INDIGOYA.

I could lie and pretend that my Bloglovin' saved list isn't a disorganised mess, but it would be incredibly easy to prove that it, in fact, was. So, I won't pretend. But I will say that it's a place of lots of recipes I never get around to cooking and a mess of posts that seem to speak to my mood.

Here are some recently saved posts:

1. SWEET POTATO GNOCCHI & SAGE SAUCE at honest cooking
I am obsessed with sweet potatoes at the minute and gnocchi is one addictive way to serve potatoes. Albeit, having heard multiple testimonies on how fiddly making gnocchi is, I may hold off on actually trying this recipe out until I have some more confidence in my cooking capabilities.

2. 30 ETHICAL FASHION BRANDS YOU NEED TO KNOW at into mind
Ethical shopping really seems to be making the rounds in the blogging world. That's fantastic, because it not only means that we're introduced to more high quality, non-mainstream designers, but also that more and more people are thinking about where their products come from and what message the things they're buying sends. This list offers a variety of brands at various price points, but the comments also bring a few other options to the table.

3. THE PRINCIPLES OF BUILDING A MINIMAL WARDROBE at the private life of a girl
Continuing on the track of quality > quantity and less is more, this is a nice little summary of what you should keep in mind if a minimalist wardrobe appeals to you. I really like the idea of a minimalist wardrobe, personally, as I have a terrible habit of staring at a wardrobe full of clothes and going 'I have nothing to wear!! I don't want to wear thaaaaat'. It would be nice to eventually look at my wardrobe no matter how many clothes are in the washing basket and go 'Oh ok I'll wear this' without any feeling of ew I look gross why am I wearing this.

4. TUNNEL VISION AND ANIMAL RIGHTS at love from berlin
Rae of love from berlin uses a recent event that happened to her as a springboard to discuss the sometimes knee-jerk reaction of people in the vegan community. It's a great read if you're feeling particularly annoyed and like hating on someone, even if you're not vegan. I'm actually having a difficult time adequately explaining this article, so go read it.

5. STOP TELLING ME HOW TO BE HAPPY, INTERNET at dinner with maddie
I wasn't really sure what to expect of this post, admittedly. What could be wrong with telling people how to be happy? But it makes some excellent points about the flood of posts and saccharine quotes about happiness that have become commonplace in various parts of the internet. To quote the post: It’s like happiness itself has become a stand alone hobby for 18-35s, and there are ever-increasing mountains of material telling us all how to do it correctly.

And that is all for now. If you will excuse me, I am going to go and glue myself to my 3DS, as I just downloaded Pokemon Yellow.

It was a long week. Although I got more photo opportunities than I thought - the ones here are merely a selection of my favourites. A lot of time was spent exploring, getting bearings and walking (my legs still hurt, honestly!). It was a worthwhile trip, even if it wasn't the most successful. A week in a beautiful, busy city is never wasted, even if you're not a city person at heart. But, I cannot deny I am a little glad to be back to the relative quiet of this town for the time being. Such a long trip requires some unwinding afterwards, I think.

Sidenote: I really should remember to disable f.lux when doing photo editing at night. Thankfully, I don't think I've managed to make any of them look much worse than they did before.

The last couple of days before embarking on major travel always leave me equal parts restless and lazy as eff. Packing is a chore that usually leaves me staring at my clothes and saying 'Stuff it, I'll just take this and look a state' and at the same time I spend hours flitting back and forth to my wardrobe reconsidering every decision I've ever made. It doesn't even bear thinking about the chores I have left to do, despite the fact that the answers to my packing dilemmas probably lie in my ironing and washing piles. I always despair for these last two days, because all I want to do is go already. Who has time to wait?

... It might not come as a surprise that I was always that kid who never fell asleep on Christmas Eve. I wanted to open presents NOW and the excitement was too much.

