Gift Ideas | Mothers' Day

There will be no featured shop of the week today. Instead I have compiled a round up of Mothers' Day gift ideas from our previous featured shops.

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1 // Two Cheeky Monkeys has a lovely range of one of a kind jewellery in their Etsy store.

2 // Susan from Pea Green Sea has introduced a gorgeous range of jewellery into her Etsy store. I particually love these gorgeous earrings.

3 // Jentik Manis has a beautiful range of jewellery available for your Mum this Mothers' Day.

4 // Made by Joni have these lovely, simple watercolour cards available in their Etsy store Paperie Love.

5 // This gorgeous combination from The Swatchmaker is a perfect pamper gift for your mum. Tara has a range of other balms and washcloths in her Etsy store.

6 // Instead of real flowers for your mum why not gift her with a beautiful bouquet that will last her for years to come. Rachael has some gorgeous designs in her Etsy store Pulp Petals.

7 // Don't forget to check out my Etsy store Little Miss Lorraine for great gift ideas for Mum! We have you covered from a gift, to gift wrapping and also gift cards!

What are you doing for your mum this Mothers' Day?

xx

 

Wardrobe Revamp | Create a Style Concept

Now that I have cleansed my wardrobe and started collecting inspiration for my personal style, the next step in Into Mind's 10 Step Wardrobe Revamp is to establish what your personal style is.

I feel like I have my work style down pact (I will be posting outfits on the blog) however my non work style needs some tweaking. I still find I look in my wardrobe and struggle to put outfit pieces together that I love wearing.

Based on my inspiration pictures, I am pretty certain  what my personal style is (and therefore how I would like to build my wardrobe) I love the idea of a neutral, simplistic but feminine wardrobe where I can co-ordinate many different outfits from a few pieces. Comfortable but stylish is what I would really love to achieve.

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I love the mix of neutrals in these pictures (the first one is my ultimate wardrobe!) Neutrals make it so easy to mix and match clothing into so many different combinations. I will be on the lookout for a good quality leather jacket this year. Good investments now means that your clothing will last for years. Comfortable but stylish!

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I always find myself gravitating towards skirts and dresses! I usually wear either a skirt or dress to work, but seem to struggle in incorporate them into my everyday wardrobe. This is something I definitely wish to change! I love the comfortable, yet stylish look of the pictures above.

This year my focus will be on finding / making pieces that fit into my chosen personal style. Look out for blog posts on these new additions as I acquire them.

What would you describe your personal style as? Are you due for a personal style check?

xx

 

Two Cheeky Monkeys | Featured Shop of the Week

After some great feedback from our last weeks Featured Shop of the Week, today I would like to introduce you to Deb from Two Cheeky Monkeys! 

Tell us a little bit about yourself

I am a self-taught jewellery maker who grew up in suburban Melbourne.  Although many people are surprised to discover that I have a background in Genetics and Molecular Biology (I worked as a research scientist pre-kids), I grew up with creative parents who encouraged both my academic and creative sides.  My mum especially shaped my creative side, teaching me to embroider, sew, knit and crochet when I was young.

Meet Deb from Two Cheeky Monkeys!

What made you want to start Two Cheeky Monkeys

After starting a family, I found that the rigours of the scientific world made it almost impossible for family-oriented people to find flexible and family-friendly jobs. So, to keep myself entertained while I continued my rather miserable job hunting, I returned to my "creative" side and started making jewellery and other handmade gifts for my friends and loved ones. Many of my friends and family members started encouraging me to sell my creations, and with the added encouragement of my husband, Two Cheeky Monkeys was born.

Where did the idea for the name Two Cheeky Monkeys come from
My husband and I thought it would be sweet to name my shop after our two children, since they were one of the main reasons I opened up shop!  And since our kids are super cute but super cheeky too, I settled on the name Two Cheeky Monkeys.

Tell us about the products you sell and your processes

I predominantly sell vintage-inspired jewellery and accessories for women, with a small range of items each for children and men.  I have three main jewellery ranges: the Literature range which features snippets of old books set into jewellery or accessories, the Glam It Up range which is all about jewellery made with gorgeous vintage glass jewels and stones, and also the Cabochon range which encompasses my pieces made with vintage and contemporary floral cabochons, a favourite of those who want a more feminine look.

The Literature range is probably the most time-consuming to create due to the fact that I search for battered old copies of famous novels and flick through the pages to find suitable character names for my creations.  Sometimes I also get caught up in re-reading whichever novel I'm working with, an occupational hazard, ha ha ha!

