Uber Partnership & Promo Code

Posted in Thoughts by Joanna Malefaki

Hi everyone!
Just a quick post to let you know that I have partnered with Uber (UK only) and they have given me a promo code. So, if you sign up for the first time, you are entitled to a free ride up to £15.
The code is MYPINKRAMBLES
and you sign up here: www.uber.com/invite/mypinkrambles

MYPINKRAMBLES

So, that’s all from me!!! Talk soon!

Subscribe to my blog if you liked what you read. It does put a smile on my face. Maybe give my Facebook page a ‘like’ so you can get notifications of when I post? Connect with me on Pinterest / Twitter/ Instagram/Google+.

5Jun2016

The Bride’s Survival Kit: Gift Idea for your Friend who’s getting Married

Posted in Thoughts by Joanna Malefaki

Gift idea for your friend who is getting married.jpg Last night I went out with some very close friends/relatives cause one of us is getting married. We are a group of four and we hang out a lot. The time has come and one of the gang’s members is getting married. Eri is the bride to be! Two of us won’t be there, so we thought we’d have a bachelorette dinner/ evening out. Something low-key, but fun. We went to a picturesque tavern in my town, Chania (Greece).

Nutella

Lina and I decided we wanted to make this dinner a bit more fun/ special so we came up with a gift idea which we called the bride’s survival kit. We put a whole lot of love and randomness in the process and today I am going to share with you what went in the kit, just in case you need inspo for a gift idea for your bestie bride to be.

The bride’s survival kit

The survival kit.jpeg

We wanted it to be

cute

fun

and a bit…. creative (he he he)

So, we got a big laundry basket and filled it with

Stuff for the house like:

a mini cook book
oven glove

a sewing kit
a kitchen spoon

a rolling-pin
a funny plate cleaning thingy

We got a bit ‘creative’ and added:

nutella
whipped cream
jelly

cream

I actually did a google search on how to use these products ‘creatively’ and made stickers to stick on each food item (it also covered the label and made the props more pretty and funny. The things people share online!!).

We also got her something blue and new:

a pretty garter

We wore our little tiaras had a laugh as she unwrapped every single little pressie.

We enjoyed the sunset

sunset cropped

had a lovely dinner, lots of laughs and then went for a cocktail.

Tavern

Lovely evening with lovely friends/family.

I wish you all the best Eri xxx

picture credits: Lina took all the pics of the pressies and us four. She kindly gave me permission to share :).

xox Jo

30May2016

My May favourites: beauty, fashion and random

Posted in Beauty, In your 40s, Monthly favourites, Travelling by Joanna Malefaki

Hey everyone time for May favourites! In this post you will find all the things fashion, beauty and random I loved this month!! So let’s start.

Beauty

Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Multi Purpose Palette

I ❤ this palette. It is gorgeous!! There is a highlighter, a blush, and a bronzer. My fave is the highlighter. It is worth the splurge girls. For a full review press here.

Palette

TooFaced Cocoa Contour

I have been non-touring for a while now (cause I didn’t know how to contour, not cause I am a trend setter :P), but I bought and have been using the Cocoa Contour palette and I think I am getting quite good at it. I like it. In Greece it retails for 36 euro.

Sephora Kabouki Brush

I got the Pro Contour Kabuki Brush 82 which is dummy proof (newbie) and it sits right where you want it to when contouring. Retails for 25 euros ( I know…..).

Clinique Chubby Stick for eyes

If you have difficulties seeing (like me), you should give eye shadow pencils/ sticks a shot cause you can ‘feel’ where you are applying the shadow. You have more control of your eyeshadow when it is a stick. I saw that Clinique had a shadow tint for the eyes (in the Chubby stick line) and bought the stick in the number 04 ample amber. I love it!! I am going to get a few more colours cause they are so easy to use and more on the buttery feel side. It is also inexpensive! In Greece it costs 16 euro ( we always have sales as I have said a zillion times).

Random beauty tip: If you wear glasses like me, and you want your eyes to ‘pop’ you should apply in the middle of your lid a champagne-y shadow.

Fashion

My Kurt Geiger Bag

I have been wearing it quite a lot the past month. I really like it. For a full review press here.

Bag

Top

I got this from Mark and Spencer’s. You can wear it day and night. Dress up and down. I love the sleeves with the ladder- like cut outs.

Earrings

I have loads of earrings and this month I added a few to my collection. The ones on the left are from Claire’s and on the right from Anna Mazaraki.

Cardigan

I got this cardigan from Zara and I have been loving it. It is soft and warm enough for a chilly summer night.

