MY Canadian and North American Tour

We had some absolutely GLORIOUS weather when we moved house, and now it is rather soggy.

So my mind is on the prize – at the end of July we fly to Canada to spend two wonderful weeks with my in-laws on the East Coast and The Husband is treating me to a road trip to Maine… A piece of my heart lives in New England and seeing as the in-laws are SO close to the border in Canada we thought we’d hot foot it in to the USofA for a few days.

This my friends, is “MY” North American and Canadian Tour… haha

Do what Kate does and all that……

While away I will be hoping to do the following seeing as I have no official duties or engagements to carry out. I wonder what Kate and Wills really wanted to do, or could do if they have the chance of anonymity for the day…

• visit a J.Crew store
• Pottery Barn
• Forever 21
• Target
• Victoria’s Secret
• Lilly Pulitzer
• Coach
• Sephora
• GAP ~  yes we have it in the UK but for some reason I think it’ll be better stateside
• Old Navy ~ I went to one in Florida 10 years ago and still have a fab cargo skirt from all that time ago
• a PROPER Disney store
• Krispy Kreme
• have a MacDonald’s in it’s homeland
• go to a real Italian and have Pizza as big as a house
• visit a Diner for breakfast, lunch and dinner ~ I am dreaming of pancakes, bacon and cheeseburgers
• go to the State Fair (the Bangor State Fair is on our itinerary)
• try FroYo
• eat a Corndog at the fair
• eat Lobster (for the first time) at a waterside restaurant
• have an evening at a “dive bar” or “sports bar” with the Husband and drink American beer
• if I can find a Country music bar – EVEN BETTER!
• acquire a pair of Cowboy boots and a Stetson…. (this is a whole other post)

Oh the list of things I want to do is kind of endless, I am sure this is only half of it.

This look is simply perfection.  I envy everything about this.

 

As any girl would, I am thinking about what to pack ALREADY.  A bit premature I know, but this packing plan also coincides with the “image overhaul” and the fact that I need to purchase a whole new (quality) wardrobe.

Do you know how hard it is to find a quality white t-shirt these days?  It’s making me go crazy!

My packing plan is based on spending my days with two young boys (9 months and 11 years old) as well as the Husband and in-laws…. There will be a lot of BBQ’s, pool days, shopping days with my Mother in law, and exploring old towns and eating out.  So it needs to be practical, comfortable and easy-going.

The items I pack need to work well together and be able to have different mix and match looks as I will be sharing my suitcase with AJ’s baby-stuff so I can’t go overboard and stuff it full of sparkly dresses and heels.

I also figured that if I do for some crazy wonderful reason get to have just a “date night” with the husband somewhere special then I can treat myself to something special to wear. Right?

Here are the items (or style of) I am hoping to source and pack, some items I already own…

 

Things I already own: Dark Skinny Jeans, White Wide leg Linen Trousers, Denim Pencil Skirt.

To buy: Cropped Jeans, Shorts, Navy Maxi Skirt, Plaid Shirt, Breton Top, White Sleeveless Shirt, Coloured T’s & Vests.

 

 

 

 

Things I already own: Safari Jacket, Flip Flops

To buy: Denim Jacket, Grey Marl Cardigan, White waterfall cardigan, White pumps, Deck Shoes, Sandals, Shoe Boots

 

I have sandals etc already, but it is time to invest in comfortable and less high versions…. I am heading to Clarks for these and maybe these or these, I can’t decide.

 

 

 

Things I already own: Blue & White sundress, White cotton sundress
To buy: Black Maxi dress

 

 

Things I already own: Sun hat, Leopard Scarf, Yellow Scarf, Gold Hoops, Black Bikini, Watch, Diamond Earrings
Things to buy: Sunglasses, Gold Statement Necklace, Gold Studs, Diamond cross (on my wish list ~ it probably won’t happen)

 

I’ll also be packing my “Capsule Make Up Wardrobe” as blogged before

 

Things to mention ~ I am not even going to entertain the thought of a handbag.  I’ve learnt to rock the “baby bag as handbag” look and things probably won’t change till we start potty training…. so it’ll be a while.

