June Favourites
6/29/2016

June Favourites



It's the end of another month which means it's time to round up the things; beauty, books and the rest that I have liked during June. There's a bit less beauty in here, mainly because I've been sticking to products I use on the regular but there are some newfound loves among this bunch. There's also a couple of reads and a film I will be obsessed with for some time yet...


Paper Aeroplanes by Dawn O'Porter-After listening to Dawn over on Emma's podcast I had to track down every single thing she'd written. I started with this semi-biographical novel about two teenaged girls in nineties Britain and loved it. This book was so captivating, hilarious, heartwarming and even a bit sad. I cried, I really did. If you liked the book Submarine, I think you'd enjoy this one.

Charlotte Tilbury Instant Look in a Palette, limited edition-I've raved about this palette already this month so I'll spare you an elaborate explanation. It's like a one stop makeup shop and I love it for that. I took this away traveling with me and it was so convenient not having to carry around individual blushers, eyeshadows etc. I really like these colours too. They're perfect for that effortless, Alexa Chung-style makeup look I love.

Koko K x Kylie Cosmetics-Matte lipsticks have been my go-to all month, perhaps longer. Kylie's liquid lipsticks are by far one of my favourite formulas though. Non-drying, easy to apply and pretty darn long lasting. I love this colour too. It's the perfect 'my lips, but better' colour. I just wish they weren't so tricky to get hold of.

Russh Issue 70-It's been a while since I grabbed an issue of Russh. After seeing it in one of Chloe's videos I was reminded how much I used to love it. Issue #70, aka the Models Inc. issue celebrates models. Russh is the magazine to embrace and support models, both new and old it seems like a perfect pairing. As well as their usual stunning editorials, there's some brilliant articles in the mix. Also, how stunning is that cover? Swoon.


Me Before You-It would've been such a letdown for me if this film hadn't delivered. Me Before You is one of my all-time favourite books so I would've cried doubly hard if it hadn't done Jojo Moyes' book justice. Thankfully she wrote the screenplay so there wasn't much to worry about. The book translated beautifully to the screen. Emilia Clarke and Sam Claflin in the leading roles of Lou and Will were amazing. Not gonna lie I also kinda wanted most of Lou's outfits #goals. It's so, so good. I'm definitely going to be watching it again before it finishes at the cinema.

Becca Ever Matte Poreless Priming Perfector-This was a free sample with a Cult Beauty/Sephora NZ order, I can't remember which and honestly I was dismissive of it. I believe my exact thoughts were 'it will be silicone-feeling and yuck'. Quite the contrary. This primer definitely feels smoothing but not matte if that makes sense. If your skin's on the drier side, this won't be hydrating enough for you but if you have combination skin you'll like this one. I am quite tempted to grab the full sized one of this at some point.

Zoeva 225 and 227 Brushes-It's taken me a while to get on the Zoeva bandwagon but if their eye brushes are any indication, this is one brand that should be on your radar. Firstly, they're beautiful. The rose-gold hardware feels chic rather than tacky. They're also super lightweight which I love-who wants a brush that feels clunky? These brushes are such good quality, they're comparable to MAC brushes and are so much cheaper. I highly recommend these if you're in the market for some new eye brushes.

-What have you been loving throughout June?
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Taking Stock: Volume Four
6/27/2016

Taking Stock: Volume Four




Nothing says "I had a gap in my blog schedule" more than a tag. I'm joking guys, I know tags make the blogging and vlogging world go 'round. Today I thought I'd do another life update of sorts for y'all. I'm writing this in the sun underneath the windowsill and it's so peaceful. 

Reading: At the moment I'm reading an uncorrected proof of The Moonlight Dreamers and am loving it. I'm also still reading Just Kids by Patti Smith because I keep picking it up and then putting it down again. There's also a few magazines on the go as well because when is there not?

Watching: My cousin and I have been binge-watching The IT Crowd. I've seen it so many times now and it's still one of my favourite shows. I can probably quote that about as much as I can quote Mean Girls. We've also been watching Parks and Recreation from the beginning which is a good time.

Buying: This phone case because I have zero shame. Tina Fey+Amy Poehler are my faves. I also got my brother a top from Redbubble for his birthday and some stickers. Yep.

Listening: To French Music! We had a Brigitte Bardot cd going earlier and it was actually really good. She has a soothing voice to listen to. I'm also listening to a lot of Amy Winehouse at the moment, partly because I've had some engaging discussions with people about her and the danger of celebrity culture lately. Mainly though it's because I love her music and voice.

