November & December Favourites

 

Garnier Ultimate Blends Shampoo

My hair becomes so dry & brittle in the Winter, I need everything I can to make it look & feel it's best. This shampoo from Garnier has really helped over the last month or so. I absolutely love how shiny it makes my hair & the scent is just lovely too.

 

Barry M Nail Polish - Red

 As it's Christmas, you simply can't go wrong with a red nail varnish. This one from Barry M is my favourite classic red which makes an appearance each year in December! I love wearing it with a glitter top coat, which leads me on to my next favourite..

 

Collection Bedazzled Nail Polish - Razzle Dazzle

 I own a lot of glitter polishes, but this one didn't leave my nails through-out the month of December. It looks beautiful as a top coat over any colour. If you still need inspiration for New Years Eve, you can check out my recent post here featuring lots of sparkly nail art designs.

 

QiBest Lipstick - 06

 I read a review on this lipstick on a blog & thought I'd give it a try. It cost £1 on Ebay & claimed to be very long-lasting & waterproof. It also has a matte finish when completely dry. I was tempted to pick up a few different shades, but ordered this one first to test it, as the postage & packaging was free. I wore it out to dinner & it seemed to last the whole evening, while I ate & drank a three course meal. I was amazed at the staying power but it did however stain my lips & took quite a while to remove it completely when I took off my makeup in the evening. However, I absolutely adore it & find wearing it totally effortless as I don't have to keep re-applying it & for £1, it's a total bargain!

 

Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream - Light

 This BB cream has totally changed my makeup routine. I love the formula as it applies so nicely to my skin & it's easy to blend into my concealer alongside the rest of my makeup. It lasts all day & evens out any blemishes. I'd highly recommend trying it if you haven't already.

 

Advent Chocolate

 My mum bought me a Lindt advent calendar this year & it was amazing. I literally loved opening it each morning. You can never have too much chocolate in December..

 

Music - Justin Bieber, Sorry

 Ah this song. Yes I know, Justin Bieber, you're probably thinking what's going through my mind, but seriously, I love this song (along with his new album..)

 

Events

 

There were a few birthdays we celebrated in November, including my Grandad's 88th on 17th. Every year we have a meal & small celebration at my grandparent's house. It's always so lovely to have the whole family together. 

 

In the space of the last two months, Elisa has celebrated her baby shower, gone on maternity leave & had her beautiful daughter Lily, who was born 29th Dec 11.09am! I'm literally so excited to meet our first baby within our friendship group.

 

Myself & James celebrated our 3 year anniversary at the beginning of December. I went to Gloucester (where he's studying at uni) to celebrate & we went out for dinner in the evening to Coal. It was such a gem of a restaurant, we are definitely looking to go back again soon. 

 

& finally Christmas! This is always a favourite time of year for me, I adore spending time with my family & having some time off work! December is always our busiest month with panto going on, plus films at the theatre, so some time off at home to relax is always very welcoming.

 

How has your year been lovelies? Any plans for 2016?

 

Hope you all have a lovely New Year's Eve & Day tomorrow!

 

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Life Lately #94

 

This update is full of celebrations & food! Definitely my favourite time of year : D

 

Elisa & Jamie hosted their yearly Christmas dinner on 12th December & we all brought an element to the Christmas meal. We had such a fun night, opening Secret Santa presents & playing games. Bo also made this amazing cake which was peppermint flavour. It was amazing.

 

I met up with my tea ladies the following day for our Christmas meal at our local pub. They do the most amazing food at such a reasonable rate. I had brownie for pudding & we had another Secret Santa exchange.

 

James is now back from uni! We've been working most of the time as it's been the lead up to Christmas & we have pantomime at work, but we managed to squeeze in a trip to see the new Star Wars last Friday. It was absolutely amazing! It was one of those films you come out off & want to go straight back in & watch again! So so so good, have you seen it?

 

I met up with my girls for a final meal before Christmas at Nandos last Sunday where we swapped pressies & had a catch up over some delicious chicken!

