Woolworths Voucher Giveaway

On Wednesday I ran a competition with Woolworths via Twitter for the launch of Summer. Shoppers had to guess at which store I was going to be and come and find me.  I had hardly walked in or started my clues when I was found by one very lucky lady who won a R1000 voucher!

To add to the fun - Durban readers can win a R500 voucher by entering this giveaway!  It is the perfect way to get ready for Summer!


To Enter:
Follow / Like me and Woolworths on Twitter or Facebook (if you don't already).

Tweet or Facebook this message: 
Twitter:  I want to WIN with @WOOLWORTHS_SA & @NadiavdMescht  #wwfashion

Facebook:  I want to WIN with Woolworths & Nadia van der Mescht #wwfashion (post giveaway link).

*Don't forget to leave a comment on this post telling me how you have entered.
Entries close on Wednesday 5 September.  Giveaway now closed!

The Summer items, store decor and colours are beautiful so be sure to add some new wardrobe items to your look and welcome Summer!

*Useful Links:
Giveaway Link

Thank you for all the tweets and entries!  The winner is Kim Walsh!  Congrats!
*Winner picked using Random.org

Tried & Tested: Balm Balm

In my Beauty Post I asked you to recommend some of your favourite products and one reader recommended Balm Balm – thank you Leanne!  They got in touch with me to sample their products – always a welcome surprise.  Not only did I receive a beautiful package, but the products within were amazing.  

I love recommendations as they come with some warranted experience and success stories especially in the form of magic potions and lotions that can help a gal’s beauty routine along.  Put away your cucumber slices and homemade masks!  Balm Balm is the UK’s leading 100% Organic Skincare company – in case you needed some context and it is available in South Africa!

I received:
1 >  Hand Balm:  Perfect for dry, cracked hands and tender cuticles.  My crafting and often physical work leave my hands lacklustre...the hand balm was a welcome solution to ragged cuticles.

2 >  Little Miracle Rosehip Serum:  It is made using the finest carrier oils so it slips straight in, leaving no greasy residue. 

3 >  Tea Tree Lip Balm:  To moisturise and nourish lips.  It is also antibacterial and antiviral so can help to clear up all sorts of little problems. 

4 >  Fragrance Free Face Balm:  Ideal for extremely sensitive skins.  So gentle that it can even be used on new born babies and is safe for pregnant ladies.

I have really enjoyed using all of the products and their unique and pretty packaging makes them perfect to display on my dressing table.  The two products that have really stood our though, are the Rosehip Serum aptly named Little Miracle and the Face Balm.  I have exceptionally dry skin and fight a battle with it every day to keep it moisturized and to keep my makeup looking as flawless as I can manage.  The face balm has replaced my night cream and when I awake in the morning and need to prep for the day...my skin is ready (for a change).  I am so impressed and in love with this balm.  I blend a drop of the serum into my moisturizer in the morning and although it is a tiny amount it really helps my skin to stay hydrated for much longer.  This is exceptionally helpful if I have a long day ahead, meeting clients and working away from the office.

These products are now beauty essentials!  Thank you Balm Balm!

Oh and did I mention the prices...they are beyond reasonable.  You would expect organic, natural skincare to cost a fortune, the prices are affordable even on a beauty budget.  

To add some Balm Balm magic to your life email Susan Rowan for stockists and orders in South Africa.

Cheap & Cheerful Baskets


These delightful baskets are only R12.99 at Pep!  Yes - I actually went into Pep and I am so glad I did.  They work well in my office for storage, paperwork and house a multitude of craft paraphernalia in a neat way.  I really love finding unique and useful things in the most unexpected places.  There are a range of other colours besides this cheerful pink and at such a steal you can afford to stock up!  The great thing is you can add little tags to keep things organised and thanks to my current reading material... Storage magazine I am label obsessed!  Check out their free options here.



Dress Giveaway from Mooi


The lovely Lauren from Mooi is giving away this vintage dress in celebration of the move that Mooi has made - not far though, but rather to a space within Earthmother the organic shop and deli. 

