Twinkle Twinkle Little Star ...

When Marilyn Monroe said 'We are all of us stars and deserve to twinkle' she must have had jewellery designer (and modern day blonde-bombshell) Sarina Suriano in mind. 

My latest obsession (after spotting more than one editor wearing similar at Paris Fashion Week) is the set of simply devine Sarina Suriano Swarovski crystal earcuffs - made exclusively for The Dark Horse Jewellery.

Rhodium plated and nickel free, these will work for even the most sensitive of ears. And the best part? There are multiple ways to wear them! Wear one alone, high or low on the lobe, wear two together on the one ear, wear one on each - the possibilities are endless. Dress them up or down, I wear mine with both luxe furs, or beaten up old vintage tees. 

Having worked in both Europe, London and now in her hometown of Sydney, Suriano is the only jewellery designer to be invited to show at Australian Fashion Week, showing her sparkling gems on the bare form to an impressed crowd. Suriano has also collaborated with big name Aussie labels such as Alex Perry, Ellery, Willow, Fleur Wood, Alannah Hill, Ginger & Smart, Leona Edmiston, Jayson Brunsdon and most recently, Collette Dinnigan for her Winter 2012 Paris show. 

From designing high end runway pieces or that infamous Swarovski ear cuff Lara Bingle was sporting at last years Spring Racing Carnival, Sarina's jewellery gets people noticed. 

And clearly the people at Swarovski have noticed her too, being chosen to participate in this years annual 'Runway Rocks', held in Shanghai, Nov 2013. Designers worldwide are invited to design an extravagant head-to-toe crystal couture piece to showcase, giving them huge international exposure. 

Check out Sarina's collection here 

http://www.thedarkhorse.com.au/designers/SARINA-SURIANO-X-THE-DARK-HORSE

Or learn more at www.sarinasuriano.com

When BB no longer means Big Brother. A Yummy Mummy Guide to staying Fab Before and After Baby. Part 1.

Does it feel like EVERYONE is pregnant at the moment? There's talk that with the popularity of the book '50 Shades of Grey', women worldwide indulged in a little raunch and all of a sudden there's a baby boom - with these bundles of joy being affectionately referred to as 'Grey-bies'

As many of you know, I recently gave birth to my own 'little miracle', and with the arrival of Scarlet Harper I've been inundated with requests for sharing my secrets to staying fabulous before and after pregnancy, when inside you really aren't feeling as such. But hey, a girl can fake it till she makes it, right? 

Before baby (or as I like to call it 'BB') there were a few things I organised to either lift my spirits, maintain a small piece of glamour (and therefore a small piece of my old self) or were just plain old common sense. 

* me at 35 weeks, feeling like a stuffed turkey, basted in Bio Oil 

Forget the girls with the endless instagram selfies of expensive maternity wear, strutting around in Louboutins and carrying Baby Dior. They just aren't a realistic insight to what's about to take place. Money is no longer exclusively yours to blow, but at the same time a girls gotta look her best right? Even if its just you, your partner and the baby who see it, it will mean the difference between catching yourself in the mirror, crying and mourning the old 'you', and not looking like a hot mess when visitors pop in unexpectedly. 

The following are my Top 3 tips to staying fab. This article is going to be a work in progress, so over the next few weeks I'm going to share any tips and tricks that worked for me. 

Lash extensions: 

While these can be pricey, I highly recommend looking for a local deal on sites such as Groupon. I purchased an application of lashes and 2 refills for just $69 and had them applied about a month before my due date, keeping them on until 2 months after the birth. Because who can be bothered with makeup when your little one is squeaking every 3 hours?

Pedicure and shellac: 

For when you can no longer touch your toes, let alone paint them! And if they're particularly nice at your salon, you'll get a little foot massage also. I strongly suggest investing in shellac at this time due to the longevity of the paint. After all, who knows when you'll have time to do your nails again? 

Shapewear:

Tummies won't become flat again straight away and even though you'll be given a band to bring your muscles back together, my physio recommended shape wear (think Spanx) with the stomach support built in. Whether its underwear or a camisole, I'm amazed how after one week my stomach started to shrink. I wear mine 24/7 (in particular, the camisole - could you imagine trying to sleep in those undies!) - places like Target and Kmart stock these kinda of things without breaking the budget - and even once you've regained pre pregnancy shape, you'll still find yourself reaching for them when it comes time to smooth out a few bumps. 

So there you have it. It's not rocket science, just plain old common sense and a few 'feel good' ideas. If you have any suggestions of your own, products you love or secrets you'd like to share, feel free to drop me a line! 

X