saturday seconds - two amazing reasons to love the cold season!

here is the absolute king of my thrifting finds this week.

oh how i love them! from the lace-up detail to the elegant, vintage heel. they are really comfortable as well, and warm for winter.

 

 

i would put them under a mid-length dress or a midi skirt and with a feminine but clashy top. i'll take photos of the first time i wear them post them up here.
i'm not the biggest fan of boots over jeans, but i'm sure the colder weather will change my mind.

x

treasure chest

i went out for a quick op shop this morning, and i found a goldmine of goodies. this necklace was only $2.

i love the rose detail, and it is long enough to double as a bracelet (albeit a big one).

x

saturday seconds

i've been searching for some unique candle holders for a little while now as i have tonnes of candles in my house, but no holders. so because of this i have a lot of wax on the cabinets, tables, desks and bedside tables in my house.
so when i saw these cute little jars while thrifting this morning, i straight away had an awesome idea for them.

candle jars!

i cleaned them out after i bought them and dropped in some of the candles i had lying around the house. i'm also thinking of pouring a few drops of essential oil around the bottom of the candle, so as the candle heats up the air inside the jar, it will hopefully diffuse the essential oil into the air.

x

home grown - my cabbage patch.

garden update!
i did a little bit of work today, clearing out all the eucalyptus leaves and old plants. i also seperated some of the lettuce seedlings that have popped up from when my lettuce plant went to seed, then spread them everywhere throughout the garden.

so this is my starting point! i'm going to take out the lettuce seedlings (in the top left) and replant them in a few pots (that you can see in the top of the photo), then remove the carrots (on the right), eat them, then plant some more. i'll also be adding another layer of potting mix with some cow poo and some more sugar cane mulch, to bulk it up again, and some seasol to replenish the nutrients in the soil.

x

home grown (the cold season edition)

 since my recent promotion to full time house girlfriend (finally got rid of the drain on my energy in the form of a soul sucking job), i have decided to use my new found time to be as productive as possible. so i have turned a good portion of my attention towards tossing over our little no-dig garden (a garden that you build up from ground level and surround it with bricks or wood planks as support, versus digging a garden into the ground) and setting it up for winter crops. i'm actually really excited to plant all those little seeds and watch the seedlings pop up from the ground! plus it makes our shopping list smaller and cheaper.

i've researched what to plant for the best winter season turn out. as i live in a temperate zone, the veggies, fruits and herbs i plant will be different from someone who lives in more northerly regions (subtropical and tropical zones), or more southerly regions (cool zone).
i'll be sticking to what we use the most during winter (things like broccoli, carrots, garlic, asparagus, silver beet, spinach and some asian veggies) but you could also plant cabbage, broad beans and mustard greens to harvest over winter.
there are other non specific veggies that survive through winter well,  like parsnips, brussel sprouts, shallots, horseradish, lettuce, peas, and leek, but seeing as i'm restricted by space, i'm keeping my varieties to the ones we use a lot of. this will also help reduce wastage of any produce we don't eat.

i'm also going to incorporate some companion plants to naturally help keep my garden pest free. herbs are really fantastic for warding off pests, for example,

• basil protects surrounding plants from disease and insects. 
• garlic repels aphids and controls cutworms and hornworms in tomatoes. 
• horseradish near potatoes controls potato bugs. 
• thyme near cabbage deters cabbage worms. thyme also attracts bees to tomatoes and other plants, and bees will pollinate the plants, which equals more plants! 
• chives prevent mildew, and deter aphids and green flies. 
• catnip is good for controlling flea beetles (and your cat will be happy!). 
• and marigolds secrete a goo from their roots that destroys root eating nematodes. 

so not only do you get natural pest protection, but most of those plants are edible herbs that add beautiful flavour and body to meals.
another thing that i have to be particularly wary of is that during winter, the sun is lower in the sky, meaning that my little garden will get less sunshine, even when the sun is shining. leafy and root vegetables are best to survive without so much sun, which is brilliant for my winter garden list (if you are looking for seeds to buy, and it says 'full sun' on the packet, it usually means about 8 hours a day).

also, now is a perfect time to be planting as the weather has finally changed to proper autumn (chilly but not freezing), so summer pests won't be a problem anymore, but if i plant now, the chilly weather will prepare my baby seedlings for the coming winter cold. also, i won't need to water so much because there is less evaporation from the sun during winter.

i'll probably be posting heaps more about my garden, because i'm getting excited even writing about it!

