How To Prepare Your Home For Fall

It will still be summer where I live for a while, but I might start prepping for fall anyway, especially after reading this article in Career Girl Daily.

How To Prepare Your Home For Fall

There are so many reasons to be excited for fall, from cosy evenings todelicious homely food and our favourite TV shows returning. One of our favourite things about fall is preparing our home for the darker evenings. Whether you need some inspiration for your dorm room at Uni or whether you’re lucky enough to have the whole house to yourself, there are so many cute ways to dress up your space this season!

In summer, we love light, bright, airy rooms with fruity scents and thinner sheets, but it’s time to switch it up a little bit. There’s nothing better than coming in from the cold, shivering and clinging to your jacket, and strutting into a room that oozes comfort, warmth and seasonal goodness. Strip off that soaking raincoat and enjoy these ways to prepare your home for fall.

#1 Start with the scents

We love clean, citrus scents for summer, but there’s nothing better than coming home to warm spiced smells in the fall. You can opt for a warm, fruity diffuser like Dr vranjes chinotto pepe diffuser 250ml from The Conran Shop that contains citrus, bergamot and mandarin with spicy cardamom, nutmeg and saffron and will continue working in your home while you’re at work. Or you can invest in a gorgeously scented candle to light when you get home like this Incense & Embers candle from Jo Malone.

#2 Wall decorations

Don’t underestimate the power of wall decorations, girls. They can make your room feel like an entirely different place! Invest in a cute piece of wall art like this LOVE print by CloudWalkerStudios on Etsy, or cut or tear out your favourite bits from magazines. In the cold weather you can’t beat a twinkling st of fairy lights, either. You can always get some from a local discount store or invest in these cute and affordableMagic Gem Fairy Lights from Urban Outfitters. String them up on your wall or around your bed frame for instant twinkly goodness.

#3 Bedding

We all have our favourite bedspreads, but you might want to get a new quilt or throw for the season. As well as being super warm and cosy, they can update your old favourite sheets. Try this Houndstooth Blanket from Zara Home if you need extra cosiness in the evenings or purchase this amazing Sheepskin Rug from Oliver Bonas and use it all year round, draped on a desk chair or for extra snugness lay it out across the floor.

#4 Accessories

Of course you can always DIY your own home decor, stringing paper chains together, spray painting vases bronze and marbling jewellery dishes are all the kinds of things a crafty girl could easily put their hands to. We like to try our hands at stringing things up and using glue, but when all else fails you can’t beat a beautiful flower in an even more beautiful vase, like this Small Glass Vase From H&M Home. We love this ring dish from Kate Spade, too. Accessories can be anything from cute perfume bottles to shells you collected on the beach in summer.

Decorating your home for fall can be one of the most fun parts of adapting for the new season. Even if you just look for cute free bits and bobs to put on your shelves and string a few leaves together, scents, sights and sounds that change to reflect the season will help you jump out of bed in the morning and have you heading for home with a spring in your step.

5 Things I Love About Australia

I love Australia.

Love it.

It is so hard to comprehend just how huge this country is, how varied the landscape is, and how much this amazing country has to offer.

In honor of the fact that I am here in the land down under at the moment, here are 5 things I absolutely love about Australia.

1. The Wide Open Skies.

The Australian sky is beyond belief. It is so endless, so blue, so all encompassing. You feel so incredibly small under the sky in Australia, and when you look up anything and everything you've ever wished for feels achievable, obtainable, within your reach.

image by Joe Mulgrew

2. The Spectacular Coastlines

Australia's coast lines are so incredibly, awe inspiringly beautiful. No matter where you are.

Whitehaven Beach, Queensland Australia

And even more astounding is the fact that all these gorgeous beaches seem empty, even if they are full. 
So much land + so few people = endless space.
With a population of only 24 million and a land mass approximately the same size as America there is an incredible feeling of freedom here.

