Random Favorites Archives

Archive of ‘Random Favorites’ category

02
Sep
2013

August Favourites

Hi All,

So August has been an interesting month for me. I have had a lot of troubles with my sensitive skin which resulted in me completely retreating into a ball of insecurity but its getting better (with help, thank goodness) and slowly things are returning back to normal. Because of my skin being a pain in the … makeup has basically taken a back seat whilst I tried to avoid using anything that could irritate my skin. Nevertheless I have a few beauty related favourites and then a few other random things as well.

1. EOS lip balm in Summer Fruits. Mum brought this back from the US for me (YAY!) and it has been my main lip product all month. The scent/taste of this is my favourite so far, tropical and delicious, and I do find these moisturize and hydrate really well. In my opinion they are better that baby lips for actual hydration, I only wish these were more readily available here in New Zealand

2. Australis Go Longwear Lipstick in Diva: Probably the only lipstick I have reached for this month on the odd occasion I wanted something more than a balm was this beauty from the new long wearing range by Australis. I have a full review of the three shades in this range coming up in the future but this is a beautiful, bright, true red matte that is flattering and doesn’t dry out my lips. Also lasts well which is a big plus for me.

3. Thin Lizzy Mineral Foundation in … So I avoided most makeup this month but there was the odd occasionytg where I wanted to look presentable and needed some sort of coverage for my red, angry, dry skin. I would have thought this powder wouldn’t have worked that great, just because my skin was so dry, but somehow it worked better than any cream foundation to give me a natural, even colour without any irritation at all or any flaking. It is now my default foundation just because I love the finish and I can trust it won’t set my skin off. Around $40 from farmers I think but a little goes a long way and I feel like this will last me a while.

4. Nivea sensitive foaming wash: Okay, so I am sure you are sick of hearing about my skin issues but it has basically defined my month and this body wash was kind of a life saver. This thing is JUMBO and was only $8 or so from the Supermarket. I love it not just because it is cheap but because it is so gentle that my skin doesn’t react at all and yet it still does an awesome job of lathering and cleaning (which I guess is the main point). Will definitely repurchase this if I ever run out.

5. Essie Merino Cool: This has just been the perfect nail colour for the season. A dusty purple taupe that is sophisticated and appropriate for work. A cream formula but sometimes I do pair this with a rose pink glitter (see below)…I just can’t resist an accent nail. Speaking of nail polish who else is excited for Spring colours?? ALL THE PASTELS.

6. Essie A Cut Above: This is one of my all time favourite glitters that I add to pretty much any manicure but I especially enjoyed this in combination with Merino Cool. This has such a nice even formula for a glitter that I don’t feel like I have to mess around with it. And it’s gorgeous.

That’s it for beauty! But moving on….

TV show: The Mentalist – Edd and I have been powering our way through every season and I may die when we run out. I just love Patrick so much.

Tea: Peppermint leaves with Ceylon Cinnamon by Dilmah (read more here – this tea is perfection for only $4, I’m in love)

Accessory: My burgundy circle scarf from Cotton On. I think I got this cheap with other purchases but I wear this almost every day. Perfect colour for winter and super snuggly.

Food: Haloumi cheese. We bought some from the Auckland Food Show and I have been craving it every day ever since. This with hummus on crackers makes for a perfect post gym snack.

Random Buy: Our new DSLR camera!! Edd is already a pro whilst I still forget to remove the cap and then wonder why I can’t see anything…

What have you been loving in the past month?

Coming up next: Only one album has stood out in the past couple of months and I am OBSESSED.

04
Jul
2013

Random Favorites for June

categories: Favorites, Random Favorites

Hi all!

Yesterday I posted my Beauty Favorites so today I thought I would tell you about a few random bits and pieces I have been loving this month (or last month rather…always behind oops). I may get emotional at some point during this post and weep over my keyboard so apologies in advance.