Random

Frappe

It’s summer time in Greece and time for my fave coffee, frappe. Forget about what you knew, we are talking about the real thing. Greek Frappe! I will tell you how we make it . So, you need instant coffee (spray-dried). I use Nescafe. You need sugar and milk (if you take sugar and milk in your coffee. So, I use a spoonful of Nescafe, a spoonful of sugar, water and then use the coffee whisk mixer to mix them and create froth. You then add water and ice and…. enjoy your frappe!

My town in May

I live in Chania, Crete. If you are looking to book summer holidays, check out my town (I do not work for the ministry of tourism, I promise).

So, that’s all for now.

28May2016

5 Step Guide on How to make a Media Kit

Posted in Blogging, Thoughts by Joanna Malefaki

There comes a time when you get asked to send a media kit and that’s when you start asking questions like, “Why me? Why now?” or “Why don’t I have one ready?” You see while I have been an educational blogger for about 3 years now, I only recently started ‘lifestyle/beauty blogging’ wand my blog is small. I mean tiny. So, imagine my surprise when a company asked me to send them my media kit. I was like, “What? Why?” Then I started doubting myself and telling myself, “What’s the use? I will only get rejected”. If you have that mind set fellow blogger, snap out of it. Now! Anyhow, I sat down and made one and I got taken on by the company, so I must’ve done something right. So today, I am going to share with you my media kit.

Some Background info first

I am a teacher and that affects my blogging. I teach Business English and I have learnt a few things about marketing and doing business cause I teach my students! I also create lessons that focus on marketing/business. I am a planner and I also like to outline stuff. So, I approached my media kit like a Business English Teacher/Blogger/Planner/Capricorn! So, let’s have a look at my media kit, the thought process behind it and my suggestions

Step 1- Getting the Right Mind Set

Get it in your head. Don’t panic. A media kit is a good thing. Try to connect with other bloggers and talk a bit about media kits. Exchange views. Suggestions. For me, that person was Tania and my blogger girlies. You can also read up on media kits and look at examples. I read 2-3 blog posts and looked at a couple of Google Images. But, don’t overwhelm yourself. Too much info is not always a good thing especially when you are pressed for time.

Step 2- Let’s Think

OK! Make yourself a cup of coffee and sit in front of your computer and look at your blog. Ask yourself some questions. E.g. “What defines you as a blogger? What do you write about? What are your strengths? What does your blog say about you? How will you convey that in your media kit?”

I knew that I wanted to make something fun but chic. I wanted polka dots. I love writing about lifestyle, beauty, but I also want to have some sort of impact and of course I had to have the colour pink (my blog is called My Pink Rambles!).

Let’s Plan

Step 3- Outline

Figure out what you will include in your media kit.

I decided on:

A blog banner

A picture of me

Bio

Interests

Social media Info

Info about blog stats/ readers

Samples of my work (variety of my work and pieces of writing I thought showed who I was as a blogger).

Samples of my pictures

Step 4- 1^st Draft

I used Word to design my media kit. I used Word for various reasons, but the most important one is that I know how to use Word!! You see, I am a tech dummy and I am not that used to using different software, so I thought, go with what you know well. I increased my Word margins (the little rulers on the sides of word) so I could use my page to the maximum. I inserted tables and shapes. I used squares, ovals and circles and played with the borders of whatever I inserted. I found social media icons that were royalty free and chose the ones that I liked. The font I chose was Lucinda handwriting and Lucinda Sans. I also added page numbers. Because I have difficulty seeing, I didn’t want tiny fonts. I wanted everything to be as visible as possible! Word allows you to insert links and when you turn your file into a Pdf, the links are still there.

I also used Picmonkey for my picture collage.

My media Kit is 3 pages long ( most people online say it should be 2 pages long, but I wanted to include my pictures and not in a tiny size).

1^st page is my info/blog info.

2^nd page is samples of my work

3^rd page is pictures

Media Kit page 3

Step 5: Your Media Kit/ Final Draft

Check that everything looks fine. Proofread and save your final draft. Then turn everything into a Pdf file, send it and good luck!!

Avoiding my fails

I forgot to mention my blog followers and Bloglovin followers! You should include them!!

So there you have it! How I made my media kit. I hope you found this information useful.

You can download the steps and all the questions I asked myself + tips here.

STEP GUIDE on how to make a media kit

Do keep in mind that I am a new blogger and this is my 1st media kit. I decided to share this post because it may be helpful for other people who are in my shoes.

So, that’s all for now. I hope you liked this post.

