Ruvarashe

Drink your herbs - Rooibos

2012-02-23T06:05:00.000-08:00

Oh how I love rooibos. When I was younger and still living at home in Zimbabwe with my parents, I used to make this tea almost every night. My mom loves this tea and I can hear her voice right now calling me and asking me to make her a cup of tea (every African child can relate to this). As I got older I started to enjoy the tea as well and now I drink a cup of rooibos at least 4 times a week. When I was younger I had no idea how powerful of an herb I was drinking but with age comes wisdom (hopefully). If you drink rooibos kudos to you and if you are not drinking this herb... GET ON IT!!!

Some of the benefits of rooibos:

Full of vitamins and minerals such as calcium, zinc, copper, calcium, manganese, magnesium, potassium
The alpha hydroxyl acid and zinc contents in rooibos are great for skin. You can apply rooibos topically to the skin to relieve acne, pimples, sunburns or related skin conditions (I use a tea bag of rooibos in my homemade toner).
The anti-oxidants present in rooibos tea slow down the aging process and also boost the immunity levels of the body.
Contains polyphenols and has been shown to be anti-carcinogenic, anti-mutagenic, anti-inflammatory and anti-viral.
Contains flavanoids which act as anti-oxidants. A study found that some flavanoids in rooibos are more effective at eliminating free radicals than those found in green tea.
Rooibos tea is totally caffeine-free, therefore it is recommended by many doctors for insomniacs. A cup of rooibos tea just before going to bed can help you sleep better.
Rooibos tea is said to bring relief to stress, nervous tensions and hypertension conditions.
The tea is rich in anti-spasmodic agents, which eases severe stomach cramps and abdominal pains.

There are so many other benefits to drinking rooibos tea. I drink rooibos and use it on my skin as well. I love the taste of rooibos so I drink it plain but feel free to add agave nectar or honey to sweeten. You can also add dairy milk and if you are vegetarian or vegan add almond milk.

** Please be advised- Information on the traditional uses and properties of herbs are provided on this site for educational use only, and is not intended as medical advice. Every attempt has been made for accuracy, but none is guaranteed. Many traditional uses and properties of herbs have not been validated by the FDA. If you have any serious health concerns, you should always check with your health care practitioner before self-administering herbs. **

Let's Blossom!!! I love you!!!

Instagram

2012-02-22T06:19:00.000-08:00

In case you didn't know... Instagram is an app available for Iphone users and recently it was announced that it would be available for Android users as well (no set date yet). Instagram is a photo sharing and social app but what I am feeling most about this app are the filters available. The app allows you to filter your pictures and make them look RETRO. Being a vintage lover of course I love this app. You are also able to share your photos on different social networks such as Twitter and Facebook. You can follow my Instagram at goldenruvarashe. Are you on? Let me know. Check it out!!!

Best Pacncakes in Brooklyn with chantilly cream and blueberries...

On my way from Church... it was Africa day

Wall art at a random Starbucks...

Shopping at Zara...

Shopping for my husband...

Vintage car for sale...

Brooklyn Library...

High bun, long day, tired...

Let's Blossom!!! I love you!!!

Style Crush - Michelle Williams

2012-02-09T08:49:00.000-08:00

I like Michelle Williams fashion style because she exudes a quaint confidence. Her choices are sometimes eclectic but it is her signature style and that is what makes it even more attractive. I love that she cut her hair because it suits her style.

Source- various tumblrs and sites. If you see an image you would like me to remove let me know :)

Thanks Lovelies! Let's Blossom!!!

OOTD - No Moment Like Now

2012-01-23T09:58:00.000-08:00

After being stuck at home due to the snow my husband and I decided to head to one our favorite little spots for dinner on Sunday night. Well... we weren't really stuck but the snow just made us want to stay indoors and cuddle. :)

I have been waiting for the perfect occasion to wear this lovely 80s vintage coat. I really like this coat... it feels so luxurious and the color is so rich. While this was not the perfect occasion I wore it anyway... just because. I'm looking forward to styling it in a more elegant fashion but for now this will have to work.

There is no moment like now... wear it now, do it now!!!

