May Favourites
5/29/2015

May Favourites




How is it the end of May!? It feels like literally last week I was falling out of bed in a slightly jet-lagged stupor in Sydney. It was time to start thinking about what I've loved in May and for the first time in a while it was quite an easy choice. So what made the cut this month? Read on..


Colourpop Eyeshadows in La La and Sequin-In case my frequent raving didn't get it across, I'm a bit obsessed with these eyeshadows. Cream eyeshadows in general are my favourite to be honest. These two colours from Colourpop are really stunning. Sequin, the coppery bronze is my favourite but La La, the rose gold is a close second. If you're yet to try Colourpop I highly recommend you start with their eyeshadows.

Real Techniques #200 Oval Shadow Brush*-Let's all take a moment to marvel at my flawless dirty brush. In seriousness, this brush is a thing of beauty. It reminds me a lot of the Mac #217, just denser and larger. It's perfect for both packing on colour and blending shadows out really easily. One thing that annoys me about this brush is they don't stand up like the other RT brushes do, although it redeems itself because they're designed to not roll off tables, benches etc. 

Bourjois Healthy Balance Powder in Vanille-This powder is fabulous. It's matte but not overly so. As a result you aren't left with a cakey, obviously powdered looking complexion. I love that it's in a secure compact with an accessible mirror too. It makes it perfect for on the go touchups as well. 

The Heir by Kiera Cass-I can't remember if I've mentioned The Selection series on my blog before but I am obsessed with this series. The fourth book follows the life of Eadlyn Schreave, aka 'the heir' as she gets ready to face her own selection. Inevitably, some drama ensues. While this story didn't follow America as closely it was still really good. Eadlyn is quite different to America so it didn't feel too similar reading her story. It received four out of five stars on GoodReads from me because I liked it that much. Here's hoping a follow-up isn't too far away.


West Elm Heart Bud Vase-This was one of my Sydney purchases and I'm so happy I picked this one up. The vase is covered in teensy little gold foil-leaf hearts. It's just so beautiful and I'm looking forward to putting flowers in this come Springtime. 

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Celebrated-There's just something about Tarte's blushers which make them so irresistible. It could be the gorgeous packaging or intricate designs. In reality, I think it's the fact all the colours are so wearable and also ridiculously long-wearing. Seriously, these blushers stick around. I'm obsessed and now own four of them. Yep, I have a problem...

Karen Walker Wreath Ring-This was one of my purchases with a voucher I won from BeautyDirectory last month. The wreath ring has been on my wishlist for the longest time and I could finally justify getting it. I really love Karen Walker's jewellery, in particular the rings and I tend to wear them a lot more than any other jewellery these days. The design of this one is a bit fancier than the simpler bands she does but I love it.

Bumble & Bumble Pret A Powder-I described this as a hair saver last week and it really is. If you're like me and find hair washing a bit too tedious you'll like this one. Part dry-shampoo, part style extender*, this helps to disguise oily roots and lifeless, second day hair. It's so lightweight and doesn't leave you with an annoying whitecast as well. Wins all round.

*What does that even mean? Cryptic hair product lingo...

-Have an utterly awesome weekend everybody! I'm not gonna lie, this week's been a bit on the not-so-awesome side and at times it's left me feeling a little bit blue. Thankfully it's a long weekend so I can recharge the batteries. I'll be listening to Florence's new cd (out today!) on repeat, having a bit of a DVD watching sesh and I'm going to a lil' movie screening with Hannah. x
Read More
Taking Stock, Or A Little Life Update
5/27/2015

Taking Stock, Or A Little Life Update




I've seen this tag over on the lovely Laura and Lena's blogs and thought it'd be a nice little life, update-y thing for me to do maybe once or twice a year. It's something a bit different but I guess it lets you learn a bit more about me and what I'm thinking and doing. Here's my insights..