x

more money in my pocket

over the last few years i have slowly turned into basically a vegan (i can not give up honey. it's the blood that runs in my veins, i swear). i started cutting out meat altogether for a few reasons, mostly surrounding the fact that it was another living creatures flesh that i was eating (just thinking about it makes me shudder, literally), and animal cruelty. livestock whether it be in the form of chickens or cows are treated abhorently, all in the name of making more money.
it's disgusting.
there is an old saying, "you are what you eat". i can not eat the flesh of another living creature who was killed with the sentiment "hurry up and get the next one through so we can make more cash". it's a basic disrespect for life.
i hate the process, but i can't bring myself to judge people who eat meat either. everyone makes their own choices. i have relinquished my role in the process, and that is my part. however i find it repulsive when people preach their own opinion and beliefs to me as if it is the undeniable truth, so i can not and will not do it to others.
but, i will rant about my disgust, without the expectation of anyone in particular to agree.

oh and i don't eat dairy products. i have nothing against dairy lovers (provided the cows are treated with at least basic respect for their quality of life. i'm a serious soft heart for animals. i can't help myself. i get more upset when animals die in movies than when people die. i think it has something to do with their innocence/ignorance), but eating any food with the 'm' word in it makes the rest of my day painful, as in doubled over, clutching my gut painful.

so back to the point of this post, saving money when you shop.
what i started this post thinking about was the cost of my shopping list. as i've moved from just (almost) vegan, to almost vegan who tries to buy organic, locally grown, all natural alternatives, my shopping list has gotten more complicated and more expensive.
and as i'm a uni student who has just quit her job (long story involving my new manager telling me that if i wasn't prepared to skip classes to come to work if she wanted me to, then don't be expecting shifts), i'm looking for the most cost effective way to keep my shopping list healthy.
and so i got thinking. i'm pretty predictable in my eating habits. i have oats in the morning with a chopped up banana. some kind of carb with veggies at lunch, and then protein and veggies at night. plus a protein snack during the day. so i figured the way to keep my wallet fat and myself healthy would be to keep my staples healthy and not worry so much about the little things.
for example, i spent my big dollars on my breakfast staple, which is an organic mix of 5 grains (oats being the most major player there), on some vegan protein (let's hear it for lentils and tofu people), on my milk (australia's own organic honey oat milk. this stuff is seriously like candy to me. i love it), on my favourite veggies (organic and as local as i can get them), my favourite fruits (bananas, oooooohhhh bananas...), and some staple carbs (essene bread, which i get from my local fruit shop. it's $8 a loaf, but it is amazing, and i only have a very small amount at a time). oh and a block of chocolate (whittaker's dark ghana block, 72% cocoa and no dairy to be found. just leave me alone with the block please). this is my basic diet for the week, and in the amounts that i buy, it lasts me at least two weeks (usually more). any other extras (some weeks i'll buy nuts, extra veggies or fruits) i don't worry so much about their organic-ness because i usually have minimal amounts, so any effects will be minimal and outweighed by the majority of nourishing foods i eat. having the main ingredients of my diet as healthy as possible also gives my body a strong base with which to deal with any disagreeable ingredients i come across otherwise (like a few far less than natural ingredients in a veggie burger i had on the weekend). it's not so much for my body to deal with when the rest of my meals are wholesome and healthy. plus i feel so much better for it.

oh and a note on alcohol... if you are going to try to go healthy with booze, try to get organic wines, beer and cider without any preservatives, and try to steer clear of spirits altogether (they are distilled more than beer, cider and wine, and therefore up the poisoning action - hence why they are stronger). alcohol itself is a poison in your body, so the less other crap you put in there with it, the less likely your hangover is going to have a saucer banging party in your head and a 'who can pretend they ate ate off chicken last night the best' competition in your stomach the next day.

so go forth, spend for the important bits, and be a cheap arse for the bits you don't eat much of, or don't eat very often.
oh and ps. don't forget you can grow basic staples at home! even if you live in a place with out a garden. some plants, like cherry tomatoes, go brilliantly in a pot!
and for goodness sake, love the food you eat. it is what makes you, you. your body can not be anything more than what you put in it, as all of it's bits a pieces are made from the ingredients you put in your belly and on your skin. love it.

