Pretty by Pippa

Crazy times and exciting announcements!

noreply@blogger.com (Pippa) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 02:35:00 +0000

Well this post is certainly overdue! Things have been a bit crazy in our neck of the woods what with visitors, Christmas & New Year, work, Chinese New Year AND a baby on the way! Yes that's right, our first little bundle will be making it's debut in June. I say it, as we are not finding out the sex. We believe it is the only one real big surprise you get in life and will be ecstatic with a healthy baby of either gender. Exciting stuff!

So I dragged hubby along to the park to take this little snapshot to make the big announcement to our family and friends. I got the idea from Pinterest which is my constant source of inspiration and loveliness. How did you guys announce your little bundles?

Pippa xoxo

Makeup Junkie - MAC Beauty Balm and Transparent Finishing Powder

noreply@blogger.com (Pippa) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 22:00:00 +0000

It is no secret that I am a bit of a makeup junkie. Many an hour of mine has been spent browsing through the plethera of pretty colours and lipglosses at Chanel and Dior. Meanwhile my poor husband is standing with crossed arms waiting for me outside the M.A.C counter whilst I happily discuss the new range with the consultant. (Thank the good Lord and Steve Jobs for iPhones with 3G otherwise I would be really screwed).
On my last visit to MAC, I was very happy to come across this awesome little combo:
I was looking for a new primer after being somewhat disappointed with my last purchase of M.A.C Prep and Prime Skin Base Visage. I found it would go a little tacky on my skin, and the bottle didn't last very long at all. The consultant reccommended I try the Beauty Balm, above. I was a little hesitant at first as it is actually coloured - something like a tinted moisturiser, and I was actually looking for a good base for my normal foundation. The fact that it has an spf of 35 won me over in the end and the consultant assured me that it can go under foundation or on it's own.
So I got home and tried out my new primer and was very pleasantly surprised. It is awesome even on it's own and gives your skin a lovely natural flawless finish. It is equally good as a base for foundation, and I find it perfect for my days off when I don't like to wear a full face of makeup.

As for the Transparent Finishing Powder, I had been looking for a good one of these for quite some time as I don't really like heavily coloured powders over foundation. In the heat and humidity of Singapore, I really find I need something to stick my foundation down so it doesn't run off my face before I even get to work (ergh). This little ripper certainly does the trick. It comes out ever so slightly pale on your skin, but if your foundation is one shade darker than your natural skin tone like mine, then it is perfect. You can also put a little bronzer over the top if you like.

So for you ladies who live in warmer climates or even those who prefer a sheer coverage without using foundation, these 2 products are for you!

Stay tuned for the next edition of Makeup Junkie....

Pippa xoxo

Honeymooning in Vietnam

noreply@blogger.com (Pippa) — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 05:16:00 +0000

So after a beautiful honeymoon and a couple of hectic weeks upon our return home, I now feel like I have my routine back and can breathe a little! Today I thought I would share with you a few snaps from our trip to Vietnam. We had a wonderful and relaxing time and met some fantastic people along the way.

Our first stop was beautiful Hanoi where we experienced beautiful tree lined streets, French architecture, yummy food and motorbikes galore.

After Hanoi, we took a bus to Ha Long Bay where we joined a one night cruise. What an amazing part of the world.

Then it was down south to Nha Trang where we were able to chill (like this bloke)...

To market, to market...

Yummy banana chips!

We stayed out of town a bit at a place called An Lam, Ninh Van Bay. It was heavenly! Here was our villa for the first night (all complete with a private butler, of course darlings!)

Then the lovely staff heard it was our honeymoon, so they upgraded us to this superb beach villa:

Most relaxing holiday EVER!

Our final destination was Ho Chi Minh where we had 2 nights. It was a surprisingly nice city filled with lots of great bars and restaurants where I could enjoy even more fruity drinks.

So now it's back to work and back to reality. Oh well, I guess this is what we work hard for! Where did you guys go or would like to go for your honeymoons?

