Goodbye 2012!
12/31/2012

Goodbye 2012!




You sure were one crazy ride. Plenty of awesome things happened; I saw two of the biggest Broadway Musicals in Auckland, travelled overseas, attended New Zealand Fashion Week for the first time, made new friends, stopped biting my nails & blogged my heart out. Of course there was the occasional speed bump but I do believe everything that did happen was for a reason & we can learn from the challenges we all face.

The New Year is 50 minutes away as I write this & I've set a few New Years Resolutions. Those I will keep to myself  as they are fairly boring but I have done some goal setting for 2013 so I'll share some of my 2013 dreams with you:

-Give my blog's layout an overhaul & add new features. This will not only make Nana Wintour Blog an easier read but will hopefully add benefits to my little corner of the internet.
-Learn new recipes, both dessert & dinner. I get too familiar with recipes I love & really want to try new ones out next year.
-Travel overseas.
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December in Pictures
12/31/2012

December in Pictures

Well December you were dazzling, delicious & more often than not, delightful. It has been a busy month but it has been a really awesome one, the perfect way to end the year really.

Without further ado, here is a look at what happened in December;


Took a stroll along Franklin Road to take in all the gorgeous Christmas lights.
Wrapped lots of gifts for friends & family. I really tried to put an effort into gift wrapping this year & I'm looking forward to upping the ante in 2013 with this.
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Happy Christmas Eve-Day!
12/24/2012

Happy Christmas Eve-Day!




Hello everyone! This is just a short post to say Merry Christmas to all my lovely readers!! I hope you have fabulous Christmas days with your friends & family. Enjoy yourselves.

I also wanted to let you all know that I'll be taking a bit of a break from blogging. I'm sure you won't miss me when there are gifts to be exchanged & received, delicious food to be eaten & lovely company to enjoy.

I shall be back in early January with some fresh new posts for you all. 

I hope your Christmas Eve has also been amazing!! 


See you in 2013,


Sophie xo
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What I Love Weekly #34
12/21/2012

What I Love Weekly #34

1. I really can't stay, well actually you should stick around & make sure you listen to this. She & Him's Christmas album is going to continue to be the best for another year, at least until they make another record!

2. I'm a little bit of an interiors lover, I'm not going to lie. If you are too then you need to watch this room tour by British YouTuber Zoella. She has a stunning setup & I love her usage of vintage tins for storage & all her gorgeous antique mirrors.

3. The lovely folk behind Frankie Magazine are pretty clever at designing all sorts of gorgeous knick knacks for their fans. Well, they have done it again with this lovely little Gift Paper book. These would look so lovely wrapped around someone's presents or as pinboard backdrops. Want!

4. In case you'd all forgotten it is 4 days until Christmas!!! Ok resume normal blogging...

5. Those lovely people in life who can make the worst day ever become the best just by being them. PS-You are amazing.

Speaking of amazing, how good does this look?!
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Beauty Favourites of 2012
12/19/2012

Beauty Favourites of 2012

Recently I've been filling in a couple of 'Favourite Beauty Product' type surveys for magazine publishers & it got me thinking, why don't I compile a list of my favourite products from throughout the year. I always love hearing other people's favourite products, as you'll know from my latest giveaway so I hope you enjoy my picks!

Click through for the full breakdown! 
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Quotacious Quotes
12/18/2012

Quotacious Quotes

Hello everyone! Here's your monthly dose of wisdom. Sorry if any of these have been used before, I haven't had time to check back & see which I'd referenced;






Does anyone else feel like it could be Friday already? This week feels so busy & it's barely been two days of it! Today I am off to get my nails done, drinking Christmas Starbucks & catching up with a friend. I hope your day is fabulous xo.

*PS If you still haven't gotten around to sending Christmas Cards out then you should definitely check out Colleen's free printable Grumpy Cat card. For a grumpy cat it is very cute, I'm printing a few out to go with my family's presents. You can download them here.

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My Christmas Wishlist
12/17/2012

My Christmas Wishlist






-So I've done a couple of gift guides already but I hadn't made my own wishlist as such. I think my Christmas Shopping is for the most part done, yay! I'm definitely going to try to get one of those Bubble Bars before Christmas is over though & the Topshop blouse & wallet. I will continue daydreaming about those perfect Chloe flats in the meantime...

