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Inspired Living SA

Top South African Lifestyle Blog

You are here: Home / Archives for Be Inspired

Africa, Be Inspired, Child Friendly Travel, Exploring the Cape, My Top, Travel

My Top Cape Holiday Destinations

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  • The West Coast – My favourite spot up the West Coast, Jacobsbaai, is probably a bit of a biased choice, as it is where our family holiday house is but the West Coast is such a magical, unspoiled piece of Coast line you cannot help but love it!  Spending just a few days there is wonderfully relaxing and good for the soul! Jacobsbaai is approximately an hour outside of Cape Town, in the direction of Vredenberg. As I mentioned we have a beautiful family holiday home there, decorated in distinctly beach style decor, which allows the space to be both tranquil and luxurious! It truly is a beach-lovers paradise and wonderful for family holidays. It is also the place you will witness the most stunning sunsets! Other popular holiday spots up the West Coast are Langebaan and Paternoster.

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  • Franschhoek – Is one of my favourite holiday destinations in the Western Cape. It is approximately an hour’s drive, travelling on the N1, from Cape Town. “Franschhoek” meaning ‘French corner’, is a beautiful town steeped in history and renowned for good food and wine. It is wonderfully romantic and the perfect spot for a weekend away to reconnect with a loved one but equally good for a family holiday. Accommodation in the area is plentiful, with many quaint guest houses, self-catering cottages as well as luxurious boutique hotels; offering travelers many options when visiting the area. One of the most enjoyable places we have stayed at, was Rose Cottage, on the most picturesque Burgundy Bourgogne Estate. The cottage is four-star, self-catering luxury; it has an open plan kitchen, lounge dining room and an exquisite master suite.

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  • Hermanus – Is a beautiful sea-side town, in the Overberg, which forms part of what is more commonly known as the “Whale Coast”. We love visiting the area and if you are lucky you may even get to see a few whales while you are there. If you are planning a trip to Hermanus, the end of September is a good time to go. You can enjoy the renowned annual Whale Festival, which is a great deal of fun! It can get very busy during this time of year, so pre-booking  accommodation is essential. There are many great restaurants to choose from – most of them, with a view of the sea.

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  • Knysna – The Majestic Garden Route is definitely a very popular holiday destination in South Africa, especially for families. Knysna is one of our favourite Garden Route spots and is approximately six hours by road. Although a long trip, the Garden Route is wonderfully scenic and there are lots of things to see along the way. We enjoy staying on Leisure Isle when we are holidaying there and if you are fortunate enough, you can rent a home directly on the Knysna Lagoon. It offers the peaceful tranquility of island style living, with the most amazing views and the town is a mere 10 minutes away by car. The area is great for families – children can happily bike ride around the island or potter on the Lagoon when the tide is out. Another popular location in Knysna is Thesen Island, a Martha’s Vineyard style development and a very popular choice for holiday rental. We have stayed there in the past but I still prefer the peace and tranquility that Leisure Isle offers. The marina on Thesen Island sports many wonderful shops and restaurants and a boutique Hotel, catering to a holiday makers every need.

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You can read more posts in my Top 4 Series by clicking here…

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Be Inspired, Beauty, Beauty Products, Product Reviews, Reviews and Features

Naturals Ylang Ylang, Bergamot and Neroli Night Crème

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I have a thing about body butters and body creams and try to moisturise at least twice a day, especially if I have been active or outdoors in the elements. There is nothing nicer than pampering your body with a divine smelling body creme after an invigorating shower or a relaxing bath!

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I use a variety of body butters and creams but my new favourite is Naturals Ylang Ylang, Bergamot and Neroli Night Crème.  This body cream, by Naturals Beauty is extra rich and smells amazing! It is especially made for use at night, when your skin is regenerating and needs extra moisture to help it do so. Ylang Ylang is known for its balancing action of sebum, known to be soothing on the skin. Neroli stimulates the growth of healthy new cells and has properties that help you sleep better at night. Bergamot finishes off this blend beautifully as it is helpful in treating nervous tension.

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The cream has a soft silky texture and as I mentioned before, a wonderful fragrance and it leaves your skin feeling amazingly soft to the touch.

Naturals Beauty is a small family run business, based in the Riebeek Valley in the Cape and have become known for their excellent customer service. Their products are available to purchase on various online stores and in health and boutique stores. They also run Open Houses where customers can try the products first hand and be given personal attention and advice. To find out more about Naturals Beauty Products or place an order please visit their website by clicking here.

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Be Inspired, Product Reviews, Reviews and Features

Vanish Stain Remover

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As a mom and an avid home cook I am often plagued by annoying stains, whether it be paint from school art lessons or tomato stains, after whipping up a batch of my homemade tomato sauce! My go to Stain Removal  tool, is definitely Vanish Fabric Stain Remover.

