One year on..

Life has come around one full circle since this photo was taken nearly a year ago. Tonight I was sitting in this exact same spot and I had the sudden realisation that my blog is almost a year old.

It's been a while since my last post. Partly due to my heavy training schedule towards the Auckland Half-Marathon in three weeks (eep!) and the sudden craziness of my life in general. It's all good news though. So here I am one year on from my first blog entry link here! and still blogging.

Update on my progress and New Year's Goals 

Number One- Include a furry friend into my life.

Not quite fulfilled this one but I do have a month left of this year. It will happen, but maybe not this year. And does a potential boyfriend count?

Number Two- Save, not spend.

I'm working this one. And a trip to the States and Canada for the holiday period to prove it!

Number Three- Blog and stay blogging.

And here I am and promise to keep writing. My shopping trips will be enough to haul and blog about in the New Year. Yipee!

Number Four- Act, don't react to situations 

I think as I find calm and peace, this one is growing in my life.

Number Five- Make general and everyday good habits.

Definitely fulfilling this one... My gym sessions and training schedule is somewhat on track. My vege quota has doubled and I'm making larger commitments in life.

Mottos:

- I will choose to be someone who takes control of the decisions in their life.

- I will am an executive decision maker in my life. Not choosing to act on a issue, is still a choice. I can't blame other people for an outcome I could've foreseen or have chosen to ignore.

- I am trying to be the thirty year-old I dreamt of being. 

I have a vision and am determined to stick with it. I finally feel like good things are starting to happen for me and my life is about to start...

Happy Anniversary Budgie!

 xo

Running Part Deux

Mount Eden
   * there is sound with the video

Budgie xo

Five things

1.   technically two favourite things but I'm killing two budgies with one stone... tee hee

  budgie key ring

  nailpolish- Planks A lot by O.P.I.  dirty purply love.

2.  pinterest- late on this band wagon I know.. 

3.  autumnal knits of cosy woollen textures

4.  homemade muesli {recipe link!}

5. favourite words thus far..

    autumnal

    baubles

    clove

I have a sneaky suspicion that I may be purchasing a waffle maker to make these Healthy Protein Waffles. I love the Malibooty workout Karena and Katrina have. link!

Budgie xo

Autumnal Reading II

Completed the second book of Fifty Shades now.. I read that the prospect lead roles in the possibly created movie may just be Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson from Twilight (which is fitting as the author is a fan). However, I really would've rather have seen Anne Hathaway in the lead role (think young budding careerist in The Devil Wears Prada combined with her sexuality in Love and Other Drugs)..  and the other lead Christen Grey to an actor like Patrick Bateman in American Psycho or Ryan Phillipe in Cruel Intentions ( probably both too old to play these roles now).

It is such a long time til November for the second Breaking Dawn movie so I'm looking forward to Kristen Stewart in Snow White and the Huntsman coming out next week. 

Budgie xo

Op-shopping

Or "charity shopping" as it is called in the UK thank you to my English flattie Charlotte :)

{Collectable second hand soup mugs I'm on the hunt for}

Soup of the root vege variety 

...and anything and everything skulking around in the bottom of the refrigerator.

(recipe).

one potato

1/3 packet of minestrone soup

3 garlic cloves

one bak choy

can of tomatoes

handful of dried gnocchi pasta

one diced onion

handful of pearl barley- god's gift to my healthy bowel, yum.

sprinkles of brown lentils

chicken stock and a bay leaf

dash of chili, ripped basil leaves from the garden and cracked pepper...

Budgie xo

I look like I make homemade muesli...

{Outfit of the day photo}

Turquoise knit dress purchased in St Paddy's Markets Sydney last month.

Baby alpaca green scarf with baubles kindly on loan from my sister.

Muesli

Sick of the crap in the cereal aisle at the supermarket, I thought it time to make my own muesli..

My cousin in London made this muesli for me whilst I stayed with her, and I inhaled it.

Dabble with the quantities as much to your liking as you like (:

(recipe)

2 cups of rolled oats

1/3 cup chopped pumpkin seeds

1/4 cup chopped sunflower seeds

1/4 cup smashed almonds

1/4 cup of shredded coconut

1/2 cup diced apricots

1/4 cup sultanas

1/4 cup rice bran oil

3 tablespoons runny honey

1 tablespoon cinnamon 

Heat oven to 180c. Use a roasting pan to bake oats, add each dry ingredient (except the fruit and coconut) as you smash, chop and hack at them. Turn the muesli each time you add a new ingredient. 