*I hope you all have marvellous Mondays! This week is going to be rather busy with plenty happening which is going to be chaotic...but fun!

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What I Love Weekly #33
12/14/2012

What I Love Weekly #33

1. It is 11 days until Christmas! 11 mere days, I am so looking forward to the next few weeks & those following Christmas. Bring it on I say.

2. Can we all take a moment to appreciate how beautiful these Valentino ballet flats are? I hope someone on the high street reinterprets these. Topshop, I'm looking at you..

3. The fact that Kiwi Yo had their Pink Lemonade froyo in stores this week. It is really more like a sorbet & it is my favourite because it is so good!

4. Business Cards, in particular my new ones. I can't wait for you all to see them. They're very pretty for cards I must say.

5. Burning delightfully scented candles. I love doing this mainly because it makes it feel more like I'm channeling a White Christmas. Does that even make sense? Candle burning just doesn't seem much of a Summery thing to me. Anyway...

6. The Jo Malone store in Auckland. I love Jo Malone fragrances so much, they're all beautiful.

Kiwi Yo is amazing! End of story.
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CLOSED A Summer Giveaway!
12/13/2012

CLOSED A Summer Giveaway!


So as I mentioned earlier I wanted to do a little something to say thank you to everyone who has supported my blog over the past year. Well here it is!

Now on to the fun part. What you'll win...

Frankie Issue 51.
Urban Decay Chopper Eyeshadow.
Korres Wild Rose Lip Butter.
Palmer's Natural Bronze Body Lotion.
& more!

All you need to do is leave me a comment telling me what your favourite beauty product(s) are. To be eligible for entry you must have liked my Facebook page as well. If you go & follow my Pinterest or follow me on Twitter as well you'll get extra entries.

GOOD LUCK!! This giveaway will close at 7pm on Thursday 10th January so you have a whole month to enter. This giveaway is open internationally.
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Nana Wintour Turns 1!
12/13/2012

Nana Wintour Turns 1!



Can you believe it!? 365 days & 252 posts later. I don't think I realised a year ago that I'd still have something to say on this little corner of the interwebs. Anyway, I'm getting distracted by nostalgia..

What I really wanted to say was a big THANK YOU to each & every one of you who has taken time to read my posts, comment on a post, like my Facebook page & tweet me. It really means so much to me & makes my day, every single time. So thank you.

Blogging has also given me a lot of opportunities & meant I've met a lot of lovely bloggers (you all know who you are) which I am also incredibly grateful for. 

So as an extra way to say thank you to you all I will be running a giveaway! Details will be included in another post later on today so keep an eye out.


Thanks again everyone for visiting & reading my blog!! You are all amazing...Here's to the next 365 days! x

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New To The Beauty Bazaar: The Pick 'N Mix Edition
12/12/2012

New To The Beauty Bazaar: The Pick 'N Mix Edition

So I haven't been buying a lot of beauty products lately as I'm saving & also because of Christmas Shopping but last month I did acquire some new things. I have a sneaking suspicion that I may be getting some beauty products for Christmas (my family aren't very subtle) so you'll no doubt see them at some stage as well!

Anyway, here's what's been passing over my vanity counter as of late!




Sadly we can't buy Caudalie or Korres products in New Zealand, thankfully though we can buy them online from Feel Unique. Both these products took about two or so weeks to arrive but they were well worth the wait. 

First up we have the Korres Lip Butter. I saw these mentioned on various beauty vlogs & blogs before I caved & bought one to try. This one tastes like cookie dough & leaves lips with a subtle nude tint after application. I like how the product itself melts into the lips to hydrate them & leaves them super smooth. I can't wait to buy more of these! Read more about their lip butters here.

I also decided to buy one of the Caudalie Beauty Elixirs to try. Inspired by the "elixir of youth" used by Queen Isabelle of Hungary, Caudalie Beauty Elixir smoothes features, tightens pores, and gives the complexion a burst of radiance. I spritz this a little while before I apply my makeup & to give my skin a pick me up during the day. It definitely does live up to its expectations, skin is left a lot smoother & my makeup glides on to the skin's surface a lot easier. The only thing I'm not a fan of with this beauty elixir is the scent. It can be a bit intense sometimes but otherwise this is amazing.