Making: Journal pages for my gratitude journal and party invitations for my brother's upcoming birthday. *Side note: I say making invites, I'm sticking the information onto illustrated cards with double sided tape..
Cooking: As of this evening: spaghetti bolognese. It was good guys. 
Drinking: Water.
Reading: The Goldfinch by Donna Tarte and Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella. 
Wanting: Frends Headphones! I tried some on in Sydney and they were awesome.
Looking: At the clock.
Playing: The singles released from Florence & The Machine's upcoming album. Two days until it's out.
Wishing: To be overseas on holiday.
Enjoying: This week. Even though it's been relatively busy, knowing it's a long weekend makes it that little bit better.
Waiting: For Florence & The Machine's new album, just in case that wasn't obvious enough.
Liking: Copper detailing, particularly in stationery and home decor. 
Wondering: What to put on my pinboard when I redo it later today.
Loving: Colourpop eyeshadows. They're so cheap and such stunning colours.
Pondering: What life will look like in a month's time.
Considering: Getting a tattoo. I jest. No I am considering going to see Robbie Williams but I don't think I'd be able to find anyone to go with so it's not likely to happen..
Watching: New Girl, season 2. I'm nearly done with it but I'm a little obsessed with this show. It's crazy and a little bit over the top but it's so hilarious. 
Marveling: At pretty pictures on Instagram.
Needing: New pyjamas. I'm eyeing up those Toy Story ones in Peter Alexander. Once a Disney kid, always a Disney kid..
Wearing: My leaver's jersey which I think is ugly, but it's ridiculously warm so it comes out in Winter and trackpants (see above) but again, Winter wear and a Katy Perry concert tee. 
Followingreadbyzoe, a booktuber, 'grammer, Good Reader and the rest. It makes me so happy that there's a book community online so whenever I find likeminded people it's the best.
Noticing: How little I miss people who I used to think the world of.
Knowing: That it's never too late to start over and be+do what you've always dreamed of. Happiness is so important and doesn't deserve to be shoved aside.
Thinking: About what I'm going to read next.
Admiring: Beautiful interiors on my Pinterest board
Sorting: Out my extremely messy desk. Papers, notebooks and miscellaneous things everywhere.
Buying: Some cute lil' things from Etsy. 
Getting: Excited for the weekend! I get to see Hannah and go to the movies.
Bookmarking: Nothing. I don't bookmark anything because I find it so annoying to do on Mac's. That's such a first world problem undoubtedly, but I just cannot be bothered. 
Disliking: The cold! As much as I like coats, scarves and boots weather, I could do without the unnecessary freezing temperatures. 
Opening: Mecca Cosmetica's latest catalogue and feeling shocked that the By Terry Ombre Blackstars weren't dubbed a beauty icon for the year. To be fair, there were no eyeshadow products but still, this surprised me. 
Giggling: At New Girl. Although not the last episode I watched because that was far too many feels. 
Feeling: Excited about things that are coming up.
Snacking: On Whittakers Sea Salt & Caramel Brittle chocolate. Too darn good. 
Coveting: Gold dotted cushions. Well, probably only one. I think Kmart have some.
Helping: Other bloggers and sharing my experiences.
Hearing: My kitty cat purring away in the background. 

-Congratulations if you made it to the end of this rather lengthy list! I hope you are all doing good. Let me know what you are up to in the comments-what are you reading? What are you coveting? x
Read More
May Happy Mail
5/25/2015

May Happy Mail




Another month, another cardboard envelope of Happy Mail goodness from A Beautiful Mess. This month seems to have been all about typography with the odd illustrated graphic thrown in for good measure. This month's pack is sold out now, in fact it sold out before it arrived. Side note: Would you still like to see these posts? I feel kinda mean blogging about pretty stationery that is no longer purchasable. Anyway, on with the May Happy Mail...


This month marks the return of the copper foil which made me happy. Funny that...While I liked last month's silvery foil, I felt like it was a little bit trickier to read on some of the designs. One of this month's specials was this wifi password print. I think this is so cute and home is where the wifi is after all. There's also the 'you're golden' card which I love and am saving for my pinboard because of its positive vibes. I also really like the eye print card above as well as the birthday card and that succulent card in the bottom corner. The one card I'm a bit 'meh' about in this photo is the dance step one. I think it was for the foxtrot but it just didn't appeal to me as much as these other prints.


It wouldn't be Happy Mail without a lil' bit of colour now would it? That sewing themed card is reserved for my Mum who loves quilting and craft. I know she'll love it. The motivational/straight up print is going to up somewhere I can see it. I'm thinking of framing it for my desk actually. We shall see. I love that pretzel card and also the phrase stickers. There were some in the first Happy Mail I received and I love using them so they'll be handy. There was also emoji stickers this month and a postcard to send just to say hey. 

