november favourites

I'm still going through a phase where I've been loving this faded effect on photos xD

I'm about half a month late... so to make up for it, I made a video to go along with this post, which you can find at the end :D

Alrighty, let's just get right into the cool bits and bobs I've loved recently ^_^

Essence nail polish in 17 Juicy Love

Even though this brand is super inexpensive, I LOVE their nail polishes- the brush for them is so nicely shaped and the formula is smooth and easy to apply with :D I wore this particular red one for my school formal this year and it stayed on for more than a week which is always great! :)

Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Face Sunscreen

I've been wearing sunscreen basically every single day starting from the first day of kindergarten, and I think I've always been that kid in the class that's super shiny and smells of it from a mile away... This sunscreen in particular is rather light, but it has SPF 50+ so it's amazing! It's even matte, so I can say goodbye to the super shiny forehead for now xD

Oral-B Superfloss

I know, I'm really weird... Recently was my first time using floss ever, and because I have braces, I have to use this special type which is precut and has a thin, stiffened end to act as a needle, to thread under wires and all that. I think my gums have actually become a lot healthier since I've started using this (I use it while watching YouTube right before I brush my teeth haha) because a sign of gums being unhealthy is if they bleed easily after being poked, which used to happen to me but not anymore! :D Was that a bit TMI? Oops... ^^;

Headphones

Lately I've been replacing earphones with headphones when I'm listening to music or watching videos at home. These ones are super comfy, as they're not an awkward size where they jam and press your ears. Although admittedly I think these are a bit bigger than normal xD These ones are by the brand Moshi I think, which reminds me a little too much of the game Moshi Monsters (which I used to despise- the characters moved SO INCREDIBLY SLOWLY IT WAS SO FRUSTRATING)

DIY Clear Umbrella

I've talked about this here in one of my recent posts, which you can also see for more photos of it. The DIY technique of using chalk markers to doodle your own design on the inside of the umbrella is really fun and personalises your umbrella- you'll probably never mix yours up with someone else's ever again! :D

Frankie magazine

If all of my interests were squished into a colourful, every two month magazine, this would be the result xD

November News

Here's a little tradition I started all the way back in January's faves, but it kind of died halfway through the year... no fear, now is the time to revive it!

Any news?

School HAS ENDED FOR 2K15 YAAAAAY :D Bring on the last stress free holidays we'll have for the next couple of years xD

Achievements!
Got an award for my least favourite subject from my most hated teacher!!!!!!! *fist pump*

The Best Thing

Enjoying nature and life's little moments. Some days when I look out the window at around 6 PM I see a purple tinged sky, and I grab my camera and bolt to the street to take photos of the sunsets. Probably my favourite moment of the day to be honest.

My love for summer
Is larger than the amount
Of ice cream I eat.

Haiku of the day. :P

One New Thing I Learnt

At school we spent an entire three weeks working on projects in random groups, and Judy and I learnt about tiny housing. At the end of the whole thing, a lovely couple actually came to our school and BROUGHT their tiny house, and it was so inspiring! I've learnt not to be too influenced by the materialistic societies we call first world countries, and to be more aware of what I actually need and don't need.

Here's a photo of tiny house we designed, laser cut and put together :D

 Favourite past-time

I've been trying to get back into polymer clay charm making. Trying is the key word...

Let's just not speak of the monstrosity that is this little guy's nose....

What I've Been Listening To

Secret Love Song - Little Mix
Clued Up - Little Mix
Love Me or Leave Me - Little Mix
Grown - Little Mix
Anna Sun - Walk the Moon
Broken Home - Five Seconds of Summer
Catch Fire - Five Seconds of Summer
Drive - Halsey
Ghost - Halsey
Send My Love - Adele
Water Under the Bridge - Adele
Remedy - Adele
All I Ask - Adele
Perfect - One Direction
Halt Dich An Mir Fest - Revolverheld

Goals for December

Be productive, make good memories and not look back on these holidays thinking "what on earth did I even DO that entire time?!" (which was exactly my reaction after the LAST holiday... let's not repeat it!)

AND FINALLY... here's the video!

Let's chat! Feel free to share with me in the comments below anything- products you've loved, moments from the past month, tunes you've been jamming to, goals you've accomplished... :D

Until next time, stay fabulous!

Lena xx

OOTD // november grey skies, spring showers and DIY umbrella

As spring transitions into summer (it was flipping 40 degrees Celcius the other day o.o), there have still been a few overcast days of grey and rain.

The other day a friend, Aolei, and I went exploring around the city, and had an impromptu photoshoot in the on and off rain... we only had one umbrella between us, so one person kept getting drenched ._.

I tried a new kind of editing for these photos. Normally I go for a super bright, in your face, high contrasty kinda effect, but these have a much more muted, washed out, film look I think/hope.

