31 March 2012

Things That Make You Go Oooooo (March 2012)


Can you believe we're already a quarter of the way through 2012?! It's been a tough few months but I'm starting to feel like my plans are finally starting to come together, I've been in some dire need for inspiration, motivation and just a good laugh this past month so here are a few things which I've enjoyed this month.

10 Things to Remind Yourself on a Daily Basis - If you're having a hard time these a some good things to remind yourself of, write them down in your journal, filofax, mirror etc. so you have something to look at when you're having a hard day.

How Do I Stay Motivated?

On Childhood Wonder and Clouds Made of Dough - This is such a sweet little post which really made me smile.

by Dreifachzucker
10 Myths About Introverts - A very interesting read, I do get told quite a lot that I'm an introvert  and I find quiet a few of these points very relatable.

62 Extraordinary People Reveal How They Had The Courage To Follow Their Dreams

30 Things to Start Doing for Yourself - Love this list it's a great way to try and turn yourself into a more positive thinker and enjoying the little things life throws your way.

by Nirrimi
How I Stay Productive and Get Massive Amounts of Shit Done - As someone who constantly procrastinates this is something I really need to take note of!

A Day in the Life of the Internet

Venting -  Don't worry George we've all been there, sometimes as much as we would love to do everything we can saying no is the better option.

by Jena Ardell
Tips For Taking Your Own Outfit Photos - I'm definitely taking notes as there has been a great lack of outfit posts on this blog lately and it's something I would like to start sharing again.

9 Movies With Inspiring Style

5 Tips For Capturing Emotion in Photos - I must admit one of the reasons for my lack of fashion/outfit posts is that I find myself looking artificial so these are some great tips on making myself look more natural.

by Hakanphotography
Stop Writing on the Internet to Make People Love You - An interesting read, sometimes you just have to ignore the negativity and gain some perspective on the situation.

Comparing Yourself to Others

A Simple Prescription for Natural Healing - Such an honest and great post be sure to check it out.

By AnneKo
It's Okay to Not Be Okay - Such a touching story and a lesson to us all that sometimes it's ok to express your pain and dealing with the hurt makes us so much more stronger

Fasten your seatbelt: 13 practical ways to face your fear, take control and conquer anxiety and phobia

She Who Tries Wins - Because we should never feel discouraged to chase after our dreams no matter how ridiculous everyone else thinks they may be

by neon.tambourine
How to Fix Broken Makeup - This is a great little tip and means I can be less wasteful with some of my broken powders

Disney Character Inspired Outfits

20 Principles Of Success Not Taught In School - There are some things that you just don't learn in school and these are a few things that I wish I knew back when I was a stupid kid



Orchids & Glitter
Cate
xoxo

24 March 2012

D.I.Y Fashion Tutorial: How To Stud a Jacket


One of the personal projects I've been working on lately is modifying an old leather jacket of mine. Not only did I add some studs to it I also painted a really awesome design on the back, which I will be sharing with you all very soon, and trust me when I say the finished result is pretty awesome! I just couldn't wait to show you guys just how easy and simple it is to stud a jacket so consider this a little tease before I reveal the finished project.





VoilĂ  you're done!
Leather & Studs
Cate
xoxo

20 March 2012

A Lomo View On... The Animal Kingdom


I love animals and they're definitely my favourite things to photograph especially with my lomography cameras. Looking through all the photographs I've taken it's been hard to pick out my faves but I think the one above taken of a Killer Whale in Seaworld San Diego, which actually was one of my very first shots with my fisheye, has to be one of the ones I'm most impressed with.


One of the most interesting things about lomography is the different effects each camera can give, I often photograph the same things with multiple cameras so I can compare the results and see which camera is better suited to certain subjects and locations, the two above were taken with a Holga (left) and Baby Holga (right) and although taken at the same place at the same time they are completely different and give the impression of a completely different atmosphere.



I have to admit when it comes to animal photos the fisheye is the best for getting up close and personal, I really love the effect the fisheye lense gives as the results can be both hilarious and bizarre, but I do have to be careful not to get too close to the animals just incase they decide my camera is their lunch!


My two favourite animals, Bo (left) and James (right), I absolutely love how my Holga has managed to capture the different personalties of each of my pooches in these photos, although my wolfie Bo is no longer with us this photo will always be one of my favourites of him and the one we remember him most by.


