2016 Resolutions

1. Complete full, rough draft of entire doctoral thesis by December (gulp).

2. Stick to two bought coffees a week. Brew the others at home.

Image Source: Pinterest

3. Go back to my old habit of making lists and completing them in a timely manner. Will help considerably in the achievement of Resolution 1. 

4. Read more. Like I used to. Actual, hard-copy books! This includes finishing those half-read ones including the below:

Xx 

Covet

One day, I was browsing the App Store and came across what is essentially a fashion paper doll game for adults; not that kind of 'adult', mind, just good, clean, fashionable fun. 

Essentially, you enter contests using virtual tickets. To do this, you enter Style Challenges, where you aquire clothing and accessory items for your doll, customise her skintone, hair, and makeup to suit and follow any stipulated rules (e.g. Must include the Calvin Klein daisy bracelet...I made that up, but you get the idea) and you're away! The pieces  are actually based on real clothing items so it is good advertising for the participating labels! There are links to buy the items for yourself in real life, should you so desire! 

Once you have submitted a look, it is voted on by other 'Coveters' when it appears next to another randomly-generated entry. Voting is preferential and works on a five-star averaging system that contributes to your overall average Style Score. If, in any given challenge, you score a minimum of four stars, you win a prize ( all virtual, of course, and that which might be an item of clothing, or jewelry, or perhaps a bag or accessory item that goes into your 'closet'). If you attain 4.5 stars, you also score 25 diamonds. I think if you attain 5.5 plus stars you score the mega diamond load, but I have never gone beyond a max of five, myself. 

Upon entering Style Challenges, you are awarded 'cash' to use to 'buy' items for your Style Closet. These are organised by item type etc and season. There are bonuses for adhering to the desired season as set out in the Style Challenge instructions and context at the start. 

Here is a selection of my 'looks' entered in various contests. A bit cropped; you see them head to toe normally. 

Some are real-life-type challenges, e.g. High flying journalist, and others have an element of fantasy, such as Snow Queen, for example. It takes a while to build up a wardrobe and save for pieces...diamonds serve a similar purpose to cash (these are handy for our of season items) but are also slow to accumulate. But for me, that's part of the fun. I refuse to use real money just to accelerate progress.

Oh and as you progress, you level up. With each level up, you can access new hair styles, makeup etc. I enjoy it for a bit of harmless, escapist relaxation. I like to do the daily challenges as they only require 15 tickets and award 500 'dollars' upon entry to spend on my 'closet'. 

There are lots of other challenges, too, and I sometimes enter them but they cost 25 tickets. You can accumulate tickets by voting (one round of voting gives you two tickets). You can also join fashion clubs of real people, but I don't bother. 

I've probably explained it badly, but it's very intuitive and easy to work out once you start...not to mention fun! 

Xx 

NYE done in style.

Today is New Year's Eve in New Zealand. Blogger seems to run on US time! With celebration in mind, we jumped into the car and hightailed it north to Lang's Beach. We joined hubby's folks and his sister and brother's families for a fun family NYears! The place we are staying at is epic. I kid you not. It's a rented bach...but the word bach does this mansion of luxuriousness a great disservice! 

Nestled up on the hills, overlooking Whangarei Heads and Hen and Chickens Islands, this Mediterreanean-inspired house is just incredible! The family did this as a treat for us all after what has been a very challenging year. So blessed! Thought I'd share a few pics of this beautiful place! 

The view of the beautiful lagoon pool and spa, from our room:

Our bedroom with a romantic four-poster bed:

The epic view of one of the TWO balconies off our room:

There are so many tucked away corners for relaxing in. It's an introvert's paradise! My 8 year old introvert just joined me for some quiet time and he's recharging on this window seat:

I found the sun loungers and kicked back:

I'm quite taken by this amazing bath...and the view it has!

Happy New Year!

Xx 

Clothing Disposal Regret (CDR)

Do you ever suffer clothing disposal regret? I can't think of a better way to describe it! When you see a photo of yourself wearing a particular item...but you've long since got rid of it; either having given it away, or having chucked it? Well, this kimono. Lately I've been hankering for one. I loved the fabric of this one but the cut didn't flatter me at all so I donated it to the Sallies, I think...or some such equivalent donation point. Now I'm regretting it as I really should have kept it and altered it with my sewing machine (not that I'm any good at that!). Here are pics of me wearing said piece circa September 2014.

Something is seriously awry with the above pic, I just noticed...aside from duck face...my arm appears to be a bit of an X-File! 

My quest for a well-fitting kimono continues...

Love & sunshine x 

2015 Best Nine

Today we are having a sort of third Christmas as my folks have come up to stay for two nights. We just had a light lunch as it's so hot. 

Right now, kiddo is switching between playing with his new mini-drone and new Roald Dahl book, hubby is resting, Ma and Pa are checking into their motel down the road, and I'm onthe couch stuffing my face with a box of Cadbury's Favourites...because Christmas calories don't count, right? Right? ;)  Seriously, I can't stop eating! Even though it's the 29th! I'll be good in January...I promise. 