What is the most useful piece of advice you have been given in regards to Two Cheeky Monkeys

I am quite eclectic in my tastes so I would say that the best advice I've been given is to try and unify my store's look by using a similar style of photography for every item.  It is very tempting for me to use a wide range of backgrounds and styling looks, so "unifying" the look of my store is a constant work in progress, but definitely a much needed reminder not to confuse my customers!

What do you love most about Two Cheeky Monkeys
I love that my creations are enjoyed by a wide range of people from little girls who want to "dress up like mummy" with my children's range, to bridal parties and to customers buying an item to spoil themselves or a loved one.  I really love that there's something for everyone who loves vintage-styled pieces.

Tell us where we can find out more about you and Two Cheeky Monkeys

You can find me here:
Etsy: etsy.com/au/shop/dspdavey
Facebook: facebook.com/TwoCheekyMonkeysJewellery
Made It: madeit.com.au/TwoCheekyMonkeys
Blog: twocheekymonkeysdesigns.blogspot.com

Previous Featured Shops
Little Miss Lorraine
Pea Green Sea

If you would like your shop to be featured on A Little Bit of Jess, flick me an email me at alittlebitofjess04@gmail.com and I will be in contact with you!

 

         

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3 Tips for Flawless Base Makeup

There is a away to achieve perfect flawless base makeup application no matter which base makeup you are using. I use these same 3 tips when applying both BB cream (which I wear nearly everyday) and foundation (for more special occasions)

1 | Pick the perfect brush

This is the first and most important step towards a flawless base makeup application. Using a good quality brush will ensure the application of your base makeup is even and not patchy. I use these brushes from Bubz Beauty (a Hong Kong based UK YouTuber/Blogger) and absolutely love them. You also want to ensure you are using the right brush for the right product. I tend to stick to my flat brush as I feel I have more control over the  application, however you may achieve similar results with your fluffy brushes!

2 | Don't use too much product at once

The key to flawless makeup application is to not use too much product at once. You will get a more even coverage by layering your product as needed. This also ensures you don't get that "cake face" look.

3 | Take your time blending

I spend more time now on the blending of my base makeup than ever before and the difference is amazing. The more time you spend blending in your base makeup, the better the application and the more flawless the outcome. By using this method, I can even blend in my BB cream to maximize the coverage. This method also ensures my base makeup stays in all day and all night. Always ensure you blend down your neck as well to avoid the dreaded "line!" 

I hope these 3 tips have been helpful! I would love to know your tips for perfect flawless base makeup application.

xx

 

Wardrobe Revamp | Collect Inspiration

The last post in this wardrobe revamp series was to detox my wardrobe. I managed to get rid of a whole garbage bag worth of clothes which I will donate, and another bag of clothes and shoes that will be thrown away. As I said, this will be an ongoing process for me, but I am happy with the result so far.

The next step in Into Mind's 10 Step Wardrobe Revamp is to collect inspiration for the kind of wardrobe you would like to have. This was a very easy step for me as I have been collecting pictures of inspiration via Pinterest for a while now! 

My ideal wardrobe is one that has a mixture of pieces I can wear layered in many different combinations as well as a few beautiful key pieces.

Here is a look at some of my inspiration photos from my fashion Pinterest board...

image from Pinterest

image from Pinterest

image from Pinterest

image from Pinterest

image from Pinterest

image from Pinterest

image from Pinterest

image from Pinterest

Follow my Pinterest board to see what else I have pinned! In the next post, I will be discussing my personal style and how these pictures (and more on my Pinterest) fit into that.

xx

 

The Body Shop Wild Argan Oil | First Impressions

You may remember I received this pack from The Body Shop from my amazing boyfriend for my birthday last year. I have been slowly working my way through the products and there are a few I would definitely purchase again.

One of these products is the Wild Argan Oil for skin and hair. Whilst I haven't tried this product on my skin as yet, I have been using it my hair recently and I am absolutely loving the result! I love trying to leave my hair as naturally curly as possible, however it tends to frizz quite badly throughout the day.

I have been using the Spray Gel for Curls by Toni & Guy on my hair for a few months now. I still love this product, however as much as it makes my curls stand out it doesn't have that all day protection from the frizz!

The pictures below show my third day curls using The Body Shop's Wild Argan Oil. I have never used a product that makes my hair stay this nice for so long! All I do in the morning is get up and go - no styling needed.