Vintage Faux Fur Coat, necklace - thrifted, Earrings - Vintage, Dress - H&M, Boots - Shoegasm

Thanks Lovelies! Let's Blossom!

OOTD - Casual Blue Scarf

2012-01-18T06:55:00.000-08:00

I was really going for a muted outfit but I saw the scarf on my dresser and I just had to. It worked out great cause it kept me warm and I didn't even have to wear the jacket. I love this shade of blue.

Thanks lovelies! Let's Blossom!!!

OOTD - Deceptive Sunshine

2012-01-17T06:30:00.000-08:00

This past weekend my husband and I decided to do a little bit of shopping. As I looked outside my window early in the morning I thought it must be a beautiful day. Even though the sun was shinning brightly it was freezing outside. I had to go back and put on a few more layers and some opaque tights as opposed to sheer tights.

It got me thinking... how important it is to be genuine and to be to who you are. It is also important to discern because not all things are as they appear to be.

Better equipped...

Blouse, Belt - Vintage, Skirt, Purse, Cardigan - Thrifted, Shoes - Anthropologie

Thanks lovelies. Let's Blossom!!!

Dessert then Dinner

2012-01-10T06:29:00.000-08:00

I had a lovely full day this past Sunday. I was up early in the morning to head to JFK Airport to pick up my lovely cousin. She is in school in Canada and was in the motherland for the holidays. On her way back to school she passed through NY to spend some time with my husband and I. I was really excited because I haven't seen her since the wedding.

After a lovely brunch at home we decided to head into the city and explore. :) It was the perfect day to explore because the weather was not too cold.

After checking out a few shops and hanging at Times Square we heading to SoHo area to have some hot chocolate coupled with macaroons which was absolutely delicious.

After hanging out there we decided to go and have a nice light dinner at one of my favorite Asian spots.

Have you ever had dessert then dinner? It feels good to shake things up a bit. It was even more lovely seeing my cousin, my sister. :)

Drink your Herbs - Ginger

2012-01-10T05:33:00.000-08:00

I recently found a store down the street that carries all sorts of herbs. I was so elated because I have always wanted to consume more herbs in my diet. Herbs are a wonderful way to maintain health and feed our bodies with wonderful nutrients.

Though there is much debate on whether ginger is a spice or an herb I decided to include it anyway because it has such wonderful healing properties and it should be easily accessible to all my readers. Ginger has been used for many years for medicinal and culinary uses. I cook with ginger quite a bit and I also love to enjoy a cup of ginger tea. Whenever I start to experience cold symptoms... scratchy throat and all... I just make a cup of fresh grated ginger tea add lemon and honey and I am good to go... no cold. I also like to have a cup of ginger tea after dinner to aid in digestion.

Some of the benefits include but are not limited to

Stimulates digestion
Relieves nausea
Helps lower cholesterol and improves circulatory system
Relieves inflammation including lessening the pain of rheumatoid arthritis
Soothes common cold symptoms including respiratory infections
Eases menstrual cramps
Mood enhancer and may contribute to stress relief

** Please be advised Information on the traditional uses and properties of herbs are provided on this site is for educational use only, and is not intended as medical advice. Every attempt has been made for accuracy, but none is guaranteed. Many traditional uses and properties of herbs have not been validated by the FDA. If you have any serious health concerns, you should always check with your health care practitioner before self-administering herbs. **

Let's Blossom!!!

Happy New Year Lovelies

2012-01-10T04:23:00.000-08:00

This is the first post of the new year and I hope you all have a lovely 2012... let's be intentional about it.

For those of you that make resolutions I hope you have not already strayed from your path. :) If you have don't worry... you can always find it again. I have never really been one for making new year resolutions but I am a firm believer in frequently taking time out to asses my path to make sure I am not straying.

Some things that help me to stay focused...

