Flower Power

I was out walking and came across these beautiful flowers. I had to snap some pictures.
There has to be a reason why flowers have such bright colors right?
If it was up to me I would say flowers have bright colors and smell good because they were created to cheer people up.
My favorite flowers would have to be water lily. I think they look so carefree and pretty the way they are decorating the water. I think it would be pretty awesome to live in water. I wish mermaids existed and that I was one.. hahha.

I wore my grey flower skirt that I got from Banana Republic on sale. It is a neutral skirt that goes with a lot of different outfits. It is appropriate to wear to work because it hits before the knee. It can be dressed up or down. I wore it with a white 3/4 sleeve top to keep my outfit clean, and because I wanted to wear my bright necklace. I did not want my top and necklace competing for attention.
This outfit would be perfect paired with some ballet flats.

What are your favorite flowers?

What I am wearing : Grey skirt Banana Republic, white top from Gap and a bright necklace from Forever21.

 

 

Hope you will have a Bright Sunny Friday !! :D

5 Easy tricks to get Healthier

Health should be an important part of your life. Without health you have nothing. Health gives you the ability to live, to laugh to go for walks and to share memories. If health is something you take for granted, then don't. You don't know how important health is before it's gone.

Here are a few easy steps that I implemented in my life to get healthier.


1) Eat your fruits. Fruits offer ton of energy. It helps us stay healthy, it keeps our weight in check and it makes our immune system better.

Tips : I eat my fruits in the morning. It is a great way to start the day and it's like having a treat in the morning!
I usually eat banana ice cream or a fruit bowl. I go for oranges, strawberries, banana and apples.

2) Drink water. Staying hydrated is important. Our body consist of 50-75% water so it is important to refill to maintain the balance of body fluids. I notice that when I drink more water my skin looks clearer and I have more energy. I also tent to get headaches if I don't drink enough water.

Tips : I like to bring a water bottle to work. I refill it twice, so by the time my work day is over I would have consumed 1 liter.

yummy cucumber and mint water :)

3) Eat a bowl of salad or veggies everyday.

Tips : I eat my salad before dinner.. Eventually eating a salad before dinner will become a habit and you might find that you enjoy it!

4) Move. Move your body. I try to do something active everyday. I go for walks when I don't feel like working out. I like the fresh air. It gives my mind a break and relaxes me if I am stressed.
I also like going to the gym 2-3 times a week, or doing my own routine at home or YouTube videos.

Tips :  I give myself a goal each week. A goal can be "working out 3 times this week".

Playing tennis in the Summer

Some workouts I like from YouTube :

BUTI Fun yoga inspired workout  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKsyeiUorzY&index=7&list=PLvDvt9vCGXwt_SJpxMzM6_G0ucyRUi82P

 Quick Pilates workout https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfgvSv2Wv70&list=PLvDvt9vCGXwt_SJpxMzM6_G0ucyRUi82P&index=9

 Bikini Body - Only 30 min but pretty intense
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGDjXDMA0Nk


5) Be positive! Being positive will help your mood and your life.
Being happy for what you have will make you a happier person which in turn will make you healthy.

Tips : I like writing down 5 things a day that I am happy about or that I appreciate. It has helped me become a happy person.

"I am so happy that my parents love me, and want the best for me".

"I am so happy I went for a walk today, because it made me relax and it made me feel more awake."

If you think about your day and your life, you will find that you do have a lot of things to be happy about. It can be people, food or hobbies that make you happy.



I hope you find this helpful?
What are your health tips ? Feel free to share recipes and advice.


Have a good week!

- Vanillamilla

Shorts and stripes

It seems that yesterday was the last day of Summer in Vancouver? 
Today the rain is back. My rain jacket and my rain boots are on, and jeans are my new best friend. Yesterday I wore my favorite shorts from F21. I got them years ago. My mum has commented before that they look a bit sloppy, but I cant stop wearing them. They are the most comfy shorts I own. I also feel like myself in them. My ass is not showing, so I can go about my day without thinking that my ass is hanging out. I do not know how some girls wear super short shorts?

My shorts are from F21, my blouse from Winners, my earrings from F21 and my shoes from Steve Madden.

I hope you have a wonderful Summer wherever you are !!

- Vanillamilla

Current Favorites

I did not post a favorites for July so I thought I would share some of my current favorite products with you.

I got a Knot Genie a while back. Since I have fine hair I can get a lot of knots, and this thing works wonders. To be honest I did not expect much since it looks a bit basic, but it removes all my knots, and gives my scalp a nice massage.

I have been using concealer instead of a foundation. I use it to cover my dark under eyes and pimples. I feel that using a concealer instead of foundation lets my skin breath, since I'm not using it on the whole face.

In July I also started working out regularly. At least 3 times a week. I bought Woman's Health Celebrity Fitness Secrets that helped me stay focused on my workout. I love all the workout routines in the magazine. Since I don't have much time, the routines are easy for me to do at home.
I also love Befit on YouTube. They post a lot of good workouts.
https://www.youtube.com/user/BeFit - There are tons of good workout videos on YouTube!!!
If you like yoga check out : https://www.youtube.com/user/yogawithadriene

Another thing I have been using a lot lately is my bronzer from Physicians formula. I use it to give my face some warmth. I also use it as an eye shadow with some highlight on the inner corners of my eyes and some mascara to make me look awake and ready for the day.

A swatch of the bronzer.

