glued to my chest

New Blog...

2011-02-26T07:08:00.000-08:00

Hi all...
I have moved over to a new blog, still on blogger. Please go on over to hopefulaspirations.blogspot.com
Thanks, Kimberley xx

Bits & Pieces

2011-02-12T03:45:00.000-08:00

This week I have been...

- trying my hardest to avoid chocolate, with terrible results.

- laughing at The Man Repeller.

Just because you won't be at shows doesn't mean you shouldn't wear the furry wedge-booties, labial sweater and virtually anything Opening Ceremony that you've been coveting but seem to have nowhere to wear. To quote the ever eloquent and highly respected Hilary Duff, "Why not? Take a crazy chance. Why not? Do a crazy dance."
...This way, when your man friend says "What the fuck," you can refute: "It's fashion week, jackass."

- wearing Becca Beach Tint (I now have three copies of March Madison).

- watching Keeping Up With The Kardashians - I know, I know.

- on the hunt for work clothes (so frustrating) and the perfect cape (inspired by Rachel Bilson).

- trying to teach Luca how to sit

- listening to Paramore

- wearing black eyeliner, as I 'fixed' my Stila Smudge Pot - it now looks like this:

and reading Steig Larsson's Millennium trilogy - so good!

Working towards my goals

2011-02-02T21:37:00.001-08:00

I want to make a (short) checklist of things to do each day. I usually make a massive list of things to do which usually sits there for weeks and nothing ever gets done.

This is an example of some lists I wrote 2-3 weeks ago:

See?

This week, I want to focus on having a list of just a few items, that are actually achieveable each day.

Todays list is:

This list has more small items on it but as it's already 1:30 and I have work at 4, it will challenge me to complete these items. Now that I can cross off the first item, I am now off to the gym!

February

2011-02-02T21:37:00.000-08:00

February will be the last of my holidays, and I fear that sooner than expected I will be overrun with uni work. So this month I want to try to get into a simple, fulfilling routine that I can (hopefully) adjust and continue with into semester. There are a few key things that I want to include:

Reading. I love reading, however I frequently overlooked it for lazing in front of the telly or going online until I am too tired to absorb any words. I want to try to read for AT LEAST 30mins a day (hopefully stretch this to an hour), probably in the evenings. I also want to read as many books as possible in the month of February (I'm aiming for 10). My bookshelf is full of books to read so I am going to make a big effort to get through these.

Exercising. My gym routine has been going well the past month, but I fear that when I start uni this will fall to the wayside. It looks like I won't have many contact hours this semester, excluding my thesis so I want to try and get into the routine of going to the gym first thing in the morning. I find that if I plan to go in the afternoon I usually can't be bothered by the time it gets to 4pm. Hopefully if I can do this for the month of February I can maintain this into semester. I also wish to take the dogs for a walk every evening, in addition to my gym plan.

Eating 5 meals a day. I am currently on a low GI diet, which requires 5 meals a day (including two snacks, and breakfast is essential). I am going to plan my meals out at the beginning of the week, and make sure that there are always healthy options available for me to have instead of going off my plan. This will be challenging when I am at university (as the food choices there are less than satisfactory) but hopefully I can get into the habit of bringing my lunch, and also snacks so I am not tempted to raid the vending machines for Red Bull and chocolate bars.

Finally, I want to focus on de-cluttering and general organisation. For about the past two weeks, by bedroom floor has been overrun with clothes (mostly clean) and anything else I can't be bothered to put away. I find that I avoid my bedroom for this reason, and it never gets tidied. I want to focus on maintaining a tidy bedroom for this month, and with that, a clean bathroom and study.

P.S. As ashamed as I am to admit this, writing this post made me realise that I cannot spell February. Thank god for spell check...

Beauty Inspiration: Winged Eyeliner

2011-01-30T19:01:00.000-08:00

One of the many, many things I love about Nicole Richie is that she always rocks a great winged eyeliner. I just saw this picture of Nicole on the cover of New Zeland's Remix magazine and I will definitely be emulating this look the next time I'm going out (minus the added eyeliner on top, of course).

No-buy

2011-01-30T07:01:00.000-08:00

It has recently come to my attention that a serious no-buy is in order. I really want to start to take better control of my money, it always seems to disappear so fast. It is also apparent to me that I am accumulating so much stuff, there is just no room for it, nor do I have much use for it.
So, I am going to try and go the entire month of February spending no money on the following items:

Clothes. This is one place where I really need to curb my spending. I hope that going a month without buying any clothes (this also includes shoes, accessories and jewellery) will inspire me to use what I have more. I also wish to avoid impulse purchases and to really think about what I need instead of my usual "oh that's so cute, I NEED to have that," (when in reality, the last thing I need is MORE clothes).

Makeup. Again, I have much too much makeup that I don't use or even like. I cleaned out my bathroom cupboard and now have a box of things that I will probably get rid of. I also have many doubles of products that I need to use up.

Magazines. At the moment I have subscriptions to STYD, Madison and Harper's. I used to have subscriptions to Cosmo and Cleo as well. When I used to go to the gym (more than a year ago) I used to save my magazines, only to read at the gym. When I stopped going to the gym, I stopped reading my magazines. My pile of unread magazines is completely shameful. I will continue my subscriptions, but I am not to buy any more magazines.

I can't think of any other major categories where I spend a lot of money, but I am really trying to spend as little as I can all month. Hopefully doing this for a month (at least) will help me to bulk up my savings and quit living pay to pay.

Beauty Inspiration: Chanel Black Pearl

2011-01-23T01:39:00.000-08:00

Having forgotten how amazing Chanel's Black Pearl nail polish is, I was reminded when I saw these photos on because i'm addicted. I immediately painted mine and fell in love all over again.

Favourite Books of 2010

2011-01-22T23:45:00.000-08:00

In 2010 I aimed to read 50 books. Unfortunately, I only read 43 (41 if you only count Eat, Pray, Love once). I usually get through books very quickly but while I am busy with uni I hardly read anything except for textbooks. This year I am hoping to be more consistent with my reading, and so I can get to 50 this year. Here is a list of all of the books I read last year, with my favourites in bold.

Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
Time Traveller's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
Tomorrow, When The War Began - John Marsden
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies - Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith
The Bronze Horseman - Paullina Simons
The Lost Symbol - Dan Brown
The Dead of The Night - John Marsden
Gossip Girl - I Will Always Love You - Cecily von Ziegesar
The Third Day, The Frost - John Marsden
Darkness, Be My Friend - John Marsden
Burning For Revenge - John Marsden
Dead Until Dark - Charlaine Harris
Living Dead in Dallas - Charlaine Harris
Club Dead - Charlaine Harris
Dead To The World - Charlaine Harris
Dead As A Doornail - Charlaine Harris
Definately Dead - Charlaine Harris
All Together Dead - Charlaine Harris
From Dead To Worse - Charlaine Harris
Looking For Alibrandi - Melina Marchetta (an old favourite)
The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath
Dear John - Nicholas Sparks
The Noteobook - Nicholas Sparks
The Curious Tale Of the Dog In The Nighttime - Mark Haddon
The Last Song - Nicholas Sparks
Her Fearful Symmetry - Audrey Niffenegger
Freakonomics - Steven Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner
Eat, Pray, Love - Elizabeth Gilbert
Committed - Elizabeth Gilbert
Saving Francesca - Melina Marchetta
Eat, Pray, Love (again)
Looking For Alaska - John Green
The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett
Virgin Suicides - Jeffrey Eugenides
Dead and Gone - Charlaine Harris
Will Grayson, Will Grayson - John Green and David Levithan
The Magicians Nephew - C. S. Lewis
Air Kisses - Zoe Foster
Intimate Adventures of a London Call Girl - Belle de Jour
How To Lose Friends and Alienate People - Toby Young
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - J. K. Rowling
Eat, Pray, Love (yet again)
The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - C. S. Lewis

I also hope that this year I can read more 'serious' books. This year I read many quick, easy to read books (the Sookie Stackhouse novels, John Marsden, ect...) yet I have a bookshelf full of Penguin classics and other books which I have avoided reading which I hope to get stuck into soon. I am about to start reading the Millenium trilogy by Stieg Larsson and I hope to finish them in a few weeks.

2011

2011-01-01T21:11:00.000-08:00

For last year's words belong to last year's language

And next year's words await another voice.

And to make an end is to make a beginning.

- T. S. Eliot.

The first day of a new year always has a unique feeling, and no, I don't mean the hangover. It's that refreshing, comforting feeling, like you have an opportunity to start over. It is the feeling of a clean slate. The chance to make changes. It's like anything is possible, and the year ahead is filled with so much potential.

I have never really been one for setting new years resolutions. I am terrible at sticking to my goals but I hope that this year will be different. There are a few things I wish to achieve this year, and a big part of that is related to university. This year I will be embarking upon honours and I am absolutely terrified. I never though that I would actually get offered a place. Now I have, I feel relieved (as my plans for the year are no longer totally up in the air) and very proud of myself for making it. But I also feel like I don't deserve it, like I will be going in way over my head. Writing a thesis sounds like the most terrifying thing I could do, it is the stuff of nightmares. It's not all bad. Yes, I am terrified. But I am also excited. I know that I will be able to do it, I'm sure I will feel like giving up, and I'm sure there will be times when I doubt I will finish. However, I know that I can make it through.

So, that is my main goal this year, to complete honours. I hope that I can give it everything I have and do well enough to go further.

I have other goals, the kind of vague ones that everybody has; I wish to be more active, and become fitter and healthier. I got a gym membership for my birthday and hopefully I will be able to put this to good use. I hope to be able to save money this year, and not spend it all on junk food and uncomfortable shoes (although I no doubt will buy both). I hope to make a budget and (at least kind of) stick to it. I want to read at least 50 books. I also had this goal for 2010 but only reached 43 (9 of those were in the last two weeks). I find it very hard to find the time to read books during the university semester, something which I doubt will change, but whilst I am on holidays I plan to make the most of it.

I'm sure I will think of more goals as I embark upon the year ahead, but this is a start.

We will open the book. It's pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and it's first chapter is New Year's Day.

- Edith Lovejoy Pierce

Things I'm Loving...

2011-01-01T00:29:00.000-08:00

My birthday. I recently celebrated my 21st birthday with a big luau party and many birthday dinners. I had the most amazing time, got the most wonderful presents and my Nonno and Nonna came from Melbourne to spend it with me!

I got the most amazing presents, namely a gorgeous Mimco watch and a beautiful pink leather Vintage Princess handbag among many others...

aaaand a puppy! I had been begging my parents for about two year to get me a puppy and as it came closer and closer to my birthday, I was certain that I wasn't going to get one. I was very much surprised when it turned out I was allowed to get one, and immediately went hunting. So this is Luca.

Other recent favourites include my new two favourite books...

The Intimate Adventures of a London Call Girl by Belle de Jour and Air Kisses by Zoe Foster

Even though I have many many serious books to read, I loved these. I couldn't put either down from start to finish and now I am eager to read other books from both of these authors.

And finally... two movies. One new and one old.

Blue Valentine and An Education

I saw Blue Valentine this week and I loved it. Even thought it was depressing, and frustrated me a little, it was still a beautiful, real, love story. Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling are both so beautiful, I especially loved the wedding scene. And I can watch An Education over and over again. I love the innocence of Carey Mulligan's character, and all of the beautiful things she gets to do, even though it goes wrong.

Apologies

2010-12-19T04:10:00.000-08:00

I have been a terrible blogger. Truth is, there are many things in my life more important than me posting pretty pictures or telling you things I love. Plus I just didn't have any inspiration.

Hopefully, whilst I am on my holidays I will be able to post more often!

Monthly Goals: September.