 

Last night was our work Christmas do. Myself & Nicola organised a three course meal with the lovely ladies on our box office at our local pub. I had the salmon to start, turkey for main & finally a chocolate mousse for pudding. My mum wrote us a quiz, which included a surprise baby round for Elisa as she leaves work tomorrow to give birth to bump. I'm so excited, but so sad to lose my best friend at work.. tears will be coming tomorrow!

 

Oh & look who's getting in the festive spirit.. Honey loves Christmas! She's been helping me with the wrapping this year & gets excited everytime a present goes under the tree. I can't believe how quick December has gone..

 

I hope you all have a lovely Christmas & Happy New Year! : )

 

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What I've Been Wearing On My Nails #28 - Christmas Addition!

Essie - Vernis

I think this nail polish has featured many a time on my blog but I just can't get enough of it. It's the perfect shade for Autumn / Winter & last ages on the nails.

Barry M Gelly Hi Shine - Pomegranate & Models Own - Southern Lights
I just had to include a red polish as it's Christmas! How beautiful are the Barry M Gelly polishes by the way? I think they are perfect for this time of year. I used Models Own Southern Lights to add a bit of sparkle down the centre of each nail, but I'm not kidding when I say this glitter nail polish takes ages to dry. It must of been around 5 hours before I could feel the glitter had completely set.

 

Nails Inc Gel Effect - Regent Street & Models Own - Snowflake

I recently re-discovered my snowflake top coat by Models Own & fell in love all over again. I call these my 'Frozen nails' - can you see why? ; )

 

Nails Inc - Savile Row & Models Own - Juicy Jules

Another one of my favourite polishes & mixed with Juicy Jules from Models Own, it just makes such a Christmassy shade to wear on your nails. I had a weekend filled with Christmas parties & celebrations & this was my chosen design.

 

What have you been wearing on your nails this December? : )

 

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Christmas Jumper Wishlist 2015

Sparkle All The Way

This jumper just looks so soft I couldn't resist adding it to my wishlist! I'm in love with the gold print on the front.

Bambi 

How can any Disney fan resist this jumper? It's an absolutely bargain from Primark & just looks adorable on. I would quite happily wear this with pride at Christmas time!

Kiss Me Under The Mistletoe 

I can definitely see a trend with the jumpers I'm attracted to this year. They are either white or grey! This one I just thought was too cute not to include.

Christmas Tweets 

Robins are one of my favourite birds & I feel especially Christmassy when I see one in the garden at this time of year. Just look at their little fat bellies!

Coca Cola

Who doesn't think Christmas is here when they see the Coca Cola advert? This one is definitely perfect if you wanted a jumper that won't go in & out of fashion each year, it's a classic.

Polar Bear 

& finally one for the man in your life. I thought this was just so cute. I know men generally don't share our love for the extra sparkly, over-the-top jumpers, so this would be perfect. I bought James a Rudolph jumper with bells on a few Christmas' ago & he reluctantly wears it every year! : ' )

Remember to wear your festive knits for Christmas Jumper Day on 18th December to support the work of Macmillan Cancer Support, Make-A-Wish UK and Save the Children! : )

* Please note this was not a sponsored post *

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Life Lately #93

Hello lovelies!

 

This is the first update for December & I can't believe I'm actually typing the word December.. where has this year gone!? & what's even crazier is it's nearly Christmas! I don't know about you, but this is honestly one of my favourite times of the year. (Mostly because we count down the days in the form of chocolate..) I'm absolutely in love with my advent calendar this year. Thanks Mum!

 

Last Tuesday I received my first Christmas presents when I met up with my girl Ricka at Bills. It was a very exciting time & we got a few weird looks from people as we exchanged gifts on the 1st December.. haha! We also had the yummiest breakfast, complete with our favourite, earl grey tea. It was so lovely to see her & even though we live near each other, with our busy schedules, it's hard to meet up over the Christmas period.

