Reflections on 2016

It’s that time of year again when everything is winding down and you are going to have a little break over Christmas and New Year. It is by far my favourite time of year J nothing better than decorating your house and filling it with delicious food. I love to bake at this time of year and when I bake I get thinking a lot. I got thinking over the weekend about 2016 and what a year it has been.. 

I don’t EVER stick the resolutions I make at the start of every New Year (not sure why I continue to do them) but I like to reflect on the year and make note of changes I may have made or need to.

I did a post at the beginning of the year with my Goals for 2016 and I mentioned that I would at least try to do all of these things (no harm in trying). Well I can say that I stuck to at least 3 of the 5 goals and gave them a go.

I definitely didn’t get fitter in 2016. Laziness is one of my many flaws so when I can talk myself out of exercising I do. However I was going to at least 2 classes a week throughout the year and I can certainly feel my motivation starting to kick in again. People say it takes 2 weeks to break a habit or make a habit so I have already planned my exercise for January 2017 so that I can try again at being fitter. I am not overweight but I certainly wish I was a little more toned in places so that will be my aim for the year 2017. My best friend is getting married in April and I want to feel my best when I am standing beside her.

I have been writing in a journal everyday! I have managed to keep that up and I look forward to reading it when I am all done. It will show a journey of my life for 3 years. I will be able to see how I feel about certain things in the coming years and I will be able to see if I have grown from that. I would like to think I get better with age but we shall see!

I did manage to read 18 books in 2016! That is very impressive for me and I LOVED it J I am going to aim for 20 books in 2017. It is a great little escape from reality if you are feeling stressed or you want to broaden your vocabulary. I encourage everyone to grab a book and get lost for at least 30 minutes a night... it’s good for your soul.

I did not get back into my designing nor did I learn to sew but I have plenty of time for that!

2016 has been a crazy year of good times and really hard times and as it is coming to an end very quickly I thought I would put my thoughts out there in the universe for anyone to read.

Tell me if you have reached your goals and what you have learnt this year!

Rhiannon xoxo 

Packing for Trips Away

Next week my boyfriend Scott and I are going to the Gold Coast for a week over Easter, We are so excited because while we are down there his best friend is getting married and we are attending the wedding!! Cannot wait to dress up and try some bold makeup...

I was thinking the other day that I would like to write a packing list ( I have a thing for lists) just in case anyone else needs help figuring out what to take and what they should leave behind.

There are always 2 types of packers... there are those who only pack the minimum of what they will need and then there are the other packers. I am definitely an over packer but I don't go too crazy!
I always think that I may be in a situation where our plans change and I hate being unprepared.

Here is my list for short trips or beach vacation (since I am going to the beach)

• sunscreen 
• lip balm  
• hat (wide brimmed or cap)
• sunglasses
• 3 pairs of bikinis or swimsuit
• 1 pair of flip flops
• 1 pair of sandals
• 1 pair of heels
• 3 sundresses to throw on over bikinis
• 5 tank tops or tees in neutral shades
• 2 skirts 
• 2 shorts
• 3 evening dresses (I will also be packing my dress for the wedding)
• jewelry
• clutch for evenings 
• undergarments 
• makeup and heat styling tools

I hope this is handy for you and helps you pack for your next little trip away!

Love, Rhiannon 

February Favourites 2016

It’s that time of the month again (plus I am late) where I tell you all the things that I have loved during the past month! Let’s get into it...

I will be honest I haven’t really tried many things that are new but here are the few things I have.

Fashion:

Just one item this month and it is these Aztec printed shorts. I bought them online at Princess Polly and they are amazing. I am hoping to wear these to Groovin’ the Moo this year but have loved them already.

Beauty:

This gorgeous Essie nail polish in the colour Chinchilly has been my go to nail colour this month. It is neutral colour that will go with everything

The Tanya Burr Hollywood eye palette has been my go to eyeshadow palette towards the end of February. The goldy neutral tones are so simple but beautiful.

