Redhead Rambles #14

Hello everyone and welcome to ‘Redhead Rambles’. The series does what it says on the tin, it is a redhead (me) rambling about her week. I share what I’ve been up to each week, how I’ve been feeling and what I’ve been listening to or watching. Occasionally I will my share favourite blog posts and links I’ve found useful or interesting.

• I got to see my boyfriend and spend more time with him over Easter weekend which was nice. We giggled and laughed a lot, had cuddles and treated ourselves to Dominos last Friday night. I normally go for thin crust pepperoni with BBQ sauce but I felt like a change and went for cheesy garlic instead.
• The clocks went back which means winter is getting closer.
• When I got back home on Sunday mum surprised me with Easter eggs. I told her not to get me any but she was cute and did anyway. She got me a packet of Mini Creme Eggs and a Rolo egg.
• I started reading another ebook on Sunday and finished it on Tuesday. Predictably, another Poirot!
• I painted my nails using Bahama Mama by Essie and did a glitter top coat using Glow Your Own Way also by Essie. Inspiration for these nails came from this post by Mrs Strawberry Blonde.

• On Tuesday I felt irritable and was in a horrible mood.
• Also on Tuesday I lost my bookmark at work. I left it inside a book I returned. Luckily the next morning I searched the book and found my bookmark!
• At the supermarket I picked up a box of hot chocolate sachets and they are delicious. They are sweet enough without having to add any sugar. I just need to buy marshmallows.
• Halo had a vet appointment to get desexed so she can’t have kittens. She is very good with her cage, she doesn’t put up a fuss like other cats I’ve had. Apparently everyone loved her and had lots of cuddles.
• Mum and I were in town on Thursday afternoon. I bought a pair of Adidas trainers and I love the colour scheme, they’re not straight black like 99% of my other shoes.
• I haven’t been able to read as much as I would like this week.
• The weather is still very warm for this time of year. There was one small rain shower during the week and the rest of the weather has been clear and hot.

What I’ve been listening to:

Kylie Minogue – Raining Glitter – This is the third promotional track from Kylie’s 14th studio album ‘Golden’ (out today). The beat and the lyrics are very catchy.

Una Healy – Never See Me Cry – Una’s debut album was one of my standouts of 2017 and this track is the first of her follow up material. The song has a great message behind it.

How was your week?

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Christmas 2017

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and are enjoying the rest of the holiday season!

As well as showing you ‘What I Got For Christmas’ I wanted to share how I celebrated Christmas day and include some lots of festive pictures. Enjoy!

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Every year I’m adamant I’m not going to decorate the tree but every year I end up doing it. This year I was more selective with decorating and stuck to a colour scheme: pink, purple and silver.

The tree:

Some of my favourite decorations:

Decorations around the house:

My mum has a miniature pink Christmas tree which is my favourite. I bought it for her in a Boxing Day sale a couple of years back.

Presents:

The presents looked so lovely under the tree and were placed there throughout December.

The festivities:

My family and I had our big meal a day early on Christmas Eve. I suggested this to my mum as she does the cooking and it meant we could relax more on the day itself. She wouldn’t have to spend the morning cooking. For Christmas dinner we had ham, rolled turkey, vegetables and gravy. I didn’t take a picture of this part of the meal but I did capture shots of dessert: trifle and Pavlova, a Kiwi classic! (Pavlova is a meringue based dessert usually covered in whipped cream and strawberries).

Trifle.

Pavlova. I placed the strawberries on top.

On Christmas Day we had leftovers for lunch before heading up to visit my aunt. I spent Christmas morning opening presents and getting ready; I curled my hair and did my makeup. *CLICK HERE* to see how I achieved this makeup look.

Christmas Day selfie.

In the evening I got dropped at my boyfriend’s house and got to open more presents and gift some too.

Presents for my boyfriend and his family:

What I Got For Christmas

Mum:

I needed casual, comfy shoes and both of these pairs fit the bill.

The backdrop for all present photos is a throw which was a gift from my mum too. It’s dark grey with sparkly bits.

My mum also got me some Hershey’s Cookies ‘N’ Cream chocolate bars (these were my favourite as a kid), an Argan Oil hair mask, a London sign and some copper string lights. I plan to put the lights around my bedhead/they might come in handy for blog photos.

Brother:

I fell in love with the Morphe 25A Copper Spice palette after Rachael snagged it and it instantly went on my Christmas list! This Paris jigsaw is similar to the London one mentioned in my Christmas Wishlist. I bought the London one myself so I have both!

Boyfriend/Boyfriend’s Parents:

This giraffe teddy also featured on my Christmas wishlist! I am so glad I got him and all that’s left now is to think of a name. Feel free to leave suggestions in the comments!

