Art Break! - Worry Doll

A worry doll is a little doll that you tell your worries to before you go to sleep and it takes them away.

I stated with some beige cloth that was the handle of a bag.

Then I made a little dress from part of an old cushion cover and some lace.

I gave her a belt of pink embroidery floss.

I painted her face on with acrylic paint.

I gave her a veil of purple ribbon and lace and we are done!

Colgate - Nature's Extracts - Ultimate Fresh - Toothpaste

This green coloured toothpaste is a fantastic alternative to mint flavoured toothpaste.
The lemon and aloe vera flavour in very refreshing and will leave your mouth feeling clean.
It foams up well (in a toothpaste-sense) and doesn't trigger my allergic reaction to toothpaste, so it may be a good option for ypu if you also can't use most toothpastes.

Scent: 5/5
Price: 2/5 ($5.82 for 75mL)
Effectiveness: 5/5

Book Review - The Joy Luck Club - Amy Tan

This book explores the lives of four women and their families, their lives in America and prior lives in China.
They are all connected by the Joy Luck Club, in which they come together weekly to play Mahjong.

The book if depressing (not that that is an inherently bad think for a book to be, some stories are depressing).
This is not the book to read if you don't like hearing about children having a bad time.

The Mall on Sunday has a quote on the front of my copy saying 'Pure enchantment', I think we are reading different books. I don't think it is enchanting, it is sad. 

Category: Historical Fiction
Rating: 3/5

Art Break! - Paper Quilling

I have got into the art of paper quilling!
Here are some of my pieces, a part 2 may follow :)
I use an embroidery needle, strips of coloured paper and craft glue for this, so it would be pretty easy for anyone to try.

A wolf:

A flower/heart arrangement:

A fish: 

Same Product, Different Scent - Head & Shoulders - Sanfte Pflege (Gentle Care) - Anti-Dandruff Shampoo

This is a anti-dandruff shampoo which, like all of the Head & Shoulders line, works reliably to prevent dandruff.
The only thing that is disappointing is the lavender scent it is meant to have is so faint, you may not even recognise it as lavender scented.
Otherwise, it works great.

Tee Gschwendner - Grüner Rooitea Limone-Ingwer (Green Rooibos Lime Ginger)

Even just in the packet, this smells amazing, like lemonade.

When brewed, this light coloured tea tastes like a ginger ale/ lemonade mix!

I didn't think I would like it just based on the name, but it is delicious!

As a green Rooibos tea it is naturally caffeine free.

Price: 3/5 ($9.06 for 100g)
Rating: 5/5

Fa - Active Pearls - frischer Rosen-Duft (Fresh Rose fragrance) - Antiperspirant Deodorant

This is a nice, reliable antiperspirant.
The scent I would describe as soap-rose.

I don't know what the 'active pearls' refers to, it isn't lumpy or anything.

Price: 5/5 ($2.16 for 50mL)
Scent: 4/5
Effectiveness: 5/5

Burt's Bees - Baby - Nourishing Lotion

This is a really nice, rich lotion with a lovely scent (like baby powder meets dark honey).
It is made of 98.9% natural ingredients and unlike so many of Burt's Bees other products, this doesn't have a problem with the formula separating.
It is non-irritating and I really like this lotion.

Price: 1/5 ($11.93 for 170mL)
Scent: 5/5
Effectiveness: 5/5

Art Break! - Engagement Card for S and J

This will be a quick one since I don't have progress pictures (sorry).

I used a purple background (a favourite colour of the couple). 
The flowers were varied as I wanted it to look like a botanical garden. I drew them with pencil then coloured them with water colour paint.
The two foxes (our couple) are also pencil and water colour.
I did two gold rings with acrylic paint and the gems on the engagement ring (in the style of her engagement ring) are arranged on silver foil paper.

Prokudent - Zahnseide (Dental Floss) - Black Sensitive

This is a dental floss with activated charcoal, which gives it it's cool black colour. It has a mint flavour.

The packaging is cool, you twist it to open and close it.

It is a thick floss (width-wise), which makes it great for removing anything between the teeth.
Price: 3/5 ($1.57 for 25m)
Effectiveness: 5/5

Принцесса Нури (Princess Noori) - Tea - бергамот (bergamot)

This is a flavoured black tea from Russia, the one I tried was bergamot (Earl Grey) but they have many flavours to choose from.

