♥ Self Love ♥

I wasn't planning on doing a Valentine's Day-themed post, but then I kinda did. Oops. But let's talk about the kind of love that's usually overlooked on Valentine's day - self love! I spent most of the 14th of Feb. hanging out with myself and enjoying my own company (my partner and I don't celebrate Valentine's day because our anniversary is shortly after!). I think that it's really important to remember (or relearn!) to spend time with yourself, whether you're unattached or in a long-term relationship. This morning I decided that I was going to learn how to do make up. This is the first time I've ever successfully done contouring and applying false lashes, aw yeah! My eyes look HUGE O_O Going out on my own to a cafe, dinner or the movies used to be something that I was absolutely terrified of doing. Along with a good ol' dose of social anxiety ("Omg, everyone is looking at me wondering why I'm here on my own"), it was almost like hanging out with myself was somehow invalid, as though if I was the only one experiencing it, it didn't really happen. Having been in a long term relationship for nearly 4 years, it almost becomes a habit to constantly have someone else around to validate your experiences. Even without a significant other, how many times have you been on your own, seen something cool, and just *had* to upload a photo of it to facebook, to validate that you were really there? And yes, I recognise the irony of what I'm trying to say here when I'm also a blogger and have a very active instagram account - taking selfies and documenting what I'm doing is a big part of my life. But that's different to learning to enjoy your own company and still having experiences that are yours alone. By starting to spend more time with myself, I no longer feel the need to share every single thing that I do on my own - I can go out to a cafe with a book and sit there for hours, or lock myself away for days just sewing, and simply enjoy being in my own company. That certainly doesn't mean that I (or anyone else, for that matter) can't still enjoy taking selfies and sharing them! For me, this is a big part of my own self-love. This blog and taking regular outfit pictures plays a major part in being positive about myself, my abilities and my own body. So much of today was spent playing with make up, dressing myself up in a silly Valentine's-themed outfit, grabbing my tripod and taking a whole load of pictures. Self-love is also occasionally treating yourself! Yesterday, this tote bag featuring artwork from the amazing Kat Blaque arrived in the mail. I doubt anyone would remember this, but Kat illustrated me back in 2012, and I recently rediscovered Kat's amazing artwork and youtube channel after she left a comment on one of my videos. I'm so happy that I did, because 1. her videos rock and are super educational and 2. this tote bag is going to be absolutely ~*perfect*~ for University this year. Dress is thrifted | emoji badge is from Hong Kong (argyle centre) | socks are from markets | shoes are Naot (Kedmas) | headband is from Hong Kong (new town plaza) | bag is from Kat Blaque's society6 store Now because it's Valentine's Day, it's totally appropriate for me to post some science-related valentines puns, right? By bluespecstudio, available to buy at Redbubble The #sciencevalentines hashtag is a glorious corner of tumblr to wander into. Our bond is so strong, it don’t need oxytocin. We’re woven together like a corpus callosum. The love we impart, though it’s felt in our heart, Is more of a limbic-type notion. - Joe Hanson, writer and host of It’s Okay To Be Smart Honestly, if I were single, these would be the ultimate way to win my heart. May our atomic orbitals overlap for I would love to bond with you. Be my valence valentine. - By this person's grandpa Check out more #sciencevalentines posts here (they're amazing). Much love to you all! p.s. I keep forgetting to mention - I was interviewed on the radio last Monday! The audio was uploaded to the radio's website, which you can now listen to here! Bloglovin' | Youtube | Facebook | Twitter |  Instagram | Chictopia | Lookbook | Tumblr

