So, there are less than two weeks to go to the big day - so you have less than two weeks to tick off everybody on your list and to get all of your shopping done. There is always somebody though that you struggle with, so what I tend to do is look at the hobbies and interests, what do they do for fun, and what do they like. Me? well I love cats, so cat based gifts are always appreciated, and if you know a cat lover I've curated a little list of some of the best pressies out there for those cat people in your life, and even better still everything that I've chosen is under £25
1. Cat & Dog Slogan Mugs - £1.99 Each - B&M / 2. Set Of 2 Disney Glasses - £6 - B&M / 3. Metal Flask - Cats - £4 - B&M / 4. Cat Mug & Cosy Socks Set - £14 - Paperchase / 5. Orla Kiely Cat Mug - Pink - 300ml - £10.50 - John Lewis
1. Vintage Floral Cat Doorstep By Riva Home - £14 - NEXT / 2. Set Of 4 Ceramic Cat Coasters By Hannah Turner - £21.99 - Paper Tiger / 3. Pack Of 8 Wooden Cat Magnets - £3 - Paperchase / 4. Mini Cat's Whiskers Planter - £4.50 - Sass & Belle / 5. Cat Doormat - £8.00 - Matalan / 6. Multicolour Magnets Shaped Like Cat Butts - £18.98 - Trouva
I know I'm not alone in this one, but I love useful presents, and something that I can always find a use for is a magnet. We use them on the fridge and on the freezer, and I've even got a magnet board, in my craft room / office, both to cheer the place up a bit and to hold notes, pictures and to do lists. I've some pretty boring ones on there and I've got some super cute ones including these more recent additions from Kikkerland.
I was kindly sent these by a PR company and I have to say I absolutely love them. Back in the day I used to be a bit of a yoga bunny, I went to a class every week, I practised at home, and I think I was pretty decent. Alas my body isn't anywhere near as flexible as it was but at least I my yoga dreams can live on through these Cat Yoga Magnets.
In each pack you get 5 different coloured cats, partaking in 5 different yoga positions. They are made of a solid resin / plastic, and are beautifully detailed with clear faces, facial expressions and paws.
They aren't the biggest magnets, and the small circular magnet on the back of each cat isn't that big either but it is pretty strong, so they will hold all of you photos and notes securely in place.
I think that these magnets would make a great fun but useful gift for either a yoga fan or a cat lover. Kikkerland products are available from a wider variety of retailers but these particular magnets retail at £12.50 from Paper Tiger.
1. Mog The Forgetful Cat Plush Soft Tea - £12.99 - John Lewis / 2. Wild & Woofy Mug & Pet Bowl Set - £18 - John Lewis / 3. White Cat String LED Lights - £4.99 - New Look / 4. Cardboard Whack-A-Mouse For Cats - £5 - Home Essentials / Simply Be / 5. Kids Kitten Unicorn Donut Money Box - £5 - Matalan
1. Cream Coffee Cuddles & Cats Socks - £2.49 - New Look / 2. Cotton Cat Short Sleeve Pyjama Set - £15 - Marks & Spencer / 3. Brakeburn Cats Classic Scarf - £19 - NEXT / 4. White Cat And Dog Christmas Tote Bag - £4 - George At Asda / 5. Pretty Animalz Cat Sheet Mask - £4 ASOS / 6. Tangle Teezer X Skinny Dip Compact Styler Detangling Brush - Relaxed Cat - £14 - NEXT / ASOS
Woof And Whiskers Collection Cat Shopper - £3 - B&M
Now look carefully at some of the gifts that I've shared and you'll notice that there are quite a few from B&M. B&M is probably one of my favourite shops at the moment, they literally sell everything, and they have a really good range of Christmas gifts, including a whole range of Woof And Whiskers pet themed pressies ranging from mugs to cushions, to tote bags.
I'd been on the look out for a foldable shopping bag, that I could stick in my handbag and this one was only £3. It looks just like a purse with a 100% polyurethane, leather feeling grey cat design outer, but undo the zip, and fold it out and you have a fabulous pink and white stripe 100% polyester shopping bag. Foldable bags can often be pretty small but this one isn't a bad size, and it despite feeling fairly lightweight, it seems pretty strong.
Again it's something that is super useful, only this time at a really affordable price. I think that this bag would make a great stocking filler, or little pressie, and at just £3 you definitely wouldn't feel guilty for buying one for yourself as well.