My boyfriend also gifted me the mug and the mini Ecoya candle. I requested Guava & Lychee Sorbet and it smells deliciously fruity – I can’t wait to light it.

My boyfriend’s parents got me a few things but the Agatha Christie book and Juicy Couture rollerball perfume were my favourite. The rollerball has Viva la Juicy at one end and Viva la Juicy Glacé at the other.

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How did you celebrate Christmas? What presents did you get?

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April Favourites 2017

April has been the month I have finally nailed down a stable blogging routine and even got back into planning posts! I feel like I’ve got my mojo back and over the next few months I hope I can return to posting every week. I have a new blogging routine, two posts per week on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I have also been lucky to have a couple of long weekends and a few bonus days off work. I spent most of that time sleeping and catching up on TV shows.

Onto this month’s favourites:

1. Cat ears headband – My boyfriend bought me this headband for Christmas and I have been wearing it more recently. I remember mentioning to him once that I’d wanted a pair for a long time and I don’t know whether he remembered or if he saw it and thought of me. He says I make a very cute kitty so I like wearing it when I’m around him. The headband has black and pink furry ears with ribbons and little bells that jingle when I move my head.

2. Clarins Instant Light Lip Comfort Oil – Honey – This is one of the products I received in Stashy’s giveaway. I didn’t try it for a little while but when I did it was love at first use. I’m not the biggest fan of the smell and taste of honey but I like this. It’s sweet but it’s not overpowering. The texture doesn’t feel sticky on the lips and doesn’t leave residue as it wears. The applicator looks big but it is the perfect size.

3. Vanessa White – Chapter Two – Vanessa is probably best known as being one fifth of The Saturdays and she released her second EP in March. Vanessa continues the R&B sound from her first EP and her voice sounds glorious. Vanessa has the type of voice where she can belt but also sound soft and tender and evoke emotion. R&B isn’t normally the type of music I like or listen to but I have a special appreciation for Vanessa’s sound. Standout Tracks: Running Wild and Good Good.

4. Mini Eggs – With April being the month of Easter I have had more of a sweet tooth and a craving for chocolate. I’m not a chocoholic but I did enjoy treating myself and properly trying Mini Eggs. I tried them a couple of years ago and kind of forgot about them. I rediscovered them and I’m a fan! The pretty pastel colours and mini size make them very more-ish. I’m not afraid to admit I polished off a whole bag by myself on Easter Sunday. I’m glad these aren’t sold year round as I would polish off several more.

5. Jigsaw puzzles – Over the past few months I have gotten back into doing jigsaw puzzles. I used to love doing them when I was a kid (I even had a Barbie one). My boyfriend’s parents have been picking them up second hand for a couple of dollars each and I’ve been helping complete the jigsaws when I visit. I especially like the Wasgij brand as the pictures are so detailed and full of bright colours. I got given a couple that were duplicates and I’ve loved doing them in front of TV of an evening. It’s relaxing and it’s a good feeling when one is completed.

6. iPad Mini 4 – Gold – I have always been an Apple fan and in March I treated myself to an iPad. I have had my laptop for four years now and while it’s still going strong some days I’m not online much so the iPad is more portable. I can play games, listen to music, watch videos and catch up on news in a smaller format. I am still getting into a routine with my iPad and which apps I need/want to download. One of the hardest things I’ve found is picking a background image, they either haven’t looked right or been high enough quality.

April’s Spotify Playlist:

Combining artists I’ve listened to for years with a couple of funky, new tracks.

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What were your favourite things in April?

What I Got For Christmas 2016

It’s become an annual tradition to share what I got for Christmas. I’ve done a post for the previous two years and you all know how three is my favourite number so I had to continue the tradition! I feel like a very lucky girl this year, I received some lovely gifts and I got to have two present opening occasions. I opened presents with my boyfriend and his parents on Christmas Eve and opened presents with my family on Christmas day.

Brother

My brother and I both use and have a love of planners so he got me planner inserts from kikki.K for my Filofax. I prefer kikki.K to Filofax as they are lined and come with the monthly inserts as well. With Filofax you have to buy weekly and monthly inserts separately. I also suggested he buy me a hair curler – I always love getting my hair curled when I go to the hairdresser. I do have one but it’s 10 years old and has never held a curl all that well. I received a 25mm Ceramic Curler from Vidal Sassoon. It’s got a number of temperature settings to suit all hair types and I can’t wait to try it out this weekend!

Boyfriend

When my boyfriend and I first started discussing gifts for each other we were clueless. I didn’t want anything crazy or too expensive and I ended up suggesting a couple of ideas to him. I asked for a pink Instax backpack to match my camera and was even treated to a visit from him at work when he came to purchase it. (Yes, I did serve him myself). I’ve been meaning to try something from The Body Shop’s Cocoa Butter range (which is being discontinued) so I also asked for a Cocoa Butter body butter. When I opened the backpack I saw an extra present inside; a cat ear headband. It’s even got pink inside the ears!