Mineralize Skinfinish, Super Stay 14 HR Lipsticks.
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The Reading Pile
12/11/2012

The Reading Pile

Hello everyone! Firstly you may notice my blog layout is looking a little bit different, rather messy in truth. I am finally doing a major redesign of my blog's layout & adding in new buttons & the like so it may look a bit jumbled, I do apologise. How gorgeous does my new logo look by the way? Evie did such an amazing job of it!

So now the admin side of things is out of the way today I'll be sharing with you two of the books I've been reading lately. They are both some of the better books I have read in a long time for various reasons. I think this is mainly because I've had more time to read, thank you Summer holidays!

Here's what I've been reading lately...



The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien-This is probably the only fantasy book I've read that isn't written by J.K Rowling. Fantasy isn't a genre I usually embrace, and as I first attempted reading Tolkien's books when I was much younger I wanted to try them again. The first thing you need to know about The Hobbit is that it is a prelude to The Lord of the Rings Trilogy & also that it is supposed to be a children's novel. This meant the writing at times did remind me of Enid Blyton novels, without the boarding school language but this isn't necessarily a bad thing.

As I have only read to the place where 'An Unexpected Journey' finishes I can't comment on the book as a whole yet but I thought what I did read was fantastic. This book is so well written & I think it will translate beautifully to film. The 'Riddles in the Dark' chapter in particular is going to be a good one to watch on screen I think. Would I recommend reading this before you see the movie? Absolutely, even if you only read the first 120 or so pages, as I did.

Styled by Grace Coddington for Vogue, September 2007.


Grace-A Memoir by Grace Coddington-Fashion fans will remember Grace as the heroine from 'The September Issue' a documentary capturing a year behind the scenes at American Vogue, particularly charting Grace's work but also Anna Wintour's. It was because of this documentary that Grace was approached to write her memoirs & legions of fashionistas, myself included are glad she did! This book is a chronological account of Grace's life, how she got her start in Fashion & includes stories of the people she worked with among others. Three standout chapters include one where she writes of happenings from her photoshoots, including an interesting few days with Tim Walker shooting Madonna as well as the chaos surrounding her Alice in Wonderland themed shoot. The others being one about Anna Wintour in which Grace offers a new perspective on The Devil Wears Prada & a chapter solely dedicated to Grace's cats.

A lot of people have complained about how Grace at times tends to not divulge everything about particular stories. I did notice that, but I didn't think it was a fault & to be honest, I think she shared the right amount of information without oversharing. All in all this book is fantastic. I loved how the chapters were broken up with Grace's illustrations & her wit in both the illustrated captions & the stories she told. Fans of Fashion, Vogue, Grace's work or all of the above will love this book. This is definitely one to add to your Christmas list or Summer holiday reading.


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Monday Marvel #22: Say hello to Korres!
12/10/2012

Monday Marvel #22: Say hello to Korres!

Korres are a Greek Beauty+Skincare company who are intent on only using natural ingredients in their products. This is one of the many reasons to love their products. I've been trying one of the lip butters & have loved it so much that I thought you'd like to hear about them too!



Pictured; Jasmine, Quince & Guava.


Korres have a range of 6 lip butters; Quince, Pomegranate, Mango, Guava, Jasmine & Wild Rose. I own the Jasmine one & it smells divine, like cookies actually! It also works really well too. Once the balm comes into contact with your lips it will melt into them. The lip butter is quite possibly the most moisturising one out there & the colours all add a nice tint to your lips too. 


So the answer is yes, you do need these in your beach bag this Summer!


-Korres Lip Butters can be bought online at ASOS or Feel Unique.
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What I Love Weekly #32
12/07/2012

What I Love Weekly #32

1. So I believe, and this is a big claim, that I have found the best Starbucks Christmas drink..ever! Admittedly I did see Tanya Burr tweeting about it first but that's not the point..it is amazing. What is this drink? White Chocolate Mocha with a Peppermint Shot/Syrup, it is so so good & is the epitome of Christmas in a cup.

