Blending things up a little...

Whilst browsing at Sephora a few days ago, I saw the Beauty Blender...again! A product that I have seen countless times and has been reviewed many times on the web. A product that I had previously ignored, because, I've always used a foundation brush and got great results! (Or so I thought) And, besides, it really can't be that impressive, can it? On an impulse, I picked it up and added it to my purchases. Well, I finally got around to trying it out yesterday and I totally understand what the hype is about! I was really impressed with it! For those of you who have not heard about the Beauty Blender yet, it is an egg shaped, makeup sponge, unlike any other!

To use it, you need to soak it in water until its completely saturated.

Then squeeze dry.

And thereafter towel dry.

Then dip it into your makeup of choice and start applying to your face by using a bouncing motion.

It can be used for foundations, powders, cream blush, bronzers or basically any complexion product. The lower part, which is bigger, can be used on the cheeks, forehead and neck areas. While the pointy tip makes it easy to blend into those hard to reach areas around the eyes, nose and mouth. 

After usage don't forget to clean your blender with the cleansing solution (that is purchased separately) and leave it atop the container that it came in, to dry out completely. 

And for the end result? Yes! Definitely worth buying! It worked great! I used a lot less product and I achieved a smooth, very even coverage, but still very natural looking.

Actually I loved it so much I bought these cute little twin beauty blenders last night! I can't wait to try them out! 

A double surprise and a nursery reveal!!!

This post is long overdue but hopefully worth the wait... In May, I gave birth to my twin girls which was a huge surprise, or should I say shock, to most of my family and friends! We knew that I was expecting twins, but we chose not to tell anyone. We found out at 6 weeks at an early ultrasound. It was the hardest secret that I have ever kept but so worth it when I saw the excited reactions of our nearest and dearest!

I've finally had a chance to photograph the girls' nursery and I am absolutely thrilled with the room and so excited to share it with you all... 

My inspiration for this room was gold and white with touches of pink, but once I started, I couldn't stop with the pink! Fortunately, we have a large bedroom that could accommodate two cots and the dresser/changing table, as well as the other pieces that I wanted to add to the room...

We started by painting the walls a gorgeous pale grey with pink undertones. The cots and changing table were custom made. It was actually Buddy's furniture and I  still loved the modern look so we had a second cot made to match.   

This antique chair has so many memories. It was mine when I was a little girl and it was originally upholstered in a floral fabric. We had it repainted and reupholstered in white and it turned out just the way I envisioned! I'm looking forward to making new memories with the girls...late night feeds, lots of cuddles and story time snuggled up together on the chair...

I purchased this side table and sprayed the tips of the legs gold to add some glam! 

We added floating shelves above the changing table which creates a lovely feature and a spot to display their keepsakes.

The girls' initials...A gift from grandma.

These wooden blocks belonged to me as a child...

Convenient storage for little items and accessories...

I painted these boxes with my Buddy's help (or should I say supervision?) during my 'nesting stage'. He wanted everything to be perfect for our little princesses! 

A gold bunny and toadstool for some cuteness...I went a bit crazy with a can of gold spray paint!

Gold and white wooden alphabets to spell 'LOVE'.

These heart shaped hooks next to the changing table are so convenient. I usually choose and hang their outfits up the night before so we have a less stressful time in the morning choosing their outfits. I do the same with Buddy's clothing...With my hands so full at the moment, every bit of pre-planning helps!

I did not find any linen to my liking. so I had some custom-made.

These pink and white bunnies were Buddy's first gifts to his sisters'. Aren't they just adorable?

I hand sewed gold braid onto a pink scatter cushion to form the word 'love'.  

A pink wooden box used as a toiletry caddy keeps everything corralled together and accessible for double diaper changes.

At the bottom of the changing table, we use these grey baskets to store toys.

These heart-shaped closet dividers make life so much easier! And, they are so easy to make... I made smaller ones to tie onto some storage baskets as well. I'll post a tutorial when time permits.

Our girly, gold, pink and white nursery is complete and it is exactly what I envisioned for my little princesses... I hope that many happy memories will be made in this space! 