2010-09-04T23:20:00.000-07:00

I royally failed at keeping most of my goals this month. But, it was due to good reason. About a month ago my best friend was in a car accident, and for a few weeks pretty much everything except her fell to the wayside (I direct you to this touching post by a gorgeous friend who encapsulates my feelings at the time perfectly). As my friend has been recovering, my attention turned to my uni work, which was in dire need of attention after putting it off to spend time everyday at the hospital. As a result, I have been focusing on spending a lot of time with her, and all my other time goes towards uni.
So, with that in mind, a review:

Complete Couch to 5k three times a week. I was doing well on this one, I had been running nearly every day very consistently, but since Kristen's accident I have only exercised once. I do plan to get back onto this one, hopefully this month will bring some more opportunities to exercise. I also aim to go running around the river one a week, something which I did last summer and loved.

Read 6 books. I read The Memory Keeper's Daughter (it was wonderful) and didn't get much further. I am halfway through both Atonement (finding it hard to continue) and The Secret Garden (which I absolutely love). In revising this goal, I plan to bring a book to uni every day to read on the bus and train, and aim to read for 30 minutes before I go to bed every night.

Make a budget and stick to it. Never made a budget, however I have bought my new laptop (which I adooore) and hopefully I can start saving again.

Stay up to date with all of my university work and readings. As I previously mentioned, this has not gone to plan, but I am getting back on track. This week I have a really big assignment to do, so hopefully I can get that done in the next few days and then concentrate on other things as well.

Push on with Project 10 Pan. I have done this, however I have not been putting aside a lot of time to apply moisturiser and fake tan. I have many products that I am almost finished with so I should be able to complete it soon!

Watch the first season of Mad Men. Again, I did not complete this goal, I only got up to about episode 5. I will try to complete this goal this month again.

Post every day. I did this for about 2 days, however dismally failed at this goal.

Additionally, this month I plan to buy my Mimco shoes and have my hair re-dyed. I also wish to commence my upcoming assignments really early. I will hopefully be able to post more regularly, I am aiming for once a week so fingers crossed!

Summer

2010-09-04T23:05:00.000-07:00

I know that it's only just turned into Spring, but I am feeling the onset of summer here in Perth. I am loving this sunny father's day and am looking forward to spending more time outdoors, whether it is running around my neighbourhood, walking around the river, or lazing around at the dog beach. This post by Harper and Hadley sums up my inspirations at the moment. I am looking forward to a summer filled with blonde hair, (fake) tanned skin, braids and white.

Mary Kate in Marie Claire

2010-08-10T07:15:00.000-07:00

Being the massive Olsen twins fan that I am, I couldn't not post these pictures!

This is my favourite images, those boots are to die for and I love the colour!

I do love the deer headband, a playful spin on the animal ears the Olsen twins have previously sported. One more thing I love about this shot is how the deer antlers remind me of an old Fall Out Boy song.

Mary Kate on the cover of US Marie Claire September Issue 2010. To see the whole shoot (and MK's THREE covers, go here)

Learning

2010-08-08T23:01:00.000-07:00

I have been meaning to write this post for about two weeks. I kept thinking about it, and then starting but then getting sidetracked. Which is ironic, because it's a post on productivity, and about not procrastinating. In an effort to improve my productivity I am going to spend 30 minutes writing this post, after which I will leave it and if not completed, do the same tomorrow. Right now it's 12:26. Go!

This semester I am aiming to improve my productivity and as a result (hopefully) get amazing marks (all HD's please) and live happily ever after next year whilst doing my honours project. In order to achieve this I have been trying out a few tips. The first of which is an effort to get up at 7AM every. single. morning. Even if I don't start uni till 3. My reason for this; sleeping in is so unproductive. I spend 4 hours sleeping which I could use to be getting on with my day. It is further disruptive because I can't sleep until 12 at night. This would be all well and good if I actually did something productive during this time. However, at about 7pm my brain shuts off and I watch telly and waste time in general. I'm setting my alarm now... no snoozing, but I am allowing myself hot showers aplenty.

Another tip is Timeboxing. I'm doing it right now. Timeboxing (I'm hoping) will help me manage my time better. Instead of spending hours dragging myself through complicated readings, I may allow myself one hour, and if I'm not finished I will set it aside and move onto something new. I have found this to be helpful when starting assignments as well. Steve Pavlina's post on timeboxing suggests using this technique for a large task, where completion would take hours. By giving myself an hour I can make a dent in the task, and give myself an idea of what I need to do next. I plan to use timeboxing to break up my study so I can keep myself motivated, and not get stuck on one daunting task.

Finally, and most importantly I really want to learn material the very first time it's presented. I do not wish to leave studying to the last week of semester and cram for my exams. Instead of making 100 flash cards and making my parents begrudgingly test me three times a day in the last week of study break, I want to make 10 a week and get tested every sunday evening. An exerpt from the article...

If you don't understand something you were taught in class today, treat it as a bug that must be fixed ASAP. Do not put it off. Do not pile new material on top of it. If you don't understand a word, a concept, or a lesson, then drop everything and do whatever it takes to learn it before you continue on.

During each semester ask yourself this question: Am I ready to be tested right now on everything that has been taught up to this point? If your answere is ever "no," then you know you're falling behind, and you need to catch up immediately. Ideally you should be able to answer "yes" to this question at least once a week for every subject.

I know that putting in the effort to learn things earlier is much more effective. At the end of last semester I had 120 multiple choice questions to memorize because the 25 questions in the exam would be drawn from there. Instead of learning the material, I tried to memorize the answers, and although it did work in the end, it was extremely tedious. On those questions that I knew the answers, I could select the answer instantly. Ones I had tried to memorize took a lot longer for me to stare at the possible alternatives, willing the correct one to jump out at me.

It is now 12:49. A post which I spent at least a few hours thinking about only took 23 minutes to go (with one toilet break!). I am now going to use these techniques, and spend 10 minutes devising a rough study schedual (more about that later) with designated time for all of my tasks, including a time slot allocated to revision every week.

Style Inspiration: Kurt Cobain

2010-08-08T20:56:00.000-07:00

Don't worry, I won't be channelling Kurt's hair. Or bag. Or jacket. Or anything else except for his jeans. My favourite jeans are just like this (I like to wear them rolled up a bit) but I tend to team them with a blazer, sequins or a girly cardi. And most definately not combat boots.

Wardrobe Inspiration: Summer!

