Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Sunday Pamper


 

 I love spending my Sunday night preparing for the week ahead; I try to prepare myself for a busy week by spending Sunday really relaxing before I go to bed, and pampering myself. 

This past week, after a really hot shower (and lots of moisturiser after) I cosied up on the lounge with the latest Elle magazine, and a face mask. 
I am currently using the Rejuvenating Masque from Milk&Co. This mask uses fruit extracts, vitamin E and green tea extract to exfoliate and smooth the skin. It warms up on the skin after application, which is a little bit uncomfortable, but totally normal. I found this mask really purifying - which means I did have a couple of pimples surface the day after using it.

 

I also take the opportunity on Sunday to give my hands and feet some love - I always do a fresh manicure for the week ahead. This involves lots of hand cream. This week I coloured my nails in 'Iced Queen' from Maybelline Colour Show - it's a fresh purple.
I also give my feet a good scrub with the Scholl Dry Skin Recovery Cream - this exfoliates and smooths your feet at the same time; done regularly it leaves your feet smooth and beautiful! 

How do you pamper yourself during the week?

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Monday, March 30, 2015

Lately, in Pictures #65

 

I farewell-ed a friend at the Bank at Newtown last weekend - I ordered the Pulled Pork burger. It was really, really delicious. But it really hurt the wallet at $18. It was tasty, but I don't know if I would repeat the experience at that price.

 

Our local Woolies was clearing out veggies, so everything in the above photo was just 50c! We grabbed a little of everything - including rhubarb which we've never tried before. 


I have really been loving making my own smoothies with my George Foreman Mix and Go Pro - it's virtually no-mess, cheaper than buying them and quick and easy. I am mindful of how much sugar smoothies can contain, so I try to have them more as a treat.

 

My friend Rai had her 21st two weeks ago - she hired a Catamaran boat and we went out in Sydney Harbour for a couple of hours. On the way out in the harbour, we went past the Opera House, and the cute Sydney seal that sun-bakes on the steps! The weather was absolutely perfect, and the water was so warm and beautiful. I'm not much of a boat/water person but I would absolutely do that again - it was the perfect Saturday.



Last weekend J and I went mini-golfing. I am atrocious - the children were seriously doing better than I was. Hitting straight is apparently something I find very difficult. It was still a really fun little date-activity - the centre we went to had great props and cool trick-shots, and there was a 'bonus' round with a very narrow ramp, and if you got a hole-in-one then you won a free game, which J was successful at!

 

I am loving my new job - the long hours have taken a bit of adjusting to, so I make sure to regularly break my day up with tea and coffee breaks. A pot of T2's 'Detox' tea on my desk always perks me up mid-morning. 
 

Found Rommy's new hiding spot - in amongst my clothes. He would be impossible to find if it weren't for his big yellow eyes poking out <3 p="">

 

Really making an effort to organise monthly posts - I usually take time out each month to plan the month ahead, but for a variety of reasons those posts don't always go ahead. So I'm also scheduling in time each week to try and get all posts written up and scheduled in advance.

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Thursday, March 26, 2015

OOTN: Baby, I Got the Blues


Last weekend I had the perfect occasion to wear my gorgeous new cobalt blue skirt from Popbasic.
Although it was a really fun night, it was a sad occasion, as it marked the farewell of one of my good friends who is leaving us for Europe indefinitely.


The length of this skirt is perfect on me, hitting just above the ankles. It's sits high on my waist, so I paired it with one of my favourite crops. I really love this combo - the bright blue contrasted with the black and white pattern just work really well together.


I also thought it was the perfect opportunity to wear my new HFB Interwoven clutch. I think the laser-cut pattern on the clutch works really well with the pattern of my shirt. And to tie it all together, I wore my new black flats with gold-bow detailing from River Island.


Crop - Dotti
Skirt - Popbasic
Shoes - River Island
Clutch - Her Fashion Box

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Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Haul: Priceline 40% off Sale


Even when I feel like I'm restraining myself, I somehow manage to always walk out of Priceline's 40% off sales having spent more than I intended.

There were many more things I convinced myself to not buy than what I did buy, so I am happy about that. Sometimes Priceline's catalogue sales are actually better than 40% off (e.g. when their Maybelline mascaras are $10) so I tried to not get swept away in the hype.


I picked up two colours from Essie's Autumn collection; Dress to Kill (on the left) and the Perfect Cover Up (on the right). TPCU is a really beautiful deep, dark green that almost looks black in low lighting. I was also especially drawn to 'Rule of Plum' from the Sally Hansen Autumn collection. 


Revlon released some new lipsticks; the 'HD Lipstick', so of course I had to get a few shades. I think it's a bit cute that every shade in the collection is named after a flower. 



I was thrilled that my local Priceline still had plenty of the 'Miss Manga' Loreal mascara - I am really keen to test the 'Mega Volume' claims.
Annnnd some practical purchases - I always take these sales as an opportunity to stock up on my favourite foundation (because I refuse to pay RRP and it's always amazing to have backups on hand). 

