what's in my bag? // travelling or city shopping

I've been meaning to do a What's in My Bag? post for such a long time! I just finished watching about five videos of them on youtube and thought I would finally do one myself. This is the perfect example of what would be in my handbag if I were travelling to Brisbane, shopping or just generally out and about for the day:

1. Spare bag strap. My bag is by Peeptoe and it came with an alternative strap which has been very useful, especially when I've taken this bag out with me shopping or to the city. The chain strap is beautiful but it can be very uncomfortable after a while so I like to switch it up every now and again // 2. Body Shop All-in-One powder compact is the perfect size for a handbag and is ideal for touch-ups throughout the day // 3. Iphone! Definitely gonna need that... (mine's a little beaten up as you can see!) // 4. Eyebrow pencil for ya know... fixing up those stubborn ole' brows // 5. Hurraw! lipbalm is incredible and I love it // 6. Cherry blossom perfume for the Body Shop, smells lovely and is a nice, convenient size // 7. My wallet is by Olga Berg I think. It's quite a good size and fits all of my receipts and cards and things however I need to buy a new wallet soon - this one is starting to show signs of wear! //

8. A notebook or journal. If I'm travelling (on a bus especially), it can be so nice to just sit and write whilst listening to music. I always like keeping something to write things in with me all the time // 9. A pocket purse for my important cards and coins // 10. Snack food! // 11. Pain killers - headaches or car-sickness episodes are pretty unpredictable so it's always nice to have it on hand // 12. Earphones - to block out the noise on the bus, car or train and relax a little // 13. My 2014 planner or diary. Super handy for making appointments, checking dates and schedules etc. // 

P.S: I usually also have a water bottle and a pen in my bag, but they're not pictured. What's in your bag? Do you like travelling light or are you a fan of having all the essentials? Anyway, I'm off to do a solid school work session. I'm home sick today with horrid back pain and cramps. I've relaxed a little this morning so I'm ready to charge through some English, History and SOR. Wish me luck! xo

diary XI // florals, museums, 16 going on 17

I'm a 17 year old! I'm so old! Thank you all for the birthday wishes, it's so lovely being surrounded by such good friends! I had a lovely day and although I feel no different physically, it is a little scary to think that I'm half way to being 34! ;)

This is the first time in about two years that you guys have actually seen me wear glasses in an outfit post! I don't wear them often (although I am supposed to... and I often struggle at the back of the class if I "forgot" them...), mainly because they annoy me too much and I feel a little self conscious wearing them. I just don't feel like they suit me! I got an email the other day though asking if I did wear them and if I could post some pictures and here's my response! Me in glasses!

The most incredible exhibition I have ever seen!  Cai Guo-Qiang's beautiful and life-like Falling Back to Earth display left me in awe. I couldn't believe the detail in each animal. It was seriously stunning. If you're in Brisbane, you should definitely stop by the GOMA and pay the $8 entry fee to see the exhibition. 

I never leave the gallery without a few special souvenirs! I picked up a beautiful sticker book by Kelly Smith and some post cards!

Amongst a few other beautiful gifts for my 17th birthday, I was given a beautiful array of books and journals to devour as well as a fluffy and dreamy bedspread to feel like a cloud. I think I am going to sleep well. I'm hoping to get a few more decorative cushions soon, too. I'm thinking gold sequins and some lace. 

My sister bought me a beautiful bouquet of orange roses for my birthday and I love them! It was my second bouquet this week so I felt quite special. And Ruby gave me a real Polaroid! Eep! I'm definitely going to make the most of the eight prints ♥
I hope you're all having a good week so far! xo

everyday makeup look // mac pigments

I've been experimenting with makeup a lot more lately and I've come to love it! I've been meaning to incorporate these MAC pigments into my routines lately because a) the colours are absolutely beautiful and flattering for my eye and skin colour and b) my Aunty was kind enough to gift them to me, so I had to put them to good use! I've never had the natural "eyeshadow application" talent that my sister's were bestowed with, so I started out with something quite subtle and simple.

I think this look is absolutely perfect for day as well as night because it's just the right amount of sparkle without looking heavy or overpowering. The great thing about pigments as well is that they are great for people with sensitive skin. Pigments are really concentrated, they blend out beautifully and there's none of those extra nasties that'll irritate sensitive eyes.

I went and saw my dermatologist on Thursday and he was beyond happy with how things are going in the skin department. My scarring is minimal and I have zero active acne, and I'm currently just waiting for my skin to heal and for the last of the breakouts to come through. I feel incredibly happy, lucky and blessed and doing makeup is so much more fun when my skin looks healthy and healed! For every day, I've been using my brightening primer by Napoleon, followed by Nearly Naked foundation by Revlon in "Ivory" and The Body Shop powder in No.2. I've found that this combination of products has worked really well for my skin and tends to last all day, especially in this horrible Summer heat! 

For the eyes I started with MAC's pigment in Your Ladyship and did a light wash all over my eyelid, bringing it up to the brow bone as a highlight. I then followed with my favourite pigment - Mauve-ment - and applied that to the crease and brought it out to the outer corner of my eye. After that it looked super harsh so I blended with a clean, fluffy brush and voilà! The perfect subtle smokey eye. 