 

Last Thursday I travelled up to Gloucester to see James at uni. We celebrated our 3 year anniversary at the beginning of December, but as we couldn't be together on that day, we made the following weekend extra special. We spent the day Christmas shopping on Friday & went out for dinner at Coal in the evening. I've never been to Coal before but found it to be such a lovely restaurant, I'd highly recommend it. We shared nachos as a starter & I had the most delicious steak for main & James had a burger & fries. We has a small cosy table away from everyone lit up by a tea light. It was perfect. We spent the rest of the weekend curled up on the sofa watching TV, including The Walking Dead which James has been trying to get me to watch for a good year or so! It's not that it's a bad series, it's the fact I hate scary thing & zombies is quite high on my list.. Don't worry, I got my own back.. he now has to watch One Tree Hill with me..!

 

& finally yesterday was the dress rehearsal for panto & it officially starts today! December is always the busiest month for us at work as we have cinema screens & a main theatre + studio shows, so the run up to Christmas is extremely manic! I'm looking forward to January when I can relax..

 

Hope you've had a good week lovelies! I've been blogging a lot recently (mostly Christmas posts!) so if you're struggling for inspiration this year, make sure you check them out! : )

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Christmas Gift Ideas For Him

Chocolate & Wine Hamper 

The first gift I'd like to talk about is this hamper. Designed I think for the older man in your life, (I know my Grandad & James' stepdad would love this!) A mixture of chocolate & alcohol is the perfect combination at Christmas. It includes a bottle of Merlot & dark chocolate in mint & ginger. 

"Great Beard" Mug 

As we're all aware, beards are very 'on trend' at the moment. I know quite a few of my friends have gone down the hairy face path. This mug just put a massive smile on my face & thought it would be perfect for a novelty Christmas present.

Kindle

If you know someone that loves a good book, you can't go wrong with a Kindle. I bought one for myself last summer & wouldn't be without it (& I only read on holiday) It really is such a lovely gift if you wanted to spend a bit more on someone this Christmas.

Dumbbells

In the world we currently live in, you can't escape having fitness & healthy eating thrust upon you. These would be perfect for someone who doesn't have the time or money to spend going to the gym every week, but wants to start off the year new with a fitness boost. You can use these in the comfort of your own home, plus they come in a range of pretty colours. What's not to love? 

Armani Watch

Ah a watch. You can't go wrong with one of these. Every man needs a watch in his life, so he's never late for that special date with you!

Rudolph Slippers

I love these, I'm quite tempted to order a pair & find someone to give them too because they are just too cute! They also look incredibly soft & warm, perfect for Winter!

Sphero

When I first heard about this, I was completely baffled by it, but the more I hear about it, the more I'm intrigued by it! If you don't know what a Sphero is, it's a small robotic ball which you can control by a smartphone or tablet. You can play games with it & I thought it would be perfect if you know a 'gamer' who would like something a bit different this Christmas.

I hope this post gave you a bit of inspiration for Christmas gifts this year, I'd love to hear what you're planning to buy for the special men in your lives. I've also written a Christmas Gift Ideas For Her & Stocking Fillers post, both of which you can check out here or by clicking the blog titles : )

*Please note this was not a sponsored post*

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Christmas Gift Ideas For Her

 

Black Check Scarf
Every girl loves a scarf at Christmas. Well, I know I certainly do. This year I've picked out this beautiful one from New Look. I think it's nice to go for something a bit different to the regular plain designs. Patterned pieces are really in this year, so choose something a bit more daring! Unless you're lady doesn't own a red tartan scarf, it's a essential to any ladies' wardrobe!

 

Rabbit Watch
Jewellery is always a winner in my eyes. You can never have too many pieces of jewellery, as each piece goes with a different outfit. I saw this rabbit watch & just thought it would be perfect if you're buying for a teenager or just someone who loves animals!

 

Earrings & Necklace Set
My third gift idea is a jewellery set of necklace & earrings. These are just so beautiful, every lady likes to be treated to something sparkly at Christmas time!

 

Charlotte Tilbury Eye Shadow Palette
Charlotte Tilbury has recently soared to great heights in the beauty world & what better gift to get a makeup lover at Christmas than this gorgeous eye shadow palette. This one is called Golden Goddess & would be perfect for the Autumn / Winter.

 

Glossybox Subscription
I wanted to include Glossybox as I think it's the perfect gift. If you know someone who loves beauty, skin care etc, but not sure what to pin point as a specific gift, this would be perfect for you. Glossybox deliver monthly to your front door & you can either subscribe to monthly, 3 months, 6 months or 12 months at a time. I've heard only good things about this box & am so tempted to sign up for each time someone posts about their monthly box!

