anyway, it goes on really easily (another big tick); two little finger swirls in the cream and the heat of my finger softens it just enough so that it is right texture to apply. A few dabs on the apple of each cheek and the colour just seems to melt into place (a good melt, not a bad melt). I also love that it doesn't have shimmer in it so it looks fresh without looking whoreish (I can't do shimmer on my cheeks...I always look like a hooker) and it has great pigment so the colour lasts for hours. What else do you need?

I will say though - I'm not so much a fan on my lips. Maybe it's because it's winter and I'm a little dryer, but the consistency just doesn't seem to translate to lips. Cest la vie - it's still going to be a staple product.

Price: $46
From: adorebeauty.com.au
Why you need it: A cream blush that's easy to apply and a great naturally flush colour

Picture credit: adorebeauty.com.au

Masterchef?

I'm not sure if I have mentioned it before but I am obsessed with cooking. And possibly one of the only things I am more obsessed with than cooking is cookbooks. Now I'm no Chris Badenoch (that's a Masterchef reference right there) but I do have over 50 cookbooks and a host of insane cooking utensils (everyone needs a piping bag with 8 different nozzles). Anyway, so I picked up a new cookbook the other day that was just so damn cute I couldn't not share.

Cupcakes by Colour from The Australian Women's Weekly. There is just something special about Women's Weekly cookbooks. You know the recipes are always going to work. You trust them. They are the cookbooks that Mum and Nan used to use. I grew up in a household full of Women's Weekly cookbooks and I know my Mum still has dozens of them and uses them quite frequently and the same goes for my almost-mother-in-law. Side note: I bought my almost-mother-in-law two Women's Weekly cookbooks for Mother's Day. They make kickass gifts.

Speaking of gifts, I bought said cupcake book for myself and for a 25th birthday gift last week. See! I told you they are good pressies. Everyone loves a cupcake.

So this particular book is full of insanely super-cute cupcake decorating ideas and recipes. Not only does it look good on the shelf, but cupcakes are good for any occasion and you will be the most popular person in the room if you rock in with a plate of sweet, sugary goodness. Trust me, I know. It happens to me ALL THE TIME. Although my signature treats are triple choc brownies (Women's Weekly recipe) and turkish delight rocky road (Frankie recipe), I can still rock a mean cupcake when the occasion calls for it.

What was I saying? Oh yeah...I guarantee this would be a killer gift for either yourself or someone else.

Price: $24.95
From: Newsagents, bookstores, magshop
Why you need it: So you can make amazing cupcakes. Simple as that.

Picture credit: magshop.com.au

MORE tough love

So I am clearly on some sort of stud roll at the moment, because after acquiring aformentioned stud belt I also came to own the most gorgeous silver stud cuff and a lovely hardware-adorned dress (birthday present from Mum so might not count as Stuff That I Bought, but I did choose it plus, hey, it's my blog).

I bought this gorgeous Samantha Wills cuff from one of my favourite stores for jewellery, Mushu on Crown St. Pricey, but the kind of thing you rationalise with a cost per wear ratio and the knowledge it may someday be a family heirloom (a little dramatic, but I had to convince Boyfriend it was worth the outlay). My wrists are the only part of me that are truly skinny, so I jam that sucker up my forearm and admire it every morning on the bus trip to work. It comes off as soon as I get there because it just bashes against the desk and gets in the way, but I love the half an hour I get to spend with it to and from work every day.

Price: $75

From: Mushu on Crown St, but also available at Samantha Wills online store

Why you need it: Because it is pretty. Why else do you buy jewellery?

Picture credit: Samantha Wills website

So not only did I get the gorgeous cuff, but I also got a really cute dress for my birthday. You know when you walk into a store, see something and just know instantly that it will be yours. Before I had even gotten to the change room I was picturing where I would be wearing it, what bags and shoes it would be teamed with and would I be able to wear my stud cuff or belt with my stud dress (the answer is no...one stud piece per outfit).

