Manicure Monday: Christmas Manicure

Christmas cheer is all around and so for todays Manicure Monday post I decided to do another Christmas inspired mani.

I love the triangle nail art trend and Christmas also gives me a good excuse to go gold!

I used 'Passion for Fashion' red from Chic and my favourite gold from Dior.

10 days till Christmas!

M

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Christmas is on it's way!

Its the Christmas season indeed! Every store is playing carols, decorations are going up, Christmas feasts are being planned...and baby it's HOT out there!

I love getting into the Christmas season, called it cheesy or over -the -top, but I love indulging in all the festivities!

Whether it's Christmas decor, beauty themed Xmas posts, or themed Christmas mailers, stay tuned over the next 12 days till Christmas for more posts and festive fun!!

Here are some beauty posts from this week:

What better way to get into the spirit of things than with a Christmas manicure! There are so many cool ideas I've seen on Pinterest and Instagram ranging from funny and festive to pro.

Whichever you choose, have a bit of fun with your mani!

Since December hit, I've been reluctant to wear any other colour other than red on my lips.

Even though it's one of my favourite colours all year round, I find myself being drawn to it even more this season.

I just love a full red festive pout!

Ho Ho Ho!

M

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Saturday Makeup Mornings

Everyone has their morning routine- whether you're a grumpy person or happy morning person, we all have our things.

One of my favourite things to do in the morning is to do my makeup first. Sometimes I do it because I woke up with a particular look in mind or other times I just feel like glaming up my morning!

Then, back into bed for some breaky! I love waking up early (Like 5:45am) and then being super lazy the whole morning. It's pure lazy indulgence and after a hard week it's also well deserved!

For breakfast I had some scrambles eggs and coffee with a side order of Rice Crispies- I just had a craving for them :)

Here's my finished makeup look. I'm loving the festive season so I'm totally into my sparkles, red, and party makeup, even when I'm all makeup'd and no where but into bed to go!

Happy Saturday!

M

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How To Paint Your Stove: DIY Makeover

               

I love a retro look and when it comes to buying appliances that have that look there are a few cool ranges of appliances and prices that are relative to standard looking brands. If you are buying a fridge or stove which already has a high price, getting one with a retro look it can add on a few good pennies to it!

The stove in the new house is practically new and in good working order so there was no reason for me to replace it. However, I really wanted a retro looking stove. 

Another issue I had with it was that it was white. If I buy appliances, I usually opt for silver/grey instead of white. White just sticks out like a sore thumb to me especially since the house is build like a studio with a loft sensibility- the kitchen is open to guests from the second you enter the house so we wanted something a bit 'WOW'!

I had seen many options for painting a stove, fridge, or washing machine so I knew I wanted to go that route and Marko picked the colour which both Zach and I loved so it was a win all round!

I used Hi Heat spray paint from Spraymate to colour my stove and it worked like a dream. As we use the stove and have to deal with wear and tear I would like to see how it holds up but at least the cost and application of it was a great and the final product was exactly what I wanted.

Spray paint designed to handle heat like this one can handle temperatures of up to 340 degrees so its perfect for a webber, braai, or oven.

It cost R104,92 for 250ml from Chamberlain and I needed 3 cans to cover the surface properly.

First I taped up all the parts I didn't want to spray over like the stove tops, indicators, the glass on the the oven door, and removed the knobs.

Home Renovation Update

Well,  we're full swing into our home makeover and there's lots to update on. The plan to renovate and be out the one place and in the other in a mere 6 days has changed thankfully! The task to take on few home improvement jobs with even the best planning and good intentions can change and take longer than expected so I'm so pleased we don't have the pressure of finishing on a deadline.
On the other hand, I'm dying to move in and the delays and unplanned jobs are making me crazy with anticipation for our move in date.

Taking on a job like this as first time buyers has been quite an eye opener and the work that was laid out is much harder than I predicted. I don't think I've ever been this kind of tired before!
I also don't think I've ever had this much fun decorating and renovating EVER!

So far we've painted the entire house, ripped up the carpets, started to fix the floors before the cement gets added, fixed, repainted fixtures, painted doors, painted kitchen cupboards, and started on decorative wall paint.

Here's how we got started earlier this week...

Flatbread with Vegetable Topping: Easy meals for less

I love being in the kitchen- cooking is one of my great loves and I love spoiling people and treating them to a meal. My boys are also huge fans of my cooking and it's always great to cook for people who love the food you make!