 

Fossil Sydney Ladies Purse
& finally a designer purse / bag. If you wanted to go for something a bit more special, these would be the perfect gift.

I hope this post gave you a bit of inspiration for Christmas gifts this year, I'd love to hear what you're planning to buy for the special ladies in your lives. I've also written a Stocking Fillers post, which you can check out here & keep your eyes peeled for the Christmas Gift Ideas For Him, which will be coming soon : )

 

*Please note this was not a sponsored post*

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Life Lately #92

 

Hi lovelies,

 

Last weekend, James came down from uni to celebrate his Dad's birthday. We had a chilled weekend at home, we saw The Hunger Games Mockingjay Part 2 on Friday. I found it quite scary for a 12A, considering kids under 12 can go in with an adult & it's a film about war & trying to survive death, it's pretty full on. On Sunday, we went for a curry before James drove back to uni. I love our local curry house. It's an all you can eat buffet on Sundays & you also get a free drink & chocolate after your meal. Usually we get Baileys or Port, but myself & James got a coke because they thought we were underage! I'm 25 in January..

 

Our dogs have been extra adorable this week. As it's getting colder, they seem to get more affectionate. Honey's been extremely hyper & Harvey has been cuddled up with his toys in the evenings.

 

Yesterday, I attended Elisa's baby shower. It was the cutest event I've been too in ages. We all took part in a baby quiz, had tea & lots of cake & just look at how adorable Bo's cake was she made for the shower, inspired by The Hungry Caterpillar.

 

Today, I went Christmas shopping with Elisa & Cathy. We stopped at Nandos for lunch & came back to mine for tea & doughnuts. I've nearly managed to finish all my shopping now, thankgoodness! I don't have much time in December to shop, so I need to get the majority of my shopping done asap!

 

& finally tonight, my mum & I spent the evening putting up our Christmas tree. We bought a new one this year as we've had real trees the last few years, so decided to go back to an artificial one. Just look at Honey posing with the tree! Just too adorable.

 

How has your week been lovelies? : )

 

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Stocking Fillers / Secret Santa Gift Ideas From Primark

Hello lovelies,

 

Now that we are almost a month away from Christmas (squee!) be prepared for some exciting Christmas posts! This first one is for all of you out there who want a thoughtful gift for someone special, but are on a budget. 

 

I'm part of four Secret Santa's this year & our budgets are between £5-10. It's amazing what you can find for that amount of money in the shops these days & one of the first places I thought to look is Primark. Here are a few of my favourites things.

 

 

Love Wire Frame Ornament

I've wanted one of these signs for ages & just think they'd look great on someone's bedroom shelf. What's lovely about them is they can be up all year around & you'll always have love in your home.

 

Christmas Tree LED Ornament

I couldn't resist this one, what a cute idea. I love fairy & LED lights at Christmas & this one would look adorable displayed in a window. 

 

Red Berry Hanging Heart

This is such an inexpensive piece of décor for the home. I love anything red at Christmas time, especially if it includes yummy looking berries!

 

Popcorn iPhone Case

This one is a perfect stocking filler. I think anybody who loves their iPhone will love this. (especially if they are as crazy as me & have the biggest collection of iphone cases known to man..) 

 

Metal Lantern

If you know someone who is a fan of candles, you can't go wrong with this lantern. Wrap it up alongside some scented tea lights & you're good to go.

 

Home Sweet Home Sign

I'm a sucker for quotes & cute little signs for the home. Again, couldn't resist this one.

 

Bronze Look LED Decorative Lights

Like I previously mentioned, I'm a massive fan of fairy lights, not just at Christmas, but all through the year. If you've seen my bedroom, you'll know what I'm talking about! These hearts just add that extra something & being bronze, they would look lovely on a mantle piece this Winter.

 

Red Arrow Light

& finally the red arrow. I know some people who have this already & adore it. Unfortunately it won't be to everyone's taste, but if you have that friend who is a bit more out going & into quirky ornaments, this would be perfect.

