October favourites

✯ Hello Shiny Stars! ✯

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"Because answers exist only to questions."

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Another month, another selection of my favourite outfits. But before I present you my choices from October, I have a question for you.

Due to my work, I only have a limited capacity to write my blog, so I would like to know what kind of posts you guys like the most.

Recipes, like the Fluffy Pancakes, DIYs like the Cut Out Tank Top or the Origami Easter Bunny, informative posts like How to Drink More Water or inspirational ones like the Kindness Challenge for a Happier You, maybe wish lists like the Disney Mood or celebrity outfits like this one.

Let me know in the comments what you like reading the most, and have fun with today's outfits.

Lots of love,

E

September favourites

 

✯ Hello Shiny Stars! ✯

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"Never underestimate the power of a good outfit on a bad day."

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With the start of a new month, my monthly selection of favourite outfits is also back.

This time I have for you a pair of skinny jeans paired with a white crop top and a light blue blazer, as well as a colourful mini dress with a special cut and also a long dress. I hope you like them. 

Lots of love,

E

August favourites

✯ Hello Shiny Stars! ✯

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"August is like the Sunday of summer."

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August went by in the blink of an eye and September is already in full swing. I hope it had a great start for you. :)

Below are some of my favourite celebrity looks from last month. Let me know which one you like best.

Lots of love,

E

July favourites

✯ Hello Shiny Stars! ✯

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"Let the sun shine on your soul."

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I hope everyone is doing well and had a great start to the first week of August.

In this post I've collected some of my favorite celebrity outfits for you. Let me know in the comments below which one is your favorite.  :)

Lots of love,

E

Once upon a time

✯ Hello Shiny Stars! ✯

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"Nothing is impossible, the word itself says »I'm possible«!"

(Audrey Hepburn)

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Once upon a time, there was a blog that came to life on this very day. 9 years have passed and here we are to celebrate these incredible years with a little post.

I don't have much time to blog anymore besides work, but I always enjoy working on posts and also visiting your blogs as much as my time allows. 

Here's to these incredible 9 years and many more to come. Happy blogiversary to my little corner of the online world and thank you to everyone who supports me on this journey, your comments are always much appreciated.  😊

On the right hand side you will find some free printable sheets, including 40 acts of kindness & happiness as well as two mood trackers. In the Kindness Challenge you will find ideas for a good cause. Every little act helps and sometimes you don't even know how much a smile, a kind gesture can mean to someone else.

Please share below either a kind deed you have done recently or an encouraging, motivational quote to make this post a particularly positive one. 💛

Lots of love,

E

Disney mood

✯ Hello Shiny Stars! ✯

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"Oh yes, the past can hurt. But from the way I see it, you can either run from it, or learn from it."

(Rafiki, The Leon King)

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I already have a few Disney-themed selections on the blog, but today there's another one, because you can never have enough of Disney.  :)

This month we celebrate - among other things - some Disney-related anniversaries.

It may sound unbelievable, but Donald Duck made his first appearance in "The Wise Little Hen" 87 years ago, on 9 June 1934.

Daisy Duck is slightly younger, and she too celebrates her anniversary this month. She appeared under her now familiar name in "Mr. Duck Steps Out" 81 years ago, on 7 June 1940.

The "Hunchback of Notre Dame" was also released in June, more precisely on 21 June 1996, and thus celebrates its 25th anniversary in a couple of days.

Last but not least, "Cars" celebrates not one but three anniversaries this month. The film was released in many countries this month in 2006, exactly 15 years ago. "Cars 2" also came out this month in 2011 and celebrates its 10th anniversary while "Cars 3" was released in June 2017.

I don't have Cars or Donald Duck on the selection below, but I hope you enjoy the items that are from the Primark website.

Source: Primark

Which is your favourite piece from the picture, and which is your favourite Disney movie?

As always, I look forward to reading your comments below.  :)

Have a magical week everyone! ✨

Lots of love,

E

Pink hair, don't care

✯ Hello Shiny Stars! ✯

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"I believe in pink. I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing, kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles."

(Audrey Hepburn)

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The colour that lives between red and white takes all the passion and energy of red and combines it with the purity of white, creating an innocent, happy pink. A colour that is often associated with bubble gum, flowers, little girls, cotton candy and sweetness, but also with Barbies.

Like every colour, also pink affects you in some way. It can increase energy, blood pressure and pulse and it can also give you calmness, relaxation and happiness. It is said that pink symbolises youth, health and playfulness.

You can not only add pink coloured accessories and clothes to your wardrobe, but you can also choose pink as your hair colour.

Musicians including Gwen Stefani, Pink and also Cyndi Lauper, who have had a variety of hair colours over the years, have rocked pink hair at some point in their careers.

Nicki Minaj also loves this hair colour, although she prefers more of a pink wig. You may also remember Julianna Rose Mauriello, who played the pink-haired Stephanie in LazyTown. Like them, you too can create a pink look without having your hair dyed and change your hair colour and even haircut at any time without changing your current one.

The colour is even popular in animated films, such as Trolls, where the cute queen Poppy also has pink hair, and if you watch anime, you've probably already seen many characters with this hair colour too.