1. Jelly Belly Jelly Beans

Le me start by saying I am not a fan of jelly beans. I just never get the appeal…they must be one of the only lollies that I will turn down (free sugar is good sugar…normally). However! Mum bought a GIANT jar of these home from America for Edd and I and I can’t even begin to explain how much time we spend just sitting trying to decipher what all the 49 flavors are. Its bizarre really but these little morsels are pretty delicious and fun to eat. My favorite flavors are Buttered popcorn, green apple (I love apple anything), mango, sizzling cinnamon and watermelon.

2. Strawberry Pavlova Tea by Healtheries

What would winter be without pots of tea and lately this one has been a favorite. I won’t say too much other than it really does feel like dessert in a cup and thus works rather well as a post work drink. Delicious but rather sweet. Stay tuned for a more in depth review of these new dessert teas by healtheries.

3. Natio Candle in Floral Bouquet

I bought this candle at a makeup sale with Karen from Balmain Beauty for $15 (less than half the original price) and having enjoyed other natio products I was keen to give this a go. This has a very strong floral scent but when burned it is a little more subtle and adds a beautiful floral freshness to the room without being overly sweet or sickening. I was expecting to keep this for spring but loved it so much that I keep using it. Lasts for ages and smells wonderful, even the husband likes it which is downright weird.

4. World War Z

I don’t know if putting a movie I saw once as a favorite is cheating but I loved this movie kind of a lot and so HAD to mention it. I actually was not expecting to like this movie (at all) but went because I kept hearing people either say it was terrible or awesome so I had to see for myself. This zombie movie was action packed but also terrifying and stressful and emotional. By the end of it I was a little bit of an emotional wreck (my body can’t handle that much stress) and we almost lost our giant pop corn half way through when I freaked out and nearly hit it out of Edd’s hand. It was fun, go watch it!

5. Firefly

I saved the best (or worst) for last. Some awful friend of mine who wanted me to live in pain lent me her DVD of the first (AND ONLY) season of Firefly as Edd and I kept meaning to watch it (being a cult favorite and all). A week later and the whole thing was over (we got a little obsessed). This show was AMAZING and I loved everything about it. The characters were amazing, the cowboy sci-fi spin was unique and the whole darn show was awesome. Unfortunately due to poor marketing when it first aired the show was cancelled over ONE season so all the incredible potential in all the awesome story lines were JUST LEFT HANGING (WHO ARE YOU SHEPHERD? JUST KISS HER MALCOLM, THEN SHE WON”T LEAVE!!!!). So yeah.. I loved this show but now I am left scarred by what could have been (only slightly melodramatic). Regardless, I wasn’t expecting to love it as much as I did (and kind of wish I hadn’t haha) but if you some how have not seen it yet GO NOW ~~and feel my pain~~.

That’s it for a slightly emotional random favorites. What random things have you been loving recently (but maybe not quite so obsessively as me)?

30
Apr
2013

April’s Random Favourites

categories: Favorites, Random Favorites

Hi all!!
So here is my last late post for April, phew! I’ve been settling into the new job (which is exhausting) and I also had my graduation yesterday so life is a little chaotic haha. Here are a few random things that kept me occupied last month.

1. Wunderlist
This app has been a favourite for a while now so I thought I should mention it on here. This free iPhone/iPad app is a great way to make lists for pretty much everything….which in case you didn’t know I love to do! Nice interface and just a generally awesome way to create lists and keep life organised (or just slightly less chaotic in my case).

2. Survivor
I am not proud of my addiction to reality tv shows…but that doesn’t change the fact that they often are the highlight of my week. Survivor is my second favourite reality tv show and I have watched pretty much every season (not something I am particularly proud of guys…). Although I feel like this current season (fans vs favourites) isn’t a particularly strong one I am still enjoying every episode and will ~~die~~ cry when it soon finishes.

3. Whittaker’s Peanut Butter Chocolate
Peanut butter and chocolate are two of my favourite things so this heavenly bar of amazingness did not surprise me by being incredible. Seriously delicious and a must try for those lucky enough to have access to this awesome NZ chocolate company.