One of the things I really love about this product is that although it is an oil, it doesn't make my hair feel or look oily (as long as you keep it away from your roots!)

One spray on each side is enough to keep my hair frizz free for a good couple of days.

Have you every tried the Wild Argan Oil from The Body Shop before? I would love to know which products you use to help keep the frizz away!

What I'm Wearing
Crocheted Dress (Blazae- a few years ago)

xx

Wardrobe Revamp | Detox Your Wardrobe

As you may have seen in my last post, I have finally decided to undertake a pretty major wardrobe revamp! Step 1 from Into Mind's 10 Step Wardrobe Revamp was to establish what you do not like about your current wardrobe (click here to see what I dislike about my current wardrobe!) Step 2 is to clean out your wardrobe, and get rid of anything that does not match your new wardrobe style. 

I finally had a chance on the weekend to detox my wardrobe. The first step was to get everything out on the bed into piles "keep, donate, trash, revamp" 

Not much left!!

I ended up with a big garbage bag full of clothes to donate, as well as a bag full of things to throw out (mostly shoes!) 

I am not completely finished going through my clothes, and there are still a few things I will probably end up giving away (once I come to terms I no longer need them!)

Into Mind includes a fantastic closet detox cheat sheet for this step to help you through those tricky decisions!!

Now I have a really good idea where my wardrobe is lacking and what things I need to think about restocking! I also had a few things I really like, but need to revamp so look out for a post with before and afters for these. The next step is to gather inspiration for new wardrobe pieces - that post will be up next week.

xx

 

Wardrobe Revamp | Rethink Your Strategy

I have finally decided it is time for a wardrobe revamp. I have been really unhappy with my wardrobe for a while now. Don't get me wrong, I have lots of nice clothes, but I can never seem to put together outfits I really love to wear!

I came across the blog / website Into Mind via Pinterest and found this amazing 10 Step Wardrobe Revamp guide. It breaks the process of a wardrobe revamp down into 10 easy steps which is great at making the process seem less overwhelming. Into Mind is a website full of amazing tips for the perfect style, minimalism and the perfect wardrobe. I will definitely be referring to the website for more than just this wardrobe revamp!

I will be writing a blog post for each step of the way and including a lot of progress pictures, links and helpful tips. I hope this will be helpful for people who want to undertake a wardrobe revamp but are not sure where to start!

The first step in the wardrobe revamp process is to establish what you do not like about your current wardrobe as this will help you find out where your wardrobe weaknesses are. Using the flow chart provided, I have worked out that my wardrobe no longer matches my personal style. My goals for this revamp will be to:

- Redefine my current style
- Introduce new elements (I am hoping to make quite a few pieces myself!)
- Get rid of clothing that no longer matches my current style

Step 2 is to detox your wardrobe. Keep an eye out for the post on this soon (as soon as I get a free afternoon to go through my wardrobe!)

Have you ever undertaken a major wardrobe revamp? I am excited to share my progress with you!

xx

 

The Kimono | On Trend

Kimonos are all the rage this spring / summer. They are a great way to add something to an otherwise plain outfit, and can be worn dressed up or more casually. 

Kimonos are also really easy to make - which is exactly what I did! 

There are quite a few kimono tutorials out there, but this is the one I used with a few modifications.

I was originally inspired by this pin to make a gorgeous floral pastel kimono. However as is usually the case I couldn't find any fabric similar to this. I did eventually manage to find two different materials for two kimonos. 

I wasn't 100% sure about this fabric at first because it initially looked like there was way too much black. After a friend rolled it out more, we discovered it had a beautiful purple floral pattern on it.

This fabric is gorgeous to look at and and feels amazing, however it is definitely not easy to sew with. It frays quite a lot which can make things difficult. As such I had to add bias binding to the open portion of the kimono to stop the fray. I also overlocked the hems.

I found this gorgeous black looped trim to add to the arm holes and around the bottom of the kimono.

For the second kimono, I was instantly drawn to the beautiful colours and the soft feel of the fabric. This fabric was much easier to work with - although it does still fray a little this is easily fixed by overlocking the hems.

I found these cute white baubles to add onto the arm holes and bottom of the kimono. 

Overall I am really happy with how they have turned out and would definitely make more! 

What are your thoughts on the kimono?

I would also like to take this opportunity to say "Happy New Year" and thank you for all your support in 2014. There are lots of exciting things happening in 2015 and I can't wait to take you along for the ride.

xx