Talk soon

Joanna

26May2016

Earring fav0urites and wishlist

Posted in Beauty, Hauls, In your 40s, Uncategorized by Joanna Malefaki

I am not a ring or a necklace girl. I ❤ earrings. I have loads and today I am going to show you my faves and earrings that are on my wishlist. So, let’s see some of my faves.

Earring Pin.jpg

Gimme some glitter

I like these kinds of earrings for glamorous outings. You just pop on your earrings and you are ready to go. The ones on the top are handmade, the ones at the bottom are from Oasis (UK store).

Here you have some long hoops and drops. The longer earrings are again handmade and the drops are from one of the designers who designed earrings fror Sex and the City but I don’t remember his name!

More glam and probably my faourite earrings. Again handmade.

Glamorous earrings.jpg

I got a few new pairs this week. This one is from a Greek designer who ships internationally. You can check her earrings and jewelry out here.

Anna Mazaraki

and these from Claire’s. You see I wanted to get earrings. I wanted to get something with tassels but I do not like big ones, so I chose little tassels :).

claire's.jpg

How do I store my earrings? Well, because they are nice and pretty, I like to show them, make them visible. So I have them in little earring storage high heel shoes.

and dolls like these.

My Amazon picks (aka wishlist)

A jewelry organiser tray.

And some earrings I like

HANDMADE SUNRISE EARRINGS – OF EARTH AND OCEAN, Burnished Circles, Copper, Brass and Silverplated

I ❤ these. They are handmade and different metals. These match with everything. You can have your hair up or down and they will look lovely!

Handmade Casual Wear Turquoise Color Bead Dangle Wire Wrapped Earrings

Turquoise is the colour for summer!! Lovely stone and really pretty earrings.

Lucia Costin .925 Silver, Turquoise – Green Swarovski Crystal Earrings, Glamorous

Just gorgeous!

So, that’s all for now. I hope you liked this post.

So, that’s all for now. Subscribe to my blog if you liked what you read. It does put a smile on my face. Maybe give my Facebook page a ‘like’ so you can get notifications of when I post? Connect with me on Pinterest / Twitter/ Instagram/Google+.

Talk soon

Joanna

This post contains Amazon affiliate links (read sidebar for more information).

25May2016

Around the Web Wednesday

Posted in Around the web Wednesday, Beauty, Blogging by Joanna Malefaki

Hi!! I am starting a new ‘series’ (maybe?) called around the #webwednesday . Every other Wednesday I will share with you things I saw/found online and that I think deserve your time. If you like this post, make sure you follow me (see sidebar on how to connect), so you do not miss out on my fabulous suggestions. These picks have to do with things I like aka beauty, planning, clothes, food, travelling and writing/blogging. So let’s jump in, shall we?

YouTube Videos

Focused YouTube videos

If I am going to spend time watching videos, I really want to watch videos that are focused. That’s why I really enjoyed the following videos. So what have I chosen for you? Smokey eyes tutorial for people who wear glasses, clothes for the hourglass shaped woman and contouring for the round face.

Smokey eyes for people wearing glasses. Jordan’s channel is Jordan Liberty.

Next video. Erin (who is one of my favourite YouTubers, is a stylist and she has started a series where she dresses her friends, family and makes videos based on the body shape. This one is for the hourglass shaped women. Her channel is BusbeeStyle.

Finally, contouring for the round face. This is from Amy Macedo’s channel.

My post in the Huff Post.

I have already shared this here but incase you missed it. This is my Huff Post article and it is about something that happened to me. The one where I got ‘makeup shamed’.

Recipe

An oreo cheesecake. C’mon. I mean. Yum and Yum.

Looking for jewelry?

I got a pair of earrings when I was in Athens and then checked to see if they do online shopping options. They do and they also ship internationally, so yay. You need to check out Anna’s store.

Anna Mazaraki.jpg

Useful sites for bloggers

Hashtags you should be using if you are a blogger or a business owner. This was a great post with loads of hashtags. I actually printed it out, so I can refer to it when I blog (See! Extra tip!).

Pinterest Boards for bloggers and business owners.. Suggestions for 7 pinterest boards you should try to join.

So, there you have it. My first post about what I saw around the web and shared on Wednesday. Give it a ‘thumbs up’ if you liked it. Have you found something interesting you would like to share?

Talk soon

Joanna

23May2016

To the test: La Roche Posay Rosaliac AR Intense Serum

Posted in Beauty, In your 40s, To the test by Joanna Malefaki

A few weeks ago I realised the redness under my eyes was not going away and after talking to ‘specialists’ I found out that my redness may be Rosacea.

What is Rosacea?

Well, redness of the face and according to the National Rosacea Society symptoms are:

Redness on the cheeks, nose, chin or forehead.

Small visible blood vessels on the face.