Book:

Zoe Sugg’s Girl Online: on Tour has been the book I loved last month. This is the sequel to her first book Girl Online and I was so captivated by this story. It’s a beautiful novel that is filled with life lessons about doing what makes you happy and the romance is so true and real that it feels like you are the main protagonist Penny. Read it...you won’t regret it!

TV Show:

Shadowhunters is a series on Netflix which is an adaptation of Cassandra Clare’s book series The Immortal Instruments’. It follows a young girl by the name of Clary Fray who gets sucked into a life of demons, vampires and werewolves. I won’t say anymore because I don’t want to spoil it but it has been pretty amazing so far!

Moment:

I haven’t really had a favourite moment before but I don’t get to do such exciting things all the time or at least every month but in February I did. At the start of the month I was very lucky to be able to instruct the dance group that I am the choreographer and teacher for at the Guy Sebastian concert here in Townsville. It was an amazing experience for the dancers and families to be a part of.  They got to meet him and dance along on stage with him. It was one of my proudest moments!

Ignore the sweaty face! 

Thanks for reading!

Let me know what you have loved...

Love, Rhiannon

Tanya Burr Cosmetics Palette Haul

Now I’m not sure if I can really call this a haul since I only purchased 3 items but I am going to

anyway... I have been shopping online at feelunique.com and bought 2 eye palettes and a brow kit

from Tanya Burr Cosmetics. She is one of my favourite youtubers and I was really excited to see that

they had more of her palettes in stock recently. I LOVE the fairytale eye palette so I will no doubt

become quite obsessed with the other palettes as well. They have perfect natural colours so they are

easy to wear during the day or night.


The first palette I bought is the Hollywood eye palette. It has beautiful goldy nude shades with a

touch of glitter in one. The shade nude delight looks like a lovely creamy colour that would be good

to use for a base all over your lid or as a highlight on your brow bone or inner corner of your eye.

Gold coin is a light brown shimmery colour that looks perfect for an all over lid shade. The shades

enchantment and bookworm look to be crease colours depending on whether you are going out at

night or during the day. Bookworm is slightly lighter and less shimmery so I would definitely wear

this during the day for a smokey eye and enchantment would be worn at night when you want a

slightly darker and smokier eye effect.

The second palette is the galaxy eye palette. This palette looks absolutely magical with lovely taupe

shades. Snowflake is the lightest colour and it is a beautiful shimmery white that would be great for

an inner corner highlight. Moonlight is a champagne taupe colour and would work well as an all over

the lid shade in a smokey eye. Stormy sky is the next shade and it is a matte taupe colour that

reminds me of MACs satin taupe eyeshadow (anyone looking for a dupe) and would add extra

dimension to your eyes if applied to your crease. The last shade in the palette is starry night and its a

shimmery charcoal colour which would be good for lighting the upper lashes or lower lashes instead

of using an eyeliner. You could also use it to make a darker crease as well.

All of my ideas here are only one suggestion on what you can do with these palettes. Of course you

can put the shadows anywhere you would like... preferably still on your eyes.

Unfortunately mine hasnt arrived yet but this is the photo from feelunique.

I also bought a brow kit from Tanya Burr cosmetics called perfect brows. The kit includes 3 brow

shades, a brow highlight, angled brush and tweezers. It is so cute and it is great for when you have

friends who may not be the same shade as you and need to touch up their brows. Also if you are

changing your hair colour and need to be a different shade.  I find that if you are going to do a

dramatic eye look than having a strong brow is necessary so having a few shades will always come in

handy. The three shades are pebble which is a blonde brown, chestnut which is a red brown and

hot cocoa which is a dark brown. Remember you can always mix colours if you need to find the perfect shade. Fairy cake is the brow highlight and it’s very creamy and glittery.

I mix pebble and hot cocoa together for my brow colour.

Well I hope you have learnt something from today’s blog or you want to try a palette out!

Let me know if you would like to see me do a tutorial with either palette.

Love, Rhiannon

How to: Style hourglass figures

Your celebrity inspo: Sofia Vergara, Beyoncé and Scarlet Johansson.