I really liked this. The black tea wasn't bitter and the bergamot flavour was strong (just the way I like it).

Often with flavoured teas the flavour is more of a scent, this tea doesn't have that problem.

I cannot speak for all of the flavours they offer, but if they are anything like the bergamot one, they will be fantastic.

Price: 5/5 ($1.33 AUD for 25 teabags)

Rating: 5/5

Burt's Bees Baby - Daily Cream to Powder

This is a diaper cream that is meant to have a powdery finish.
And it does dry down to a powder, which is cool.

It has a soapy scent which is quite strong, so if you don't like they way it smells, you are in for a bad time. I personally like the scent though.
The product also boasts to be 99% natural, which includes a natural fragrance.
It also has no phthalates, parabens, mineral oil or SLS.

I really wanted to like this product, but it separates almost immediately.
You go to squeeze some out of the tube and just the oil part comes out.
If you have a baby, this product is just annoying and is going straight in the bin!

It's a nice idea, but it needs to be reformulated.

Price: 1/5 ($12.24 for 113g)
Scent: 5/5
Effectiveness: 0/5

Hair Removal Sponge

This is a double sided sponge.
The pink side is like a very fine sand paper to break the hair.
The blue is a 'polishing' side (read: useless)

You are meant to rub it in a circular fashion on moist skin (but not taking the sponge into the shower with you).

And... Nothing! (as expected)

Save your pennies.

Price: 5/5 ($1.24 for one)
Effectiveness: 0/5

Facelle - Slipeinlagen (Panty liners) - normal

These panty liners have no scent, which is nice.

It doesn't cost much for a box of 50, so they are great value for money!

They aren't the most robust, they do tend to break up a bit by the end of the day, but not to the point to being unusable.
Not my favourite design, but they work in a pinch.

Price: 5/5 ($1.87 for 50 liners)
Effectiveness: 4/5

Isana - Anti-Transpirant - Grüne Frische

This is an antiperspirant with no alcohol. 
The scent is called 'Grüne Frische' (Green Freshness) and it has a fresh, green, cucumber scent that isn't overpowering.

It works well and I have to say, I really like it.

Price: 5/5 ($0.86 for 50mL)
Scent: 4/5
Effectiveness: 5/5

Podcast Review - BFN (Big Fat Negative)

This is a podcast about going through infertility, hosted by two friends.
They interview specialists from different areas such as mild IVF, acupuncture, and overseas clinics.
They also have a doctor they ask about a different 'old wives tale' each week.

When listening to them, it's like hanging out with some good friends while also being very insightful.

It is a wonderful podcast if you want company on your own TTC journey!

Category: Infertility/TTC
Rating: 5/5

Alnatura - Rooibos Vanille Tee

This is an organic rooibos tea flavoured with ground vanilla pods from organic farming.

The scent is initially very strong, but once brewed, the tea has a lovely mellow vanilla taste.

I could drink this every day easily!

Price: 3/5 ($5.16 for 20 bags)
Rating: 5/5

Schwarzkopf - Drei Wetter Taft (Three Weather Taft) - (Ultimativ Styling Gel) Ultimate Styling Gel

This is a strong hold hair gel.

The scent is a marine scent, perhaps a little too strong for my liking.

As with some hair gels, this can leave the hair 'crunchy', so keep that in mind when using it.

Price: 5/5 ($2.80 for 150mL)
Scent: 2/5
Effectiveness: 3/5

MooGoo - Strawberry Tinted Lip Balm

This is a tinted lip balm with no camphor, paraffins, parabens, or phenoxyethanol.
It has all natural ingredients.

It has a subtle, red tint from beetroot and a wonderful strawberry scent.

A swatch so you can see how tinted it is.

I really like this lip balm!


Price: 4/5 ($5.50 for 5g)
Scent: 5/5
Effectiveness: 5/5

Nivea Men - Body Shaving Stick

This is a stick of shaving balm that you apply directly to your skin.

The scent is generic "men's" scent, marine notes.

When applied directly on the skin in the shower, it creates a lubricating soapy film which works really well with a razor.
You don't get 'razor burn' and it is non-irritating.

This would be absolutely perfect for travel!

Price: 3/5 ($9.99 for 75mL)
Scent: 2.5/5
Effectiveness: 5/5