*MoSister*ing it up...



This is my Movember profile pic...taken in Cambodia using Farmboys awesome fisheye lomo camera.

If your still a little not sure of the in's and mo's of what exactly this month is in celebration of...click here.

As far as getting hairy goes, girls can just pledge their allegience to the movement and become MoSisters (unless you ReAlLy want to be hairy). Click here to join my team :)





All of these pic's above are from Pinterest



Canderal Cook Off fun!

Wednesday evening saw myself and 5 other super cool Joburg bloggers (Alida, Jess, Jeanette, Tanya & Angie) battling it out for the honour of top Salon de Culinaire Chef!


Ok I get a little carried away, we *were at Salon de Culinaire in Fourways, and we *were cooking, but there *was no competition..thank goodness...I had a hard enough time figuring out which knife to use to slice the plums.

 The lovely Natasha (as well as the rest of the super awesome LiveWired team) had organized a night of cooking, eating, drinking & being merry in honour of Canderal's launch of their Yellow range. We were put into teams in charge of making the starter (Angie & Jeanette), main (Alida & me) and dessert (Jess & Tanya). Thanks ladies, It was a lovely evening!








*Sewing* Pretty

In my attempts to become more creative, I have tried my hand at various activities. Making bunting, giving a wooden box a face lift, cooking, baking...I wish the list went on. Well, today it does! I have finally finished my first attempt at sewing...Yippeeeeeeeee




Last few days to enter into my pretty polish giveaway :) I will choose a winner on friday! xx


Exploring: 44 Stanley Avenue, Milpark *Part 1*

Here are a few pic's I took while wandering around this delightful little nook in MillPark. Click here for 44 Stanley's official website to stay up to date




Anatomy Design


"Anatomy Design is a unique shopping destination - with a focus on beautifully detailed contemporary furniture and homeware"




Verdange


"Vendange is a retail concept themed around food, wine and olive oil accessories. We also supply an extensive range or ceramics, glassware and some furniture"




Lucky Fish


"Lulu Baily is an artist who had a dream of owning a shop that would allow for a broader expression of creativity. Lucky Fish opened five years ago as a fusion of trading store and bazaar with classic luxurious comfort. The shop's antique cabinets and a shifting array of beautiful furniture house all sorts of interesting odds and ends. Lulu stocks a wide range gleaned from antique markets and high street shops in India. An eccentric mix of furniture, lamps, cushions, clothing, toys and china come from as far afield as Sri Lanka, Spain, France and Argentina"


**I have just received my badge for the South African Blog Awards! If you like my blog, and feel extra nice today, pretty please wont you click here and vote for me :) All you have to do is enter your email address and you will be sent a confirmation email, just click the link in that email and bombs away!**


*Movember* is nearly upon us



ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN

During November each year, Movember is responsible for the sprouting of moustaches on thousands of men’s faces around the world. The aim of which is to raise vital funds and awareness for men’s health, specifically prostate cancer and other cancers that affect men.


On Movember 1st, guys register at Movember.com with a clean-shaven face and then for the rest of the month, these selfless and generous men, known as Mo Bros, groom, trim and wax their way into the annals of fine moustachery. Supported by the women in their lives, Mo Sistas, Movember Mo Bros raise funds by seeking out sponsorship for their Mo-growing efforts.

Mo Bros effectively become walking, talking billboards for the 30 days of November and through their actions and words raise awareness by prompting private and public conversation around the often ignored issue of men’s health. 

At the end of the month, Mo Bros and Mo Sistas celebrate their gallantry and valor by either throwing their own Movember party or attending one of the infamous Gala Partés held around the world by Movember, for Movember. 

Movember - a global movement

Since its humble beginnings in Melbourne Australia, Movember has grown to become a truly global movement inspiring more than 1.1 million Mo Bros and Mo Sistas to participate, with formal campaigns in Australia, New Zealand, the US, Canada, the UK, Finland, the Netherlands, South Africa, Ireland, Denmark, Norway, Belgium and the Czech Republic. In addition, Movember is aware of Mo Bros and Mo Sistas supporting the campaign and men’s health cause right across the globe, from Russia to Dubai, Hong Kong to Antarctica, Rio de Janeiro to Mumbai, and everywhere in between.

No matter the country or city, Movember will continue to work to change established habits and attitudes men have about their health, to educate men about the health risks they face, getting them to act on that knowledge thereby increasing the chances of early detection, diagnosis and effective treatment.


Click here to register your boyfriend/brother/friends cat and to find out more info about this worthy cause.

