*** REQUESTED *** How To Apply Glitter Over Regular Polish

I've got a much requested video up on my YouTube channel showing how to apply glitter over regular nail polish.

I've used OPI and Rimmel London polishes and gorgeous glitters from Magpie Beauty.  They came out really well and it's easy to do, if a little messy!  

I've done three different methods and I really love how the Rimmel London matte polish turned out with glitter over the top!

A good tip, if you want to do glitter nails regularly, is to keep a top coat just for glitter work.  That way you won't get glitter in the top coat you use for regular manicures.

I've listed the products I used in the description bar below the video.

Enjoy,

Dixie Girlxox

Jenny Craig | Wednesday Weight Update #5

My Wednesday Weight Update and progress with Jenny Craig is up on my YouTube channel.

Even though I was sorely tempted to stuff myself with Easter eggs over the long weekend, I managed to hold off.  I did however get an Easter Crunchy bunny and two bags of Cadbury Creme Eggs so lets see how long they last!!

I upped my exercise this week and added a couple of extra walks with Hubby and the pups and I actually felt more energetic after the walks than I have for ages!

We had a great long weekend and the dogs had a great time too.  Poppy in particular had heaps of fun running through every muddy puddle and she even managed to jump in the freezing, muddy creek!

Dirty dogs get bathed!

Couldn't help adding this pic. She's a little fluff ball after a bath.

We had a great weekend and I'm feeling rather chuffed that I didn't stuff my face with chocolate or over eat Easter food!  Loving the walking now the weather has cooled down a bit.

Hope you like the update video.

Dixie Girlxox

Lust Have It Unboxing | March 2016

The March unboxing of my Lust Have It bag is up on my YouTube channel.

Whilst this isn't my favourite bag, it's got a good variety of products in it.

I've got a $5 off code you can use on your first bag if you are interested in subscribing.  Just sign up and enter the code at checkout.

I've listed all product information in the description box below the video, along with the link to Lust Have It.

Enjoy,

Dixie Girlxox

Jenny Craig Update | Down in the Dumps | Food Phobia?

J E N N Y   C R A I G  U P D A T E

If you watched my latest Jenny Craig YouTube videos you'll be up-to-date with my weight loss and measurements.  You'll also know I've been struggling to eat everything on my menu each week.

I've been doing great in terms of dropping kilos but for some reason the last couple of weeks have been a real struggle in terms of how I am feeling about myself.  I've been feeling really flat and down in the dumps and I have no real idea why.  I think it may be to do with not fitting into clothes I want to wear and being too small to fit into what I was wearing a month ago.

Don't get me wrong.  Not fitting into the clothes I was wearing a month ago is a great achievement but I just feel like I am either wearing tents or sometime too tight and therefore I feel incredibly uncomfortable.

In terms of my actual weight-loss, after four weeks I am now down 7 kilos (15.43bls).  I'm also a dress size smaller.  I've technically gone from a 22 to a 20.  I can easily fit into an 18 in some things but I am still not at the point where I am comfortable having my 'bits that stick out' being visible to everybody else.

M E A S U R E M E N T S

At my first consultation with Tammy at Jenny Craig I had my measurements taken and at the four week mark they were taken again.

Here are my results:

Arms: No loss

Bust: 5.5cm lost

Under Bust: 0.5cm lost

Waist: 6cm lost

Abdomen: 6cm lost

Hips: 5cm lost

Thighs: 4cm lost

I'm very very happy with the loss of centimetres.  I really notice it around my middle section and my bras are now a little on the sloppy side.  I also went and ordered a whole bunch of tops online from Target and out of habit I got a size 22 in all of them.  I tried them on on Wednesday before going to Jenny Craig for my weigh-in and my husband basically said they looked ridiculous and took me back to Target to get a smaller size!! 

The other thing I am struggling with is food itself.  I'm really enjoying the food from Jenny Craig but I am struggling to eat everything and I've almost developed a phobia of eating.  I've been trying to figure  out what's actually going on in my head and I think it's a fear of over-eating now that I have lost a nice amount of weight.