Grey turtleneck sweater/cape top // unknown

Jeans // Target

Platform Chelsea boots // Lipstick Shoes

Umbrella // DIY/Daiso

Ring // markets

Here's my friend looking like a princess as always :P

Top and skirt // Gumboots

Boots // Hush Puppies

Ring // markets

We matched with the grey kind of accidentally. What a nice coincidence though, seeing as the sky and the buildings around us matched too! :D

Attempting to twirl around HAHA

As I'm always behind the camera, the few times I'm in front are very awkward and I spend them going "WHATDOIDOIDON'TKNOWWHATI'MDOINGARGHHHH"

Inspired by this super lovely and creative tutorial by Eat Your Teacup, I bought a clear umbrella from Daiso for $3.80 a few weeks back along with a pink and green paint markers. I simply doodle some weird looking flowers and leaves on the inside, attempting to cluster them towards the edges, and bam! Cute umbrella complete :)

I really want to go get another one so I can do a new design, but common sense is screaming in my ears that I don't need fifty umbrellas.

This was an attempt to get a cool reflection photo... f.t. my annoying hair.

Is it just me or would this photo perhaps fit within a sci-fi film? Maybe? *crosses fingers*

I was pleasantly surprised with this photo, seeing as I had no idea what Aolei was doing.

Thanks Aolei, for being the only person who is willing to let me boss them around and for doing crazy stuff in public for the sake of photos xD

We got these rings on the same day, with the fox being mine and the heart infinity hers. I've never really owned a ring before so that's something new. Funny story- she lost the ring on the same day (but someone found it for her so it was all good).

Don't read the next paragraph if you get grossed out easily :P

Bye the way, before you ask, my nails weren't fake xD My friends thought it was extremely gross, but I was trying to see how long my nails could grow without breaking, and I made it to a good half a centimetre before I had to cut them for work ._. 

She reminds me of a happy bear in this photo and I'm not sure why.

I saw the sign to this place called Anita while we were wandering around, and I recognised it from the wonderful aesthetic world of Instagram, so of course I had to go in ;D

It has gelato! I got Hersheys and Cheesecake as flavours, and Aolei got Kiwi Banana and Watermelon Mint.

Turns out the bottom left is a frozen yogurt booth, where they only have the plain flavour of it, but you get UNLIMITED toppings. I should try that next time.

Anywho, sorry this post was a day late! :(

Lately I've been feeling pretty bored and underwhelmed with life. Hopefully I'll get out of this funk and start being productive in preparation for CHRISTMAS BLOG POSTS :D

Question for y'all: what's your favourite ice cream flavour? :)

I love me some strawberry or cookies and cream <3

Stay fabulous!

Lena xx

OOTD // weekend wanderings

Holey macaroni, a fashion post?! Now that's new! :D

My face looked so derpy in this shot, hence the scrible heh

Yesterday I went adventuring with a friend (who you'll see below) around the Darling Harbour, Sydney, area, and we pretty much just wandered around aimlessly...

Apologies if this post is really weird and random.

I blame this piece of spicy fried chicken from Hot Star. Yes I accidentally wrote 'friend chicken'. No, it is most certainly not my friend- I thought I'd yolo and get it even though I'm not the most spice-tolerant human being in the world, and as a result I have a really sore throat T_T So yeah, I'm not feeling it today ._.

Here's some English Breakfast soft serve from Aqua S that I thought I might chuck in here. For any Sydney siders who haven't heard of this trendy place, they're a soft serve ice cream shop with cool flavours that they switch out every fortnight, but their staple is the beautifully aqua sea salt ice cream... mmm so good :D

I blame the wind on why my top looks so chubby :P

OOTD:

Fedora // gifted (thanks Hannah banana! :D) 

Top // Target

Pants // hand-me-down (thanks Auntie haha)

Platform boots // Rubi

Most of the time I don't like hats, mainly because of their tendency to block my vision when they slip down my forehead, but lately I've been really liking the look of some :D

Here's a shot from the week before of the lovely ladies still in the process of painting, and one of them asked me to take photos for them so I kind of spammed her phone xD

Being the most socially awkward poop in the universe, taking photos in public was a challenge ^^;

Me: Go sit on that white thing and look deep and stare into the distance.

It really annoys me how this shot isn't really straight- should have taken it at a better angle urgh.

Friend's OOTD:

Jean jacket // "some random Asian thing" - quote from her

Top // Minkpink

Skirt // Miss Shop

Sneakers // somewhere that I'll have to ask her later for.

These painted cubes are the most gorgeous things ever though (and make pretty awesome photo backgrounds :D )

Lately I've been really enjoying vintagey kind of filters.

This photo involved waiting forever for them to actually start the carousel, trial and error with the settings on my camera and playing around on Photoshop for the rustic, matte kind of filter.