Hourglass figures are considered the 'ideal' body type by many women. If your bust and hips are approximately the same size and you narrow at the waist, then you my friend have an hourglass figure. I am going to discuss how you can style your lovely curvy body and things you should avoid!

Let’s get into it! 

Main thing you want to do is reduce bulk, so the fabrics and styles you choose need to reflect that. Your narrow waist is where you wanna draw all the attention because this is most flattering. Tailored and snug fitting pieces are ideal for this body type. Stretchy material such as knit or silk blends is going to hug and drape over the body’s curve and accentuate the narrow waist. Solid colours are best for hourglass figures as it keeps your bust evenly balanced with your hips.

Wrap blouses and dresses are a great style to wear as the fabric is pulled to the slimmest part of the body. However if you have a short waist or petite figure you may not like the way the wrap looks because it falls out at the wrong part of the waist. 

Low necklines are going to be your best friend! V necks, V neck halters, Sweetheart and scoop necks are the most flattering because it draws eyes closer to your narrow waist.  Ruffles, bows or any other dimensional detailing are going to be your enemy so try to avoid these! If you are in a climate that you need to wear coats or jackets, pick one that is belted and draws in at the waist (avoid bulky jackets). 

I cannot stress to you enough the importance of correct under garments (this goes for every body type). No one likes to have a VPL (Visible Panty Line) so please ensure that if you are going to be wearing tighter or clingier fabric to wear the right underwear! Also the right colour as well!! Not hot to wear a black bra or g string under white clothing (shakes head)

Getting to the bottom of things (no pun intended), the most flattering skirts to wear are high waisted full circle skirts, A-line and pencil styles. Keeping things streamline is the goal with tighter style skirts. Full circle skirts synch in at the waist helping to draw attention there.  Jeans or pants can be tricky because skinny jeans can make you look stout. The best option is to go with a wide leg or boot cut so that it balances out your hips and bust. Also mid rise or high rise are the most flattering, so the pants or jeans sit up on the waist. Avoid bulky pockets or detailing around the hips of the pants or jeans, this will only make you look wider than you are.

It’s also important not to forget about accessories. Jewelry and belts can make or break an outfit depending on the situation. Belts should be skinny to sit around the waist. If you have a belt that is too thick you may end up making yourself look wider than you would like because you are cutting into your hip and bust area. Necklaces can be short or long. Longer necklaces that sit in the V neck of your top or dress is ideal but the key is to keep them thin and delicate. Long and wide necklaces can make your chest look unbalanced so just beware. Heels are going to elongate your legs so when possible to wear them I highly recommend you do!!

I hope this post has cleared up any questions you might have had and inspired you to look into your wardrobe and make a list of things you need. Nothing makes a girl feel better quite like a new outfit!


Love,  Rhiannon 

Valentine's Day Outfit and Date Ideas

It’s the love month again and this post is a bit of inspiration for you on date ideas and outfits for

February 14. Whether you are having a romantic evening with your partner or hanging with your

single girlfriends, I always find it’s so much better with a great outfit!

 With only a couple of days to go lets jump into it...


Casual Date (at night): See a Movie, Go mini golfing or go to an arcade to play some games.

There are plenty of ways to have a casual Valentine’s Day... having fun is always a good way to pass

the time with your partner in crime or your best girlfriends! A great outfit option would be

something comfy... I have picked a pair of my favourite jeans, a button up blouse that I can roll the

sleeves up if I wish and a pair of sandals. Pair this with a bold lip or ‘no makeup’ makeup for the

perfect casual look.

Casual Date (during the day): Grabbing coffee or ice cream, going on a walk along the beach or park.

This look is more suitable for those of you who are just fresh into dating someone so you don’t want

to make a big deal out of the day or maybe Valentine’s Day isn’t that special to you so you just want

to spend some time with friends or do something little with your partner. A top and shorts are

always a cute to wear in the day. I would either where this look with boots or sandals. It’s a personal

preference.

Romantic Date: Dinner and drinks or cooking at home.

