Showing posts with label blogger. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blogger. Show all posts
Hello lovelies! How are you all? Sorry it has been sooooo long, I know I apologise I'm missed you too. The last five months I have been in a total blogger brain freeze and didn't know what I wanted to write about and why I wanted to write. This is a little thing I like to do in my spare time to talk about random things that entertain/excite me and I just didn't have anything that excited me for a while.
I guess you could say I was living my life, one lasagne at a time...
But I woke up this morning in my empty bed which I was star fishing in all night, I turned my tv on to start watching YouTube and I suddenly got this feeling to blog. My style, hobbies and personality have changed a lot recently and I felt like my blog didn't reflect how I was feeling. Now I'll got a little mojo back it is time to get back to the blog and change it up a bit.
I feel different, I think different so lets start again.
Enough of my needless ramblings.. just have a little chat up!
A lot of things have happened in the last five months;
- I've changed job roles at my work and am now the finance assistant which I am very happy with. I loved doing all the finance side of my previous role but I didn't get much time to actually get my teeth into anything so to now spend most of my day on those jobs makes me very happy, if not a little bit of a geek. They annoy the hell out of me but I love working with numbers.
- I have also started a AAT course in bookkeeping and I never thought I would go back into education. The course is completely online so I can work at home or at my desk at work which works for me. I am waiting to book in my first exam so wish me luck!
- Another important note is that I am going to become a auntie next year which I am so excited about. hopefully spending time with the little bean which make Callum broody...
- I also recently got a fringe! I feel like I am 16 all over again but I like it... for the moment. I tend to be quite indecisive with my hair so hopefully I make up my mind soon.
- I finally made it to Brighton for my birthday and I loved everything about it. The shops, the pier, the houses and streets. I would love to go again but with a bigger group of people next time.
- We have finally started finishing off some of the rooms in the house, it only took us 2+ years. Our living room and spare room look completely different and our next step is to get the house ready to host Christmas! We still need to get a dishwasher (for obvious reasons) and buy a bigger table to fit my family around.
- Callum and I have also started saving for a wedding- ish. Its a working progress. We went to the most beautiful wedding this year which I have to say was basically my dream wedding. That made me really want to start doing something to work towards it.
- Callum and I haven't been on a proper holiday since last year so we went for a few days down to the English seaside which was lovely, apart from the fact we stayed in a caravan on the hottest week of the year. You don't know heat until you've walk into a caravan which has been empty all day on the hottest day of the year.
- I am now officially as blind as a bat and need glasses 70% of the time. Do I wear them 70% of the time? depends where I am going.
- Lastly in true blogger fashion I have considerably reduced the size of my wardrobe over the last five months. We finally got our fitted wardrobes installed and I really wanted to use that time to make sure everything in my wardrobe was something I loved. More to come about decluttering I promise.
That's basically everything that's happened in the last five months. I feel like this is the perfect time to get my mojo back into blogging with the autumn coming up. I have already transitioned my wardrobe to my autumn/winter clothing, maybe too early but I really needed my jumpers back in my life!
Lastly have some photos from the last five months and try not to laugh at my poses as a teenager!
Lastly have some photos from the last five months and try not to laugh at my poses as a teenager!
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| Callum and I at our first wedding we attending together! |
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| The only time my fringe ever looked good when I was 16, at my prom in 2010. |
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| A random street in Brighton which was too cute to walk past and not take a photo. |
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| Our current living room. Still very bare but I love how it is turning out. We still need a new dining table and artwork for the walls but it is coming together. Yes I was watching the real house wife's of New York City. |
How is it April already? Before we know it it will be the end of August and we all will be wondering where the summer went! Since we last spoke i have had a lovely birthday weekend down in Brighton where one day it was sunny and hot and the next it was miserable and raining. Spring can be such a headache when it comes to work to wear.
I have been completed engulfed but the whole capsule wardrobe frame of mind and thanks to Anna from the Anna Edit, my wardrobe is considerably smaller than it was a year ago. Since reducing the size of my wardrobe i have found that i now love all my clothes instead of forgetting about some pieces which were hidden behind the piles. I still have a few favourite pieces which get a little more love then the rest and today i am going to take you through the 5 items i know i will be continuously rotating over the spring season.
First up is my trusty mustard Zara faux leather jacket (similar) which i picked up in Barcelona 3 years ago. I can literally pair this jacket with anything and it looks amazing, especially if the outfit is a little plan jane (which you know is my favourite). Considering i have worn it so many times over the years, it still looks bloody brand new, well done Zara. I love everything about this jacket from the colour which really suits my skin tone, to the cut and style of the cropped body. I haven't been able to wear this jacket since last summer because it has been so cold so i can't wait to whip it back out.
Next up is my Asos Mini Denim Skirt (link) which i have been kinda obsessed with over the winter period with thick black tights so i am kinda excited to pair it with more lighter tights in the warmer weather. I find with this skirt that no matter what kind of day i am having, i feel amazing in the skirt. I can try on my whole wardrobe and feel really fat and frumpy but when i put on this skirt with some tights and a black roll neck, i feel good again. It is kinda like a safety blanket, if i'm having a fat day i wear my skirt, if i wanna look rocky i put on the skirt, if im cold but i want to look cute i put on the skirt. I definitely know i wont be wearing the skirt during the summer months because i would have a check slip every five minutes so i want to give it even more love before it gets too warm.
My next item is something that people who know me in real life would say i wear about 90% of the time. I love a good dungaree dress and i have four denim styles and 1 cord style, don't judge me on the cord one it is super cute. With dungaree dress they work with any weather whether it is summer or winter so they are items will you can keep in your wardrobe throughout the year. I love weather them with tights and jumpers but my favourite way to style them is with a basic t-shirt underneath with sandals. I get hot and flustered quite easy so when it is hot i need to be free and breath and dungaree dresses are great for that because they give you so much room to breath without making you look like your wearing a bin bag. This Newlook dungaree dress (petite) is probably my favourite because it is a little bit longer than my others and is super baggy so perfect on a fat day.