Days like this often end with me considering a whole new wardrobe, some far-off, imaginary edit of all the pieces I lust after but never purchase. It turns into numerous ASOS tabs and re-analysing anything I pick out of my wardrobe. Why was this piece a thing I thought I'd wear? Since when have I been the type of person to feel comfortable in attention grabbing clothing? Essentially, it ends with a nice bundle of insecurities plopped at my feet. You can't wear that, you'd look ridiculous!

And, once again, my packing boils down to what is comfortable and discreet? But mostly, what can I get away with wearing more than once without having to wash it? I would love to possess the confidence and figures of fashion bloggers who pack loose fitting, flowy clothing and look like some effortless style goddess even after hours of travelling. Or a woman who can just rock a stylish dress in the day like it's NBD and never look out of place. But we can't always have the things we want.



Although, sometimes my insecurities make me wonder: is this the reason I latched onto makeup so intensely? Did I look at beauty products as a way to feel that prettiness with a personal creative outlet? Unlike fashion, makeup never really felt like it was exclusive to the lithe beauties with curls that tumble down over the shoulders, or those women who strut out of the house looking ready to take on the world. Playing around with colours and textures could be done at home and washed off, usually with less financial (and space) investment than fashion. So, maybe that's why my makeup drawers take pride of place in my bedroom while the wardrobe is relegated to the corner of an unheated spare room.

... More likely? I'm probably overthinking it. And my style is simply comfy and completely unfashionable. But who even knows?

If you went back two or three years and said to the me then, "Hey, in 2016 you'll be so over makeup", I would have laughed in your face. I was obsessed. While I still enjoy makeup, it has taken a massive backseat in my life. I find myself looking at new release upon new release and feeling overwhelmed. Instead of watching makeup collection videos and feeling envious, I feel suffocated imagining that amount of stuff in my life. Even the comparatively modest amount I do have leaves me feeling overwhelmed and like I'll never finish it all before I need to throw it out.

So naturally, the time I do spend with my makeup is now more concerned with finishing products and heavily researching new brands. I have been slowly attempting to find more cruelty free (and vegan) brands and products to spend my money on instead. It isn't easy, but thankfully I have enough products to get through that I can take my time learning more about ethical brands before having to purchase.

My wannabe ethical-minimalist spiel aside, let's talk about some products I am parting ways with - which I am repurchasing, which I'm leaving to one side, etc.

1. Diorskin Star Foundation, shade 22. I have had a rocky relationship with this foundation to put it politely. I wanted it, I tried it on and purchased it without really checking the shade in natural light (I know). Which really wasn't the smartest idea as I have had trouble with Dior products matching my skin tone time and time again, but what can I say? I'm easily swayed by their foundations. As I can't build this up too much without it looking clearly wrong on me, it was a nice medium coverage foundation that had a satin finish. It performed well, I found, and lasted throughout the day without becoming a complete mess. Which is pretty impressive as I haven't purchased a face primer in forever. But the shade match meant that I often found myself reaching for other foundations over it until I eventually reorganised my makeup to put my less worn and older products at the front and hide my frequently used or newer products. This helped me get to the last few pumps of foundation, so I'll be letting this bottle go soon enough.
Would I repurchase? No. The shade issues make this a difficult purchase to justify. I'm almost definitely between shades in Dior foundation and I'm afraid I don't have the disposable income to buy and mix two Dior foundations.

2. Nubar Nail Lacquer in Reclaim. I should probably not mention how long this has lingered in my nail polish collection. It has been there much longer than it should be, mostly because I loved holographic nail polish (still do, actually) for a long, long time and Nubar isn't exactly a brand that hangs out in my local beauty store. Naturally, I didn't want to let it go. It is a beautiful mid-green holographic polish that has actually lasted very well considering how long I've had it and that I haven't tried to preserve it in any manner. I just applied a coat now and it applied smoothly and evenly despite its age. However, it is best applied without a top or base coat which means that it isn't a very long lasting polish. It will chip and rather quickly.
Would I repurchase? Perhaps not in this shade, but I would definitely look into purchasing other shades by the brand.

