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Wednesday, January 16

This is your year!

Hope you are all having a great refreshing start to 2013? I have been keeping it nice and quiet in January; focusing on healthy eating, exercise and just taking a breather after a manic few months! As you know I am a big lover of quotes and I think these are all ones I will aim to live by for the year to come..

Some other New Year’s resolutions and goals I have set for myself this year are: 
  • To run a ½ marathon  which is 21km! My training is going well which means I should hopefully survive the The Hague ½ Marathon that I am running 8 weeks.  
  • Keep a memory jar (read about it here) 
  • Learn how to use Photoshop 
  • Give the blog a revamp. I have been working on this already in January and hope I can show you the new look soon!
  • and 2013 is going to be my year of YES and putting myself out there :) 
Do you have any resolutions or specific goals for this year? I’d love to hear them! Happy Hump Day! x

Monday, January 14

My Monica Vinader Personalised Charm

At home, with my family, we don't really give each other presents at Christmas time, because we celebrate St Nicolas in the Netherlands instead, but I was still very spoiled and got a couple of lovely presents friends!

One of the presents I got was a gorgeous personalised silver charm by Monica Vinader. Shame on me but I'd never really heard of this brand before. Turns out that Monica, a Spanish born, UK jewellery designer is very popular amongst the celebs with an ever-growing stylish following including Cameron Diaz, Claudia Shiffer, Keira Knightly and Elle MacPherson.

"From a strong desire to wear jewellery in all the varied moments of life, Monica Vinader brings us pieces that balance elegance and luxury with practical and simple designs. Silver and 18 Carat Gold is hand set with semi precious stones, bespoke cut and faceted to showcase their personality. The jewellery reflects the designer's passion for the shapes and colours found in nature, her search for the timelessness of the simple form."

Monica Vinader is a regular these days in glossy magazines such as Vogue, Harpers, Elle and Grazia and now lucky little me owns a beautiful personalised charm by the brand!

My flatmate got me a small round pendant in sterling silver that she got engraved for me! You can wear the pendant on a necklace, bracelet or combine it with a Monica Vinader chain adding more pendants or stones as you please, this way designing your own necklace (link)
I love my 'Roxy Rocks' charm! I'm pairing it here with my Tiffany & Co bracelet!

Had you heard of Monica Vinader before? 
There are definitely a few items on her site that I'd love to make my own....

Friday, January 11

Best Dressed: 2013 People & Critic Choice Awards

This week both the 2013 People's Choice & Critic's Choice Awards took place in Los Angeles. Here are my best dressed picks from the red carpet.
Emily Blunt is absolute perfection in this white Miu Miu dress! The back of the dress, the flawless makeup, the red lips and the glamorous hair...just WOW!
Lea Michele sparkled in this pink Elie Saab dress. The mix of lace and sequins is cute and the colour is just so fun. Her legs look smokin' hot and I really like the purple makeup (she even manages to pull off purple lashes!) to complete her look.
Taylor Swift was a sexy vision in white in this daring low plunging gown by Ralph Lauren. The dramatic bronze makeup and turquoise earrings completed her essemble perfectly.
How cute is Julianne Hough's sparky number! Her make up is impeccable and love her fun and messy bob hairstyle.
Noami Watts looked amazing at both award shows where she was nominated for Best Actress for her outstanding performance in the film The Impossible. I watched this movie on Sunday and admit that I haven't cried so much at a movie for ages! A very touching and intense story about the 2004 Tsunami; so if you go and see it (which I truly recommend you do) make sure you bring a box of tissues!
Jennifer Lawrence in a Prabal Gurung gown with leather detailing and a sheer train. Loved her edgy yet elegant look.

Two other honourable mentions needed are for Amy Adams and Helen Hunt. Both look beautiful. The white and navy Grecian high split gown is sexy and really compliments her lovely porcelain skin. Helen shines in red; the lace detailing is stunning and how incredible is her body for her age; she turns 50 this year!
Who were your favourites of these Awards shows? I can't wait for the Golden Globes and Oscars.  I just love award season :)

Wednesday, January 9

Be the type of person you want to meet!

You get what you give, be the type of person you want to meet

This is one of my favourite quotes! To me, it doesn't mean you should need to change who you are,  because I am definitely all about being yourself and loving yourself, but I do think it is important to sometimes think about the concept of; you get what you give!

"We all want positive influences in our lives and many of us are searching for them relentlessly -foraging friendships and letting those go who don't inspire us - but often we forget to ask ourselves if we are positive influences. We go through life looking for positivity and seeking it in others without really assessing what it is that we're giving back to others.  Cliche as it sounds, you get what you give!

So, take a moment, stop what you're doing, and ask yourself these questions:
  • What kind of vibe do I give off? 
  • How do I convey my beliefs and thoughts to others? 
  • How enjoyable am I to be around? 
  • What makes me interesting? Fun? Positive? 
  • What am I giving back to those around me?
Honestly, when I stopped and really answered these questions for myself, I wasn't as happy with the answers as I would like to be. There are times when I'm just plain not fun to be around. I'm in a rush or I'm stressed or I'm thinking to myself, "What's next?" And who wants to be around someone who isn't enjoying the moment, but is instead thinking about what she has to do next? I certainly wouldn't want to be around someone like that, and yet, I am someone like that more often than I'd like.

The whole "get what you give" concept is cliche, yes, but it's also true. If you want to be around a certain type of person, you need to be that type of person. If you don't feel as if you are the type of person you would want to spend time with, you must ask yourself: What can I do to make myself the kind of person I want to be around?

Of course, I'm not at all suggesting that you change who you are. At our very core, we have certain attributes and characteristics that make us who we are. We should be true to ourselves. But there are parts of ourselves that we can alter and tweak so that we are more enjoyable to be around. It might sound like this is changing ourselves for others, but, in reality, the more enjoyable you are to be around, the more people will want to be with you and the more enjoyment you'll find for yourself."

Food for thought don't you think! So would you like you if you met YOU? 
Happy Hump Day :)