With a flourish, February is upon us. Another busy month lies ahead-both on and off this blog. I'm really looking forward to it but also am mindful of remembering to take time to pause. I have a tendency to want to cram my days with a lot and that's unsurprisingly quite tiring sometimes. Anyway, five things for February; books, fashion, makeup and stationery. My loves. Enjoy...

Summertime Reads: Maybe it's the seasonal FOMO I experience at Christmas when everyone in the Northern Hemisphere seems to pick up the perfect wintery tome. More likely though it's the pure beauty and lustfulness that Andre Anciman evokes in the Summer haze of Italy. Piazzas, wine, reading, basking in the sun, admiring Monet's berm. Yep, I am talking about Call Me By Your Name. Without a doubt one of the most breathtakingly exquisite books I've ever read. Now I've picked up The Accidental by Ali Smith to read. Another book, this time set on a Summer retreat with an eccentric array of characters, a falling-apart house and of course Smith's humour and appreciation for detail. 

Bucket Bag: I used to be a bit of a handbag fiend. I'm thinking back to the Roxy, Paul Frank and Billabong bags I owned and loved, From memory they were all quite...repulsive but to teenaged me they were heaven. Long story short, I've wanted a Zara bag for a long time but haven't ever found something quite right, until I stumbled upon this beauty a couple of weeks ago. The only qualm I have is the lack of zip closure but for day-to-day it's fine. I can fit a fair bit in there, a book+notebook, my wallet, phone, random bits in the drawstring purse inside. I lovelovelove it.

wet n wild proline: It is still very early days with these brushes but I couldn't resist sharing my thoughts about these two. I've been using the flat contour brush* and the tapered highlighter* brushes all week and am so impressed. They're also friendly on the wallet too, priced between $14 and $17. I'm flagging these up now because they are limited edition and with their aesthetically-pleasing appearance, good quality and affordability, I don't think they'll be around for long. Walk don't run to Farmers, kiwi babes.

Love is Love: I'll spare my cynicism about one Feb 14th for today and draw your attention to Kikki K's More Love collection. For every item purchased in this range, Kikki K will donate $1 to Amnesty International. This is in aid of their work supporting LGBTQI rights globally. Marriage equality is only the first step! Such a worthy cause and I love the inclusiveness. Not to mention, the bold colours and rainbow motifs are stunning. These items are for showing off long past single girl's nightmare Valentines Day.

Shopping the Stash: Long overdue but much needed-I am having a serious beauty de-clutter. First to be culled was my perfume collection. I have halved it and the other half has (mostly) gone to new homes. Next up is my makeup. Let's be real, I have one face and gravitate towards many of the same things time after time. If you want to see what makes the cut, fragrance or otherwise, sing out.

*PR Sample