Wednesday 27 February 2013

Some Opshop finds

I love going op shopping (that's charity shoping to UK folks and thrifting for the US!).  I'm not very good at it yet but I love it when something hits my eyes and it's something I don't usually get to see in regular shops. I went on Monday with a friend who is a vintage clothing hunter and designer, so she can spot authentic vintage pieces and inspect the quality of the make so I always feel safe making choices around her! 

  Here are my latest finds:

This fabric just caught my eye and I had to try it on. It's actually in a bomber jacket style, but oddly enough the bottom section is sewn all the way through so you put it on like a jumper.. another picture here to show that would've been nice hey.. but I love this and the fabric reminds me of the floral Zara jacket.

I love storage. I love boxes, drawers, containers.. yes, I live an exciting life, I know. I recently lost an ebay auction on a set of wooden drawers/box ($30 was just pushing it) but all is forgotten now that I have found this miniature cabinet for $2 *whoop whoop*.  The little floral trinket box was just too precious so I picket this up on an earlier opshop browse. Currently storing nothing, haha.

And look at this!
I am from the Babysitters' Club generation and damn proud of it! This is from the original edition which is the one I am more familiar with so it means even more. Some annoying tyke drew themselves on it but otherwise it looks like it is still in good condition! Not sure what the game is about but I dun care.. this is a keeper! And found at the dear price of $2, yes!

Have you found any cool finds at the opshop lately?

x mai-anne
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Friday 22 February 2013

Friday Favourites #2

Damn, haven't posted all week. Still trying to figure blogging thing out! I think I'm going to take a leaf out of ViviannaDoesMakeup and plan my posts at the start of the week instead of just seeing what happens. How she manages her time is beyond me, she's really is born for this!

It's been a really interesting week this week, I've been so inspired and it's sparked my fire to work hard and just go for what I want. But first, onto the favourites!



Favourite Beauty Product
I'm going to give a shoutout to a well raved skincare item and it's the REN AHA Glycolactic Mask.  I bought the sampler pack for Normal Skin and have been really impressed with the range even though I generally have dry skin. This mask just leaves my skin looking so fresh and awake - I love it! I will be doing a comparison review at some point too so that's enough chatter about this one!

Favourite Song/Album

Slightly cheating here but last Saturday (after my first FF post) I sound engineered a live gig at where I work and got to watch guitar maestro Owen Van Larkins perform. My guitarist friend and I just freaked out watching him - he was amazing! My jaw literally hung open the whole time, whilst my buddy just shook his head the whole time in amazement. I've seen one other guitarist like him before who I thought was amazing but Owen did not just have his technique down, but his songs were gorgeous. Check him out! We're very proud that there is an Aussie addition to the CandyRat Records bunch!


Favourite Miscellaneous Find/Item
Had a small shopping trip with my mum today and while my mum was on shopping fire, I was my usual frugal self. (I just hate inflated Aussie pricing and refuse to pay it.) I picked up these two items, the earrings were $4.95 and remind me of the Marc Jacobs daiy, and this top was down to $5 in Myer (even though I paid $4 since my mum had $1 left on her voucher card *whoop*). While summer is almost over, this singlet was just too pretty (and inexpensive!).

Favourite Blog/YoutubeChannel

I'm sort of falling in love with Sara Bareilles again - love this girl! She's ridiculously funny and her songs just get me. I love this song and hope that I can speak to crowds so confidently and authentically like she does. All girls need to hear this song: "Beautiful Girl". We've all been there.

Memorable Moment/Lessons to be learned

Jeez, so many lessons this week. First one is to be your own be affirmation, don't put your hopes on others to help your own self-esteem. Two is, well not a lesson per se but that the fire in my belly has been lit again.  I've had a slow last few years but this year, my determination to succeed is back. Three is "no expectations". I definitely am a culprit to the crime of expecting/wanting a certain specific outcomes as opposed to just living in the moment.  I want to just step into.. and enjoy what comes.  This one might take awhile to sink into everything I do, but I hope to really open my mind and enjoy the ride instead to hoping it turns out a certain way.

How is your week been? I'm really enjoying these posts, and I like the idea of series - it also makes sure I keep posting! I love blogging but certainly don't have it down pat!


love, mai-anne
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Saturday 16 February 2013

Friday Favourites! #1

Today I'm launching "Friday Favourites", the first series on my blog! It's a look back on the week and a small way to document 2013 and hopefully beyond.  A shoddy January set me back on my blogging ways, but I think I'm going to be back on track now. *fingers crossed*

So while it's called 'Friday Favourites', it won't be going up on Fridays and it's not just favourites! The title is inspired (or stolen) from TheMakupChair on Youtube (she won't mind right?!), because I love the alliteration and the excitement that 'Favourites' anything posts gives me (wildchild me).  I use the term "Friday" loosely as I'm most likely to post on a Saturday.  I work weird hours so I consider Sun and Monday as my weekend so Saturday is the real end of the week for me. The questions may alter week to week but here we go for week 1!