The move sees Mooi returning to its original roots as this is where the shop made its debut.  The difference is that Mooi as a brand as evolved and grown.  The idea of moving back to this collective space came from the concept of collaboration and joining forces and made excellent business sense.  Most of Lauren's clients were having lunch at Eathmother and popping over to Mooi, the return of the shop to this space means it is even more accessible and you can browse and have a cuppa at the same time!

I decided to wear it to show you just what it looks like.  It is a pale grey with collar detail.  The size is a medium, but the dress has a stretch to it - especially in the waist area and would fit a range of body types.  It also has pockets which is a feature I just love on dresses.

Be sure to pop over to Mooi:
106 Bulwer Road
Glenwood

To enter this awesome giveaway:
Like the Mooi Facebook page or follow the Mooi blog.  Leave me a comment just to let me know you have done so.
So easy!

This is a local (South Africa) giveaway and entries close 30th August.

Thanks to Lauren from Glossary for the photos!

The winner is Charlene from Fashion Cherry!  Congrats!  Thanks to all of you who entered.
Winner picked using Random.org

Something new...

Those of you that follow me on Twitter might have noticed the mention of something new...in the form of lecturing.  I am very proud and happy to say that I am now lecturing Styling - once a week at Style Design College.  I come from both a fashion and marketing background and styling has always been something I have just done - a little without thinking really.  Now...I get to break it down and really get to delve into the finer details of being a stylist and creating extraordinary shoots.  It's a new challenge, but I am really finding it so rewarding and loving each minute.

A Creative Mess

I have had such fun lately - crafting and just doing some personal DIY's.  I spent today working on a few new posts and a very simple and super easy DIY to share with you.  Come back next week for for some posts showing what I have been up to.

This sheet of paper is what I have been using to work on and paint various things, seeing all the colours together has an appeal of its own - a creative mess so to speak!.  I hope you are enjoying your weekend!

Bedside Essentials
























I have always loved reading magazine articles about what people keep on their bedside tables, what books they read and what their essentials are within this personal and intimate space.  On this note I thought I would share what is currently on my bedside table...

One Line A Day:  I am on the third year of keeping this little journal - some days I write, other's I forget to jot things down, but I do enjoy looking back every now and again at memories past.

Love & Toast Handcreme:  The packaging sold me - luckily the product is lovely too.

Parisian Chic Book by Ines de la Fressange:  I dream of going to Paris - perfect pre-sleep fodder to feed my brain.

Cote Noire Candle:  I recently discovered these and love the delicate scent.

My bedside table is a restored Woodnewz piece and offers a space for a few of my favourite things.

What is on your bedside table?

Home Dreaming





Last week I tweeted these words and a great deal of people agreed with my thought.  I remember when I first started 'pinning' I would go to bed at night and have vivid flashes of the DIY's I was going to wake up and do!  Home, organising, the perfect wardrobe - my perfect life...they all exist on Pinterest. How much of it is actually attainable - who cares...right?





You might have spotted some of these images on Pinterest - I had repinned a few of them without knowing they belong to the same person.  Upon a little more investigation I came across the blog of Danielle Moss.  Her home is perfection served up in a habitable form!  I am working on some home improvements and also want to do a mini makeover on my office - all these photos offer amazing inspiration  as does the plenitude of other images ready for the pinning!






Tried & Tested: SteamCream


I almost did a little happy dance in Fat Tuesday last week when I spotted STEAMCREAM!  I have been hankering after this product since I first spotted it in a UK glossy and once I learnt about their collaboration with PPQ I was an even bigger fan.  A few years later and finally I have my very own tin full of this miracle product. 

The first thing you spot is the amazing tins, but despite these wondrous beauties - there is a quality skincare product within.  So what is STEAMCREAM?  It is one multi-purpose cream that can be used on face, body and hands.  

Vegan ingredients like almond oil, lavender oil, organic jojoba oil and cocoa butter ensures your skin is cared for, soft and hydrated .  In their own words "There are no gimmicks, no false promises"  My tin is on my bedside table and the pretty poodle tin (named Dou Dou) makes me smile!  


