Melt honey, cinnamon and oil together in a saucepan. Add the warm honey mixture in quantities alternating each time you add a new dry ingredient. 

Once all the dry ingredients have been added and turned, add the coconut for the last five minutes of cooking so it doesn't' burn. Remove from oven and add diced apricots and sultanas.

Makes 2 litres.

Budgie xo

Comfy couches and late autumn reading...

Home Décor

New edition to the couch: Knitted cream pillows with wooden buttons (on sale at Briscoes $19 ea.)
Fresh potted daisies.

The bed throw was a bargain... I saw it at Bed, Bath and Table for $169, but couldn't quite justify the price for a bed cosy. Until I spotted it at Easter for $89. It is actually a single bed duvet cover with a gorgeous burgandy trim and patchwork fabric. The underside is a paisley pattern (see below) 

Pillow from Spotlight.

Autumn Reading

Wicked- Pretty Little Liars                                              Fifty Shade of Grey-  by E.L. James

TV2 Sunday 5:30pm                                                (with paisley underside of bed throw)

Pretty Little Liars is the teen drama of my thirties... honestly, will I ever grow up?

But it draws you into its mysterious plot line, and even though I know who 'A' is through the book series, the pretty cast, teen angst and edgy/pretty American teen makeup and wardrobes draw me in.  Perfect Sunday afternoon hangover tv watching.

The 'Fifty Shades'  trilogy book series by E.L. James couldn't be further from the innocence of PLL.  This is the new 'it' book on the bookshelves, but reading it, you wouldn't believe it. It is seriously kinky. The S & M theme is very detailed and blushingly descriptive to read. However, the plot line is strong enough to carry you through the Seattle setting with a young female antagonist who is also a recent graduate and budding publisher. Slight pangs of career envy tug at me and that post-grad feeling of the open world unknown, is nostalgic. 

Are you nose deep in any good reads at the moment?

Budgie xo

Vera Wang Princess Night

The bottle I love. 

The texture I hate. 

The heart shape and crown on top is typical Wang of the Princess editions, but the dark chunky purpley glitter is nasty to hold.

But I do love Vera Wang's girly perfume bottles. I tried to love Lovestruck, but just couldn't purchase it... as mentioned in my Perfumerie link!

Vera Wang's Princess Night has been described as "an exotic blend of flowers, fruits and woody tones" (Fragrantica).  Perfect for the depths of winter..No wonder I love it: rose and jasmine. 

The notes are:


Wild berries, watermelon and raspberry are the top notes- which fade quickly unfortunately. The core is jasmine (yum), spiced orange, rose, vanilla and musk. 

The bottle is $79 Limited Edition at Farmers for 30mls.

Budgie xo

Relish

It is mid autumn and it feels better than the summer. My tomatoes have now been ripped out and replaced with hardy buxus hedging to survive the winter. So with the last of my summer tomatoes, I have endeavoured to make some relish. Two whole jars full from the fruits of my arduous labour as in seen in my gardening post. Tomatoes Link!

L-R Tomatoes Relish, Pineapple Pickle

The tomato relish is delish and from an Alison Holst Recipe.

The consistency can be quite runny, so boil away and leave the vinegar in good balance with the tomatoes- this is what will reserve the jars in storage for winter.

Pineapple Pickle Recipe

Another cherished family favourite. There is something retro and kitch about cheese with pineapple relish... but oh, it's good!  A little bit sweet and a little bit curry too.

 I understand that Alison Holst also does a variety of this pineapple and cucumber concoction but she adds celery seeds. I am an avid hater of cucumber, we do not mix well. But even my tummy can handle this. Enjoy!

Hobbiton-

On a beautiful Autumn Saturday afternoon my sister and I visited the movie set for The Shire in Lord of the Rings and the two new Hobbit movies about to come out.  Cue lamb running in foreground!

How idyllic... and in my backyard. How lucky are we to live in New Zealand?

Budgie xo

Stop at Nothing..