3. The Way Of Life.

Aussies really know how to live.
They have the best of everything, wide open spaces to live in, modern, international, cosmopolitan cities, sunshine, beaches - everything.
And they have a lifestyle that has no comparison. I always think that Australia is about quality of life. Australians know how to get the maximum out of every day, and then take time out at the end of the day to enjoy fabulous Aussie wine and a movie with a view.

outdoor movies at St George open air theater, Sydney

4. Kangaroos.

They have them.
There are actually more kangaroos than humans in Australia.
And no matter how many times you see them in their giant herds called "mobs" - a mob of kangaroos! you still get totally wowed.
They are amazing!

5. The People.

Aussies tend to have wide open, smiling faces. The are friendly, fun, happy people - basically the exact opposite of anyone who works at Chicago O'Hare airport.
And they have Chris Helmsworth. Did you see Vacation???

5 Must Have Beauty Products To Take To Australia

Today I am blogging from Australia, not in my favorite city in the world, Sydney, but up in beautiful Queensland by the Great Barrier Reef.

Great Barrier Reef, Queensland Australia

God I love Australia!

Every time I come here I am blown away by the giant, wide open skies, the beauty of these unspoiled beaches, the truth in the colors, and just how completely and utterly amazing this place really is!!

Oh - and the people?? Just the most wonderful, friendly, fun folks on earth!

I should also be given some kind of award for having the balls to get on the beach here after nearly three weeks of food and wine in Italy. But meh - life's too short to let a few extra curves get in the way of a good time!

I was asked recently which are my 5 beauty products to take to Australia. I am really paring down my travel beauty stash, especially after Italy, where I really only wore 5 things each day.

So, heading to the land down under?

Here are 5 Must Have Beauty Products To Take To Australia

1. The Best Skin Serum Ever

Tatcha Radiant Deep Brightening Serum

My normal skin care routine involves layering as many heavy, deep moisturizing products as possible. But that doesn't work quite so well when you are traveling, and when you are traveling to a beach area where in all likelihood things will get a little steamier and more humid.

Tatcha's Radiant Deep Brightening Serum keeps your skin hydrated and makes it look luminous, as if lit from within. It is the absolute holy grail of serums, a celebrity favorite, and if I am scaling back my skin care to just one item, this is the one!

2. An On-Going Sunscreen Plan

 Colorescience Sunforgettable Mineral Sunscreen

I've used ColoreScience Mineral Sunscreen for years, and at home I always have one stashed in my handbag.
The sun in Australia is really fierce, so sun protection is extra important. 
I still start the day by slathering a broad spectrum 
SPF 85 all over my face and throat, but lets face it, once we have our makeup on, or are on the beach we are less likely to keep reapplying more sunscreen. We don't want to jack up whatever makeup we are already wearing, or if we are on the beach we don't want to be grinding sand into our skin.
This mineral powder sunscreen with it's own built in brush does double duty by knocking down excess shine (super benefit in humid climes) and letting you re-protect your skin every couple of hours without getting any cakey build up. 

After having Ultherapy (the greatest thing I ever did!) my entire makeup routine has changed. Ultherapy gives your skin lift and firmness, which means you no longer need to use makeup to create that illusion.
Thanks to Ultherapy, the entire time I was in Italy leading the Corinna B's World Glam Italia II Tour I only wore 3 makeup products each day. I'm rolling out the same game for Australia.

Read about Ultherapy here

If you are streamlining your makeup look you need to pay attention to 3 main things. Your brows, your lashes and your lips.

3. Serious Brow Game

Anastasia Brow Wiz
This mechanical brow pencil is perfect on many levels. The colors are spot on - not too ashy and not too red, so you can build a really nice brow, either sculpted or full, and not look artificial. It lasts all day too.

4. A Killer Mascara

Diorshow Blackout Mascara
I am loyal to the very end. I have used Diorshow Blackout Mascara ever since it first came out, and for me it is still just the greatest mascara out there. The color payoff is fantastic, and you can build thick, luscious, glossy lashes that stay looking fab until you take your makeup off at night.
When I'm beaching I use the waterproof formula, any other time I use regular.