Swimsuits – I cannot swim, so won’t actually BE swimming just “shadebathing”, I don’t really sunbathe either thanks to the discovery of an In Situ Melanoma at 23 years old, so packing loads of bikini’s will just be a waste of time.  If I find myself regretting this, I’ll just pick up some cheap ones if I can find some.

SPF30+ is of course, an absolute must!

 

PLEASE share any ideas or suggestions you might have for my packing plan ~ is it too much, too little? 

Is it climate appropriate?

AND any suggestions of where to go and what I simply mustn't miss when in Fredericton and travel down to Maine (Bangor and Portland)?

Being a Domestic Duchess takes organisation

 

As I may have mentioned a million times already, we recently moved house.  Now living on 2 floors instead of two and having 10 rooms in total as opposed to 5 like we used to, Husband and I decided to plan out the housekeeping tasks over the week so that it doesn’t start to overwhelm me/us (mainly me).

Thanks to a lot of research on the Martha Stewart website (I just LOVE how Type A that woman is) as well as this INCREDIBLE website named Tip Junkie I found – I’m sorry for your printer right now, because you won’t be able to resist the printables! #oops #sorry

I share with you…..

My weekly cleaning schedule. 

I am now 4 days in on working to this agenda and it does seem a weight off my mind just knowing what needs to be tackled today and what I know can be handled (and wait) until tomorrow.  It’s nice to say “mañana” and know that what you put off until tomorrow still won’t overwhelm you.

Before I got pregnant I had a cleaner, then, when I took early Maternity leave I decided I could handle it now I was at home.  I wish I hadn’t let her go.

Any new Mum should consider shoehorning her life in to some sort of routine, because believe me – once baby comes along, the days merge in to one and before you know it you have laundry coming out of your ears and doing a food shop becomes nigh on impossible and you will just DREAD it.

Kate Middleton – take note, you might need something like this if you are planning on being hands-on and running as much of your household as we are led to believe.

I sadly don’t have any family living nearby so it is just me running the home and managing baby which ~ at first ~ was HARD to deal with but it is getting easier.

Now I have the option of cleaner OR gardener, not both, and seeing as I have a black thumb, I chose gardener, so this little schedule is all to be completed by me….

*the white blurs are to protect my son’s name.
**where a room is written down, this means clean and tidy the WHOLE room. Dust, hoover, clean, tidy, put away etc.
***My baby does have more than 2 bath’s a week (he is a BLW baby so it gets messy) these are dedicated “playtime” baths.
****cat litter tray means a deep clean and whole litter change and not just a scoop and swirl.

Have you found working to a routine like this helps you?

I need this Jaeger dress in my life….

Pretty no?

It’d be perfect for my holiday to Canada and Maine in 11 weeks….

I adore Jaeger but it is always a little over my budget but I have SUCH a thing for stripes, that the cost-per-wear of this dress would soon work out in my favour.  It costs £125, so I’d probably have to wear it A LOT even by my stripy standards.

Perhaps this is the kind of thing that Kate might wear too? 

Simple, classic and I can imagine very comfortable. 

I’d pair it with simple white but delicate flip flops and a bright floral silk scarf for Spring/Summer wear and with cognac knee high (but flat) boots and accessories with a bold-hued trench coat (Red or Kelly Green) in Autumn/Winter.

Women's Jaeger Body con striped jersey dress

Moving house has sucked up ALL my shopping budget right now, so seeing this today has absolutely thrown a spanner in the works. 

I want, I need!

Meet Barbara

“C” (the Husband) had me laughing SO hard the other night.  Why?  He took the mickey out of me because I was crying.

Real crying, real tears falling, real emotion.

Why again, and why so mean to laugh at his own wife crying? 