-So that was this month's Happy Mail. If you receive it, which piece was your favourite? Also let me know if you want me to continue with these posts. If Happy Mail continues to sell out every month I might just keep it to Instagram or my Facebook page only, so I don't feel too mean. 
Read More
The Week #155
5/22/2015

The Week #155



The Hair Saver-I'm not sure if this is just a #thickhairproblem but I genuinely loathe washing my hair. It's so tedious! Well now I've found something to use when I feel like going an extra day between washes. Pret A Powder from Bumble & Bumble does the trick. Part dry shampoo, part style extender, it helps to disguise second day hair. There's no white cast left in your hair either which I love given I have dark brown hair. I'm so glad I bought this and will definitely grab the full sized once my mini's all used up.

Finding Audrey-Surprise mail can often be the best kind, more so if it's in the form of a book. The lovely folk over at Penguin+Random House sent me Sophie Kinsella's upcoming novel to read. It's appealing to me already because #1-it's written by a Sophie and #2-it's YA. This'll be on my June reading list so I'll talk about it more then. In the meantime you can check it out here

Gourmet Chocolate in NZ-Apparently us New Zealanders get awfully excited when local chocolate brand Whittakers invent anything really. Well they've done it again with a new, artisan line of chocolates. I tried the Sea Salt & Caramel Brittle flavour and it is amazing. So amazing that it seems to be selling out everywhere! They also have other flavour combinations including oolong tea, pear and manuka honey and more. Add one to your grocery basket this weekend. 

Shauna speaks the truth-After meeting Shauna last December it became apparent that she is a wealth of knowledge. This week she posted an article about the path to success and the extent of the journey to landing your dream job. As she says in the title, there really is no shortcut to greatness and this article really resonated with me this week. It was exactly what I needed to read too so thanks Shauna! x

Foundation decisioning solved-This is more of a #PSA than anything. I finally chose a new foundation this week. My Chanel one's nearly all gone and while I love it, it's just a bit too pricey to replace at the moment. I ended up going for the Nars All Day Luminous Weightless foundation which I'd used two tester pots of and decided I did quite like it. No doubt you'll spy a review around these parts at some point.

*Have a fabulous weekend everyone! This week ended up being quite busy, which is never a bad thing tbh. This afternoon I'm off to a Benefit brow event which should be fun. Tomorrow I'm going to watch Pitch Perfect 2 and then Rent at the local theatre in the evening which I'm looking forward to. See y'all on Monday with another fresh post! x
Read More
Magazines I Read And Liked
5/20/2015

Magazines I Read And Liked




This may be dejavu but to know me is to know I am obsessed with magazines. In fact, I can scarcely remember a time when that hasn't been the case. In all honesty, I don't buy as many as I used to but I still read a lot, whether it's my own or someone else's. Today I've rounded up some of my old favourites, a new discovery and a rediscovery for you in one, not-so-glossy package...

Yen-When I first started reading Yen it was relatively new and like most publications it took a little bit of time to find its footing. Now it has and it's become one of my favourite magazines. For anyone who likes reading about creative pursuits and culture, you'll probably enjoy this one. They always include a travel section which is worth having a look at as well. 

Collective-Side note: I can't work out if this magazine is called Collective or Renegade Collective. Anyway, I found this magazine last week in Sydney airport and as it was one I'd not seen before I decided to buy it. Apparently this is available in New Zealand though, I'm just not sure where exactly. It's described as "the magazine for following your dreams" and it certainly is inspiring, with the odd inspirational quote scattered throughout. This month's issue has an interview with Anna Kendrick as well and plenty of dreamy photography.

Frankie-You probably know by now about my longtime love for Frankie so I won't harp on too much. I haven't actually had time to read the latest issue yet. There's stories about glitter, a teeny tiny house in Christchurch, why Mondays really do suck and more. There's also the usual calendar/poster inside which you can stick on the wall or reuse as wrapping paper. Frankie is best enjoyed over a cup of tea and a delicious treat so add this to your Saturday morning ritual.