5. Two Great Lip Options

When you are doing a bare faced look you need a strong brow balanced with a strong lip. When you are on vacation you really don't want to be messing with lipstick touch ups every 5 minutes, so I like to use a really saturated lip with a strong color payoff.
I'm in love with Temptu Color True Lipstick in Pink Hype

It's a nice blue based pink that packs some power while making your teeth and the whites of your eyes look sparkly and white.

On the days I don't want such a big lip game I've been wearing Nars Lipstick in Roman Holiday. 
This was actually a gift from a client and I wore it non stop in Italy when I wanted a softer, glossier mouth. Between the two I had all the bases covered. 

Gwen Stefani X Urban Decay

Have you been watching Gwen Stefani on The Voice?
I just love her.

Gwen Stefani, The Voice

With a hugely successful fashion empire, her beauty prowess and her incredibly iconic look, it's a wonder she doesn't have her own makeup line. Can you imagine a Gwen look-a-like line? Would you buy products based on her sensational look?
I would.

iconic Gwen Stefani

Gwen has just announced a partnership with Urban Decay for a limited edition Gwen Stefani collection, debuting in time for Christmas on November 22nd. This is Urban Decay's first ever celeb collaboration.

Gwen Stefani Vogue Magazine

A word to the wise: this line will probably have some strong and fabulous lipsticks which will sell out in no time at all. If you find a Gwen lip you love, stock up on it while you have the chance!

Things You Probably Didn't Know About Pompeii

I've been fascinated with Pompeii for as long as I can remember.
Until I was 14 I desperately wanted to be an archaeologist, and from the very moment I first heard about the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, all roads lead to Pompeii.

Most of the bodies were gone this trip, on loan to museums and Expo

I absolutely love going to Pompeii, but every time I'm there it feels like I need more time, and I make plans with myself to go back for days on end, which so far has never happened.

The Corinna B's World Glam Italia II Tour was just in Pompeii a couple of weeks ago with me doing the tour guide thing. 

Tour guiding in Pompeii on an incredibly hot, sweltering, humid day.
No chance of looking glam!

I love teaching people about Pompeii, especially the things that most people don't know, so today on the blog I'm giving you 18 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Pompeii 

1. In A.D 62 a massive earthquake severely damaged Pompeii. The city's rebuild was getting its finishing touches when Mt. Vesuvius erupted in A.D 79

2. There were no wealthy areas in Pompeii - rich and poor lived side by side. The city was designed to allow all citizens to live in comfort, regardless of income or social standing.

3. There was free bread for all - no one went hungry in Pompeii. To ensure against popular discontent the powers decided on "Bread and Circuses" or bread and games for all. Not only could citizens live without worries about food, they also were given free entertainment in the form of gladiator fights, with events happening up to 100 days per year. 

People had free time to do other things, including creating great art.

4. Pompeii had a clever 3 tiered water system. One tier took water into the wealthier private homes, giving them running water. A second fed water into the city for sanitation, and a third fed the fountains. If there was a drought or if water was running scarce they would shut off the tier to the private homes first, then the sanitation water second, so that there would still be the third channel running, keeping water available for everyone to drink.
The problem was there was no sewer system, so waste flowed down the streets.

Some of the water fountains in Pompeii are still working. You can refill your water bottles as you meander around.

5. There were 42 water fountains in Pompeii, ensuring that no citizen had to walk more than 1 minute from home to get fresh, cool water. Some of them are still working, enabling visitors to fill their water bottles while walking around.

6. The big homes had elaborate, huge bathrooms.

Taking long, relaxing baths was considered to be one of the greatest pleasures in life, and as such bathrooms were designed to be beautiful, with mosaic floors and frescoes walls.

Looking down a street in Pompeii.
In A.D. 79 there would have been bold colors painted on the houses, and lush foliage all around.