2010-08-08T06:47:00.000-07:00

Now that the warmer weather is coming I'm finally getting excited. Although I am far from planning my entire summer wardrobe I have started thinking about some key pieces I should be on the look out for.
I have just started a new job, so I will be needing some work clothes. One item that I really wish to purchase is a white shirt, to wear with a simple skirt. These images have served as inspiration for other ways I could wear it as well. I love the look of cropped cargoes (like Kate Hudson) and also Leighton Meester's beige take.

Style Inspiration: Jeans for Genes day

2010-08-05T19:02:00.000-07:00

I have been so busy in the last few days that I have failed one of my monthly goals allready - to post every day! I thought I would post some inspiration for Jeans for Genes day (today!) so here I have the gorgeous Jessica Hart wearing double denim and looking effortlessly chic. I would love to wear this outfit, but I doubt I could pull it off (those legs are a necessity) so I'm wearing baggy boyfriend jeans instead. Is anyone else participating in Jeans for Genes day?

Style Inspiration: Nicole Richie

2010-08-03T05:33:00.000-07:00

Today, for the first day in a really long time, it felt like summer. Seeing these images is causing me to crave more warmth and sunlight (even though it is far easier to look chic in a coat/scarf/boots combo). Why is it that Nicole makes me want to braid my hair, wear a simple tshirt with some high waisted shorts and carry a big colourful bag? This is particularly amazing because all of which would make me look like a child.

Nicole, how do you do it?

images from Nicole Richie Fashion

P.S. It was one of my monthly goals to post daily, however I haven't had the chance to put together a proper post (I am putting this together while I listen to a lecture), so these inspiration posts will have to do for now!

Style Inspiration: Kate Bosworth

2010-08-02T07:11:00.000-07:00

I love Kate's outfit here, the baggy tank, boyfriend jeans and gorgeous studded sandals but my favourite part is her boyfriend, Alexander Skarsgard. She's giving the camera a sneaky grin, as if to say "yep... that's my lover. Jealous?"

I love a man wearing double denim (Aiden Shaw anyone?)

Monthly Goals: August

2010-07-31T20:18:00.000-07:00

It has been brought to my attention that recurring posts are the thing to do. And true to form, I have decided to jump on the bandwagon. I am going to start with doing monthly goal posts, hopefully I will be able to complete these goals each month and find something new to strive for.
So as I sit here, babysitting for my next door neighbours, sitting as far to the left as I can so as to still be connected to my home Wi-Fi, and buzzing from one (okay, two) coffee's, I've decided to give it a go.

AUGUST

1. Complete Couch to 5k three times a week. I have been doing this for awhile, however due to my lack of consistency I have been stuck on week 1 for about a month. Earlier in the week I finally decided to try week two (with longer running durations and shorter rests) and was suprised with myself. I hope to continue to move through this program at the proper time frame and build up my stamina.
2. Read 6 books. Atonement. The Book Theif. The Memory Keeper's Daughter. The Wild Things. A Little Princess. The Secret Garden.
3. Make a budget AND stick to it! I plan to document exactly where all of my money goes and aim to save up the remainder of what I need to buy my new laptop.
4. Stay up to date with all of my university work and readings. I aim to complete (at least) one Pomorodo cycle per day, to build up my discipline and concentration.
5. Push on with my Project 10 Pan, trying to use up as many products as I can. I want to ensure that I take time out every day to complete this. By this I mean giving myself time in the morning to do proper make-up application, and also in the evening to apply hair treatments, fake tan and any other skincare products I've got hanging around. I also want to build up a beauty bank so that I have some money ready for when I finish my P10P.
6. Watch the first season of Mad Men. This is a goal I don't think I'll have any trouble completing.
7. Finally, I aim to work on my blog by posting every day (eek!)

Logic

2010-07-31T07:16:00.000-07:00

This reminds me of a comment by my favourite comedian, Josh Thomas; "If you don't like gay marriage, then don't marry a gay. It's really that simple."

image from bitte ein kuss

Beauty Inspiration

2010-07-31T00:21:00.000-07:00

I have been channelling this look all week. Nerd glasses, messy dark hair, eyeliner plus flawless skin (with a hint of blush), paired with pink lipgloss (for a suprisingly girly result). Worn with my favourite new combat jacket and a girly dress.

Productivity and Self-discipline

2010-07-28T20:58:00.000-07:00

I have just embarked upon my final semester of my batchelor's degree and I am looking to maxmise my productivity. I am aiming to continue into honours next year, so my grades are crucial. As a prerequisite, I need to score at least 70% in all of my units (which I have acheived so far) but it is very competitive. This semester I am aiming to score at least 80% in every unit (I was close this semester, my grades were 76%, 77%, 78% and 83%).

When it comes to studying, my problem is that when I'm studying I seem to spend a lot of time doing not much. I have discovered two methods of maximising my productivity, so I can get more things done quicker.
The first technique comes from Sarah Wilson. It is called the Pomodoro Technique. What it consists of is engaging yourself in spurts of activity, followed by short rest periods.

What you need to do:
1. Pick a task.
2. Set your timer to 25mins*
3. Work as hard as you can for this 25 minutes, ignoring all distractions and not stopping until the time is up.
4. Rest for 5 minutes.
5. Repeat the cycle 3 more times.
6. Rest for a good half an hour.

Ultimately,you are meant to work through these cycles daily to build up your 'self-discipline muscle'. Although I am yet to complete a full cycle, I have used techniques like this in the past and have found them very sucessful. Hopefully I can utilize this every day.

Confession: whenever I am cooking of late, I imagine that I am on Masterchef. What I mean by this is I set myself a time limit, of how long I want to spend cooking (careful to make a realistic prediction, as I've learned about human's tendency to continually underestimate how long a task will take - thankyou psychology).
Then the first thing I do is to think about what I'm cooking. In order to minimize total cooking time I try to have as many processes as I can handle at once going and to put those things that take awhile on first. I don't know if this actually shortens the process, but it makes me feel more productive.

* Traditionally, this is meant to be a red kitchen tomato timer. You know what I mean, one of these.