I'm feeling very full and really finding it a challenge to eat all my meals but I'm also freaking out slightly that if I eat all of them I will gain the weight that I've lost.  I realise when I am thinking logically that this is completely ridiculous and that I am eating a balanced diet created to help me shed the kilos.  But in my irrational mind, I am freaking out that if I eat six meals a day I am going to gain weight rather than lose it.

I take a long time to actually commit to something because I am lazy and it's easier not to do it, but when I finally get off my behind and actually start doing something, I can be a little obsessive.

My goals for the coming weeks are to set alarms (which I am already doing) so that I remember to eat each meal.  Also to NOT freak out when I do eat the meals.  I will lose the weight if I eat the menu that's been provided.

E X E R C I S E

Something I dislike and would rather not do but again, once I commit I can be a little obsessive.  I bought myself a nice new pair of Nike runners.  Who doesn't like new exercise gear?  I always feel better if I'm wearing something nice to exercise in.  

These are actually mens runners.  I have HUGE feet.  

The details are below in case you are interested in something similar.

As for actual workout gear - I need new stuff desperately.  I'm looking into that this week!  Most of the stuff I have is too big and too old.  If I buy anything I'll do a post about it.

So here's my post-workout sweaty selfie.  I don't feel like I've actually worked out properly unless I am dripping in sweat.  Definitely hot and sweaty in this photo.

With that, I am going to end this post before it turns into an essay.  I'll catch you in a few days time.  Ohhh and if anyone has recommendations for workout clothes for larger (size 20) ladies, please let me know.  Much appreciated.

Enjoy,

Dixie Girlxox 

Around The World Stamping Collab With Sarah R

I've got my first stamping collaboration of the year with the lovely Sarah R.  We decided on an 'Around The World' theme and both of us picked Japan.

I've done a super easy and subtle design using plates from Uber Chic Beauty and DRK Nails, one of my favourite stampers from Fab Ur Nails and polish from fantastic Aussie brand, Hit The Bottle.

I've used gel polish in the colour Peach Blossom, from the new Secret Garden collection, by Gel Two and I've added links to all the products I've used in the description bar below the video.

Enjoy,

Dixie Girlxox

Jenny Craig Wednesday Weight Update #4

Week four of my Jenny Craig Wednesday Weight Update is up on my YouTube channel.

I had a great week in terms of weight-loss. I also had my measurements taken and I was super happy with the results.

Still struggling to eat all the food but I am going to make an extra effort this week.  I'm also going to try and up my exercise to see if I can give myself a bit more energy.

I've dropped a dress size, which is great.  Another three dress sizes and I will be at a dress size where I am happy and I can't wait!

Enjoy,

Dixie Girlxox

Smith & Cult Polish Review & Swatches

I've been road testing the Smith & Cult nail polishes for quite a few months now and I can say they are just fantastic.

The bottles are gorgeous and the colour range is chic and sophisticated.

These polishes are also 'five free', so they don't contain any Dibutyl, Phthalate, Toluene, Formaldehyde, Formaldehyde Resin or Camphor.  So these polishes are great for your nails.

I've got eight colours from the range, along with the base and top coat, and I can honestly say that these polishes rival any professional brand that I currently use.  The colours are pigmented, apply beautifully and don't chip.

I've done a swatch video on my YouTube channel to show off these beautiful colours, and I've also shown how to do a super simple but very effective feature nail using the glitter polishes in the range.

I've linked the phone number of Rogue Beauty in the description bar below the video, so if you are interested in purchasing some of the Smith & Cult polishes in Australia, you can find a stockist near you.  You will love them :-)

Enjoy,

Dixie Girlxox

Secret Garden Collection | Gel II

I recently received the new Secret Garden collection of gel polishes from Gel II and I've been trying them out over the last couple of weeks.

The collection consists of six gorgeous colours, in the new and improved formula, that are perfect for those of you who are in the Northern hemisphere coming into Spring.

I've done a swatch and comparison video on my YouTube channel, after many requests from subscribers, so that you can see the new collection and how the colours compare to what you may already have in your salons.

I've listed the product information in the description bar below the video.

Enjoy,

Dixie Girlxox

Jenny Craig | Wednesday Weight Update #3

My Jenny Craig Wednesday Weight Update is up on my YouTube channel.  Check it out if you are interested in my progress.

