My final year of my university degree starts in ONE WEEK! I want to feel motivated and excited to finally finish my degree, so pretty stationary and desk accessories are a must. Because of [stupid] Frugal February, I feel like it's not right to buy stuff yet. I've made a wish list which I am hoping to conquer once February is over. Is all of this stuff necessary? No, but who cares! I want fun and beautiful stationary. I've tried to stick to a pink/copper/gold theme. So here is my wish list:




Custom Notebooks in French Rose & Cherry Blossom from Zazzle







Copper Heavy Weight Metal Pen from Poppin





Neon Pink Jumbo Mobile Memos from Poppin

You Are the Best Mug from Slant Collections

(Just a daily reminder that I am, in fact, the best)




Woo Hoo Stemless Wine Glass from Slant Collections






Soft Cover Folio (Pink and Copper) from Poppin





Kate Spade Strike Gold Acrylic File Sorter from Rachel George






Bianca Cash Pink Softcover 2016 Diary from Mi Goals




http://www.rachelgeorge.com/

http://www.poppin.com/

http://www.slantcollections.com/

http://migoals.com/

http://www.zazzle.com.au/
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This year is a year of change and challenges. I've come back from an awesome overseas holiday and I'm returning to full-time student life (to finish my degree this year) after a year of working full-time. It's always a bit of a shock going from full-time work to part-time/casual work (this will be the second time for me). So, I am giving myself a challenge.
FRUGAL FEBRUARY!

Frugal February will be a month of thriftiness. Shopping is my biggest weakness (I LOVE SHOPPING) - I'll shop when I'm emotional, when I'm bored or just the standard when I feel like shopping. Every time I shop, I pretty much always buy something. Safe to say, I know where most of my money goes. 


My challenge will be to not buy clothes/shoes/accessories/makeup for the entire month of February. If I need basics like makeup remover or toothpaste, that is acceptable. I need clean skin and teeth. Other than that, nothing! I have so many clothes and I am constantly adding to that pile. I really enjoy buying new things and because we are coming into the new season, the shops are full of goodies and new trends. It's going to be a challenge but it has to be done. One - as a reality check going back to student life, two - I need to start wearing all the clothes I have rather than just a select few pieces and three - because Frugal February rhymes.


The more I think about this challenge, the harder I think it's going to be. On that note, I encourage others to do this with me - I don't want to do it alone! It doesn't have to be shopping; it could be just makeup (if you're a makeup addict) or not going out for meals for the month. Whatever, it's your life.

Look out shops because you won't be seeing this face for a month! Oh, and online shops....

Frugal February

by on 15:05
This year is a year of change and challenges. I've come back from an awesome overseas holiday and I'm returning to full-time studen...
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So, I'm attempting to do this whole "healthy eating" and "cut out sugar" lifestyle and I thought I'd start with making an awesome breakfast muesli! I looked up a recipe from a website called Nutrition Stripped but I've adjusted it ever so slightly. 

Here it is!


2 1/2 cups of rolled oats 



1/2 cup of coconut flakes



1 cup mixed seeds/nuts (pumpkin and sunflower seeds, chopped cashews and almonds)



1/2 cup chopped apricots (bought th already chopped #lazy101)



1/2 cup goji berries 



Some raw cacao nibs


I got a lot of ingredients from good ol' Woolworths however, I went to a health food shop that's on Oxford St, Bulimba called The Source Bulk Foods and I grabbed a few things from there including the cacao nibs. I'm definitely going to go back there to get more ingredients! 


YUM YUM YUM!

My Muesli

by on 20:19
So, I'm attempting to do this whole "healthy eating" and "cut out sugar" lifestyle and I thought I'd start with...
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I love Pilates! Why?
  1. It's a calm way of exercising
  2. No pressure on joints i.e. don't have to lift a 30 kg to do squats so that you have a good butt
  3. Tones muscles you didn't even know you had or that you knew you had but could never activate them
  4. Pain and injury reliever

That last point is really important for me. I feel that we are forgetting the real reason for Pilates. It's become this awesome fitness/best way to get Miranda Kerr's body craze that blogs, websites and magazines are writing about. Wouldn't we all like to look like Miranda, but it's so much more than that! Did you know that it was originally created as a form of rehabilitation? I did a bit of research and found out that soldiers returning from the war and ballet dancers were the only ones who ever really used it: rehabilitation.

I had a back injury several years ago and these days, I have recurring back problems. With my initial back injury, I was constantly doing Pilates, however, once I thought my back was all better, I stopped it and decided to do other forms of exercise. I stupidly and naively thought that Pilates was just there to help relieve my back during an injury. This has been the cycle for the past few years: stop Pilates, back problems, go back to Pilates, stop Pilates when my back is better, back problems. 