If you know somebody that's crazy about cats I hope that you've seen something here that they might like x Don't forget of course that there are also a lot of both national and local animal charities out there that are desperately seeking help at this time of year, so don't forget to check them out for gift ideas and of course to make a donation x Have you seen any good cat gift ideas out there this year? Let me know in the comments x
*Press Sample
** This Post Contains Added Non Affiliate, And Automatic Affiliate Links
After weeks and weeks of thinking that it's too early I guess we can't hide from it now, Christmas really is on its way. My main tree has been up since last Saturday and believe it or not there are already a few presents underneath it.
I love buying presents almost as much, if not more, than I enjoy receiving them, I don't know what it is but in some people you can almost see a return to that childhood excitement as they tear off the wrapping paper. I love making the people that I love happy, and gifts can do exactly that.
Now I know that a lot of bloggers spend hours and hours producing gift guides, but to be honest I've never been one of them, gifting is a really personal thing, and what is someones stocking filler might be someone else's main present, so although they are often written with the best of intentions and personally I do love reading them, they can be a bit of a minefield, So instead what I like to do is share a few items with you that I think would make a good gift either for someone special in your life or just for that person who you want to say a little thank you to this holiday season.
I've been really good this year, and I've just about finished my Christmas shopping already, I only need a few more little things and then I'm done. As stressful as shopping can be at this time of year I still try to have a little browse and make it enjoyable, I love seeing what's out there and what the present and buying trends are and something that I've noticed a lot this year is the concept of a gift in the form of a Christmas decoration.
Specialised and Christmas packaging is nothing new, and it's something that's been around for as long as I can remember and probably way longer than that, but over the last few years I've noticed a real trend in truly decorative packaging. Look on any high street and you'll see biscuits, sweets and chocolates, packaged in decorative tins that you can reuse and display around the home, Christmas crackers, filled with beauty products, chocolates and candles, and of course lots of things that you can hang on the Christmas tree from make up palettes with built in hanging loops from the like of Maybelline and Laura Geller, (more on some of these to come) to specially designed packaging from say Benefit, Molton Brown or Burts Bees that are filled with your favourite treats. Gifting and decorations are now in some senses one the same, and nowhere is that more evident than with the humble Christmas bauble.
The stores at the moment are full of either metal, solid card or plastic tree decorations containing everything from jewellery, to fudge and chocolates, to candles, alcohol miniatures, and of course beauty products with the likes of Lancome, boohoo, Nails Inc, Baylis & Harding, and L'Occitane, and more, all selling fabulous, decorative and in most cases reusable tree decorations containing all of your favourite products.
I love the idea of a bauble containing a gift, they are brilliant for table gifts, or as stocking fillers and in this age of cutting down on waste, the fact that the majority or them are reusable means that you can either refill them for next year or you can continue using them in years to come to decorate your Christmas tree. We've already bought some of the gorgeous L'Occitane tin star ones this year which contain mini hand creams, and I know for a fact that they'll be well received by their recipients. Seeing as this is predominantly a beauty and fashion blog you might think that's what I'm going to review here, but you'd be wrong, I'm going to talk about a bauble containing one of my other loves -stationery!
I love stationery! Buying stationery is as exciting to me as buying a new lipstick or a new top, I love the stuff, and even though I have more than enough for probably a full classroom, I still can't stop buying it. At the moment NEXT have a lot of stationery bits in, both from Paperchase and from their own brand, and a few months ago now I bought a stationery set, in a plastic case, for £10 containing all sorts of rose gold, copper toned, pencils, paper clips, washi tape and pastel coloured push pins, sticky notes and magnets. £10 sounds a lot but in my opinion it was well worth it and it looks beautiful . It's still available online and in store so if you're into stationery then I would definitely consider it, but if you want something a little bit cheaper then one of my other recent buys, the NEXT Mini Stationery Set Bauble might be right up your street.
This cute bauble comes gift boxed and thanks to the clever design and the hanging loop poking through the box you can hang the whole thing on your tree. Open the box and you're greeted with a good sized clear plastic bauble, with a bright neon coral, orange ribbon hanging loop.
The two halves of the bauble snap easily apart and reseal so you can use it again. Inside the bauble there are 5 different stationery pieces in tonal pinks, corals, and coppery rose golds.
