SOOOOO IN LOVE.......

Hey guys, have you ever heard of hand painted shoes? That was my fresh discovery which I want to share with you. You probably already know I have a passion for shoes and limitless hunger to discover as much as I can about them. When I thought about hand painted shoes, first thought that visited my mind was that they would look like gram ma shoes. Well, there are a lot of them too, but shoes that I found (mostly on jellyfish.com) took me by surprise. They are so hot, young and desirable! Needless to say they are very pricey, range from $400 to $700. My wish list just got expaaaaaaanded! LOL!. Please check them out...

What do you think? Do you like them?

Waiting for your comments and if you have any questions - Ask Erena!

SUNSHINE AWARD!

Hey guys! I was nominated this Sunshine Award by Dana Paramita from Hello Behel.

This made my day! Thank you Dana sooooooo much!

the rules:

-thank the person who gave you this award -write a post about it

-answer the questions

-pass it on to 10 bloggers who you think really deverse it and send them a message to let them know

here my answer:

favorite color? purple

favorite animal? dog

favorite number? 5

favorite drink? martini

facebook/twitter? facebook

your passion? my blog:-)))))

giving/getting presents? giving

favorite pattern? acid wash

favorite day? saturday

favorite flower? daisy 

And the award goes to........

1. Fashion And Frank

2. Pink.Lemon.In.Crystal

3. Fashionadictas By Marcela

4. Wade Ashore

5. Paquetevistasbien

6. A Single Girl's Musings

7. Don't Call me Fashion Bloger

8. Miss Kwong

9. Me Myself And My Closet

10. World Around Us

I wish I could give away more awards! 

Five Tips: How to manage your time

Do you ever say "I don't have enough time to do everything I need to do". It is a very common excuse a lot of us use. It is also very frustrating when you want to do so many things and yet you can't find the time to do them.

Whilst juggling my two children and working from home, I have managed to find ways to manage my time more effectively so that I can get everything I need to, done. I've done a few time management courses in my career working as a public servant and I found that if you follow and stick to a plan for a few weeks it will become a habit and will definitely help you to continue to manage your time well. It can be hard at first but it will definitely become a good habit in the long run.

1. To start off with always think of your priorities. What is the most important thing that needs to be done to the least important? Learn to priorities and only do things that are actually productive and not time wasters.

2. Write a list of all the things you need to get done and how much time it will take to do them. Every day I have a schedule of all the tasks I need to do for the day and when I will do them. Include everything on the list and then look over it and start eliminating tasks that are not important. You will be surprised to see that there are a lot of things you can take off the list or do on another day. Once you have your list of tasks for the day make sure you stick to them.

3. Don't be sidetracked by interruptions. Learn to say no and write things down so you can remember them later.

4. Learn to delegate. In a busy household there is definitely things you can delegate. For example tidying up the kids rooms, instead of you doing that you can ask the kids to do it - giving you time to do something else. If you need to pick up the dry cleaning or bread and milk instead of you doing it ask your partner to do it or a family member who can help out.

5. Keep everything organised so that you don't waste time looking for things. How many times have you tried to look for something just as you have to leave to go somewhere and you can't find it? Being organised will definitely help in the long run to be able to find things quickly. I have my study all organised with folders and file for things I need so that I can grab things quickly. I am a huge organised fanatic - you can read my tips on how to be organised if you like.

Managing your time is about managing yourself. If you can manage your time effectively it will help you achieve more in less time. This will then give you time to do things that you like spending time on, a hobby!

Are you good at managing your time? Do you have any tips on how to manage your time better?

Lust Have It - premium samples delivered to your door!

The first of it's kind in Australia is Lust Have It - premium delivered samples from professional, high-end and boutique brands. Sounds great, right? It really is!

I joined up at $14.95 per month and received the first box in August. So I wanted to tell you all about it.

Lust have It is a monthly subscription service which delivers five to six haircare, skincare and makeup samples right to your doorstep. I love receiving parcels- what a great treat!

There are lots of prestige and boutique brands that are a part of Lust Have It. It is a great opportunity to try samples of prestige and professional products.