Don't Ask Amanda do some really lovely, functional, and very wearable pieces and they are my brand of choice whenever I venture into a General Pants store. Not only that, they are affordable and good quality too, which should always be important factors when making wardrobe purchases. I'm not going to lecture, but you should have a good balance of quality basics, investment pieces and cheaper trends. Do I sound like a fashion magazine? I have probably just read too many of them. It is my job after all.

What was I saying? Oh right; dress. Isn't it lovely? It has had a few spins around the block already and does the trick nicely. Thanks Mum!

Price: $99.95

From: General Pants

Why you need it: Everyone needs an LBD and this puts a quirky spin on a basic silhouette.

Picture credit: General pants website

Tough love

Did you know Supre in the city were closing down? The big one in the Gowings building? Well, they were but now they aren't. Fascinating.

So I went down there the other week to grab some basics at a bargain price (side note: not so bargain-y). I normally only wear Old Navy tanks, but the Supre ones are alright for layering, so why not, eh? Plus their leggings are fine for the gym. Anyway, whilst perusing the wares I came across the belt! Yes! Back story: there is a girl who works on my level with exceptional dress sense. For many weeks she was accessorising her cute skirts and ballet flat outfits with a very cool studded belt that has an unusual clasp. Where did she get that awesome belt? I would often ask myself, probably from ebay or somewhere exotic like NYC. Nope. Turns out it was Supre. Darn her! So now I am torn between "aha! I know your secret" and "I am part of your cool inner sanctum accessorising from Supre as well". It's a fine balancing act.

I wear mine spun around so that the clasp is at the back and it's all studs all the time across the front. Business at the back, party at the front. I bet no one else has ever thought of something so original.

Price: $18. Seriously!
From: Supre
Why you need it: For total studded awesomeness. Toughen up a floral skirt of LBD.

picture credit: supre.com.au

Wine? Wi-not (see what I did there...)

So I have decided to dust off the old blog and give her a second chance at life. Why have I just made my blog female? I'm sure it could work as a male too? Actually, maybe not. Female it is. So what has been going on? You know...a bit of this, a bit of that, some travelling and a whole lot of shopping (I'm doing my bit for the economy). But it isn't all splashing cash and being frivolous. Times are tight and it's important to be able to find bargains whilst still spoiling ourselves. The bargains are there to be had if you know where to look. And here is my example: To celebrate our 4 year anniversary, Boyfriend and I wanted to get away for a weekend for some "quality time". Not exactly sure what constitutes quality time, but any excuse to get out of Sydney is fine by me.

So I logged on to www.lastminute.com.au, picked my destination of choice (the Hunter Valley) and landed the most amazing accomodation for half the regular price. We were fortunate enough to snag a room at The Vintage. We had a great apartment with full bathroom (huge bath), 2 TVs, full kitchen, BBQ and great view. My only complaint? Dodgy pillows (perhaps if I had taken my own; see previous post). But that can totally be overlooked. Apart from an excellent apartment, we did the usual round of wineries and a couple of decent meals. In bullet points for ease of consumption...

Excellent: Margan Restaurant in Broke. Recommend for lunch. Simply amazing food. I cannot rave enough about their lunchtime tasting plates. We shared gnocchi and some beautiful fish as well as salad and their own wine. Perfect.

Also excellent: Scarborough Winery (see picture). My absolute favourite winery in the Hunter. They do a glorious tasting where you sit at one of their tables overlooking the valley (kangaroos optional) and they set your placemat with the 9 different wines they are sampling that day. You go through each one by one and enjoy the complimentary cheese and crackers. I am utterly in love with their Botrytis Semillon.

Not so excellent: Mojo's on Wilderness. A terribly overrated and overpriced restaurant. The food was good but way too expensive for what it was, and the wine was almost 3 times the cellar door price for a bottle - there's markup and there is highway robbery.

All in all an amazing weekend away. Next time you're going to the Hunter, pop into Scarborough and grab me a bottle of Botrytis please. Thanks.