My fourth item which will be a must during the spring season is my Primark mom jeans (similar). I love these so much i have them in two different sizes because like I've said before, i sometimes have fat days. The last thing i want to do when the weather is lovely and spring like outside is pull on a pair of skinny jeans, it just doesn't feel right so i know at the weekends if i am going to be wearing jeans, it will be this pair with a tight crop top and my mustard jacket. It is just a easy casual look and super comfy,
My last spring staple is this Jacket Willis midi dress. I have never shopped in Jack Willis (link) before because basically i am a high street girl at heart and i cant imagine paying so much for clothing, but when i walked past my local JW i noticed this dress in the window and it was reduced from £79 to £25 so i couldn't walk by. This was exactly the kind of dress i was looking for and i didn't have anything like it in my collection. I bought it with the intention of wearing it with a brown belt and brown boots and i definitely will be this spring.
I have been completed engulfed but the whole capsule wardrobe frame of mind and thanks to Anna from the Anna Edit, my wardrobe is considerably smaller than it was a year ago. Since reducing the size of my wardrobe i have found that i now love all my clothes instead of forgetting about some pieces which were hidden behind the piles. I still have a few favourite pieces which get a little more love then the rest and today i am going to take you through the 5 items i know i will be continuously rotating over the spring season.
First up is my trusty mustard Zara faux leather jacket (similar) which i picked up in Barcelona 3 years ago. I can literally pair this jacket with anything and it looks amazing, especially if the outfit is a little plan jane (which you know is my favourite). Considering i have worn it so many times over the years, it still looks bloody brand new, well done Zara. I love everything about this jacket from the colour which really suits my skin tone, to the cut and style of the cropped body. I haven't been able to wear this jacket since last summer because it has been so cold so i can't wait to whip it back out.
Next up is my Asos Mini Denim Skirt (link) which i have been kinda obsessed with over the winter period with thick black tights so i am kinda excited to pair it with more lighter tights in the warmer weather. I find with this skirt that no matter what kind of day i am having, i feel amazing in the skirt. I can try on my whole wardrobe and feel really fat and frumpy but when i put on this skirt with some tights and a black roll neck, i feel good again. It is kinda like a safety blanket, if i'm having a fat day i wear my skirt, if i wanna look rocky i put on the skirt, if im cold but i want to look cute i put on the skirt. I definitely know i wont be wearing the skirt during the summer months because i would have a check slip every five minutes so i want to give it even more love before it gets too warm.
My next item is something that people who know me in real life would say i wear about 90% of the time. I love a good dungaree dress and i have four denim styles and 1 cord style, don't judge me on the cord one it is super cute. With dungaree dress they work with any weather whether it is summer or winter so they are items will you can keep in your wardrobe throughout the year. I love weather them with tights and jumpers but my favourite way to style them is with a basic t-shirt underneath with sandals. I get hot and flustered quite easy so when it is hot i need to be free and breath and dungaree dresses are great for that because they give you so much room to breath without making you look like your wearing a bin bag. This Newlook dungaree dress (petite) is probably my favourite because it is a little bit longer than my others and is super baggy so perfect on a fat day.
My fourth item which will be a must during the spring season is my Primark mom jeans (similar). I love these so much i have them in two different sizes because like I've said before, i sometimes have fat days. The last thing i want to do when the weather is lovely and spring like outside is pull on a pair of skinny jeans, it just doesn't feel right so i know at the weekends if i am going to be wearing jeans, it will be this pair with a tight crop top and my mustard jacket. It is just a easy casual look and super comfy,
My last spring staple is this Jacket Willis midi dress. I have never shopped in Jack Willis (link) before because basically i am a high street girl at heart and i cant imagine paying so much for clothing, but when i walked past my local JW i noticed this dress in the window and it was reduced from £79 to £25 so i couldn't walk by. This was exactly the kind of dress i was looking for and i didn't have anything like it in my collection. I bought it with the intention of wearing it with a brown belt and brown boots and i definitely will be this spring.
I'm pretty sure with these five items i am set for the next few months outfit wise.
There are a few bits that i want to add to my spring capsule wardrobe for spring which i will be in another post for you.
My favourite cleaning product to date has to be the disinfectant Zoflora. I know the product is huge within the family and home community which I have become a big fan of recently (watching speed cleaning and house tour videos is my new favourite thing) and I couldn't ignore the hype around the product. If this isn't your thing I completely understand, take a look at my other beauty and skincare posts at the top!
To date I have 6 bottles underneath my sink and once that stash starts to decrease I am totally picking up some new scents! I used up 3 scents this week so I definitely make the most of them!
There are so many uses for this disinfectant I have seen over the months and here are 9 of my favourite.
1. Down the sink
I like to pour some of the disinfectant down my sink plugs at the end or beginning of the day. Afterwards the kitchen smells beautiful and every time water goes down the plug the scent will come back and please your nostrils.
2. In a spray bottle mixed with water
This disinfectant you will come mix with water to make your own disinfectant spray which smells amazing. Depending on the size of the bottle your using I tend to normally mix 1 to 2 cap fulls with water to make the spray.
3. Sprayed on fake flowers
This is such a genius idea the person who thought this up needs a medal! Zoflora make a ton of flower related scents so you can spray the disinfectant on to fake flowers to make them smell like real flowers and to keep them bacteria free.
4. In your clothing wash
This tip is based on the Fresh Linen scent of Zoflora which smells like clean clothes and fresh bedding. Pour 1 cap full of the disinfectant in with your detergent and your bedding and towels will be totally clean and smell amazing. I find my clean clothes can sometimes not smell like anything but when I use this I can really smell it through the material. Plus while it is out to dry it fills your rooms with the scent.