We have all heard it... have an accountability partner. Tell someone about your decision. If you keep it to yourself it will be easier to stray.
Find ways of giving back with your decision. For example if you decide to lose weight or become healthier find ways to do it in which you are serving someone or giving back... take your children, nieces, nephews out to the park to play, dog walk for a friend, if you have a friend who is overweight ask them to walk with you once a week or something like that... you get the picture. Another example is if you decide to get more organized donate items to local charities. There are so many ways to give back. It is more blessed to give than to receive. I have found that in whatever I do if I am doing good for someone else I am more motivated to continue and do even more.
Gain understanding, have a love for truth and shun ignorance. I have always found that if I have understanding on an issue I am more likely to follow through. Instead of just saying I want to lose weight figure out why... have a reason for your decision. When decisions are made after thorough analysis and understanding the decision is more likely to stick.
If you lose your path just walk back and don't be hard on yourself. There is beauty in falling... you learn something and you are able to encourage someone else who may have fallen. My father always tells me that the only true failure is failing to get up after you have fallen.

Please share what your resolutions are for this year if you have any. If you are going to apply any of these tips to your resolutions let me know how as well. I would love to hear how you decide to give back with your resolution.

I thank God for blessing us all to be here. Let's be intentional about having a lovely year and let's continue to blossom.

I love you all and thank you for the support.

Style Crush - Shala Monroque

2011-12-27T15:56:00.000-08:00

When I think of fashion editor Shala Monroque I think of her exquisite mix of colors and prints. Her style is easy yet still polished and pronounced. I love it when a woman can wear something that may seem unappealing on the rack and make it look exquisite. A lot of it has to do with confidence and she definitely exudes confidence.

Source- various tumblrs and sites -Harper's Bazaar, Vogue. If you see an image you would like me to remove let me know :)

Natural Hair Shrinkage

2011-12-19T11:28:00.000-08:00

Shrinkage is one of those things most naturals deal with. Shrinkage is when curls are tight and cause the hair to appear shorter. Hair can appear up to 80% shorter than it's actual length. This usually happens when hair is wet.

When I first went natural I despised shrinkage. No matter how long my hair grew it still looked the same, short teeny weeny afro - TWA... it still does. I quickly realized that instead of despising my own God given hair I should just embrace it. The sooner I embraced my hair the sooner it became beautiful to me and those around me. With time I have learned how to use shrinkage to my benefit. I like to keep the hair in the back of my head shrunken and stretch the hair on top to create somewhat of a cropped look. It looks like my hair is cut this way but it really isn't. Got to love that natural hair... it is so versatile.

Thanks Lovelies! Let's Blossom!

Chiffon Romance

2011-12-16T10:11:00.000-08:00

Chiffon is one of my absolutely favorite fabrics. If I had to wear chiffon everyday I would do it with a smile on my face. I love the romantic feel of the fabric. It is so ethereal, dreamy and feminine. I love chiffon paired with a delicate touch of lace. I love chiffon paired with a more structured fabric like a leather belt or leather jacket. I love chiffon paired with sparkly embellishments. Now that it is fall/winter I still wear chiffon... I love to pair it with a nice chunky sweater. I love chiffon!!!

[Source- various tumblrs and sites. If you see an image you would like me to remove please let me know :)]

Thanks Lovelies! Let's Blossom!

OOTD - Tribal

2011-12-04T20:27:00.000-08:00

This outfit is pretty loud and very much 80s inspired. The sweater I am wearing is actually vintage and though it is oversized for me I absolutely love it. It was pretty chilly today so I wore my coat all day... I prefer this outfit with the coat because it tones the outfit down. I decided to wear my hair up since my outfit is quite busy.

Thanks Lovelies. Let's Blossom!!!

OOTD - Black and Blue

2011-12-02T13:35:00.000-08:00

It was such a lovely day today... I really didn't even need the jacket. I wanted to add a vintage flare to my outfit so I made the bow with a piece of ribbon I had laying around the house.

Shirt, pants - Thrifted, Clutch - Vintage, Bow - Handmade

Thanks lovelies, Let's Blossom!!!

New Hair - Box Braids

2011-12-02T08:41:00.000-08:00

I have been MIA... no excuses. I am back now and I have lots in store for you lovelies. I have had this hairdo for about a month now and I am loving it. I just wake up and go.