x

home grown

a few months ago, my man and i got really excited about becoming self sufficient. when he was young, my man came across a show from the 1970's called "the good life", which is about a couple who give up their 'normal' life to become self sufficient... in their suburban home. they set their (quite decently sized) backyard to support different crops, and even some pigs and chickens, and live off their little plot of land.
the show is all about their trials and tribulations in settling in to their new lifestyle, but it is a comedy, so there's lots of laughs along the way.
it's actually completely adorable, and i got hooked within a few episodes.
however, after watching the (entire series of the) show, both my man and i were both so ambitious to become at least partially self sufficient that we had to satiate the desire before we went and did something silly, like buy a cow. so we let off a bit of self sufficient steam by raiding the backyard for implements and using these to set up a garden in an old water tank stand we have in the backyard. we tore apart some old fence palings to partition the tank stand, so we could use about a third of it for our garden. we then went out and bought some organic compost mix, sugar cane mulch and cow poo, and put them in the newly partitioned tank stand layer by layer, until we'd built it up to the top of the brickwork. we then let it rest for a week or so, to let all the new soil materials settle, then planted a whole bunch of goodies, including lettuce, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, carrots, dill and basil.

so far we've had a few teething problems (i am far from a green thumb), but look at the cucumber that we harvested!

  

it was as long as my forearm!
we've gotten other goodies as well, that i didn't take a photo of before they magically disappeared from the kitchen bench (i'm suspecting into someones hungry stomach), but now as autumn has finally found it's way here, the garden is going dormant over winter. which is probably not a bad thing because i desperately need to do some green thumb studying!

growing your own fruit, veggies and herbs, and even having your own hens (for eggs, obviously) can prove to be massively beneficial not just for you but for the environment. for example, you know exactly what has gone into growing what you are eating (no chemical pesticides or such on your plants or in the soil), and growing it in your back yard reduces transportation from semitrailers, planes and cargo ships down to you walking two feet out your back door and back.
and it doesn't need to be a massive undertaking. just start with simple things like herbs that you use often when you cook (basil, dill, parsely, corriander), and then if you have the time and space, expand out to things like tomatoes and carrots (or even cucumbers!). little things can make a big difference, not only to your body and health, but also for the environment. don't under estimate what one small step can mean on a cumulative scale.

x

beautiful planet

the angel trumpet plant

take a deep breath

heard about air pollution? if you haven't, i'm not sure where you've been...
the latest and greatest threat from pollution comes not from smog, or dirty city air, but from in your own home. Research from the US Environmental Protection Agency has reported the toxic compounds that have everyone up in arms about cars and aerosol cans accumulate inside buildings, increasing their concentration 200 to 500 times that of the air outside.
are you thinking about what's in your next breath?

before you go out to buy a face mask, read on.
there are a few simple things you can do to circumvent this problem...

1. open a window... i know this seems obvious, but allowing for ventilation won't let more chemicals in, it will allow for the flow of fresh air through, which dilutes present chemicals and actually prevents any further build up.
2. get you mittens on an air ionizer... air ionizers increase the beneficial negative ions in your air, counteracting the positive ions that build up due to heating systems (which cause tiredness and susceptibility to sickness).
3. get a plant! plants are amazing air filters. they replenish oxygen levels, act as humidifiers, and reduce the vapours released by synthetic chemicals. the peace lily (spathiphyllum) removes ammonia, acetone, ethyl acetate, benzene and formaldehyde fumes.

 peace lily

so take a deep breath

x

winter warmer... keeping my brain cosy!

i hate the cold. i hate being cold.
on a cold day, i saw a majorly cute beanie in a clothes store and consequently started craving a beanie really badly.
however, said beanie was far from ethically produced.
but thanks to the beauty of synchronicity, a week after my first beanie craving, i found one in a wonderful little local shop called Gnostic Hemporium, which sells a bounty of natural, sustainably produced goodies from skin care to clothes, to hemp goodies to drums and fire twirling accessories, to shoes and locally made jewelry (it's like wonderland in there for me). there is also has a spot where you can shop online.
i have found that local products can be comparatively expensive to imported goods, however, this shop has got some brilliant things at an awesome price for quality.
my beanie was only $20!