This look and idea is for the people that like to be a bit romantic on Valentine’s Day... Dinner at a

restaurant and having a few drinks can be very romantic or you can choose to cook for your special

someone at home and have a candlelit dinner. My outfit of choice is a lovely dress (think of

something that you feel really good in) and some heels. If you are stay at home then you can ditch

the shoes.

This year I will be spending the day with friends, water skiing and then having a home cook dinner

and movie on the couch!

Let me know what you get up to!

Love, Rhiannon

January Favourites

I want to talk about all the things I loved in January! There is a mixture of fashion items, beauty items and random items...

Enjoy!

Fashion:

I have two fashion items that I have loved this month and they are both dresses..

The first is this cute pink pattern skater dress with a high neck. I wore this out when I had a night of dancing with one of my friends. I really love high necklines because I find them the most flattering on me. It has a beautiful mixture of colours that suit any skin tone (perfect for when you cant be bothered tanning). It also has cute cutouts on the sides as an added feature.

The second dress is this collared denim dress. I have worn this a lot towards the end of January. I cant seem to stop wearing it! It has a zip that runs all the way up the front of the dress which means you can choose wear you would like the neckline to be. I have worn this with my bikinis a few times which means i could get away with it being quite low. It is super comfortable and plus who doesn't love denim!

Beauty:

I have a few beauty related items so I will start with makeup...


Urban Decay Naked 3 palette has been my go to eye shadow palette in January. They are so beautiful! They are all slightly pink/purple toned colours which reminds me of summer nights. There is a mixture of shimmer and matte colours in this palette so there is a shadow for every occasion and style.

The other eye shadow palette I have been loving is Tanya Burr's fairytale eye palette. There is 4 eye shadows that go together really perfectly. I enjoy wearing this to work because it is so neutral but you can build it to be dramatic as well if you wish. I use the colour 'cream tea' (the lightest colour) on the inner part of my lid, then come in with 'velvet cushion' (the light brown) for the rest of my lid, 'alohomora' (the dark brown) in the crease and under my eyes and 'witches cat' at the upper lash line instead of eyeliner.

As you can see I have used this palette A LOT!

Staying with Tanya Burr products...I have also been wearing a lipgloss in the shade 'Aphrodite' quite a lot. You may have noticed that I used it in my summer makeup look. It is a beautiful pinky red colour that is very pigmented.

Also from Tanya Burr's collection I got an eye shimmer pot that came in her Deck the Hauls 12 days of Christmas advent calendar. I really love the shade 'creme brȗlée'. It is a pinky red colour that is very shimmery. Perfect for a night out!!

Now onto my favourite body lotions...
I have been using for a good 3 years now the Body Shop body lotions because they are quite light in consistency. There is nothing worse than being sticky or sweating your moisturiser off in the summer, I wear this one all over my body for fragrance and moisture during the day.

So many scents and certainly something to suit everyone!

The moisturiser I wear at night is the Bondi Sands gradual tan. This product is amazing. Within 3 days I have a perfectly natural looking tan all over my body... I also don't smell like fake tan at all.. it has a beautiful cocoa butter scent. Very delicious! I would recommend this product for people who don't really like to fake tan or when you are feeling lazy!

Random:

Now we are onto my random selection of favourites...


This is my new watch that I got from my friends for Christmas. It is a beautiful rose gold colour which I am addicted to. It is a great accessory!

Arrow Season 3 has been my favourite TV show in January. It is amazing!! I am obsessed with the show. All I have to say is Stephen Amell with no shirt on... all the time!

My workouts of choice in January (hopefully the rest of the year as well) has been Pilates, barre and hot yoga. I cannot say enough good things about these 3 workouts, They are all great for toning every part of your body! Pilates is my favourite and I like to do it about 3 times a week if I can. Never thought laying on your back for an hour could be such hard work. Barre is a cross between Pilates and ballet. It is so much fun! You also sweat a lot in hot yoga so be warned!! 

Well that's it for my favourite things in January!

Let me know in the comments what you have been loving!!


Love, Rhiannon