Latest little splurges...

Ugh I feel like it's been ages since I've brought something worth blogging about!

I haven't really spent a lot of money on myself lately due to saving money and spending it mostly on the baby.
But last week, and the week before, I decided to splurge a little on things I wanted and needed :-)

 

Wedge heels // 'Poppin' from Overland Footwear // NZD$199.90

 

 

Sandals // 'Michele' from Overland Footwear // NZD$159.90

 

 

Bag // 'Cora' from Overland Footwear // NZD$139.90

 

I'm quite rapt with the shoes I chose. They're both very comfortable and go with a range of outfits, the wedges aren't too high and the sock lining is so spongy!

I really love the gems on the sandals, they capture the light so beautifully when you walk it looks as though they change colour, my work mates and I were a bit iffy about them to begin with but it was really one of those things that you had to try on before you judged. It was one of our best sellers and both styles are a true summer essential!

 

I'm really happy with the bag too, I've needed a change from this Olga Berg one I've had for 2years!

I love the teal colour, it brightens up any outfit and it's incredibly spacious so I'll be using as my own bag as well as a baby bag by buying a bag organizer which come with compartments for bottles, clothes nappies etc etc.

Definitely saves me spending money on baby things that I don't need, and the bag is synthetic so it'll be easy to clean :-)

 

R.I.P bag, you served me well

 

 

And last but definitely not least is this beautiful one shoulder green maternity dress from ASOS.

Kiwi's are known in fashion for the amount black they wear, and I'm finding myself slowly moving towards more colour, mainly because it's summer but also my tastes in fashion have changed quite a lot since being preggers.

 

 

 

 

 

Dress // ASOS Maternity // Brought on sale for NZD$38.73 from NZD$96.84!

 

I really don't feel the model does the dress any justice as it looks much nicer on, quite Grecian styled and the dress has been made to look like a wrap around even though it isn't and I really love the bow at the front, makes me feel like cute pregnant present :D

It's nice and floaty and it's something I'll find myself wearing even after I've given birth.

Another thing is that the colour looks more like the 3rd picture rather than the first two and the spaghetti strap on the other side is detachable.

I'll be doing an outfit shot for this very soon...

 

Anyway enough about me! Here's a few things that little Luka has been brought/given lately...

 

Buzzy Bee 'Pull Along' toy // Can purchase from The Warehouse or other toy retailers // NZD$34.99

 

This is a Kiwi classic 'must have' in toys. The Buzzy Bee made itself present in the 1940's, it's a simple and 'cute as a button' toy which clicks as you pull it along.

Prince William was given one when he first visited New Zealand with his parents :-)

 

Luka's grandmother (my lovely mother in law) paid a visit to Vietnam recently and brought her some clothes for when she's much older (we're pretty set with newborn items).

They're all so cute and colourful!
Most of the items were handmade too and the tailoring is just fantastic I can't wait to get bubs into them :-)

In between the clothes was this gorgeous handmade dragonfly mobile. Sorry if the photo does it no justice :P

The top two are just a few things I've brought for Luka, the cute Piglet onesie and a reversible cardigan.
The bottom two are more handmade items from Vietnam :-)

And finally this t-shirt was a gift from one of my friends who knows how much I love Metallica!
I have already planned to pair this up with some striped leggings, sneakers and put her hair up in pigtails CUTENESS OVERLOAD!!!
Of course Luka will need to be at least a year old+ before she'll be able to fit this but it's still an awesome gift :-)

So that's me for now, I know it's quite pic heavy but I'm very excited for what I've received :-)

Until next time!

XOXOX 





Quick little catch up...

Hey Everyone!

It's been a few weeks and there is just so much I want to update and blog about; but life's hectic schedule has prevented me a wee bit lately!

To keep you in the loop of what's been happening Andrei and I have moved out of our old grungy place and are now staying with my mumma till early next year when we'll move into our own home with Luka :-)

That's taken up quite a lot of our time with the move plus with work commitments and what not.