Allure-To be honest I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with this magazine. It's crammed with quite a few adverts which I find off-putting but given it's about makeup, sometimes it is nice to pick up. It's a great one to discover upcoming beauty products, particularly from the drugstore. The March issue (yep, we're that far behind in lil' ol NZ) has a stunning editorial with Kendall Jenner as well. There's even a cameo from Marcel, the monkey on Friends. This magazine's definitely one for the true beauty obsessive so if you love makeup and skincare you'll probably enjoy this one.

-Have you read any of these magazines before? Which magazines do you read and like?
Read More
A Pop Of Colour
5/18/2015

A Pop Of Colour




Colourpop's certainly the buzz of the beauty blogging world at the moment. I first heard of the brand when Shannon collaborated with them on a series of eyeshadows and also through watching Liv's hauls. They're an American brand with a diverse range of eyeshadows, lip colours, blushers and now highlighters and bronzers. All their products are inexpensive although shipping to NZ could be a little bit less steep. Pro tip: Do an order with a friend and split the shipping costs. I knew that the eyeshadows were top of my list to try so I got them and also one of the lippie pencils, just because. Here's what I think..

Colourpop Metallic Shadows in Tea Party, La La and Sequin-These shadows looked stunning online and they deliver in person too. I'm not gonna lie, I'm probably going to get more of these at some point. These shadows have quite a creamy, almost moussey texture to them but they dry down to more of a powder finish. If you're familiar with the Australis AC Heart Me shadows, these are similar in terms of texture.

As for the colours, wow. These certainly don't skimp in the pigment department. Let's start with my favourite, Sequin. It's on the far left in the photo and is a copper with flecks of gold and silver glitter throughout. On the lids it's more of a reddy-bronze but I really love it. It's such a stunning colour. Next we have La La which my friend and I both picked up. It's described as a "true rose gold" and that description perfectly sums it up. Like Sequin, this is another stunning one. I also picked up Tea Party, a champagne pink. I was expecting this to be quite Mac All That Glitters-esque on the lids but it's quite a bit sheerer. It's a more neutral shade with the subtlest hint of shimmer. This one's a nice everyday shade without being too extreme on the glitter front.

Colourpop Lippie Pencil in Frida-I wasn't sure whether to get one of the lippie stix or pencils so I opted for a pencil because you can't go wrong with lipliner*. This one pairs perfectly with Mac's Syrup lipstick but it also looks great on its own. Frida is super pigmented and not too dehydrating on the lips.

-Have you tried anything from Colourpop before? What do you think of their products?

*Actually you can, I had a popular lipliner from a brand I won't name which snapped the very first time I used it. #thestruggleisreal
Read More
The Week #154
5/15/2015

The Week #154




The New Wardrobe Staple-If you follow me on Snapchat, Instagram or Twitter (all hands on deck guys) then you've probably already spied me raving about this trench coat. Now I cannot find it online, but I only purchased it on Monday at Topshop so it might still be around. It's a navy blue trench coat and is basically the coat I have wanted in my life forever since I saw this picture. I'll basically be living in this all Winter.

A Homeware Lover's Paradise-Mum and I took a trip out to Bondi Junction on Sunday with the intention of going to Bondi Beach. After seeing the queues for the buses there though that changed but I'm kinda glad it did because I discovered the most amazing shop. West Elm is like stepping into a real life Pinterest house. There's Scandinavian inspired pieces aplenty and even the odd copper component or two. I did try to justify copper measuring cups...They have some seriously stunning things and they cater for a range of budgets. If you're in Sydney you have to go here. 

Subway Book Review-Buzzfeed is a site I visit daily and I have no shame in admitting that. Sometimes it's less depressing than the local papers, in fact it's much more uplifting. Anyway, this week they shared an article about the Instagram+Tumblr of the Subway Book Review. Nope, they don't interview people over their customised sandwiches, they talk to people at New York Subway stations about what they're reading. Each photo comes with a mini review and an insight into the reader's thoughts. If you love books and photography then you have to check this out. 

Do You Hear The People Sing-I'm sure everybody got a bit tired of hearing about me going to see Les Miserables in Sydney #sorrynotsorry. Ever since I saw the movie I've been obsessed with the songs and the story. This current revival, which I think follows the updated Broadway show was amazing. The casting was perfect, seriously their vocals were insane. I was blown away. You get the idea, it was fantastic. Go see it if you're in Sydney because it'll totally wow you. 