I have actually been loving the Loreal Volume Million Lashes mascara the past few months, but it was nowhere to be found in-store. So I picked up the trusty old Maybelline Falsies. 

Can you tell I like volumising mascaras? 

What did you pick up in the sales? Share your haul with me in the comments below! 


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Thursday, March 12, 2015

Recipe: Spiced Pumpkin and Pine Nut Ravioli with Sage-Butter Sauce


I wish I could claim credit for this delectable dish. I took it off Taste.com.au, but I thought I would share the recipe with you all anyway, with my own added tips and advice. I've made this meal a couple of times, and the first few times were almost disastrous, so this way you can avoid the same mistakes as me! 

INGREDIENTS
- 500g butternut pumpkin, peeled and chopped
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/3 cup pine nuts
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 cup parmesan, grated
- For the pasta: ration of 1 egg / 1 cup of flour
- 200g butter, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh sage leaves
- 2 tbps fresh lemon juice

METHOD
1. Start off by making the dough for the pasta. In a bowl, place a mound of 1 cup of flour. Create a well in the centre, and add 1 egg. Use a fork to whisk the egg, gently adding in flour from the edges of the well. Once it's all mixed up, take it out of the bowl and onto a bench and use your hands to knead it until it becomes elastic. If you press the top of the dough and it springs back, then it's ready! Wrap the dough-ball with glad wrap and pop it in the fridge.

2. Steam the pumpkin until it gets soft enough to be able to mash with a fork. Once it's cooked, mash until smooth. 

3. While it's steaming, heat the oil in a small frypan and fry the pine nuts. These cook really quickly, so stir them quickly and do not leave them unattended, or lest they shall burn! Add the garlic and cumin, stirring through until aromatic. 

4. Add the pine nut mixture to the mashed pumpkin, and add in the parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. 

5. Take the pasta dough out of the fridge and using a pasta machine, roll it out into thin sheets. I normally take it to level "2" on my pasta machine - that way it's not too thin that it will break easily, but it won't get too thick when you add two sheets together. 

NB: We have a ravioli maker - this is the best because it makes it really easy to make sure that all ravioli pieces are the same size, and it makes it really easy to not overfill the parcels. Whether you use a ravioli maker or do it free-hand, make sure you use plentyyy of flour on your workspace. This will stop the pasta sticking and make it easier to work with. Making sure all the parcels are the same size will ensure consistency when cooking. 


6. Lay one sheet of pasta flat (if on a bench, or in the ravioli maker) and then spoon about a teaspoon of the pumpkin mixture into the centre. Lay another sheet of pasta over the top, and shape into ravioli parcels. Here is where using a ravioli maker comes in real handy - there is spiky edges that cut the ravioli into the perfect shapes when you use a rolling pin over it, and seals the ravioli into parcels. 
If you're not using a ravioli maker, use a small glass that will leave a sufficient edge outside your filling. Add a line of water around the edges of the parcel, and use a fork to press the edges together.

7. Cook the ravioli in salted, boiling water for about 6 minutes on high heat to get al dente pasta. Remove with a slotted spoon. 

8. At the same time, to make the sage butter sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add the sage, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally. You'll know when it's done because the sage will get really crispy, and the butter will be golden-brown. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice.

9. Divide up the ravioli, and add about a tablespoon of the butter-sage sauce to each dish, with some of the crispy sage for texture. 

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Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Review: Popbasic Isla Collection



Popbasic's lates micro-collection release is the Isla Collection
It is made up of a beautiful cobalt blue maxi skirt, a basic black t-shirt and a gorgeous gold-plated necklace.
As soon as I saw it, I knew I had to have it. An entirely new outfit for $75? Ah-mazing. 


The skirt is stunning - I ordered a small and it fits me perfectly. It did arrive slightly crumpled, but that's nothing a little steam won't fix. I also think that this skirt might have the tendency to be a bit static-y due to the outer fabric layer. 

The shirt is really soft, and epitomises exactly what popbasic is all about - high quality basics. 


I love, love, love the necklace - It is delicate, cute and really unique. It's made of alloy metal, and is gold plated. 


The hand-written personalised note that is in every popbasic order adds a level of service that you just don't get with many companies these days. 
Shipping took less than a week. 

If you're interested in trying popbasic - click through to this link here to get $15 off your order


Disclaimer: The link through to Popbasic is a referral link. This means that if you click through and redeem your $15, I'll also get $15 off my next order. The best part about this is that if you sign up, you'll also get your very own link to share with your friends, so you can also give and get $15! Generous! 

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Monday, March 9, 2015

Recently, in Pictures #64


The past few weeks have been crazy busy. Perhaps the most notable of experiences lately is my admission to the Supreme Court of NSW as a lawyer - and my new job as a full-time solicitor. It all feels a bit surreal, and I'm still taking it all in. Very exciting though, to finally have years of hard-work pay off!


