Luka's First Birthday Ideas

Planning on purchasing some block numbers and having them as some of her party decor

Ah! I'm so glad I'm finally getting around to writing this and getting things rolling round for Luka's First Birthday in 4months time!

Seriously 4months!!! This year is going way too fast.

So I'd thought I'd share some of my ideas for her birthday celebration that I got off my Pinterest account which you can check out here

I'm very keen on having a shot like this taken!

At the moment we have sorted a spot and a theme. The theme is just a casual Summer Garden Party with a BBQ, so happy that her birthday is in summer, which Andrei and I will be hosting at a top secret location for now.

Below are some of the cake ideas I like.
The first cake is a raw coconut strawberry layer cake, the second cake is something that I'd like to have for guests . I'm big on Luka having a healthy lifestyle with not much processed foods in her diet so I'm very much considering getting her a cake made with all natural ingredients if I can help it, especially with the plan of her doing a cake smash.
I'm wanting to get her cake from this cool little wholefoods store called Mondays that pride themselves on good organic foods.
Plus, their cakes aren't too big just incase Luka would rather have a small bite of the cake rather than fully dig into it. But I think at this stage with her eating she'll dive right in :-)

I'm planning on ordering a book from Printstagram, a cool website which takes the photos on you're Instagram account and makes them into magnets, albums etc and I'm really keen on taking the photos of Luka and making it into a book for guests to sign and leave a note for her on each page.

I'll be making a Pinata for the older guests to have a whack at!
It'll have party favours on the inside :-)

Planning on making some DIY paper flowers too.
I've made pom poms before so this should be a breeze

I'd like to have a chalk board displaying what Luka has achieved in her First Year.



 

Below are some shots that I would love taken of Andrei, Luka and myself.

I have a friend that is a hobby photographer as well as my dad so I'll get them to take some shots of us, our guests and have some non-choreographed ones throughout the day.

 

 

 

 

So that's it so far.

It's nothing too strenuous. I have planned, for party favours, to make up little candy bags and put them into the piñata. I've also collected Luka's baby food jars and will be putting cake mix into them and baking a cake in the jars to hand to guests after the party.

I'm wanting to also either hire or buy a bubble machine for the kiddies to have fun with :-)

I've done her invites which I'll post after her birthday as it has all the info of the party and that is really just for guests at this point in time.

 

Until next time!

 

XOXOX



Last week in pictures

Hey everyone!

I know I've been a little MIA lately, but seriously having a child takes up you're time 24/7!
Not that I'm complaining, being a mummy is the best :-)

So before I spam you're feeds with another update on Luka at the end of the week (she'll be 3months ahhh!) I thought I'd give you something non-baby to read about before then.
*well actually there will always be something about Luka that I'll add in my posts, she's my life, it's inevitable.

Last week was a pretty good one for me, I went shopping!
I didn't do a major haul though, I just picked up a few things I actually needed if not a few wants in there too, as Winter is slowly on it's way to NZ I realized how much I was lacking with cardigans. Here's what I got...

I brought this statement necklace from Collette Hayman for NZD$7 from NZD$26 SCORE!
It looks just like what you'll buy from J Crew with the exempt of it not being crystal (and of course not being ridiculously overpriced!) but it really doesn't matter in this case, I thought it was gorgeous and I've been layering it with other statement necklaces I have to give any plain outfit a POP!
Unfortunately you won't find this on her site as it was only available in store.

 

Next was this awesome wool felt floppy hat from Dotti for NZD$36. I have plenty of outfits to wear with this but the weather hasn't quite cooled down enough here in NZ (even though it is Autumn!) for me to wear it but I will be doing a few outfit posts with this when it does :-)

And here are the rest...

Glassons 'Everday' pink striped top NZD$14.99
Mirrou Boutique Leopard print cardigan NZD$30
ASOS oversized Baseball Tee NZD$27.12
New Look longline cardigan NZD$40.66


Luka was amazing the whole time too!
The routine I've been weaning her into has been working and I've been consistent with it even when I've been out with her which is really hard to do so I'm glad she's adjusting. I'll update on what routine I have for her on Friday...
In the mean time here's some cute snaps of my baby girl!

 

Andrei holding Luka after our photoshoot on Sunday. We won a $300 voucher from a comp I entered in a few weeks ago. They look so much alike!

 

I can't get over how much Luka has grown in the last 3months! She's definitely become more expressive and her face has taken more character in the last month, she's so gorgeous and gives me the most cutest gummy smiles!

Next up I took part in a competition held by Benefit Cosmetics NZ via their Instagram account to win a years supply of 'They're Real' mascara.
And guess what, I won! Well me and 3 other girls :-)
Here was my winning pic...

Can't go wrong with bed hair, long lashes and statement lippy :-)

 

I already had thing's planned for my mascaras, as I tend to use up a mascara per year than changing it every few months so I gave one to my mum, sister and my friend and of course kept one for myself :-)

 

So that was my week really, it was quite full on. Then again, every week is for me with Luka!

Hoped you enjoyed my latest and you'll hear from me soon.

 

 

XOXOX 

Instagrammin'

Haroooo!!!