I had a cheat day this week and allowed myself one meal that wasn't in my meal plan.  I ate in moderation and made sure I didn't eat over my calorie allowance, but still enjoyed a pub meal.

I had another good week weight-loss wise but I was a bit down in the dumps - for no real reason at all - and I was having an off week in terms of my appearance.  My clothes are starting to get baggy but I'm not comfortable enough to go down a dress size yet.

I've linked the Jenny Craig website in the description bar below the video and stay tuned for my blog post later this week.

Enjoy,


Dixie Girlxox

MoYou London Your Magic Workshop & Stamping Polish Review

I've got a few lovely new products in from MoYou London so I've been testing them out today and I've  done a YouTube video so you can see what you think.

I'm testing out the MoYou London Your Magic Workshop, which is a large silicone mat for your manicure table that's acetone and polish resistant and also has little nail sized shapes to guide you when creating different nail decals.

This mat is great and I could clean it up in seconds with a lint roller with no stains or mess left over.

I'm also testing out Black Knight and White Knight, two of MoYou London's stamping polishes.

Oh My Goodness!!  They are lovely to stamp with.  I used several of the MoYou London stamping plates to test the polish out and I stamped over some lovely bright colour pops.  Each colour stamped perfectly each time and the polish is really nice and pigmented so you get a nice strong stamp.

I've listed all the products I used in the description bar below the video.

Enjoy,

Dixie Girlxox

PupBites Easter Treats - Healthy Dog Treats

My dogs are like my babies and I like to spoil them rotten.  So I was delighted to try some delicious treats from PupBites.

The treats I am showing you today are the Easter Bites Doggie Bag - Chicken & Sweet Potato, Kangaroo & Chia.

This is a 100gm bag of delicious Easter treats in the shape of bunnies and Easter eggs.  The treats are made 'with 100% dog friendly ingredients' and no artificial colours or ingredients so you can rest assured you're not feeding your pups anything bad for them.  They taste amazing and they're nutritious too.

PupBites is an Australian owned small business in Queensland and they've done an amazing job at creating cute treats that my dogs love.

Byron turned four yesterday and he got spoiled with some of the PupBites Mixed Doggie Bag Chicken & Sweet Potato, Kangaroo & Chia dog biscuits.  Despite the fact that there was a plate full of yummy treats, he only got two...much to his disgust.

As well as Bryon, I have another two dogs, and they were all super excited when I showed them a new bag of treats.  We had a bit of a photo session at the park, which quickly turned into chaos as the dogs were wrestling each other to try and get to the treats!

Byron and Bogart are guarding the bags of PupBites.

Poppy's taken over guard duty!

As you can see, the PupBites went down well :-)

For more information about PupBites, you can visit their Facebook page :

https://www.facebook.com/pupbites/

Follow them on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/pupbites/

Or email them: pupbites@hotmail.com

Wholesale enquires are welcome.

Enjoy,

Dixie Girlxox

Bundle Monster Fuzzy & Ferocious Stamping Plate Review

I've got a review up on my YouTube channel of the Fuzzy & Ferocious (set 1) stamping plates from Bundle Monster.

This is a great set of plates if you love animal nail art.  The plates have various different designs on them from animal print to wild animals and cute cuddly ones.

They're well etched and stamp perfectly every time.  Great value for money at $14.99USD for the set (10 plates) and you get free shipping on orders over $25USD.

I've listed all the products I used in the description bar below the video.

Enjoy,

Dixie Girlxox

Jenny Craig Update: Husband Sabotage & Willpower

This week was my second full week on the Jenny Craig program and it was a lot different to last week.

If you've watched my update video you will know we've had some ridiculously hot weather over the week and the hottest March night ever on record on Tuesday so I've been really struggling with my appetite.  It's been pretty much non-existent during the hot weather and I've really found it difficult to eat all my food every day.

There have been some days where I've missed one of my snacks, or even two of my snacks, because I've had no appetite at all.  So I really need to make sure I eat because this is a balanced diet based on my weight and height and if I don't eat what I am supposed to eat, I won't be getting the calories I need to give me energy throughout the day.  I have been trying to drink 2.5 litres of water each day though so that I don't dehydrate.