But I love this website. From there you can download an application, which is automatically times you for 25 minutes, with 5 minute breaks, in three sessions and takes all of the thinking out of it. I particularly love the way it sits ontop of whatever I'm working on, so I can view my progress.
It also ticks, which is apparently crucial. This is because it instills a sence of urgency, however I think that seeing the countdown is enough.

So have you used this technique?
I will be posting a few other techniques to maximise productivity, but in the meantime, do you have any other techniques to maximise productivity.

images from Masterchef and weheartit.com

Style Inspiration: Amanda Seyfried

2010-07-28T01:24:00.000-07:00

I'm wishing the weather would start feeling a little more like winter. I love this outfit, although my winter outfit won't include a yellow beanie, spotty leggings and gumboots, Amanda totally pulls this look off. I think her sexy boyfriend with his trench coat and perfectly worn-in, cuffed jeans helps (where can I get one?).

My Desk

2010-07-28T01:20:00.000-07:00

I have been planning to do a post like this for some time now, after being inspired by other bloggers (namely Laura and Jessica), however at the time of their posting, my desk was swamped in pre-exam chaos and definately not in a state to share.
I have just finished getting organised for the new semester and am finally ready to share my desk with you, the place where I spend the majority of my time when class is in. I share the study with my brother, which can be interesting at times (one rule is that headphones must always be worn) but his side is not nearly as pink as mine so you don't need to see that.

As you can see, it's very pink (just the way I like it!). I re-did the desk at the beginning of the year, complete with pink drawers and decoupage.

My pink IKEA chair - soo comfy!

My pink Dell laptop (great, but very old and sad), iPod touch (sadly with cracked screen), and weekly planner from kikki-k.

New Moleskine notebooks (I know... I'm white) and kikki k felt notebook, complete with mermaids on the desk.

Boxes of paper clips (again, from kikki k). IKEA textas and connector pens, also a box of of post-its and smiggle highlighters.

Wall calendar which I adapted from a calendar I got from the bank. This marks out the weeks of uni, assignments and their weightings, my timetable.

Pencil case, kikki k study notes and to-do list. Study essentials, including moisturiser, hydrating toner, hand cream and lip gloss.

As you can see I have a tiny stationary obsession (one of my favourite things about going to uni).
So that's my desk, I hope you enjoyed it. What's on your desk?

Beauty Inpiration: January Jones

2010-07-28T00:36:00.000-07:00

I am somewhat ashamed to admit that I have never watched Mad Men, however I have set the first season to download and plan to commence watching it this week!
Even though I have never watched the show, I can still lust over this gorgeous look, right? I particularly love the coral lip.

Beauty/Hair Inspiration: Jessica Biel

2010-07-27T04:08:00.000-07:00

Isn't she gorgeous? I want her hair so much!

image from Primped

Organization: Part 2

2010-07-26T02:47:00.000-07:00

Over my holidays I have re-vamped my wardrobe. I really liked an idea I saw on the glamourai, using magazine ends to separate handbags and I have utilized that.
Here are a few before shots:

It's a bit of a mess. Jeans, sheets dumped in shelves. The top shelves with dusty boxes. Here's what I did...

I cleaned out all of the top shelves (I can't put anything in the very top, I'd never be able to reach it!). It was so much easier to make my bags sit up with the magazine holders in (I got these from IKEA). I put my clutches into a separate place and the lower shelf is for soft bags. It's been like this for about two weeks now (I know, I'm a lazy blogger) and I love being able to see all of my bags when I'm getting ready, it makes it so much easier!

Postsecrets

2010-07-24T22:36:00.000-07:00

My two favourites from this weeks Postsecrets. To see more postsecrets go here.

Style Blogs

2010-07-22T06:46:00.000-07:00

I once read an article about fashion bloggers (don't ask me where, I've tried and failed to find it) in which something caught my eye. It said that the best thing about 'personal style' bloggers is that they are encouraging people to 'dress up' for everyday life again. This is a concept I absolutely love.

I often don't have a chance to wear my dressier clothes (and shoes!) but I am in love with those bloggers for whom strapping on heels to run errands is an everyday occurence. I love wearing heels (especially because of how short I am), but I don't have the confidence (nor the stamina) to put them on everyday and trot off to the shops.

I would love to develop a style for myself as distinctive as these bloggers. I love their no-holds-barred, fearless approach to dressing. I would love to be able to put on whatever I want and not worry about what anyone else thinks.

Here are a few of my favourite personal style bloggers, whose style and confidence I aim to emulate.

Karla from Karla's Closet.

Kelly from the glamourai

Emily from Cupcakes and Cashmere

And for the boys...

Bryan from Bryanboy.

And a few of my other fashion favourites;
Coco's Tea Party - this has been one of my favourite blogs for a few years now, I especially love the weekly Hit or Miss posts.
Garance Dore - for the most gorgeous photographs, drawings and articles.
and finally, the always amusing Go Fug Yourself, for the absolute worst.

What are your favourite fashion blogs?

P.S. I just wanted to say that I'm a little proud of my paint skills - no thanks to my brother, who refused to do it for me and made me work it out on my own.

Camera Loss

2010-07-22T02:49:00.000-07:00

I was browsing blogs when I came across this hilarious post. Please follow the link to the original post, it is a series of photos taken by Australian author Andrew McDonald to be stored in his camera, in the case that he lost it. As I scrolled through the photos I nearly cried with laughter. Also note his different facial expressions for each photo, such a sweet idea!

Grammar

2010-07-21T08:29:00.001-07:00

Beauty Tips

2010-07-20T00:27:00.000-07:00

This being my last week of holidays, I have been lazing around the house and sitting on my laptop all day. This has lead me to somewhat of an obsession of late; beauty blogs.
I have just started Project 10 Pan, and I allready have a massive wishlist. Because I'm not allowed to buy any products, they seem to be all I see and think about! At the moment I am trying to make the best out of what I have and play around with some products/looks that I don't usually use.
So, here are some of my favourite beauty tips that I've recently discovered from some of my favourite beauty blogs.