I saw my midwife the other week and requested another scan which I'll be getting in two weeks time, I can't wait to see how big bug is getting! Plus I also requested a maternity leave note from her and will officially be finishing up work middle of next month then all that leaves me is a month and a few weeks to nest, relax and enjoy this amazing NZ Summer and then Luka will be in the world forever :-)

My 26 week bump :-)

Also on another note, my gym, Configure Express, have asked me to write up an article on why exercising while you're pregnant is A-OK!
They know that I have this blog so they thought I'd be the perfect candidate for it plus also state the obvious on eating healthy.
It was such an honor! I've written it up already and they love it, there now going to get some photo's of me and then we'll have the article up very soon :-)
I'll definitely be posting about it once it's in full swing.

A photo I've taken so far for my gym article. Decked out from head to toe in Nike, a very good reminder to 'Just Do It' even when you're carrying :-)

Oh yes I did mention it's Summer here in NZ (FINALLY)!!! Well actually Spring, but the weather has been beautiful and it makes me hopeful for a few road trips to the Coromandel with Andrei before baby arrives plus many Summer outfits to share with you too.
It's also my 1 year Anniversary with working at Overland on the 11th and each year that you're employed under the company you get a special little discount off shoes or a voucher.
We're in our Summer Range at the moment and I've got my beady eyes on these beauties...

Overland Footwear 'Bambie' sandal

Strappy stilettos are definitely in this Summer so I thought I'd keep up (albeit being 6months pregnant) and get these once my anniversaries here.
Hey a girls gotta look good, plus they're really comfy (really) and at a great height so come 9months along I should still be able to rock em' ;-)
Of course I do have some flats and platform wedges on my list too, I'm not that impractical :P

So that's it really, I'll leave you with my pregnancy update and will be in touch soon with my outfit from my baby shower next post :-)

How far along? Now 27weeks pregnant! (6months) Only two more weeks to go and I'll be in the Third Trimester.

Total weight gain/loss? I'm now 67.8kgs, baby's been growing rapidly and should now weigh almost 1pound.

Maternity clothes? Still nothing, I can fit my jeans with a belly belt. I've had to buy larger tops though cause my pre-preg ones are too small and keep riding up. I will be looking into buying dresses and some new pants soon. In all honesty I don't want to buy maternity wear as I don't know when I'll be pregnant again.

Stretch marks? Nothing new. I have old stretch marks from when I was heavier in my teens but no new ones. I'm still using Bio Oil and drinking plenty of fluids, eating healthy-ish and exercising which is keeping my skin supple.

Symptoms: Braxton Hicks, feeling a bit short of breath when I'm constantly moving.

Sleep: Sleeps great, can't sleep in belly anymore and I hate it when I sleep on one side for too long my hips get pins and needles. I'm getting used to Luka moving around more at night too, she eventually settles down.

I also had my first late night snack! It was 3am and I woke up and could not get back to sleep, Luka was kicking and my tummy was grumbling so I got up, made myself a bowl of corkflakes, played some Candy Crush, read a magazine and before I knew it it was quarter to 5!

Best moment this week? Getting the opportunity to write my gym article :-)

Miss anything? There are things that I miss, my old body, certain foods but I love being pregnant; and I won't be for long so I'm enjoying it :-)

Movements? Oh my gosh yes! They're getting more stronger each week. You can start to see her kicking too and when Andrei lay's his head on my belly and talks to Luka she kicks him in the head it's so funny/cute! She's moved up from my belly button to my ribs now, I feel little butterfly kicks for now but I'm not looking forward to the full on boots in the ribs!

Food cravings? It's the funniest things but I'm still loving my salad, avocado, tomato and cheese on crackers!

Oh plus I had these amazing waffles and ice cream from this ice cream bar literally right next to my work place so I've been killing for another plate....

Starting to show? Per the first picture above, I think it's pretty obvious :-)

Happy or moody most of the time? My moods are well balanced, I'm happy and sad when I need to be.

Exercising? Yup! I managed gym twice this week. I live a bit further away from the gym now so instead of walking 15mins there and then 15mins back home it's now a 45-50mins walk each way which I totally don't mind as the weather has been stunning!

Then I work out for 45-50mins and I just feel amazing! It makes me feel like a bit of boss too haha, 6months preg and still going strong yeah buddy!

Baby is a: Girl!