4. My Kitchen Rules
In case more evidence is needed for my insane attachment to Reality TV the highlight of Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday is this Australian cooking show. It’s entertaining, relaxing and a fun way to begin the week. This feels like it has been on for forever so who knows how. Will file when it eventually comes to an end.

5. Twinings Blackcurrent, Ginseng and Vanilla tea
The best thing about this cool autumn weather is the chance to drown myself in various herbal teas, and last month I tried this fruity flavour. I don’t notice the ginseng/vanilla very much as the blackcurrent is pretty strong but I do enjoy the warmth of the flavours when. Get home from work. Inexpensive too which always helps when you drink tea as much as I do!

That’s it for April, Have a magical May!!
Xx

04
Apr
2013

Random Favorites for March

categories: Favorites, Random Favorites

Hi all!

So for the last favorites post for March I have some random apps, noms, tv shows and so on that I have been loving throughout March. There’s quite a collection so let me just get started 😉

Goodreads: This is a website/app that I have really gotten into over the last month or two. Its a social media type of website for sharing info on what books you are reading and your opinions on them. I have found it a great source for new book inspiration and it also motivates me to get books finished (I’m aiming for 50 books this year). I also like the chance to ponder over a book and give it a review as it encourages me to think a bit more and be more critical over what I read instead of just finishing it, throwing it into the black hole that is my book shelf and never thinking of it again. If you are a member or decide you want to be than connect with me! My username is Lizzy Weaver (Lockhart). If you want to check out what I have been reading so far here is a post I did a little while ago

Brooklyn Cateye Sunglasses from CottonOn: Now that I am wearing contacts I have been enjoying being able to wear sunglasses again throughout Summer and this pair has been my favorite (although I think they may be a little too big for my face). I like the classic cat eye and the brown tortishell colour. For $10 I was pretty happy.

Spotify: My second computer program/app this month is Spotify which I’m sure most people are aware of (if you’re not its a music social media type of business with the ability to listen to radio stations, follow people’s playlists and create your own that you can listen to both online (for free) or offline if you pay the monthly fee of … something). I joined up to the 30 day trial and had heaps of fun downloading (legally) albums that I wanted to try out. I found lots of new music to try out (see my Albums of the month post for a couple of examples). I would love to keep up the paid subscription but at the moment I’m not sure. Luckily as a free user you still get to enjoy spotify online.

Sours Squirms: At the beginning of the month Edd and I had our little road trip/honeymoon and these were the sweets of choice for the duration of the trip! I love The Natural Confectionary Co. for attempting to make lollies slightly less evil and yet still delivering delicious morsels of sugary goodness. I also love sour lollies and these were….well, sour? Yum!

thereadables: Having gotten back into reading big time I found a youtuber who talks alll about BOOKS and I love her! Priscilla is cute, colourful (she even organized her bookshelf by colour, I can barely see what books I have with all the random piles I have going on) and shares each month a variety of book related videos including book hauls, reviews and more. Check out her channel if you feel like taking a break from all the makeup/cat videos :). She also has a tumblr which I am quite a fan of.

Modern Family: Okay so not a new favorite but this month Edd and I rewatched every season up until the current episode and I never get over how much I love this show. I made the mistake of watching it whilst at the gym and couldn’t control fits of laughter from escaping my body whilst cycling, I apologize to those who were lucky enough to my presence. Anyway above and below are two of my favorite quotes, can you tell I love Mitch and Cam?

Well that’s it for another month! What have you been loving in all things random?

28
Feb
2013

Random Favorites for February!

categories: Favorites, Random Favorites

Hi All!

Here is my last post for February! I hope you all had a good month. February was pretty hectic but awesome for me with valentines day, our wedding and my birthday all rolled up into a couple of weeks. The only downside to Febraury was the not so successful job hunting…sigh. But life goes on! And here are a few miscellaneous things that I’ve been loving this month.