Thanks lovelies,

Style Crush - Mary-Kate & Ashley

2011-10-03T13:08:00.000-07:00

Mary-Kate and Ashley have received a lot of mixed reviews on their fashion choices but I have to admit that I absolutely love their style. I love that they wear quite a bit of vintage and vintage inspired pieces. I love the way they layer pieces and I even love that they wear oversized pieces at times. Boho-chic all the way...

[Source- various tumblrs and sites -style.com, olsensanonymous. If you see an image you would like me to remove let me know :)]

Let's Blossom!!!

OOTD - Splashes of Rust and Red

2011-09-29T14:19:00.000-07:00

So... Fall is finally here and I am super excited. I wish I could have taken this shoot outdoors but as soon as we stepped outside the rain began to fall. :) For what it's worth the blouse I am wearing is rust but the pictures don't do the color justice. Rust is great for fall and when paired with red I absolutely love it. Red is definitely in this fall... whether it's a red bag, red pants, red jacket, red whatever... throw it into your outfit. :)

I decided to wear my Vince Camuto wedding shoes for the third time since my wedding. It is definitely becoming easier to wear them since I had been so reluctant to wear them ever again... trying to preserve them. :)

blouse, pants, jacket, clutch - Vintage, shoes - Vince Camuto

Thanks Lovelies! Let's Blossom!

Bright Clear Skin

2011-09-20T07:00:00.000-07:00

On this side of the world the weather is changing. Fall/autumn is here and it is arguably my favorite season - spring being the contender. :) It is important to take care of our skin year round but I find that in the colder months our skin needs extra care. I love to share organic, homemade, DIY, natural concoctions on beauty so here is one of my favorite recipes for bright, glowing, clear skin. If you suffer from acne scars this will also help to clear those stubborn dark marks. I do this about once a week but you can do it more often if you are trying to get rid of acne scars. This scrub will help to get rid of dead skin that causes our skin to look dull and you are left with bright glowing skin.

To make this face scrub you will need:

organic lemon (cut in half)
brown sugar - 2 tsp (sugar contains glycolic acid which is excellent for the skin in so many ways)
organic cane sugar - 1 tsp ( I add this because the texture is more course and aids in exfoliating. If your skin is sensitive you can skip this ingredient)
warm damp face cloth

Start with a clean face. In a small mixing bowl add the sugar and squeeze the lemon juice from both halves. Mix the sugar and lemon juice together slightly. Take the mixture and apply it to your face with your fingers. Once your face is fully covered take one lemon half and pour whatever sugar mixture is remaining onto the lemon. Use the open lemon to exfoliate and rub in circular motions all around your face avoiding the skin around the eyes. Make sure to exfoliate all over your face including your chin and down your neck. Be gentle while doing this. I usually rub for about 2 - 3 minutes. Allow this to sit on your face for about 5 minutes then with a warm damp face cloth wipe your face clean. Follow with a splash of cold water and pat your face dry. Take your favorite moisturizer and pat on to skin. Since I do this at night time I use an oil to moisturize (mostly jojoba oil). Please do not go into the sun with this scrub on your face or leave it on for extended periods as the lemon can be harmful to your skin. I suggest doing this face scrub as part of your night routine one to three times a week as needed.

Let's Blossom!!!

OOTD - Fashion Show

2011-09-19T07:42:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I attended a fashion show at Couture Fashion Week. I was particularly interested in Nigerian designer Eredaeppa Hart's collection - Eredappa. I kept my outfit simple but chic. I am wearing one of my favorite vintage blouses. It is all black but the detail on the blouse makes it a standout piece. I love it...

I loved the collection. These pictures don't do it justice.

OOTD - Vintage White Kisses

2011-09-12T07:58:00.000-07:00

I love this 80s vintage dress. It's a classic black pencil dress with white kisses all over it. I paired this dress with a vintage belt to cinch in my waist. A black dress always works for an evening out.

Photos by my hubby... hence all the smiles. :)

Style Crush - Solange Knowles

2011-09-09T06:16:00.000-07:00

From her hair to her makeup to her outstanding sense of style... I love it. I love her effortless eccentric style and the way she incorporates vintage pieces into her outfits. Definitely a style crush...