 

the beanie is made by Eco Wear (check out their online store). Their slogan is 'clothing with a conscience' (this tickles me pink!), and they have a really brilliant range of basic styles. 

i love my beanie oh so much! i went for a neutral colour because i can add details (a brooch, or a patch) to it or details in my outfit to make it more interesting. animal print jumpers and faux leather jackets, oh the winter fashion fun!

not to mention a toasty noggin! (or head...)

x

the clothes on my back.

warning: before you read this post, please know that it is mostly a rant, and completely my personal opinion.

over the past few months i've noticed a marked change in my attitude towards multinational clothing companies. now everyone has heard of sweatshops, and the huge companies that we buy from everyday that make use of these hugely unethical yet still highly debated practices, but how many people actually cease to inadvertently support these practices by not purchasing products from these companies? (or even limiting what they buy?)
it's actually a bit complicated to keep your shopping list ethical, as so many companies have now been bought out by larger corporations. so a product that used to be australian made and owned with all the proceeds staying in australia, and employee working conditions protected by national regulation (which of course has holes in it, but not holes as big as some developing nations), now belongs to an multinational corporation that owns one product that purports to be organic, environmentally friendly, and ethically produced while selling another that was tested on animals, doesn't have a natural ingredient on the list and was made by children who have disfigured hands from working with the chemical ingredients without proper safety precautions.

without making fun of this disgusting situation, what's a girl to do? what can i do to relinquish my role in inadvertently supporting something i abhor?
i stop buying the products that support the companies, as much as possible. i still have a huge amount of research to do into all of the products i choose to buy, for food, clothes, cosmetics or anything. but so far i think i am doing alright.
i source my clothes either from local designers who's garments are made in australia using ethically sourced materials and made using sustainable practices, or from second hand stores whose profits go to charities to help people in australia and other countries around the world (this is sometimes trying, as if i see something advertised that i love - which i'm still a girl who loves fashion, who goes gaga over a nice pair of shoes, or a cute skirt - i have to either find it in a second hand shop, or make it myself).
i try to buy local fresh fruit and vegetables, and support local businesses by buying other australian made groceries.

if i as one person can make a small difference, then many people making similar small changes in their life can add up to a huge and significant difference.
one of my friends once called me the eternal optimist. i think he was somewhat correct.

x

bananarama!

i used to have an addiction to bananas. and i don't mean in the cute "had one for breakfast every morning" kind of way. i mean in the "got aggressive if one of my other family members ate the last banana" kind of way. i had withdrawl symptoms if i didn't get at least one a day, and most days it was a minimum of two bananas. i literally could not get enough of them! now i have relaxed a little. i chop one up and have it with my oats in the morning, but i no longer go as far as physically threatening my man if there isn't a banana in the house when i want it.
however, this addiction got me thinking; why was i so incredibly physically dependent on this one type of fruit? so i did some research. and i am proud to report that i still have absolutely no idea why whenever i saw a ripe, golden banana i started tapping the inside of my elbow and screaming "hook it up to my veins!!!". there's just too many healthy, beneficial attributes underneath that sunny yellow skin that i couldn't really pin it down to just one possible thing my body was craving. maybe it was the natural high? (haha) don't panic, it's organic!

so here are the fruits (oh yeah, my humour is still going strong) of my research! hopefully you find them inspiring enough to hook a banana up to your veins! (or at least find them mildly interesting)

• bananas are a good source of vitamin b6.  this is wonderful for a few reasons:

1. vitamin b6 plays an important role in converting tryptophan to serotoin.
2. it also aids in the production of hemoglobin, which is crucial for oxygen transportation around your body (and therefore crucial for life!).
3. it is essential for antibody production, which in turn lifts your immune response to invading pathogens (like a cold!).
4. it also aids in breaking down carbohydrates into glucose, which is the basic energy source for our cells.