A Little Boy And A Toy Store...

Hamleys...The finest toy store in the world, opens its doors in South Africa!!!

Buddy loves toy stores...but then again, which kid doesn't? (and many adults too!) There is nothing like a toy store to bring joy to a child's life!

The iconic Hamleys bear.

We were delighted when we heard that Hamelys, the oldest toyshop in the world, was opening at the Greenstone shopping centre. My Buddykin was beyond excited! 

And then the invite to the opening arrived and he could speak of nothing else for weeks...

 Unfortunately on the morning of the big day, my three month old twins took ill and were admitted to hospital. They spent a week there, but thankfully they are feeling a lot better now. Needless to say Buddy (and I) were really disappointed,(that look of disappointment that I saw in his eyes is going to haunt me for a long time), but he was so sweet and understanding about it... We have promised him a visit to the magical toy land soon... I think that he deserves something special for his patience. The past three months have been really hard on us, but most especially on  him, considering that he was an only child for almost four years, and even though I try to give him a lot of attention, the twins seem to take up the bulk of my time, so I really thought that it would have been wonderful to have done something special with him, but alas, it was not to be. We are really looking forward to taking him and treating him to something special. See you soon Hamleys!!!

The CEO of Hamleys, South Africa, Philip Paphitis.

 PS: Stay tuned for the twins' nursery reveal coming soon!

Let's Get Messy!!!

My buddy loves messy play. We try and do some sort of sensory play everyday. Some days, its something as simple as playing in his sandpit or painting and on other days we get a bit more creative.

Sensory play has so many benefits. It helps toddlers and preschoolers build fine motor skills, assists with co-ordination, develops their imaginations and even language development such as learning new words.
If the mere thought of messy play freaks you out, here are some tips to keep things slightly 'cleaner':

• If its warm take messy play outside.
• Cover any surfaces that you don't want stained. 
• Keep an old t-shirt for your child to wear during messy activities to prevent damaging good clothes.
• Teach your little one to help with cleaning up after the activity and make clean up fun!

So lets get messy!

Playdough
Playdough is always popular with children. We usually make our own because we go through so much of it!
It's also suitable for younger kids. Here is  the recipe that we use. I usually make a few batches and store it in Ziplock bags in the fridge.

2 and 1/2 cups of water

1 and 1/4 cups of salt

1 and 1/2 tbsps of cream of tartar

5 tbsps of vegetable oil

2 and 1/2 cups of flour

Food colouring

Mix all the above together in a pot and cook on low heat until it starts to come together. Remove from the heat and empty onto a work surface. Once it has cooled down, knead it well. 

Now let your child's imagination run wild! Here are some ideas to get you started:

1) Make brown coloured playdough and use it as cement to build houses with wooden blocks.

2) Use it to hide small toy creatures.
3) Create playdough creatures. Spiders, snakes and monsters are Buddy's speciality! Use pipe cleaners and googly eyes for added fun.
4) Add glitter for glittery playdough.
5) Make different prints in your dough. Handprints, leaf prints, use a textured rolling pin or even stamps.
6) Pretend to cook or bake.

The possibilities are endless!

Erupting Moon Sand

Make exploding moon sand.
1 and 1/2 cups of flour
1 and 1/2 cups of bicarbonate of soda
1/4 cup of sunflower oil
Food colouring of your choice
Mix all the above together.

Buddy enjoyed playing with it like this for a little while.

 Then I gave him a pipette filled with vinegar and the real fun began.

Eventually we poured all the vinegar in...

Shaving foam
Shaving foam always excites children. Mix in food colouring and make shaving foam paint. Freeze it and it becomes 'ice-cream' textured paint. It's great for bath time play as well.

Water beads
Boil tapioca (available at supermarkets) in water mixed with food colouring. When its soft, drain the water and rinse thoroughly. Now let those little fingers start exploring!