The bauble contains a coral, almost neon peach orange pad of heart shaped sticky notes, a rose gold / copper toned bulldog clip, and 3 rose gold / copper toned heart shaped paper clips, which match the ones in the other set perfectly.
The set also contains a copper / rose gold wrapped pencil eraser, and the cutest mini neon pink highlighter pen, and finally the most exciting thing for me a roll of fabulous silver glitter encrusted washi style sticky tape.
Lets not beat about the bush if you were to split it down item for item I don't think that this set which is priced at £4 probably represents the best value for money, but the products are nice, and decent quality, and I personally will use every single one of them, throw in the fact that the bauble itself is reusable (I intend to fill it with sweeties for Mummy Lou this year) then I don't think this is too bad a gift, either as a secret Santa, or a table gift, or as a stocking filler for the stationery lover in your life. Let me know in the comments and if you have any other stationery inspired stocking filler ideas I'd love to hear them x
Purely based on my own experience of talking to people, watching You Tube videos, reading magazines and reading blogs, I've discovered that when it comes to fashion, people roughly fall into two categories, there are spring and summer people, there are are autumn and winter people.
I definitely fall into the autumn and winter camp, I love jumpers, cardigans, warm scarves, and chunky and practical winter boots! Don't get me wrong I still love t-shirts and sandals but whether it's down to my body shape, my lifestyle, or even plain old personal preference, I love to cover up and to get warm and cosy.
At the moment I'm in my element, the shops at the moment are full of fabulous colours and fabulous winter styles but lets be honest, who really wants to brave the high street when it's cold and pouring with rain, or brave that out of town shopping centre when it's full of Christmas shoppers? Not me! At least not all of the time anyways/ I'm 100% in favour of supporting local businesses and our high streets, but sometimes especially when your health isn't the best like mine, it makes a lot more sense to do a least of some of your shopping online.
Although online shopping is a relatively new thing, distance shopping isn't a modern invention by any means, people have been shopping from catalogues since the 1800's and whilst I'm not quite that old, I have fond, childhood memories of circling things in my mam's mail order catalogue and trying to rest the huge, heavy book comfortably on my tiny knees!
Now pretty much every store has some sort of online or mail order shopping presence, and although catalogues aren't always the first place that you may think of when it comes to online shopping, in some cases they probably should be your first port of call no matter what you're looking for, but especially when it comes to shopping for winter fashion for the whole family.
Online catalogues are probably one of the best alternatives to actually getting out there and braving the high street. Not only is the whole shopping experience less stressful and less time consuming but you also have the added benefits of choice, convenience, easy price comparisons, the occasional option to spread the cost , and of course lots of special offers, all at your fingertips. If you're interested in picking up some new winter fashion pieces and you would like to spread the cost or at what can be an expensive time of year, or make your life just a little bit easier by shopping online, here are 2 online catalogues that may not have heard of that might be right up your street.
Fashion World
When it comes to clothes shopping, Fashion World really is the creme de la creme when it comes to catalogue shopping. Although like me, you may not have necessarily heard of Fashion World, you'll definitely have heard of some of the brands that they stock and some of their sister stores, websites and catalogues. Part of the JD Williams & Company group, one of the leading purveyors of mail order catalogues in the UK, Fashion World makes shopping quick, and easy. As well as a huge variety of women's clothing in sizes 12-32, Fashion World also stocks a range of men's and children's wear, as well as home items, electricals and Christmas gifts - so you can stock up on some winter fashion pieces and of course some festive gifts for both friends and family at the same time - convenient, guilt free shopping - what more could you want?!
Madeline
If you're looking for fashions just that bit different, and with a bit more sophistication, and class then Madeline should probably be your first port of call. Established way back in 1977 Madeline are of one of the pioneers in the mail order fashion business and have operations both in the UK and in mainland Europe. They're easy to navigate online catalogue contains a wide variety of high fashion clothing, shoes and accessories that are perfect for this time of year. Focusing entirely on female fashion, the site contains everything for the autumn and winter season, from winter boots, to cosy scarves, smart work wear, sparkly evening wear and comfortable, yet stylish casual clothing. Madeline is considered by many to be the site for people who know what top fashion is all about and I can see why. Whilst often veering towards the classic their clothes seem to have enough of an edge to make them appeal to the most fashion conscious women out there, be it in the cut of a garment, in the shape of a collar or a seem or even in the buttons or on a trim, they really do seem to offer something that's just that little bit different.