The biggest tip I have for eyeshadow newbies is blend, blend, blend! It's also a good idea to invest in a brush kit to get all your essentials sorted. I bought a set by Nude by Nature and applying eye makeup is so much easier. The brushes are of exceptional quality and the application of makeup is so even. The bristles are also synthetic - so no animals were harmed! :) 

No makeup look is complete without a fabulous mascara and/ or eyeliner! I used my trusty Colossal Volume Express mascara by Maybelline, followed by the Master Precise eyeliner. I curled my lashes first (because they're stubborn and silly old things!), then applied two generous coats of mascara followed by a thin line of eyeliner (p.s. I'm getting better at the cat-eye every day, yay me!!). I applied the awesome HURRAW! lipbalm before putting any makeup on so they were all soft and supple when it was time to apply lip colour. I used Burt's Bees lip shimmer in Watermelon for this look and I think it went perfectly with the subtle purple in the eyeshadow.

All done! Have a lovely week everyone! xo

swing

Portmans singlet, thrifted skirt, Kmart shoes

I bought this skirt on a whim last Saturday, before getting my eyebrows groomed and my lashes tinted (I highly recommend getting the latter before a swimming carnival... (I dodged the drowned rat look at least 20% more than last year). Anyway, back to the skirt. It was quite an expensive second-hand purchase (just over the $20 mark ) but I justified it by appreciating how beautiful the fabric was and the condition of it too. I mean, it was a total investment! It's the ultimate staple for all year 'round and a girl can never have too many clothes!

Anyway, I'm feeling a little 'under the weather', the last few days have been a little bit of a struggle and I'm thinking that after analysing a few poems for English, my bed will look extremely inviting. I hope you are all having a good week so far. I'm trying really hard to look on the bright side of things to help with this 'rough patch' and it's definitely made things a bit easier. Thank you for the comments and emails as well lately, I always appreciate them and I'm sorry that you don't get a response right away. xo

*Note that the title of this post is referring to my fabulous swing dancing skirt AS WELL AS my epic mood swings... and that was a terrible excuse for a clever pun... sigh*

alannah hill // part 2

Today was probably the most fantastic Monday in a long time. It started off quite stereotypical... I had the blues when I came to school and my alarm felt much more invasive than usual this morning but it just got better throughout the day. Erin and I thrived artistically in this morning's class but that came to an abrupt end when she spilt ink all over herself and the rest of the lesson consisted of us gossiping, dancing to lame songs and fiddling around with our art pieces. After school was even more fun because my friend Anna and I stayed back to finish off some school work and headed to McDonald's to buy icecream and apple pie. We then drove through town with Arctic Monkeys playing and ate out treats in the carpark. It was such a carefree, spontaneous little after school outing and so much fun. I can't wait to have more moments like that throughout this year!

And this is the headband I mentioned in my last post, on! It's such a beautiful piece and the colours were brought out extraordinarily this afternoon at around six. Such a beautiful time of day and a lovely accessory that I can't wait to wear more often. Thanks Rosey! Hope you guys had a lovely Monday, too! xo

mail from AH // thoughts and things

Two weeks ago I made the decision to quit my job because my anxiety was escalating and I was just going through a pretty rough time. There was quite a few tears involved and emotional outbursts so my sister decided to send me an early 17th birthday present. There's nothing more uplifting than receiving a package in the mail, especially after going through a rough patch - and yesterday was honestly a really wonderful day that made me feel better about a lot of things. 

I spent the day with the Year 12 leadership team having fun, discussing ideas and working together to make sure 2014 would be the best year for our school yet, then my beautiful friend Lauren came over and we had the best sleepover ever. I don't think I've laughed as hard as I did for a long time. Then the little package from Rosey arrived and I honestly feel like the luckiest girl in the world sometimes. I'm not trying to sound conceited or boastful or anything like that but sometimes I'm not very grateful and I want to change that. Every day I am surrounded by positivity. I have a wonderful family, a roof over my head, the most amazing friends and school I could ask for and I'm a healthy girl. Sometimes I really lose sight of that and it makes me angry at myself because despite the rough times, I'm still a lucky girl with a bright future. I'm really thankful for everything. It's really amazing how quickly your attitude can change when you think about all the things in your life you are lucky to have. As Joel Osteen once said, "Choosing to be positive and having a grateful attitude is going to determine how you're going to live your life.".

P.S: Sorry about getting so carried away just there! I did want to point out that this headband is quite beautiful and also reach out to you guys for advice: I'm thinking of wearing it to a wedding in April... what kind of dress would suit it the best do you think? Any ideas? Please share links too!

darling deer

 Wearing: Emerson tee, Dotti skirt, Oasap bag, Kmart shoes, Forever New hair flowers, Burt's Bees Lipcolour in "Rhubarb" 

I picked up this adorable tee during the holidays for two reasons: it was an "under $10" purchase (my budget was wearing thin) and it has deer on it... surrounded by purple blossoms. Enough said? I think so. It's been a bit of a summer staple too... making beating the heat easy and helping me nail the effortless look whether I need to dress it up or down. Oh, and this skirt might be a recognisable piece! It's not actually mine; I pinched it off my sister and it's still at our house so I guess I could temporarily claim it as my own. The weather was seriously beautiful today too and actually, life has been beautiful. I'm in a really good place right now. My skin has never been healthier, I've started year 12 on a high note and I left my job so I have much more free time and less stress in my life. February is also the month of love and my birthday. I'll be a 17 year old! How did that even happen? I feel like it was only yesterday I was a second grader with a bed-wetting problem* and a centimetre gap between each tooth. I hope you're all having a great week so far! xo

*Don't worry, that problem has been fixed for a long time!

P.S: I hope you guys like these pictures! My Mum actually bought me the flowers back from her mini-holiday over the weekend. They're seriously beautiful and I feel very feminine and elegant when I wear them.