Win Win Win

All current 'likees' of the InBloom Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/InBloomStyleStudio) stand a chance of winning a Beautiful Earth gift to the value of R 290.

The gift consists of a 200ml shampoo,
a 200ml conditioner,
a 250ml body butter and
a 50ml Rejuvenate Day Cream.

To enter:

Post something creative on the InBloom Facebook wall about your fashionista and/ or beauty-queen friends and tag them in the post. (Anyone in your friends list that you think will like InBlooms' products & services.)

The person who gets the most of her tagged friends to like our page, wins the hamper! So easy.

For more info on the competition, please feel free to contact us (info@inbloom.co.za). Alternatively, send us a message on Facebook.

Cut off date for new posts and likes, 31 March 2012 at midnight. x

trend alert: the peplum

The hip-accentuating peplum is springing from dresses, jackets and pants - thanks to high-end designers including Giorgio Armani, Celine and Jason Wu.

Peplum styles were last prominent in the 1980s, accompanied by big shoulders. The word itself, peplum, traces its roots to Greece. Peplos referred to a tunic or long garment with a flap of fabric folded and belted around the waist worn in ancient Greece.

This time around the peplum trend is coming in easy-to-wear separates...

How to wear your peplum:

Peplum tops / jackets: simple to throw over a sleek pencil skirt, skinny jeans and slim pants. For the brave at heart fashionista, team your peplum top/ jacket with or a slouchy pair of trousers and ankle boots.

Peplum skirts: wear with a fitted top, preferably tucked in at the waist. Having too much fabric will add bulk, which is not the desired effect of wearing the peplum.

Peplum dresses: wear with stockings and a heel or ankle boots. Avoid any boots or shoes with too much detail or bulk of its own.

Now, although I absolutely adore the peplum-trend....

...You will not see me wearing it this season. I might just look extremely awkward with a baby bump sticking out from underneath the flap ;) As soon as I have my pre-baby figure back, I'll be stocking up on tops and at least one jacket. x

Lou Harvey @ InBloom

Don't forget that you can get your fun-in-the-sun brights by Lou Harvey from InBloom Style Studio.
Anything from vanities, cosmetic bags, wallets, beach bags, nappy bags and more- we stock it ALL!
For more information, stock availability or orders, send an email to info@inbloom.co.za.

trend alert: hot pink lips

Now just because hot pink lips are a big trend for Spring/ Summer 2012/ 2013 doesn't mean that you cannot/ should not liven up your Winter attire with such a fun shade.

MAC Quick Sizzle is my fav hot pink lip colour.

Another good buy is Revlon Fuchsia and Lancome Rouge in Love has many awesome shades to help you pull off this trend.

Colours for Fall/ Winter 2012 (numero 2)

Thursday Fashion Moment: Colours for Fall/ Winter 2012 (numero1)

midnight blue, silver and shades of grey

forest green, plums, deep violet with silver finishes

shades of hot pink & burnt orange

greenish yellow tones, aquamarine, dark sienna with copper and royal blue

bronze tones, olive yarns & shades of pale gold

my experience with fats

I've spent years reducing the fat in my diet. Everything with the words "low", "free", "diet", "less", and "zero" found itself into my shopping basket and into my kitchen cupboards.

That was up until recently.

I started digging and started reading up on animal fats and vegetable fats and all the types of chemical structures that make fats "good" and "bad"...

Bottom line, since adding raw, animal fats back into my diet (raw full cream milk,  real butter made only from cows milk & cream) and since using coconut oil freely when cooking and using olive oil over salads, I've not gained a single gram! In fact, besides feeling healthier, having more energy AND being pregnant (and making NO other lifestyle changes), I've lost a few kilo's!

This is my experience and I would not be me if I didn't share it.

leather clutches by InBloom

So proud to announce my new range of leather clutches!

The vintage Miya-Range is a 31cm x 19 cm envelope clutch and comes in all colours, custom made for every client.

The client has two leather option choices:

Nappa/ Napa leather and Buffalo leather.

As per Wikipedia descriptions:

Nappa/ Napa leather is a full-grain leather, typically dyed, made from unsplit kid-, lamb- or sheep-skin by tanning with salts of chromium or aluminium sulfate, and noted for softness and durability. It is often used in high-quality leather products such as high-end furniture and accessories.

Buffalo leather has a more raw look and feel.

domestic bliss continued...

After many hours online and a rather extensive search to find a "basic" cleaning schedule for a domestic worker, I found... nothing. Yes, you heard me. Not a single manual, schedule or spreadsheet. There seems to have been no one who wanted to share with the world, their well-thought-out schedule as a basis for cleaning and managing a household.

So this put me on a mission. I was going to write my own. I thought about and looked at my home. I thought about the hours in the day and the intensity of the different household chores. I thought about the way in which I want them done. And so, I came up with this VERY BASIC Cleaning Schedule. So far the training has been going well: Betty finds it easier to learn as the chores for each day are set in stone (ink on paper!).

Take note: This manual is used primarily for the training of the Domestic Worker during the probation/ trail period of employment.

After this time, the manual can be used as a guideline to measure the performance of your Domestic Worker.

Mondays:
1. Kitchen (unpack dishwasher, wash, dry & pack away other dishes, pots & pans, wipe counters)
2. Empty dust bins (household)
3. Make beds (clean linen)
4. Tidy bedrooms (pack away clothes, toys and books)
5. Washing (throughout the day: hang, fold & pack away)

Clean thoroughly: Front Stoep, Entrance, Kitchen, Living Room, Dining Room and Patio

Tuesdays:
1. Kitchen
2. Make beds
3. Tidy bedrooms
4. Washing (throughout the day: hang, fold & pack away)

Clean thoroughly: Bedrooms & Bathrooms

Wednesdays:

1. Kitchen
2. Empty dust bins
3. Make beds
4. Tidy bedrooms
5. Washing (throughout the day: hang, fold & pack away)
6. Do ironing

Clean thoroughly: Front Stoep, Entrance, Kitchen, Living Room, Dining Room and Patio

Thursdays:

1. Kitchen
2. Make beds
3. Tidy bedrooms
4. Washing (throughout the day: hang, fold & pack away)
5. Do ironing

Clean thoroughly: Bedrooms & Bathrooms


Fridays:

1. Kitchen
2. Dust bins
3. Make beds
4. Tidy bedrooms
5. Washing (throughout the day: hang, fold & pack away)

Clean thoroughly: Front Stoep, Entrance, Kitchen, Living Room, Dining Room and Patio

domestic bliss (part 1)

I've been blessed to have had a great domestic worker work for me in my house for the past 3 years. For those who know me and have seen her would tell you that she has a massive figure - and a heart in matching size ;)
Unfortunately, due to the changing dynamics of my household, and my growing family (yes, baby nr 3 is on his/ her way!!!) I had to let Liesbet go... She just cannot work 5 days a week as she is older and looks after her son.

So upon waving her goodbye through rivers of tears, I had to embark on finding a replacement. It's almost been two weeks and what a journey. I'm currently "training" my new help, who goes by the name Betty. She works for me 5 days and once we move into a new and bigger place, she'll probably sleep in as well. Which will make life much easier  -  freeing up time to spend with my pretty kiddies and on InBloom's growth.

If anybody would like Liesbet to help you out twice a week, please contact me. She's a VERY hard worker and any household would be lucky to have her. 

season swatches 1 & 2

for the Fall/ Winter 2012 season, these are the colours I'll be wearing & adding to my wardrobe.