If you're anything like me then I know you'll probably need no excuse to go shopping, so I won't be responsible for any purchases made because of this post ;) I know I've definitely made a wishlist after checking out both of these online catalogues, and it's definitely made me wonder just how many other catalogues and shopping sites there are that I haven't discovered yet x The Internet really is a wonderful thing when it comes to shopping or even window shopping, it's easy, in a roundabout way it can save you money, it's convenient and you do it all from the comfort of your own home.
Now I'm not the most social of creatures by any means, but last week I went to a party! Alas there was no jelly and ice cream or pass the parcel, but there was enough glitter to shake a stick it and that certainly makes it a party in my eyes.
Myself, and a small group of my fellow North East bloggers were invited along to celebrate the re-opening of the Lush Gateshead store in Intu Metrocentre, alongside the Lush staff and their families.
Since I became bathless, I've got to be honest and say that I don't go into Lush as often as I used to, the pain that I can't buy bath ballistics anymore is real! When I go into store though, the Metrocentre store is my local, and although the staff have changed over the years, I can never praise the staff enough they are always super friendly and helpful and they always have a smile on their face.
The Intu Metrocentre store staff though, now have even more reason to be happy than most, why? well they have a shiny new and renovated store to work in. Still located in Upper Red Mall, the store has undergone a real transformation, the layout has completely changed, and it seems more spacious than it used but of course you can still buy all of your old favourites including haircare, skincare, fragrance, make up and of course bath and body products.
One new addition that is bound to make life easier for both the customers and the staff, is the introduction of new demonstration stations, which are fully equipped with sinks and hot and cold running water. Instead of having to grab a bowl of water, staff can now demonstrate how products work in a real setting, so you can try ballistics, and rinse off cleansers, body conditioners and shower foams until your heart is content, and your senses are tingling.
To celebrate the re-opening Lush, have made Lush Gateshead one of the first stores in the UK to launch their new Christmas and Halloween products, and we were given a sneaky peek as to what is on offer.
With every year that passes, Halloween in the UK gets bigger and bigger, When I was wee, Halloween involved a carved turnip, a black bin liner, and a witches hat but now there are decorations, costumes, cakes, sweets and even Lush goodies. You can buy pumpkin gift sets, black cat knot wraps, and a wide variety of soaps, bubble bars, bath ballistics, and even lip products (more on that later) to help you celebrate the witching hour. The bath envy is real with this one and if I had one I would definitely have picked a black cat shaped, Bewitched Bubble Bar.
At the risk of offending half of the population, I'm actually not that fussed about Halloween, it means one thing to me and that is Christmas is getting nearer, and you can't argue that the one thing that Lush do incredibly well is Christmas.
Think of Lush and Christmas and I can guarantee that one product will spring to mind and that is Snow Fairy, and the good news is that it is back for Christmas 2017. The original sweet, and fruity shower gel makes a reappearance this year but it isn't the only way to get your Snow Fairy fix. This year there are more Snow Fairy fragranced products than ever before, you can try out the new Jelly Bombs or you could pick up a Cold Pressed Soap, or even a versatile bar of Fun for the bath or shower. If body moisturising is more your thing, or if you want to layer all of that Snow Fairy sweetness, then you can try the new Snow Fairy Sparkle Jar, which is a combination of body shimmer, and a moisturising massage bar or you can try the Snow Fairy Body Conditioner which comes in both in a pot and as a naked product, which you can either use in the shower for a super moisturising treat or you can use a small amount as a body moisturiser.
Lush have always been one of the most innovative brands on the high street, and it goes without saying that they operate under a strong ethical standpoint. More of their products than ever before are suitable for vegans and a lot of their products are becoming more and more eco friendly in fact you can now buy a lot of products in their naked form. It sounds strange but cutting down on unnecessary packaging has always been the Lush way, and following on from the success of their solid shampoos, now they've introduced a wide range of products without packaging. You can now buy solid lip tints, solid lip scrubs, solid body lotions, solid shower gels and solid body conditioners, so say you want to buy some Snow Fairy Shower Gel, you can now buy it as you always did in a plastic bottle or you can buy the Naked version, which is a solid block that lathers up in the shower.