My food favorite is banana ice cream !!! I eat it most days :) It's a great way to make sure you eat fruits, and it's a perfect treat!!
You can see how to make it in my previous post :)

I hope you had a great weekend and that you are enjoying your Sunday!!
I am about to go make myself some tea and enjoy some reading.

- Vanillamilla

Ice Cream Everyday - The healthy fix!

Yes you can eat ice cream for breakfast every day!
I eat it almost everyday, and it is such a treat!
The ice cream I am talking about is called "Banana Ice Cream".
It's healthy, super yummy and can be made in a rush.

 

A little lesson about bananas :

•  They are high in tryptophan which makes your brain happy.
•  They lower blood pressure, and regulate blood sugar.
•  They have high level of B-6, which strengthen nervous system, reduce swelling, protect against type II diabetes and helps weight loss.

How to :

• You need 3-4 bananas
• Almond milk
• Some sweetener like maple syrup or agave nectar
• Some pistachio for topping

1) Cut the bananas into pieces.
2) Put them into a plastic box or bag and freeze them over night.
3) In the morning take out the bananas. Then add them to a mixer with some almond milk.
Maybe 1/4 cup milk. Then add about 1 tablespoon of syrup.
Mix until smooth.
4) Serve right away.

I usually have my ice cream with crushed pistachio nuts on top - just to have some
extra yumminess
Also a little warning this can be very addictive..

* Sometimes I have to stop the blender if the mixture get stuck and kind of poke the mixture with a
wooden spoon, then turn the blender on again.



 

 

Hope you have a good week!

- Vanillamilla

Weekend Pictures

This weekend went so fast! The weather was perfect and we got to see the full moon.
During the weekend my guilty pleasure is to go for brunch.
There is something very fulfilling in having someone else make you food. It somehow always taste better.
As we were walking we discovered Coco Rico Café and they were having a breakfast special so we decided to try it out. The food was super yummy! I had waffles and fruit salad.
We were also doing a little people watching which is actually very relaxing.

Yummy !!! It was such a treat!

My elephant necklace I bought for $2.50. I love it!

What I wore : Skirt Brandi Melville, black singlet and white top from H&M, and necklace from F21.

At night we enjoyed the sunset by the beach :)

 

What did you do this weekend?

 

 

Hope you have a good week!!

 

- Vanillamilla

 

Tights and Shorts

Tights and shorts a legit combo?

OOTD.
Decided to go for my ripped shorts that has been with me for 7 years and black leggings.
Sometimes you just want to be comfy and not really show any leg.
I find I tend to wear leggings and shorts instead of jeans because I feel it is more comfortable.
I can move around better and be more free.

I put on my fancy tweed jacket to make the outfit less casual. I also wore a my small black bag
which gives a girly touch.

What I wore: Grey top with letters and shorts from F21, Tweet jacket from H&M, Converse, and black purse from Winners. Funny fact " When I wear this purse people think its from Prada or that it is a really expensive bag, but I only paid $19 for it ".

Is leggings and shorts something you would wear?

Hope you have a great week !

- Vanillamilla

Simple way to get White Teeth -Natural

A simple way of getting white teeth is oil pulling. You might have heard of it before?
For this kind of teeth whiting you will need coconut oil. What you do is you take about a teaspoon of the oil and put it in your mouth. Think of it as using mouth wash, but instead you use coconut oil.
You gargle the oil in your mouth for 15-20 minutes.

I promise if you do this process 2-3 times a week your teeth will get whiter. It helps your teeth, because the oil helps pull out the dirt around your teeth. It is also said to help against acne, headaches and asthma.

I did notice that you need to do this every week for best result.

I hope this works out for you?

 

Please comment on how you liked your whiter teeth!

- Vanillamilla

My first Nail Art!

I have seen Nail Art on peoples fingers, on Instagram and on Tumbler. I have always wanted to try making Nail Art, but thought my hands would be to shaky, so I never tried.
After getting the Debora Lippmann nail polish I decided to give it a go.
I came up with this easy design. Stripes and glitter. I know you have probably seen something like this before but you got to start somewhere right?

You need three nail polishes. One to use as your base, one lighter color to make vertical stripes with and a glitter polish. I used a thin paint brush to make the stripes with. Remember to wash your brush right away or the nail polish might ruin it.
You don't have to go out and buy new nail polishes, but use the colors you already have at home.

Maybe you can invited a friend over for a girls night. It might be easier to have someone else paint your nails and then you can paint theirs :)
Much cheaper then getting your nails done and it is a lot of fun!

Have you ever done Nail Art before?
Maybe you know some good step by step tutorials to share?


I hope you have  a wonderful weekend!!

- Vanillamilla

Flower Power

There is nothing that makes me more happy than to see the flowers growing outside, and to see the clear blue sky. Whenever I see roses I am guilty of smelling them, and sometimes stealing a rose petal or two, so I can keep smelling them throughout the day. Sorry neighbours!

I remember being younger and crushing rose petals with water and then straining the mixture to make perfume. I remember making flower crowns of daisies. I love Summer!
On such a beautiful day I decided to wear my flower skirt, because it reflects the weather and my mood nicely. Something I like about this skirt is that it hugs your hips and gives you more of a womanly shape. Very Eva Mendes. I always she pictures of her in flowery dresses and pencil skirts like this.

What I am wearing : Skirt, top and necklace from F21, shoes from Aldo and Bag from Claire's.

Denim jacket from H&M. 

 

 

What is you favorite thing about Summer?

 

 

Hope you have a nice and sunny Wednesday!

 

-Vanillamilla - http://vanillamilla.com/