Here's Farmboy's entry picture from last year, it was part of the Lomography websites fundraising campagin, and was chosen to be sold in an auction to raise money for mens health...I took the pic while on holiday in Cambodia

If you would like to get involved, you can do so with (or without) donning some unruly facial hair. Just click here to vote/rate/donate/encourage Farmboy as he tackles the task of "letting it all grow out and be nasty"




*Kings* of *Leon*...Joburg

I could write a whole long boring post, or I could just leave you with these picture...think I'll do the latter...

Farmboy bought tickets for him & his sister for her 21st Birthday earlier this year, and I obviously had to tag along. After getting lost in Soweto central, a very kind police officer escorted us whitey's to the stadium:






100 Followers!!...A Thank You *GiveAway*

A little while ago I had a little giveaway of some Soap & Glory products (well done to Sally who won!!) and I had also mentioned that I would be giving away the following to my 100th follower:


At the time I was on 74 followers, and now I am on 101...yay! I thought I was never going to get to 100 and here I am. So for those of you newbie bloggers out there, the only piece of advice I can give you way to increase your number of followers is to keep posting and engage with fellow bloggers...you have to play around in the sandpit to make friends :)

 A huge thank you to all of you who read my blog, I hope I continue to keep you entertained and up to date with all sorts of interesting bits and pieces!

Now, with google connect, I am finding it very difficult to find out who my 100th follower is. So, to say thank you, I am going to give away the above gorgeous Barry M nail polishes, and a tube of Soap & Glory Hand Food to the person who comes up with the most creative/interesting/bizarre name for a nail polish. Just drop your idea's in the comment section below. Good Luck! xx

**the following rule still applies: winner have to reside in South Africa as shipping laws make it very difficult for me to send liquids overseas...so only South Africans will be eligible for this giveaway, but please don't let that stop you from checking out my blog! Lots more giveaways to be done in the future with non-liquidy prizes...yay!**

Pietermaritzburg...the beginning

I have now been living in capital of Kwazulu Natal (am I one of the very few people around who didn't know that this is the Capital of KZN??) for 1 week now...thought I'd share some photo's.

Outing #1: Karkloof Farmers Market

Every Saturday from 07h00 - 11h00. Get there early to get all the good stuff! :)

Karkloof Road, Howick.

Kings of Leon *Joburg* How to Get to the FNB Stadium


For all those KOL fans out there, thought the following info would be helpful :)

One way to get to the FNB stadium is by the Park & Ride buses. Book your tickets at Computicket (click here).

Buses leave from the following departure points: 

Coca-Cola Dome, Northgate
Wits University (West Campus)
Gold Reef City 
Constitution Hill

Tickets cost R90, and I would suggest booking before hand to make sure you've got a seat.

Alternatively, there is the Park & Rail.
The train runs directly from the East Rand, West Rand, Pretoria and Johannesburg to Nasrec Station.
Tickets cost R80 return. Click here for the train schedule


The line up for saturday:

17h00 Doors Open
18h30 – 19h00 The Black Hotels
19.15 – 19h45 Shadowclub
 20h00 – 20h30 Die Heuwels Fantasties
21.00 Kings of Leon

Click here for the BigConcerts Facebook page to stay up to date before the big day



Santa Shoe Box!



"Kidz2Kidz’s Santa Shoebox Project is an inspiring community initiative that co-ordinates the donation, collection and distribution of personalized gifts at Christmas time to underprivileged children; while at the same time helping parents teach their own children about the joys of giving."


All you have to do is register on the website, and you will go through a step by step guide as to the who/where/when details of your box. So far 64238 boxes have been pledged, but there are still 5481 kids without a prezzie. So give your old shoeboxes a new home this Christmas.






A little more Catrice



Infinite Matt Foundation


I have been most pleasantly surprised with this foundation (not to mention the entire range of Catrice products I have used so far!). This foundation, which is oil free, has long outlasted even my Clarins Everlasting Foundation (review to follow soon!). Whereas the Clarins left my skin looking shiny in only an hour, the Catrice really did keep my skin matt all day long. The bottle has the following to say:
"Oil-free make-up with long lasting matt-effect. Hydrating and with light reflecting pigments it creates an even, fresh complexion and leaves skin feeling soft."
I am super impressed with it, and give this a 5/5

The Infinite Matt Foundation comes in 6 shades, this one is #030 Apricot Beige (not the hugest range of shades). 
Find it at your nearest Dischem for R79.95

Absolute Eye Colour Quad #040 Never Let Me Go!


