Physicians Formula {Mineral Correcting Powder}

/
I've been on the look out for a colour correcting powder for ages, to reduce the redness in my skin tone, so I decided to give the Physicians Formula range a bash. At R145 it's not the cheapest powder on the market, but I have been pleasantly surprised with the results. 

*3-In-1 Corrector + Primer + Powder
*Versatile powder color corrects the most common skin imperfections, smoothes skin texture and evens out skin tone.
*All colors blend together to create a perfect canvas finish: Pink brightens, Green tones down redness and Yellow adds warmth.
*High-tech Japanese formula delivers a natural-looking finish that won't cake, crease or settle into fine lines.

I found the above to all be true, I am able to brush it straight onto my skin after moisturizing, and I don't even have to apply concealer anymore. The brush supplied is a little 'hard' for my liking (although the colours are just lovely), your favourite kabuki/powder brush will do the trick. I must say that after trying out *all* the testers at Dischem, I will most definitely be using more products in the range!

Get your paws on the range at your local Dischem.


Canon SA Expo 2012

/


Calling all Canon lovers! 

"Discover the world of imaging products and solutions at the Canon SA Expo 2012. Industry, professionals and the general public are invited to attend this exciting Expo.
Experience products first hand, from DSLR to point and click cameras, professional large format printers to scanners and much more. Canon’s latest technologies and the finalists from the Canon Photographic Competition will also be on show."

The three-day event takes place from Friday, 30 November to Sunday, 2 December 2012 at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, Gauteng. The Canon SA Expo will be open from 10:00 to 18:00 daily and entrance is free.

{click here for more info}

I will be there to do some last minute Christmas shopping (for myself of course!)
xxx

Soft White Chocolate Chip Cranberry Cookies {recipe}

/
The most delicious, melt-in-your mouth, worth-every-calorie cookies I have ever eaten or baked!
And the recipe is so simple...

Ingredients

makes approximately 25 cookies

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour (I used cake flour)
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup white chocolate chips (I used a milky bar chopped up)
3/4 cup dried cranberries

Directions

*Line an ungreased cookie sheet with wax paper. Set aside.

*In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars together on medium speed until fluffy and light in color. Mix in egg and vanilla. Scrape down the sides as needed. On low speed, mix in flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt. Stir in white chocolate chips & dried cranberries.


*Chill dough (covered) for 30 minutes or up to 3 days.


*Preheat oven to 180C. Drop balls of dough  onto cookie sheet. Bake for 8-9 minutes, until barely golden brown around the edges. Do NOT cook them longer than 9 minutes. Remove and let cool for 5-10 minutes on the cookie sheet. Transfer to cooling rack.




*Do not drop dough onto warm cookie sheets. Allow cookie sheets to cool completely between batches.


{thanks to Sally's Baking Addiction for the recipe!}

Rosehurst Tea Garden {Pietermaritzburg}

/

Whenever my mom pops into Pietermaritzburg to visit me, we head down to Rosehurst for tea (and usually something yummy to nibble on too). It's such a tranquil place to sip tea, read a book, update your antique collection, or take a stroll through the perfectly manicured gardens...you will feel as though you've stepped into another world.

With so many rooms to browse, make sure your purse is at the ready. A bookshop, a chocolate menagerie, a china room full of gorgeous collectibles and a cafe bursting with yummy flavors...I never leave empty handed :)

My lovely mom! 
239 Boom Street, Pietermaritzburg
033 394 1443

#PhotoOfTheWeek...Pastel

/

This past week's theme for our weekly photo challenge was 'Pastel'. Well done to everyone who submitted a photograph! They are really great! 

Every week, the team is given a theme (each team member is given a chance to choose the theme for the week) and then each person has 7 days to take the perfect picture. It can be as edited or as natural as you like, the only rule is it has to be submitted to me by Sunday evening (South African time) so that I can get the post up asap on Sunday night/early Monday morning!

Here are last week's submissions...