5. Wiped over your warm radiators
This is a great one for the cold months! All you need to do is wipe a cloth soaked in the disinfectant over your warm radiators, every time the radiators are on the smell will fill the room. This is perfect in the winter when all the winter scents are available.
6. In a sink full of boiling water
This is a great thing to do before you go to bed so during the night the scent fills the room ready for the morning. The hot water makes the scent more powerful and when you empty the water in the morning it leaves the scent in the drain.
7. In your car
I don't look after my car at all, I'm sorry car for never washing you or emptying you of rubbish but I am getting better! I now have a small spray bottle in my car to spray along my dash board to 1. clean my car of horrible germs and 2. to leave it smelling fresh and inviting. I find my dash board gets very dusty very easily so this is really handy to have.
8. In your washing machine
I have started doing an hot empty wash with a cap full of disinfectant in to clean out the drum and the draw after I have done a few spins. Washing machines can be full of bacteria with all the dirty warm water running through it so running disinfectant through then can be really useful.
9. Wiped over your door handles and entrances
This is a great tip especially if you have a busy house with people coming and going. Door handles are full of bacteria with the amount of times people touch them so wiping them over with scented disinfectant is a must. Also wiping Zoflora over the handles and door frames means every time someone walking into a room they catch a whiff of the amazing smell and it lingers with them.
You arent an adult until you become excited about cleaning products! What is your favourite scent?
This week I had a huge de-clutter of my makeup and removed a huge bag of products from my collection. When I first got into beauty blogging and youtube I thought the aim of the game was to have the biggest makeup collection. I used to watch youtubers collections and be so envious of the size of theirs and the different products they had to hand. That made me end up buying makeup every time I went out and picking up bargain products I found in random shops so that I had products to bulk up my collection.
I know now that that is stupid since I hardly used the majority of the products because I had my favourites, thankfully people started focusing on steamline makeup collections and the 'makeup declutter videos' were born. As silly as it sounds, now that big youtubers are reducing the size of their makeup collections I now don't feel deflated with my small collection and enjoy reducing my own to the essentials.
So here are 5 questions that I ask myself when I am de-cluttering my makeup!
1. Is it used up?
Sounds simple but I find so many products which are basically empty but are still in my collection. Whether its a reminder to repurchase the product or you just forgot to throw it away get rid of it. Luckily with my blog I can talk about the products that I love so in the future I can look back and know the formula and shade I want to repurchase.
2. Have I used it in the last 3 months?
Like I said when I was trying to expand my makeup collection I had quite a few products in my collection that never got used so I had wasted my money and time in purchasing them. Now I like to go through my collection and see if I have actually used the products. If I haven't used the products in the last 3 months then I will either give them away or put them in my everyday makeup bag to use them and see if I like them. The worst thing is throwing away a product to later find out you would have loved it if you had tried it. If when I next sort through my makeup I still haven't used that product it then goes in the give away pile.
3. What is the expiry date?
I am someone who will hold onto a product because I love it even if it is a little bit old... I know it is disgusting but you ignore the fact that the product is gloppy and just spend an extra 10 minutes blending it in... I have stopped doing that you will be pleased to know and I follow a strict process now where every 6 months I go through the items which I know would have expired during that time. I do use the little icon on the back of products to identify if I need to get rid of them but lets be honest, who remember exactly when they bought that lipstick? I also use this cheat sheet to remind myself of the time frames for makeup.
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| Photo Credit - show some love! |
4. Do I like it?
Sounds very strange when you have spent money on this product to ask if you like it but so many times you are keeping products you don't actually like because of sentimental value or because you spent a lot of money on it. I am quite careful with high end products because I will always research them before giving over any money, the idea of spending so much money on a product I won't like scares me. So I always ask myself if I like this product when I am going through my makeup because a lot of the time the products that always make it through your sort outs are sentimental but not your shade or formula at all. You might be thinking I couldn't do that my nans best friends son's girlfriend got me that eye shadow palette but when you have minimal room for your storage and the palette hasn't been used once, isn't it better to give it to someone who will use it?
5. Do I have anything similar
Lastly the question we are all guilty of, have the same product in 5 different variations. I am not that adventurous with my makeup because I like the natural look most days so this can mean I end up with 5 eye palettes all with the same shades in which is obviously silly and wasteful. I don't need two matte nude palettes or two shimmer pink palettes sadly so I like to pick my favourite one and pass on the other to a friend. It is the same with lipsticks so many shades right now are basically the same with different packaging so who needs two browny nudes with look exactly the same.
I hate the idea of waste so any products that aren't out of date or a bit grim go to my sister or friends who love rummaging through and finding treats. I find that I might not like a product but my sister who is different in her style of makeup and shades might love the product so at least it goes to a loving home.
I hope this post helps you de-clutter and spring clean your makeup collection.
April seems like a very long time ago considering in two months it will be a full year. Man time flies! Back in April i shared with you some of the beauty products i received for my 24th birthday (link), i thought i would write another post dedicated to these products to give you my feedback and all but two are high on my radar.
Starting off with the Urban Decay Naked Heat palette (link) which i have used non stop since April. My preference for eye shadow shades is basically this palette, i can make great everyday looks with this palette as well as ramp up the shades on the right side of the palette for a more dramatic look. I already had the Naked Palette 2 which was a holy grail for a very long time. Now this palette has overtook the old favourite in my opinion. The shades are generously pigmentation and the formula is really easy to blend, i don't know one person who dislikes this palette.
Dressing for work can be a hassle and a bore if you work in an office and have to abide by a dress code. Knowing how to dress for your body shape is so important for everyday but sometimes people don't take into account this when they dress for work. I am a pear shape so I have a smaller top half then my bottom half and I have a small waist but bigger hips. Finding office clothes to fit that body shape can be hard when most black trousers look hideous on a big bum and short legs. I've picked out some of my favourite items to wear to an office which look great on pear shape bodies.