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The wigs shown above are from UniWigs, a company that describes itself as individual by offering unique hair solutions for everyone, and also embraces care by offering a customer service that is available for advice and support. They are also fashion conscious and keep up with the latest hair trends.

Hair extensions

If you don't want to change your entire look or you don't enjoy wigs, a colourful strand of hair can be a solution for you. It's also good for the younger ones, I remember having this kind of hair in different colours and just clipping it into my hair when I was younger.

The ones in the picture above come in 12 different colours and are made from high quality heat resistant synthetic fibres, which means you can style them like your own hair by giving them some curls or straightening them. These are therefore a very easy way to add some colour to your hair, they just need to be clipped in and if the length doesn't suit you, you can simply cut them to length.

Have you had this kind of clip in hair extensions? Or have you ever worn a wig? Let me know in the comments section below.

Have a fabulous day. 😊

Lots of love,

E

How to drink more water and why it is good for you

✯ Hello Shiny Stars! ✯

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"Pure water is the world's first and foremost medicine."

(Slovakian Proverb)

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More than half of the human body is made up of water and the exact body water percentage can depend on a number of factors such as age, weight and gender, but also on water intake. For the average adult male, this percentage is around 60-63% and for females 52-55%.

To prevent dehydration, you need to consume plenty of water every day. However, there are many different opinions on exactly how much water you should drink each day. Many health experts recommend 2 litres (eight 8-ounce glasses or half a gallon) per day, but since it can also be dangerous to drink too much water, make sure you drink when you feel thirsty and always listen to your body.

Water nourishes the body, which nourishes the mind, so drinking enough water (and other fluids) has great benefits for you. Among other things it..

💙 cleanses toxins from your body,

💙 gives you energy,

💙 also boosts your brain power.

If you think you should drink more, here are some tips to increase your intake of fluids:

💙 Drink a glass of water as soon as you get out of bed.

💙 Have a drink with every snack and meal.

💙 Keep a bottle of water with you at your desk at school or work, but also in your bag or in your car.

💙 Eat water-rich foods, fruits and vegetables. Their high water content will contribute to your hydration. Fruits and vegetables that are high in water content, at least 90%, include watermelon, strawberries, tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, courgette and celery.

💙 Set daily goals and either track them with an app or follow them manually.

💙 Whenever your glass or bottle is empty, refill it.

💙 Add fresh fruit to your water.

💙 Buy a nice water bottle or thermos.

This keepto half gallon water bottle in the picture above and below, for example, has inspiring lettering with track lines and is available in different colours and gradients. The flid-top lid allows you to open the bottle with just one hand and the wide opening to add ice cubes and fruit, while the carrying strap makes it easy to take it anywhere. The bottle has some time markers to help track your water intake but also motivate you to drink enough, and it also has a removable straw that is easy to clean with the straw brush included in the package. The supplier claims that it is BPA-free, has no chemical smell or taste and is 100% leak-proof and dust-proof.

As you can see, getting the right amount of fluids is extremely important for your health, and it comes not only from drinking water, but also from eating water-rich fruits and vegetables, but also from a bowl of soup.

Do you drink enough water during the day? Do you have a tip that has been particularly helpful for you to drink more? Share it in the comments, I'm happy to read them.

Take care and stay hydrated! 😊

Lots of love,

E

Make every day Earth Day

✯ Hello Shiny Stars! ✯

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"I cannot do all the good that the world needs. But the world needs all the good that I can do."

(Jana Stanfield)

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Earth Day has been celebrated annually on 22 April since 1970, but here on the blog I want to extend it into a long green weekend this time.

In this post, and from tomorrow on my Twitter, I'm sharing with you some useful green tips to encourage you to get involved in helping the environment, because every little step counts.

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Day 1: Save some energy 💚

🌍 Let natural light into your room whenever possible, and turn off the lights when you leave the room.

🌍 Also make sure to unplug your mobile phone, laptop and other devices when they are fully charged.

Day 2: Reduce waste 💚

🌍 Try to reduce your food waste, don't buy more than you will eat.

🌍 Use reusable cups and bottles for your drinks, avoid using plastic utensils.

🌍 Buy fruit and vegetables without packaging if possible and if you bought it in a plastic bag, reuse it, for example as a bin liner.

🌍 Use old jars to store food in the fridge or to make your own jams and pickles.

🌍 Use your plastic grocery bags for as long as they last before buying a new and preferably more eco-friendly bag.

🌍 Collect your rubbish selectively and make sure you put it in the right bin.

🌍 Also be moderate in the use of paper towels in the kitchen or toilet. 

🌍 In the office and also at home, print only when necessary and make it a habit to print on both sides. If you have printed on one side, use the back of old documents for notes and drafts. 

🌍 Use paper clips instead of staples, they can be reused. 

🌍 According to a study by the University of Southern Denmark, 3 million face masks are thrown away every minute. Most of these are disposable masks made of plastic microfibres, which, among other things, pollute water but can also harm wildlife. 

As these items are neither selectively collected nor recycled, replace disposable masks with reusable ones, such as cotton, whenever possible.