2. Watching 13 Going On 30. I remember going to this with a group of friends for my 12th birthday. What I didn't remember was just how awesome this movie is. If you haven't seen it then you should watch it sometime.

3. Walking along Franklin Rd to look at the Christmas Lights. The houses look beautiful covered in twinkling lights & the whole street sparkles during December. I love it.

4. The Telegraph published this interview with Anna Wintour a few weeks back. If you have a few minutes to spare then have a read of this as it makes for interesting reading.

5. Blogger's Club on Wednesday Night. This is always a good time & we had Wendy Thompson come speak to us about utilising Facebook pages better. It was so valuable. It was also lovely to catch up with bloggers I've met before & new faces like Amanda from Here Comes The Sun & Meagan from thisismegankerr.

Enhiko Mihalik via Fashion Gone Rogue.
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A Festive Tag
12/06/2012

A Festive Tag

This week has been extra festive. I've been surrounded by lights, gifts, cards & more at any given moment. So when I saw this Christmas Questionnaire on Fleur's vlog channel yesterday I felt compelled to publish this on my own blog, so here it is!!


1. What is your favourite holiday nail polish? I own a lot of sparkly nail polishes but my ultimate favourite for Christmas time has got to be OPI's Animal-istic from their Muppets collection. It is the perfect Ruby Slipper red & it looks so so pretty on nails.

Animal-Istic by OPI.


2. What is your favourite holiday movie? Hmm, when I was younger I used to always like watching Elmo Saves Christmas & The Muppet Christmas Carol, even though the latter was rather sad! Nowadays my favourite is Love Actually hands down. I watch it every Christmas Eve. If you haven't seen it this gift wrapping scene is rather entertaining.



3. Share your favourite Summer accessory. I tend to wear a lot more bracelets in Summer than any other time of year, I'm not really too sure why. My favourites at the moment are still the Bedrock Bones ones. They are great to wear by themselves or layered up.


4. Describe or show your favourite Christmas Ornament. This is an ornament that I got this year, I'm rather terrible at describing decorations so I'll let the picture speak for itself;

So pretty!
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Pretty Things
12/05/2012

Pretty Things


Hello everyone! One of my friends J is often suggesting I upload more of the photos I take using my DSLR to my blog. Well J, your wish is my command. I hope you like these pictures showcasing some of my favourite possessions & corners of my bedroom as well as some outdoor delights. You'll also see I've finally worked out how to resize photos to fit my blog layout, yay! 


Some pretty pink manicure colours & my new paper from a Japanese store.
I love perfume bottles & collecting them. Those rose gold beads you see are a necklace from Colette that I am in love with. I wear it whenever I have a special occasion to go to, or if I'm feeling fancy.
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Christmas Gift Guide: For Her
12/03/2012

Christmas Gift Guide: For Her

Morning everyone! So as anyone who follows my Instagram (@nanawintour) will have realized by now, I'm a bit of a Christmas lover. The Sparkles, Gift Wrapping, Baking, Christmas Starbucks, Decorations & of course Gift Shopping make it one of the most enjoyable & exciting times of the year. It's also the beginning of Summer if you're in the Southern Hemisphere, like me, which just adds to the excitement.

So today I thought I'd compile a little gift guide for those of you who just aren't sure what to get for all the lovely girls in your life. There's something for Mum, your best friend, your sister-even your Nan. You may even find something you want for yourself too!



Pretty stationery, Cat decor & Super sunglasses. These are all essential items are they not? Each week in the diary is decorated with different illustrations. There is also a handy little book in the back for  jotting down useful tidbits of information & a sheet of stickers (essential). The cat decal is so pretty! It looks gorgeous on walls or windows & if cats aren't for her, there are also dog & bird variations. The sunglasses are lovely also & because the colour is quite neutral they could easily be paired with a range of looks.