1. Rose Gold watch from Lovisa

I got this watch as a very early birthday present right at the beginning of the month and have been loving it a lot. Rose gold has been all the rage much to my delight because I think its a gorgeous metal tone and love all things in it! When I saw this chunky boyfriend style watch I fell in love and snapped it up with a couple other jewelry items (they always seem to have a buy 2 get one free sale on which is quite alright with me!). They are one of my favorite jewelry shops because they are pretty good quality for reasonable prices and always have products that fit with the current trends which is great for a fashion noob like myself. Anyway, I see this being worn a lot for a long time to come. It was $34.99 NZD and here is the online link to it

2. 2 Broke Girls

So for TV this month there hasn’t been anything groundbreakingly awesome but Edd and I did start the second season (I think) of 2 Broke Girls. This isn’t the BEST comedy out there (I prefer New Girl and The Office US for example) but happens to be what I have been watching a lot of this month and it makes me laugh. A lot. So it can’t be too bad. The comedy has a lot of sexual and stereotype jokes so if that kind of slightly crass humour isn’t your thing than I’d give it a miss. But I like it and I love the characters, especially Max who is the stunning brunette and who is my favorite thing about the whole show. Also they bake lots of cupcakes which I like… The one thing I hate is the overused laugh track. Ugh just turn it off, please?!

3. MyFitnessPal

My app of the month is MyFitnessPal. I have an upcoming post about some health/fitness changes I’ve been making and I’ll mention this in that too but this is basically a free calorie and exercise tracker with an added social element where you can follow other people and comment on their entries and what not. I never was a fan of “calorie counting” and hated people who checked the calories on everything before they had a bite but actually this has been really useful in helping me keep track of what I’m taking in and the exercise I’m doing each day as well as helping me make some better diet choices. If you use this and want to connect with me (cause I’m so awesome and interesting…) then my username is liz_lock

4. Ferrero Rocher

Ok so swinging from Calorie counting to chocolate heaven seems like a bit of a contrast but oh well! February was Valentines and so Edd and I have been sharing a box of these little morsels of deliciousness all month! Somehow we are able to resist ourselves to one every second night or so (again, being able to look up the calories packed into one tiny mouthful on MyFitnessPal helped to curb my cravings haha) and the box is just under half full yay! Usually these would be gone in a couple of days. I have no self control :(. But yes, I’m sure you all know how delicious these are so I won’t go on.

5. Powder Blue bag from Forever New

So Forever New is one of my absolute favorite shops where I love pretty much everything and can afford nothing! Having said that although there stuff isn’t cheap it’s not ridiculously priced either and well worth the money for the gorgeous clothes and accessories. Anyway, when looking there one day I saw this bag which is the perfect blue colour to go with the wedding stuff and I didn’t have a wedding day bag yet. So I grabbed it…I mean it’s absolutely gorgeous with gold accents and a leopard print lining and its the perfect size for me. However come wedding day everything was so amazing and chaotic I completely forgot about my bag and didn’t end up using it at all haha. Luckily it’s my favorite colour and is a bag I will wear forever until it crumbles and dies on me. From memory this was about $50 but it’s no longer on their website so can’t be sure. My perfect bag. I should have bought a backup haha.

6. Tribal Infusion in Star Anise and Vanilla

A few months ago I posted about another scent of this brand of infusers (Moroccan orange?) and this is the other scent I bought a couple of months later but haven’t got around to mentioning yet. I got this for $12 from Postie Plus and I haven’t seen them there for a wee while so I am terrified they may be gone This scent is lovely, mainly a sweet vanilla scent with a slightly spicy tone. I love both of the scents I have from this range and love the packaging too. They last for ages and throw a good amount of scent into the room. This one is kept in the bedroom whilst the orange (nearly empty :() is in our lounge.