OK I can't take credit for this "Smiling Buffalo" photo as it was actually taken by my nephew who I lent my camera to for the day out we had in a Buffalo Village in Thailand, but I absolutely love this shot just for the fact that there is an animal grinning to the camera, see sometimes even animals like to smile for the camera!

Shutter Bugs & Lomo Love

Cate
xoxo
Related Links
 

16 March 2012

Inspirational Quotes #24

No, I can never rely on Tim to make me pretty.
- Helena Bonham Carter

12 March 2012

Don't Hate On My Weight, Be Body Positive!


It seems like lately there's been a lot of girls hating on each others weight, this is something I absolutely despise as people just don't realize how hurtful and cruel their comments can be and just how badly they can affect someone. We each have our own unique ideas of what beautiful is and our bodies come in all different shapes, sizes some and big some small but either way critiquing the way someone looks and saying things like they need to eat a burger or get off their fat asses is not funny, clever or productive and only has a negative effect.

I'm not saying I'm an angel when it comes to this, I have been guilty of "weight hate", I can be hypocritical and I do get incredibly frustrated with my own body but I have vowed to take better care of myself this year and part of that is a mental journey to become more accepting of my own body and to not hate on others because of the way they look.

My own body journey has been a rough one my weight has fluctuated between thin and overweight for many years. When I was in high school I was on the bigger side and of course this was usually the focus of many bullies, did it get me down? Of course it did, it's hard to shut out those voices when you're a kid your life pretty much revolves around school and the people you're with but when I left school I also left my puppy fat behind but still those voices haunted me and still I believed I was overweight.

Ugly by Zemotion

I've done some pretty despicable things to make myself thin, none which I'm proud of and I wasn't making myself healthy at all only putting my body in more danger and making myself more and more miserable. The hate I felt for myself at that time made me a terrible person I lost good friends and became a very bitter, angry, depressed and lonely person. The final straw came when I was so weak I collapsed in the middle of class. It took me to a very extreme point to realize that what I was doing was absolutely ridiculous, that this wasn't making me happy at all, that this person I had become was no longer me and that I needed to shut out those ridiculous voices and start loving myself again.

Beauty comes from deep within, you are more than your appearance and when you start to see that you really are beautiful and really believe it, only then will you see it in yourself and in others to. Just forget about what other people think because it's actually you who are your own worse critic, try looking at yourself in a more positive light and accepting the person you are because doing this will make you shine inside and out. A friend of mine once commented that he loved me because I didn't give a fuck I was confident in the way I looked and if I wanted to eat a burger I would godamn eat a burger and I would enjoy it, no regrets! OK so maybe it was a bit of an over exaggeration from him but that comment meant the world to me and I'll always remember it as it keeps me going through those times when I'm not so self-confident.

It's been a tough journey but I've accepted the fact that I will never look like my gorgeously petite Thai cousins and that my hips will always be big, but you know what I don't care anymore as they look pretty damn good in a dress and so what if I'm short that's what god made platforms for! This is my body I have it for life and I should love it and look after it, I shouldn't starve it when I'm hungry or fill it when I'm full, I should give it what it needs and take good care of it so it can bring the best out the best in me.


This year I have felt more fitter and healthier than I ever have, I'm working out so I can run around and play with all my nieces and nephews and have endless hours of fun with them, I'm eating healthy because I enjoy it, it gives me energy and I love trying new foods and if I miss out a workout or decide to eat a box of donuts so what, we all deserve a treat every so often don't we? But most of all I am genuinely happy with my body which is something I've struggled with for years.

So what I'm saying is girls think before you comment on somebody's image, it's one thing to show genuine concern for someone who you think may have a problem but it's an entirely other thing to insult someone based on your own beauty standards so lets all stop with the hate and start spreading some body positivity because we really are all beautiful people!