I know on the left side bar you can see what I've been up to on Instagram.

But cause I haven't done an Instagram post in a while I thought I'd bombard you with some pics of what I've been up to as a little taster of posts that are to come :-)

From left to right. Grilled lamb chops and potato bake I made for lunch before heading to work for my late night shift!
Having a 'girly makeup' day and putting my pout to the test with M.A.C's Lickable lippy.
Throwback Thursday! An oldie of me when I was young-in'.
Yay! My first ever Benefit makeup purchase!!!

L to R. My fave chocolate makers, Whittakers, took on the Kiwi fizzy drink L&P and fused it with white choc and popping candy, ummm delish!!!
Selfie :P
A pretty spider web I caught while on my way to work.
Benefit VS M.A.C, post still to come, it'll be worth it :-)

Early 6year Anniversary gift from Andrei :-)
Beautiful blue pearl and sterling silver ring from Pandora.

Another throwback of me and my amazing mother!

She was in hospital after having my baby brother and we were playing around with her makeup :-)

Outfit of the Day!

Burgundy skinny jeans and plain white T both from Country Road and my 'pregnancy approved' Sketchers High Top wedge sneakers plus my cute round 20week baby belly!

Lunch time! Pregnant cravings include Tomato's (duh!), avocado, salad, cheese on crackers YUMMO!
 

 So that's all I've been up to really, nothing too extravagant, just life :-)
I'm so so excited that in 5 days we get to know what I'm carrying!

A lot of our friends and family think that were carrying a boy, and I was pretty adamant on that too but now anything's possible!
Either way, Andrei and I will be stoked at anything as long as our baby is happy and healthy :-)

Until next time!

XOXOX

 

Black & Blonde

First look I gave my viewers on Instagram and my Facebook page :-)

It's the last day on January *sigh.
I don't know what it is about January that I love so much, I love that I'm always relaxed and feel tranquillity from the hot summer days, the warm breeze and especially going to the beach and eating fish & chips!

Or may be it's cause my birthday's in January......

Any who, I'm at a net cafe listening to Metallica's "Turn the Page", it's a song a strongly relate to and above all else I love Metallica :D

Yesterday I went back to Total Care Hair and Beauty salon as I've officially become my dear friend Daena's hair model as part of her hairdressing training :-)
At the moment she's trying her magic hands at cascading (or ombre) hair and I didn't hesitate to put my hand up!

Here's the low down...

Starting out

Hairs looking a wee bit sad :-(

Remember this baby!!!! #spaceship

Does this look suit me?

It took two and a half hours to foil and clean my hair up, but that was ok. Time flew by with all the chatting and foiling of the ends of my hair Daena was doing :P

And it was well worth the wait as miss Daena did a fantastic job!

YOWZA!

I was a bit bored this morning and put some black smoke on my eyes :-)

End result

I love my new look, I was scared it wouldn't suit me but I fought the fear and did it anyway!

And it didn't cost me an arm and a leg :P

So now you've seen the 'Blonde', it's now time for the 'Black' in "Black & Blonde".

Face

• The Body Shop BB Cream in 01
• Clinique City Stick Concealer in 10
• M.A.C Pro Longwear Foundation in NW20
• M.A.C MSFN powder in light
• M.A.C Peachy Keen blush

Eyes

• M.A.C paint pot in Bare Study - all over lid
• M.A.C Blanc Type - all over lid and upper brow bone
• M.A.C Knight Devine e/s - in crease, 3/4 eye lid
• Collection 2000 black Kohl e/l - on upper and lower lash line and rim
• The Body Shop 'Starlight' e/s - black half used over lid, in crease and lower lash line for dramatic effect
• Vaseline for eyelashes

Lips

• M.A.C Red satin lipstick
• Calvin Klein lipgloss in Taffy

Very achievable look I must say :-)

So waddaya think?

I hope you like my latest and last post for the month of January, there's plenty more to come!

XOXOX

I'm on Instagram!

Hi Ladies,

Any of you Instagram?

I've been on for a few months now and I really enjoy it, not just for my own leisure but also seeing different photo's taken by hundreds of users over the world from makeup, landscape, tattooists etc...

Here's some photo's I've taken just recently and over the months of being a user of this awesome app:

Taken on a chilly morning. Winter 2012



The First Church of Otago. Taken on my trip to Dunedin in April.




Real rainbow :-)





One of many beautiful buildings in Dunedin, Otago







Sunset in Suburbia

 I have plenty more photo's on my page. My user name is @Amournouveau; I try to take pictures of as much things that I find unique, beautiful or just tickle my fancy!

I'm trying most of my photographic eye in landscape as you can always find interesting angles and of course beauty in the most unlikely places!


So if you're ever in the world of Instagram look me up :-)
So what type of photography really grabs you're attention?
And what apps do you use on you're computer/Iphone or Ipad that makes you're photo's stand out beyond the rest?
And most importantly, what kind of camera's do you use?

I'd like to find out so I can branch out from what I'm using which is Camera+, Photoshop Express, Vintage Camera, ColourSplash, Adobe Revel and much more...

Hope you enjoyed everyone!

XOXOX