7. Totoro Hat!

Last weekend was the Lantern Festival (and my birthday) so Edd got me this ADORABLE hat from one of the many stands at the event. I love totoro and with Winter approaching (although it doesn’t feel like it at all) this is cuddly perfection. So I had to include it. I think it was $10 not that it really matters because I have no idea where you would get these from…

So there’s February, done and dusted! See you all in March

03
Feb
2013

Things I’ve been loving in January!

categories: Favorites, Random Favorites

Hi all!
Here are a few random favorites from January

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1. The Office USA.
Edd and I are big fans of both the original series as well as the US adaptation but recently we rewatched all the US seasons and have started on the new ones. I love this show and the amazing characters that drive its 30 minutes of non-stop laughter. A great distraction from a few of the more stressful aspects of my life at the moment.

2. Blue and gold iPhone case from Forever New.
Let me start by saying that I love Forever New, such a gorgeous shop that I spend way too much time in considering I can afford very little of their beautiful stuff. This is a iPhone case/wallet that is a cornflower blue with gold inside and I had been lusting after it for ages! Finally I saw this with 50% off and I grabbed it with a huge smile on my face! Now it’s my favorite iPhone accessory. I should add that the colours of my upcoming wedding are this kind of blue and gold which probably explains my love of this combo!).

3. Game of Thrones season 2.
Edd and I are also huge fans of GOT (the first season and book) so we were excited to watch this latest season last month! I was slightly disappointed with the small amount of story lines concerning the DRAGONS! But otherwise it was amazing and wonderful. As good as the first season? Maybe in different ways but definitely filled the gaping hole in my life that the first season left.

4. Monopoly deal card game.
I don’t know when this game came out but my brothers got it for Christmas and we have been playing it nonstop!! Luckily for me I love it so this isn’t such a big issue haha. A great short alternative to the board game that can take us all day to play. Even mr 5 is able to play it ( and beat me pretty consistently I should add) so a game that pretty much anyone can enjoy.

5. Homemade peach iced tea.
We all know by now I have a tea problem but at the moment in the heat of summer my hot tea drinking has declined dramatically and in its place a large icy pitchers of peach iced tea. I make this using this brands cordial type drink that can be used 1 part to 4 with water and then customized with sliced fruit and in my case a squeeze of lemon to enjoy on those insufferable days.

Oh well another month’s favorites over and out! There won’t be an albums of the month as I’m running behind on a few wedding posts I’d like to put up on the next two weeks (14 days til the wedding!!!!) and my music has been pretty much the Of monsters and men album from last month still on repeat.

Let me know any of your random favorites or any TV recommendations you may have!
Xx

05
Jan
2013

Foxy Favorites for December

categories: Favorites, Random Favorites

My last favorites post for 2012! Bring on 2013 and all its challenges I hope you all had a safe but fun New Years celebration (mine was pretty tame, spending the last moments of 2012 and the first of 2013 with the man I love which suits me just fine!). Here are my random favorites for the last month.

1. Pfeffer-Nusse

These German gingerbread morsels of Christmassy deliciousness were brought to my attention by Edd and after finding them for $1.50 a bag at Kmart over the Christmas period my fondness for them blossomed. Little gingerbread sponge biscuits with a layer of thin icing over the top. I’m not sure if they are meant to be a Christmas food but seem to only be sold at that time here in NZ. I’m kind of glad they aren’t sold year round, I don’t think it would help my attempts at eating healthier.

2. Parks and Recreation

Edd and I watched about 4 seasons of this over the past couple of months and LOVED it! Every night we would settle down and end up staying awake far too late just because it was too hard to stop watching. A great character-driven comedy that feels a little like The Office. Great, lovable but cringe-worthy characters. My favorite? Ron Swanson of course.

3. MegaRun

So my iPhone app of the month is this simple but addictive game. Similar to MegaJump I believe (having never played a minute of that). At first I found this game a bit hard and kind of gave up but then Edd started playing and competition was born. Both of us have almost completed all the levels and I am 99% sure Edd is going to beat me to the finish but regardless it was a very fun game when I had a few minutes with nothing to do (or an hour where I should be doing quite a lot…).