7. Houses were 2 stories, and we're actually very well built.

8. Much is known about life in Pompeii through the graffiti on the walls. Paper was not widely available, so people would scratch messages into the walls with nails. Love notes, meetings, political aspirations, public announcements, missing persons notices, notes to neighbors, running bar tabs - all were perfectly preserved on the outdoor walls. 

9. The citizens of Pompeii had no idea that Vesuvius was a volcano - it hadn't erupted in 1800 years. Prior to the eruption there was no crater at the top of Vesuvius, instead it just looked like every other mountain in the area. Vesuvius had extremely fertile land which was well farmed, and had many communities living on it.

10. The wine shops/bars in Pompeii stayed open all night long.

11. There was 18 hours of pumice and ash raining down on Pompeii before the lava flowed.

12. This volcanic ash sealed bodies where they fell and then hardened, creating perfect human shaped forms. As the bodies decomposed they left hollow spaces in the hardened ash. Archeologists poured plaster into the hollows, creating casts that are so detailed you can see the moment of death in their faces.

13. Pompeii's population was estimated to be between 15, 000 and of which it is estimated 2, 000 were killed. Which means most of the town's people escaped in the days leading up to the eruption.

14. At the time of the eruption there was no word for volcano in latin.

15. Pompeii and it's stretch of coastline were a popular resort area where wealthy Romans had their summer villas. The exuberant sex lives of the Romans, which were well documented in local art, lead the area to be known as the "Love Coast". (I only recently read this last part, but if it is true, it's pretty funny).


16. There were 40 bakeries in Pompeii, and by many accounts 30 brothels. This has been questioned however as any building with erotic art has been labeled a brothel. 
The main brothel was the Lupanare, which features paintings of the many different sexual positions available to customers.

On the menu at the Lupanare, Pompeii

17. Pompeii was full of erotic art.

18. In the 16th century letters written by Pliny the Younger were discovered, describing the eruption as viewed from across the bay at Misenum where he watched with his uncle, Pliny the Elder. These letters give us an in depth account of how the events of the day progressed, including Pliny The Elder's attempt to rescue friends from the beach at Herculaneum, which ultimately led to his death. 

Pompeii is a suburb of Naples and is easy to access by train. You can make a day trip from Rome, or visit for a few hours from Sorrento or Salerno on the Amalfi Coast.

 
 

4 Tips For Keeping Your Tan ~ Beauty Tip Of The Week #29

I just got back from the beautiful beaches of Sicily and have the absolute loveliest tan that I really do not want to lose.

Did you follow the Corinna B's World Glam Italia Tour on Instagram?

Curvy girl in horizontal stripes on Pozzallo beach in Sicily

We all look good with a golden glow to our skin, and at the tail end of summer most of us want to hold onto it for as long as we possibly can - I know I do!

Here are 4 Tips For Keeping Your Tan (just a little bit longer)

1. Shower Smart

Keep your shower water warm instead of hot, use gentle soaps and don't over lather or over scrub your skin.

2. Moisturize

The more you moisturize, the better. As your tan starts to fade breathe life back into it with a self tanner. Jergens Glow does double duty, keeping your skin hydrated and golden.

3. Drink Lots Of Water

Your tan will fade faster if you (and your skin) get dehydrated, so drink as much water as you can. I keep a Starbucks 20 oz water cup on hand, and do my best to keep drinking water all day long.

4. Enjoy The Great Outdoors

Of course you need to keep up with the sunscreen to protect your skin, but spending as much time as you can outdoors is a fantastic way to keep up your tan.
Biking, hiking, eating lunch outside - just being outdoors as much as possible not only helps you keep your color, but makes you feel fantastic too!

I found this gem on a website called She Is More.
It is fabulous advice that I wish more girls of all ages - not just teens, would know and follow.
Definitely share this post with your girlfriends!

21 Lost Lady Traditions That Still Apply Today

by Kristen Dalton Wolfe on January 2, 2015 in Inspiration

Acting like a lady is carrying yourself with dignity, which also empowers a man to be a gentleman.