Have a great week,

Pippa xoxo

Beautiful blooms

noreply@blogger.com (Pippa) — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 14:14:00 +0000

After a yummy Thai feast with my husband in our new neighbourhood, we decided to walk home to work off those extra calories we had just consumed. As we were strolling, we came across a newly opened restaurant.

In Chinese culture, all new businesses are welcomed by other businesses in the area, by sending a huge bunch of flowers to display in front of their store. Such a sweet gesture!

The lovely restaurant owner stopped us on our way to invite us to take whatever flowers we liked, as tomorrow they would be put in the bin. There were soooo many to choose from and we were only limited by what we could carry. Everyone who walked past was invited to join in.

We walked away with these beautiful blooms which lasted another week. It most certainly was a lovely thing to make me smile :)

I am now off to Vietnam for a couple of weeks to enjoy my long awaited honeymoon :) I will think of you all as I sip pretty drinks with umbrellas in them.

Pippa xoxo

DIY updo

noreply@blogger.com (Pippa) — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 07:38:00 +0000

I came across this lovely DIY updo on Martha Stewart Weddings so I tried it out the other day. It was actually quite easy and looked super chic. I love the half up half down style as sometimes you want to look polished without your hair hanging in your face. Have a go and see what you think!

Pippa xoxo

In the neighbourhood, Singapore style

noreply@blogger.com (Pippa) — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 21:00:00 +0000

Our homes have changed a lot over the past 5 years on our Asian adventure, and last week saw us tally up our total number of moves to 4. It seems we are becoming quite the experts at packing and unpacking.

Mr. K and I decided to go for a bit of a walkabout in our neighbourhood to acquaint ourselves with our new surroundings. Our street is full of temples that have recently all been abuzz celebrating the Mid Autumn Festival. We were woken each day to Chinese opera and banquets taking place at our front doorstep. Makes for an interesting cultural experience (and little sleep whilst working night shift)!

As we meandered a little further down the road, we came across a hawker market selling the sweetest looking and most refreshing ice teas and juices...

So of course we stopped and had a treat, all for the grand total of $2.60.

We have moved to a much less flashy area, but this makes us happy knowing that this place is so much more "real" than the glitzy shopping centres and generic urbanity of our last home's locality. We can walk out the front door and feel like we are in Asia here, which is how we should feel after all.

Welcome to my pretty new neighbourhood, Singapore style!

Classic French style home in Los Angeles

noreply@blogger.com (Pippa) — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 03:54:00 +0000

Well I've had a super busy week, but I did find a little time to swoon over this little lovely. The images of this oh so pretty home had me positively grinning from ear to ear. The owners had originally planned to renovate and sell it upon completion, but they had fallen in love and have now lived there for 12 years. Nestled on the outskirts of Los Angeles, this secluded oasis is a bright and airy dream. If I had this home I would never leave either!

{Images}

Pretty x a million.....

Pippa xoxo

Decorating with maps

noreply@blogger.com (Pippa) — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 14:05:00 +0000

Ever since I was a little kid I have been intrigued by the wonder of other countries. I remember sitting in my brother's rooms studying the veneer maps they had stuck on their desktops for what seemed like hours on end, wondering what those far away places would be like if I were ever lucky enough to travel there one day. Even as a fairly well travelled adult I still find myself occasionally scrutinizing maps and dreaming about my next destination.

I am loving the personal touch that these mappy ideas can bring into your home. You can display your favourite holiday destination, home town, or other special location. The wallpaper in the study is my fave and I think it would be great in a kid's room (like it was for my brothers all those years ago).

{Get it from: mybeardedpigeon, Bombus, World Globes, dlkdesigns, House Beautiful, Sweet Home Decorating, Umbu, Martha Stewart Weddings}

If you are looking for more map ideas, log onto Pinterest and type "map" into the search box.

Have a wonderful weekend Pretties!

Pippa xoxo

Pretty Please: Chunky heels

noreply@blogger.com (Pippa) — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 10:21:00 +0000

Spring has arrived in Melbourne and with a little warmer weather on the cards, it is time to put your boots away and pull out the strappy shoes. Thank God, I hear you all say.