Printspiration-Olivia's blog is always packed to the brim with awesome places, things and people to discover. Her latest post of artists she loves was no exception. I loved the works of Cardboard Cities (pictured) and Emma Block. Those collages are stunning. 

-As always, have the absolute raddest of weekends everyone. Whilst I'm not so enthusiastic to be back in the freezing cold place that is NZ right now it hasn't been all bad. This weekend I have a lunch date with one of my friends and I'm going to watch my honorary sibling sister from another mister perform in her school's musical. Hi E if you're reading. See y'all Monday with a beauty review! x
Read More
Holiday Beauty Haul
5/14/2015

Holiday Beauty Haul





Two hauls in a week?! What is this sorcery... I'm back today with another haul in video form. You'll find all the non-Sephora beauty purchases that I made whilst I was in Australia. There's not heaps really but these products are all ones I know are going to get a lot of use. Enjoy, and keep an eye out for my final Sydney haul in a couple of weeks. 
Read More
A Mini Sephora Haul
5/13/2015

A Mini Sephora Haul





Good morning everyone. I hope you've all had awesome weeks so far. I got back from Sydney on Monday night after such an awesome four days but more on that another time. Whilst I was in Sydney I knew a visit to the Pitt Street Sephora was inevitable mandatory. Now the store itself was reasonable sized but they didn't have the most extensive range of stock. Some of what I'd gone there for specifically wasn't in stock so that was a bit disappointing. Still, it was nice to set foot in a physical Sephora again and wander around taking in all the beauty things. It was also a little bit pricey in there, hence I didn't go crazy with purchases. Here's what I did place in my little black basket though..

Tarte 'Tartelette' Amazonian Clay Blush in Celebrated-Tarte's blushers are some of my all-time favourites. They're pigmented without being ridiculous, come in a range of flattering colours and last a pretty reasonable amount of time on the skin. I had to get this limited edition shade, not only because of the foiled gold packaging I swear! Celebrated is such a natural shade that I know I'll get a ton of wear out of.

Bite Matte Creme Lip Crayon in Glace-I initially went to the Bite stand in search of the Agave Lip Mask but I chose not to get it straight away. Instead I found this lip crayon which I'd seen Gabby raving about. It reminds me a bit of Mac's Syrup but with less of a sheen to it. 

Marc Jacobs Twinkle Pop Eye Stick in Three Shakes-Another blogger inspired buy, this time thanks to Tamira. Y'know I love my cream shadows and eyeshadow crayons. They're just stunning in my opinion. I loved this bronzey-coppery colour and know it'll get a lot of use over Winter.

So there we have it, my not-so-extensive Sephora haul. I'll be back tomorrow with the rest of my Sydney beauty buys so keep an eye out for that.

*Have you tried any of these products before? What did you think of them?
Read More
A Week (Or Two) in Pictures
5/08/2015

A Week (Or Two) in Pictures




Happy Friday everyone. You may notice The Week is on a lil' vacation this week. I'm currently in Sydney and kindasortamaybe ran out of time to schedule a whole lot of posts so I had to do some rearranging. I've actually ended up being quite busy the last few weeks so there's less photos here than I would've liked but I thought I'd show you some snaps that haven't made it elsewhere. Enjoy!

-Above. A garland of Taylor Swift polaroids from her 1989 albums. Those cute rose gold heart pegs are from Typo and I'm a bit obsessed with them.



-Snuggles with the cat and reading one of my favourite novels of late.
-Inspiration from Shauna's blog.



-Watching one of Anna's latest videos on my phone whilst I was doing something else, blogging I think.
-The Taylor garland up above one of our doorways. I wish it could've stayed up.

*As always have an awesome weekend everyone! I'm not too sure what I'll be doing today. I do want to go to Bondi Beach at some point so that may be on the cards if the weather's not too shabby. Tomorrow I'm going to see Les Mis which is one of my favourite musicals ever so I'm really excited for that. There'll be no post on Monday but I'll be back on Wednesday with a beauty post for you. 
Read More
Makeup Memory Lane
5/06/2015

Makeup Memory Lane



Ahh, the gold old throwback. Today I'm taking a look back to the years when I really started discovering makeup. There's insight into some mishaps of the tanning variety and just a whole lotta makeup reminiscence really. I found this tag over on Laura's blog and thought it'd be fun. I've gotta say, going through old selfies was quite a grim task. Why did we think duck facing and doing the peace sign was cool. Cringe. Anyway, it's time to take a walk on memory lane...

