Berry Breakfast Smoothie

Lately I've been trying to get out of a "bad food binge".  Diet-wise, this summer was probably the worst I've ever treated my insides.  I wouldn't eat before a shift at work and I wouldn't get off until 2AM, when the only place still open was McDonalds.  It turned into a vicious cycle and I would wake up the next morning feeling absolutely wrecked because of my lack of proper nourishment and dehydration.  I had zero energy, I was surviving off of espresso shots and lets not even discuss my skin situation.  

I think a lot of us forget how good our bodies are actually supposed to feel.  Part of my plan for this September is to start eating better and what better way to start with a tasty breakfast?  

This one is great for all of you who are on a budget because it only actually has 4 ingredients.  

Just blend together ice, a whole banana, frozen berries, and almond milk.  I like to top mine with fresh blueberries.  That's it.  I'm probably one of the last people I know to hop on the almond milk train on account of how skeptical I was about the taste but it really just tastes like, well, almonds.  I think I'm slowly going to switch over and start putting it in my tea as well.  Other than the milk in my tea, I don't drink milk or use it for anything else.

Heck, you can add protein to this smoothie, chia seeds, hemp hearts and all that healthy shit if you wanted.  Great for all you kiddies goin' back to school or for those who are looking to put a little more effort into your health and daily routine.

Have I mentioned I've also started running again?  What's gotten into me...

Cheers, m'dears xo.

Fall Beauty Edit Pt 1: Lips and Nails

This year, I thought I'd do a series of "Fall Edits" to highlight some of the new products I'll be incorporating into my routine this fall.  For Autumn 2014, I plan on styling a very basic, monochrome wardrobe with some blood-red beauty bits.

My first pick is a product that I actually purchased back in the Spring; Lime Crime Cosmetics released their Clueless Witch Collection back in March and come release day, I was fumbling with my keyboard desperately trying to get my hands on one of the new Velvetines.  I knew right off the bat that the deep, blue-toned blood red Velvetine Matte Lip Color in Wicked was the one for me.  

I loved the long-lasting formula so much that I couldn't wait until Fall and actually wore it a couple of times this Summer.  P.S. You'll need a very efficient makeup remover to get this stuff off, unless that smear-y Joker look is what you're going for.  Here I paired it with a little bit of MAC Patina Eyeshadow and lashings of mascara for a quick, yet mysterious Fall look.  

For nails, I saw this brand new ruby red color by Essie in the drugstore and since I picked it up, I haven't been able to find it again.  Unfortunately it comes off as a much brighter red on camera but don't be fooled, Essie's Macks is blood red, like the kind that Morticia would wear.

Let me know what you think of these in the comments!  I'll be making more Fall Edits so keep an eye out for those.

P. S . In case you're wondering what the book in the second picture is, it's a handmade, leather-bound copy of Bram Stoker's Dracula that Tristan and I found in a little shop.  Flawlessly creepy.

Click here to check out LimeCrime's Velvetines.

xo

Welcome, September

September: The leaves start to fall, pants become a more regular thing and you start craving things like fresh stationary and pumpkin flavoured goods.  Well, I'm already there.  To tell you the truth, I was there like, two weeks ago.  This will be the first Autumn I'm not school and it already feels weird.  

A quick life update: I quit my job.  It was bad, it turned me sluggish and made me unhappy.  However, I found a new one!  It doesn't start up right away so I'm taking a brief work-free moment to cleanse my thoughts (as well as my apartment).

I thought I'd share with you a few simple tricks on how to move past summer toward autumn and new beginnings.

First, buy a bloody planner, agenda, whatever you want to call it.  People remind me on a daily basis: "Hey, you know you can put all that information in your phone, right?!".  Yes, I know you can but there's something about having it in front me, concrete and tangible that is much more satisfying than pushing the backspace button once I've accomplished something.  I just purchased this new Paperblanks Moroccan-style hardcover pocket agenda from a nearby bookstore.  It goes all the way till the end of 2015, has two page marking ribbons and a pocket at the back for notes and receipts.  Not to mention it looks like an old spell book, bonus.  When in doubt, write it down.

Second, I bought some new candles and they're actually not from Bath and Body Works.  After a few years, two candles for $25-$30 sounds a little ridiculous.  I made a brief trip to Ikea and bought some floral-scented candles.  Some of them even came in little ceramic floral pots; perfect for storing jewelry once it's burnt out.

Third, do yourself and your coffee table a favor and go buy The September Issue.  You shouldn't need to know what magazine I'm talking about.  Just go buy it, for the good of your soul.

Fourth, change your iPhone case and background to something a little more seasonally appropriate.  I ditched my floral case and background for a plain, black leather case and an artsy fall background.  Little changes work wonders so try changing your phone and desktop background once a week for a change in scenery.  After all, the thing is probably glued to your hand.

Last, read a damn book.  Not a book required for a class, not a magazine, not a blog, a real book.  Be it fantasy, sci-fi, fiction, self-help it doesn't matter.  I find reading books very therapeutic and I very much regret not setting aside time to read them while in university.  You wouldn't believe how many books are out there.  My personal favorites are historical fictions like the All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness.  It's one of the most well-researched historical fictions I've ever read and am likely to read again.  Witches, vampires, daemons, love, alchemy, drama, everything I could want in a book.  Go read them, seriously.

Well that's my advice to you on this rainy September evening.  I can barely contain my excitement for fall!  Pop by later this week and I'll show you some new fall additions to my beauty routine; HINT HINT: It's gonna be a dark one ;)

Farewell, my pretties.

xo