Temptalia's brow filling tutorial - I have never paid much attention to my brows, but Zoe Foster made me rethink. I haven't had my brows waxed in a very long time (preferring to just do it myself) but upon watching Christine's tutorial I went and tried filling in my brows, using her method (I especially loved the suggestion of using my angled eyeliner brush). The first time I did it I was experimenting with which eyeshadow to use (and used one that was way too dark) but now that I have found the right one I am starting to love it.

Zoe Foster's amazing winged eyeshadow tip - again, something I tried for the first time today and I love it. So easy and it looks great.

Temptalia's tutorial on contouring and highlighting your face - being somewhat of a beauty novice I never knew about this but it's so easy to try. I also love this tip on highlighting your brow bone (I love Benefit's High Beam).

Finally, a trick that I only juse picked up on is using eyeshadow wet as eyeliner. I find this a lot easier than using normal eyeliner, and its also a great way for me to use up some of my darker eyeshadows that I use sparingly.

Let me know if you have any other beauty tips!!

Booklist

2010-07-13T05:17:00.000-07:00

I had big plans for my uni break. 'I'm going to read a new book every day,' I thought. Wrong. So far I've read two books in 4 weeks. To move myself along, I'm going to make a booklist, which will hopefully encourage me to cross some off!

1. Atonement - Ian McEwan (I've started it, but I've set it aside for my new favourite book...)
2. Eat, Pray, Love - Elizabeth Gilbert (I know I'm a little late in reading this but now that I've started reading it I absolutely love it!)
3. Committed - Elizabeth Gilbert.
4. The Book Theif - Markus Zusak
5. House Rules - Jodi Picoult
6. The Wild Things - Dave Eggers
7. The Memory Keeper's Daughter - Kim Edwards
8. Saving Francesca - Melina Marchetta
9. On The Jellicoe Road - Melina Marchetta
10. The Piper's Son - Melina Marchetta

Project 10 Pan: Update

2010-07-13T05:00:00.000-07:00

After some more consideration I realised that I want to use up more products. I have increased my goal to using up 10 of each makeup, skincare and haircare. In order to acheive this I may include products that I give away or throw out, but I'll see how I go.
Also, I finished my first product today - but in all fairness it had been sitting in my shower for about a year. At least I'm on the way!
P.S. I worked out how to include a tally in the sidebar (just to your right). And yes, I am a little pleased with myself for working it out!

Project 10 Pan

2010-07-12T23:32:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I nearly hit 'purchase' on about 10 products I didn't need. Luckily, I decided to think it through, and I have decided I don't need 3 more lipsticks and 2 more mascaras and so on. So I've decided to embark on a Project 10 Pan. This will be my first one, so I'm not sure how long it will take. I am going to start up with trying to use up 10 makeup items (most likely lipglosses), 10 skincare products and 10 haircare products, and see how I go.

I don't actually have that much make up, if anything too many lipglosses that I don't use (I have just thrown out some old ones), or eyeshadow palettes. I do have a lot of skincare and haircare products, particularly a lot of fake tans that I never use (it's been too cold lately to use them!) so I will be trying to use those up! As you might have judged by my previous post, I will not include nail polish in this Project 10 Pan as a) I doubt I could use one up in less than a couple of months - even if I used it everyday (which I do not want to try) and b) I am trying to grow my collection - there are so many ones ones I want to buy. However, I am going to limit myself to only purchasing one new nail polish every two weeks (hopefully I can stick to it!).

So, here is photos of my collection. They are arranged into 3 drawers, separated into categories inspired by the belle lumiere.

Drawer 1 contains basic makeup. In the red box is primer, foundation, concealer, blush, highlighter and illuminator. This drawer also contains liquid and gel eyeliners, mascara and eyelash curlers. I also have many mascaras that I will be trying to use up!

Drawer 2 has a container of eyeshadows and a container of lipglosses. I also have countless lip glosses/balms in handbags, and strewn across the house.

Drawer 3 contains nail polish and related items (top coat, nail polish remover and nail files). It looks a bit sad, I can't organise them as every time I open up the drawer they all move around (yet another reason to continue growing my collection!)

In the bathroom this stand holds the things I use most. Up the top in the box is things like cleanser, moisturiser, toner, sunscreen, hair treatments ect. and there is also a glass filled with my brushes, and bobby pins. On the lower shelf is a bowl of lipglosses.

The cupboard under the sink is where I really need to finish things. I have a lot of different fake tans and many different hair treatments which I don't use (I may give some hair treatments away as they would take too long to use up and I don't want to stop using my Morrocan Oil - more about that later). I also have about 5 body butters that I need to finish.

I will attempt to put a tally on the sidebar (if I can work it out), so I can keep a running total of how I'm going.
Is anyone else doing/thinking about Project 10 Pan?

Favourite Nail Polishes

2010-07-12T22:29:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned in my '10 Random Things About Me' post, lately I have developed a bit of an obsession with nail polishes. I really want to grow my collection, but the only polishes I seem to be interested in at the moment are Chanel ones, which are pretty pricey ($39) as far as nail polishes go.

Recent Purchases

Chanel Orange Fizz (swatches)

I had never seen this polish before I tried it at my best friend Laura's house and I was hooked. I love the peachy shade, it is my favourite nail polish at the moment.

Mecca Lychorinda

I love this teal shade, it's just a bit different, and I'm really loving darker polishes during winter (I don't have a pic, here is the colour).

Poshe Super Fast Drying Top Coat from Adore Beauty

Another one I purchased after trying Laura's. The thing I most hate about painting my nails is waiting for them to dry. I cannot stand to sit still for an hour after my nails have been done, so when I tried Poshe, I loved it! I have a Revlon top coat which was supposed to serve the same purpose but I didn't find that it did the job. This, however, does what it says, it drys in 5 mins and leaves a lovely glossy coat over the top of my nails.

Favourites

OPI Over The Taupe

I bought this as a dupe for Chanel Particuliere (comparisons here and here). I love this colour, it looks so natural and chic, it is a great colour for winter and goes well with my winter wardrobe (here is a picture of me wearing it).

OPI Eiffel For This Colour (swatches)
I love this dark purple, unlike other ones I've tried, it doesn't look so dark that it can be mistaken for black. Another great colour for winter.