[Source- various tumblrs and sites. If you see an image you would like me to remove let me know :)]

Floral Stripes - OOTD

2011-09-07T15:29:00.000-07:00

I love the idea of mixing stripes with a floral print. I wear this skirt often even though the horizontal stripes make me appear larger in size and the length ages me a bit... I can't seem to give it up. :) Both the blouse and skirt are vintage pieces.

Photos by - Jennifer Jadwero

Oh My Bow

2011-08-22T14:36:00.000-07:00

Oh my... how I love bows. Whether it's a vintage bow blouse, hair bow accessory, bow shoe clips, woman wearing men's bow-tie, bow earrings, whatever bow... I love it. I love when vintage trends make a comeback but for us vintage lovers bows will be worn without trend.

Source- various tumblrs and sites. If you see an image you would like me to remove let me know :)

Natural Hair Updo

2011-08-15T14:35:00.000-07:00

In an attempt to nurture my hair back to health I gave myself a cut and decided to style it in my staple natural hair updo. It is so staple I even wore it to my bridal shower.

When working with natural hair the key to growing it long is to retain length by keeping those ends moisturized and protected. An updo is a great way to look great while protecting those ends.

Supple Lips

2011-08-05T14:48:00.000-07:00

I love my lip scrub days. I do a lip scrub once a week to maintain soft and supple lips. This lip scrub can be made with ingredients you probably have sitting in your kitchen and it won't disappoint... the proof is in the kiss. Mwah!!!

To make this homemade lip scrub you will need:

olive oil - 1 tsp
organic white or brown sugar (I prefer brown sugar) - 2 tsp
honey - 1 tsp
warm damp face cloth
peppermint oil (optional) - I drop

Slightly warm the honey by sitting the container in warm water or in the microwave. Add the olive oil and sugar and mix together. If you choose to use peppermint oil you may add it at this point and mix together. This will serve as a natural lip plumper but if you are like me and have plump lips already you may skip this step. Make sure your fingers are clean and apply the scrub to your lips and rub in a circular motion all around your lips. Make sure you scrub around, your outer and inner lips. I usually scrub for about a minute. Take the warm face cloth and wipe the scrub off of your lips. Your lips should feel soft, supple and moisturized. For added moisture you may apply some olive oil or your favorite lip balm to your lips.

Summery OOTD

2011-08-03T12:12:00.000-07:00

This is what I wore yesterday. I love to mix vintage finds with modern pieces.

http://www.youtube.com/goldenruvarashe

Words dipped in honey

2011-08-03T11:39:00.000-07:00

Watching a black and white movie the other day reminded me once again of why I love vintage... all things vintage. I love the way women of old carried themselves. Each day they would dress up as if they were going somewhere special. Whether it was their hair, makeup or fashion... it was always done to the fullest and remarkably well. The way they spoke was like an art form… like their words were dipped in honey.

I learn so much from these women of old… not just fashion inspiration. I learn to embrace my femininity and to be all the woman that I can be. To dip my words in honey so that whatever I say may be received and understood by the recipient. The latter has helped me a lot especially when relating to my husband and the opposite sex in general. Lol. My father taught me that truth not spoken in love is no truth at all.

[Source- various tumblrs and sites. If you see an image you would like me to remove let me know :)]

I'm married now!!!

2011-08-01T19:23:00.000-07:00

Some of you may know this already but I recently got married to the love of my life. We tied the knot back home in Zimbabwe. We had a great time in the motherland and definitely did not want to leave. After years of being apart from each other due to our long distance relationship we are finally married and living together.

Planning a wedding long distance was not easy but it was so worth it. We had so many challenges including a missing groomsman the night before the wedding. At the end of the day however it all worked out... in fact, it was perfect.

Here is to finding the beauty in so called “failures”...

Photo Credit - Devon Krige

Welcome...

2011-08-01T12:30:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my new blog!!! I am starting a new chapter in my life and I'm so glad that I finally have time to dedicate to my new blog. Let's inspire each other. :)

Take care lovelies!!!