I saw an advert on the TV for Disney and it CHOKED ME UP

I was a bit of a hard cow before I got pregnant, and now, still 7 months after having AJ, the smallest of thing will set me off. 

Seriously, anything.  Its a bit of a problem and rather embarrassing.  Even happy things make me cry because it is so happy I become all emotional over the power of emotions.

He looked at me deadpan and said “You alright Barbara”?

C has named my “emotionally unstable second personality” … “Barbara”

I laughed so hard at the man, it made me realise JUST how much I love him and what a lucky girl I am.

And then I cried because I love him and he makes me laugh……..

*Sorry if your name is Barbara, or your Mum’s name is Barbara but this just made me crack up with some serious laughter.  What a name choice.

 

This little man popped his first two bottom teeth over the weekend…. Yes, it made Barbara cry with pride.

 

Oh Barbara, it looks at though you are here to stay.

New home–a sneak peek

Bonjour!

Happy bank Holiday to those in the UK and Happy Cinco De Mayo for yesterday to my friends across the pond! 

I wish we celebrated Cinco De Mayo here in the UK, it looks to festive, colourful and yummy!  I love me some Mexican food.  I think I might adopt it next year as a holiday to celebrate at home.  It seems a fitting way to welcome in the Spring.

If you follow me on Twitter, you’ll know that I have been pretty quiet on this blog and social media because we FINALLY moved in to our new home, and could.not.be.happier.

 

Husband is currently upstairs doing a final coat of paint in AJ’s nursery.  7 months later and we have a nursery for him ::yay::

We are still in the throes of putting the house together but I thought I’d share a few sneak peek photos.  I might do a house tour once it is all finally together if anyone is curious to see it?

Something I haven’t mentioned before is that one of the primary reasons we needed to move is because we outgrew our old place as I also have an 11 year old stepson and it simply wasn’t feasible for him and AJ to share a room anymore. 

I’ve not spoken much about him because I don’t feel it is my place to share his life and going's' on on the blog without his/his Mother’s permission, but he is very much a part of our lives and he is a very happy boy to have a new room all to himself.

“Z” turned 11 years old on the weekend we moved and as his birthday surprise we decorated his room in “bright colours” as he requested, but I added a “computer geekery” spin to the room as he is the biggest computer geek known to man. 

Suffice to say he loves his new room.  Pictures of his room first seeing as it is the only room to be almost pulled together.

     

The first print is the entire history/product evolution of Apple.  It is part of a limited edition of  prints and fits the colourful theme amazingly.

“Stay Hungry Stay Foolish” is a quote by Steve Jobs (one of hubby’s heroes) and C actually designed and printed this himself using a print we saw and took as inspiration but the colours weren’t quite right for the room.  #hedesignsforaliving

The last print we bought from Woah There Pickle via Etsy.  I used Pinterest for my inspiration and will be adding to the gallery wall over time.  Here is the board I created if you want to see the direction it will be going in. 

The rest of the house…

We overlook a farm and have Sheep, Cows and Horses on alternating days in the direct opposite field. #bestillmyheart

Wine & Milk ~ classy.  These “odd” and unbalanced lamps are really bothering me, but I LOVE the new Persian rug.

As you can see we still need to hang some artwork and tidy up here and there and we have paint coming out of our ears.  We have a gardener coming on Tuesday to sort out the trees, grass, borders and deck.  I can’t wait to finally be able to sit and relax in my own garden! 

I see a lot of Beer and BBQ’s in our future.  We are ordering a HUGE Indian Fire bowl for the garden…. We can’t wait to sit around it at night sipping on a Pinot Grigio or a Light Beer.  I can imagine it’ll be pretty awesome for Bonfire Night too.

I’ll share more as it comes together.

Could I be any happier right now?  I doubt it. xxx

Gettin’ a little greasy

Having thrown out most of my make up and being left with only what I really wear, I couldn’t really get away with not turning my attention to our bathroom cabinet.