Belly button in or out? In.

Looking forward to? Getting a new pair of shoes, wearing more dresses, my gym article and my next scan to see little Luka :-)

XOXOX

Why hello there....

Hey everyone!

I know it's been a while since I've written, trust me there hasn't been anything too exciting to post about unless you wanna hear about my day at work LOL!

But seriously here's what I've been up to the last month besides work via pic's...

An awesome 1920's themed party Andrei and I went to for a friend who left for Australia

Winter has finally hit N.Z so it seemed plausible to make some homemade chicken soup! *recipe to follow

Watched the latest Iron Man movie in 3D! Was worth the money, had great laughs and awesome action plus delivered an a great story line as always :-)

Details on a new top I purchased from this cool hidden store in the city called 'Smoove As Fuck'. I kid you not that's the name!

My lovely new pair of winter boots to wear at work! They're so comfy I feel like there isn't even a heel!

I've lost weight! Around this time last year I was 70kg, so I've lost 10 in total! I'm now as it shows above (132lbs) and couldn't be happier, I trained friggin hard for it!

So yeah, nothing much in the ways of awesomeness besides some cool purchases and my weight loss achievement.

Although...I feel I'm forgetting something.....

Oh that's right!
Just two weeks ago I found out that I'm PREGNANT!

I can hardly believe it, it's still so surreal and definitely explains alot of how I've been feeling lately!
I'm very excited and it totally took Andrei and I by surprise, we both thought we'd never have kids just cause of the fact we were so used to it just being us but we're over the moon!

Here are a few snippets of what's been happening since we found out :-)

My first test I took was positive so I didn't feel the need to freak out and take another one. Whenever I've had 'scares' this has never happened!

First scan which was done last week was amazing! Baby already has a little heart beat :-)

close up of my little jelly bean *that will be his/her name until we know the sex

I was heading out to the gym this morning and thought it'll be good to document the changes with my body.  As you can see there isn't anything yet but obviously there will be!

I've also taken the liberty of grabbing a pregnancy documentation of how I'm feeling etc from one of my fave blogs Veronika's Blushing as she's also expecting (in two weeks apparently!), so here's the scoop!

How far along? 6.5 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: I've lost 1kg.
 
Maternity clothes? None at the moment. I will be needing to by some new jeans though as the ones I have are too loose.

Stretch marks? None. I'm making sure after every shower I moisterise my body with body butters that I have from The Body Shop. Once I run out then I'll be using Bio Oil. 
Symptoms: Tiredness, tiredness and more tiredness! I slept for 15hours last night and it still doesn't feel enough! I get light headed and dizzy easily too and I get very light to no morning sickness. It comes and goes every 2days.

Sleep: Like I mentioned above, I don't feel comfy sleeping on my belly anymore.

Best moment this week: Getting to sleep in!

Have you told family and friends: Yes!

Miss Anything? Having energy and being less tired. I've read it subsides after the first trimester. I pray to god it does!

Movement: No movement yet but I do feel the little one tense up when I stress or do little flips when I'm happy which is cute!

Food cravings: Nothing out of the norm. I'm not eating like I used to I.E. junk food as it makes me feel quite sick now so I'm eating incredibly healthy and watching and reading about what is and what isn't good to eat while I'm pregnant.

Have you started to show yet: Nothing yet as per the photo above. I tend to have a little bump later in the day/evening though.

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy! And I have a lovely glow already which has attracted A LOT of attention which is nice :-) I do however get grumpy when I'm hungry and it was never an issue before.
Exercising? Yes. I'm making sure I go at least 3days a week, 45mins to an hour each time. I've cut back on a lot of things I used to do and I've stopped working on my tummy focusing more on my chest, arms, legs, bum and posture.

Baby is a: Have no idea yet! But I feel like it's a boy...

Belly Button in or out? In.

Looking forward to: Looking for a midwife, birthing hospital, my 12week scan and organising my baby shower and maternity shots!

So that's me for now, I feel so blessed and lucky in this moment.
All our friends and family have given nothing but great feedback and Andrei's going to make a fantastic daddy :-)

I'll keep you posted on more later, hope you enjoyed my latest!