Culotte trousers & Cigarette trousers
I love how culotte trousers look on me because they are super smart but don't make me look even more shorter than I am. I have small ankles so I like to show them off and these trousers do that perfectly. They are normally high waist as well so they really highlight my skinny waist but hide my muffin top.
With cigarette trousers as well they fit my short legs perfectly and are tight where you need them to be down your legs. They balance out my body and with a crisp white shirt it looks super smart. I love tucking shirts into these trousers and layering them up with blazers or jumpers to complete my look.
Peplum and Tube Skirts
I have always been a big fan of peplum skirts on a day to day basis so these are a perfect item to have in your work wear rotation. The length of the skirt makes my legs look longer then they actually are so they balance my body out. Again I pair these with a crisp shirt that I tuck in to the waist to highlight my waist and make me look smaller. These are great when it is warm in the office and your skin needs to breath. Your skin isn't covered in loads of layers and you still look smart and respectable.
Tight Dresses and Patterned Skirts
During the summer a smart dress can be a life saver when it is unbearably hot in the office. It is simple, smart, easy to style and looks great with flats and heeled shoes. Finding the right tight dress for a pear shape can be hard so I tend to drift towards the more thinner fabrics so that they hug my body better, I find stiff material dresses don't show off my shape as well.
Pattern skirts are a most for me during the winter season I have always been a mini skirt kind of girl. I pair these skirts with a plain long sleeve black top and black thick tights to make sure I am covered up for work. The only thing you have to watch out for is that you don't go crazy with the pattern skirts that are out in the shops. Stick to muted colours and patterns so the skirt isn't too distracting at work.
Coloured Trousers and Shirts
When shopping for work wear you can fall down the hole of the black and white rabbit hole and end up with a super plan wardrobe. Having a pear shape body means I tend to stay away from patterned or light trousers because they throw off my balance. So to add some colour into your wardrobe stick to darker colours and nothing too nude or skin coloured unless you want to look naked... Pairing any colour bottom with a white shirt again makes the outfit look smart and simple and depending on the season you have the choice of short sleeve or long sleeve.
All images are from Pinterest in my Work Outfit board which you can click the link to go to.
Writing this post has given me a huge urge to go work shopping, too bad i don't like anything in the shops at the moment and i am on a spending ban. Hopefully once the weather changes i might find some nice new pieces to rotate.
I have used up quite a lot of skincare products since the start of the year so i thought I would round them all up and give you my opinion on whether I would purchase the products again. I have tried so many new skincare products this year so I have a few new favourites in my collection.
First off i am taking it back to August when I used up the Clinique Take The Day Off Balm. I am a big fan of cleansing balms especially in the winter when my skin can get quite dry. The balm lasted me quite a few months as I treated it more like a luxurious cleanser as I was also using the Lush Cleansing balm at the same time. Although I don't use cleansing balms a lot of the time because I am much too lazy, i do want to purchase a new pot going into winter. I loved using this cleanser on my pamper nights when my skin really needed it.
Another product I used up quite a while ago was the Origins GinZing Moisturiser which I have spoken about so many times before. I scraped that pot till there was nothing left to scrap! This moisturiser is one of my top 2 moisturisers of all time so once I finish the Cinique Moisture Surge Moisturiser that I currently have, I will be buying another pot from Bicester Village. I really love rich moisturisers which leave you skin feeling like you've just had a facial.
Back in April I was given a bunch of Glossier products for my birthday and my favourite product out of all of them was the Glossier Super Bounce Serum. I used that serum every day so it didn't last very long at all. I will definitely be repurchasing that once I use up the Botanics serum I purchased last month to replace it. Sadly they don't compare at all... The glossier serum left my skin feeling really soft and bouncy (as the name suggests) but the Botanics serum feels like it strips my skin and leaves it really dry.
Another skincare product I've used up is the Sukin Foaming Cleanser which I first tried back in January. I love using a foaming cleanser with my manual cleansing brush and this cleanser left my skin feeling cleaner than any other product I've ever used. I haven't had a chance to go out and buy another bottle yet but I definitely will soon!
Finally for the last of the skincare, I'm not going to lie I probably had my L'Oreal Pure Clay Detox Face Mask for way longer than I should had. It probably was past its sell by date but who cares it still worked. This was the only face mask I owned after a big clear out of my collection and once I finished the pot I picked up the Pure Clay Rescue Mask as a replacement. There aren't many make up brands which make great skincare (in my opinion) but L'Oreal know what they are doing. My skin is currently in a good condition but now and again springs a random spot which can get sore so these face marks are a life saver.
I love shopping for winter clothes and Asos is fast becoming one of my favourite clothing brands recently. It all started off when I tried their black skinny jeans, they actually fit my legs and don't go baggy. How did I never know this??
You can buy most brands on the asos website so a quick browses can be literal. I've narrowed down my wish list to these four jumpers which i am living for right now. Mustards and dark blacks/purples are my favourite colours at this time of year so my wish list is full of them.
First up we have a jumper which I'm pretty sure I had about four years ago but sadly it went all bobbly and horrible and I threw it out. I love stripes so much, they are so easy to wear and make it look like i have style when really, i'm the biggest plan Jane around. I really like the mustard on the top section of the jumper as well because it isn't your typical stripe jumper. I also know that the sleeves are tight and the body is baggy which is the best style of jumper.
Who doesn't love a furry jumper? I feel a little like a chicken hatching a egg... but the cosy feeling you get when you wear them is worth it. I love this burgundy cropped flurry jumper. It i could pull off the white jeans I would totally copy the picture. Sadly my thighs would look massive so I stick to dark colours.
I am really into what i call the 'London adult look' at the minute totally inspired by Emma Hill. The look is light blue denim and jumpers and blazers, like the photo above. This black off the shoulder jumper is right up my street and perfect just to throw on in a hurry.
Lastly i have the perfect jumper to stick on with all my mini skirts and tights this winter. I find roll necks really flattering on me, especially when i have my long bob hair style. This doesn't look too chunky as well so hopefully i wont sweat in thus jumper while i'm out and about probably shopping for more clothes.