All images from the STEAMCREAM site and thanks to Noor from Little Pink Strawberries for the arrow.

Hector & Bailey

I recently worked with Jess of Hector & Bailey on the design of her blog.  She had a strong sense of what she wanted for the aesthetics which always makes my job easier.  I worked with Ana of Blogmilk on the template and facilitated the design elements, but Jess was a great help with her clear vision and own design skills too.  Take a look at her work, interesting blog posts and upcycled furniture pieces.  And find out more about the namesake of her business - a beautiful cat!

Seven Things: Birthday Edition 2

As I said in the previous post - I had more than seven birthday things to share and here is the next batch.

Dinner, Drinks & Dancing:  A few gals, glasses clinking and high heels = a lovely eve out on the town.

Sparklers:  I mentioned them in my celebration essentials and Lauren made sure I had some!  In fact she really made my day yesterday with decorations (including little animals), balloons, paper masks and enough sweets to induce a sugar coma!

Macaroons:  Another birthday essential - these went down a treat!  Thanks Daniela!

An iceberg:  The Palki crew bought me a plate full of ice cream which reminded me of a sugary iceberg.

Mr Price:  Last week saw the launch of the Mr Price online shop and I was fortunate enough to receive a huge and beautifully decorated box full of surprises...good timing I say!  Have you checked out the online shop yet?  

I ate enough this past weekend for the next five birthdays - sure you can tell by all the photos of food!  Now - to get onto living this year (and age) to the best of my ability!

Seven Things: Birthday Edition 1

This weekend I celebrated my birthday and it was wonderful to spend time with the people I love.  I have more than seven birthday things to share so I broke them up into two posts.  All snaps taken with Instagram (nadiavdmescht).


Lunch & Shopping:  A little outing with my mama and some birthday shopping at Fat Tuesday.  I picked the typewriter bag - I've had my eye on it for quite a while.  We basked in the sun, drank Earl Grey and chatted at Makaranga.  Camembert melted in a small pot with crusty bread to dip was surely the ultimate taste bud experience.  The picture of Big Ben is from an exhibition that was on at Fat Tuesday - the work of Matthew Willman - exceptional in every way.

Skinny Laminx & Satsuma Press:  I love both these brands and was so happy to open a gift with both a tea towel and letterpress card from this duo's collaboration.  An amazing gift from a very special friend.  A little trip to I heart Market sitting on the grass, eating delicious pancakes from Mooki and sipping on champagne and lemonade was another highlight to the weekend.

Family Lunch at Palki (Musgrave Road):  One of my top ten meals - the Butter Chicken and now it's a family favourite too!  I can really recommend this restaurant for an authentic Indian experience.  

Birthdays are such fun and mine involved so much food, wonderful gifts, laughter and moments with the people I love most!  

My Movie Montage Memory























I have quite an acute long-term memory, sometimes it is painful - all the details I can recall. Outfits, things that were said and emotions experienced are all as crisp as the day that they happened.  This is both a good thing and a bad thing and sometimes it feels like a movie montage of memories which I can't switch off!  It is especially sharp at the moment as I am thinking back to how I have spent my birthdays in the past - part of a reflection process, I suppose.  I lost almost all of the millions of photos I took while I lived in London due to some horrid technical malfunction of which we don't speak!  Tears wiped dry and head held high I am trying my damn hardest to make new memories.  I did manage to find these of a birthday spent in London.  It was a really wonderful day and probably the hottest it was going to get in the Summer of 2007!  Cupcakes, Pimms and lemonade as well as the occasional strawberry coupled with green grass and sunny skies = heaven.

So, this year I say cheers to the good times and think fondly of the friends I miss oh so dearly!  I also think back to a near perfect day spent in Golders Hill Park.

New memories punctuated with a few old ones is never a bad thing...

*Thanks to Pugly Pixel for the pointer on the brushes I used at the top of the post.  Download them here.
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