Memory Jar

Time for a last minute quickie. ;)

I had this idea from Pinterest. Of course. Where else would I ever get any inspiration from?

If you are invited to a new year's party or birthday and still need a cute, quick but thoughtful gift, here you go.

have yourself a Lush Christmas

I know it's a little late for a Lush Christmas haul. But a) you can always plan for next year, b) there might be some left in stores and c) I don't care. ;)

 

fall candles

 

It might be close to winter now.. Especially not that it's December 1st. But this one fall post needs to be on my blog. I have watched countless Youtubers rave about the Bath & Body Works fall candles for years and years and now I finally got my hands on them. I took advantage of my family from the US visiting in October. I know they always have some spare room in their luggage on their way to Austria so I filled up that space with candles. The pure joy I felt when my aunt handed me a box of fall greatness is hard to put into words. Let's see what I got and how I liked it. Afterall it is hard to decide on a scent online.

homemade granola

Let's explore the healthy side of things before I lose myself in Christmas cookie recepies. I can't be the only one who absolutely hates the cold but lives for anything Christmas related.
Ok, take a deep breath. It's not December yet and therefore I am not allowed to talk about the best holiday of the year.
Focus! Healthy. Things that are good for you. Breakfast. Granola! Can anyone tell me why the cereal you can buy is always covered in sugar? Don't get me wrong, I do like things sweet but sugar as second or sometimes even first ingredient just annoys me. I am trying to - at least sometimes - eat healthy. So instead of reaching for bread with whatever every day I'll have granola with fruit and yoghurt for breakfast. But I haven't found one that doesn't seem to be covered in sweetener. Sometimes there is no sugar at all but then I feel like it tastes like nothing. In the end I decided to consult Pinterest. I almost got lost in ingredients I have never heard of and have no idea where to find but which are supposed to be oh so very healthy and good for you.

wall makeover

Ever since we moved into this apartment the wall behind our dining table stayed empty. It has mocked me with its blankness for three years now. Also my boyfriend never got tired of kindly pointing out that the wall was still bare. But don't worry I have something I have been just as annoying about. ;)

 

Easy Tuscan Bean Soup

The weather is getting cold, the sun has gone off to god knows where and the rain doesn't stop falling. So while I was debating whether to move to another country - as I do every year after the first days of fall - I came across this recipe.

Soups are a must during the cold seasons and also a healthy alternative to seven days of noodles. *busted!* Also leftovers can easily be frozen.

book review: The Passage Trilogy

A few days after finishing one of the most fascinating trilogys, I have to sit down and tell you about a breathtaking story. For the second time I have fallen in love with a character without noticing it at first. When all of the sudden I started to be protective of him I knew it happened again. My first love was Newt from The Maze Runner. I have to admit though it started with the voice Mark Deakins gave Newt. And it deepened with his self-sacrificing, fearless but caring character as a leader.

This time I fell in love with Peter Jaxson. At first I didn’t really notice him because there were a lot of characters to get to know and I had no idea who to focus on. But as the story evolved I stood by his side and watched him grow into a man I would admire in real life. I guess I have a thing for fearless but at the same time caring males. ;) But who doesn't?

It’s been a while since I read the first two books so I hope I can still give you the review they deserve. No spoilers, I promise!

beginner's guide to make up brushes

Every artist needs the right tools to work with. Consider your face your canvas and so far you have drawn on it with your fingers or whatever came in your powder container. It might be time for an upgrade!

Before I go into detail: This is a guide not a shopping list. You don’t need the exact brushes I am using. But there may be one or two handy tips in here for you to consider if you are thinking about buying a brush in the future.

review: brow pomades Anastasia vs. NYX

Two products of my desire and neither are available in Austria. Lucky me!

I already mentioned the Anastasia Beverly Hillf brow pomade (taupe) in my US make up haul. The NXY tame & frame tinted brow pomade (blonde) was ordered from feelunique.

Ever since I purchased the Anastasia Beverly Hills brow pomade I was scared I would run out of it although it will probably last for ages anyway. Well my troubled mind made me buy the NYX brow pomade just in case I needed a cheaper alternative. You might ask why find an alternative if I haven’t even come close to running out of my expensive one? Well a) because now I can compare the products side by side without one being old and dried out and more importantly b) I can justify my purchases by blogging about them.

US make up haul

Being a European I have to admit I slightly lost it when I first walked into Sephora. It was like heaven's doors opened and gave me access to everything I can never have. It was quite the effort to limit myself to what I really “needed” instead of buying everything I wanted. I did make a list of the absolute necessary in advance so I wouldn’t black out and spend all my traveling budget in one store.