Revisited our old local haunt, the Post Cafe with my friend Meg. This cafe faced two suspected arson attacks within two years. I'm so glad that they're back, because they have delicious food, great waiters, and a great atmosphere. 
I then headed to Surry Hills to catch up with two old work-friends, at Kawa Cafe. I'd already eaten so opted for dessert. 


Our trivia team won last week! We've been stuck on fourth position for a while, so it was great to get an amazing score and come first for once! Punny team names are a must. 


Spent the last weekend of February at Soundwave - this year it was spread across two days. On day one I took my dad to see Faith No More. Introducing him to the festival-must of a chip on a stick was pretty humorous. J came with me on day 2 - saw plenty of old favourites; the 13 year old inside me lost it at Papa Roach and Slipknot. Slipknot are incredibleee live and I cannot wait until they come back again. Unfortunately no headline acts did side shows this year.
Marilyn Manson is always worth watching - his voice is sounding rough these days though.


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Sunday, March 8, 2015

March Goals


2015 GOALS - CHECK IN
- Read 30 books
I am falling way behind in this, and have only completed one book so far. To be fair, I'm making my way through the fourth installment of the 'A Song of Ice and Fire' series, and that is an impressive book at over 800 pages long. So I am aiming to complete that this month so I can get back on track for this goal. 
- Get my splits
I am getting very close with this. I have signed up for an April stretch every-day challenge, so will hopefully accomplish this within the next few months. 
- Continue learning
I really feel I am making head-way with this - I am teaching myself to do cryptic crosswords, and am learning lots in my new job. 
- Get a job
I am kind of amazed that I was able to accomplish this so early in the year - I am now working as a full-time lawyer!! I am loving every minute of it so far...I am loving having my own office, and talking to clients, and doing actual work on real cases. It's all very exciting. I'm not really loving the early start or the long hours, but I am slowly getting used to this. 

FEBRUARY GOALS
- Sell clothes from wardrobe clean-out
I didn't get around to this, so it will be moved to my March list. 
- Make a regular gym schedule (and stick to it)
I really tried so hard to complete this one in February; my schedule was so all-over-the place that I really found it difficult to have regular gym-time. I still went most of the times that I listed it in my diary, so I'm counting this as completed even though I didn't go as often as I would have liked. 
- Postpone New Zealand flights
We are now going to New Zealand in October! 
- Catch up on journalling
Finally caught up on what I missed out on capturing when I broke my wrist. 
- Set a budget
This did not happen. 
- Send Valentine's Day cards
I wanted to send some V-Day cards to my friends this year, and I achieved that! It was so nice getting their messages of surprise and thanks when they received them. I think this is something I will endeavour to do every year! 
- Get back into regular plasma donating. 
I unfortunately came down with a pretty bad chest infection throughout February, so this will be postponed for March. 

MARCH GOALS
- Do 3 pull-ups
- Set a budget
- Sell clothes from wardrobe clean-out
- Get back into regular plasma donation
- Establish a routine; sleep on time so I'm not waking up tired every morning
- Bring lunch to work



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Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Her Fashion Box: February 2015



This month's HFB was all about lace and love - I love it when there's a slight V-day theme, but it's not too overboard. 


The main fashion item in this month's box was the on-trend lattice clutch. I actually really love the classic style clutch - with users getting either silver or gold based on their profile preference. I love laser-cut designs, and this clutch is big enough to make a statement with any outfit. 
(HFB Interwoven clutch - RRP $39.95)


I was delighted to see the addition of tea - this one is aptly named "Mr Grey" and is its own take on the traditional earl grey. This tea is a natural black tea infused with blue cornflowers, bergamont, organic vanilla bean and natural vanilla - yummm. 
I tried to find a RRP for this product, but it seems that Tea With Alice actually do tea subscriptions (cute!) that start at $16.95 per month including delivery. This was quite a generous sample, and I'm keen to bring it to work to try! 


Beauty items this month include a body scrub and a lipstick. 

This body scrub from Jar Body is cruelty-free and Aussie-made. A 220g pack has a RRP of $22.95. I received an 80g pack of the Cuba Scrub. Cannot wait to try this! 

The lipstick is another product from Coral Colours. I received the colour Blushing Crystal. These lipsticks have a RRP of $9.95, and honestly I am not that fussed on mine. The colour is way too pink for my lips, and there is wayyy too much shimmer going on. My lipstick also arrived broken, so that was a disappointment. 


And perhaps my favourite item in this month's box - the Intimacy Ring set valued at RRP $14.95. 
I love that these come in different sizes, can be worn as midi rings or normal rings, and they each look good together in a set. Again, we received either gold or silver based on our colour preference. These rings are costume jewellery, so no doubt the gold colour will rub off and turn my skin green - to combat this I'm going to lightly coat them in clear nailpolish. 

Overall, I'm really pleased with the value in this month's box - I will use everything I received (with the exception of the lipstick). I love seeing Aussie brands in these boxes, and learning about cool new products and ideas ... like tea subscriptions!! 

Are you subscribed to HFB? What did you think of this month's contents? 



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