I’m slowly switching over to as many zero waste, biodegradable or recyclable health and beauty products as possible, so I was excited to find this Bamboo Charcoal Dental Floss.
Thinking of heading to Melbourne in March? Here are some things to do!
At the start of every year, I love to do a digital declutter. With technology now being such a pervasive part of our lives, it’s important to streamline, minimise and get rid of digital information that’s no longer of any value. Just like having a clean home can help to improve your productivity and outlook, so too can having a well organised computer and phone. If you’re not sure where to start, then read on!
8 Areas to Digitally Declutter Your Life
1. Email Inbox. Years ago, I went to an Outlook productivity training session and ever since then, I subscribe to the 4 D’s when it comes to my emails: delete, do it now (if it can be done in 2 minutes or less), do it later (schedule this in to ensure it gets done) and delegate. It’s a really great system to get through those emails and prevent you from touching an email more than once!
2. Marketing Email Lists. These days it seems that every online purchase or store membership requires you to hand over your email resulting in marketing spam. Free delivery! New arrivals! Drop everything sale! Unless there’s something that you’re specifically looking for, save yourself an email (and the temptation!) by unsubscribing or updating your email marketing preferences.
3. Facebook. With the news of Facebook’s recent security and data breaches, I’m not a big fan of the platform. Every year, I use it less and less, and the only reason why I still have an account is because of its events and groups functionality. As a new mum, it’s been a great way to stay in contact with the mum’s in my area and organise catch ups. If you’re in a similar situation and can’t delete your account, then it’s worthwhile checking your security settings and friends list to ensure that the information you’re sharing is to the audience that you intend too.
4. Instagram. I love Instagram! It’s one of my main sources of creative inspiration, so I like to make sure that my feed is curated to the things that interest me the most. This means unfollowing accounts that no longer inspire me and following those that do.
5. Blog Feeds. I use Feedly on my phone to manage all of the blogs that I follow. It’s great because I can sort them into different categories, read current articles, and see how many new articles that I haven’t read yet. It’s also a great app to manage blogs as I can easily add and remove blogs.
6. Unused Apps. Just like the unused items taking up space in your home, unused applications take up space on your phone, tablet or computer. If you’re no longer using an application then it’s as simple as uninstalling it! If you do end up needing it in the future, you can easily re-install it.
7. Photos. If you’re like me, you probably have hundreds of photos on your phone and computer that never see the light of day. This year, I’ve set a monthly task to transfer photos from my phone to my computer and delete any doubles, blurry photos, or photos that I don’t like. These are organised in folders by year, month and any special events, which makes it easy to navigate and print out.
8. Old Documents. Do you have folders full of old or irrelevant documents taking up space on your computer or phone? Then it’s time to get rid of them! Of course, there may be some documents that need to be kept for legal or tax purposes, but if not, then the Delete key is your best friend!
Let me preface this post by saying that there’s nothing wrong with stretch marks. In fact, I have stretch marks from my puberty years when I seemingly grew overnight! However since I suffer from extremely dry skin, I thought it wouldn’t hurt to switch to some stretch mark lotion to try and prevent any stretch marks.
During my second trimester I started using Palmer’s Cocoa Massage Lotion for Stretch Marks. I’ve always liked the Palmer’s range and it had great reviews online, so I thought I’d give it a try. The lotion has a special blend of cocoa butter, Vitamin E, Shea Butter and Bio C-Elaste (combination of Collagen, Elastin, Centella Asiatica, Sweet Almond Oil and Argan Oil). The consistency of the lotion was slightly thicker than a standard lotion and slightly oilier but it absorbed well into my skin. It had a delicious cocoa scent and I loved using it as part of my daily moisturising routine.
When I reached my third trimester, I started using Palmer’s Tummy Butter for Stretch Marks. On its own, I found that the butter was very thick and difficult to spread, so I used it on top of the lotion. It took longer to absorb, but I found that if I applied it first thing after my shower, it had completely absorbed by the time I’d finished getting ready.
The combination of the lotion and butter seems a bit intense but my belly and chest grew so quickly during my third trimester, that I felt that it really helped to improve the elasticity of my skin to prevent any stretch marks.
While my belly and chest were free of any stretch marks, I did get some angry red stretch marks on the sides of my glutes in the last few weeks of my pregnancy. This wasn’t an area that I was actively moisturising, so I’ll have to remember to test the efficacy of these lotions on my glutes for next time!
A few months ago, I shared my IKEA Rast 3-Drawer makeover and I wanted to share the IKEA Tarva 6-Drawer makeover that I did at the same time. It’s a simple makeover but I’m so pleased at how it turned out. I’m particularly in love with the knobs that I found, which gives it that industrial look.
*All supplies were purchased from my local Bunnings store. I purchased water based supplies over oil as they emit less of a potent odour and are easier to clean up.
Let’s DIY:
Lay out the drop sheet and assemble the drawers on top as per the instructions, minus the knobs if you’re using your own. Separate the body of the drawers from the individual drawers.
Gently sand the drawers to remove any rough spots or splinters in the wood. Wipe down with a damp cloth and leave to dry.
Use painters tape to tape up the back and sides of the drawers where you’ll be staining.
Roughly apply the stain with a brush and rub it in evenly with a rag. Leave to dry for 2 hours and repeat once more or until you’re happy with the colour (I did this twice).
Once the stain has completely dried, apply the Cabothene Clear as a top coat and leave to dry for 2 hours. Repeat 2 more times.
Install the knobs, assemble the drawers, and voila!
Prior to leaving Perth, I knew that I’d miss the wide variety of food, so before we left I was on a mission to re-visit some old favourites and try out some new places that had been on my list.