 

What are you lusting over this Christmas time? Have you ever done Secret Santa? : )

Remember to pop back to my blog to check out my Christmas Gift Ideas For Him & Her which is coming very soon!

*Please note this was not a sponsored post*

 

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What I've Been Wearing On My Nails #27

 

Sinful Colors - Easy Going

I absolutely love this shade as it's slightly different to a regular white nail polish. It's got a slight pink pigmentation to it, making it such a pretty varnish to wear on your nails. I find I can wear almost anything with this & it stands out so beautifully. The only thing I will say about it is it takes ages to dry. It's one of those ones that you literally have to give yourself a couple of hours before doing anything..

 

2 True - Shade 15 & Barry M Nail Art Pen in White

Another favourite nail art of mine to do is pin stripes. I love adding them to a pastel colour, so there not too in your face. They looked so cute with this blue polish from 2 True, which is such a bargain brand! I absolutely love their nail polishes.

 

Primark - Marshmallow

This shade cost me 80p. Yes, 80p & it's such a lovely colour. I'm a sucker for pink nail varnishes as I'm sure you all know by now, but it'll be perfect for Spring time.

 

Nails Inc - Grosvenor Crescent

A new favourite of mine, this shade is simply stunning! If you picked up last month's Glamour magazine, you would have received one of four nail polishes, this being the one that instantly caught my eye. It's so beautiful & perfect for Autumn / Winter.

 

What have you been wearing on your nails this month? : )

 

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Lush - Floating Island Bath Oil

Hello lovelies,

 

Myself & my friend Lorna went to the Oxford Street Lush back in September & picked up some exclusive products from the store. They have a range of bath oils which I believe you can only purchase from the store in London, so we couldn't help buying quite a few! The first one I tried was the Floating Island Bath Oil. 

 

 

It's a small dome shape, complete with a vanilla pod appearing out the top. It's not the most exciting or pretty bath oil Lush have designed, but I think it's quite cute, it was just very hard to find one that wasn't covered in other colours from the other bath oils it had been placed next too. I guess being cream, it would be hard to find one that was pristine.

 

We smelled all the bath oils extensively, but this one just screamed out to me as I love anything that's vanilla scented. A lot of people have compared the scent to the Floating Island Bath Melt, which technically is it's older sister.

 

This bath oil dissolves into the water to create a luxurious softness to your bath. I found this one took a long time to disintegrate, but I quite enjoy watching it in the bath as it swirls around in the water.

 

Of course you are left with the small vanilla pod at the top after the dome has melted (which I forgot about totally until I saw it at the bottom of my bath & thought it was a slug!) Slightly off-putting..

 

After my bath, my skin felt very soft & moisturized & quite greasy to touch. Usually I would hate this & feel like I'd need a shower to wash it off, but actually I found it quite comforting on my skin.

 

This bath oil retails for £2 & although I was impressed with it, I won't be rushing out to re-purchase it as I think there are a lot more exciting ones to try!

 

Have you tried any of the Lush Bath Oils from Oxford Street? : )

 

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Life Lately #91

 

Afternoon lovelies!

 

Last week I went over to my friend's after work to watch a firework display. You know when you go to a back garden display, you think they'll be a few small fireworks etc, but Campbell went all out & we had massive explosions & the display lasted a good 10 minutes, complete with us being covered in ash from standing too close to them! You did us proud Campbell!

 

Last Saturday, it was Char's 21st! She came back from uni & we spent the afternoon pottery painting, which I've never done before, but it was such good fun! We got to pick out the item we wanted to paint, I chose a tea light / candle holder (which I might actually use for a makeup brush pot) & we get to collect them in the next few days after they've been glazed.

 

Last Monday, I started my Christmas shopping & I've almost managed to do half of it! Brilliant start if you ask me! I went to our local shopping centre with Gemma & we stopped at Costa for a tea & snack break. Costa have introduced their Christmas selection again for this year, including this delicious chocolate orange yule log. Unfortunately they haven't brought back the chocolate orange hot chocolate, which was my favourite last year!