Napoleon Perdis Poolside
I bought this ages ago, and it's still one of my favourites. Every time I wear it I get heaps of complements, it's such a beautiful shade and so shiny!

OPI Purple With A Purpose

I bought this polish at least six months ago and never wore it until about 2 months ago. It is such an amazing colour, it is hard to tell in the picture of the bottle, but it has an amazing two tone-ness (I know that's not a word!) about it, so glossy and pretty (here and here is a picture of me wearing it).

Wish List

Chanel Paradoxal (swatches)
I just came across this yesterday and I have to have it. Chanel's new it colour .

Mecca Boadacia (top)
A dark, dark, red polish. Another one of Laura's. Very glamorous and slightly goth.

Mecca Painted Beauty Nail Colours (swatches)
I love all these shades, and I can't decide which to get. I may have to end up getting all of them, they would be great for summer.

Chanel Lilac Sky (swatches)
This is such a pretty colour, I love the shimmer. Another I can't wait to wear in summer.

OPI Get In Lime
I completely missed the hype of Chanel Jade and this is my answer for it (because I refuse to pay $200 for a nail polish). I've only seen swatches of it, but as far as I can tell this is the closest I've seen.

As you can see, I have a slight obsession...

What are your favourite nail polishes? Are there any you're dying to get your hands on?

Leopard

2010-07-11T05:48:00.000-07:00

"Leopard is my favorite color." I can never hear that enough.”

–Derek Blasberg

10 Random Things About Me

2010-07-10T23:16:00.000-07:00

Me, my cousin Sophia and my brother, Alex.

The lovely Jessica from the belle lumiere has tagged me in her "10 random things about me" post. Click on the links for some photos! Here goes...

I have an affinity for anything leopard print. I have a few scarves, and at the moment I am searching for some printed flats.
The thing that irritates me most is incorrect grammar. Is it really that hard to use the correct they're/there/their?
I have an obsession with the Olsen twins (particularly Mary-Kate) and Nicole Richie. This stemmed from when I was younger and not very wise and idealised their (unnattainable and unhealthy) figures. My body image has much improved but the obsession remains, albeit a healthier one.
I love nail polish, especially Chanel ones. Whenever my best friend Laura (from Life. Beauty. Laughter.) and I get together we end up spending most of the time talking about, trying on, and researching nail polishes. Yesterday I purchased Chanel's Orange Fizz and I love it!
Each month I usually buy about 5 magazines but hardly ever read them. I have subscriptions to Shop Til You Drop, Madison and Harper's Bazaar and usually buy a few more (In Style, Frankie, Grazia, ect.). When I was a member of a gym I saved my magazines to read on the treadmill (even then I never read them) and now that I run outside instead they never get read!
These are my favourite jeans. They are so comfy and I just love the rips! I always get the same comments ("Oh no! What happened to your jeans" - my dad and usually a "you didn't buy them like that, did you?" - usually from a boy). I bought them a couple of years ago from an american online store and I wear them all the time!
I love cooking (and eating) cupcakes. Usually I cook them about once a week, my family whine but then they eat them all! I love making them for friends, and I have just perfected making icing (all butter, no water - bad for me I know, but it tastes so good!).
I am a bit of a nerd. I love everything to be organized and clean. Also, I love studying. I am on holidays from uni at the moment and I am so bored! I can't wait for uni to start again so I have something to do.
I live at home with my family and I love it. The last week my parents have been on school holidays (they're both teachers) so I've been spending most of my time with them and it's been great. At the moment I am not in any position to move out and I'm glad!
I love the winter. Mostly for the clothes. I love layering up and wearing boots, scarves, jackets, ect. I also love the rain (it is pouring right now!), because it is so fun and romantic.

Done! That post took so much longer than I expected, and I got stuck on number 10. I want to tag my friends Sabrina and Greer. Happy blogging!

Sleep

2010-07-10T03:35:00.000-07:00

““I love sleep. My life has a tendency to fall apart when I`m awake, you know?””

- Ernest Hemingway (via quote-book)

from sabrinatan.tumblr.com/

Style Inspiration: Blake Lively in Paris.

2010-07-06T22:19:00.000-07:00

Is there anyone more perfect than Blake Lively? Season four of Gossip Girl is currently filming in Paris (yes, please) and Blake has been out this week in some lovely outfits looking absolutely gorgeous.

Here she is sitting front row at Dior with Anna Wintour, wearing a gorgeous fascinator.

Chilling with Karl (I die!)

Chatting to Diane Kruger (looking wonderful in short shorts and a sequinned blazer, finished with Louboutins - of course).

And finally, working the streets of Paris in a faaaabulous jacket, and cropped blue pants (who would have thought they could look so great!)

Flawless, no?

Images from Just Jared

Organization: Part 1

2010-07-05T21:55:00.000-07:00

I am a huge fan of organization, I love everything to be just right. Lately I have been taking inspiration from bloggers to organise my wardrobe and makeup. I haven't put any of these ideas into action yet, but I will post pictures when I have.

Wardrobe Inspiration: The Glamourai

My wardrobe is similar to this, with hanging space and then two large shelves above, which at the moment are unused (save for boxes from old phones, ipods ect. which are merely gathering dust).

I love the idea of a shelf of shoe racks above the main wardrobe. I used to keep mine on a rack similar but not being in the wardrobe, I found that they gathered a lot of dust. Currently my shoes are stored in clear plastic boxes, which takes up a lot of space and makes it quite messy when I am trying on a few pairs (as I am too lazy to immediately put them away).

I am particularly inspired by the thought of using book ends to organize handbags, as mine are strewn under the bed and in boxes.
The only drawback to a system like this in my wardrobe is how short I am, I would need to keep a stool handy to be able to reach shoes and bags!

Rain!