Feeling: Content. Thanks mid-semester break, you gem xo.

Planning: What I'm going to get up to over my break. I have to design+make a website for my parent's business and do some admin-type things. I can't wait to catch up with my friends as well and visit some places I've wanted to get to for a while. 

Wishing: That it wasn't cold. Palmy I like you and all but you're a tad chilly! Side note: I'm in Palmerston North as I type this and it's just a bit colder than Auckland. 

Enjoying: Going for walks. I don't have my car down here and it's pretty easy to walk everywhere. Side note: Ditch the car more in Auckland.

Eating: A banana and a piece of shortbread. Balanced diet y'all. 

Hoping: That Me Before You is just as good to watch as it is to read. I know they've cut out some plot lines so it will be interesting to see how that changes things.

Thinking: About going for a walk soon because I can. R i v e t i n g.

Lacking: Motivation to go for said walk. The struggle is real.


Trying: Food combinations that shouldn't work but do. Last night I was introduced to Weetbix with butter and Marmite. It sounds so, so wrong but it actually tastes amazing! I was skeptical and kinda still am but dang that was good.

Drinking: Water, and far too much coffee. 

Wanting: At the moment I really want this book because I loved it and also I'd love, and by no means need this, Baies Room Spray. It's such a divine scent.

Deciding: Whether or not I want to go to something I was invited to. I do like going to events but things like living so far away and peak-traffic aren't as appealing.

Wearing: Topshop Jamie jeans, socks and a long-sleeved khaki green top.

Needing: New textbooks for next semester. I only have to get 2/3, one is kinda nonessential. They're all quite expensive though. #unilyf
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Unglamorous Beauty
6/24/2016

Unglamorous Beauty



Unglamorous beauty; the dark horse, the elephant in the room, the beauty rituals and routines that we don't tend to talk about. I feel like there's a bit of a stigma around the unglamorous side of beauty, whether it's bleaching your upper lip or adult acne. Okay, there may be less of a stigma around the latter. Doesn't acne suck!? Today I thought I'd talk about some of the less glamorous beauty tools and products I reach for. After all, there's more to beauty than just a flawless base and brows that are on-point 24/7...

The Brow Tamers+Stray Hair Essentials: Ahh tweezers. I love and hate them all in one go. Tweezing is something I find painful as anything. In fact I had my brows waxed and shaped last week and by far the worst part of the process for me was the tweezing. Yes, I'm a wimp. Yes you'd have to pay me good money to get my brows threaded. I use some QVS ones, they're nothing fancy although they are pink so they have that going for them. Like I said, I love/hate my tweezers all the time but they're good for keeping Frida and Kahlo under control. Props to you if you get that Princess Mia reference...

Face Masks, aka the substances that catapult attractiveness: Note the sarcasm, although I have to say sheet masks might be the worst for this. Does anyone not look terrifying in those? As I said last week, face masks are like a good friend. While they're not the most unglamorous of things per se, they're pretty scary looking! Although they do a good job of fixing skin up. Props to the face masks that are weird colours, textures or material, ahem, sheet masks....

Bleach: I'm sure we all know by now that bleach doesn't just belong on your head. It can be used for brows and moustaches. Yep, I use bleach to tint my unwanted, dark facial hair. Ugh. This is one beauty process I don't enjoy, simply because I find it so tedious and pretty ineffective given it needs redoing every alternate week or so. I could just get it waxed I suppose but given my low pain tolerance I doubt that'd go down well. I use whichever one they sell at the supermarket-it's 20-ish dollars I think. It smells rank but it does the trick so I can't complain. 

Dry Shampoo: This really isn't unglam although given how bad dry shampoo looks in dark hair unblended, it may as well be. Whoever invented dry shampoo is a godsend though. For people like me who don't like washing their hair, it's the best thing ever. I did use Pret A Powder until I misplaced it so now I just have a can of Batiste. As I said, it does require a bit of work to disguise it in your hair, especially if you have darker hair but it helps to prolong that second-day hair goodness for a day or two more. 

-What are your unglamorous beauty rituals/products?
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Feminist Book Club Reads | June
6/22/2016

Feminist Book Club Reads | June



It's been a little while since I last compiled the feminist book club pickings into a blog post, mainly because I've been dipping in and out of them. I feel like with book clubs you shouldn't feel obliged to read everything they put forward, unless of course that's your style. Today I have a few of the recent books I've read from feminist book clubs, as well as one I'm planning on reading very soon...