The first box that Lust Have It released was the August box, it contained:

1. Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant ( which I have tried and love, read my review here)
2. BioEffect EGF Serum
3. Giorgio Armani Sport Code sample for men
4. Mirenesse Velvet Lip Lift Moisture Shine
5. Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Creme ( really interested in trying this out!)
6. Naked Tan Self Tanner

I was very impressed with the quality of products in this box. A great variety and some great products that I have never tried before. The concept of this service has been around  in the USA for a while (Birchbox) and highly popular so it's great that Lust Have It have started this great service here in Australia.

I think it's a great way to try products through Lust Have It - check out their website.

Have you heard of Lust Have It? What sample brands would you like to try if you could choose?

Do you light a candle? Yankee candles review

I absolutely love candles! I find them relaxing and calming. Recently I was invited to a Yankee Candles event that I couldn't attend as it was in a different state, so I was sent some Yankee candles to try from the Aromatherapy Spa range. I have never heard of Yankee candles before, they debuted in Australia last year. Yankee candles are made with fragrance extracts and real essential oils.

The first one I got is the Relax, lotus flower and sea salt scent which is sea-inspired with light floral notes, the scent evokes feelings of peace, tranquility, and balance. 

The second one is the True bliss, sage and white tea scent which create a blissful formula that clears away anxieties and lifts the spirits.

These candles are definitely a winner in the scent department! They are absolutely gorgeous and have a beautiful scent that fills the room. They are also very long lasting over forty hours which is great as I usually have a candle on every night so something that lasts really long is definitely needed.

Yankee candles have a huge range of candles and fantastic scents too. I often think of what type of scents I would love to smell in a candle.

Now that Yankee candles are in Australia ( available online or at selected retailers) they may be able to make the perfect Australian candle. What do you think would be a perfect Australian scent? I think maybe coconut, honey or the smell of spring.

What do you think would make the perfect candle scent for you?

LIPSTICK SHOES

                                                    Alberto Guardiani LIPSTICK SHOES!
For all of you,  shoe-lovers there is something to talk about – lipstick shoes by Alberto Guardiani. Really true piece of art.
The Lipstick Heels Alberto Guardiani have become a symbol of the brand so much, not only to recreate them in a colorful version with heels for the A / I 2011-2012, but also make a version specifically designed for the hot season.
It comes in suede and leather, black, red, light lilac, gold and retails  for $425! The lipstick heel makes it look different, sexy and amazing!

Did you like these lipstick shoes? Which one would you pick?

Waiting for your comments and feedbacks and if you have any questions - Ask Erena!

Clean & Clear morning burst facial cleanser review

A few weeks ago I reviewed the Clean and Clear essentials facial foaming cleanser. I really like that one especially if you have oily skin.

I also bought the Clean and Clear morning burst facial cleanser a few weeks ago and must say this is yet another great cleanser. As the name suggests this cleanser is great to give you a morning refreshed, clean and awake feel to the skin.

Clean and Clear say: A foaming cleanser uniquely formulated with bursting beads that burst with energy and vitamins, and an invigorating citrus fragrance to help you wake up. The gentle cleanser, with Vitamin C and Ginseng, helps nourish skin while removing the dirt, oil and impurities that build up overnight. Leaves your skin clean & energised!

This really does what it says. It is a great cleanser, that leaves your face feeling refreshed and energised. The formula is a gel cleanser, with soft bursting beads that activate as you massage this onto the face. My face feels really refreshed and you can feel a cool tingly feeling as it cleanses your skin. The scent is a gorgeous citrus smell that I like and is noticeable as you use this. This really feels like it is cleansing your face, so it is great if you have breakouts or acne prone which I like as I have combination skin and very prone to pimples and breakouts.

Another great Clean and Clear product I would recommend this morning burst facial cleanser if your after a refreshing feel and a deep cleaning for your face. This is available in supermarkets and retails for $10.95aud for a 240ml bottle.

Do you like cleansers that have a cool tingly feeling? Have you tried this one? Have you tried any Clean and Clear cleansers?

Do you have under eye concerns? Garnier Anti-dark Circles Roll-on review

Do you have any under eye area concerns? For me it has always been finding the right concealer to cover up my under eye area as I have uneven skintone and need to treat my puffiness.

Recently I was given the Garnier Anti-dark circles roll on to try. I am so glad I did, I really love this!