XOXOX

A touch of Gold

Via my last post I promised some good things were coming.

 If you happened to see some gold booties in there, you weren't dreaming :P


I got these beauties with my staff discount as I work in a fabulous shoe store!
They weren't my first choice but I couldn't resist the gold sparkles and rustic look to them!
They go pretty much with anything and will keep my feet quite warm in winter as they are leather upper and lined - quality over quantity I always say!



For Valentines Day, Andrei (knowing me too well) got me a M.A.C voucher, and I knew exactly what I wanted :-)
I'm loving gold e/s at the mo and this shade is perfect!
It has a kind of green undertone which works well with my hazel eyes.
As you can see the pic I mixed with density's with and without water.
I ended up dong a FOTN with it plus a mix with my other e/s, here is the outcome...

My full makeup application is pretty much applied the same as it was in my last makeup post, with the exemption of adding my M.A.C Black Track e/l to this application obviously to line my upper and smudging into my lower lashline; plus using my other new M.A.C e/s 3/4 of the upper lid and using The Body Shops Starlight e/s in crease and 1/2 of the lid.

This pic shows the technique used quite nicely :-) Please excuse my unplucked eyebrows, I'm trying to grow them thicker I.E. Lily Collins, Anne Hathaway etc.

This photo, as nice as it is, does the graduating shades no justice!

My next little splurge was for Andrei's Birthday, and I knew exactly what to get him :-)

These gorgeous men's shoes are also from the store I work in. They are definitely Andrei's style, quite casual but quite dressy as well and can be worn all year round! They also have unique patch working detail with a nubuck toe puff and leather based around the rest of the shoe and a nice little detail to the sole :-)
So if you're stuck looking for a great gift for you're man, shoe's never go amiss as they're always needing a new pair!
My company, Overland Footwear, ships free around NZ and I think they do a bit of shipping overseas too :-)



And last but not least :)
I wanted this oversized shirt ever since it came out! But it way to expensive at the time, I'm so glad I waited for to go on sale!
NZD$29 from NZD$150 is quite a sale price, I snapped it up straight away. Added bonus, it's 100% pure silk and goes with anything - wardrobe staple for sure!
And Pinterest has been no help with flashing all these gorge statement necklaces. While shopping around yesterday I wasn't really looking for anything in particular; I walked into the Portmans store and saw plenty I wanted (as you do) but couldn't afford. And just as I was leaving empty handed I glanced over and saw they had 'Nothing Over $20 necklaces" and snapped up this gorge Mint Statement Necklace which was reduced from NZD$45!
I couldn't believe my luck that day, I've always been a great bargain hunter and this was no exception - def pays to look around :-)

So that is me for the day everyone, I hope you enjoyed reading and my lastest gave you some inspiration for the next time you go shopping :-)

I'll definately be following up with some outfits and faces of the day and night soon.

Until next time!

XOXOX

Birthday Celebrations

 

 

pretty balloons I hung up to get into the 'birthday' mood

So my 22nd Birthday was at least a month ago, I can hardly believe it!
I've left it a bit late to post about what I got up to; but I guess it's never too late :P

So on January 17th I made very low key plans to celebrate which was to stay home, clean the house, bake a caramel chocolate torte I saw on James Martin's "Just Desserts" iPhone app and to go to my favourite diner 'Ollies' with my family :-)


My yummy caramel chocolate torte! Didn't turn out as I expected, it became a frozen dessert and I added in 'coffee' - well I actually burnt the chocolate :P

 

 Makeup I wore for the evening. Black eyeliner and red lips

 

Ollie's Burgers and Ice Cream! I'll do a review on this later

Dinner with family consisted of Hawaiian burger combos!

 

 

 

And dessert consisted of banana split sundaes!


Outfit I wore to my get together with friends a few days later! swapped my leather pumps for my Overland Wedges :-)

Went to a local pub a few days after to do some belated celebrating with friends

I swear I only had the one cider!

Me and my gorgeous man Andrei

Still looking semi-normal at the end of the night!

The outfit :-)

So that was my birthday this year :-)

Quite an intimate celebration with those closest, it was more than I could ask for!

 

Can't wait for next year!!!

 

XOXOX