Favourite Beauty Product
I would go with Nars Sheer Glow this week, though admittedly I still haven't decided on a shade! I have 3 samples in my stash right now and I'm finding that Santa Fe is a bit orange, Deauville is a touch too light and Fiji is a touch too dark. I'm considering getting a sample in Ceylan but it seems a bit overkill to have four samples. I just like to look like one person (ie. head and body/chest match) so bleurghh! Otherwise I love the finish of this foundation, glowy but still natural and while it's a medium coverage it can be sheered out. It also interestingly rates very well on cosdna.com :D

Favourite Song/Album
Been feelin' Abbey Road this week, freaking champ of an album. I'm gonna dig through some more Beatles albums and get me some education. I love that they went wild with the instrumentation and arrangements, but the songs, the melodies and lyrics are solid.  Also have loved 'Heart of Gold' by Neil Young, since I had to learn it for our first Classic Albums gig night at the music venue I work at. I don't know much about NY but damn, he has fine lyrics and this song is just killer.

Favourite Miscellaneous Find/Item
I found this little cutie at Target in a clearance for $3.88 so I had to take it home with me. It's a coffee cannister, but of course I'm storing makeup in it. Not the most practical storage unit but I can't help it, I like my beauty area more pretty than functional :P

Favourite Blog/YoutubeChannel
Just discovered ChelseaWears on youtube. Okay I didn't just discover her, she grew on me. I saw her ages ago and thought she talked too much but now I get it, she da bomb now. She has the same love for British youtubers like me (what is it with them! So damn chic and put together!) and has a hilarious potty mouth. 

Book I'm Reading
I'm still straggling through A Clash of Kings in the 'A Song of Ice and Fire' series. I don't know why, but it is an amazing story though and I am determined to finish it.  The TV series doesn't help since I know what's going to happen, so I'm excited to get ahead of it (though the 3rd series is going to air soon..!)

Memorable Moment
I hardly want to say that this is a memorable moment, but this has been a big week for my huge Vietnamese family. My uncle passed a week ago. It's been a really sad and hard to believe. I didn't know him very well, but he was a good soul with a cool central Viet accent that reminds me of my mum's side of the family (he was my dad's brother in law). He passed so quickly it was so unfair on his family, no one saw it coming.  I hate that, he wasn't meant to go yet. Though I am glad he got to become a grandparent at least once before he went.  Rest in peace, Chu Chinh.

I'm sorry to end the first post in this series on a slightly sad note. I was supposed to start this a week ago but it wasn't the place. I wanted to now because I wanted to say something about my uncle, he was a good man.

Please feel free to answer these questions yourself in the comments section or in your own blog (link me!). While it has had a sad ending I really enjoyed writing it, or at least the first half :)

x mai-anne
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Sunday 3 February 2013

Ummm... | Antipodes Kiwi Seed Oil Eye Cream Review


The title says it all. I like it but I'm not shouting on the rooftops about it!

So as a serial dry skinned lass, I like my moisturising potions thick and uber hydrating. This eye cream isn't super thick, but it IS very hydrating. I love using it in the morning than at night because it feels light and cooling around the eyes and also sits well under makeup.  As it's been "summer" here (yes, I'm rolling my eyes at you temperamental Sydney summer) it definitely has been hydrating enough for me and I can see it doing well in winter as well.

You need the tiniest amount of this stuff as it spreads really easily and because it's stored in a jar, you just need to dip your fingers in it slightly and all you need is what you've touched. That is one of the downsides of it though - it has a 6 month lifespan and so you have way more product than you need. Unless you're like my mum. There was so much product I halved my pot with her, but after 6 weeks of usage she's almost done while I've made a small dent.  :O





The texture of this eye cream is a light with a creamy, lotion-like consistency. I think most skin types would love this consistency. I'm just a picky one and am always in the hunt for a butter-thick eye cream!

If you're wondering about fine lines and what not, mine haven't disappeared but nor have they deepened or form more, which I think is all you can ask for really :(

Here are the ingredients:

I hope this is a sufficient review, if you have any questions don't hesitate to ask :)  Antipodes is stocked at Naturisimo.com and Echemist.co.uk, both offer free worldwide shipping!

I've been meaning to do this review for awhile but I lost my blogging mojo in January (horrible, cursed month!) and now that it's happy February I feel like the year is really starting now!  Glad to back to blogging and excited to see how blogging will evolve into a part of my life :)

What's your favourite eye cream?

x mai-anne


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