Boyfriend’s parents

I was not expecting my boyfriend’s parents to get me anything at all so I was surprised when I saw a gorgeous pair of stud earrings all wrapped up in a little gift bag and box. The stones are different colours so they’ll go with just about everything. I also received some lollies (sweets) and a pink, fluffy pen.

Mum

I knew two things I was getting from mum and the rest were surprises. I’d asked for the new Britney Spears perfume, Private Show. It smells absolutely delightful and I’ve already received compliments when I’ve worn it. It’s quite a sweet scent but still sophisticated and feminine. Lindt’s Strawberries and Cream chocolates are a little treat and I’ve still got a couple left. I got a set of two cups and a little vase which I plan to keep any roses I get from my boyfriend in.

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What was your favourite Christmas present that you received?

What I Got For Christmas

Hello lovelies!

Let me start by saying I hope you had a wonderful Christmas! I’ve been enjoying my four day weekend and short break from work before I go back tomorrow (Tuesday). When it comes to Christmas and gifts I receive, I am always grateful but this year I feel especially lucky. I knew a lot of what I was getting but I still enjoyed unwrapping everything on Christmas day and saying thank you to my nearest and dearest.

I thought it would be nice to share what I received with my blogging friends and see if we got any of the same presents.

1. London Tote Bag

I love anything and everything to do with London and unwrapping this bag was a welcomed surprise! The bag is made from a waterproof, PVC-like material so it is strong and durable and will come in handy for shopping, traveling or storage.

2. kikki.K DIY Wall Calendar

I always like to have a wall calendar and I saw this kit on kikki.K’s website. I like that it comes with pens, stickers and adhesive dots for photos. You can personalise each month however you want. I know I will enjoy being creative and coming up with a theme each month. The calendar features black and white pages so you can switch it up each month or have 12 months black or 12 months white.

3. Cubic Zirconia Pendant

Personally I find jewellery one of the hardest things to shop for. I don’t like big, chunky pieces and I find that my features are quite an awkward size, my wrists for example are tiny so I have be careful bracelets and bangles don’t fall off. I saw this square cubic zirconia pendant and fell in love with the simplicity and elegance of it. I can see myself wearing this pendant a lot and it’s the type of piece that will go with everything.

Close up of the pendant:

4. The Body Shop Nutty Hand Cream Trio

I have been raving about The Body Shop’s hand creams lately and this trio is so cute! The red and white spotted packaging looks utterly adorable and Christmassy. The three scents included in this trio are: Shea, Moringa and Wild Argan Oil. Wild Argan Oil was on my list to try and I smelt Moringa in store and it smelt lovely. There is also a Fruity Trio of hand creams available featuring Strawberry, Mango and Pink Grapefruit.

5. Hershey’s Kisses Cookies ‘n’ Creme

Christmas isn’t Christmas without chocolate! Ever since I was a kid I’ve loved Hershey’s Cookies ‘n’ Creme bars. I remember the bars being thin and broken up into 12 pieces (I think it’s 12), with white wrappers. The chocolate is smooth and creamy and perfect if you’re a white chocolate fan.

6. kikki.K 2016 Diary Refill

I do have a Filofax (a Personal Domino Patent in Hot Pink in case you’re interested) and it’s coming up to my third year using a planner now. I sit down every week, usually on a Sunday and plan out what’s happening for the week ahead. Filofaxes are great as it means you only have to replace the inserts every year rather than getting a brand new diary. Personally I don’t like diary inserts that break each day up into timed intervals, I like the freedom a week on two pages brings. Normally I get Filofax inserts but decided to try kikki.K ones for 2016. The inserts are lined which means no more crooked writing. Haha!

7. MAC ‘Ruby Woo’ and MAC ‘All Fired Up’

Hello, my name is Chanelle and I think I’m becoming a MAC lipstick addict. In all seriousness, I’ve accumulated six in the last year and not so long ago would never have dreamed of spending $40 on a lipstick. (The quality is amazing though). Ruby Woo and All Fired Up both have a Retro Matte finish so they promise intense, matte colour but beware if your lips are dry. This is the present I was most excited about and I can’t wait to give these two shades a whirl!

Left To Right: Ruby Woo (vivid blue-red) and All Fired Up (bright fuchsia-red).

8. Essie Romper Room and Essie Chillato

Essie is fast becoming one of my favourite nail polish brands and these two pastel shades are a lovely addition to my nail polish collection. Romper Room is described as a pale tea rose pink and light pink always looks classy and pardon the pun, polished. Chillato is a shade from Essie’s Summer 2015 collection and is described as a frozen cream pistachio.

Left To Right: Romper Room and Chillato.