Many of us want a true gentleman, but I believe we hold the power to the way we are treated in our hands. It’s the law of attraction and common sense: If we want a gentleman, we must be and act like a lady.

In all areas of life, I believe being a lady displays self-respect, class, appreciation and etiquette. It also allows you to enjoy the niceties of life with the ease of knowing how to act in all situations. You don’t have to come from wealth or be wealthy in order to conduct yourself like royalty.

After doing some new research and also recalling my southern roots which included cotillion and etiquette classes, here are 21 lost lady like traditions that still apply today:

Make 2015 your year to rise up, princess.

Manners:

1. If a man knows that it is etiquette to remain standing until you are seated, be sure to sit promptly as to not leave him standing too long.

2. No rude or shocking language, especially at the table. Your language is a representation of your mind and heart.

3. Don’t talk with your mouth full. I don’t need to explain this one.

4. She dresses tastefully: A lady dresses appropriately for the occasion.

5. Phone calls: When in doubt, a good rule of thumb is not to make phone calls before 9 am or after 9 pm.

6. She is gracious: She never just says, “hello” when being introduced to someone. She offers a kind greeting like, “it’s a pleasure to meet you” or “how are you this evening?”

7. She turns her phone on silent and puts it away for meals, meetings and church.

8. She says, “yes, please” or “no, thank you.” She does not say, “yep” or “nope.”

9. She gives compliments with sincerity and only when she means it. She does not say things just to say them. Insincerity is easier to read than we think.

10. A lady offers to help someone in need. Being a lady starts with how you treat yourself and others. She offers her seat to the elderly, disabled or a parent with small children.

11. She RSVPs promptly, reads an invitation thoroughly and does not ask for exceptions. She always promptly sends a detailed thank you note to anyone who has shown her hospitality.

12. She never arrives empty handed. Bringing a small hostess gift shows your appreciation for the preparation your host has done.

13. Her word is her bond. A lady warrants a respectable reputation purely by the consistency of her word. She always keeps her promises.

The Dating Lady:

14. Don’t call him, he’ll call you. A lady knows that she deserves to be pursued and does not do it or him. If you are in the position that you have to initiate contact in order to communicate, then you should know that you are not dealing with a gentleman and can move on.

15. Time frame: no one gets to call you on a whim to hang out. Your time is precious and valuable and you are clearly booked days in advance. Someone who honors your time will plan ahead and ask to take you out with at least a 48 hour request.

16. You don’t meet a guy anywhere. He comes and picks you up, especially on the first date. It can be inconvenient, but is it your job to make dating you convenient? No. The last thing you want to be is convenient. However if  you are meeting someone in person for the first time, meeting in a neutral location is a smart, safe move. Always honor your intuition.

17. Curfew: Mama always said nothing good happens past 10 o’ clock and she’s pretty much right. So set the time you need to be home in advance and let your gentleman know about it ahead of time.

18. Appreciation: Being a lady and acting lady-like does not mean that you are entitled or snobby. Practice having a heart of gratitude and always say thank you for specific actions or generosities.

19. How to order: Have respect for your gentleman and do not behave with entitlement by ordering the most expensive thing on the menu. If he wants to treat you to a fine bottle of wine, he can order it or offer for you to make a selection.

20. Be a good listener and conversationalist. Put your phone away and be present. A lady is not boring, rude or dismissive.

21. Be prepared. If you are going out with a gentleman, he will cover your date. However, you should always be prepared to pay if the date does not go well or he forgets his wallet. The gentleman version of this article on GoodGuySwag.com says,

“An English gentleman never split the meal with his date. The English used the term “go dutch” in “derisive application,” as they stereotyped the Dutch as being cheap, or “stingy.” Today, the gentleman always picks up the tab, especially on the first date, and with no expectations.”

30 Characteristics of a Modern Lady explains that ultimately etiquette is the natural byproduct that flows through a lady’s character. These traditions are mostly common- sense that simply allow you and others to enjoy life more.

If this article intrigued you, please share to inspire others.

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