First makeup item ever purchased? When I was younger, a lot of the makeup I acquired was 'gift with purchase' type things. I remember I had a Caboodles Clear Mascara which was terrible. The first thing I can remember buying though was a Maybelline Lipgloss. It was in a squeezy tube and had one of those foam applicators on it. If I remember correctly, it was quite sticky but had a nice scent to it.

First MAC item? Creme D'Nude lipstick, a colour that's having quite a revival right now. It's a pity that it looks so awful on me. Think concealer/zinc lips, but ten times worse. I also got a Mac Technakohl liner in Graphblack on this shopping trip as well. Does that even exist still? *Update: It does, but the packaging looks like it's had a revamp.

First MAC/other brand collection? The Mac Wonderwoman collection. I remember venturing into town with one of my friends, back when Mac had a store on Vulcan Lane. I picked up one of their pigments/glitters in the shade Reflects Pearl. I still have it actually, and it even made an appearance in my school makeup because I was rebellious like that.

First high end makeup splurge? Hmm, probably some Chanel purchases in Duty Free. I think I went through a phase of using one or two of their mascaras. I also had their Spices quad which I loved but no longer own.

First makeover experience? Aside from a terrible one at a friend's birthday party, it was probably when I had my makeup done for my Year 12 (sixth form) ball. It was at a Mac counter and I remember asking for a smokey eye and winged liner. The only makeup phrases I knew back then. I remember loving that eye makeup and I felt amazing.

First makeup brush? My aunty came to watch me have my makeup done and she actually purchased me two Mac brushes. One was their paint brush style foundation brush and the other the #232 eyeshadow brush. I still have the eyeshadow brush actually and that was purchased nearly six years ago. 

First eyeshadow? I know I had a silvery white one from Dior that someone else gave me. That was probably it. I used to wear it all the time. After I had my makeup done I redeemed one of the Mineralize Eyeshadows. It was so pretty, a mix of bronzes and taupes. Not too far from what I love now actually.

First skincare investment? My skincare experiences back in the day were..dismal but I'll talk about that more later. I guess the first 'expensive' product I purchased was Bioderma but I feel like that's not an investment as such. I'll go with the Oskia Renaissance Cleansing gel because I'm 99% sure that's the most expensive piece of skincare I own, that I purchased with my own money.

First nail polish owned? No idea but it was probably a BYS one from Bling. Remember Bling kiwi friends? I did go through a real OPI phase during the first year of Uni. I remember having 2/3 of the Katy Perry polishes. Actually I had heaps of OPI back in the day. I was obsessed.

First fake tan attempt? For my school ball, someone (no names) insisted I shouldn't look half dead on the night, because I am that pale. So I set off into town and bought a Clinique tanning mousse. I've wiped this incident from my mind but I'll leave you with a visual. Chicken chips coloured skin, uneven, hands that weren't tanned. It was bad. I've only fake tanned once since and it had similar results.

More memories

Brow 'mares: That first bottom left photo was when my brows begun to be slaughtered. Many of us probably succumbed to zealous over plucking back in the day. To any teens reading this, don't do it! If you feel like your brows need a shaping, go to a trusty salon. In between visits, just tidy up any stray hairs yourself with some tweezers. 

Skincare fails: Not so much a fail, more a case of being prescribed products that really did nothing for my skin. My teenage self would have never thought to go and research ingredients or look up reviews for products. In fact I don't think that was even a major part of blogging back then. My skin was terrible for years and I wish I'd had a good resource to refer to. If you're looking for somewhere to start check out Caroline's blog or Sali Hughes' book, Pretty Honest

Makeup and School: Now I don't really remember when I started wearing makeup to school. There was always the odd LipSmacker floating around in my bag, or a Maybelline lipgloss like the one above. That was probably about it until Year 11. Then I wore mascara, maybe some eyeshadow (I know, so subtle), liner and lip balm. I can't remember if I wore foundation to school but there was no concealer around in my life then. Goodness knows there should've been. With school makeup, keep it natural ladies. Maybe a light tinted moisturiser or just concealer and a setting powder if your skin's not that bad. 