I also struggled with exercise this week.  I've been trying to walk three times a week for about 30 minutes to an hour but this week... not so much.  Being a larger woman, I get HOT and SWEATY very easily and I literally nearly passed out trying to exercise in 39 degree heat.  BUT I've found a solution!

I've dusted off the exercise bike!!  This will come in really handy if we have anymore hot Autumn days or downpours in the colder months.  I've also got a treadmill somewhere in the garage but it's buried under junk at the moment.

I've noticed my stomach area is much flatter this last week and also my face shape is changing.  I've only got one and a half chins now rather than the two or three I had when I started.  I'm also noticing that the pair of three quarter jeans that I wore on my first weigh-in are now too baggy and are in danger of falling down.  I'm still not small enough to drop to the next clothes size down, but I don't think it will be too long.  I noticed this morning that my bra is fitting me better as well.

This is my gorgeous husband, Kevin, and our little baby Byron.  My husband is amazing and has been nothing but supportive and encouraging.  BUT he works at a large food manufacturer and is able to bring products home at the end of the week.  So quite often our house is full of potato chips, peanuts, popcorn (which I LOVE) and other tempting snacks.

Kevin also works an afternoon shift, getting him home at around 11.30 at night.  He then has his evening meal or a snack and quite often climbs into bed and snacks on chocolate.

I'm pleased to say - as I usually have no willpower at all and would quite happily snack along with Kevin - that I haven't been tempted at all.  Even though I am bone idle and totally lazy, once I start something, I like to stick to it and I'd hate to sabotage myself by munching down a bar of chocolate or a bag of potato chips.

Here's some of the delicious food I got to enjoy this week...

Cranberry & Vanilla Muesli.

Beef Massaman.  This was really delicious.  Slightly spicy and tender meat and I had a side of broccoli and green beans.

Tuna Pasta.  O.M.G. this was delicious.  

Spinach & Ricotta Cannelloni.  Something I haven't tried before but I will definitely eat again.  Really tasty.  As you can see, I've been eating beans and cauliflower as my vegetable serves pretty much every day.  I need to change that up a bit.

Choc Molten Cake. YUUUUM!

Shepherd's Pie - a favourite of mine.

Last but by no means least, Choc Mousse.  This was so quick and easy.  You just pour the sachet into a jug of milk, whisk it up, pop it into a bowl and then into the fridge for around 10 minutes until it sets.  Delicious, light and fluffy chocolate mousse.

I went for my weigh-in on Wednesday morning.  I met with my consultant, Nita and she talked me through what happened the previous week and what I should be working towards in week 3.  We went through the menu and I got on the scales.

I'm happy to say I've lost another 1.5kgs (3.3lbs) bringing my total weight lost to...

Jenny Craig | Wednesday Weight Update #2

Today was weigh-in day at Jenny Craig and I'm very pleased to say I've lost another 1.5kgs!!  I'm also   starting to see a difference in my body and clothing.  I'll get some progress photos up soon so you can judge for yourself.

I'm really enjoying the food and the only thing I struggled with this week was actually being able to eat all the delicious food.  I think it had a lot to do with the weather - even though we're now in Autumn, we're having some very hot weather - and I'm finding I don't have a big appetite.

Check out the video below for my progress this week and stay tuned.  I will have a detailed blog post up in the next couple of days about this week and my thoughts on how I am going.

Enjoy,

Dixie Girlxox

Jenny Craig: The Beginning

If you follow me regularly you will know I struggle with my weight due to a few issues; Hashimoto's Disease, not eating enough, eating the wrong things, sitting on my backside and doing little to no exercise.

So that's it in a nutshell.  The Hashimoto's disease (low thyroid) has been creeping up on me for years.  I've always had a low thyroid level but when it finally was diagnosed as Hashimoto's I had put on around 30kgs!!!  The weight gain was rapid and awful and I felt really depressed and closed off from pretty much everyone.  I hate being the size I am but I am also lazy and don't help myself.

I decided to diet / eat healthily last year and it was going really well - 14kgs lost in around 10 weeks - but then life got in the way with some personal issues and my thyroid playing up and I pretty much started eating crap and put the weight back on.