All six drawers of bathroom cabinet, holding in its clutches lotions and potions and long-forgotten-tried-and-tested-but-never-finished tubes of creams and cleansers, soaps and foams and who-knows-what-else.

It doesn’t even live in our en suite! This cabinet is the “spare” which resides in the bathroom our guests use.

Seriously, all but one drawer of this Ikea MALM cabinet holds a mass of beauty junk.
That one other drawer?  Toilet tissue.  Glam. 

I said I was ashamed before, but this task was a little more embarrassing.  Husband has been begging and pleading with me to tackle this chest of drawers for 3 weeks but I just knew I would be facing my nemesis~  a.k.a my own socially-conditioned over consumer spendaholic product junkie self.

64 items (yes I counted) headed for the bin and as I tied up the bin bag I resolved to search for a better way to look after my hair and most importantly, skincare regime.  A better way meaning simpler.  Either in method or defining what it really needs.

Which brings me to the point of the post.

Its all going to get a little greasy up in this here blog for a while

I am going “No Poo” and will be Oil Cleansing my skin.

Thanks to Crunchy Betty, I have researched the heck out of shampoo ingredients and mulled over my “problematic skin”, what might be causing it and came to this one conclusion.

I wouldn’t swallow a cup of Silicone, Dimethicone or Sodium Lauryl Sulphate so why am I so happy to slather it on my scalp or face?  Which just so happens to be the largest organ on my body.

Perhaps because it is the “done thing”, right?  Wrong…. we weren’t born with the inherent desire to wash our hair. Or as kids thought it necessary to strip our skin of the slightest bit of shine ~ heck, it probably began to shine as soon as we started using well known brands who claim to clear up spotty teenage skin.

I am going to defy convention and see if there really is a way to live simply and still feel good about my appearance.

Kate Middleton, again I have you to thank for this.  This whole “simple living, recycling, being true to yourself” movement I seem to be going through is rather fun and can only mean my husband will love me more for not spending like a maniac every time I enter a Boots or Superdrug.

Before you start to think how “icky” it might be, I’d like to direct your attention to these articles which explain why this is the way to go.  No Poo, and the Oil Cleansing Method.  I’d explain it myself but why bother doing so when its already wonderfully worded?

So…. No Poo.  This won’t begin until we move house next Wednesday/Thursday.  Apparently it might take up to 2-4 weeks for your hair to settle past the crazy greasy stage before it looks nice, so I will leave that till I am so engrossed in setting up my new home I won’t care so much about how I look.  My hair gets VERY oily and I have to wash it every day for it to look acceptable.  The No Poo challenge I think, will be the hardest.

I will be washing my hair with Baking Soda made into a paste with water and will condition when needed with Apple Cider Vinegar. 

Oil Cleansing?

Already started on that one, and you know what?  I absolutely love it.  The beginnings of my diary below.

Oil Cleansing Method Diary – using Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Day One
Feels really weird to rub oil in to my face but the massage feels nice and the hot cloth feels really luxurious. 
Skin surprisingly feels really clean and very plump after and not at all tight. 
I opt to forgo moisturiser today and not wear make up except mascara (as I am not going out of the house today).
Nose feels oily in the evening but the skin on my cheeks feel really smooth.
I do not wash my face at night

Day Two
I "rinse" my face in the shower and it feels a bit dry and tight when I get out.
Apply small amount of EVOO to my face and rub on my eyes too - no sting!  It dissolves the mascara which only needs
a small wipe to remove.  Can't help but think that this will save me at least some expense in eye creams in the future.
I inspect skin in the mirror and small red patches are visible on my cheeks - it looks as though "things" are working their way out.
The PMS zit I have on my chin is moist, not dry and flaky as usual and seems to be fading.  PMS zits usually last a week on my face!
My enlarged pores on my nose and the areas under my eyes seem a lot shallower than normal.
I only apply a small amount of Estee Lauder Night Repair under my eyes for a bit of moisture.
I apply a light layer of foundation only on areas I need it (nose, under eyes, cheekbones and chin).
Skin looks slightly plumper and feels nice to the touch.
Husband who is too distracted with work and moving house to realise I am rubbing EVOO on my face at night states how smooth and lovely my cheek feels.