I know what you are thinking... what sort of languid fool would hand over their money to an organisation that they haven't met, that spread their cause through social media...and what sort of person would buy into it?  Well, I have to say that this cause got me... and for $15 is wasn't a hard sell.

Countless times I walk past Greenpeace collectors or lifesavers and not donate, so for once I gave money and for a pretty worthy cause. Stopping someone committing horrific crimes? Count me in. Against children? Even better. Joseph Kony is on the International Criminal War Crimes list as Number One. (If you haven't heard about him then google/You Tube his name).

So tonight is the where people in countries all over the world 'Cover the Night' to spread the word via posters and t-shirts to make Kony known.

I worn my bracelet for a week and have spotted a few people wearing them. My nails are O.P.I's Skull and Glossbones ( trust me, I notice the superficial and symbolic contradiction here- but hope it balances me out slightly).

Is anyone else Covering the Night?  I hope you can spot some posters around your town.

Budgie xo

Benefit Make-up

I spent a bundle at Benefit Melbourne last year (not available in New Zealand) and knowing that I was returning to Sydney this April, I saved my pennies again.


Cue picture of my haul.. * rubs hands in smug glee*

Clockwise top left: Coralista Boxed Blusher, Finding Mr Bright Boxed highlighter mini set, Girl meets Pearl liquid highlighter- from set, M.A.C 208 chisel tip, Bad gal Brown mascara, Browzings Brow kit, They're Real black mascara, Lite You Rebel tinted moisturiser, Skinny Jeans Creaseless cream eyeshadow and Dandelion Boxed Blusher  (Blushers and Brow Kit purchased in Melbourne).

Boxed Blushers

So firstly, the boxed blushers are part of Benefit's signature range and exemplary of their packaging: Cute, feminine and a little bit 1950's kitsch. Coralista smells like freshias and my nose dives into it everytime. Perfect for summer- a slight shimmery coral pink. 

Dandelion is more matte and baby pink- perfect for winter rose skin. Gorgeous.

Creaseless Cream eyeshadow number 3.

Skinny Jeans and I are two star-crossed lovers.  Here is a picture of my new edition to my creasless cream collection as noted in my Paint Pots  blogpost. (If you are unsure of what these do, then read the link above- I'll be happy to set you up with a new love).

So Skinny Jeans and I finally unite. It is greigey (grey/beige) with a slight gold shimmer/sparkle. This shadow has been on my radar for over a year. I quickly snapped up the sampler and ran to the counter to purchase it last year. I was heart broken when Benefit Melbourne declared it to be discontinued despite the States having it fully stocked in their collections. And then it happened again in Sydney last week...

I spied yet another pot on the counter and in bewilderment, enquired after the shadow again. The assistants replied that no, it had indeed been discontinued and the sample shouldn't have been on display. I explained my case; distraught that this could happen yet again. They then said it was a new pot, that it had just been placed and that for my worries I could have it... for free  :)   Yipee!

Finding Mr Bright- box set highlighter minis.

L-R Girl meets Pearl liquid shimmer, Posietint, Highbeam- liquid highlighter and Erase Paste concealer.

Posietint (liquid cheek tint) and Highbeam are part of Benefit's signature collection. Erase paste is very much more a sheer cover than a concealer- somewhere between a tinted moisturiser and Chanel's Touch Eclat; but in pot form.

I wouldn't necessarily purchase any of these products in full-size, but the minis make it so much fun to dabble and play with.

Browzings brow kit- light.

A wax to tame your bushy brows (l) and then a setting powder (r) for a filler too. This set also came with mini tweezers and chisel tip applicator, but I love the long handled M.A.C. 208 (pictured above) for this.

Mandatory before and after shots to follow...

(excuse the dark circles)

So you see the brow kit isn't too dramatic, it just leaves your brows tidy and tamed for the day. 

I have Girl meets Pearl shimmer on the cheeks too (just seen as a golden hue) and Badgal's mascara in brown. 

I am also wearing You Rebel tinted moisturiser- which I love. It is so dewy and fresh looking on your skin compared to Garnier's BB Cream.  BB creams (Blemish Balms) are the next big thing to hit our shores from Asia- a heavier type of tinted moisturiser aimed to help with spots and discolouration. I'm not a convert, but You Rebel may have convinced me...

Budgie xo

Sydney!