(Image from Q Pilates website)

It's only now, after years of this cycle and after years of being told by my mum and physio that I need to maintain Pilates, that I'm realising that it's not just a form of exercise that you do sporadically. I need Pilates every week and pretty much for the rest of my life to stay on track and keep my core and back strong, injury or no injury. This year, I will be maintaining Pilates through Q-Pilates and my gym, Pure Health Clubs. Yes, I'm hopefully going to look like Miranda, but all I know is once I stop Pilates, my back is going to cop it and I'm sick of that happening. I need Pilates to rehabilitate and get back on track. 

So this year, I will not put up with the winning of the sore back! The only thing that will be sore, is my core!

Pilates for the win! Go team.

To the core.

by on 14:14
I love Pilates! Why? It's a calm way of exercising No pressure on joints i.e. don't have to lift a 30 kg to do squats so that ...
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So, I've recently traveled to the UK for an awesome winter holiday! The British just know how to make Christmas and winter totally awesome! Well, I think it's awesome - not everyone does. For those who have travelled during those cold winter months, I'm sure you are asked by locals/family/friends, "Why are you travelling during winter?" Ummm, because it's amazing?!  

Well I've compiled my own list of the BEST and WORST elements of travelling during winter. I think I'll go worst first...it's better to end on a high note. 

WORST: 

1. It's cold. Let's not beat around the bush, it's freaking cold. It's really freaking cold if there's icey wind. If you have ever travelled to Edinburgh, or Scotland in general in winter, you would know what I'm talking about.

2. Not much sun - it was a bit depressing to see the sun disappear at 3:30 in the afternoon. 

3. Layers are the worst. Winter fashion may be great, but not all the time. Damn those days where you have to wear thermals, two pairs of socks, a shirt, a knit, a jacket and a massive scarf. As soon as you walk into somewhere warm, you have to de-layer! Ain't nobody got time for that.

4. Snow...it can ruin things. Example, I was meant to do a day tour of Scotland and go see my mate, Nessie. But you know what stopped me from doing that? Snow. 

5. TOURISTS. They are so annoying. Yes, I was a tourist myself, but I wasn't a Kathmandu, hiking boot wearing tourist with a massive camera. It was interesting, once December hit, the streets of London really started to flood with tourists. 


BEST:

1. CHRISTMAS TIME - oh my - the decorations, the christmas trees, the Christmas markets, the ice skating! Everything comes to life! I asked a friend who lives in London, why do the Europeans get Christmas so right? She said, because the weather is so miserable, they just go all out and try to make the city and suburbs as festive as possible (obviously in good taste). And you know what, she's right! Yes the weather is crap, but all of the decorations and festivities make up for it. Going to a Christmas market and having a mulled wine just makes you forget about the cold. 

Example: Even the smallest arcade can be festive.



2. The pubs! There is nothing better than spending 7 hours in one cosy pub, drinking, eating, playing boardgames - and that's exactly what I did. It was a cold, windy day and so the best thing to do was just go to an awesome pub with friends and have a great day. 

3. Winter fashion - coats...fur...boots...yep. 

4. SNOW! Ohhhhh snow! Even though snow is in the "worst" list, snow is the best. Seeing everything covered in a layer of snow is just magical.

Example: Scotland covered in snow. Why wouldn't you want to see this?



Yes, it may get really cold, but winter time/Christmas time can be really special and is definitely something everyone should experience. I want to go again, and again and AGAIN.

GO. BOOK. TRAVEL. CHRISTMAS. 
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The day I got my letter, it was the happiest day of my life. Let me take you through my journey at Hogwarts. 

WARNING: this post may contain some kickass photos from the Harry Potter Studios in London. 



 Just a simple girl, living in a simple home.


I started getting all of these letters about my acceptance to Hogwarts. For some reason, they mis-spelt my name from Valentine to Potter... Receiving these letters was the best day of my life! I was so excited to finally attend Hogwarts. 


I made sure I had plenty of supplies for the year.


First day at a new school, it's all about what kind of impression you leave among the other students. I went for cool, calm and casual. 


The train was ok...


It's not much, but it's home. 

A day at Hogwarts.

by on 15:56
The day I got my letter, it was the happiest day of my life. Let me take you through my journey at Hogwarts.  WARNING : this post may c...
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Hello!

Yeah, so, I haven't blogged in a while....soz.

Anyway, so I am traveling to Europe in two months time and I've decided to start documenting my journey now.

I am currently in the process of exchanging money that I've saved and making a general budget for my trip. I have no freaking idea how much to take! Trust me, I have looked up blogs, websites and community forums to try and find a reasonable answer, but the thing is, everyone is so different in terms of how they spend their money. I'm definitely not a nomad who spends only £30 pounds a day, nor am I an extravagant spender who buys Chanel every single day. 

So after my extensive research, I've come up with my own estimate of how much I will need for each location (keep in mind, accommodation, flights, major train journeys and any tours have been booked already):
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