Love & Candy
Cate
xoxo

Interesting Links
Killing Us Softly 4 (Part 1) (Part 2)
The Problem With Skinny Bashing
Fat
Radical Self Love
Eve Ensler - (Love Your Tree) (Suddenly, my body)
Why Wait To Be Happy?! 
Stop Being So Mean To Your Hips and Thighs
A Reminder To Those Who Gained Weight 
Body Image Is Still A Thing, Apparently

08 March 2012

Beauty Blitz: Super Sonic Skincare


It seems like everyone and their aunt has been raving on about Clarisonic, my mum bought one a few years back and after seeing a vast improvement in her skin she very kindly lent it to me for a week to try out last summer and since then I've wanted so badly to get one for myself, so I finally got my wish as for Christmas my mum (isn't she amazing!) got me a little lavender Clarisonic Mia.


My skin was in an absolutely shocking state after the holidays (just see the picture below!), I admit I do get the occasional spot which is usually hormonal but this was full blown acne now doubt caused by my over indulgence and  lack of sleep and it was the worse I had suffered from in years so I couldn't have received my little Clarisonic at a better time!


What a hideous mugshot right? Well this just goes to show you exactly how bad my skin looked at the beginning of January! I have combination skin, enlarged pores and blackheads on my chin and nose, I get dry patches on my cheeks, and my chin and nose can also get quite oily at times to. I also suffer from spots which are usually hormonal and focused around my chin so this particular outbreak was quite bad for me but the perfect time put my new Clarisonic to the test.


This is what I looked life after my first use, I let it run twice over my skin focusing on my main problem areas using my usual tea tree cleanser and already I can see a mild improvement in my skin, I wasn't expecting the acne to suddenly disappear but my skin definitely felt softer and smoother and my complexion much more bright.


This is my skin after using my Clarisonic twice a day for a week and you can already see a massive improvement in my skin, it looks fresher, more radiant, and has managed to rid me of most of those pesky pimples. I should also mention that I had abandoned my high fat, high sugar holiday diet and was eating a lot more healthily to so no doubt that had a positive effect on my skin to.


A couple weeks into using my Clarisonic I was noticing that it was bringing out some deep spots and clogged pores so I broke out slightly again but these soon went away and my skin cleared up majorly to give me a more even skintone. I also noticed that my moisturisers and serums we're absorbing into my skin better and that my foundation seemed to go on a lot smoother with out the need to use a base. This photo was taken at the end of January so as you can see there was a massive improvement here from the beginning of the month.!


After 30 days had passed and my skin had cleared up I decided to switch to a more gentle routine only using my Clarisonic once a day mostly at night, these are just a few of the products I used during January and February (some I discuss in my monthly faves) and I also tend to switch them up depending on how my skin is like that day, if I have spots I'll use more tea tree or if it's feeling dry I'll use something more hydrating.


The Clarisonic is definitely a must have beauty product especially if you have problem skin, as well as deep cleaning your skin and reducing acne it also exfoliates to get rid of dry skin to. The Clarisonic is quite pricey but good skin is definitely worth investing in and overall my skin looks and feels so much more smoother and fresher which is something it hasn't been for a long time and it has definitely built my confidence, so if you're thinking of investing in one I fully recommend it.

  Rose Petals & Lemonade
Cate
xoxo

03 March 2012

Mini Blueberry Sponge Cakes


One of my goals for this year was to take better care of myself, eat the right foods, exercise more and just look after my body and I have to say it's working because I feel more fitter and healthier than I have in years. I've been searching for some "healthy" cake recipes to soothe my sweet cravings and I think I've finally found the solution, with these little light sponges being only 100 calories each they are definitely a well deserved treat after a hard work-out!

Ingredients
  • 1 cup of blueberries
  • 1/2 cup of corn flour/starch
  • 1/2 cup of sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tbsp rice flour
  • A pinch of salt

Preheat an oven to 190°c and line a muffin tin with 9 baking cases.

Separate the eggs, add a pinch of salt to the whites and whip them till stiff (extra work-out points if you do this by hand!).

Gradually add the sugar into the egg whites until sugar has dissolved and eggs are stiff.

Add the egg yolks to the whites and mix well.

Fold the rice flour, baking powder and corn flour into the mixture.

Place equal amounts of blueberries into each of the baking cases then spoon the sponge mixture onto them

Put into the oven to bake for approximately 20 minutes till lightly browned and springy to the touch

Once cooked allow to cool for a while until you're ready to dig in and enjoy!

Eat & Enjoy!
Cate
xoxo