With the Spring Racing Carnival just around the corner, these chunky lovelies are a welcome change from the sky high skinny heels we have been slave to over the past few seasons. Super cute and comfy, these babies will be on your feet and not in your hand at the end of a long day at the track.

{Rodarte @ Shopbop, Lori's}

Now all you need to do is find your dress!

Pippa xoxo

10 random things about me

noreply@blogger.com (Pippa) — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 04:44:00 +0000

{source}

In keeping with the tradition of all great bloggers, I have decided to join the club and give you 10 useless but mildly intriguing facts about me that you may not have known. Indulgent I know, but here goes:

I am absolutely wrapped that Kate Middleton's sister is called Pippa, and it's not because I can say we share the same name. The reason why, is that now everyone knows my name! They can spell it correctly, I don't need to repeat myself over and over again (which is the norm here in Asia), I don't need to put up with the likes of Tippa, Kippa, and Pippy, and it is a handy conversation starter (as I just love talking about the Royal Family). So thank you Miss Pippa M. for well and truly putting us Pippas on the map.
I grew up on a farm in Tasmania. I know a Hereford from an Angus and a Bintje from a Pink Eye. This outstanding agricultural knowledge took me to the title of "Miss Wynyard Agricultural Showgirl" in 1996.
I make a mean roast dinner. Yep, with all the trimmings: roast pumpkin, spuds, carrots, parsnips and even some fancy stuff like brocolli cheese and tomato pie. My husband fist pumps the air when I tell him I have a roast in the oven.
In the Chinese lunar calendar, I was born in the year of the Monkey. No one is ever surprised when I tell them this. One of my compatible companions is a Rat which funnily enough is my husband :)
I love the taste of vinegar. It is awesome on fish, salad, Subway sandwiches, Chinese dumplings, and curries. I adore that zing of flavour and the way it makes your face screw up as soon as it hits your tongue. The Chinese say that if you like vinegar then you are jealous of someone or something. Hmmmm....
I am a stickler for good spelling and grammar. For me, incorrect use of apostrophes is like fingernails down a blackboard. (If I ever make a mistake on my blog I will be mortified but please point it out if it ever happens).
One of my greatest passions is travelling. My husband, 2 cats and I are currently living in Singapore. Before Singapore we were in Macau for quite some time, and pre-husband I lived in the UK. We are lucky enough to have enjoyed lots of wonderful holidays and adventures over the past few years. Suffice to say that my Mum is well and truly sick of updating her address book.
I am a closet Kardashians fan. I was actually counting down the days til Kim's wedding.
When it comes to exercise, I do it sporadically. For a few months I will run around 30-40kms a week, and then one day I will just stop. This period of laziness can last for another few months until I start complaining that my clothes feel too tight, and hence the whole process begins again. Where does my motivation go?
I sing to my cats and make up cutesy nicknames for them. God help me if I ever have kids.

So there you have it. You now know 10 random things about me. You'll never get that 3 minutes of your life back now will you?

Ombre: A colourful French lesson

noreply@blogger.com (Pippa) — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 07:30:00 +0000

Ombre n. A French term meaning "shaded." A multicolored stripe, with colors graduating from light to dark.

Don't the French just have a beautiful word for everything? Here are a few of my faves:

{Olive Shoppe}

This rainbow cake doesn't look too difficult to make... So cute for birthdays, weddings, well any old reason really!

{Call me cupcake}

I am really seriously considering this hair colour on my next trip to the hairdressers....

An ombre chest of drawers that is perfect for a nursery. Recycle the old furniture in your shed!

{norske interiors}

Some wedding inspiration perhaps?

{dress, invitations, nails, flowers}

Well I'm convinced. Ombre me up!

What a pretty week!

noreply@blogger.com (Pippa) — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 13:20:00 +0000

Well it has been another glorious week here in blogland with lots of little lovelies I found to share with you! Have a look at:

This devine wedding in paradise shot by Jose Villa

A DIY tutorial on these cute as a button newspaper nails by Cutepolish (Thanks Chrissy!)