 

I met up with Lorna last Tuesday & we spent the afternoon chatting away over a cup of tea & hot chocolate. I love hearing all about her tales at work & life stories. Really puts a smile on my face.

 

Friday night myself, Cathy & her parents went to see No Jacket Required, a Phil Collins & Genesis tribute band. We go most years & as always, it was a brilliant show. They are such a fantastic band.

 

Last night, myself & my family had a meal to celebrate my Grandad's 88th birthday which will be this coming Tuesday. We had a feast of duck, roast potatoes, veg & profiteroles for pudding. So delicious.

 

& finally I had to include this picture of Honey on my bed this morning. It basically sums up how I've felt the last few days! This week has been so crazy with work, meeting up with people & I've just been on the go all the time, it was so nice to wake up this morning & know I could relax. I'm currently saving like mad for Christmas & for next year when James finishes uni & we can hopefully move in together, so today is a welcome day off.

 

& I couldn't not mention the events that have happened over the last few days in Paris. Thoughts are with all the families that have had loved ones taken away from them & to everyone that's been effected. It's hard to believe that these things happen in the world we live in. #PrayForParis

 

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Clinique Pop Lip Colour & Primer - Cherry & Nude

Hello lovelies!

In this month's Glamour magazine, I managed to pick up two of the most gorgeous lip colours you'll find on the market. Let me introduce to you the Clinique Pop Lip Colour & Primer.

If I'm honest, I'm not usually a nude lip fan, they just doesn't suit me. I tend to wear bright reds & pinks the majority of the time, but I thought I'd try out the nude. It's actually a lovely shade when applied to your lips & although it's quite subtle, there is something you can't resist about it. I won't be rushing out anytime soon for another nude shade, but it's a nice addition to my collection.

However, Cherry is definitely more my colour & I love how pigmented this formula is. As well as producing a beautiful shade on the lips, these lipsticks are very moisturizing as well, so perfect for the colder months.

Have you tried either of these lipsticks? What are your thoughts on Clinique products?

Remember to pick up this month's Glamour to grab yourself one at a fraction of the price! *

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* Please note this was not a sponsored post & all views are my own.

Lush - The Comforter Shower Cream

Hello lovelies,

 

A few weeks back I popped into the Oxford Street Lush in London & picked up some very exciting products. (I did a haul which you can read here if you like) One of my favourite Lush products is The Comforter Bubble Bar, so when I discovered Lush did the same scent in a shower cream, I was majorly excited!

 

Not everyone has time for a bath every day (you lucky person if you do!) so waking up with this comforting scent in the shower each morning just makes getting up to go to work a bit more bearable.

 

 

It has a very sweet blackcurrent scent to it, which I adore! This is how Lush describe it -

 

"This berrylicious, reassuring shower cream brings to mind warm, familiar memories. The blend of sweet cassis absolute, uplifting bergamot and assuring cypress essential oils create a blackcurranty aroma that’s like being wrapped in a snug hug."

 

I love how they've stated it's like being 'wrapped in a snug hug'. So accurate.

 

 

The 'how to use' section also made me giggle when I saw it : ' )

 

The shower gel is very pigmented which I'm sure you can see from just looking at the bottle, it did put me off a bit at first when I thought my skin would be pink forever (not that I'd mind that.. pink is my favourite colour..) but probably wouldn't have been very practical! However, the product simply foams up as soon as you apply it to wet skin & your left with little pink foamy bubbles in your shower & on your body!

 

You only need to use the smallest amount of the shower cream & it lasts forever. I've been using it most days since I got it & only just used half the bottle.

 

Have you tried anything from Lush recently? What is your favourite product?

 

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Life Lately #90

 

Hello lovelies,

 

A few weeks back I had my hair cut & highlighted. I had one of those nightmare trips to the hairdresser, where I came out & really didn't like the way the stylist had dyed my hair. I asked for balayage but I actually came out with a dip-dye with a few pieces of hair which were blonde towards my roots. My own fault I know for not saying at the time, but I came home & styled it myself & after a few tears & comforting from the girls, I realised it wasn't too bad, but still not what I'd asked for. Have you ever had a disappointing hair cut? It's the most gutting thing ever!

