I had purchased Ginkgo tea before in bio stores, but it can be hard to find and quite expensive, depending on the place selling it. Ginkgo is a great* veinotonic (relieves the feeling of heavy legs) and also supposed to ameliorate memory and concentration. (*Please see notice at the end of this article for safety concerns).
Being a pharmacy student, the workload is huge and the data to be memorised - endless. So ginkgo tea has become a part of my diet at the beginning of the term and during the stressful days of revision. And having had the chance to gather a handful of leaves for the first time, I thought I could spice up my tea a little. I tried to imagine what else I could add based on smell and taste and then checked in my herbal medicine books to see if I had guessed right the effects. I was quite happy to find that I did: all my choices had some use in memory, concentration and energy boosting - just what I was looking for. And so was born my ginkgo - rosemary - clove blend which I named A Student's Best Friend Tea.
Recipe: The main part of the blend is ground Gingko biloba leafs. If you get the chance to pick some fresh leaves, spread them on a tray and let them dry for about 2 weeks, preferably protected from light. Then crunch and rip them up with your hands and use a mortar to ground them a bit more. Depending on your infusion system, you might want to keep in small to moderate sized pieces rather than go all the way to obtaining a powder that would sip through the infuser.
If you can't get fresh leaves, you might check your local bio and herb stores or even buy the tea and cut open the sachets.
Next I added some rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) dried leafs that I also broke in two and ground up a bit in the mortar. Rosemary is a great herb to have in your garden or even in a large pot in the kitchen. It is a great addition to many dishes but also has some interesting medicinal properties thanks to its oils. One of these properties is that it can prevent age-related mental decline and improve the quality and speed of memory. It also tastes great when powdered and mixed with tomato juice and it will have the same benefic effects (just add 750mg powdered rosemary to a glass of tomato juice)!
The final ingredient was clove (Eugenia caryophyllata). It is
supposed to work as a mind and body stimulant, also improving memory, according to my Encyclopedia of Medicinal Herbs by D. Kindersley. I have crushed a few dried flowers, then added everything together in a paper bag and shaked well.I used 4 parts ginkgo to 1 part rosemary and 1 part clove. This was based on how much ingredients I had, but you can change the ration to adjust the taste to your preference. The taste can be a bit strong or weird at first and might take some time to get used to. You can add some honey to sweeten it.
Additionally, you can also add ginseng (Panax ginseng) root to the blend or use it to replace the rosemary and clove. I don't have any at the moment and I am yet to find a place to sell it.
If you make your own blend, do share! I would love to hear of your experience with it!
*Notice: These herbs may not be suitable during pregnancy and lactation! Ginkgo may also alter blood pressure and sugar levels. For any concerns, please consult with your doctor before using them. For more info: MayoClinic.
Image source: Google and Getty Images
This beautiful little red corset is one of my favorite pieces in my corset collection! It comes from Aranea Black and was made to measure so it fits like a glove and is comfortable to wear! There are six panels per side, reinforced with double boning. There is also a modesty panel at the back and plenty of grommets to keep the edges of the corset from warping and to allow for a greater control of your tight lacing.
I absolutely adore the fabric she chose too, the delicate red flower pattern and the black lace edging with pearl details make this a very feminine and elegant corset. The red - black combo is one of my all time favorites! The fabric is thick and high quality, the interior of the corset is lined with beige cotton. My favorite detail is the matching black busk!
I must say, I am in love with this little gem! Be sure to check the Aranea Black facebook page too, where you can see more examples of beautiful corsets, accessories and even glimpses into the construction process! One thing is sure, this a perfect place to get a high quality, hand-made, unique corset for a very good price and the piece you will receive will be a true work of art!
Also wearing: H&M black lace shirt, Louboutin red heels, Lanvin baroque pendant
Recently I have had the pleasure to try out a corset from Quantic Corsets and I must say that I have fallen in love with it! Wearing it felt only like a tight hug, it was that comfortable! And I quite fancied myself a princess in the royal gold brocade.
All the panels are perfectly pattern matched and the fabric is of really good quality, pleasant to the touch. It is lined with black cotton and also bound with black to keep in theme with the busk and eyelets. Black busks are used less often so it was a detail that I found made this corset even better.
On each side there are 7 panels and 9 steel bones. There is also a hidden waist tape. This pattern has a low back and low hips and is very curvy!
Quantic Corsets came to life in 2012, taking inspiration mostly from 1940s and 50s fashions but also from fetish styles, with an interest for extreme silhouettes. Marianne, who has taught herself how to design and make corsets, is very friendly and helpful so I would totally recommend her work to someone looking for a special corset!
Glamulet are an online store offering Pandora style charms for DIY bracelets. The style has surged in popularity in the last years, with the possibility to create your own unique mix and add charms relating to special events like birthdays, graduations, or new friendships. Their silver jewellery comes in many designs and there's something for everyone's taste!