• bananas can help lift your mood. bananas contain natural norepinephrine and serotonin, two mood raising neurotransmitters (the chemical messengers of our brains) that will help to lift you out of a blue funk. the b vitamins in bananas have a calming effect on the human nervous system, helping with relaxation. bananas are also a good source of tryptophan, an essential amino acid that the human body cannot make by itself, it has to be extracted from the foods we eat. tryptophan assists in the body's process of producing serotonin (the natural happy drug).
• bananas are a great source of energy. they contain three healthy sugars; fructose, glucose, and sucrose, for natural energy hit. but they also have a low glycemic index (g.i.), so that energy hit is sustained.
• bananas help regulate blood pressure and reduce the risk of stroke. bananas contain high levels of potassium (roughy 422mg per medium banana) and low levels of sodium (1mg), which is all good news for healthy blood pressure as potassium helps to regulate healthy sodium levels.
• bananas reduce cramping and promote heart health. potassium is essential for proper muscle contraction and therefore assists with cramping during and after exercise. but also consider that the heart is a muscle that pumps blood around your body by rhythmically contracting (beating), so any food that promotes healthy muscle contraction is going to be good for your heart.
• bananas relieve heartburn as they have a natural antacid effect. they are also a good food for ulcer sufferers to eat, as they lower levels of acid in the gastric juices of the stomach and help to create a protective mucus coating on the wall of the stomach.
• bananas aid in calcium retention, and therefore promote healthy bones. as potassium suppresses calcium excretion, a good dose of potassium (from say, a banana?) helps your body to retain the calcium already in your body.
• bananas have been shown to reduce your risk of kidney cancer, due to their high levels of antioxidant phenolic compounds.
• the high level of b vitamins in bananas help with nerve function.
• eating bananas as a regular part of your diet can reduce your risk of stroke by up to 40% according to research.
• bananas promote a healthy bowel, as they contain roughly 16% of your recommended daily intake of dietary fibre.
• bananas can help reduce PMS, as the high levels of vitamin b6 helps to regulate blood glucose levels which helps to reduce period pain, and other period related aches.
• bananas can help when quitting smoking as the vitamins and minerals in bananas (b6 and b12, potassium and magnesium) help the body to recover from nicotine withdrawls.
• bananas contain high levels of iron.
• interestingly enough bananas are also a natural pain remedy, as they provide relief from minor burns. mash up the flesh of a banana and put it against the burn, then cover.

here are some quick nutritional facts for all you number lovers out there (these are for a medium, ripe banana, roughly 115 gm):

• total fat - 0gm
• total cholesterol - 0gm
• calories - 100gm
• sugar - 14.8 gm
• protein - 1gm (2% r.d.i.)
• potassium - 400mg (10% r.d.i. - recommended daily intake)
• dietary fibre - 4gm (16% r.d.i.)
• vitamin c 10.3 mg (17% r.d.i)
• vitamin b6 - 0.4mg (22% r.d.i.)
• potassium - 422mg (12% r.d.i.)

so go chop one up for your cereal, mash it up for a banana and honey sandwich, or just eat one straight off the bunch.

x

the non chocolate eaters easter brekky

it's rainy outside, and warm and snuggly in bed. so i snuck out and made breakfast in bed for my man and i. neither of us are particularly into copious amounts of chocolate easter eggs, so i made a breakfast that used real eggs instead...

french toast!

here's the recipe. it's brilliantly basic because i am a shocker in the kitchen.
for 2 pieces of french toast (if you want more, just multiply the amounts of the ingredients. so for 4 pieces that'd be twice the amounts below).

• 2 organic, free range eggs
• 1/2 a teaspoon of raw sugar
• 1/2 a teaspoon of salt
• 1/3 of a cup of oat milk (or your milk of choice)
• 2 slices of bread
• honey, maple syrup, or other desired topping

• and either some butter, oil, or vegetarian/vegan butter (like nuttelex for those non-dairies like myself) to grease the pan when you cook them.

1. first, crack the eggs into a bowl that is wide and flat enough to soak a piece of bread in.
2. add the sugar, salt and milk, and beat the mixture until it is creamy and there are no obvious chunks of anything floating in it.
3. heat a frying pan that is big enough to fit your bread in to a low to medium heat. if you have it up too high it will burn the outside of your french toast before it cooks all the way through. grease the with your choice of butter or oil.
4. soak your bread in the mixture (don't forget to flip it in the mixture so it soaks both sides). one piece at a time is fine. leave each side in the mixture for about a minute or so, or until it looks like it's nice and soaked.
5. be careful when picking up the bread to put it in the frying pan because it can fall apart. place a piece in the frying pan and cook until golden brown, flipping it to cook both sides. each side will only take a few minutes, so check it so you don't burn it. do this for all your pieces of bread.
6. to keep them warm while you are cooking the rest, put them on a plate and cover them with aluminium foil, it insulates their heat.
7. lather them with your chosen topping (honey is my favourite!) and enjoy with a cup of tea, snuggled in bed when it's raining outside!

yum!

x

beautiful planet

some (healthy) reasons to eat your easter eggs!

happy easter everyone :)

i realise that not everyone belongs to an easter celebrating faith (i don't, but i respect everyone's different beliefs as long as they don't expect me to believe them or judge me when i don't), but easter is one of those all round holidays that everyone can celebrate. who in this world doesn't like extended weekends or socially acceptable reasons to eat chocolate for breakfast, lunch and dinner (in moderation, of course! only two, or maybe three, eggs per meal...right??)