 

Shortly after Honey's birthday, I decided to have her spayed. She'd recently turned 6 & I never wanted to dismiss the idea of her having puppies, but it was the right time to get it done as she's 'middle-aged' now in doggy years. It was heart-breaking leaving her at the vets in the morning as she doesn't like strangers & gets very nervous about new surroundings, but all went well & she was back home later that day, wearing the cone of shame. (Up reference there!) After lots of cuddles & a good snooze, she was back to her normal happy self.

 

It was my mum's birthday on 22nd October & we had planned an afternoon tea at our local garden centre, but as Honey had had her operation the day before, neither of us wanted to leave her, so we stayed in & had breakfast together, which was equally as nice.

 

On the following Saturday, myself & James attended Rosie & Gareth's wedding in Gloucester. The ceremony was held at the local church, followed by the reception in the village hall, which was decorated with bunting & adorable glass jars with candles on the tables. It was such a lovely day & we can't thank Rosie & Gareth enough for letting us share their special day with them.

 

My girl Char was back from uni at the end of October, so we celebrated in the best way we could, with lots of food! I've mentioned the Giggling Squid many times on my blog, but it really is one of my favourite restaurants in our local town.

 

Ah Halloween! One of my favourite times of year! James was back for the week of half term, so we both traditionally carved our pumpkins on 30th. Can you guess which one is mine?

 

Also we were allowed to dress up for work the following day. I did James' & my own makeup & we found it great fun chatting (& scaring) all the customers. Of course, we had to have an opera & a ballet on that day so it was extremely busy!

 

That evening we went to see the local fireworks with Bo & Kieran. I absolutely love firework displays & although they are so expensive, it is tradition to go every year for us. This year, the display was to music which we thoroughly enjoyed. When we left the cricket grounds, it was so foggy, it seemed to happen while the display was going on. Perfect for Halloween night, as we had to walk back through a grave yard to get to the car park!

 

& I wanted to include these two new purchases that we bought for our dogs recently. Harvey got a new collar which was woodland themed & Honey has a new jumper for Christmas with Little Pudding written on it. She looks so cute wearing it round the house!

 

& finally yesterday I met up with my girl Ricka for pancakes at Bills restaurant. We had a lovely catch up & I was able to give her her birthday presents from the weekend.

 

How was October for you? Did you celebrate Halloween this year? : )

 

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September & October Favourites

Mince Pie Christmas Candle

Can we just take a moment to appreciate how amazing the concept of this candle is. Mince pies.. in a candle.. can you get anything more Christmassy!? Yes I know we are only coming to the end of October, but I just love the scents that are brought out around this time of year. I bought this candle from TK-Maxx for £1.99 in a small size, hopefully the bigger candle is still available as I'm going to have to go back & find it!

Flamingo Mug

Myself & James went to The Cotswold Wildlife Park at the beginning of October & we had the loveliest day. You can read all about it in an upcoming blog post if you like. I picked up this beautiful mug in the gift shop at the end. It's one of the biggest mugs I own (lots of tea yay!) & has one of my favourite animals on, flamingos! So adorable. I've been using it every morning for that first cup of tea with my breakfast.

 

Rimmel Kate Moss Lipstick - 01

This was my go-to lipstick in September after rediscovering it in my collection. It's a dark red shade that adds the perfect amount of pigmentation if you don't want an over-the-top dark lip for wearing during the day. It's such a perfect shade for the Autumn / Winter months.

Vaseline Lip Therapy Sugar Coated

My mum actually bought me this Vaseline after seeing it in Tesco & being pink, knew I would love it! It's slightly different to the regular Vaseline's, I find the formula to be a lot creamier & thicker on the lips. I've found using this before I go to bed & first thing in the morning has made my lips feel so soft. I have very chapped lips all year round, but they get especially bad in Winter, so this has been a life saver!

 

Lush Bubble Bar - The Comforter

I absolutely raved about this bubble bar in my recent Lush Haul, so much so, that I bought the shower cream as well! It's one of my favourites & just smells so good! I've been trying to save it by using the smallest amount each time I have a bath but I know I'm going to have to re-stock soon! 