3. Essence Studio Nails Better Than Gel Nails Top Sealer. That's a mouthful, but Essence do a lot of very good products at a low price point, so I picked it up. ... Sadly, this wasn't one of those products for me. I found it to take a long time to dry and sometimes, even hours after application, I was getting smudges. I will admit this seems to be something of a chronic problem with me and nail polish - either I smudge it because I am impatient or I actually let it dry for more than long enough and it just... doesn't. But surely there has to be something that works for me, right? This, however, isn't it. Sorry, Essence!
Would I repurchase? Unsurprisingly, no.

4. Laura Mercier (Mini) Caviar Eye Pencils in Rosegold, Sugar Frost, Pink Opal, Amethyst. I love eye crayons. They're portable and easy to wear. This set of four was a much lusted after Christmas set I caved on in the after Christmas sales. I had been wanting to try Laura Mercier products for a while and they seemed like a great introduction. And they were. While Sugar Frost and Pink Opal were a bit too frosty for my tastes (I liked them as an inner corner highlight, though), Rosegold and Amethyst became some of my favourite colours for a quick eye look. Unfortunately, I've noticed that they've become prone to creasing even over eye primer, and Rosegold actually snapped a while back so... it's time to say goodbye.
Would I repurchase? I would definitely consider purchasing a full sized Rosegold or Amethyst once I've downsized my eye makeup collection. The other two I would refrain from, simply because I don't think it would be worth the full-size price purely to use in the inner corner.

5. Balea Beauty Effect Tagescreme. Ahh, Balea. How I love you. Since moving to Germany I have become a full on convert for this DM Eigenmarke range, simply because of the amount of great products available at a really inexpensive price point. It's an excellent brand to cut your skincare teeth on or - for the high end addicts - to turn to if you're short on cash and running out of an expensive favourite. This is a very moisturising day cream with Hyaluronic acid and, as far as I can see, no SPF. (I could have sworn there was but the tub doesn't indicate that there is.) It does take a while to massage in, I've found, but once it's massaged in, it feels very moist. Actually, it might be a bit too much for my currently more normal skin type.
Would I repurchase? In future, if I had drier skin, I would certainly consider picking it up again. For now, I've purchased another moisturiser from the brand.

6. Chanel Les Beiges All-In-One Healthy Glow Fluid SPF15. I have to admit, I'm still not sure what exactly this is supposed to be. Chanel don't call it a tinted moisturiser (well, they do state 'moisture and protection' on the back of the tube, so maybe they do?) nor a sheer foundation. It could be a primer, but I'm not entirely convinced that's what it is either. Regardless, I use it as a sheer base for those days where I just want to look a bit more glowy and 'done up' than my bare face, but I don't want to break out an actual foundation. And for that, I like it. It works well with a concealer and powder to create a natural look. My only gripes with this product are that it seems to break down on my skin more than my other bases (it isn't described as oil-controlling, though) and that I find the shade a touch too pink-toned for my skin.
Would I repurchase? Not right now, but I would keep it in mind if I needed a base like it in future.

7. Balea Pflegendes Geischtswasser. I feel like there's a lack of budget toners that don't go crazy on the alcohol, so the second I saw the Ohne Alkohol claim on this bottle, I had to get it. I wouldn't say it was a game changer - it isn't going to make your face flawless or anything - but it's not drying, inexpensive, and refreshing to use after cleansing, or exfoliating/clay masks. I enjoy reaching for it after using more intense skincare to soothe my skin as well as after my daily routine to make sure everything is completely clean.
Would I repurchase? I already have!

Have you used any of these products before? Did you agree with my thoughts on them or not?

Also, if you have any recommendations for ethical and cruelty free/vegan cosmetic brands, please let me know.