I also received a travel pouch with the polishes as it came free if you purchased two or more. This is super cute and a perfect way to store polishes if you’re going away for the weekend or a short trip.

9. Philips Moisture Protect Hair Straightener

Until recently, I didn’t have a lot of interest in hair products and styling my hair but that all changed after a trip to the hairdresser. I don’t do a lot to my hair so I’d like to think it’s in relatively good condition. I purchased this hair straightener as a Christmas present to myself and I will also use it to curl my hair so essentially it’s two tools for the price of one! My hair is thick but straightening it makes it lighter and thinner which I’m sure will also help relieve me of a few headaches. It’ll be nice to do my hair every once in a while and have something to look forward to doing on special occasions. The straightener is lightweight and easy to use and is the most gorgeous rose gold and white colour.

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What was your favourite gift you received?

Sick Day Essentials

Hello lovelies! How was your weekend? I hope it was a lot better than mine! I wasn’t feeling the best so I spent most of my weekend in bed but I still found enough energy to take a few pictures and get the majority of work done for this week’s blog posts.

I got a sore throat in the middle of last week and I hoped it wasn’t going to turn into anything serious as my colds normally start in my nose. The downside to working in a pharmacy is how easy it is to be exposed to illness. I should be thankful I don’t get sick very often but when I do I have to be very careful as I’m asthmatic and have to make sure my breathing is okay. Here’s an insight into what the past few days have been like for me and what has kept me distracted from feeling so rotten.

1. Cough lozenges, medicine etc.

This is pretty bog standard when it comes to getting through a cold and I’ve been using it all from cough lozenges to paracetamol to nasal spray. The Strepsils Honey & Lemon lozenges have really made a difference. These lozenges contain two antibacterial agents to help kill the bacteria causing my sore throat and help soothe my throat.

2. iPhone

I’ve loved being able to use my phone for multiple purposes this weekend. I’m currently obsessed with playing Candy Crush Soda so I’ve been using it for that as well as my own little sound system. The speakers are great quality and playing songs on my phone as opposed to my laptop means I don’t have to turn the device off and reshuffle the songs everyday. I’m one of those people who hardly has a day where I don’t let my music play through without skipping a song.

I was lying in bed on Saturday night scrolling through everybody’s posts using the WordPress app as well – so handy!

3. Dainty Doll – Wonderbalm

Is it just me who gets really dry lips when they’re sick? Dainty Doll’s Wonderbalm is the perfect thing to use as a lipbalm to keep lips nourished and supple. It sinks in and doesn’t leave a sticky feeling or leave bits of dry skin on the lips. It certainly lives up to its name!

4. Reading Material

Whether it be a book or magazines, reading is a great way to pass the time and keep your mind occupied. I decided to started re-reading Shane Filan’s autobiography My Side of Life. I read it within a matter of days last time and he always makes me smile so it’s a lovely distraction.

5. YouTube + Catching up on TV shows

I have been getting into YouTube and Vloggers a lot lately and I couldn’t wait to catch up on videos from Lily Pebbles and Vivianna Does Makeup. They are such great girls, always have interesting videos and are naturals in front of the camera.

At the weekend I also took the time to catch up on American drama series Revenge. I have watched it from the very first episode and series four (the last one) is airing in New Zealand at the moment. I’ve got four episodes left. To those of you who have already seen it/finished it, no spoilers please!

6. Homemade vegetable soup

My mum’s homemade vegetable soup is one of the highlights of the winter season for me and I very kindly asked her to make some as I thought it would make me feel better. It’s so yummy and healthy – I end up getting my five a day in one cup. (And when you have multiple cups a day…)

7. Chocolate

I’m not much of a sweet tooth and maybe this weekend I’ve indulged in chocolate more than I should, but I’m allowed right?! I’m definitely not a chocoholic but I do have a soft spot for Caramello – that combination of milk chocolate and smooth caramel is divine! Eating chocolate releases endorphins to make you feel happy and feel good which is what you need when you’re not well. Quite often I have chocolate when I have a headache and it always makes me feel better.

Shhh!

Saturday was the worst day and I’m definitely feeling a lot better now than I was at the weekend.

Let me know in the comments what makes you feel better when you’re sick!

#BodPosFeb Days 25 + 26

Day 25

I chose the lyric “we can all be stars” from Cheryl’s track ‘Stars’ off her most recent album Only Human. The track is one of my favourites on the album and is very self-empowering. The lyrics talk about owning your life and not being afraid to dream and believe in that dream. You can be a star at whatever you choose to do!

Day 26

It’s my brother’s birthday today so mum bought a cake mix from the supermarket on Tuesday. I hadn’t tried this recipe before but you can’t go wrong with chocolate and cake, especially when it’s chocolate fudge!

How YUMMY does this look?!?!