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Stains occur every day on clothes in thousands of homes and as the stain removal expert, Vanish produces stain removal products that eliminate stains. With Vanish in your cupboard, you won’t have to worry about the damage stains and dirt can cause anymore to your clothing, giving you more time to enjoy the more important things in life!

To remove a Tomato Sauce stain, like the one on my white apron, above, simply dissolve one scoop of Vanish Power O2 Powder in 4L of warm water (max 40°) and soak the stained item. It could not be easier to do!

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After soaking my apron in Vanish for an hour I rinsed and dried it and it was as good as new!

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To find out more about Vanish and its amazing Stain Removal properties click on over to the Vanish Website by clicking here.

I am also giving away two tubs of Vanish Stain Remover to one lucky reader, please pop over and like my Facebook Page and leave a comment telling me what your worst stain dilemmas are.

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Be Inspired, Children, Family, Gift Guide, Guest Posts

Top Gift Choices for Little Girls

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In my opinion little girls are the easiest to buy for but then I don’t think I ever fully lost my inner child. I know there are others that will disagree with me and say it’s easier to buy for boys. Either way, today’s topic is all about young girls and what they like. I’ve done my research and found out what the latest crazes are in this category and I am ready to share with you. Hopefully this will be of help to you for an approaching birthday gift for that precious little blossom of femininity!

  • Fairies – It seems that anything fairy is the rage. There are fairy dolls, fairy houses, stuffed fairies, fairy figurines, fairy costumes, fairy jewelry boxes, fairy books, fairy gardens, fairy castles, and even fairy terrariums! In the past few years the Tinker Bell movies have been coming out one right after the other which I suppose is why little girls love fairies so much. If you have ever seen one of those movies you can see why it’s appealing, it’s such a magical world with bright colors and sweet music.
  • Weaving Looms – I’m so glad to see that the weaving looms are still around. The potholder weaving loom was one of my favorites as a child because it was so easy to use and I felt like I was making something great for mom to use in the kitchen! They have many different kinds of looms made for children, a couple which are easy for a six-year-old. I ran across one for this age group that can make scarves, purses, and handbags. Little girls love to create and this would be a great gift.
  • Shrinky Dinks – I love Shrinky Dinks! What fun it is to design your own jewelry and accessories and then bake them and watch them shrink in the oven! Of course mom and dad will have to be on hand when the baking is done but this is something that is fun for some of us older folks too. I’ve even seen adults making creative tags and other items from Shrinky Dinks. I read where one mother helped her daughter in making friendship necklaces as Christmas gifts for her friends. Great idea!

 

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  • Stickers – Stickers and sticker books are always popular. I ran across one sticker set that was a mosaic. Similar to the paint by number paintings this one had you matching up the sticker to the appropriate number on the picture to create the final creation. There are many different sizes and shapes of stickers and books.
  • Hidden Picture Books – I remember with my children these were always a hit. We would get a new book and see who the first person was to find the hidden pictures. I always loved it because as they start to grow up it gets harder to get them to sit quietly with you and share. My kids loved the Where’s Waldo books, the I Spy, and the Highlight’s Magazine.
  • School Sets – Little girls love to play school and they have sets out there just to do that! This set will make her feel like a proper teacher. The sets have grade books, stickers, a clock, a bell, hall passes, a hand pointer, dry-erase board, calendars, maps, crayons, and more. All she will need is the students! I have a cousin with a young girl and she tells me that often times the family dog is her student!

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  • Bead Kits – There are some wonderful bead kits for girls. They can make bracelets, earrings, necklaces, and you name it. The kits come with everything you need to get started and keep you busy for hours. Girls love to create, especially things they can wear or give away to friends.
  • Art Sets – The portable drawing sets that you can take with you on the road or to grandma’s house are a good idea for a child that loves to draw. Many sets come with the paper, colored pencils, pencil sharpeners, erasers, stencils, and more.
  • Barbie Dolls – Always a favorite of girls over the years these dolls are still at the top of most girls lists. These dolls have all the clothes, shoes, and accessories to keep your Barbie in style. Here is an endless gift possibility since they are always coming out with new clothes, cars, houses, and carry cases. You can seldom go wrong with a Barbie.