2010-06-15T00:47:00.000-07:00

It's been rainy the last couple of days in Perth and I love it. I've been taking it easy the last few days (i.e. not studying 24/7), as the stress was causing me to feel extremely run down. Saturday onwards has consisted of days have been spent at home, in warm home clothes, watching a fair bit more television than I should and listening to a lot fewer lectures than I was supposed to. When going out I got to put on lots of clothes and rug myself up in scarves (which I love). I even went for a run today (it was only raining a little) and it was so nice and refreshing (especially the hot shower afterwards!). Hopefully it continues for a couple more days, I haven't had the chance to use my frilly Topshop umbrella!

Beauty Inspiration: Eva Mendes

2010-06-15T00:35:00.000-07:00

This look (from Eva's June W cover) is so deliciously winter. I love the fur coat, the bright lips and striking dark eyes. Eva is absolutely stunning in this shoot, see the rest of it here.

Style Inspiration: Rachel Bilson

2010-06-01T19:55:00.000-07:00

“I always have the same basic formula: I start with simple shapes andthen add accessories or an interesting jacket or pair of shoes” - Rachel Bilson

images from Just Jared.

Style Inspiration: I want the rain back!

2010-05-30T02:31:00.000-07:00

Michelle Williams and Matilda

Winging it

2010-05-29T22:24:00.000-07:00

When It Rains...

2010-05-23T04:01:00.000-07:00

Winter Essentials

2010-05-23T03:59:00.000-07:00

Winter has finally hit Perth and I'm loving it! Here are my favourite things right now:

My leopard print scarf (not Louis Vuitton, but I still love it. I bought it last winter and still wear it all the time).
Warm showers every morning (the only way to get me up).
Braids

Rainy days (I love them!)
Lip Balm (and lots of it).
My new beige trench (and old navy coat).

Black suede ankle boots.
Sleeping in (especially as I'm battling a cold).
Exam preparation checklists.

Moisturiser.
My Glee playlist.

Glee

2010-05-23T03:58:00.000-07:00

This is just a few of the songs that are on my Glee playlist. I listen to it all the time, and especially when I'm in the car so I cansing along with no-one to hear me).

Maybe This Time (from Cabaret, a favourite of mine and my brother's) - Kristin Chenoweth and Lea Michelle. I love the contrast between their voices.

It's My Life/Confessions - Glee Boys (I love the mix of Bon Jovi and Usher).

Like A Virgin - it was stuck in my head for weeks. I loved the ridiculousness of it all.
Fire - Kristin Chenoweth and Matthew Morrison (I love this duet!)

Like A Prayer - this grew on me, it was only after playing this episode to my dad I realised how amazingly catchy this song is. My favourite part is the opening vocals by Lea.
Alone- Kristin Chenoweth and Matthew Morrison (when Kristin Chenoweth wasfirst on the show I didn't like her at all but I have grown to love heramazing voice and I never listened to this song at all until a friendpointed it out).

Somebody To Love (I hate Queen with a passion but this song is just so good).
Total Eclipse of The Heart - Lea Mitchell (even though this song is a big joke it is just so fun to sing along with).

Don't Rain On My Parade - Lea Mitchell (this is one of my favourites to belt out in the car).

One - this is one of the newest ones and I never liked the U2 version but this one is perfection).

Puck & Serena

2010-05-22T20:14:00.000-07:00

Here are two of my other favourite editorials at the moment. Gossip Girl's Blake Lively in Vogue and Glee's Mark Salling in GQ. Both are beach themed.

My favourite image is the last one, Blake looks absolutely gorgeous.

To see the full editorial go here

I love the colours in this shoot, this image is currently the background on my iPod.

The weather in Perth right now couldn't be further from this, but I love it when it rains! These sunny shots are great at making me feel like it's summery, so I get the best of both worlds.

Two If By Sea

2010-05-22T20:03:00.000-07:00

I have been alerted to this gorgeous editorial in US Vogue. Matthew Morrison (from Glee) posing with Raquel Zimmermann in a pictorial entitled 'Two if By Sea' featuring "swimsuits paired with daywear". The only thing I'm interested in is Matthew's abs but there are some gorgeous shots of Raquel too.

Who knew Mr Scheuster was this hot?

I love the Proenza Schouler skirt!

Images: celebitchy.com, vogue.com

Style Inspiration: Sienna, Kate and Ginnifer

2010-05-22T01:21:00.000-07:00

At the moment I am celebrating the fact that I have completed one of my assignments due next week (albeit the easier one) and taking a small break from studying to post a few casual looks I really like.

I am loving Sienna's style right now, and I love everything about this outfit!

Ditto to Kate's cargo pants (a look I could never pull off)

I couldn't find a better picture of Ginnifer but I love love love her YSL sunnies!

(images from Just Jared and Who What Wear)

Twittersphere

2010-05-20T07:51:00.000-07:00

I was reminded of this video my brother showed me months ago today and thought I would share it. When I told him how my tweet was in a magazine he congratulated me on becoming a twitter-lebrity (you'll get it after watching it). It is an absolutely hilarious cartoon about twitter. Love twitter, but this video does make a valid point, plus it's extremely funny.

"Don't you twitter-stand? You could become a twitter-lebrity!"

Hair Inspiration: Alexander Wang Braids

2010-05-20T02:49:00.000-07:00

At the moment I am craving long hair so I can braid my hair a la Alexander Wang S/S10. I love braids (the little girl in me) however, these look much more stylish and wearable than little pigtails!

Dianne Kruger wore one on the red carpet.

Nicole Richie has done a more casual style.

Sadly, however I think mine would look more like this, even though every time I try my layers totally fall out immediately.

I'm famous!!

2010-05-20T02:22:00.001-07:00

Beginning

2010-05-19T07:44:00.000-07:00

Starting a blog is hard.

Once I had decided it was a good idea I then had to think of a url and name. I couldn't think of anything so I tried some of the names of my favourite songs. The problem with this is as it wasn't original, they were all taken. So I settled on a part of my favourite Taking Back Sunday songs (although I may change it).

Then I had to think of a name (which I still haven't done) and pick a layout, background ect. which was kind of fun. To avoid having a name I put a header on instead - what to pick? My favourite PostSecret of course. However, I might change that too.

Now I have to think of things to say.
Wish me luck!

you paint our sins on the ceiling, i keep them glued to my chest
it keeps me close like a promise kept.