Being a lifestyle blogger, I feel uncomfortable and like don't fit in when I am at PR events and out in public and even when I film on my channel.  I come across as a very confident person but underneath, I feel uncomfortable and FAT.

So, that being said, I decided to take charge of things this year and join a Jenny Craig program and sort myself out. 

I had my first consultation at Jenny Craig Moonee Ponds last Tuesday and it was a great experience.  I met with Tammy, who was lovely.  She talked me through the program and what to expect, talked about the food, weight loss and the support I would get from Jenny Craig.  I weighed in - NO, I am not prepared to tell you what I weigh at this stage - and Tammy took my measurements.

So that's what I look like at the moment.  I am 5ft 7" and size 20-22 in clothes.  I do tend to wear bigger than I need currently so I can hide what lurks underneath.  Realistically I am an 18-20 but for the time being I am not comfortable wearing my actual size.

Anyway, back to Tammy...

Tammy talked me through the menu and I was able to replace a couple of the meals that I didn't like with food that I did like. I guess not everybody is going to like every single menu item.  It was great to know that the menu is flexible.

So this is the beginning of my weight loss journey and through the weeks I am going to be posting weight loss updates on my YouTube channel (so please subscribe :-)), and also blog posts on my progress.  I'll be talking about the food, my experience with my consultant and my overall thoughts on losing weight and Jenny Craig.

So I thought I would start with a few photos of some of the meals I ate last week...

Beef pie and salad - this was really nice.  

This is a cup of fat free yoghurt and I cut up my Kiwifruit and had it mixed in.  I've been doing this pretty much every time I have a yoghurt and Kiwifruit day on the menu and I really enjoy the two together.

The Chicken Fettuccine is delicious and I changed up the vegetables to broccoli and cauliflower.  You are able to do this if there is a vegetable that you don't eat.  At the back of the Jenny Craig booklet you get, it tells you what other options you have.  This is really great if you don't like certain vegetables or fruits.  You can simply find something in the right category and swap it!

Beef and Ale Stew is one of my favourite dishes so far.  Totally delicious and I had a salad with a small portion of ham as an accompaniment.

Pulled Pork Quesadilla and a salad for lunch.

If you think you will be hungry on the Jenny Craig program, think again.  For me personally, I am struggling to eat all the food.  Before I started Jenny Craig I would have have breakfast of coffee and toast, generally no lunch, pick at things during the afternoon and then load up my plate for dinner.

Now I am eating six smaller regular meals and more often than not I feel too full so I have to get into the habit of eating these regular small portions rather than one enormous meal just before I go to bed.

That's a little look at some of the food I ate last week.  

I went into Jenny Craig this Wednesday to meet my permanent consultant Nita and weigh in.  Nita is lovely and took me through what happens on the second week.  The menu is different and this week we learn how to cope with eating out whilst on the program.  

I also had my weigh in and I've lost:

I am super happy with the loss this week.  This works out to be 6.17lbs. 

That's it for this week.  I'll be back with an update in the next few days.

Enjoy,

Dixie Girlxox 

Lust Have It Unboxing - February 2016

The February Lust Have It bag has arrived and it's packed full of goodies.

This, in my opinion, is one of the best boxes we've had in ages.  Chock full of full sized and sample products from makeup to skincare, Lust Have It have done a great job for February.

Check out my unboxing video below and don't forget to use my discount code for $5 off your first box!

Enjoy,

Dixie Girlxox

Jenny Craig Program | Wednesday Weight Update 2016

If you follow me regularly you will know I lost a lot of weight this time last year, and then put it all back on again, due to me being generally lazy and eating badly, some medical issues and some personal issues.  NO EXCUSES THOUGH!!

I've taken the plunge and decided to go on a Jenny Craig program to help me lose weight and get healthy.  Over the program I am going to be videoing my progress and also blogging about my experience.

As I mentioned in the video, I will be covering food posts, exercise, some fashion posts as I get into smaller dress sizes and of course my overall experience on the Jenny Craig program.

Please check out the video below to see how I faired in my first week and stay tuned for my Jenny Craig blog posts.

Enjoy,

Dixie Girlxox