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  • Dress Up Clothes – I recall my daughter putting on my heels and carrying around one of my purses at this age. Now they have the most adorable dress up clothes for little girls including tutus! They have cases full of clothing if you want to splurge or you can buy it piece by piece. They have fairy wings, magic wands, jewelry, shoes, and of course purses. The princess dresses are very popular as well which topped off with a crown completes the outfit for your little princess!
  • Tea Sets – I do not know of a little girl who has not wanted to sit down and have a proper tea. There are all kinds of tea sets that are just precious. One I ran across in my research was a tea set that came with paints to paint your own tea set. This would be nice for the artsy child. We’ve all seen the pictures of the little girls having tea with her dolls or stuffed animals. This is a sweet gift to give any girl.
  • Stamp Sets – All children love stamps and they have some really great stamp sets that come with multiple stamps, paper, and ink pads. It’s so much fun to decorate letters to family members and notes to friends with a cute stamp. Some of these sets actually come with stationary as well. If you are a grandma or aunt giving this gift you can be sure you will probably get a very sweet letter in return.

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  • Paper Dolls – Or should I say plastic? I loved paper dolls growing up but they were hard to work with sometimes. Now I see that they have plastic clothes that stick to the shiny surfaces of the dolls. These are like the Colorforms we used to play with. They still have the traditional paper dolls as well. There’s something about paper dolls that most young girls love.

These are just a sample of some of the gifts that little girls would like. Don’t forget about jewelry and jewelry boxes, these are always a hit. I spent quite a lot of time last year looking for the perfect jewelry box for my young niece. It came with a key necklace that locked the box so it was her secret treasure. Along these same lines little girls love diaries that lock especially after they learn to write! Some girls like taking pictures and keeping scrap books and there are some great scrap-book sets to be had. Finger nail and toe nail polishing kits are a hit but that’s a gift that needs supervision for sure! Any kind of clay or dough is popular at this age as well as sidewalk chalk to play hopscotch or just create a work of art. Books are always great gifts for any age. Oh, and I recall both my children loving memory games when they were this age. I know you remember these games; it’s where you turn over two cards and try to remember where the matching card is.

I hope this list has been helpful in finding that perfect gift for the little girl in your life. I know it stirred up some wonderful memories from my youth and my children’s. Most of these toys have been around for many years; one’s we have played with and loved. Times change but children stay the same, especially when they are this age.

Author Bio:

Amanda Carlson, a blogger as well as a former newborn care nurse contributed this post. To stay connected to her previous career and share the knowledge she gained, she began writing for Newborn Care. You can reach her at [email protected].

*Images courtesy of Free Digital Photos

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Be Inspired, Beauty, Beauty Products, Guest Posts

Christina Hendricks Reveals her Beauty Secrets

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Since she first graced our screens as the delectable Joan Holloway in the hit US series Mad Men, Christina Hendricks has become a pin-up for men and a beauty and style icon for women. It is not only the way she dresses her gorgeous hourglass figure, which is reportedly all-natural and has not been subject to breast enhancement or any other cosmetic procedure, that makes her look so distinctive and so admired, but also her glowing porcelain skin, effortless style and flaming red hair.

So, how does she do it? In a recent interview with Marie Claire, as well as a quick chat with Elle, Christina revealed her top beauty and style secrets.

  • Homemade Tinted Moisturiser – When asked about her preparations for showing more skin on-screen, Christina revealed that she uses a kind of homemade tinted moisturiser.  She said: “If my legs are showing, the makeup artist adds a tiny amount of foundation to body lotion and rubs it in. Now if I have an event to go to, I’ll buy CoverGirl foundation and mix it in with my lotion.”

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  • Conditioner for Coloured Hair – As the actress is a natural blonde and has been dyeing her hair its distinctive red shade from a young age, she protects it using plenty of conditioner. Christina favours a high quality colour extend conditioner to keep her hair shiny and soft, especially when filming episodes of Mad Men when she has to re-colour regularly to keep the same brightness.

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  •  The classic red lip – Although her on-screen alter ego Joan prefers a coral lip, Christina loves a classic red lip in real life, with her favourite shade being ruby.
  •  Protection for perfect porcelain skin – Christina is almost as well-known for her creamy, ethereal porcelain skin as she is for her red hair and hourglass figure. The actress keeps her skin so youthful and flawless by keeping out of the sun and protecting her face from freckling by applying plenty of Dermalogica sunscreen. Christina also admits to never being without moisturising serum for her dry skin.
  •  Beautiful blush – a beauty bag staple – If she had to offer one beauty secret, Christina says hers would be blush. She says: “If there’s only one thing you wear, make it blush. A little on your cheeks, and you’ll instantly look pretty, lively and fresh. Isn’t that what we all want!

Guest Author: Isabella Franklin find her on Twitter

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Meet Fiona Rossiter

Hi, I am Fiona Rossiter, from Cape Town, the writer and photographer behind Inspired Living SA Blog. If you love good Food and Wine, reading amazing Travel Adventures, keeping Fit and Healthy, as well following Decor Trends – then Inspired Living SA is just the place for you! Read More…

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