Just compiled my 2015 best nine pics from Instagram using the associated app.  Evidently, this year, I had an obsession with a certain white tee and stripes! 

Happy, blue days.

Hubby's boat has been a godsend since his diagnosis. He hasn't been able to indulge in his beloved mountain biking since his fairly recent major liver surgery, and the fact chemo leaves him feeling pretty wiped...so our little day sailor has been such a blessing! The weather has been cracking since Christmas and we have been making the most of it!

I have had a fixation (obsession) with Bean Rock lighthouse since we moved over to this side of the city, this year so we headed that way and did a few passbys. It's my dream to go there...but since it's a heritage site, I think, not to mention a major navigational aid and thus an offense to even touch...I'll just have to stick to dreaming and gazing. 

This week has been my first time in the boat (she's relatively new) and I'm loving it! We have been sticking to the little engine, this week, as it's been too calm for the sails. Good excuse to wear a cute hat, bright coverup and have a picnic! Speaking of coverups, here is my new one. It's from Ezibuy's Urban range. It's technically a top but being hobbitesque, I can wear it as a sundress/coverup. I took the cord out where it's supposed to gather below the hips and I now wear it as a waist tie. Being short and built somewhat like a female Samwise Gamgee, I need cinching action or else such pieces look like a muumuu! I always remember in my Trinny & Susannah book they said to avoid baggy sacks...I've heeded that advice always! If I had lovely long legs, I could get away with it but instead I need to accentuate my waist; that part is pretty good!

On shorts...and not caring.

Today I was browsing KMart on my lunch break. Intention was to pick up a shirt for a teaching awards ceremony, tonight. Whilst scruffling through the over-packed racks, I found these shorts. This is quite a move from me. I don't DO shorts. With brevity, I inherited short, stocky legs and I'm terrified of sharing much of them with the world. Pretty much since adolescence.  This summer, having since moved seaside, I'm going to get over it and embrace the shorts. Top: Pagani, Shorts: Kmart, Sandals: Number One, Necklace: Forever 21 (gifted).

On dry, sensitive, Sahara-like Spring skin...

My skin hates me at the moment. Change of seasons, or something. Recently, I woke up with one very puffy eye and a very dry face. I put the the down to a reaction to a new creme shadow but I'm not sure....after that sorted itself out, my face, cheeks and chin to be specific was very chapped and red. Even products designed for sensitive skin stung like a herd of stampeding jellyfish. I'm still not sure what did it. However, just yesterday I discovered this lovely product by Trilogy (Kiwi made!); Very Gentle Moisturising Creme with olive, calendula and a calming blend of selected botanicals. No stinging! Instant relief. It also applies beautifully under makeup and feels good several hours later. At $NZ50.00 it's not a cheapie, but I felt it was worth it for the beautiful ingredients and calming effect. Win!

Starting over, cancer, juggling, weight loss...

I started this wee blog in 2013 and went no further than an earnest entry reviewing a particular facial highlighter (yes, I like cosmetics.  A lot. If I don't use them, I look like Hagrid's twin sister). I've left said original entry in just for the sake of history. However, recent events (my husband's devastating diagnosis of stage 4 bowel cancer) have prompted me to try again; for my own mental preservation more than anything! I'll see how I get on.

This will not be academic. I do a lot of that between the hours of 9 and 4. I love my academic life  of teaching, research, conferences and collabs but I want to keep this wee blog, shall we say, life-style-oriented. So I'm juggling this, motherhood to a wonderful 8yo boy, am a full time academic, doing my PhD...all whilst drinking foamy flat whites and trying not to shop too much. A little nuts? Probably.

It's Spring, here. I've been rediscovering certain wardrobe pieces. Somewhat gutted to discover those things I wore last summer are tight! Some accursed wardrobe sprite has been at work, shrinking my clothes. A sprite we'll call Cake, I'll confess. I'll admit, this winter has meant a lot of time sitting in hospitals, eating hospital cafe muffins, washed down with hospital cafe coffee (the latter is proving rather good, I'll concede). This has meant that my previously rather decent hips once again have their own sidecars. Sigh. So I'm back on the wagon...with a catch. Last summer I tried calorie counting. It worked. I dropped from a NZ12/14 to an 8/10. I didn't have tonnes to lose, but my hips looked less saddlebaggy and I dropped a cup size. Plus, colleagues let me know they could see a difference.  Great, right? Yes and no. I did something wrong; I'm thinking I didn't eat enough and deprived myself of essential nutrients. My hair thinned! Lots came out when I washed it. No one noticed, I don't think...but I sure did. This means that while I'm watching my cals again in prep for summer ( just around the corner) I'm relaxing it a bit; in the interest of some sustainability: higher daily caloric total, NO obsessive measuring, and only six days a week at this stage. Sundays are mine! I'll see how I fare. Really, it's just portion control (i.e. there's still cake and chocolate), but this time I'm eyeballing portions, no weighing. And no weighing! Goodbye scales. I'll see how I go! To health and happiness (and slimmer hips). 😏