Having used a few of these eye shadows before I was very keen to add to my growing collection. And these little babies did not disappoint. The eye shadows are highly pigmented and long lasting. You do have to layer them quite a lot in order to build up colour, but I love the consistency of them, and how easy they are to blend. This quad makes a very nice smoky eye, while the top too colours are perfect for day wear.
Find it at your local dischem for R59.95

Kohl Kajal #100 Name it as you like! 


This is the second kohl eye liner that I have in the Catrice range, and probably one of my favourite brands for eye liner so far. Rimmel and Bourgois used to be at the top of my list, but I must say they are being quickly over taken :) This kohl liner is long lasting, and very easy to use. As with most kohl pencils, they are much easier to blend and are a lot more forgiving than other pencils. This colour is great for adding definition to a smoky eye, without being too overpowering as pure black can be sometimes. And for only R24.99, I think very soon I will have the entire collection!

I wish I was Mary Poppins

I wish I was Mary Poppins, then I could fit all of this in my bag, and still have space for the kitchen sink...

After having a read of a really lovely blog called Bobbylicious, who was doing her take on  Tails of a Mermaid's What's in Your Bag, I thought I'd join in the fun...what do you have in your Mary Poppins carpet bag?




1. Purse - always empty :(
2. Orbit Gum - minty fresh
3. Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour cream - freebie from Elle
4. Rosebud Salve - lip balm from South Korea, Farmboy hates the smell of the above, so I just keep both in my bag, you just never know...
5. ID book - horrible picture included
6. Polaroid pic of Farmboy and me - incase I forget what he looks like
7. Notebook - for scribbles and thoughts
8. Canderal - to sweeten things up
9. Girl stuff
10. Toni Glass Tea bag - love the packaging
11. Powder compact - for touchups
12. Pencil - to scribble with
13. Hand wipes - for freshening up
14. Mini deo - to keep me smelling like roses
15. Eye drops - I get horrible itchy eyes if I get too cuddly with fluffy things
16. Handbag holder from Accessorize
18. Lancome Juicy Tubes - 'strawberry funk'
19. Smashbox Limitless lipgloss - 'for keeps'
20. Pen - incase the pencil runs out :)
21. Balkin I-trip - so I can listen to my favourite tunes without annoying radio ads
22. Never enough hair stuff!

#30DaysOfMe...Day 10


Day 10- Songs you listen to when you are Happy, Sad, Bored, Hyped, Mad











*all images are from weheartit*

Click here to find out what these posts are all about


Jhb: Photo & Film Expo...



Tomorrow and sunday are the last 2 days of the Photo & Film Expo at The Dome,  Northgate. 

"THE PHOTO & FILM EXPO in association with PiX Magazine is the largest PHOTOGRAPHIC EXPO on the continent, nowhere in Africa can you see all your favourite photographic brands under one roof..."

I was there today and picked up this little goodie:
So get your bum down there if you enjoy cool gadgets and are looking for tips and workshops on anything and everything photo-related... 



Tickets are R80 at the door. 
Time: 09:00 - 17:00
For more info, click here for the official website



30DaysOfMe...Day 8

Day 08- Short term goals for this month and why


click here for more info on what these posts are all about :)


Source: wehearit
Today is the 13th October, so that leaves me with 18 days to achieve a few goals...hmmm.
Well where am I in life right now, I recently resigned from my job (I wasn't there for all that long, but I was there long enough to realise that what I was doing was not for me) so where does that leave me. Well, I have always loved anything and everything to do with beauty. 


So...
goal #1 Do some sort of beauty/makeup course in the next few weeks


goal #2 Start sewing (which I officially started yesterday) so lets rather say that my second goal is to actually finish the dress


goal #3 As I have decided to up and move to Pietermaritzburg till the end of the year (to be closer to Farmboy) my next goal is to start an interesting new blog series (I have a few idea's that I can't wait to share!)


goal #4 Wrap my Santa Shoe Boxes and get them ready for the drop off in November


goal #5 apart from finishing/achieving the above, I need to get further along with this series! I started the #30DaysOfMe just under 3 months ago, and even though I manage to blog about other random stuff just about every day, I am only on Day 8. Shocking...Must fix that!