Gelato is always a yes! The left one is strawberry bubblegum, and the right (mine) is caramelised fig ♡ 

Our kawaii nails, mine's meant to be Totoro themed but I don't have a grey polish, hence why they're blue and white...

And a peaceful sunset shot as I was walking home to end this post :)

How have y'all been lately? In the half an hour it took me to write this post, I'm actually feeling a lot less sick than how I started :)

Stay fabulous everyone, and stay away from super spicy foods D:

Lena xx

april favourites

Aloha everyone!

If you can tell from the picture, it's time for the favourites of April!

I have chosen to show you this month's favourites on my bright orange, stripey bedsheets (if you didn't know already, orange is my favourite colour ^-^) Yep, they're from IKEA if you're wondering.

Inspired from pins on Pinterest!

Little Sketch Book

Ok, I'll be honest. I bought this book about 2 years ago, ready to start filling it up with great drawings and paintings, but totally forgot about it until this year. It's a great time-filler, and acts as your own little private place to let out your ideas.

Burt's Bees Lemon Cuticle Cream

I bought this a long time ago in a pack with the Burt's Bees peppermint lip balm (which is fabulous by the way), but never got to properly try it out, until now! It's easy to apply and makes your nails and fingers feel great.

Animal Crossing New Leaf (3DS)

YAY. I've been getting back into this game recently. I basically either play it for 3 hours a day continuously for 2 weeks, or neglect it under a pile of work for 6 months. My main motivation to get me back into it are the flowers that I've spent so much effort on. Please don't die. And another thing, the weeds. PLEASE LEAVE ME ALONE. (If you play ACNL, you'll understand the pain.)

Mini Mouse

I was in need of a mouse for a very long time, as using a tiny touch-pad that doesn't' let you tap half the time isn't very efficient. So I bought a mouse annndddd IT'S ORANGE! It's called 'Mango Tango' from Logitech. The mouse is called mini for a reason, as it fit's in the palm of my hand, which is tiny to begin with. 

~April Antics~

Favourite App at the moment...

Cow Evolution. (it's just so funny to watch them grow and poop. That sounded weird.)

Anything new?

I've recently been braiding my hair instead of tying it up in a ponytail, which is really different to what I have always been doing (you guessed it, a ponytail). I now usually throw it up into a French braid, which is practically the only braid I can manage to do.

What I've been listening to:

Sledgehammer - Fifth Harmony

After hearing this song absolutely everywhere, I finally decided to do a search on Google!

Heartbeat Song - Kelly Clarkson

I have recently gained a lot of respect for Kelly Clarkson, after listening to her singing live.

Katie, Queen of Tennessee - The Apache Relay

Funny story, I actually discovered this song from a Buzzfeed video.

Escape - Megan Nicole

I love the beginning of the song so much, and the music video is beautiful :)

Goal for May:

Pass my piano exam. That is all. (And probably try and wake up on time for school again. Hurrah!)

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Well that's all for this month! What have you been loving recently?

See you soon!

~ Judy x

february favourites

Heellloooooo!

So... it's nearly March already?! Time sure does fly past right before your eyes... Anyway, here are some of the things I've been lovin' recently in le month of February!

Burt's Bees Lipbalm
Yep, still loving this! This isn't really a monthly favourite, but more like a product I swear by everyday. This lip balm is hydrating, smooth and also feels great on your lips.

Macbook (mirror)
So I've recently been loving my new macbook... mirror. Yep, it's shaped, coloured and designed like mini macbook air, except it's a mirror! HOW CUTE IS THAT?! I finally own a mac... (who am I kidding, I'll only have one in my dreams T_T)

Aloe Vera Gel
It's summer here in Australia, and summer means heat and sun. Lots and lots of sun. Thankfully, this pure aloe gel relieves and moisturises my skin from sunburn, and it's become my saviour from the hot Aussie sun. (It's funny because it's just like jelly.)

Mint Samsung S3 Case
YAY! New phone cases always get me excited! I particularly love this one because of its simple design and beautiful colour. Ah, mint coloured things are so pretty!

Crochet Needles
I recently got crochet needles and wool, and to my surprise, managed to crochet a few things!

~February Feels~

Any news?

School started! Let the homework and assignments pile in! 

Achievements!
I started posting on Instagram again *yay*

Favourite food at the moment...

I've been really enjoying summer fruits like watermelon and mango. Yum!

Favourite past-time

Crocheting and reading (and browsing the internet of course!)

What I've been listening to

Uptown Funk - Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars

Immortals - Fall Out Boy

Sugar - Maroon 5

Afire Love - Ed Sheeran

Goal for March

Don't finish my homework the day before it's due (if that's possible).

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I hope you've had a fabulous February and stay tuned for March!

Stay cool!

~ Judy x