Bumps or pimples on the face.

Watery or irritated eyes.

I actually have sensitive skin, redness on the cheeks (close to the eyes), and watery eyes.

So, I read a couple of magazines, some blog posts, you know all the medical info I could get (?!?) and went to the pharmacy and bought the La Roche Posay Rosaliac AR Intense Serum.

First of all, before I move on let me clarify that this serum is not marketed as a cure for Rosacea. It is a way to battle redness. I still wanted to try it.

The La Roche website recommends it for

Sensitive skin with redness.

So, I am going to do a series of posts and show you how this is working for me. This is the first post.

Me and my bare skin

Me full.jpg

and a lovely close up (Oh man! How embarrassing!)

Day 1

Can you see the redness under my eyes? So in this “To the test” series we will test the serum to see if there are any changes. So, today is the 22nd of May and I have used the serum 3 times.

A bit about the serum

Texture

It is a gel. It is lightweight when applied on the skin. Not greasy and absorbs very quickly.

L'orac.jpg

Packaging

Plastic 40 ml tube with a pump. I would have liked it if there was a cap on the pump.

Price

It retails for around $40. I got mine in Greece for €26.

Now let’s see what happens. I will be back with an update post (post number 2) in two weeks. Fingers crossed.I hope there is some change. Make sure you are following the blog, so you get a notification regarding when I post and you can read up on of the effectiveness or lack of effectiveness of this product. If you liked this post, you may want to check out the battle of the Estee Lauder foundations.

Talk soon

Joanna

22May2016

Cream for extra dry & cracked skin

Posted in Beauty, In your 40s, Thoughts by Joanna Malefaki

I am going to share with you one of my top tips that is kinda related to beauty and also to health problems that affect your beauty/ skin care. Kinda like a beauty tip/ miracle worker secret. Cause, yeah sure, we all like things to be pretty and pink, but they are not always, and sometimes beauty needs the ‘big guns’.

I have been wearing compression (orthopedic) stockings since 2000. That’s 16 years folks. I wear them all day long, summer and winter, because if I don’t, I’m in big trouble. One of the problems of wearing compression stockings 24/7 means that your skin gets dry. I ain’t talking about dry patches. Nope. I mean dry, dry. Cracked skin dry.

I have tried loads of remedies, done my pedicures, used creams and soaked my feet in all types of things, but nothing. If you think about it, the skin on my legs is never free. I mean it’s always covered. Only those who wear orthopedic stockings can get me. So, why would my skin not be dry?

My “beautyweapon”

So, I have been using a product for a couple of years now and the condition of the skin on my legs is 10 times better. The basis of the products I use is Urea and urea makes skin softer and is very hydrating. Another important ingredient (in one of these creams) is a-lipoic acid which benefits skin cells and may improve the texture of the skin.

So, what are these products already?

Two creams. I have bought a cream called Flexitol Heel Balm and this is for general and diabetic foot care. I found flexitol at Boots (UK).You can find Flexitol in various countries. I have also bought a cream called Diabetel MD 10% from the brand InterMed (in Greece).

The cream has made my skin much softer and in a better condition. No other cream that is sold has helped with the cracked skin. No butters, lotions or anything. One thing you should know is that they stink like proper stinky creams, but no pain, no gain. I really suggest you give it a try!

I apply whenever my skin is starting to get dehydrated and at night, so the smell has gone away by the morning. I use it on my feet and under my elbows and voila!Better skin!

So there you have it. My little beauty secret for cracked skin. Don’t forget to subscribe to my blog and connect with me somewhere, somehow (check sidebar for more information).

Talk soon!

xxx

Joanna

20May2016

Plan with me: Printable and Coupon Code

Posted in DIY, Planning by Joanna Malefaki

Hi loves!!

This week’s post is a reverse plan with me! Yup! I am going to share a printable, an interview with an Etsy store owner, and a fantastic coupon code, but my plan with me post will come up some time later this week cause I am out of ink (gotta be honest!). I also want to jazz things up a bit and invite you to make a spread, share it in the Facebook groups you found this post, and if I have your permission, then I will share your pics here as well(let’s be a bit more interactive , shall we?). So first of all, make sure you follow my blog (it’s as easy as giving my Facebook page a ‘like’) and let’s get down to business.

Sunflowers PIN.jpg

I ❤ sunflowers (and Van Gogh of course) and I haven’t really seen sunflower spreads, so I thought I’d buy some digital paper and make a printable. I also contacted the store owner, Tamara, asked her if she would be willing to give my readers a coupon code (she said yes) and if she would like to answer a few of my questions. So, without further ado, let’s get this post started already!!

