Best Dressed on the Red Carpet at Oscar Night

So the 85th Academy Awards kicked off on Sunday evening – and while I didn’t watch live that night, I managed to catch 4 of the big awards at the very end when I got up early for work! For those who are hopelessly out of the loop – the big winners:

• Best Picture: “Argo.”
• Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis, “Lincoln.”
• Actress: Jennifer Lawrence, “Silver Linings Playbook.”
• Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz, “Django Unchained.”
• Supporting Actress: Anne Hathaway, “Les Miserables.”
• Directing: Ang Lee, “Life of Pi.”

And of course I have to mention Best Documentary Feature: “Searching for Sugar Man”, most of which was filmed in South Africa.

But that’s enough of the awards. We all want to know who looked good! My favourites included Jennifer Lawrence (who tripped over her huge dress going up to collect her award) and Jessica Chastain – 100% elegant and beautiful. Here we go!

This year’s Best Actress winner Jennifer Lawrence for Silver Linings Playbook was the belle of the ball in a white-and-pale pink strapless Dior Haute Couture gown with fitted bustier and poufy hemline, sophisticated pulled-back hair, diamond-ball earrings and a delicate long necklace that hung down in the back.

This year’s Best Actress nominee Naomi Watts was shimmering in a gunmetal beaded Armani Prive gown with a geometric cutout on the bodice.

Snow White And The Huntsman actress Theron was sleek in an angular strapless dress with a fashion-right peplum and a buzz-cut hairdo.

Zero Dark Thirty actress may have lost to Jennifer Lawrence for the Best Actress Oscar this year but her gown did not. She wore a glistening copper-tone strapless Armani Prive gown with mermaid hem.

Amy flaunted her toned figure in a silver-gray Oscar de la Renta gown with a beaded bodice and a tulle-embellished skirt.

Les Miserables actress Amanda Seyfried looked pretty in Alexander McQueen gown with a keyhole opening.

Giuliana Rancic in Rafael Cennamo. The black gown is elegant, yet understated and all the couture-like detail adds curves.

Former Friends star kept up the tradition of Valentino’s special brand of Hollywood red, wearing a strapless princess gown.

George Clooney’s girlfriend was shining in a silver-and-black Naeem Khan gown which had a flapper vibe.

all images from Huffington Post and Indian Express.

At Home on the Farm – Country Interiors Moodboard

I simply love farm-style country decor, especially if it represents the look & feel of one of my favourite places – the Karoo. My husband and I have been house-hunting for the past few weeks, and I’ve seen a couple of houses that have such character and history, really showing off their farm-house heritage.

I’ve put together a moodboard of some of my favourite inspirational images that showcase farm-style country decor – the rest of the Pinboard is here if you’d like to see the photos in more detail! Check out these two posts for more great interior inspiration: Farm-Style Country Decor and Karoo Decor Inspiration.

Cute Valentine DIY Ideas | Week of Love <3

This week is one of the biggest commercial weeks worldwide, as millions of people buy flowers, cards, chocolates, cuddly toys and more for the loves in their lives. But it’s possible to get into the spirit of Valentine’s Day without overspending; instead check out these really cool DIY Valentine’s Day ideas that you can surprise your partner with on the 14th 🙂

Here’s a little bit of where Valentine’s Day began (wikipedia):

St. Valentine’s Day began as a liturgical celebration of one or more early Christian saints named Valentinus. The most popular martyrology associated with Saint Valentine was that he was imprisoned for performing weddings for soldiers who were forbidden to marry and for ministering to Christians, who were persecuted under the Roman Empire; during his imprisonment, he is said to have healed the daughter of his jailer Asterius.

Legend states that before his execution he wrote “from your Valentine” as a farewell to her.Today, Saint Valentine’s Day is an official feast day in the Anglican Communion, as well as in the Lutheran Church.

The day was first associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished. By the 15th century, it had evolved into an occasion in which lovers expressed their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards (known as “valentines”). Valentine’s Day symbols that are used today include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten valentines have given way to mass-produced greeting cards.

I love DIY & craft ideas – check out my post from 2012 for even more Valentine inspired DIY ideas…

I Love Lamp | source Camille Styles

Pretty Bluebird & Robin in Love | source Milton B Sauer

Valentine in the Sand | source Swell Designer

All You Need is Love | source Creature Comforts Blog

Valentine’s Treats | source Picklee

Cosy Up in Pink | source Setting for Four

Cute Arrow Printable | source Camille Styles

10 DIY Projects from Upcycled Wooden Pallets | Monday DIY Ideas

Today I’m introducing guest blogger* Carmen Brettel, who manages and writes for a student loan website helping students find funding for their studies in all different spheres. In her spare time she loves gardening and volunteering at animal shelters, and is sharing with The Good Girls Guide today a very cool DIY post!  Wooden pallets can be used indoors and outdoors in the garden, and are some of the most versatile items out there. From swings to bookshelves, pot holders to benches, check out these great 10 ideas of what you can do with wooden pallets:

Wooden pallets are most often used to transport construction materials, especially landscaping materials like sod, mulch and brick. They’re also used for transporting freight. They often end up piled next to dumpsters behind retail outlets and home improvement stores. However, with the increasing interest in repurposing goods that might otherwise have wound up in the trash, wooden pallets have now become the focus of many DIY projects for your home and garden!

With wooden pallets being so readily available, you can easily make yourself some stylish furniture for almost no money. Here are 10 awesome DIY projects you can make from upcycled wooden pallets to get your creative juices flowing:

Pallet Swing| source 1001 Pallets

Pallet Headboard | Source Home by Heidi

Pallet Bookcase | source Ana White

Pallet Floor | source 1001 pallets

Pallet Bench | source Pinterest

Pallet Garden | source Life on the Balcony

Pallet Bookshelves | source Vi.Sualise.Us

Pallet Room Divider | source If I weren’t so lazy

Pallet Lounge Chair | Source 1001 Pallets

Pallet House | source I Beam Design

There are dozens of projects that you can create out of recycled pallets, limited only by your imagination. You can source the pallets for free, then all you need is a little paint, some sandpaper, some hardware, and some man hours. When you’re done, you will have unique and inexpensive pieces of furniture that will show off your personality and sense of style.

Have you seen any other unique project ideas for upcycling pallets? Share them in the comments!

Carmen Brettel is a writer and manager for www.studentgrants.org

* I love guest posts! If you would like to share your knowledge or expertise on any design, decor, fashion or style trends, please email me on theggguide[at]gmail.com. All posts and included links undergo a review before publishing.

Happy Friday! Motivated & Inspired #IMSouthAfrica

My husband and a few of our friends bit the bullet and entered Ironman South Africa last night – an endurance event on the SA triathlon calendar that consists of a 3.8km swim, 180km cycle and 42.2km marathon. It’s not small in other words. I’m just so amazed and proud of all of them – that their team-based motivation really stems from having other people to lean on and help them through to achieving their goals.

But more than that, it’s a determination, a courage and a WILL to make the impossible possible. I have stood on the sidelines 4 times watching my husband complete Ironman, ranging from 12 hours to 14 hours, and each time it’s incredible, emotional and awe-inspiring. It’s because of him making it through an event of this magnitude that has inspired me to be more motivated and driven towards succeeding and living my dreams…

Today’s Friday Inspiration: Stop Waiting for Things to Happen; Go Out & Make Them Happen! Happy Friday 🙂 x