-Do you have any makeup memories or mishaps? Share them below! x
Read More
May Reading List
5/04/2015

May Reading List



Given how busy last month ended up being, I'm not sure I'll make a major dent in these books but hey it's worth a try. As always there's some fiction, including a book I've been looking forward to read ever since I started the series, two memoirs which look promising and that gigantic novel I ambitiously tried to finish in April to no avail. Here's what's on May's reading list..

The Heir by Kiera Cass, not pictured-The fourth novel in The Selection series is out on Tuesday but I preordered my copy. It just hasn't arrived yet. The first twelve chapters are available here now though. There's even some cats to make the whole experience even better. I've only read the first seven chapters but this book seems promising, and Eadlyn seems even more feisty than America. I'll try to remember to do a review here or over on Instagram once it arrives though. 

Traveling to Infinity by Jane Hawking-After seeing The Theory of Everything and being inspired by the Hawking's story, I knew I had to read the book. I'm not far into this yet but it tells the story of Jane and Stephen Hawking's life together. It also goes a bit more into detail than the film does. For instance, I got the impression they both met at university but it turns out they'd met before that, and had even crossed paths when they were both at school. This looks set to be an inspiring read.

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt-Given how busy April was it was awfully ambitious of me to expect to get through this 700+ page novel within four weeks. I'm about 200 pages in now and I love this book. There's just something about the way Tartt writes that just gets me y'know? I'm taking this one away with me to Australia so no doubt I'll make a bit more of a dent in it should the in-flight entertainment leave a lot to be desired. *Update: Theory of Everything and Gone Girl are on the in-flight entertainment. Sorry The Goldfinch, you may be left untouched....

Just Kids by Patti Smith-I don't remember how or when I heard about this book, I just know it's one that often comes up in interviews with anyone I admire. Many of them say how inspiring this is and everyone seems to love it so I have high hopes. There's even a New York Times bestseller sticker or something like that on the front. Again, high hopes, people. 

-Have you read any of these books? If not, what do you plan on reading in May?
Read More
The Week #153
5/01/2015

The Week #153



Lisa Eldridge and why I find her inspiring: Okay storytime, did you know Lisa Eldridge was born in New Zealand and spent the first six years of her life here? She did, she's technically a kiwi. Now why do I find Lisa so inspiring? She's achieved such amazing things in her career and juggles a lot of hats. Mad props to her. She's also coming out with a book, which she wrote and researched herself and is currently creative director at Lancome. Fangirling aside, if you think Lisa is as awesome as I do, check out this story over on Into The Gloss. 

H&M Home: If you follow any of the European bloggers, you're bound to have spied H&M Home pieces in their post. Cheap, cheerful and so on-trend. What's not to love? I'm looking forward to seeing what homeware pieces they have at H&M in Sydney. In fact, I've already made a little wishlist. That cushion cover above is on my wishlist. So chic.

The Coveteur meets Daisy Lowe: If you follow my Facebook page you will have seen me share this photo yesterday. The Coveteur and Into The Gloss never fail to deliver amazing content week after week. Their look around Daisy Lowe's home this week did not disappoint. Expect pastels, plenty of glitter and sequins. 

Sali Hughes x Pixiwoo: More inspirational women in the beauty industry. This is turning into one girl power-esque post. Sam and Nic filmed a video talking with Sali about her book Pretty Honest and how she forged her career as a beauty journalist and columnist. Again, if you want some inspiration+insight into people achieving their dreams, watch. 

Ballet as exercise? Thanks to Ballet Beautiful, a favourite of Alexa Chung's, we are now seeing more and more ballet classes for the non-dancer popping up. I used to do jazz ballet, centuries ago but the idea of doing classes which sound like they're part ballet/part yoga/pilates really intrigues me. I'm not the kind of person who will go running for kicks so this sort of exercise sounds right up my street. 

-Have the most amazing weekend everybody. This week's been great and I've had so many moments where I've felt so grateful for what's happening in my life. Today I'm organising a surprise for someone awesome. This weekend I'll be blogging, maybe starting some packing if I'm feeling uncharacteristically organised and hopefully hanging with Amy at some point.
Read More