Good books never fail to disappoint, especially if she loves reading. This book is perfect for fashionistas & any fans of The September Issue out there. If you feel like spoiling someone fragrance is also a good option. This scent is fruity & slightly tropical, perfect for Summer. This bronzer is one of NARS' best-selling items & it leave skin looking naturally sun-kissed.
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20 Ways To Brighten A Not So Sparkly Day
11/30/2012

20 Ways To Brighten A Not So Sparkly Day


So regular visitors to my blog will notice that my weekly loves list is absent today. The reason being that this week hasn't been the most fabulous. It just felt wrong writing up a list of things I've loved this week when I wasn't being genuine.

We all have days or weeks when the complexities of life will get us down but you needn't feel this way.  Remember nothing lasts forever. I hope this list of 20 ways to make your day sparklier will help you in some way. Perhaps you'll even be inspired to write your own list.


Without further ado...
















Photo by Britney & Nails by the lovely Leah. I chose this because having my nails done always brightens my day without fail. Also these are my current nails & they are so pretty+sparkly in person. I can't help but smile seeing them.


1. Go for a walk or run, whichever takes your fancy. I personally prefer walking but you can do whatever type of exercise you fancy. It's no secret that the scientific factors of exercise result in a happier, healthier person. Even if the last thing you want to do is leave the house exercising will make you feel a lot happier, guaranteed.

2. Call someone on the phone. Don't just send a text message to someone-that is so common! In seriousness, getting your troubles out in the open can often make you feel a lot better afterwards. Plus you'll have an extra person who will (hopefully) willingly offer you advice & support, should you need it.

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November in Pictures
11/29/2012

November in Pictures

November has been nonsensical, nostalgic & at times not so certain. How crazy is it that in 2 days time it'll be December?! This year has gone so so fast!

Here's what happened in a visual sense during the month;


Britney and I went to Bluebells Cakery at the very end of last month. These were the pretty yellow flowers on one of the tables. See more of our trip here.
I've loved being able to shoot blog photos outside in the sunshine this month. Natural light is the best.
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November Favourites
11/28/2012

November Favourites

It's that time of the month again where I sit & think about what products I have loved using & as much as I'd like to write about all of them, there were a select few which definitely stood out to me this month. I've also been using a few new products that I've bought over the past few months lately & have enjoyed many of them, which you will read about soon!

Anyway, without further ado here are my beauty favourites for November;


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12 Ways To Be More Awesome
11/27/2012

12 Ways To Be More Awesome


A guest post by Britney Hazeldine

We can all be awesome! We already are. And these are my 12 tips to making your life that little bit brighter and happier. Who doesn’t want to lead an awesome and exciting life? We all deserve it!

      Brighten your life through clothes and your space. I firmly believe that a clean and happy looking environment affects the way you live and lead your life. I’ve just finished a massive spring clean and it was amazing!! I feel so so much lighter and, in a weird sort of way, free.
2
      Take time out. Take a moment for you. Sometimes we just need a break and time to recharge. Sometimes it's good to stop and look around at the life that we’ve created for ourselves.


3
      Act like a child every so often. A wise man once said “Never knowingly be serious” and sometimes these are the words I live by. Being relaxed, letting go and being carefree, some of the aspects of a child’s personality, can really do you some good. Have you seen children? I don’t mean the bullying fourteen year old girls. I mean the children from 2-4.  Be amazed at the world around you. Because, it is brilliant. And extraordinary. And amazing too!
4
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Monday Marvel #21: Tech-sessorise.
11/26/2012

Monday Marvel #21: Tech-sessorise.

Undoubtedly one of the best aspects of owning an iPhone is having the opportunity to protect or display it in a lovely case. Forget plain, block colours, it's all about glitter, prints, photographs, illustrations & patterns. Thankfully Iconemesis tick plenty of these boxes.




Iconemesis' aim is to produce a great collection of beautiful artworks that allow buyers to express their individuality, through their case. I think they've successfully done that. How gorgeous are all of the cases pictured above? I love the Fifi Lapin Cupcake & the Pink Florals, they're so pretty!!



-I hope the start of your week is fabulous. Sorry this post is a little brief, I've been away all weekend & today I'm starting a Summer School Paper so it's been a bit crazy here lately.
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What I Love Weekly #31
11/23/2012

What I Love Weekly #31

1. "When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privelege it is to be alive, to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love." -When life seems rough I'm going to try to always remember all of the above.