DIY Heart Cutout Valentines Dress

Hooray! Another DIY video! I've spent a sizeable portion of the weekend working on this video (alongside going bike riding, cleaning the house, cuddling the neighbour's cat and visiting Glebe markets - it's been a pretty nice two days!) but when it finally came to uploading the thing, and then waiting 3 hours for the upload to happen, I realised that I'd stuffed up the ending! So, this video comes to you after many tears & angry text messages of frustration (well, no one was around for me to complain to, so I resorted to text messaging people about how annoyed I was. They totally cared.) Anyway... I hope you all enjoy it! In this video, I teach you all how to draft a pattern for & sew your own heart cutout dress bodice! After you've made the top part, the connection of the bodice to the dress is just the same as in my DIY circle skirt dress tutorial. Anyway, all will be explained in the video. Have a watch, and let me know what you think! Please tweet me a picture or tag me on instagram if you give this a go! Oh, and have a look at _robynesque_'s dress made using my DIY circle skirt dress tutorial - using thrifted dinosaur bedsheets, no less, which is basically the best thing ever. I hope that you're all doing well, Bloglovin' | Facebook | Twitter |  Instagram | Chictopia | Lookbook | Tumblr

I want to spend all nine lives with you ♥

Introducing to my blog for the very first time... my boyfriend Luciano! Luci is normally quite camera shy (hence the reason you've never seen him on my blog before and probably all thought I had an imaginary boyfriend haha), but we had an agreement that if I got a really nice shot of him, he would allow me to share it with you all! And I totally did - just in time for Valentines day too! Isn't the above shot loooovely? (You have to all leave comments saying that it is, so I can encourage Luci to let me put him on my blog more often, heheh). Valentines day is pretty special to us both, because it was around this time 2 years ago that we shared our first kiss - in fact, the 16th of February is our two year anniversary! I couldn't ask for a better guy to share my life with - especially one who has not minded me basically going shopping every day we've been in Japan, as well as dutifully carrying around all my shopping bags for me! ;) Annika is wearing sweater - c/o Romwe shorts - c/o Wholesale tights, boots and headband - Japan Luciano is wearing coat - Young Look jeans - Cotton On shoes - Centrepoint Tower Westfield bag, scarf and earrings - Japan ♡♡♡ Happy Valentines day! ♡♡♡

DIY Heart Print Valentines Tights

Here's a little DIY just in time for Valentines. I feel so schmaltzy making a Valentines themed DIY, but I've actually gotten into the Valentines "spirit" as it's my first Valentines with my lovely guy. I've become lame and schmaltzy, I guess. Don't judge me!! And enjoy the DIY! Firstly, supplies you will need: - Arcrylic paint - Clear Nail Polish - Sheer tights (anything from 10 to 30 denier is best, mine are 15) - Paintbrush (forgot to include that in the photo there... but very necessary!) - Scissors - Cardboard (can be from anywhere, an empty ceral box etc) - Sticky tape (also forgot to include that in the photo...) - Lots of time is also required (DIY not for the impatient) Next, make your stencils: Draw one large love heart and one small love heart (or however you'd like to do it, maybe several sizes, or maybe only one? I'm not here to tell you exactly how you must do these things.) onto two squares of cardboard, then cut them out. Seal up the bit where you cut into it with sticky tape. Next, put on your tights and place the stencil on your leg, wherever you think it'll look nice. Paint thickly, filling out the stencil. Make sure the layer of paint is fairly thick, but not goopy. You can then remove the stencil and fix up any edges that look a bit dodgy with the paintbrush. Now do as many of these as you like on the FRONT of your legs. Have a look in the mirror (while trying not to move your legs too much, and avoid bending your kness - walk around like a robot if you have to) to make sure the placement looks good. When you're done the fronts of your legs, use a blowdryer on each heart for about 20 seconds to speed up the drying process. It's very important that you don't begin the next step until the paint is BONE DRY. Next, paint over each heart with clear nail polish (in a thin layer). If paint is coming off and going into the nail polish, you have rushed it. WAIT UNTIL IT IS DRY. Next, use your blowdryer again, or wait for a loooong time if you have the patience. When you can touch each heart and it doesn't feel at all wet or tacky, you are ready to take your tights off. When taking your tights off, peel very carefully around each painted heart. If there is any paint left on your legs (other than a faint outline), STOP. It is not dry enough, and it won't work. Chill, sit back down, and WAIT another 5 minutes or so (I can't stress this enough). Once you take the tights off, turn them around and put them on backwards. Begin process again. Now you're done! Whether you're a single lady or spending valentines with a beloved, you will surely enjoy your sweet looking legs. Wishing you all a super lovely day,