The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi-This book seems timely, given some of the recent news stories that have been developing in the world. Emma Watson set this book for June over on Our Shared Shelf. I'm not going to lie, because it was a graphic novel I decided to read it because I knew I'd be able to finish it easily. This autobiographical book follows Marjane's life growing up in Tehran during the Islamic Revolution. It also follows her to Vienna where she moves to complete high school away from the midsts of war and her return to the post-war country she left behind. I didn't know a lot about this war and I found reading about that+the cultural viewpoint really eye-opening. It really got me thinking and reinforces the idea that extremism is really just a very, very small, unfortunate part in the fabric of much larger cultures. This is well worth the read.

The Argonauts by Maggie Nelson-Another one from Emma's book club, this one was May's read. I've spoken about this already on my channel so I'll keep it brief. Maggie Nelson wrote an account of living with a gender-fluid person, her husband. She also explores ideas of relationships and sexuality throughout the book with extracts from other researchers and theorists. It's not really a structured book and doesn't follow an extremely chronological pattern as such. I quite liked that though because it read like an endless stream of thought. 

You Can't Keep A Good Woman Down by Alice Walker-Now this is the one book I haven't read, yet. I am hoping to get to it very soon though. Alice Walker's name will be familiar to anyone who knows of The Color Purple, her well-loved novel. This book is a collection of short stories and judging from the reviews I read over on The Feminist Orchestra group it seems like people were a bit divided on this book. I have to admit I couldn't bring myself to finish The Color Purple. I found it distressing and couldn't quite get to grips with the writing style. Hopefully this read fares a bit better with me.

-Have you read any of these books before? What did you think of them?
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Top 5 Skincare Loves
6/20/2016

Top 5 Skincare Loves



Happy Monday guys! Today I'm back with another skincare themed post for you all. I decided to narrow it down to my top five favourite things today. Compiling this post actually made me realise how much I miss products I used to use, namely the Origins GinZing moisturiser and a couple of others. It's also reminded me what I use and genuinely like+would repurchase too. There's a bit of everything in here, from face masks...to the micellar water I still use and love. Oh and these are in no particular order favourites-wise, let's not complicate things...

Pixi Glow Tonic-I've tried a few different toners over the years but this one remains my favourite. It's an exfoliating toner but is super gentle and doesn't give your skin that stinging, tingly feeling. There's not much more to it than that really. It's a great, inexpensive toner and I like it a lot. 

Nuxe Reve de Miel Lip Balm-Lip balms aren't exactly a rarity but this one is still my favourite by far. I've been through two or three jars of the stuff now and I will forever repurchase it. It's very thick so I recommend it for night-time use only but it is so, so hydrating. My lips are prone to cracking and going gross in Winter so I apply a layer of this every night before bed. In the morning I wake up with matte, smooth lips and do a little invisible salute to Nuxe. I highly recommend this one. Escentual, the site I buy mine from often do deals on their French pharmacie skincare so keep an eye out for those, it's a great time to stock up/repurchase products. 

Manuka Doctor Apiclear Peel Off Face Mask*-This mask is new to me but at the moment it's my current favourite. You've probably seen this one in a few vlogs and over on Snapchat. People seem to love documenting the peeling off process. We're a weird bunch... This mask is quite intense so I'd only use it maybe once or twice a month. It's also great for clearing up blemishes at a certain time of month, if you catch my drift. I'm not gonna lie, peeling it off is quite fun too. Again, weird bunch. 

Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel-I have the world of beauty blogs, namely Anna to thank for this purchase. This cleansing gel sits somewhere between a gel and an oil in terms of texture. It almost melts down once you apply it to your face. Once you apply cold water to the skin it lathers up slightly but it's not a full on foam, which I'm not a fan of. After using this my skin always feels so clean and refreshed. I feel like this cleansing gel would be user-friendly for a wide variety of skintones but if you're unsure, do your research. There's plenty of reviews out there.

Bioderma Sensibio-There's quite a few micellar waters on the market now but this one is still the best in my opinion. It's interesting, a lot of the ones that claim to be fragrance-free and therefore suitable for sensitive skins still have a scent to them. Anyway, Bioderma is the original which took the world by storm. It's a backstage staple at many a fashion-week and is the best at breaking down+removing your makeup. It's not the greatest for eye makeup, so I recommend something like this for eyes but for base makeup it's fantastic. 


-What are your go-to skincare products?