2. The ever present Sunshine! I don't know what it is about sunshine & bright blue skies but they seem to always make the day that much better. It means we can spend more time outdoors in the sun or at the beach-I love it.

3. This song, I love everything about it. It's so uplifting & it just makes me want to dance under some fairy lights.

4. Lush Bath Ballistics. They smell amazing, usually turn your bath water bright & sparkly colours & are the best pick me up after a hard day. They're also super affordable too, I love to stock up on them!

Mine & B's delicious treats from Bluebells
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The Reading Pile
11/22/2012

The Reading Pile



Around this time of year I normally want to read a lot more & catch up on films or documentaries I've missed during the year, mainly because I have a whole lot more time to do so! Also naturally with the holiday season approaching, plenty of new books are being released which is always a good thing.

In case you hadn't worked out already today's post is a wishlist of books I plan on reading & buying over the Summer. If you've read any of these leave a comment, I'd love to hear your thoughts!
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Current Spring Favourites by Avenue M
11/20/2012

Current Spring Favourites by Avenue M

Hello Nana Wintour readers, 
My name is Maria and I write for the blog, Avenue M. It's my personal style diary along with photography, food and adventures. I'd love it if you'd stop by sometime soon. 
This is just a little compilation of all my favourite things for the month of November. 
Lots of love, Maria xoxo


Carrie's gorgeous pink-and-black pairings make this outfit a winner for me. I love the statement collar and high ponytail, she looks effortlessly stylish -- not to mention comfortable! I'm also loving delicate, sheer blouses with quirky details. I love the subtle scalloping on this one as well as the pretty breast pockets. 
And, how good does the apple crumble slice look?! I've had this once before in a cafe but never thought about making it myself. I stumbled upon this recipe however and really want to make it... yum!


Jewel toned makeup, food and accessories. Keiko Lynn perfected the red lip to the max... I love that rich, deep red! Those macarons look very tempting too, as well as that salmon coloured bag. I love colour!


These are a few delicate and pretty things I've been eyeing off. The dress and cookie bag are from Caitlin Shearer's etsy and the gorgeous rose wreath is from Dolly.

♥ ♥ ♥

Thanks so much for having me Sophie!! 
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Monday Marvel #20: Designer Delights
11/19/2012

Monday Marvel #20: Designer Delights

I always try to support local designers, particularly when I'm buying gifts for someone's birthday or as a Christmas present. It's always nice to give someone a unique, special gift & to start off/contribute to someone's art collection!

Luckily here in New Zealand there are plenty of talented local artists & designers who have Etsy Stores where you can buy their work online or frequently visit Art & Craft Fairs. Today I thought I'd share with you some work from artists who will be visiting Auckland Markets within the next month or so...hello perfect Christmas shopping opportunity!! I'll also give you links to their online stores & spaces so you can go check the rest of their work out.




Dear Colleen has released this delightful new calendar just in time for Christmas (yay!). Each month is illustrated with pictures of all the fresh, delicious produce available in New Zealand. This would make a great gift for any Masterchefs in your midsts or to send overseas. Colleen will be having a table at the MOAD Market in Auckland this Saturday, double yay!

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What I Love Weekly #30
11/16/2012

What I Love Weekly #30

1. This time last week I was walking through town in a daze, the reason being that I had just attended the Rookie 2012 Fashion Show. I've never been to a student showcase or exhibit of any kind before & it definitely didn't disappoint. See some photos of the night here.

2. A bedroom that smells like a Lush store. Some of my Christmas shopping thus far has been from Lush & I've been hiding everything in a corner of my wardrobe so whenever I open the doors it smells like Lush! It's rather heavenly.

3. I think we can all agree by now that Tavi Gevinson is amazing. Just in case you need further proof have a read of this.

4. Sprinkling glitter, just because. I love doing this to brighten a gloomy day or to hopefully make a friend's day by sprinkling glitter in any post I may send.

Pretty Peonies! 
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Quotacious Quotes
11/15/2012

Quotacious Quotes



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