Colour Block Stripe Jumper
Off The Shoulder Ribbed Jumper
Dark Fluffy Cropped Jumper
Ribbed Roll Neck Yellow Jumper
You can buy most brands on the asos website so a quick browses can be literal. I've narrowed down my wish list to these four jumpers which i am living for right now. Mustards and dark blacks/purples are my favourite colours at this time of year so my wish list is full of them.
First up we have a jumper which I'm pretty sure I had about four years ago but sadly it went all bobbly and horrible and I threw it out. I love stripes so much, they are so easy to wear and make it look like i have style when really, i'm the biggest plan Jane around. I really like the mustard on the top section of the jumper as well because it isn't your typical stripe jumper. I also know that the sleeves are tight and the body is baggy which is the best style of jumper.
Who doesn't love a furry jumper? I feel a little like a chicken hatching a egg... but the cosy feeling you get when you wear them is worth it. I love this burgundy cropped flurry jumper. It i could pull off the white jeans I would totally copy the picture. Sadly my thighs would look massive so I stick to dark colours.
I am really into what i call the 'London adult look' at the minute totally inspired by Emma Hill. The look is light blue denim and jumpers and blazers, like the photo above. This black off the shoulder jumper is right up my street and perfect just to throw on in a hurry.
Lastly i have the perfect jumper to stick on with all my mini skirts and tights this winter. I find roll necks really flattering on me, especially when i have my long bob hair style. This doesn't look too chunky as well so hopefully i wont sweat in thus jumper while i'm out and about probably shopping for more clothes.
Colour Block Stripe Jumper
Off The Shoulder Ribbed Jumper
Dark Fluffy Cropped Jumper
Ribbed Roll Neck Yellow Jumper
Back in May I wrote a list of objectives I wanted to achieved over the summer, a little summer to do list and I thought It would be a good idea to look back over the list and see if I actually achieved anything because yes, I'm sorry to say... Summer is over in my eyes. Bring on the blankets, fairy lights and hot chocolates.
#Get a new job
The most important goal of the summer was to get a new job and thankfully I have achieved that. If you haven't read a few of my more personal posts lately you might be questioning this goal but I don't want to bore you with the topic anymore so head over to a previous post to find out all the details. Anywho I am now in a new job, with amazing work friends and a much better work life balance. I really couldn't have found a better place to work at and I am so thankful it all worked out in the end.
#Become more fit
This was always going to be the up in the air idea, would I start working out or would I forget or just not be bothered. Annoyingly right now I am not signed to any gym BUT i do have plans to join one with Callum in October so watch this space!
#Grow my hair
I am proud to say I haven't caved and chopped all my hair off yet, I have even had a trimmed and the dip dye taken higher to balance out the length of my hair. I have even invested in a hair oil so hopefully that will encourage my hair to grow even faster. I am aiming to have my long bum touching hair by the start of next year so wish me luck!
#Finish off the bedrooms
Even though no physical progress has been made in the bedrooms, we do have plans in place. A colleague at work has agreed to make and fit my wardrobes since he is a carpenter which is amazing. Having someone I already know come over to make my wardrobes takes a load off my mind and makes me excited about the process. Once they are in my blogging/beauty room can really take shape. I have already made plans of how I want my space to look so I will definitely make a post about it when it happens.
#Fill up my cooking book with recipes
Do you know where the best place is to get dinner recipes? Pinterest of all places. There is a whole community of food lovers on it who share all their favourite recipes and I get most of my dinner ideas from there. My book is filling up but I definitely have room for more!
#Get the garden started
This ambition was a bit ambitious for myself really... I bought some lovely plants and painted my garden table and chairs to make the place feel homely and then all my plants died in the crazy heatwave we had. I have since replaced the plants and so far they are still alive, just. My plan is to spend more time in the garden now it is cooling down so hopefully by next summer the garden will look like a jungle.
#Visit another country
It's been a long time coming but I am finally going on holiday! After the year I have had this holiday can't come quick enough. Cal and I are going to Majorca at the end of the month and I can't wait to spend a whole week sitting by the pool reading hundreds of books and exploring the island. Hopefully being on holiday will spark some new ideas since there is nothing better than letting your mind run wild with no distractions.
What have you done this summer?
Thanks to my sister I have the eBay buying bug!
I have been a fan of eBay fashion for years now and recently I have forgotten how good the fashion actually is. I deleted the app off my phone in the last year or so because I was getting addicted and surprise surprise i'm addicted again!
I find the summer time is the best time to buy fashion on eBay because you can get away with cheaper fabrics and designs because you live in dresses, whereas a rubbish jumper is more noticeable and annoying to wear.
There are so many nice dresses and playsuits on the site at the moment so today I am showing you some of the pieces that have caught my eye, with links of course.
Starting off with these gorgeous dresses we have this red wine bardot maxi dress with the floral print (link) . What I really like about this dress is the ribbed material over the bust because hopefully that will mean it doesn't fall down. Then we have this super cute yellow pokadot jumpsuit (link) which looks like a bardot but it has has tiny straps. The legs look cropped which is perfect for me because I am so short so hopefully it will fit my legs. Then we have this cute short bardot button up red dress (link) which would look really nice during this heat wave we are currently having with some tan accessories.
So far I have bought 4 items off eBay so I have restrained myself! Everything else is currently sitting in my watching feed waiting for payday to come back around.
I have been a fan of eBay fashion for years now and recently I have forgotten how good the fashion actually is. I deleted the app off my phone in the last year or so because I was getting addicted and surprise surprise i'm addicted again!
I find the summer time is the best time to buy fashion on eBay because you can get away with cheaper fabrics and designs because you live in dresses, whereas a rubbish jumper is more noticeable and annoying to wear.
There are so many nice dresses and playsuits on the site at the moment so today I am showing you some of the pieces that have caught my eye, with links of course.