Day Three
Oil cleansed before bed last night as I wore make up in the day
Felt so relaxing massaging the oil in and it broke down ALL my make up in mere minutes.
Can’t help but think of all the pulling and tugging I have had to do over the years to shift my mascara and foundation etc.
Hot cloth really gets my blood pumping to my face (essential for skin renewal and regeneration)
Feel slightly smug about it all
Woke up and showered, splashed water on my face and it felt slightly dry after
Inspect skin in the mirror and blackheads on nose are really breaking down, whiteheads I am prone to on chin are “dry” (gross I know) and enlarged pores either side of my nose still look shallow
Applied a tiny amount of olive oil to dry areas and it dried well and moisturised ~ applied make up a couple of minutes later
Foundation went on SO smoothly ~ I use Estee Lauder Double Wear which is quite unforgiving if you have any dry areas

I am blogging from amongst piles of boxes of a half packed up home at the moment, but promise to share a “before” pic of my skin soon once I find my camera lead.  It will be interesting to see if this method really makes a difference.  I know it will to my bank balance, that’s for sure.

What do you think about No Poo or the Oil Cleansing method?
Have you tried it?

I am ashamed…. and my Kate Middleton make up “eureka” moment

Just take a look at this…..

This dear friends, represents my total lack of self control and something I call “auto-shop” when it comes to cosmetics counters.

Above pile of cosmetics represents a small portion of about 150+ items that I sorted out (read: threw away) whilst packing up my vanity table ahead of our move.  I gave away the collection above to a friend of mine from my school days (she used to help me out big time in Science class) and who writes a cosmetics blog, a lot of the items had only been used for colour swatches ( thought it looked pretty but never applied it) or used once….. how wasteful of me, but best they get “reviewed and road tested” on her blog before heading to their final destination wherever that may be!

I am totally ashamed about how much I must have spent, let alone repeat purchased over the years, but at the same time, I feel absolutely refreshed!

I’ve said before that one of the ways in which Kate Middleton inspires me is that she stays true to herself, and taking this approach on board, I have significantly pared down how many cosmetics I have.

A lovely Dior make up bag now contains my collection as opposed to 3 large drawers! Who needs that much make up???  Unless of course you review/write about it, or are a make up artist.

Without question, all items are inspired by, or even (reportedly) used by Kate herself but crucially I LOVE them and reach for them all the time.  The set below is what actually is used rather than hoarded. 

 

 

Kate Middleton inspired make up set by verykatemiddleton featuring mac cosmetics

 

Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation in “Fresco” (lasts all day): Link!   My shade is “Fresco”
MAC Cosmetics Powder in NW15 (to set foundation and reduce any shine): Link!  EL Double Wear + MAC powder = flawless!
MAC Cosmetics “Après” Mineralise Skin Finish (for highlighting cheekbones and cupids bow): Link!
Bobbi Brown eyebrow powder kit in “Light” or eye shadow in “Cement” (for filling in and defining brows): Link!
Bobbi Brown “Bone” eye shadow (all over eye area): Link!
Bobbi Brown “Peony” blush (for apples of cheeks): Link!
Bobbi Brown “Black Plum” eye shadow (for lining upper and lower lashes for a softer look): Link!
Lancome Le Krayon Khol pencil eye liner (for upper and lower waterline): Link!
Lancome Hypnose Mascara (best mascara EVER): Link!
Lansinoh Lanolin (used to prep lips and as a gloss – shiny non-sticky lips): Link!
Bobbi Brown “Italian Rose” Creamy Lip Colour (I only use lipstick for special occasions and “going out”): Link!

Do you mindlessly buy cosmetics too or do you know what suits you and stick with it?