Price: from $291 for The Vintage

From: lastminute.com.au

Why you need it: to get out of Sydney for the weekend, enjoy some wine and relaaaaax

The Big Sleep Easy

What I really want to tell you about is my supercute new pair of red patent quilted Steve Madden flats that I picked up 50% off at the Steve Madden store in Melbourne. Do you think I can find a picture of them anywhere online? No...no picture anywhere, dammit. But that's ok, because I had a MAMMOTH shopping weekend thanks to the MyerONE members discount offer. Boyfriend and I tallied up a buttload worth of goodies (almost all of it was mine) and I am psyched to tell you about a purchase I made that I should have made months, nay, years ago.

A pillow. A super-fantastic-wonderful pillow full of chiropractic-y goodness.

Why get excited over a pillow? Background: I have a bung back. Lower back, middle back, shoulders, neck...it's all there and it's all wrong. By the time I get into bed at night I'm like a creaky old lady. I know you're thinking, 'who writes this blog?! I thought she was a hot and sexy young thing' (I know you're thinking that). Sad but true. I can do all sorts of stretches and exercises for my back, but I struggle with my neck and shoulders. Maybe I am sleeping funny?

On the recommendation of my genius chiropractor I bought a Denton's Low Profile pillow. Expensive, but damn worth it. It hugs my head gently when I sleep and keeps me all aligned. Sounds cushy, right? It's a beautiful foam pillow with a 5 year guarantee and 2 different covers on it (I drool, so 2 covers is better than 1...too much information?).

The good news: I have slept like a baby ever since I got it.

The better news: Big Brother is back next week.

The best news: I'm going to Hawaii in 40 sleeps.

Price: $74.95
From: Myer
Why you need it: For a super comfortable sleep with a beautifully supported neck.

You naughty minx...

Yeah, I know. I'm naughty. And not just because of the appalling title for this post. It's been far too long between drinks, but there has been a lot going on and none of it involved shopping. But I'm back from my accidental hiatus, busy preparing for my next American shopping trip (only 60 days to save up!) and bringing you some more beauty goodness today.

My acquisition of this product came about rather by accident. One of the magazines where I work was doing a clean out of their beauty cupboard and it ended up in my bag. I bought it. I got it home. I realised it was Playboy and recoiled in horror. Tacky! Bright pink plastic casing and silver bunny logos! I had visions of Hef and his buxom bunnies dancing around with big shimmery eyeshadow and bunny tails (the bunnies, not Hef, although he would look fetching in a bunny suit). Far be it from me to judge a product by its packaging though, I tried it. And I LOVED it.

I have never had much luck with concealer (wrong colour, wrong consistency, goes all chalky and flaky, slides off my face) but, lo-and-behold, this little bunny-emblazoned box was the goods. Each one comes with two slightly different shades, one for pale days and one for tan summery days, or you can mix them together with the neat little application brush. I brush a little bit on, pat it in with the heat of my finger and DONE! Total perfection (big-noting myself, much?). In fact, I lost this concealer and was so devastated that I actually went out and bought another one. That's loyalty for you.

It might not be the perfect concealer for you, but perhaps this post is more to illustrate that gaudy packaging and ridiculous names don't always mean crap. Granted I haven't tried their lip glosses, eye shadows or bronzers yet, but with product names like "Twice the pleasure lip liner duo" and shades of their "Pickup liners" eyeliner named "Are those real?" and "Size 2, right?", surely you just want to run down to Priceline, no?

Price: $22.95
From: Priceline
Why you need it: To conceal the bags under your eyes and the pimples on your chin. Sorry, but it's true.

Stuff I haven't bought, due to other peoples incompetence

I'm an advocate for trying new things, especially when it comes to shopping. Especially shopping online. Ebay? Win. International ordering? Go for it. Grocery shopping online? In theory, yes. Now, I'm not so sure. Case in point: I order my weeks worth of groceries and make sure I am going to be home during my delivery window. Sounds simple, right? The driver turns up with my order and it's one plastic bag. Hmmm...that's odd I think, Maybe the rest is in his truck downstairs. No, it wasn't. My order was 2 pages and the picker only bothered to pick the first page. So I call the customer service line and they inform me that they have run out of fruit and vegetables. Excuse me?! What sort of multi-national grocery store runs out of fruit and vegetables?! I was asking or carrots and potatoes, not peruvian quiona. Turns out the top half of page 2 of my order was the fruit and veg, and since the picker couldn't get the fruit and veg, they just gave up and sent off what they could be bothered getting.