Taken by: Tanya
Taken by: Cayleigh
Taken by: SueAnne

Taken by: Kayleigh
Taken by: Sue
Taken by: Natalie
Taken by: Roxy

Our Wedding {The Ceremony}

/

{photo's by Jacki Bruniquel}

{Candles in the Barn rented all the way from Joburg from Rent a Candle}

{Confetti was dried Erika (lovely purple flower that looks a little like Lavender) very environmentally friendly!}

{Chandelier hand made by my Step Dad}

Wedding captured {only} by Instagram

/
If you love instagram as much as I do (follow me @roxypearce!) and you have had/want to have your friends capture your wedding day on their iPhones/iPad's then super double cool. But how about only having your wedding covered by Instgram? Thats exactly what this crazy cool couple did, Jonathan and Brandi requested their wedding be shot with an iPhone ONLY...professional photographer Kim A. Thomas was up for the challenge.










Camping in the Bush

/
This past weekend, Farmboy and our friends Cayleigh and Byron headed off to Bonamanzi Game Reserve {a two hour drive from Ballito} for some camping, birding, and general relaxing. This was of course after watching the preview of Twilight at Gateway {the best of the series!!}.

I spent most of the time reading, while the rest of the gang spotted and identified a multitude of majestic winged creatures. Me and Mr Stephen King had some catching up to do :)







#PhotoOfTheWeek...Lines

/

This past week's theme for our weekly photo challenge was 'Lines'. Well done to everyone who submitted a photograph! They are really great! 

Every week, the team is given a theme (each team member is given a chance to choose the theme for the week) and then each person has 7 days to take the perfect picture. It can be as edited or as natural as you like, the only rule is it has to be submitted to me by Sunday evening (South African time) so that I can get the post up asap on Sunday night/early Monday morning!

"Natural Lines"

Taken by: Kayleigh

"Nature's Stripes"

Taken by: Natalie

Take by: Sue-Ann

"Colour in the lines"

Taken by: Roxy

Taken by: Tanya

If you'd like to join in, just drop me a line at citygirlsearching@gmail.com and I will send you that week's theme and you can get started right away!

{Blogging} How to use Pages as a Menu Bar

/
In the last post in this series, I showed you how to centre your header image/text. Today, I'm going to show you how to make a menu bar (so you can add information like a Contact page, About page etc).
At the top of my blog I have clickable bits of text that link you to important pages on my blog. With blogging, its important to know the different between a 'post' and a 'page. Posts are what you write on every time you want to publish something, they can be updated regularly, and are published on your home page, from newest to oldest. This is what makes up the bulk of your blog.

Pages, on the other hand are usually used for information you want to share with your readers but don't expect to update frequently. For example, an "about" page or a "contact page". You can have up to 20 pages of static information on blogger.

1. Click on Pages, then New Page (you then are given an option to start a blank page or direct people to a web address). For this tutorial, choose Blank Page.



2. Now give your page a title, and write what you want in the body of the page. Click Publish when you are happy with it. Do the same thing for as many pages as you need. Click Publish after each one.



3. Select 'show pages as' and decide where you want your menu bar to be. Don't forget to click Save Arrangement.




Lastly, you need to add the 'Pages' gadget to your blog to make sure your pages are visible.
Click on Layout, Add a Gadget, and look for Pages.


Then configure your pages. This allows you to choose which pages to show (you may want to keep some pages hidden until you are ready to make them visible). You can also change the order of the pages. Hit Save once you are done. Now you can move the pages to be where you want them on your blog. I have them right under my header. Don't forget to 'Save arrangement' when you are done!


{I will be doing a tutorial next on how to centre your menu bar...stay tuned for that!}

And there you go! I hope these instructions were easy enough to follow. I'd love to hear from you if you found them helpful :)
xxx


{Our Wedding} Official Photographs

/

Finally, I am able to pop these photo's up! All of these incredible photo's were taken by the talented Jacki Bruniquel, thanks so much Jax, Farmboy and I are so glad that we picked you to capture our special day.

 Here are a few highlights...

{I will be posting lots more in time and under particular headings with lots of tips for other bides-to-be!}

A little context for new readers...Farmboy and I chose to get married on his family dairy farm in the small town of Creighton, just outside Ixopo, KZN. He proposed in March this year and so began 6 months of prepping and planning and convincing my Dad that yes, I really did want to get married amoungst the cows! 

Words can't even begin to explain the hard work that was done by family and friends to get the barn and the shed ready for our big day. You see, the farm is a real life working farm. The Shed (where we had our reception) is the home to the calves after they have been removed from their mums. The Barn (where our ceremony took place) was used for storage and the shearing of sheep, as well as the home to a very special little owl.