Aside for being amped whenever I'm cooking for them, my husband and son also love cooking with me which i'll never get tired of. Food tastes so much better when you've put some love and joy into it.

If there's one thing Marko and Zach like it's pizza! I've never seen people eat pizza like they can. Marko also has a great love for bread. Being Serbian means that you are use to bread in your diet as a part of your food culture. Visiting his family in Italy was the first time I've ever seen people eat so much pasta with a huge side order of bread. It was amazing! Guilt free starch overloading has never been so good! Although we are keen on eating healthy balanced meals we also love to indulge in some tasty wheat...and why not! I truly believe that everything in moderation is key and that you have to enjoy and spoil yourself with food- it makes you happy!

My Home Renovation: DIY Style

I have been wanting to get my hands on a proper DIY home project for forever. The problem was that for the last few years we've been renting and as you know most places won't even let you paint anything other than a nude colour while you're renting.

I've had my files with all my notes and designs for ages and Pinterest boards spilling over with every how-to or step-by-step guide for everything from walls to floors.

I'm so excited that I'll finally have the chance to get my gloves on and take on some home projects of my own! Hooooray!

The house is set on our new family farm which is on 5 hectares of land that stretches out onto the most amazing gardens. Our farm experience is complete with buck so its zoned properly as farm land.

That's the amazing thing about living in South Africa. You can have the city down the road from your modern farm living and get the best of both worlds!

Battle of the Bangs

I read an article on The Pros and Cons of Having Bangs which made me think about my love of bangs and the constant struggle for upkeep.

I remember how desperately I wanted a fringe when I was younger. Cutting your hair back in the day as a coloured girl was almost unacceptable to a lot of people in our community and especially unacceptable to my parents. Any time I wanted my hair cut I would get a long speech about how my body is a temple and I shouldn't tamper with it. Talk about conservative! I always remembered thinking to myself that if that were true, what could be so bad about decorating my temple?

I wanted bangs so desperately that I would section off the front pieces of my hair, loop it back and pin it so it looked like I had a fringe. In truth, all it probably looked like was a hot mess but I was determined to express my style however against it my parents were. Just thinking about it now makes me giggle!

Black Cherry Handbags: Fashionable and Affordable

For the love of hand bags, you've got to check out Black Cherry bags. 

They have a super range of trendy and stylish bags at the best prices!

You can get them online and delivered to your door on Zando, Spree, and Kalahari.

Here are the picks on my Black Cherry wish list:

R589

Double Buckle Quilted Bag. Blue or Black

Found on: Zando

I love a quilted bag. For something sturdy and with a bit of baby blue for summer, this one's my pick. 

Preppy Perfection!

Makeup of the Day: Peachy Pinky Nude

Friday Face: soft pinks and natural peach tones with a pretty summer glow

Face:

Maybelline Cover stick

MAC Studio Fix

MAC Concealer

NYX powder for contour

Maybelline Bouncy Blush

NYX Creme Blush in Rouge

Eyes:

Peach and gold tones on eyelids from MAC and Revlon

Lips:

Nude from Essence

M

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Movember

It's that time of year again where the all important Movember is upon us!

Aside from the fact that we love seeing men walking around with entertaining and ridiculous 70's moustaches, the cause behind Movember is one worth paying special attention to.

According to the official Movember South Africa website, 1 in 6 men in South Africa will get diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime and the most common cancer found in men in South Africa is Prostate Cancer.

Movember aims to shed light on these issues and help men and women raise awareness and funds for this cause.

By wearing your bushy moustache, you open up the conversation around Movember and mens health issues.

As with women, the best way to beat cancer is to catch it early which requires regular check ups.

One of the main problems is that men are a little more reluctant to go for these routine check ups leaving them at a higher risk.

Getting involved with the cause in South Africa is a great way of growing the awareness and getting more men involved in the fun.

If you want to take part you can sign up to the Movember cause and become part of the Mo community.

Here you'll find all the rules, get the App for iPhone and Android to stay connected, get the ladies involved in becoming Mo Sistas and helping to support men and this cause by hosting parties and getting involved, and find out how to donate funds.

The rules are simple, start on the 1st November with a clean face and then only grow and tame your moustache. No beards or other beardy facial hair.

However you decide to groom your moustache and whether you started a bit later in November shouldn't make such a big difference. The point is just to get involved and help illuminate this cause!

For more, follow on social media on Facebook and Twitter and post your photo's using 

#movember  #madeinmovember  #mosistas

If you want to know more about Movember and Prostate cancer check out the Health 24 article for more details.