it's common knowledge that chocolate en masse (eating it in large quantities) is not good for you. but really, eating anything in large quantities is not good for you! moderation literally is the key!
however, beyond all the nasty health claims about chocolate (high sugar content, high fat content), there is another side to chocolate's personality that will make easter all the sweeter. it is actually good for you...

first off, i need to clarify something: (this may break your heart, but hear me out!) these health benefits don't apply to white and milk chocolate, as white chocolate is not actually real chocolate and milk chocolate has many additives (sugar, milk, nougat, caramel... et cetera) that raise the levels of nasties and negate the healthy benefits. so, if you do want to reap the benefits of chocolate, try to get dark chocolate because it has less nasty additives and a higher cacao percentage, which equals more goodness for you.

now to address the 'fat' issue. the fat in chocolate is composed of three kinds of acids: oleic, stearic and palmitic, and in roughly equal portions. oleic acid is a healthy monounsaturated fat that helps to keep your blood vessels healthy, and stearic acid is a saturated fat that has been shown to have no effect on cholesterol levels. it's only the palmitic acid that is a cholesterol raising problem. but, in moderation, two out of three ain't bad.
 
so, what about these health benefits?

• chocolate contains flavonoids. these handy little guys are a type of flavonol, which is the compound in plants that fights off toxins and aids in their healing process. how does chocolate contain things from plants? chocolate comes from the seeds harvested from the cacao plant. the flavonoids that you ingest when you eat chocolate act as a natural antioxidant in your body, helping to prevent and heal cell damage.

• these flavanoids also help to reduce blood pressure, and promote blood flow to the brain, which in turn increases brain activity and increases all associated processes (concentration, problem solving, things like that).

• chocolate can also help to lower cholesterol. the polyphenols in cacao inhibit the oxidation of LDL cholesterol in your blood vessels (which basically means chocolate stops the build up of gunk on the walls of your arteries) which in turn lowers your chance of heart attack and stroke.

• chocolate can actually help to make you happier! the carbohydrates in chocolate initiate higher levels of serotonin production in your brain, and chocolate also increases the levels of endorphins (the things that make 'other' happy situations make you feel so good). both serotonin and endorphins are the naturally occurring substances responsible for creating a sense of euphoria and happiness in your brain.

• chocolate has very recently been reported to reduce your chance of suffering a stroke. just one serving of chocolate per week will bring your risk level down by 22%.

• chocolate has natural caffeine in it, so it raises your levels of alertness. call it an afternoon pick-me-up!

• chocolate also contains theobromine, a stimulant that helps to reduce coughing by supressing the coughing reflex.

a little note on serving size.
i know i've just been banging on about how brilliant chocolate is, but despite it's incredibly alluring health benefits, it is still a high calorie, high fat food. even in its natural cacao state. so eating it all day every day is going to lead to the positive aspects being far outweighed (literally) by the negative ones. the recommended daily intake of chocolate to get all the wonderful bits is about 100 grams of dark chocolate a day. but keep in mind that if you add 100 grams of dark chocolate to your day, you need to balance it out by removing an equal calorie source, or exercise a little more.

ps!
if you are a non-dairy eater like i am, and you're not the biggest fan of dairy alternative chocolates, some dark chocolate brands (usually chocolate over 70% cocoa content) are dairy free purely because of the high natural cocoa content. but check the ingredients carefully.


x

a little bit more of my wedding crazy...

while indulging myself in some wedding site browsing, i came across a link to Weston Fine Jewelry, and my poor little heart had such a flutter (and continued to do so for so long, that i had to take a few breaths to calm down!). my eyes glazed over with that dewy look that only a girl with the wedding bug can accomplish. but have a look at what i found! i think my excitement is more than justified!

(plus, they are all antique and vintage. so that's an eco choice right there! reduce, reuse, recycle anyone?)

  image from Weston Fine Jewelry

   image from Weston Fine Jewelry

  image from Weston Fine Jewelry

  image from Weston Fine Jewelry

image from Weston Fine Jewelry

  image from Weston Fine Jewelry

  image from Weston Fine Jewelry

   image from Weston Fine Jewelry

image from Weston Fine Jewelry

and my absolute personal favourite...

  image from Weston Fine Jewelry

oh so beautiful!

x

natural winter skin care - give yourself an avocado facial

start with:

• 2 tablespoons of avocado
• 1 teaspoon of honey (preferably activated manuka honey with a UMF rating of at least 15+, i'll explain this better a little further down)
• 3-4 drops of cider vinegar (i didn't have any, so i just used the avocado and honey)

to start with, either wear an old t-shirt (something that you don't mind if it gets dirty), or wrap a towel around your shoulders to stop any of the avo goo getting on your clothes. tie your hair back as well (if you've got a head band, it'd probably be helpful) just to keep it off your face.

cut the avocado into small pieces and place them in a bowl. add the honey and the vinegar and then mash the entire mixture together well, until it is smooth and creamy.
apply the mix to your face and neck. avoid around your eyes.
leave the mask on for 10 to 15 minutes, to let all the natural goodness sink in. after you've relaxed and avocado'd, wipe off the goo with a soft, damp cloth and rinse your face with warm water. to finish, massage some rose water in (if you've got it, if not, a few drops of rose hip oil massaged in and your skin will glow). if you're reading this thinking 'kim, you're not giving me anything to work with here', a light moisturiser will do.

now, some details about the health benefits of each of the ingredients, and why you should be smearing them all over your face.

• avocado

first, avocado is a great source of vitamin e. vitamin e is essential for the skins repair process, and also aids in fighting 'flibbity-jibbits'. for those of you who have no idea what i am talking about, think of the wobbly bits on your upper arm that flap in the breeze when you wave. vitamin e helps keep your skin tight! vitamin e is also a powerful antioxidant, which fights disease and wrinkle causing free radicals.
avocado is also one of the most effective natural sunscreens (no cancer causing chemicals! i'll post more about that later).
the oil in avocado triggers the production of wrinkle reducing, skin toughening (but not in a bad way) collagen, which is essential in the production of new cells and tissues.
the vitamin c content of avocados also aids in collagen production and helps with skin inflammation (for example, when you're sunburnt!).

• honey

honey has anti-microbial properties, so it helps to heal minor sun burn. it also has an impressive moisture retaining capability, making it great for facial (and body) moisturisers. honey is also anti-aging and helps to fight skin damage due to it's antioxidant nature. and it also protects against sun damage!
so onto manuka honey. activated manuka honey with a 'unique manuka factor' (or UMF, which is in fact the scientific term) of 15 or more has the added benefit of an antimicrobial property that no other kind of honey has.

• cider vinegar

vinegar is an effective cleanser for skin. it has also been reported to aid in treating age spots.


happy avocado smearing!

x

food for thought (natural body lovin')

food to help your brain stay healthy and work at it's best for longer.

so to start off: walnuts!
as the human brain is are made up of more than 60% structural fat, to help it function properly it needs a good source of omega-3 fats. these fats are found in bountiful supply in walnuts!
many keep away from nuts because of their high fat content, but research has shown that people that consume nuts twice a week are significantly less likely to gain weight than people who avoid nuts altogether.

some more body related walnut benefits:

• walnuts are also a good source of other essential minerals including calcium, chromium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, vanadium and zinc.

• they are a source of bio-available (meaning your body can absorb it) melatonin, a hormone that is involved with the regulation of sleep, and is also a powerful antioxidant. so for a good nights sleep, nibble on a few walnuts for dessert.

• walnuts also help protect your bones, and nutritional research has reported the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits of walnuts which reduce the risk of certain cancers (including breast and prostate cancer). 

• this research has placed walnuts high on the list of foods that reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular problems (by helping your blood vessels remain healthy), and type 2 diabetes.

x

saturday seconds

sundresses gone autumn. i love it! it puts new life into a doubly old item (both second hand and last season).

today's addition is this cute flower print sundress

 

the print is delicate and feminine without being overpowering.

put it with a denim long sleeved shirt and a high waist belt to help give the dress some more shape, some ankle boots with socks to keep your toes warm when autumn's cool breezes start blowing. you could even add some skin tone stockings for extra warmth.

 

x

lemon water is the new black (saturday seconds and natural body lovin' combined)

when saturday seconds and natural body lovin' combines, you get health with the added benefits of a bargain! (oh, the dorky humour strikes again!)

i am an avid water drinker. one and a half to two litres a day, no problem. but what goes in, must come out! and let's just say, often. i was talking about this consequence of my love of hydration with a natural foodie friend of mine, and she suggested that i try putting lemon in my water to help my body absorb the water better, as she'd tried this and she had noticed immediate benefits.

so, me being me, i did a bit of research into lemon water, and whether it's worth the benefits.
and this is what i found:

• to begin with, lemon is an antiseptic and an antibacterial (one of the reasons your mum or grandma mixed it with warm water and honey to help relieve a sore throat)
• lemons are full of vitamin c! so consumption boosts your immune system.
• lemons are alkalising: now, this may sound foreign to some people, but the body's ideal pH is just a tiny bit above neutral (in the alkaline direction). however, the majority of people's diets are insanely high in acidic input (think anything high in sugar, or even more specific things like tea and certain fruits) leaving our bodies massively out of balance. this leads to a huge amount of issues because our body can not function properly in an acidic environment.
• lemon relieves heartburn, indigestion and bloating.
• many people say "oh but lemon is acidic". when you first ingest it, yes it is, but as your body processes it, it has an alkaline effect on the inside (where it counts).
• lemon is a detoxifier. drinking lemon water first thing in the morning stimulates the body's natural cleansing process.
• regularly drinking lemon water will help clear your skin. many toxins that build up in your colon find your way out of your body through your skin, resulting in acne breakouts and other allergy skin conditions. lemon water acts as a cleanser for your bowel, washing out toxins before they create any problems.
• lemon water helps with weight loss by acting as a blood sugar stabiliser that keeps your metabolism up (and boosting weight loss).
• lemon water has next to no calories, so it's a no guilt alternative to juice or the evil fizzy drink.
• lemons contain calcium, magnesium and potassium; three essential minerals for your body.
• and lemon juice has been known to relieve the symptoms of asthma.

so, in light of all of that, i went on an op shopping mission to find the following (essential ingredients for making lemon water):

• 1 fruit juicer

• 1 glass pitcher (keep it natural sister, no plastic for me)

• lemons

and what success i had! (i even found a stylised 'good fortune' kanji (japanese character) coaster to put my pitcher on after i've juiced. it was a dollar. i love it)

for one litre of water, juice half a lemon (pick out the seeds, unless you like your juice crunchy) and mix it in. the taste wasn't over powering, but it also wasn't weak enough to put me off (i hate weak drinks, haha).
initially it's a bid odd, but now that i am used to it i really enjoy it!

x

natural body lovin' part four

i'll give you a clue about this one...

 

roses!
pretty, romantic, fragrant. admittedly a beautiful combination of characteristics, but how are these supposed to help you heal your body naturally?
well after the petals fall away remains a seed pod, known as the hip, and from which oil is extracted.

the oil is known as rose hip oil, and is amazingly useful in terms of skin care (it's not actually your typical red roses that rose hip oil comes from, but they are pretty!).

rose hip oil is a literal gold mine of nutrients, including:

• vitamin a - which helps to manage oily skin, rehydrates dry skin, and assists in ironing out fine lines, wrinkles, even helping to smoothing out uneven skin tone.
• linoleic acid - this is vital for maintaining skin cell structure.
• oleic acid - helps to maintain supple skin, or return moisture to dry skin.
• linolenic acid - important for maintaining moisture and healthy cells.
• lycopene - protects your skin from free radical damage, preventing premature aging.
• beta-carotene - which is a source of pro vitamin a, and an antioxidant that helps to repair sun damaged skin.
• vitamin c- protects against free radical damage and plays a role in the formation of collagen (the main component of connective tissue in the human body).

it can be used by absolutely anyone, young or old, and all skin types (as it acts as a balancing agent). 
massage a few drops into your face and neck (or even just any problem areas) and rose hip oil can help to relieve the signs of premature aging, fine lines and wrinkles, scarring, stretch marks, eczema and psoriasis scars, hyper-pigmentation, dermatitis, burns, acne and chicken pox scarring, sun damage, dry skin, and improve skin elasticity, skin tone and skin resilience to the environment.

 i have been using it on dry patches and other bits and pieces (my skin often cracks if i haven't moisturised enough), and compared to before i came across it, my skins healing time is crazily reduced and my skin comes out beautiful and smooth after. i love it!

x

treasure chest

today's pre-loved treasure is brought to you from the sunshine coast (where it is still summer, bring on the 28 degree days!)

i used to have a bangle nearly exactly like this (that i of course bought from a second hand store), but i wore it so much that pieces of it fell off! some may think that this makes it sound dodgy, but it was just the fact that i wore it pretty much everywhere... sometimes to bed.

i love the wooden effect, couple that with gold detail and i'm a happily accessorised vintage fashionista.

chuck it with a few other matching bangles, or even just by itself, and it dresses up a plain outfit really nicely (with or without the necklace, i'm just still chuffed with it, so it's in there).

x