A UK reunion in Sydney?  Just what the doctor ordered.


I arrived on a Thursday night, it was a balmy 24c and boarded the ferry to Manly...

Sydney Harbour Bridge.  (picture taken at the Ferry Terminal, Circular Quay). 
Drinks at the wharf and a warm hug from an old friend greeted me. 

Then along with slight jet lag from the mild time difference, a change in climate and a midnight sheet lightning storm, I stumbled into a brief slumber to wake to a gorgeous sunrise from the top-rise balcony.

A beach run ensued, a good bye wave and then a ferry trip ride back into the city. I spent the morning nose delving into the Harry Potter exhibition at the Powerhouse Museum.  Bliss.

My highlights:

Saturday morning was a sparkling sunny one and another run around the Bondi beaches was my idea of traveller heaven. There is no better way to see the local sights than a run in a foreign setting to get your bearings. Love.

The rest of the Sydney weekend was spent in a champagne haze and various drunken debacles. It had to be done with my London girls and I loved every minute of it.

...And I managed to finally complete my Couch to 5K Running App. Yay me!

Unsupported walking shoes (wedges and my Havaianas), dancing in heels and along with the two 5K's, saw me hobbling to board the plane back to NZ with a possible stress fracture (or outer arch sprain). Doctor's appointment booked, ice compressions, heat packs and levitation have been the focus of my recovery. I'm looking forward to a new running goal, joining a winter running club and new prescribed runners.

Along with my liver and foot, my credit card received serious damage at many bars, (including the beauty variety). 


Benefit make-up haul /post to follow shortly..



Budgie xo

Battle of the Dahlias

It has almost been a month, but here I am back and about to swamp you with blogs of my travels to make up for it.  And I have brought to you some flowers..

Since I have been gone, my gardens have got overrun and now look very English cottagey.  Love.
Especially my Dahlias.

I'm not normally one to like 70's retro looking flowers, but the apricot species that I've grown are so beautiful. The reason while I have battled with them is because they have such delicate stems, are easy to snap off accidentally and are very floppy- requiring constant propping up with stakes and ties etc. Countless times I have come this close ( ) to ripping them out.

But look how stunning they sit in my coffee table vase.

More whimsical nonsense to follow this week, I promise..


And Happy Easter!

Budgie xo

Tutus, Ballet Slippers and Chanel

Royal NZ Ballet- NYC

This past weekend I went to the ballet as a late birthday present.

The costumes were beautiful and the choreography flawless. It was lovely spending a dark Saturday night enthralled in such aesthetic beauty.

www.nzballet.org.nz

I was inspired to do a ballet-themed manicure for the occasion.   A reverse french.

ChanelParticuliére

Despite looking like I had "dipped my fingers in chocolate", I like this modern twist on a classic french manicure. I've used paper guides before but hated the ridge it gave on my nails, so I lazily, but carefully, painted the edge with a steady hand instead. The base is Coney Island Cotton candy by O.P.I. and Particulière is more of a milky chocolate than a dirty grey.

Vitalumière Aqua Foundation
Thee best foundation everrr. Really?   Yes.

This foundation has brought me back to liquids over mineral powder. It is so light and soft on your skin from its water-based consistency.

Soliel Tan de Chanel Bronzer

So as you can see, last year I jumped on the Chanel wagon, which requires an expensive ticket to ride.

I've learned the benefits of accumulating beauty points on my card, and managed to get a hefty discount on this baby. Do I think it's worth the price tag?  Yes.  I do love the creamish consistency much better than Nars Laguna or other powders that make my complexion look sallow and dirty. 

But I do need a better long handled, soft short-bristled kabuki to apply this investment.  

Any suggestions?

Budgie xo

Watch this

Coconutty

There is something about late summer, balmy evenings and the tropical scent of coconut that makes you feel happy to live on a south pacific island. That, and it has finally stopped raining.


Coconut products I'm loving...

Starbucks Coconut Latte
Summer edition at Starbucks is a frappuccino. I love the coconut shot in my latte :)

Shaving cream. Normally I'm nonplussed at shower gels, but I saw it on special and the scent is delicious.

Lush Powder. Perfect for dusting your body with summer and the scent lingers all day.




Blue sky on glass outdoor table: nature's own.


Budgie xo