The anti-dark circles roll on is a moisturiser and concealer in one, that you roll on under your eye area.

Garnier says:  Garnier Youthful Radiance Anti-Dark Circles Roll-On combines a hydrating formulation enriched with stimulating caffeine and clarifying lemon essence with a concentrated mineral pigments concealer to ensure coverage of dark-circles. Together with an ultra refreshing massaging roller-ball, which cools and refreshes the eye contour area, Youthful Radiance Anti-Dark Circles Roll-On provides a complete solution for dark-circles and tired eyes.

The tube is 15ml with a screw on top which is easy to use. The roll on is a metal ball that glides smoothly on the under eye area and dispenses the moisturiser/concealer. Just give it a little shake before you use it. I roll it on twice and then blend it in with my ring finger. The formula is cooling and feels refreshing under my eyes this would be due to the caffeine and lemon extract. It gives me a brighter and awake look for my puffy eyes. The concealer is yellow based and gives a nice coverage on my fair and uneven skintone. Below is a example:

Nothing on my undereye area

With the Garnier roll on.

It also is targeted at those who have dark circles. I don't have dark circles ( as you can see above) apart from some faint purple/red lines which this roll on covered really well. I have heard mixed reviews on whether this works on those who have really dark circles, so its worth a try to see if it works for you.

I reach for the Garnier roll on every morning now. I use it alone without any makeup and love that it gives me just enough concealer coverage to cover my uneven skintone and it gives me a refreshed, brighter look. If I am wearing a full face of makeup, I use the Garnier roll on as a final step in my makeup.

I would definitely recommend this to anyone, as I think it is a versatile product that can do something for your undereye area. The roll on comes in two shades light to medium or medium to dark. It is available in department stores or supermarkets and retails for $18.95aud.

Do you have any under eye concerns? Have you tried this roll on?

Why should I take vitamins?

I always try to eat a healthy well balanced diet (although I am not a vegetables person!), but that is not always possible. Sometimes just being too busy and not having enough time means I don't always get a healthy balanced diet everyday. So I have always taken vitamins for years now, to ensure that I am not deficient in anything.

My essentials that I take daily are a multivitamin and fish oil supplements. Depending on what else is going on with my body I will look at other supplements, for example if I feel I am tired all the time and have no energy I will take a Vitamin B supplement.

Blackmores is a brand that I trust and use for many of my vitamins. I usually buy my vitamins from supermarkets or priceline and wait for the sales to stock up on what I need.

I always take a multivitamin everyday to ensure that I have the daily vitamins and minerals I need for the day. The Blackmores Women's Vitality Multi is great as it has vitamins that are tailored for womens needs. I also buy the Blackmores Men's Performance Multi for my husband and he likes it too.

Recently I have been using the Women's De-Stress which I like as it helps to support the nervous system particularly in times of stress. Who isn't stressed these days?! So it's great to give your body extra support when dealing with exhaustion and stress.

A few weeks ago I woke up with a sore throat and knew I was starting to get a cold. So I started that day to use the Cold and Flu Day/Night I took one tablet three times during the day and one at night. These work instantly by the end of the first day I could feel my body trying to fight off the cold. After a few days I felt better and never got a cold. Excellent result!

These are what I have used recently and would recommend.

I am currently trialling the Blackmores Nails Hair and Skin tablets - will let you know once I've reached the twelve week mark my results, so far they are great.

When deciding on whether you need to take vitamins or supplements, everyone is different and have different needs. I do a lot of research when deciding what my body needs and what would work best for me. Always consult with your doctor if you are unsure .

Blackmores have a great online website with over 300,000 members, lots of great information and access to a naturopath that you can contact.

Do you take vitamins? Are there any vitamins that you would recommend that work for you?

DSQUARED2 FALL 2011

Thinking of my wardrobe for incoming season I came across DSquared2 Fall 2011 collection. This collection has it all –layered combination of leather, fur and acid washed denim. It is complimented with fabulous high boots,  glamor belts, cowboys hats and  interesting gloves. It is a true conglomerate of glamor and sexy simplicity. This is a trend I want to follow this fall season. Check it out…

Collection for guys looks fabulous too! So glad not to see skinny jeans on them:-)

What do you think about DSquared2 collection? Did you like it?