*PR Sample
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Hello, It's Me
6/17/2016

Hello, It's Me




You're probably thinking, she hasn't even gone anywhere. Sorry Adele, I ruined the poetic flow of your song. The powers of scheduling and using my free time productively. I've been in full-on revision and then exam mode the last few weeks. Exams, the less said on those the better. Who genuinely enjoys them? I certainly don't but I have to say this set of exams was the most relaxed I have felt before and during an exam in a long time. Perhaps that just comes with age and wisdom (ha), but exams don't give me the crazy levels of anxiety that they used to. That being said I would quite happily never sit one ever again. Anyway, they're done and dusted.

So I am back! I'm on semester break now for just over a month. I mean there's still the usual life-ness happening but I don't need to pick up a textbook or wax lyrical on obligatory things for a while. This means I have a lot more time to blog and vlog, the latter I'm particularly excited about. I'm also going away on a mini-break next week. Nowhere exotic, just a little bit further down this island I live on. I've got some posts and things planned for next week though so keep an eye out! If there is anything in particular you'd like to see on the blog though, sing out. I do have a schedule I use but I'm always open to modifying it if I get a better idea/one of you lovely folk want to see something specific. I also have a rather exciting recipe post coming next month for you all too. Not many of you know this but I love baking. I just don't blog it all that often because it tends to get one or two throwaway comments about 'food blogging' that I don't care for. However I'm at the stage now where I will blog what I want to without listening to the unwanted background noise too much. Almost five years of typing away on a keyboard will do that for you. 

What else..oh I contacted my Me Before You winners! Congrats to Emma, Sheena and Meagan who all won themselves a copy of the book. I'm not going to lie, I came close to posting them all a packet of tissues as well but given it's cold season here in NZ I'm sure these ladies all have some nearby anyway. That's about all from me for now. I hope you all are good and that you've had a nice week+June so far! See you all next week with some beauty+book goodness. 
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5 Things Skincare Taught Me
6/15/2016

5 Things Skincare Taught Me




Skincare, my sometimes enemy and other times best friend. I had a period earlier this year where I became extremely lazy with skincare and it showed. My skin was quite disgusting to put it mildly. I've been trying to make more of a conscious effort with skincare for many reasons and it is something I am interested in talking more about here on Nana Wintour so there's going to be a few posts on the topic this month.

Before I begin this post I'll just start by stating the obvious. I am by no means a seasoned skincare professional. My knowledge comes from trial and error, reading books on the subject and the words of wisdom that is Caroline Hirons' cheat sheets. Any products I recommend are suitable for me and my skin type, which is combination-oily typically. My skin can be sensitive though so what works for me, mightn't work for you, particularly if you have dry skin. Now we've got that out of the way, today I thought I'd do a post with five things skincare has taught me. Some of these will seem like common sense to some of you but I thought I'd throw them in anyway.

1: All natural doesn't necessarily mean all good. I feel like this will be a controversial statement for some of you because the allure of all-natural products does entice a lot of people. I'm not saying it is necessarily all a gimmick, although in some cases it may be. Just that I have tried and used products from brands that pride themselves on their all-natural ingredients and sometimes they've just exacerbated my skin's problem areas. By that I mean breakouts on my chin and jawline. I've also had to discard a natural eye cream because it irritated my eyes. Natural vs synthetic skincare is a bit of a double-edged sword. If you're ever unsure, try to acquire a sample or tester before you make the investment in a product. Even if you just patch test in store, that can sometimes be a decent indicator.

2: A good face mask is like a good friend. They're hard to come by but worth investing the time in once you find the one. Let's be real, there are a ton of face masks on the market and some of them just seem to do very little but the ones that do work are the best. My favourites that I've used and liked are: Glamglow SupermudSkinfood Mud Masque, Aesop Parsley Seed Masque and Manuka Dr Peel Off Face Mask

3: I like the odd drink, but my skin hates alcohol-based skincare. I don't know what it is about skincare that contains concentrated alcohol as an ingredient but my skin absolutely hates it. I think it's used quite a bit in skincare because it's quite a cheap ingredient. For things like blemishes it will dry them out but then I find it often makes my skin extremely dry or it will just give me an extreme breakout situation. Not ideal. If you use a foaming cleanser be careful because it can be one of the main ingredients in products like that. 

4: Leading on from that, water is your best friend. I'm sure for many of us when we need a drink we go for the standard tea and coffee. Often water gets shoved aside and I know I am awful at remembering to drink enough water. Not only does water keep you hydrated but it also keeps your skin incredibly happy too. I always have a water bottle in the fridge or at my desk and try to always have a bottle with me whenever I go out. Drink all the water guys. All of it...