A beautiful traditional home over at Apartment Therapy

Some white, pretty, clean, and dreamy flowers from A Beach Cottage

A lovely lavender tablescape for a summer soiree from Bright Bazaar

A decadent recipe for hot choccy fudge sauce thanks to Smitten Kitchen. Slurp.

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend xoxo

Seeing green - OPI Pirates of the Caribbean collection

noreply@blogger.com (Pippa) — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 00:20:00 +0000

So I have a slight obsession with pale green at the moment. I had my nails done in this HOT colour from OPI when I was on holidays last. It is from the Pirates of the Caribbean - On Stranger Tides collection and the colour is called Mermaid's Tears. Love love love.

Here are the rest of the colours in the collection. You can use the silver to make a shatter effect over the top of your chosen colour. V cool!

I think these are the perfect colours to make you smile on a lousy day :) Which one is your fave?

The wonders of Pinterest

noreply@blogger.com (Pippa) — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 06:36:00 +0000

Have you guys had a look at Pinterest before? Chances are that if you have, you would be a member and would be totally addicted like me! Pinterest is a cool website whereby you can bookmark or "pin" images that you love from all over the internet. It is a beautiful melting pot of ideas, recipes, diy projects, photographs, the list goes on! Here is one of my pinboards - Dream Home:

All you need to do to get started is request an invite and once you have been accepted, insert the bookmarklet on your toolbar. When you come across an image you like, click on the bookmarklet and add the image to your chosen pinboard. Easy peasy. You can also re-pin images from other Pinterest users so you don't necessarily have to keep scouring the web for images to pin. Oh and after you've signed up, make sure you follow me by clicking here or on the red "P" on the right under Follow Me. Happy pinning :)

WARNING: I will in no way accept responsibility for any new addictions which may be instigated from reading this post!!

Pretty Please - Structured bags by Chloè and Kate Moss for Longchamp

noreply@blogger.com (Pippa) — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 04:18:00 +0000

Happy Monday Pretties! This little snippet is to share some of the things I am head over heels for at the moment. These incredibly expensive handbags are oh so beautiful but oh so unkind to your bank balance, however I am always open to receiving gifts...

{From left: CHLOÉ Marcie Large leather tote, Kate Moss for Longchamp}

Either would be lovely, thank you very much!

Btw doesn't Kate Moss just look more and more amazing as the years pass? Have a look at her recent heavenly hippy wedding to Jamie Hince, shot by photographer to the stars Mario Testino.

Interiors: Haute-Normandie Farmhouse

noreply@blogger.com (Pippa) — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 02:47:00 +0000

Waking up to so much negativity in the world this morning, I thought it would be a good idea to share something nice so we forget about our troubles! This little lovely is situated in Haute-Normandie in the north of France. I instantly fell in love with the airiness of the home, the warm white colour palette, and the gorgeous recycled decor that was mostly sourced from flea markets by the owners. It makes me want to drop everything and move to France. Now.

{Images: Le Journal de la Maison}

Très magnifique don't you think?

Hooray, Pretty by Pippa is here!

noreply@blogger.com (Pippa) — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 20:36:00 +0000

Well hello there. It's quite a daunting thing putting your thoughts and ideas "out there" for the whole interweb to see, but as I get (ahem) older I feel the need to explore my creative side that I previously thought was non-existent. With some gentle prodding from my wonderful husband, he has helped me to realise that creativity is not just arts, design, or being good at sewing (which I categorically am not); it is expressing your loves and inspirations in a way that makes you feel good. For some, it may be painting or music. For me, it will be blogging about things I think are lovely such as homes, fashion, makeup and whatever else takes my fancy.

I have some great posts on the way, so please subscribe in the box on the right so you don't miss them. If you have anything pretty you would like me to include, I would love for you to send me an email to prettybypippa@gmail.com or leave a comment. Have a wonderful day!

{Images clockwise from top left: Style Me Pretty, Bluebirdvintage, Departika at Etsy, 79ideas blog}