Next up I have this sunflower two piece which I am obsessed with (link) . Both the top and the skirt are a ribbed material so it is guaranteed to fit you and not fall down. I find dresses/skirts like this are the comfiest things to wear especially when it is this hot. Then we have this thin simple button down midi dress (link) which is all over Instagram at the moment. I have a few of this style of dress already and they are really easy to just throw on and go. Next we have the first of many white and blue pin strip dresses (link) , you will see after this post how obsessed I am with them! This one has a nice slit on the front making this dress perfect for holiday, which reminds me I really need a holiday! Lastly for this photo is this super cute short white button down dress top which has a cute peplum flare at the bottom (link) . I can see myself wearing this as a house dress when I want to feel comfy but cute.
Last but not least we have these four great outfits. First up is this thin button down dress with pockets (link) , which I already have in black, pink and mint green. They do come up big for their size so I would size down if it takes your fancy. I wore the pink one for a day out walking round Sandringham House in Norfolk one sunny weekend and it was the perfect outfit with a brown bag and sandals.
Next up we have this white and blue striped jumpsuit with a tie on the back (link) . Blue and white patterns are my favourite colour combo as you can see, I just think they suit everyone and they can look smart and casual at the same time. Sticking with the stripe theme we next have this baggy stripe jumpsuit in a jersey material (link) . This would be the perfect lazy Sunday or traveling outfit wouldn't it? Most of the time my style is all about comfort so you would normally see me in this rather than something sexy and smart. The last item I have for you today is this blue and white stripe (shock) jumpsuit with a bow on the front (Link) I know I have an obsession I am seeking help I promise. What I like about this jumpsuit is it has elastic on the back so I know which ever size jumpsuit I go for it will most likely fit me.
So far I have bought 4 items off eBay so I have restrained myself! Everything else is currently sitting in my watching feed waiting for payday to come back around.
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| Swatches: 1. Insta Girl Iridescent Highlighter 2-5 Glow Palette |
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| Swatches: 1 Instant Radiance in Goddess, 2 Instant Radiance in Paradise, 3 Face and body highlighting cream in Rose Gold, 4 Face and Body highlighting cream in Oyster Rose |
I had a cheeky little shop in Primark last week and I thought i'd treat myself to some of their new makeup range. I haven't bought any Primark makeup in years, the last product I bought from them was the PS... 9 Shade palettes for £2.99. I really liked them at first but after a while I did realise how rubbish they were....
A few years later and I'm back at it giving them another go. I'll start with my bargain products!
On the clearance rack I noticed the PS...Insta Girl Banana Powder which I have heard a lot about when it first came out. I tend to stick to the same powders so I wanted to change it up a bit and give this a go since I have never tried a loose banana powder before. I've tried the powder once so far and I liked it but the packaging isn't great. I tap some powder into the cap of the bottle but once I had used enough powder I didn't know what to do with the excess powder. A part from the packaging flaw the powder is really finely milled so it doesn't feel like I am wearing anything no matter how much I apply. On first impressions I really like this powder but to be fair, I've never found a powder I haven't liked.
My second sale item is the PS... Insta Girl Iridescent Baked Highlighter which is a beautiful icey crystal tone. I find with baked products brands really can't go wrong in my opinion, every baked product I have tried has been really good and this highlighter is no exception. It isn't a shade I could wear on a daily basis as it is too light for me, I tend to go for more golden shades for highlighter but I thought in the winter when I don't have a tan I could make this highlighter really work for me. For £3 you can't say no.
Sticking with the highlighters I picked up two Strobe Face and Body Highlighting Creams in Oyster Pink and Rose Gold. Oyster Pink gives a light shimmer whereas Rose Gold comes out much more pigmented and acts like a fake tan. From first impressions I think these are a great product to have for a night out or in a travel bag to either mix in with your foundations or use underneath. I don't have anything like these in my collection and when I wore Rose Gold underneath my makeup for a BBQ a few days ago my skin looked sun kissed and flawless so I am a big fan so far!
I also bought some PS... Bronze Instant Radiance Highlighting Drops in two shades, a light creamy shade called Paradise and a gold bronze shade called Goddess. From first impressions these seem amazing for adding a glow to your foundation to give you a super healthy glow. I have tried the more golden shade on top of my foundation on my cheekbones for that BBQ and the glow it gave me was amazing. It does look quite scary in the bottle but it blended out like a dream and didn't budge my foundation one bit. The lighter shade is definitely more suitable for everyday but the bronze shade is just to die for. I am definitely loving the bronzing shades this summer. The packaging of these drops is very fancy as well with the glass bottles with the pellet, Primark have upped their game with this packaging.
The last highlighter I picked up in Primark is the PS... Glow Palette Highlight and Sculpt Cheek Palette which is a perfect dupe for the Anastasia Beverly Hills Glow Palette. It was only £5 so since I don't have the original palette I thought this was a good start. The packaging is the exact same as the Beverly Hills version so it looks gorgeous and definitely stands out in my collection but it will get dirty very easily. The highlighters feel so creamy on the skin so they blend in really easily and can be built up depending on how much of an impact you want. The golden shade is my favourite of the four but they are all shades that I would wear and I have used it a lot already since I purchased it.
The last product I purchased in Primark is the PS Bronze Metallic cream eye shadow in this gorgeous metallic golden bronze shade which is just up my street. I love cream eye shadows because they are so easy to apply and they look like you have spent a lot of time on your makeup. During the last 3 months I have been growing my finger nails so now they are super long and healthy but it means getting product out of tub can be frustrating so I have adapted using a small brush to get the product onto my eye lid and then using my finger to blend it out. This cream eye shadow is as pigmented as the Maybelline and Loreal cream eye shadows I've been using for years so I've intrigued to try more shades.
So far I have been really impressed with the products I purchased and I've been using most of them on a daily basis. I'm excited to see what else they have in store next time I pop in to Rushden Lakes. Expect to see these mentioned a lot during the summer months when all I care about is having the best glow ever.