M

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Thanksgiving Weekly

This year I'm adopting the American tradition of Thansgiving. I love the idea of this holiday and I especially love any holiday that results in a table filled with amazing food, wine, and friends. 

This year I'm really felling the need to count my blessings much more than I've done in the past as it's been so revealing and challenging for me. I have many things to be thankful for, one of which is that this particularly trying year is coming to an end and that I've survived it, but also for many joys and lessons I've learnt that I'll keep with me. 

We all feel like this as the year starts to wind down. We start to think about how we've spent our time or which goals we've reached, and then the inevitable new years resolution planning starts to make sure we do better in the next year.

If you think about it, there's less than 2 months until the end of the year and so if you haven't started planning, checking online for gifts, or looking into holiday plans, you may find that the year-end may catch you by surprise. 

 Before the year ends without me even taking account of what has happened and another one begins, I want to make sure I take time to think about what I'm thankful for.

I will admit, quite proudly, that my 'be thankful' initiative is not purely a reflective one. I love the holidays, and I'm a real sucker for them too. As soon as I saw Woolies and Game had their Christmas decorations out (early in October) I was feeling it. And yes, I know I've bought into consumerism and been targeted by marketing displays. I'm guilty of it and I don't mind. 

I'll take any excuse to get caught up in all the festivities.

So, each week until the actual Thanksgiving holiday, which is the 27th November, I'm going to remember, savor and share what I'm most grateful for.

Perhaps I'll even commemorate the day with a thanksgiving dinner... I do love a dinner party!

I can't think of any better way to usher in the end of this year and get ready for all the exciting changes that are coming up!

So, that's 4 weeks until Thanksgiving, 4 things to be thankful for, and just under 3 weeks to plan my feast.

Let the festivities begin!

M

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What I Wore: MBFW'14

70's Style Pink Jumpsuit: Velvet, YDE

Shoes: Cotton On

Bag: Aldo

Place: Melrose Arch, JHB

Mercedes Benz Fashion Week 2014

It's been Fashion season in Gauteng for the past month. It was also flu season in my life the past few weeks so my attendance at most events was a miss.

South Africa and Africa's fashion scene has seen considerable growth with each individual event growing each year and designers on the forefront of high-end designs and international acclaim. It was a real treat that this event featured collections from African designers as well as from South Africa.

Last week (30 Oct-1 Nov) was the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week. I popped over to Melrose Arch on Friday for some lunch in the Piazza and to check out the collections. 

I love going to Melrose Arch. It’s filled with restaurants and shopping between busy cobbled streets. It's got a sort-of Euro feel to it and it always has a busy and energetic vibe which is great.

To my dismay, tickets for the fashion shows at MBFW for the duration of the event were sold out pretty quickly online which was a definite 'oh no!' moment as I really wanted to check out one or two shows and especially since they were so well priced (R100-R250!) 

The collection I was hoping to see was MaXhosa by Laduma. I recently saw a post where this collection was featured and I've been following the designer and his work closely ever since.

I adore prints and ever since I got into Missoni years ago I've been so fond of African/Aztec prints and knitwear. MaXhosa brings my love of prints home to SA with an authentic and original feel with his amazing prints and knits reminiscent of Xhosa culture and nostalgic rural lifestyle.

I just want to wrap myself in these exquisite pieces this coming winter!

I thought that if I couldn't see the shows that at least I could check the designers out at the expo. The expo was to feature established brands and newcomers and allow you to meet with designers. The event was described as being for designers, stylists, buyers, and consumers to get introduced to the brands and connect with each other. Alas, the expo left much to be desired. 

It was set to start at 4pm but when I arrived just after 4pm, most of the stalls were empty and even the ones that did have a few garments in them had no one attending to the stall.

Apparently it was because many of the designers had not yet set up or that they were prepping for shows?

However, when I came back after having lunch (about 2 or more hours later) the venue was just as barren.

         

When I attended SA Fashion Week in the past, the expo showcased many designers and stalls, each occupied and with the designer or staff member present to represent the brand. If you can't make it to a show, or like most people you can't attend every show, then the expo should give you the opportunity to see all the designers that take part.

I love SA, and I support SA art and fashion, but I'm hoping there's a little more to the expo portion of this event next year.

Note to self: Next year book shows early and take flu shots in time!

I have been watching the collections online though so check the blog out for more of my favourite designers and collections from this year.

M

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