5: Make your skincare routine enjoyable so that it doesn't feel like a chore. Much like removing makeup after a long day, skincare can seem a bit tedious for people, myself included. I know if I am tired I'll just remove my makeup with a micellar water and then not do anything else. Extremely slack! Nowadays though I find I enjoy and look forward to doing my skincare routine each night. I keep it short and brief. You don't need to use loads of products. Just getting in the habit of doing it regularly will help your skin. 

-What has skincare taught you?

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Me Before You+A Giveaway
6/13/2016

Me Before You+A Giveaway



Unless you haven't visited a bookshop or seen a bestseller list in the last few years, you will have heard of Me Before You. The love story that gets people contemplating life and their stance on some of the world's injustices, has taken the world by storm. It's a book that sweeps readers off their feet, makes them laugh, makes them cry at five in the morning. Okay, that last point might be relevant to just me. I had an eight-hour shift approaching and knew I wouldn't make it through the work day not knowing what the outcomes were for Will Traynor and Louisa Clark. That's how invested you get in the characters. I love this book, I love this story. You get the gist.

Me Before You opens in cinemas here this week and you can bet I'll be at the cinema in my craziest, Lou-approved outfit with several boxes of tissues at hand. I can't wait to see how this story translates to film. To celebrate Me Before You's cinematic release and its film-tie in edition, I've partnered with Penguin* for a giveaway! I have two copies of the book to give away here on my blog and another copy over on Instagram. I'll pop the Terms & Conditions down below as well as the Rafflecopter link. This giveaway will close on Friday at 12pm and I will be in touch with the winners then. Good luck!

Terms & Conditions

-This giveaway is open to New Zealand and Australian residents only. 

-Entries open today, Monday 13th June and close at 12am on Friday the 17th of June. All winners will be contacted via social media/email and I'll put a post up on Facebook announcing the winners.

-You can enter via the Rafflecopter box as well as over on Instagram for an additional entry.

-Winners must have liked my Facebook page and be following Penguin NZ on Instagram. 

*This giveaway has been made possible thanks to Penguin New Zealand who have provided the books. This post is not sponsored and I have received no compensation for this giveaway. I wanted to do this for you guys because I love Me Before You and think it's a book worth talking about. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Palettes, Pastels and A Hint of Tint
6/08/2016

Palettes, Pastels and A Hint of Tint




It's been a while since I've taken things back to beauty around these parts, so this month I'm bringing it back in a big way. There's going to be a few skincare-specific posts so keep your eyes peeled. Today however it's all about the makeup. There's the palette I bought in a bit of a 'treat yo'self' moment, an eye brightener I'm sure Kim K would approve of, some subtle beauty bits for 'no makeup-makeup' days and the palette that's pushed me out of my comfort zone... 


-Charlotte Tilbury Instant Look in a Palette, limited edition: I feel like a bit of a troll showing you this product when it's no longer available. That Tilbury's such a tease. I've seen rumours floating around that it will be back and in additional colour-ways so all hope is not lost, yet. This was purchased when I got my final paycheck from my social media gig. Charlotte's makeup truly is a treat/special occasion purchase so I was quite gleeful when it did arrive. Inside you have everything you need to complete your makeup in five minutes or less. There's three eyeshadows, two blush shades and condensed versions of her Filmstar Bronze and Glow duo. It is rather beautiful and I love the eyeshadows and bronzer in particular. 

-Yves Saint Laurent Touche Éclat Slogan Edition* in 02, out now: Where has this gold-encased loveliness been all my life!? This brightener diminishes the appearance of dark circles like nothing else. It blends in so seamlessly and it works so, so well. You can also use it to brighten the high points of the face, Kim K style but I just use it under my eyes. If you have this, let me know how you use it. Truthfully I've not ever used a product like this before so if you know of other ways I can utilise it I'd love to know.


-MAC Pastel Times Nine* Palette: How cute are Mac's nine shadow palettes? They're perfect for travel as well. I wasn't expecting to get as much use out of this as I have because honestly these colours aren't the ones I'd typically reach for but they're surprisingly wearable. I get the most wear out of the purple row of eyeshadows but I love this palette. It's going to be perfect come Springtime. 

-L'Oreal Exclusive Pinks Lipstick in Naomi*: L'Oreal are bringing out a new collection of lipsticks in line with some of their ambassadors. They did reds last year and now it's time for the pinks to have their turn. Let me know if you'd like to see a post on these ones because I think I have most of them. Naomi Watts' shade is my favourite though. It's the perfect, your lips but better and slightly pinkier shade. I love the subtle rose scent as well, it reminds me of turkish delight chocolate.