This summer I am planning on overhauling my life and basically sorting my shit out. This year has taken me on a roller coaster and it is only the fourth month in so I am expecting big changes this summer and I will make them happen.
# Get a new job
My work life has changed dramatically this year as you all know now and not for the good so my main aim this summer is to get a new job. As much as I love retail I really do think I need a change of environment and surroundings. Something closer to home with less stress would be the ideal situations so fingers cross something that ticks them boxes comes up.
# Become more fit
I don't really care about losing weight and going on a diet, my plan is to tone my body and become more fit in general. Although since moving out my eating has become so much better and I am learning to cook something new everyday, I still have weeks where my eating is terrible especially if I am working long hours. I am planning to join the local gym with Cal in the next month or so which will be really good for me, I used to go gym nearly every day when I first left school as a hobby so I can see myself getting really into it again.
# Grow my hair
I have had short hair since 2015 now and I think it is about time I went the other direction and grew my hair (if I can) I have been trying to grow my hair since I was 16 and it would never grow past my boobs so I ended up giving up and going for the chop. Now I am ready to try again and hopefully grow my hair long and put more bleach in the ends so my dip dye starts higher in my hair. This is how I hope to have my hair soon...
# Finish off the bedrooms
We are nearing a year in our house now and we still haven't finished everything we would like to because we aren't made of money and life gets in the way. We still need to get built in wardrobes in the master bedroom and once that is done we can get rid of all the rails of clothes in my little room and turn it into my blogging/beauty room. Once that is complete I think my blogging game will become stronger and more routined.
# Fill up my cooking book with recipes
Like I said my cooking skills are getting better with every Mary Berry cookbook I read (she is my gal) and everything that I really like to make I write up in my own little cooking diary. It has four different colours on the pages so I can separate my cooking lists, slow cooker recipes, recipes for dinner and baking recipes. I love filling in this book (because I have no life apparently) and get wait for it to be full.
# Get the garden started
My garden is a blank space at the minute and I really want to make the space into something beautiful and relaxing so in the summer I can sit in my quite place and read a book or do some gardening. I plan to dig out all the plants in my front garden and start from scratch and decide what me and cal want to have.
# Visit another country
Lastly I really want to go on a holiday aboard this year and get out of England. I have some ideas in the pipe line with my family to have a big group holiday but if that doesn't work out, Cal and I will definitely go somewhere by ourselves. Maybe a weekend in a city or a week by a pool in a cheap hotel in Spain. My ideal holiday would be Benidorm but no one shares my love of it :(
Following on with my wedding series I have collected loads of photos off Pinterest of hair styles which I would love for my wedding day. I love the look of short and long wedding hair so choosing if I want to cut or grow my hair for my wedding is a tough decision. Although I am loving having a short lob style right now I have always wanted long wavy hair for my wedding so who knows which way I will go!
Since I want a outdoor garden/field wedding I want the boho hair to match so my perfect wedding hair would be loose wavys/curls with some french plaits and flowers in. I don't want to look like I have put a lot of effort into my hair so I want it to look quite natural and low maintenance. The flowers are optional depending on if I feel too silly in them, but again it is my wedding day so who should care but me!
All photos have been taken from Pinterest so make sure that you go over to my Hair board and show some love to the original photo!
L O N G H A I R
S H O R T H A I R
U P D O S
Previous Wedding Posts
My Pinterest Dream Venue
My Engagement Story
Previous Pinterest Posts
My Pinterest Old Fashioned Kitchen
My Pinterest White Bedroom
Autumn Mad
How To Style | Ripped Jeans
Since I want a outdoor garden/field wedding I want the boho hair to match so my perfect wedding hair would be loose wavys/curls with some french plaits and flowers in. I don't want to look like I have put a lot of effort into my hair so I want it to look quite natural and low maintenance. The flowers are optional depending on if I feel too silly in them, but again it is my wedding day so who should care but me!
All photos have been taken from Pinterest so make sure that you go over to my Hair board and show some love to the original photo!
L O N G H A I R
S H O R T H A I R
U P D O S
Previous Wedding Posts
My Pinterest Dream Venue
My Engagement Story
Previous Pinterest Posts
My Pinterest Old Fashioned Kitchen
My Pinterest White Bedroom
Autumn Mad
How To Style | Ripped Jeans
I thought it was about time I wrote a whole post on one make up brand/collection that I have a growing stash off and which is one of favourites at the moment. Most of my stash are from a few of her collections with most of them still in shops as far as I am aware so I definitely think you should try these products if you haven't already!
The Face Illuminator is my all time favourite product from her collections because the product inside works really well on my skin and helps me look more alive when I don't always feel it. I use this underneath my foundation to give my skin a glow and to make me look more tanned. I love this product so much and I have 3 squeeze tubs of it in case it runs out, prepared much?! This product is only £8 and it does exactly the same as what some products which cost £30+ do so if you love the glowing from within look this is definitely up your street!
Next up is her Illuminating Powders and I have both Warm Bronze and Champagne Sorbet which are both stunning. I love bronzers and Warm Bronze is the perfect shimmery warm toned powder to use normally when you have a tan or to use with a light hand over a flat bronzer to give your cheeks a real healthy glow. I love wearing the bronzer by itself or on top of other bronzers and it always looks nice. I am not a big highlighter gal on a day to day basis but Champagne Sorbet isn't too over the top so when I am in the mood to wear something this is perfect for looking natural.
I also have the My Paradise Eye Palette which is stunning! I love all four colours and they blend together to make such beautiful looks. I am quite a boring girl when it comes to eye shadow, I like one or two shades which match that I can blend together and I am done. None of this cut crease shit I don't have time for that! So this palette is great because all four colours work well together and when I wear them they are natural on the skin and don't look like I've made too much effort.