 

Music
Never Forget You, Zara Larsson & MNEK // The Hills, The Weeknd

 

& finally other memories these past two months -

 

I went on holiday to France with James' family & Exmoor with my family.

 

I felt Elisa's baby kick for the first time! Emotional moment as you can imagine & I was in tears as expected! Didn't help that we were at work & customers were coming up to the box office..

 

Met up with my girls; Lorna & I went to London for an adventure, had a catch up over breakfast with Ricka, had tea & cake with Shez in Costa & went to Ardingly Show with Boop, Gem & Cathy.

 

Moved James into his new flat in Gloucester & went to visit him. We also attended Rosie & Gareth's wedding last weekend which was lovely. I can't wait for Elisa's next year now!

How has your month been? : )

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Pink Flamingo Reusable Bubble Bar

Hello lovelies,

 

I'm obsessed with Lush (as I'm sure many of you already know from Instagram, Twitter & a recent blog post!) so I wanted to show you the Flamingo Bubble Bar I picked up a few weeks ago in my local store.

 

I'd seen it on a few blogs & knew I just had to find it. Isn't he just the cutest? (I was quite tempted to name him but thought I'd get too attached & wouldn't use him if I did..!)

 

 

"Birds of a feather bathe together! Slip into something more fruity with this cocktail-inspired reusable bubble bar, filled with fragrant rosewood and sexy ylang ylang. To set the mood for all kinds of nude, softening macadamia nut oil and refreshing bergamot leave you feeling in the pink. Let the bubbly flow!"

 

 

This product retails for £5.95, so it is one of the more expensive bubble bars, but so far I've managed to have three baths out of it with a small amount remaining for a fourth.

 

The smell it produces is simply gorgeous! I absolutely love it! 

 

The only thing I will say about this product is that I'm not too keen on the colour it turns the water (sometimes!). When I first tried it, it turned my water a yellowy brown tone, but the second time, my bath water went very pink! You'd think the flamingo would create a pink bath, after all, just look at how pink it is! But it actually has a yellow undertone & that is sadly what comes through on most occasions.

 

Apart from that, it does create a large number of bubbles which is always a must for any bubble bar! 

 

I definitely think the Flamingo Bubble Bar was worth the purchase but now I've tried it, I don't think I'll be rushing out for another one. However, if they created a shower gel in this fragrance, I would definitely buy that!

 

Have you tried the Flamingo Bubble Bar or any of Lush's new products?

 

I made a trip to London with my friend Lorna in September & posted about our adventure to Lush here if you wanted to have a read! We picked up some lovely new products. Keep an eye out for the reviews which will be coming soon! : )

 

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Life Lately #89

 

Hello lovelies,

 

Last weekend I went to visit James at uni for a few days. One of the days we visited The Cotswold Wildlife Park which I have been to before about 2 years ago, but it was just as lovely the second time round. I'm writing a full post about our day, so I won't ramble on too much about it now, but I just love being around animals & could spend all day there. (which we did!)

 

On 12th October, Honey turned 6. I'm finding it quite difficult to believe as it still feels like yesterday her owners brought her to us & she fitted inside my shoe. Here she is snuggled up in her new bed with her new toys. Yes, she is very spoilt, but can you blame me? Just look at that face..

 

I went to see my girl Ricka for the day last week. I was so lovely to have a catch up with her. She also took me to see her two horses, Tia & Hattie who are so adorable. We gave them a brush then went for tea at our local garden centre. They've just started putting up the Christmas section, which was very exciting! After work that night, I went round to my friend Bo's house with the girls & we had hot chocolates & some home-made cookies, while watching Pitch Perfect 2. Bliss. 

 

Ok, so.. I've always wanted pink hair. Don't worry, this is just a wig! But I started practicing my Halloween makeup last week & there will be a post coming up soon on this look if you're still struggling on what character to go as. I'm thinking zombie princess!

 

& finally I had a lovely lazy Sunday breakfast before work yesterday with my girls at Bill's. I've mentioned them before, but I'm so in love with their breakfasts. I had scrambled egg on toast with bacon. Mmmmm.

 

How was your weekend lovelies? : )

 

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