Day 3: Add greenery to your space 💚

🌍 Did you know that plants not only provide oxygen and purify the air by removing toxins, but also have many positive effects on your well-being?

🌍 They are said to help people feel calmer and more relaxed, reducing stress and anxiety. They can also help increase productivity, improve mood and boost creativity.

So if you don't have a houseplant yet, you should definitely invest in one for your desk.

Day 4: It's time for DIY 💚

🌍 Upcycling means creative reuse, turning something into something new by giving it a new purpose, limited only by your imagination.

For example, turn your stored jars into containers to keep pasta or rice in, reuse them as vases or organise your office supplies in them. All you have to do is remove the labels and you can just use them plain or paint them, decorate them with yarn and so on.

🌍 You can upcycle almost anything, for example in a post from a few years ago we turned an old T-shirt into a cut out tank top perfect for summer. (You can find it if you click on the link.)

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I hope you could find some ideas here that might inspire you to live an even more environmentally conscious life. 

Follow me on Twitter for more green tips and information from 22 April until this Sunday.

If you have any tips or good habits to share, feel free to leave a comment here or get involved on Twitter. I'm happy to read those.

 I wish you a wonderful rest of the week. 😊

Lots of love,

E

A month in pixels - with free printable sheet

✯ Hello Shiny Stars! ✯

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"Sometimes I'm in a bad mood, sometimes I'm in a good mood. It's like everyone else."

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A few weeks ago I shared a free printable with you: A Year in Pixels. The sheet allows you to keep track of your mood during the year. It contains a colour code and based on that you colour in the individual days.

If you have enough perseverance, at the end of the year you will have a completely coloured sheet, that shows you, for example, which were your happiest, but also saddest or normal days.

I have created the document so that it can be used for any year and I think even the start date is up to you. If you decide to start in February or March, that's fine too. Just put an "X" in the days you didn't follow or continue colouring in the next year to have a fully completed sheet.

This time I show you the little sibling of the previous sheet: A Month in Pixels. I created it for those who just want to track their mood for a shorter time or simply want to try it out to see if this is something for them.

The monthly version is also free to download below and can be used for any month. If it doesn't consist of 31 days, just put an "X" at the end. The method with colouring is the same as with the year sheet: simply colour in the days using the colour code.

Whether you choose the monthly or the yearly one, I hope you have a lot of fun with it.

Simply click on the "Pop out" icon in the top right corner of the image and select "Download" on the newly opened page to start colouring.

 

I wish you a great start into February. May it be a happy and healthy month.  :)

Lots of love,

E

Cosy hoodies and more

✯ Hello Shiny Stars! ✯

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"Baby it’s cold outside."

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Like many others, I’ve been working mostly in home office since last spring and I have to admit that since it’s gotten colder, my office outfit has changed a lot. I now prefer some cosy, fluffy house suits because they are not only comfortable to wear but they also keep me warm.

Is a teddy hoodie and fluffy pants also something that you like? Do you have any in your wardrobe?

I bought one in December with my Mom in a local shop and I just love it. 

On the website of NewChic, you will not only find fluffy pullovers but also blanket hoodies. I haven’t heard of these before, but they look cosy too.

I have included some of my favourite designs in the picture above. Mostly they are in regular sizes, but if you need a bigger size, for example an xxxxl hoodie, it can also be easily found on the website. 

If you visit their homepage, you will also find some menswear there. The second image has been put together to show some favourites like cargo shirts. Colourful designs can be found as well as plain ones, so if you like the more eye-catching ones that aren't in the picture, that's no problem either, browse around a bit and you are sure to find something more to your taste.

Henley shirt men’s version is also available from them. The difference with button-down shirts is that they only have a few buttons. Do you or your partner like to wear shirts like these? 

In addition to the product categories mentioned in this article, the website also offers shoes, bags, accessories as well as various categories such as "mens long cardigan" and of course much more.

Have you ever bought anything from this online shop? What was your experience? 

As always, feel free to leave a comment below.  :)

Lots of love,

E

A year in pixels - with free printable sheet

✯ Hello Shiny Stars! ✯

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"Make today worth remembering." (Zig Ziglar)

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I have been absent for a while, but I hope you are all well and healthy.  :)

We just had New Year's Eve, but we are already at the end of the first week of January, so I might be a bit late with my post.

As a small gift from me for the new year, I created a free printable sheet for you.

It's called "A Year in Pixels" and it allows you to somehow track how your days have been throughout the year.

There is a colour code next to the day table that shows you which colour means which mood, and you can colour your table based on how you felt on that particular day.

This table has been created so that it can be used for any year, even leap years. So if the month does not have 31 days, just put an "X" in the field.

This is the first time, I am doing this, so if you haven't tried it yet like me, feel free to join in, I'm sure it will be nice to see how it turns out. Whether it becomes colourful or one colour dominates, maybe we can even realise something through it that we weren't aware of before. 

You can download your own sheet here.  :)

Let me know in the comments section if you are joining in or have already started, I am happy to see your pixels, so feel free to send them to me every now and then at my email address or share it with me on Twitter.

I wish you a lot of fun and also preservation with your pixel sheet and all the best and good health for 2021.  :)

Lots of love,

E