Brands I'm Loving Right Now

It's always nice to show a little brand appreciation. Below's a list of some brands I've been loving right now. 

Spell and the Gypsy Collective : Long time fan of this Byron Bay based brand run by two sisters who get bohemian right. Everything about their clothes radiates cool and effortless but yet interesting. From their patterns to their lookbooks I love it all! Their Instagram is beautiful and I even catch myself browsing the #spelldesigns hashtag on there for some added inspo because even their customers are awesome!

 

LENNI the label : Hailing from Australia again... Can you sense a theme? Is LENNI the label. If the word "magical" was a clothing brand it'd be this one. Each piece looks and makes you feel magical from the extensive embroidery to the 60's silhouettes. It's almost like you've gone into a time machine and it's 1969. 

 

Native Rainbow  : Just a little bitty Etsy shop but so much power, love and creativity. It's a singularly run shop by designer and owner Lizzie R. Cummings who creates handbags, pouches and other accessories. She's very contentious about where her materials are sourced from, buying materials the humane way. Her bags are especially my fav! They're beautiful beyond belief. 

History Time Traveler : More Etsy shop appreciation. I found this brand via Instagram. They take vintage pieces like skulls and other items and refurbish them in unique ways. I'm a big fan of cow, deer and bull skulls, I have one in my room and plan to get more in the future so of course I'd be into this shop. They have a ton of other cool home decor items that I'm currently lusting over.   

 

Aquarian Soul : Rummaging through the Beauty section on the Urban Outfitters website one day I stumbled upon Aquarian Soul's White Sage Herbal Water and was immediately taken by this brand. The packaging is so cute and I like their ethics, all natural and straight from the Earth and the owner is a certified herbalist and reiki healer... What's not to love?!

Mate the label : I love graphic tees and muscle tanks, whether they be vintage or not. Mate the label does some killer ones that are vintage inspired. They have that total boho vibe that I love. I'm currently dying over the "Penny Lane Told Me To" tank because Penny Lane forever and ever... Need I say more? 

Child of Wild : Child of Wild combines some of my favourite things in life: history, art and culture. They have a keen eye for all things unique because I've never stumbled upon pieces as beautiful as theirs. They're also a brand that's loved by a lot of celebrities including my fav, (queen) Vanessa Hudgens. They sell jewelry (for men and women), homewares and even animal skulls that have been adorned with beautiful engravings or jewels. I'm pretty sure they were even the first to do the ever so famous flash tattoos, because prior to them I had seen them nowhere else. The entire feel of their brand is so genuine and cool. And most of all they love to give back, donating to a few charities and sourcing things the ethical way. 

Favourite Things of 2014

Reflecting back on 2014, here are a few of my favourite things... 

Gardening:

I really got into gardening in 2014. This lil mini cactus has been my pride and joy and it was what got me into gardening. I've been nursing and taking care of this little guy since the beginning of summer. Best IKEA purchase ever! 

Stationery & Electronics: 

Throughout the latter half of 2014 I decided to purchase a notebook. I thought it'd be a good way to keep organized (a.k.a feed my list-making addiction) and a good place to jot down my thoughts as well. Like any good cat lady I purchased one that had a collage of cats all over it. Keeping with the stationery theme, I purchased these sharpie thin tip marker pens in an array of colours. I love colour coding things, and coloured pens just make everything look prettier, right? These markers are so great and don't bleed onto the other side of the page! The last was my iPhone. It's been with me through the thick and thin of the year, to nearly being lost, to being dropped and still keeping itself intact. It's taken pictures of all kinds of things, saved the date for one too many, helped me navigate my way around and told me when I can skip the jacket. In short, I loved my iPhone in 2014 (and probably forever).  

Beauty: 

In 2014 I was really on a beauty kick. From skin care to hair care, I was obsessed with it all. 

Herbacin Kamille Hand Cream: This is the stuff of miracles. It kept my hands from turning all dry and crackly throughout one of the harshest winters I've experienced. It's made its way onto my hands this year again, so far so good.

Pink Grapefruit Body Butter from The Body Shop: I apply this after a shower and it leaves my skin feeling so soft and it doesn't hurt that it smells great too! 

Argan Oil of Morocco Renewing Treatment Conditioner: I used this once a week on my hair and it left it feeling soft and silky smooth. I think a conditioning treatment is a must for anyone who uses heat on their hair weekly. 

Shea Butter Body Exfoliator by The Body Shop: It really takes away all the dead skin that can result from the dry winter air. After using it, it leaves your skin feeling insanely smooth. I use it in conjunction with the grapefruit body butter, match made in heaven. 

EOS blueberry acai lip balm: This little lip balm is as handy as it is cute, fits perfectly in my bag and leaves my lips moisturized. 

Rimmel Kate Moss Long Lasting Finish lipsticks: The first one is in the shade 107. I searched so long for this one, drug store to drug store, and it was always sold out. Then I got lucky. This is the perfect fall / winter shade. It's an in between plum and red, so pretty! The next is in the shade 111 (Kiss of Life). It's a true red and I love myself a red lip, even if it's just a regular school day. I wore these interchangeably almost everyday throughout the year. 

Popcorn Lip scrub by LUSH: I was hesitant about purchasing a lip scrub, not knowing if it would even work but, yup, this one does! If you have the dreaded cracked and dry lips that come along with winter, massage this on your lips and it'll leave them feeling soft and smooth making your lipstick look flawless on your lips once again.

Clothing & Accessories: 

2014 seems like it was the year where I wore the most black... 

Leather Jacket: I feel as if no closet's complete without a good leather jacket. I bit the bullet and purchased this real leather one from Zara and I wore it to death throughout most of 2014. I love this particular style, especially the lapels. There's something so classic about it, something that'll never go out of style.    

Black Ankle Boots: Another item I wore to death in 2014 was this pair of black ankle boots. These boots have withstood all kinds of temperatures and terrains, been resoled and helped make any outfit complete. They're a staple in my closet and I can't imagine my 2014, or life, without them. 

Books

In 2014 I did a lot of reading, mostly for school. (English major probz?!) So when I did get the chance to pleasure read I was all for it.  

The Life of a Bowerbird by Sibella Court: This isn't really a novel, but rather something pretty to look at and something to get the creative juices flowing. Court is one of my favourite designers. Our visions coincide. In this book she provides inspiring and creative ways to display your collections. She mainly uses found objects, like any good bowerbird, ranging from feather collections to vintage scissors to stamps that look like they've seen better days to adorn the spectacular spaces. Even aesthetically speaking everything about this book is beautiful, from its leather bound spine to the paper used to the photographs taken. If you're into the natural vibe or just beautiful interesting spaces definitely give this book a look! 

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling: This book made me LOL, literally. I loved reading it and was sad when it was over. The way Mindy recounts the story of her life and is able to laugh at herself in the process makes this book seem so personal. I related to Mindy so much, especially the chapter entitled, "I Forget Nothing: A Sensitive Kid Looks Back". Mindy's been able to accomplish so much and shows that it isn't easy. This book is equally funny as it is inspiring. 

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien: I read this in the last month of 2014 however, it was instantly one of my favourites. I'd always been a fan of the Lord of the Rings trilogy however, I had never read The Hobbit. Although this book was to be read for one of my classes, it was moreso of a pleasure read for me. I love the entire world that Tolkien created and have him to thank for helping shape the fantasy genre as we know it today. If you're in the mood to go on an adventure with a hobbit and his friends read this book.  

Although 2014 was a great year filled with amazing things I can't wait for what 2015 has in store! Happy New Year to all!