It's possible I was an interior designer in a past life - interiors make me unbelievably excited and incredibly mad all at the same time. (For your own sanity: never ask my thoughts on wall or stair decals.) But moving wouldn't be moving without considering what your new place will look like once you've got it all done. This is especially important for me right now as we are quite likely to be downsizing when we do move. It's been a bit of a rollercoaster in trying to admit that downsizing will be a necessary step for this move - first it was 'well, we need a spare bedroom for the office', then it was 'well we need this much space...', and now it's 'well if the layout is smart and allows all the space to be used, we can definitely work with something smaller than we think'. And honestly, reaching that last conclusion has been a relief in so many ways. It allows us to have more options when flat-hunting, means we don't have so much useless space lounging about, means we will have a much easier time cleaning... I am a big fan of the smaller place and have been quietly trying to push for it since we decided to move.

It also means that I can spend way too many hours looking at Pinterest, trying to find some ways of making a small space work for us. (And inevitably getting so far off point that I have fifteen new DIYs bookmarked that will never actually be done but I can dream, right?)

1. fold up furniture. Anything that can be stashed out of the way and well is an automatic heart-eyes-emoji from me and this small fold out desk means hidden storage and a desk big enough for your laptop. And a little feature for your wall! So many advantages.

2. floating shelves. Our current place came equipped with a truly massive unit which meant no reason to buy shelves - whether for books, DVDs or display. But I doubt we'll luck out like that again and these floating shelves really look amazing and add space to the room (with the bonus of being another great desk solution).

3. space saving trouser storage. Okay, I hate hanging bottoms. Skirts, trousers, jeans, they're all a pain. But it needs doing and this is a really lovely looking solution that doesn't take hangers away from my (rather obscene) collection of tops and dresses.

4. under bed storage. As you might have figured out from my comments in this post, storage space has never been an issue for us in this place - there's rooms and nooks and crannies aplenty. But those days are unlikely to continue once we move, so I'm turning my attention to a storage solution that's as old as time: stuff it under the bed. Lift-up mattress storage like this is pretty cool, but there's nothing wrong with a simple drawer bed or a few nice baskets either.

5. making corners count. This seems like a great alternative eating/working space to the traditional table and chairs or breakfast bar. Just big enough for a meal for two, work on your laptop, or drinks with several friends. And, to be honest, I've wanted shot of our kitchen table for a while now...

6. open up the wardrobe. I feel like I see this everywhere nowadays - a minimalist rack (or a few not so minimalist racks) for your clothes rather than stuffing them all in a wardrobe. For the longest time I just did not get it - wasn't it cluttered? Didn't you worry about moths eating your clothes? - but nowadays I am all over it. A couple of clothes racks will cost less than a new wardrobe, take up way less space, and are nowhere near as heavy. Why on earth did I ever buy that wardrobe? I am dreading having to take it apart - it weighs a ton! I could have had a much easier time with a couple of stylish racks. Well, live and learn. If space is really tight, this might be the solution!

I love few things more than a day where the weather is good enough to go for a walk with my camera. Thankfully, today was such a day and, after finishing my work, I spent most of an hour wandering aimlessly from my place to the woods just north of it. Admittedly, I never intended to end up in the woods - I wandered along a main street wondering what was beyond the places I had already been, stumbled across a small pond surrounded by ducks, and walked on from there. The woods presented themselves after a few minutes of wandering and I looped back to my place.

There's something about a lone walk with a camera that makes me feel settled, and - house geek that I am - I adore looking at all the different houses along the way. From old buildings that have stood through wars and mass millennium panic, to the new builds that stand striking in their uniqueness. They all have their own stories and besonderheiten that makes the latent writer in me imagine the lives of the people who chose to build it, who chose to live there.

While I don't take too many pictures of the houses themselves - much like with people, I feel this odd sense of intruding on something private when I do turn my camera to a building - each of them burn into my mind and create a memory worth the brief pause in an otherwise busy day.