-Rimmel Volume Colourist* Mascara, out now: There's a lot of budget-friendly mascaras out there but Rimmel's are easily some of my favourites. This one is designed to tint your lashes, which I'm not entirely convinced of but as a mascara it delivers. I wouldn't say this is the absolute best mascara I have tried but it's definitely one of my favourites from Rimmel.

-Have you tried any of these products before? What did you think of them?

*PR Sample
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June Reading List
6/06/2016

June Reading List




We're halfway through the year which is still insane to me. Today I have June's reading list for you all. You'll notice the books are a bit more on the slim side of things. June is a big month with assignment deadlines to meet and then of course the return of my all-time favourite activity, exams. Note the sarcasm, I'm not the person who does amazingly in exams so naturally I detest them. Regardless, there's a nice mix of things in here so I'm looking forward to getting into them...

Lady Susan by Jane Austen-A Jane Austen book I don't have to read. I'm trying to get over my high-school distaste for Jane Austen because while I still can't stand the idea of Mansfield Park (thanks A2 Lit), her other writing really appeals to me. Lady Susan is one of her stories that has been released as part of Penguin's Little Black Classics series. From what I've read about this book it sounds like Susan is the anti-heroine and has a bit of spark and zest to her. 

The Bees by Carol Ann Duffy-I've heard a fair bit about Carol Ann Duffy's poetry recently and last weekend I found a secondhand bookstore that had several of her poetry volumes. The Bees was the one which came home with me because it appealed to me the most. I'm not going to lie, the cover may have swayed me a bit as well. Either way, I'm expecting good things from this one.

Girls on Fire* by Robin Wasserman-Whenever I see this book title I think of this song. It can't be helped. I'm not going to do this book justice having not read it so go read the description I've linked. It sounds like it's going to be dark, a bit Mean Girls/Heathers-esque and I like the sound of it. Its being compared to The Virgin Suicides which is one of my favourite books so I am intrigued to see where this one goes. Hopefully it's not too disturbing.

M Train by Patti Smith-Continuing on my Patti Smith obsession, I have her latest book to read. M Train is a collection of Smith's musings and writings composed over her morning cup of coffee. According to its blurb; M Train is a meditation on travel, detective shows, literature and coffee. I am sure it will not disappoint.

-What are you reading during June?

*Review copy
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Paper Treats
6/03/2016

Paper Treats



Ahh paper goods. I feel the way about them the way Donna feels about fine leather goods. Over the last few months I've acquired a few new bits and pieces so I thought I'd bundle them all together into one blog post so fellow stationery appreciators can swoon and become the embodiment of the heart-eyed emoji in one place. Enjoy...


Cat Coquillette-I'm sure you will have seen this designer's work appearing on Instagram and on the walls of rather snazzy homes. Kate and Anna are fans, as am I. The type combined with the flora and fauna elements just gets me. As you're about to learn I love a good pop culture reference; hence the Parks and Rec plus Mean Girls themed cards. She does some gorgeous prints featuring quotes as well which are worth checking out. I love that I can't even sticker as well. It speaks to me on so many levels.

Carmen Hui Art-Buzzfeed ran an article on Australian Etsy stores recently and Carmen Hui's work was featured. She does beautiful prints, again featuring flora and fauna as well as furry friends like this Koala+succulent drawing up above. How cute is it?? I'm looking forward to adding it to my pinboard sometime soon.


Kikki K-You all know by now how much I love Kikki K so I'll spare you my usual love-letter. I had a couple of discount vouchers/loyalty perks to take advantage of so I grabbed this inspiration book, these and then the notepad was a freebie. The adhesive dots may seem random but they're great for things like journalling, DIY's like cards and envelopes etc. Kikki K have a bunch of awesome, inspiration+motivational themed wares in store at the moment so you should go check them out if they sound like your kind of jam.

bestplayever-Pop culture paradise is the phrase I'd use to describe this online store. I spied their wares on Olivia's blog and was smitten. If you like Wes Anderson films, this is your kind of store. They also have some rather awesome Parks and Recreation themed pieces as well. I love that Grand Budapest Hotel notebook I picked up and Leslie's uber flattering card. I may just have to send that to the Ann Perkins equivalent in my life. 

-Which stationery/paper gems have you acquired lately? Any stores I should know about? Leave 'em below! 
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