And now you can get your own bracelet charms with a 15% discount! Just use this code when checking out: SHAREN15
We tend to have the misconception that everything coming from asian countries is of low quality and mass produced but we forget that even those countries still have their independent artists who are working hard to make unique pieces. It is why I was very pleased when I discovered Palamuti by PJ Valenciano. They have a group of women artisans who each specialise in different skills, such as embroidery or beading or wire wrap jewellery. Their accessories are uncommon, inspired by traditional Philippines' art.
Their guiding principles are:
- Sustainable livelihood
- Empowering consciousness
- Creative conditions for artisans
- Value for work and labour
- Responsible consumerism
- Promotion of local and homegrown materials
They had sent me a lovely clutch bag made by Paola Germar in black beads and stones, a beaded flower necklace in red and black by and a wire wrap necklace with real pearls, onyx and jet black beads made by Steph Lopez. As you can see in the photos, they are very well made and quite elegant, perfect to be the star of a cocktail evening.
So go ahead and check out their designs for sale, you will certainly find an original piece for you!
To be honest, I can’t imagine a world without shoes. Shoes became more than just to walk on and to protect your feet. Nowadays they’re statements, eye catchers. Yes, I am a shoeholic. I can fall in love with a pair of high heels or some knee boots so badly. The best thing is, now when the new season started, the (online) shops are filled with new musthaves. That’s why there is a new wishlist here on the blog, to show you my latest cravings.
Lately I discovered this awesome shoe boutique called Shoespie (http://www.shoespie.com/). You can’t even count the shoes they have! There are so many different sorts and different styles that I really love this site. They have loads of stiletto heels for women (http://www.shoespie.com/C/Stiletto-Heels-101409/). The ones with glitter or a touch of metallic you’re a 100% party proof! And I also found quite a few gothic looking boots that got me rethinking my budget.
So if you are looking for some fairly cheap high heels, here is where you can find them (http://www.shoespie.com/C/Heels-c1-101402/). As we all want the best products for a good price I think you should really check out Shoespie and the sale thy currently have going on. I am sure you’ll love it as much as I do!
Waist training is usually easier in underbust corsets, but it is not impossible to be done in an overbust as well if the pattern is well drafted. I was quite lucky to come across this gorgeous design and it was instant love. My favorite things about it are the contrast between the beige and black with that beautiful waist insert drawing the attention to the area, the beige stitching around the boning channels and the overall resemblance to a victorian corset from the 1880s.
This beauty was made by Valeria Toloknova of Vdesign, who is a bespoke corset designer and model. She can custom make your own garment to fit perfectly to your measurements for the most comfortable wear.
The corset has 6 panels and 8 steel bones (including the 2 that flank the grommets) in a mix of flat and spiral on each side, plus a sturdy but flexible busk. The busk ends lower, with only 6 loops and at the top it ties with a ribbon through hidden grommets, for the extra decoration. At the back, there are also 15 black grommets on each side. There is an attached front modesty panel and also a boned floating panel for the back, which I didn't wear during the shoot as I am stil seasoning the corset and this way I can tighten it easier (also the reason of the uneven gap, which I will ask you to forgive me for. It is the curse of a small busted girl, having to pull in the top while the waist is not yet accustomed). The fabric is a strong cotton coutil and the interior is lined with the same beige cotton. The sewing is very neat for this handmade corset and I was pleased to find that it is quite a comfortable wear too, despite the fact that overbusts are usually more restrictive. I can't wait to finish seasoning it and perhaps integrate it into some other future shoots, with a vintage flair. And I would definitely recommend it to someone looking to buy a quality overbust!
Be sure to check the Vdesign facebook page to see more unique works!
And many thanks to Jacques Hermitte for the photographs!
Hello, lovelies!
I have some news that might interest many of you and that is the fact that you can get some stick on golden tattoos from StyleMoi. They are free, all you have to do is cover the shipping. And anyone can get them! All you have to do is register for an account on their website. That's all! No extra purchase required, no number drawing or waiting. But do hurry up, the stock won't last forever and it's a first come, first serve deal!
Just click here to get them!
Hey everyone! Here's a chance to win some new spring items, courtesy of SheInside. They will pick 50 winners from all the participating blogs, so why not try your luck? Just click on the poster above to see more info! And don't forget to check out their publisher program too, for more profits!
As a bonus, here are some of their current collection items that would make for a nice dark look:
It's been quite a while again as I've been studying hard for uni, but now I've got my schedule back together and got plans for new projects! (Yaaay!). And there should be plenty of art ahead and a more careful choice of collaborations to bring you lots of delicious and witchy news! So enough blah-blah for now. I'll leave you to enjoy these photos and the promise of rebirth of the blog.