Flubber

This is so much of fun,you'll want to play with it yourself! Its not liquid nor is it solid. You can shape it like playdough, but it won't hold its shape 

(Note: this is not for the little ones that are likely to put it into their mouths)

1 and a half bottles of art and craft white glue

1/3 cup of warm water

Food colouring (you can use green like real flubber, this time Buddy really wanted blue) 

Mix the above together

In another bowl mix:

1/3 cup of warm water

1tsp of borax powder

Slowly add the borax mixture to the glue mixture mixing as you go. 

You may not need all the borax mixture, use as much as you need. If you add too much borax and your flubber ends up too stiff, just add some more glue. 

Use googly eyes to make creatures.

Or add glitter to the flubber for sparkly flubbler. 

There's so much you can do. I'll post some more ideas soon. In the mean time go ahead and try some of these.....your kids will love you! Have fun! 

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Lalaluxe Baby....When Only the Best Will Do....

Aren't the baby products available these days just exquisite? I'm having a hard time trying not to buy everything that I see!  Parents, relatives and friends will find it hard to resist shopping for a new baby. Whether you're looking for the perfect gift or want to shop for your own little one, here are some items that I love!

Sophie the Giraffe

Made out of rubber and food safe paint, it's easy for little fingers to grip. Sophie makes the perfect first toy! My son adored his Sophie and she made teething a lot easier. He still plays with her occasionally. She's been around for ages and my mom actually played with one when she was little! Sophie is simply prettier, softer and cuter than any other teether.
Available at Glam Baby glambaby.co.za


Aiden and Anais muslin swaddles

I loved these when my son was little. We've used them not only to swaddle him on those hot summer nights, but also as a sunshade over the carseat or stroller. I'll definitely buy another set this time around. Now, which colour to choose...
Available at the Yummy Mummy flag ship store, Corner of 4th Avenue and 8th Street

Parkhurst, Johannesburg, 2193

Vichy sunscreen

My sunscreen of choice for myself and my Buddy is Vichy. Recommended  by my dermatologist, I've been using it for years. The non-greasy, lightweight formula works perfectly on sensitive skin. I always carry a tube in my diaper bag.


Kate Spade diaper bag

I have this one in navy. Purchased while expecting my son, I still use it! Not only is it stylish, it's comfy to carry, hooks easily onto the stroller and EVERYTHING fits inside! Definitely one of my favourite purchases and it's still in perfect condition.

Kiehls baby body wash and moisturizer 

I've always used these for my son. It's so mild that it works perfectly on his eczema prone dry and I love the subtle fragrance. The Kiehls skeleton always entertains my Buddy while I shop.

Baby sleeping bag/nest

Every winter baby needs a cosy sleeping bag. Don't you love this one by Burberry. It also has slits so it can be used in a carseat or stroller. Available at http://www.childrensalon.com/

Bloom baby lounger

This drop dead gorgeous, luxuriously padded baby rocker is so stylish and modern it will enhance the decor of any home! Even the pickiest of parents will appreciate this sleek modern lounger. http://www.bloombaby.com/ or email

humera@mikka.co.za

Bambino Diamonds

One of the most precious gifts that a little girl can be given is a piece of jewellery. I love the delicate sparkle of the Bambino collection by Claire Aristides Fine Jewels. Their pieces are just the most precious gifts, worthy of any little princess. For more information visit
http://www.aristidesfinejewels.com

The Mima Moon highchair

The beautifully designed Mima Moon high chair is so stunning you'd be proud to display it in your dining room. Suitable from birth (it reclines fully so that baby can relax on the padded insert while you enjoy your meal) until 45kg, this gorgeous  chair would blend seamlessly into modern surroundings and it obviously complies to the highest safety standards. What's not to love???

Mamas and Papas blankets

These knitted blankets are just gorgeous! I bought a few for Buddy and he uses them all the time. I always carry one with me to throw over him if he falls asleep in his carseat or stroller. He loves snuggling into his blankie at night as well. These blankets wash so well that when I found out that I'm expecting, a stack of Mamas and Papas blankets was one of my first purchases.

JellyCat bunnies

A high quality soft toy makes a lovely newborn gift. There are so many choices. These JellyCat bunnies are so soft you won't want to stop cuddling them! It would be the perfect comfort toy. Available from Glambaby glambaby.co.za

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