Lastly I have my first ever Tanya Burr product if I remember correctly, the Beautifully Defined Palette (ebay) which has 3 eye shadows, a contour, a powder highlight and a small tub of my favourite face illuminator. I used this palette non stop when I first got it because it has everything you would need in it. The contour shade can look quite scary in the pan but on the cheeks it is really subtle and blends in really easily. The 3 eye shadow shades are right up my alley with the matte and shimmer brown tones and again they blend in really easily and look really natural. Annoyingly this palette isn't sold anymore from what I can see but I can see Tanya bringing out something similar in the future (well I am hoping anyway because I would buy that too)
The main thing I have found with most of the Tanya Burr products is that they all give me glowing healthy skin and I love that a lot. If I am going on a night out or going out on a sunny day I reach for these products because I know I will look good in them even if my skin is having a hiccup that day (which is most days lately...)
I would definitely recommend Tanya Burr Cosmetics if you haven't tried them yet and I haven't even spoke about her lip products... that might have to be a separate post!
I also have the My Paradise Eye Palette which is stunning! I love all four colours and they blend together to make such beautiful looks. I am quite a boring girl when it comes to eye shadow, I like one or two shades which match that I can blend together and I am done. None of this cut crease shit I don't have time for that! So this palette is great because all four colours work well together and when I wear them they are natural on the skin and don't look like I've made too much effort.
Lastly I have my first ever Tanya Burr product if I remember correctly, the Beautifully Defined Palette (ebay) which has 3 eye shadows, a contour, a powder highlight and a small tub of my favourite face illuminator. I used this palette non stop when I first got it because it has everything you would need in it. The contour shade can look quite scary in the pan but on the cheeks it is really subtle and blends in really easily. The 3 eye shadow shades are right up my alley with the matte and shimmer brown tones and again they blend in really easily and look really natural. Annoyingly this palette isn't sold anymore from what I can see but I can see Tanya bringing out something similar in the future (well I am hoping anyway because I would buy that too)
The main thing I have found with most of the Tanya Burr products is that they all give me glowing healthy skin and I love that a lot. If I am going on a night out or going out on a sunny day I reach for these products because I know I will look good in them even if my skin is having a hiccup that day (which is most days lately...)
I would definitely recommend Tanya Burr Cosmetics if you haven't tried them yet and I haven't even spoke about her lip products... that might have to be a separate post!
I don't consider myself a pro at moving house as I have only moved house once in my life but I thought a lot of people who read my blog will probably be around the same age as me so will probably be in the same situation too (first time buyer) and would appreciate this post. I know for a lot of people moving house is really hard, especially if you already have a house so you have a house full of items to move with you. Being a first time buyer made moving much quicker and easier then for other people as most of the big items we bought once we moved in. I have so much admiration for people who moved from one large house to an even larger house with children!
So here are a few things that I think help making moving house so much easier.
1. Preparation
I am quite an organised person anyway but when we started the process of putting in an offer for our house in January 2017, I started sorting through my wardrobes and draws straight away and I moved in in May! Some might call that eager but it helped out a lot. Knowing that I had sorted and thrown away all the old stuff I didn't need to bring with me beforehand made me feel much better when it was time to move. A week before we moved I boxed up all my bedroom and just kept a few things out that I would have needed over the week and it meant I didn't have to worry about anything. I know some people are very last minute and would pack their belongings the day they moved but I can't do that, it probably would have given me a heart attack when the day came! Preparation is everything!
2. Friends are life savers
Now its your first big house and you want to do everything yourself because your a big girl now... but you need help. Our friends were life savers when we moved because they helped up bring round our sofas in a van we borrowed, they helped build lots of Ikea furniture and they spent quite a few trips driving boxes between our old houses and our new house. If it wasn't for them we wouldn't have moved in as quick and it would have cost us money to pay for vans or removal services. They also make moving house even more fun because they lighten your mood when your stressing about your kitchen floor and after everything is in you can all sit in the sun in the garden and have a nice cold beer/cocktail.
3. Plan your work
I am quite lucky in the fact I told my work straight away in January that I would need a week off around these dates to move house and they were very good about that. I know some companies aren't this laid back and wouldn't give people time off work but you might as well ask and shout and scream until they agree! If both Cal and I didn't have the week off after we got the keys the house wouldn't have actually been a home for weeks. Still now nearly a month in the house and we still are adding bits to the house to make it feel more homely.
4. Getting friendly with neighbours
This point is more for new build buyers who have neighbours who will be moving in around the same time as you. We were very lucky in the fact the site that runs our development stagger moving in dates for the buyers so in our little cul-de-sac we were the first to move in on the Friday, then the following Friday another house moved in and so on and so forth. This made moving in so much easier because we had everyone's packing space to pack our cars full of stuff and when everyone came round to see the house they all had somewhere to park their cars. Now I know some places don't do this and everyone moves in on the same day (I can't even imagine...) so if you get the chance I would get friendly with the neighbours so you can find out what time they were planning on bring their vans/cars so you can try to work around each other. The worst thing would be you can't get to your house because three vans from next door are taking up the parking and the road. If our moving in dates weren't staggered I think Cal and I would have moved in the following day to everyone else since we had to the week off just to make life easier to everyone especially us.
5. It won't all come together straight away
When I imagined my moving in day I imagined every room to be perfect and filled with furniture and for it already to look like a home. This didn't happen obviously. We only had two sofas and a TV in the living room, one bed in the second bedroom and every other room was storage. It is impossible for your house to be ready straight away unless you have literally moved everything already from your old house into your new. We spent the first 3 weeks without a TV unit, kitchen table, microwave, coffee table and chest of draws. We still don't have a washing machine, blinds or curtains and wardrobes but new houses are homes in progress. I find its better to wait to buy something then rush our and buy the first thing you see because you spend more than you should on the item and it isn't exactly the one that you wanted.
I will give you a house tour soon once I feel like it is ready and we have all we need. If you have moved house yourself and have any other tips leave a comment below with them. I'd love to know how yours went!
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