So I had to be home the next day when they sent the rest of the groceries and then I still had to go out to get the fruit and veg. Turned one simple exercise into a two day inconvenience.

Moral of the story: Don't order fruit and vegetables from multi-national grocery chains. They have probably run out.

Not a happy shopping experience.
And the world does not need unhappy shopping experiences.

No one likes a greasy bear

I have two absolute, ultimate, must have beauty products. The first is Kosmea Rosehip Oil, but since you're smart you know all about the miracle that is rosehip oil, so I don't need to tell you about it again (what?! you don't?! it's ok, we'll talk later). The other is Batiste Tropical Dry Shampoo. There are heaps of dry shampoos on the market, but this one is my number one favourite purely because of the tropical scent. It has, according to the can, a deliciously exotic fragrance. Smells like coconuts and stuff.

Anyway, if you don't already use dry shampoo, I highly recommend you jump on this bandwagon. You shake the can, spray it on the roots, give it a quick rub if you like (rub is optional, of course) and then brush it out. Voila! An extra day out of your blow dry and an extra 15 minutes in bed. Seriously, this product was invented for lazy people like me. If I'm going to be honest as well, my hair usually looks better after I have used this rather than after I wash and blow-dry it. Perhaps that has something to do with my limp hair though (see previous post about kms root booster for explanation). It's also handy for after a gym session when you need to go out but don't want to stand in the gym showers for any longer than absolutely necessary. No one likes athlete's foot. Skip the wash, go the spray.

Price: $6.95 (no kidding! so cheap!)
From: The Health and Beauty Club ($6.95 postage - worth it)
Why you need it: For fresh, great smelling hair and extra value from your blow-dry.

What's this?

New post? Yeah, well, I haven't been buying much lately because it was my birthday. That means people bought things for me and I didn't have to open my wallet. Win.

In fact, the only thing I have been buying lately is books (oh, so many books!) and it's really difficult to write about books until after I have read them, isn't it. I can't exactly come on here and wax lyrical about some great book I bought because it has a pretty cover (quite often the catalyst for a book purchase) and then, when it turns out to be poo, I look silly! No no, today I'm just talking beauty.

As I may or may not have mentioned before, I am very very finicky when it comes to my lips being super-hyper plump and hydrated. I am very particular about what goes on them and how they feel. Cue Shizen Lip Hydrating Serum. You don't want to go overboard with the serum (like I did, and I learnt my lesson) but sometimes you just want to drink down the whole bottle because it tastes like lemon drop lollies. They were one of my favourite lollies as a kid. I remember going to buy a little bag of them for 10c from the corner store. But I digress. You simply put one little drop on your lip, let it absorb in, and apply your regular balm/lipstick/gloss whatever. Lovely! Smooth lips in no time. I get really bad dry lips in winter so I will be keeping this baby on my desk at work.

Also on my desk at work, Shizen Rose Hydrating Mist. I use rosehip oil on my face morning and night so I know the power of the rose and was delighted when I stumbled across this. The air con in my office is intense (and it doesn't help that I sit under a vent) so when it's cold, it's really cold and when it's hot, it's really hot. Never just right. Goldilocks would be most displeased. So this horrible air con dries out my already dry skin but I still need to look fresh and alert and totally not cranky when I have to go to meetings and presentations. So I give a couple of sprays of this lovely mist, packed with vitamin E and green tea. It has a slight rose scent, so you feel glamorous and old school, and it's totally organic so you know it's the goods.

Everything Shizen is putting out at the moment is 100% organic and the packaging is recycled. So you can be beautiful and save the world. And we like that, don't we.

Price: lip serum - $24.95 hydrating mist - $21.95
From: www.adorebeauty.com.au (other stockists listed on the shizen website)
Why you need it: To be hydrated and glowy and just plain luscious. You like to look your best, don't you?