My Favourite Things from October 2018

Admittedly, I haven’t been consistent with these monthly favourite posts. My monthly favourites post that I wrote in August was the first since August 2015 – what is it with the month of August?! Anyway, having missed September I have a bumper albeit slightly late edition of my October favourites. Grab yourself a cup of coffee, tea or glass of wine and get comfortable – it’s a good one!
autumn flatlay

Catrice Chrome Lipstick


I bought these for Halloween but they’ve actually acquired permanent residency in my make-up bag, or at least for now. My original plan was to sport a full on glitter lip for Halloween but I was debating about the mess and whether I’d be too preoccupied with touching up my make-up all night. Although I love make-up and fashion, nothing you wear should prevent you from enjoying yourself! I have two of these chrome lipsticks from Catrice. A soft nude with a hint of shimmer and a glittery red which – ideal for adding colour to your lips in a subtle way. I wore the darker shade for Halloween. It lasts well and it doesn’t matter if you smudge it a little or if it wears off throughout the day or night because they’re so easy to wear. They’re almost like a coloured lip balm that can be dressed up or down depending on the occasion. I’m contemplating wearing the lighter shade to an upcoming wedding this month!
catrice chrome lipstick

Matcha Lattes


At the end of summer my intake of hot beverages spiked as is usual at this time of year. Instead of guzzling down litres of water, my intake of caffeinated beverages has increased. I fancied a change and had never tried a matcha latte before so decided to invest in a packet of pure green tea matcha. Matcha is derived from green tea leaves and is considered to be a super food/supplement. The benefits of drinking matcha are aplenty, plus it is a very versatile ingredient too. Although I’ve only been drinking matcha in latte form, it can be added to cooking recipes, as a flavouring and as a natural food colouring. I add one small teaspoon of matcha powder to hot coconut, soy or almond milk and sometimes add a teaspoon of coconut sugar to sweeten.
matcha latte

Learning Brush Lettering


Since the end of last year I have taken up hand/finger knitting, calligraphy, sketching, and now brush lettering. I think it’s really important to exercise the creative mind regularly and what better way to do it than taking up a new hobby?! It’s so lovely to be able to immerse myself into something and lose myself in something that doesn’t require much concentration but proves highly distracting all the same. I wanted to learn brush lettering because I am a huge fan of the Bullet Journal system. I generally keep my Bullet Journal neat and simple but occasionally I create artistic charts and lists to make staying organised more fun. Brush letting is no easy task but it is fun to be an amateur at something and enjoy the process of learning something new.
 

Mustard Round Bag


I love round bags but I didn’t want to buy yet another black bag. So, I waited until I found a colour that I really liked which turned out to be this mustard bag with a faux crocodile print purse inside the front pocket. I think it’s a really cute alternative to the normal square or rectangular crossbody bags. It’s the kind of bag that can be worn at any time of year and can be worn as part of a day or night time look.
autumn must haves

Bamboo Coffee Cup


Sometimes when I am out and about I love to have a coffee on the go. Sipping a soothing Americano makes running errands much better. Obviously, disposable coffee cups are not great for the environment but this bamboo coffee is! Bamboo is a great material that can be used to make lots of reusable kitchen accessories, including straws too. Not only is this reusable bamboo coffee cup convenient and good for the environment, it is super cute too!
 

Winning Strategies book


We all know that a positive mindset is really important in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle. If you delve into personal development, you will find that there are a number of topics to master, including: motivation, self-discipline, confidence, and positivity. But quite often these topics are discussed separately. What I like about Winning Strategies is that it compiles all of these subjects together in an easy to digest way. I bought this book back in 2013 and only now have I got round to reading it but in many ways I am glad. I didn’t start my journey of positive thinking and law of attraction until year 2016 so I feel that it would have been wasted on me had I read it before now.
 

So there you have it. What have you tried and enjoyed recently?


Let me know.


Luisa xxx