4. Green Tea with Orchard Peach

Despite it now being a little too hot to drink pots of hot tea each day my tea favorites continue! I still have hot tea when I manage but mostly I have been drinking tea chilled with a slice of lemon. This green tea with peach is a beautiful summery tea that is delicious hot but even better over ice.

5. Christmas!

What would December favorites be without a mention of Christmas? I love Christmas and this year proved to be a great success. Edd and I visited three different family groups for celebrations on Christmas day and all 3 were lovely to be a part of. Favorite parts about this years christmas: the first time Edd and I have done our own Christmas tree, watching scary movies christmas eve with mum and family, over-indulging on ham, pavlovas, amazing trifles and roast dinner, buying presents for Callie, getting spoilt by absolutely everyone, spending Boxing day in a food coma and many more. I hope everyone else had a lovely holiday, whatever you choose to celebrate!

So there are my random Foxy Favorites for the past couple of months (mainly December). I can’t wait to see what January has in store other than this sweltering heat!

03
Nov
2012

Random Favorites for October

categories: Favorites, General/Life, Random Favorites

Hi All!

So here is part two of my monthly favorites, a slightly random collection of things I have been loving this month with a special Callie favorite included too (I know, I know, I’m Crazy)!

First up are these amazing iced tea drinks by the Arizona brand. Holy wow these are delicious and full on flavour! I have been enjoying these as a little exam study treat every now and again and the two above (pomegranate green tea and iced peach tea) are my favorites although I have yet to find one I don’t love. Quite sweet but as a good friend advised, watering them down a bit makes them a bit less full on with the sugar load. I also love the packaging and kinda almost didn’t want to chuck them away (I warned ya’ll I was crazy)

Keeping in line with the tea theme here is my tea of choice for this month. I think I raved about this in a Monday Made Me Smile post but thought I’d just mention it again cause I love it so much! This range by Dilmah is yet to disappoint (especially at less than $3 on special). This specific one with rose and french vanilla was recommended by my future mother in law. I love the full ceylon flavour with the rich vanilla taste and the rose primarily comes through in scent. Seriously, I just sit sniffing my tea while I’m supposed to by studying…so strange. Turkish delight in tea form. Delightful.

With study and exams comes stress and with stress comes emotional eating. Okay fine I do it all the time. Edd and I have a bar of chocolate which we enjoy for desert and getting a different one each week is always a sadly exciting decision. This peanut butter one by Whittaker’s is divine! I love peanut butter and chocolate and you don’t really see it a whole lot in NZ so I was very happy when this came out here. Delicious and rich so a couple pieces is enough to satisfy my chocolate cravings (usually…). I do wish they had it with dark chocolate though to balance some of the sweetness…mmmm

Last up for my random favorites is this diffusion set by Tribal Infusion in the scent Moroccan Orange. I got this for like $10 at Postie Plus and have been in love with the scent ever since. Leaves my bedroom smelling like fragrant citrus, perfect for spring!

Last up is Callie’s favorite of the month! We got her these when she returned from having her stitches taken out of her tail and she is obsessed! She loves cheesy stuff and is constantly trying to steal my Twisties or grab some cheese from my dinner so this was an obvious choice with its cheesy flavour. Am I weird for having a cat favorite? Probably. She can even help herself if we hold the bag open.

And just in case there was any doubt here is Callie trying to get some whilst I was taking photos for this post. A rustle of this bag and she comes running!

And that’s it for this months favorites! I look forward to seeing what November brings along with Thanksgiving (yay for having an American friend who celebrates it here in NZ!)

30
Sep
2012

September’s Random Favorites

categories: Favorites, Random Favorites

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Hi All

So after posting my September Beauty Favorites I thought I would share some other favorites this month that I felt deserved a mention Get ready for a wee bit of randomness.

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