Vichy...'Health Is Beautiful'

Vichy has got to be one of my absolute favourite skin care brands. Ever since I first tried out their Foaming cleanser a few years ago I have been hooked. However, I am a bit of a sucker for packaging, (Farmboy has often likened me to a crow pursuing shiny things) and so hop and change products like there's no tomorrow. Its also really frustrating that products don't have the same life span. Cleanser always finishes before toner and night cream just never seems to finish :) Well, I recently decided to spoil myself, and Vichy was at the top of my list after visiting AlphaCare Pharmacy in Ballito and finding out about their free facials!! Yes ladies, you heard me, free Vichy facials at selected Pharmacies! Check out their Facebook page for more details...anyway, where was I...ah yes, here are the following products I have added to my face care routine:


Purete Thermale Purifying Water R173.95

Skin Radiance Revealer


With an easy to use pump, water is dispensed as a soft foam which deeply cleanses skin. I love the feel of the foam, and the fact that my skin is never left dry after use. This cleanser is suitable for all skin types. It is allergy tested and soap free, making this the ideal all-rounder cleanser. It even removes all traces of makeup :) My favourite Vichy product!

Purete Thermale 3 in 1 Cleansing Micellar Solution R198.35


This awesome cleanser does everything a girl could want: 1 Cleanses the skin, 2. Removes eye makeup, 3. Soothes the skin. It's a cleanser, makeup remover and toner all rolled into one! even though it does all of the above, I use it after my foaming cleanser, to really make my skin squeaky clean. But sometimes, you just don't feel like getting your face wet, and thats where this cleanser is super cool. It is super gentle on skin, being alcohol, soap and colourant free!

Normaderm Refine Total Pore Resurfacing Essence R213.35


This product was recommended to me by the Vichy consultant when I told her I was looking for a sort of *gentler* kind of dermabrasian. Parts of my skin, particularly my T-zone (forehead, nose and chin) is uneven and with some scaring from breakouts. I have been using it night and day for 1 week now, and havent really noticed a huge difference, but am waiting to see the results after another week or 2. This product claims to be a pore micro-peel and pore firming, hopefully leading to smaller pores and less breakouts! 
Being an essence, it is very easy to blend in, and absorbs very quickly into my skin, without hindering my moisturiser or makeup application :)

Capital Soleil 50+ Protective Micro-Fluid Face R152.15


Living in sunny South Africa it is of the utmost importance that we wear suncream to protect our skin. Not just because of getting wrinkles and developing that "leather" look, but for health reasons too. Protecting our skin from the harmful rays means less money on skin care products and makeup later in life. We all know this, so then why is it that I had only invested in a good quality face suncream recently!? Well, I have a million reasons I could give you (too expensive, too much of a mission to use, makes my skin oily...bla, bla, bla). After finally coming to y senses, I can safely say this is the best face suncream I have ever used, It is a little on the pricy side, but it never leave my skin greasy and has such a pleasant fragrance, i really don't mind the extra few seconds it takes me to put on.

So there you have it :)

 Just a little note on my product reviews...all of the makeup and other products have been bought with my own (mostly *hard earned*) money, and I have not been approached to review them by companies. However, if, by some miraculous chance I am asked to review a product (*hint hint*) I will always let you know so that you get a 100% honest review out of me :)


Clover...*Way Better*



Last wednesday I was invited to Clover's relaunch at the Alexander Theatre in Braamfontein, Joburg. After getting a little too excited at the fact that I had a press badge, farmboy and myself headed into the crowds to meet some new friends and find out what Clover had up their sleeves...


Meet Clover's CEO, Johann Vorster:

This smiley pic came from the awesome little usb each member of the press *i love the sound of that hehe* received after the event 

“We believe that our new Way Better philosophy, culture and approach will position Clover to interact even more meaningfully with all our stakeholders, all of whom have played a vital role in getting us to where we are today as an industry-leading company listed on the JSE,” Vorster.


And meet Clovers new logo:


So Clover is trying to be better, Way Better in fact. In doing so they are re-launching themselves with new packaging, a new TV advert, a slightly modified logo, all this while still keeping c"love"r at it's centre.



During the evening, we were treated to a three-act theatre enactment of the Way Better philosophy. The play  provided the platform for the new logo and television commercial soon to be launched.


The Milky Way was the theme for the evening, and no expense was spared when it came down to the finer details...like yummy canapés with the names Supernova, Twinkle Tarts and Black Hole. 

And to top it off, balloons were released at the end of the evening, with a note to say that Clover had donated R100 to the Reach for a Dream Foundation on behalf of everyone who had attended the function...nice hey :)



I now leave you with the awesomeness that is Clover's new TV ad...drum roll please...