Let’s meet Tamara from TbL Simply Digital

I asked Tamara to tell me a bit about herself, what inspires her and

Well I am a school teacher turned artist…..did study art in College and learned how to cut my photos and paintings on photoshop and learned to build rooms, streets then towns (you can read my bio about that) and also at the end of my shop it tells what inspires me like light and color. My digital papers are an extension of my clip art, making a design out of them, usually repeating the design and saving the pattern and using really good background papers to put the pattern on. My Van Gogh one was an extension of my love of impression and post impression as well as all things French, Italian, and anything from the UK. I have traveled a lot and love to express recently in my art around the world of my experiences from lots of traveling almost around the world.. I am really a lover of color and light. I am still fairly new as a shop starting August 21, 2015 and have been (knock on wood) fairly successful of what I really LOVE to do.

My Printable

4 full boxes and 4 half pic/ half white. The dimensions are: height 1.5 and width 2.5 inches (I have the happy planner with the heart).

Sunflowers

So, this is the printable and you can download it below.

Sunflower printable

Remember that your printer settings need to be at ‘fit actual size’.

The Coupon Code

You can check out Tamara’s store (and support her at this new beginning) by using this code: 20FORU (you get 20% Off)

There is a lot you can do with digital paper. You can make cards, nabbers, printables. You can use it for your printables. I even used it for documents I use for my blog. The sky is your limit. You can also find printables in Tamara’s store and make posters and frames for your home decor. You can also buy clipart and use that in any way you want!!! This is a great opportunity!!

Share with me (blog feature)

Once you have downloaded the printable, used it, added your washi tape, and made everything look nice and pretty, you can share you pic under my Facebook post (where you saw this) or email me (see my about page). I will be sharing your pics at the end of May ( I hope someone decides to take me up on my offer). I am excited!!!!

This is not a sponsored post. I found Tamara’s store by chance and made a lovely new friend!

OK!! That’s all for now lovelies. So, that’s all for now. Subscribe to my blog if you liked what you read. It does put a smile on my face. Maybe give my Facebook page a ‘like’ so you can get notifications of when I post? Connect with me on Pinterest / Twitter/ Instagram/Google+.

Please let me know in the comments below if you want me to try to do more of these posts. I see page views but I rarely see comments regarding what you think about my planner-related posts. Talk soon.

Happy planning and Happy shopping.

Joanna

18May2016

Bag Review: Kurt Geiger Saffiano Tote Bag

Posted in Beauty, In your 40s, Uncategorized by Joanna Malefaki

Hi everyone!!

Today I am going to talk about one of my favourite things in the world, but before I do that let me tell you a secret.

I am a bag lady

I ❤ bags. I have loads. One of my favourite ones is the Kurt Geiger Saffiano Tote bag (taupe). I got it (as in bought, not given) when I was in London a year ago and have worn it quite a lot. After having used it for a while, I can tell you how it wears and what I think.

Exterior

It’s made of Saffiano leather and it is a structured bag. Very sturdy and hard. It doesn’t change shape when you put things in it. It has little metal studs (feet?) at the bottom of the bag, so when you leave it on the floor it does not get dirty. It has metal details (hardware), handles and a detachable shoulder strap.It is quite lightweight. In fact,it looks heavier than it actually is.

If you see it in the store, lift it up.Even when it is full of things, it does not get too heavy (then again that depends on what you put in your bag!). The main pocket has a zipper, the others don’t. I am 1.63 cm and it goes up to my hip.

Interior

Since we are talking about the interior, let’s have a peek inside, shall we? It has 5 compartments/sections and one pocket in one of the sections/compartments. The middle section has a zipper.The sections are sewn up and you do not have things going from one section to the other. They are also quite deep. The middle sections are about 20 cm deep. There is a lot of space and you can carry a lot of things with you.

What’s in my bag?

Well, last time I took this bag with me was to a party by the beach. What did I put in my bag? Well, I had a cardigan, an umbrella, my purse, my sunglasses case+ sunnies, my purse, a small makeup bag+ makeup, my phone, two makeup brushes (whaaaaat? I was gonna have a long day folks!), chewing gum, and a packet of tissue paper. Everything fit fine. Nothing got lost in the ‘abyss of bagland’ (you know when you lose everything in your ginormous bag).

me full 2 - Copy.jpg

Price: £225. You can get my bag here (this is not an affiliate link, just me being an ‘enabler’).

I really like this bag. You should check it out or get it and we can be bag buddies!! Seriously though, it’s lovely. I am really happy with this purchase and I do use my bag, so I do strongly recommend it if you are in the search for a new bag.

2 Bag