During the first half of my pregnancy, I was able to wear many clothes from my everyday wardrobe. I have a pretty relaxed style with lots of stretchy items, so it was easy to squeeze into things. However, as my bump (and the rest of me!) grew, it became more uncomfortable and it was evident that I’d have to buy some actual maternity clothes.
While searching for items, I was surprised by how expensive everything was, and dare I say it, how frumpy some of the clothes were! While I ended up indulging in a few expensive pieces for special events like my baby shower, my main focus was finding affordable maternity clothes that I could wear on a daily basis.
TFNC Maternity Lace Detail Maxi
My Pregnancy Wardrobe
Everyday Wardrobe – generally I prefer wearing loose, flowy dresses and tops, so it was easy to continue wearing many of my daily clothes up until about the end of my 2nd trimester. My daily outfit at home usually consisted of leggings and a loose fitting shirt or singlet. When I went out, I usually wore leggings with a long top or dress. I was also finally able to wear my fitted but stretchy dresses that I’d been avoiding due to my jelly belly but were perfect for showing off my bump!
Uniqlo – has a wonderful wireless underwear range and as my chest grew, I bought several bras in larger sizes. On the rare occasion that I’m not wearing a nursing bra, these are my go to bra’s.
Dress from ASOS DESIGN Maternity Essentials PackASOS DESIGN Maternity Casual Midi
ASOS – did you know that ASOS carry maternity and nursing clothes? Neither did I! I ended up buying and living in their maternity essentials pack, which consisted of a dress, skirt, leggings and singlet. I also bought some dresses, PJ set, lounge pants and a nursing top. The great thing about their maternity sizing is that their true to size, which takes the guesswork out of deciding which size to buy.
Bonds – as my bump grew, so did the rest of me! Although I wasn’t planning too, I took the plunge to buy maternity underwear in a size up and I’m so glad that I did because my normal underwear were becoming too tight and digging into my belly. I also ended up buying several nursing bras, which were much more comfortable than my normal bras. Now that I’m breastfeeding, I practically live in these! My only tip is to go in store to get your sizing right, as the sizes run quite small.
Target and Kmart – while the selection is limited and the styles can be a bit frumpy, I found some nice maternity and nursing dresses and tops that I wore almost every day of my 3rd trimester.
ASOS DESIGN Maternity 2 In 1 Sweat Dress Bonds Maternity Wirefree Crop and ASOS DESIGN Maternity 2 Pack Jersery Peg PantsTarget Maternity Collection
What did you wear during your pregnancy? Do you have any other recommendations?
This week marks the start of a new Chinese lunar calendar. As we bring in the Year of the Pig, I wanted to share what Chinese New Year is all about and how it’s celebrated.
When is Chinese New Year?
Chinese New Year corresponds to the Chinese lunar calendar, so the date will vary each year. The festivities last for 15 days, from the new moon to the full moon. This year, Chinese New Year starts on Tuesday 5 February. The most important dates are Chinese New Year’s Eve where families typically get together to celebrate and Chinese New Year’s Day, where families will begin visiting close family and friends.
How to Prepare for Chinese New Year
Before Chinese New Year, people usually clean their houses from top to bottom, to get rid of all the bad luck from the previous year. If any sweeping is done during the first few days after the New Year, it’s said that this will sweep away all the new luck, so be sure to get all of your spring cleaning done beforehand! Other preparations include decorating the house with messages and symbols of New Year cheer and good luck, and preparing food for the festivities.
What to Wear
During Chinese New Year, people will typically wear bright red clothes as it’s believed that the colour wards off bad fortune and evil spirits. Some people may also purchase and wear new clothes to symbolise a new beginning for the New Year. For men, this typically means a red shirt and for women, this typically means a red dress. My husband and I prefer not to buy new clothes every year, so we have red clothes on hand for special occasions such as Chinese New Year.
What to Say
There are various greetings and sayings that you may hear during Chinese New Year. However, the most common one is wishing someone “happiness and prosperity” or “Gōng Xǐ Fā Cái”. For close family and friends, you can be a bit more cheeky and ask for a red envelope filled with money, by saying “Gōng Xǐ Fā Cái, hóngbāo ná lái!”.
What are Chinese Red Envelopes?
Also known as red packets, or “hóngbāo’s” these are typically given to kids or unmarried adults from their parents, grandparents, family members and close family friends. The red packets symbolise happiness, good luck and blessings, and inside each packet you’ll find money. Traditionally, people should only receive red packets while their unmarried. So when they do get married, it’s time to give rather than receive! Parents will typically keep on giving red packets to their married children however, as a symbol of their love and blessings.
What to Look Forward Too
There are so many things to look forward to during Chinese New Year but my top 3 would be:
Catching up with family. Here in Australia, my family isn’t too traditional so normally we would catch up on the weekend closest to Chinese New Year’s Day over a delicious feast. Since we’re in Albury this year, we’ll have a quiet one at home with Miss K.
Indulging in Chinese New Year treats. There are special foods and treats that are made especially for the Chinese New Year festivities. Every year, I look forward to having pineapple tarts and bak kwa, which are salty-sweet dried squares of pork, similar to jerky. I also love the “Prosperity Salad” or “Lo-Hei Yusheng”, which is a delicious raw fish salad that is tossed with chopsticks by everyone at the start of the family catchup feast. The higher, the better! I’ll be making a short trip back to Perth soon, so I look forward to bringing some of these treats back with me!
Giving red packets. Although I have to admit receiving is a lot more fun than giving red packets, it’s a privilege to give red packets to younger family members as a married couple. They say the more you give, the more you’ll receive happiness and prosperity in return, so it’s important to be generous! It was so sweet giving Miss K her very first hóngbāo!
Wishing everyone a happy Chinese New Year – may the Year of the Pig bring you much happiness, prosperity and luck!