So, with that in mind, Farmboy and his Dad set about hand crafting all 18 tables, I set about sourcing vintage plates, knives and forks, champagne glasses and mahogany tiffany chairs (who would have ever thought this things would be so hard to get hold of!) and so began the wedding prep!

To everyone that lent a hand, an afternoon or even an entire month to help make our dreams come true, we love you all so much, and it would never have been possible without you!

An {engagement} tea party

/
Last weekend we celebrate the recent engagement of our dear friends Ryan And Liesa (who own the awesome Rollin Vintage and Friends store in Howick...click here to see some pic's of the store). 

Farmboy and I were there to chink glasses with the happy couple and wish them all the best for their wedding...What a happy day!


The lovely couple









Our Wedding Venue...{The Set Up}

/

Here are a few gorgeous photo's from our special friend Sophie of Sophie Smith Photography

(if you can remember, Soph did our engagement shoot a few months back and we were thrilled with the photographs...these are no exception!). 

Sophs, thank you for capturing these special moments, and for being on hand to help out with all of the preparations!! 

These photo's will give you a little bit of an idea of all the hard work that went on behind the scenes to make our dream venue a reality. These are just photo's from The Shed. The Barn, where our ceremony was held was a little dark to capture properly, so will post those as well as all the official piccies from our photographer Jacki Bruniquel soon!

These lovely ladies were incredible with my flowers! Thank you Gail & Ren!!!! Lots and lots of love to you two! x

serious face, arranging those bird cages was hard work you know ;)

My Farmboy, making his handmade tables just right

Crockery was hired from 

A Vintage Affair

 in Joburg! They were so delightfully perfect on the tables, I was thrilled!

The Hutton Brothers, enjoying some tea!

Weather proofing The Shed! The day before the wedding it poured with rain! We were so worried the same would happen on the day, but it was all sunny clear sky's on our Big day!

Tea break time!

Tired busy bee's!

#PhotoOfTheWeek...Balance

/
Last week's theme for our photo challenge was Balance. I love how each and every one the submissions is unique! And how each and every team member is getting so creative with their shots, well done everyone, they are awesome!

This week we have a new member to welcome to the team...so welcome Cayleigh! I can't believe how this little challenge has grown over the last 6 months! Looking forward to seeing your piccies Cayleigh :)

Taken by: Cayleigh S
"There's no secret to balance, you just have to feel the waves"
Taken by: Kaylee

"Heels"
Taken by: Kayleigh
"Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving"
Taken by: Keith

"A balanced meal"
Taken by: Natalie

Taken by: Tanya
"Balancing Act"
Taken by: Megan

Taken by: Sue-Anne
"Tongue to balance tail"
Taken by: Roxy

Meet {Amy Borrell}

/

Amy Borrell is a freelance Illustrator and Designer based in Melbourne.
She has a BA in Design (Honours) from RMIT and spends her days working
on all kinds of lovely projects with clients across publishing, fashion and 
retail; whilst drinking lots of tea!

{You can visit her blog here and click here to visit her shop to own some prettiness for yourself}

If you have ever read the Frankie Magazine (you really should if you haven't, you can get yourself a copy here) you would definitley spy her illustrations throughout the magazine, as well as their 2012 Journal.

How lovely is her work! I want to have all her illustrations framed and hanging all over my house...





 


Simple *Face Wash* {review}

/
Wandering the aisles of Clicks I found myself doing a double take when I came across the Simple range of products. The Simple range of skin care products have been voted the number 1 skincare range in the UK. All their products are free from dye, artificial pefume & harsh irritants and are perfect for even the most sensitive of skin.

I was very keen to try the Simple Kind to Skin Moisturising Facial Wash, since it is 100% soap free, contains pro-vitamin B5, vitamin E and bisabolol. The texture is creamy and goes on smoothly, I'm not too crackers about the smell (it sort of doesn't really smell like anything, and compared to the delicious scent of StayClear (click here) it sort of doesn't really smell like anything...but I guess thats the whole idea behind it having no artificial perfumes!

It does the job well enough, doesn't leave my skin too dry after use, and definitely feels 'kind', but I won't be making this purchase again. The prices are very reasonable though, and if you are on the look our for a product that you can actually decipher the ingredient list on the back then give this one a try :)

Find it at your nearest Clicks & Dischem for +-R47