If Snow Fairy isn't for you (if it isn't, what is wrong with you?) then Lush have plenty of other festive products to tickle your fancy including Shower Gels and Jelly's, Soaps, Body Conditioners, and Body Creams, Bubble Bars and Bath Ballistics, and even lip products, with some new Lip Scrubs and Lip Tints, and the new Glittery Lip Block which is perfect for the party season.
I've already made myself a list of the shower things that I want and I'm definitely going to pick up my favourite Santa's Belly Shower Jelly, some Bubbly Shower Gel, the Bucks Fizz Body Conditioner and of course some more Snow Fairy but I couldn't resist buying a few thing on the night
I I ended up buying a couple of lip things I got the yummy tasting Sugar Plum Fairy Lip Scrub which retails at £5.95 and I also ended up getting the fabulous Black Rose Lipstick / Lip Tint from the Halloween range which retails at £6.50; it looks pretty scary, aka black in the tube but it alters with the PH of your skin and it lasts for ages on the lips.
I also picked up one of the new(ish) Jelly Face Masks in Just To Clarify (I'll be reviewing in a future post) which was £6.95 it wouldn't be a seasonal Lush haul without Snow Fairy so I picked up the also newish, Snow Fairy Body Conditioner which you can use as both a luxurious shower cream or as a light and sparkly body moisturiser and it retails at £8.50 for the 100g size.
The people at Lush Gateshead were also kind enough to gift us a few of the Christmas products to try, and our goodies came beautifully packaged in one of Lush's signature, eco friendly Knot Wraps. I am a bit in love with knot wraps and they make any product look gift worthy in minutes. This is one of the many Christmas designs that they have on offer, but each store also has a wide variety of different designs to choose from and sometimes they even have vintage scarves which they can use as well.
My knot wrap contained two bath products, which I'm passing on to my bestie, a Christmas Sweater Bath Ballistic which contains a warming blend of mustard, clove, ginger, coriander, and Sicilian Lemon, and retails at £4.50, and a My Two Front Teeth Bubble Bar which contains lavender, vanilla, tonka bean and neroli and retails at £3.95.
It also contained a Berry Berry Christmas Naked Shower Gel which retails at £11.75 and contains a combination of cranberry, blueberry, bergamot, sweet wild orange oil, and olive leaf absolute and a piece of Shooting Stars Soap, which contains a fresh citrus mix of lemon, lime and bergamot and retails at £4.95. Make sure your following me on all of my social media channel to find out what I think about these two products.
I filmed a little video on the night, to showcase some of new releases and of course the re-opening party and the newly refurbished Gateshead store that you can see below or via this link.
If you are from the North East I can't recommend heading down to the new Gateshead store enough, the staff are really helpful and there are loads of new things to look at, and try. If you aren't lucky enough to live up North then the Halloween and Christmas ranges will be in all stores soon and of course you can have a look online x There really is something for everyone at Lush, there are loads of individual products for every skin type and every need, and there are plenty of gift sets to choose from for both Halloween and Christmas. Are you a fan of Lush's Christmas products? Let me know in the comments
I know what you're all thinking, I say that I'm going to get my blog on and then what do I do? I disappear. I know that I haven't managed to get a post up this week but I can promise you that I've been working on a lot of posts and I've been a busy bee on You Tube.
This week has definitely been a You Tube week, and in the last 7 days I've uploaded five videos to my channel for your delectation and delight, including a couple of unboxings and 3 What I Got For Christmas videos x
As much as I would love you all to subscribe to my You Tube channel and watch every single one of my videos from start to finish, I know that videos aren't everyone's cup of tea (and maybe my rambling isn't either!) but I know a lot of people are nosey like me so I thought I'd share my What I Got For Christmas videos with you on the blog x
Like everyone who posts videos, and Christmas present posts I'm not bragging, we post them because people normally request them, and in my case especially I do it to show my gratitude towards, and my love for my family and friends. I'm very, very lucky and believe me I do know that and appreciate it x
If there is anything in any of these videos, that you would like to see more of, or in the case of the beauty products that you would like to see reviewed then please leave me a comment below, and if you really want to make my day then please subscribe to my You Tube channel via this link for more exclusive content x
I'm almost embarrassed to post this but I did promise that I'd show you some of the things that I got for my birthday. Life got in the way unfortunately but way back in May I celebrated my birthday x As per usual I was very, very spoiled by my amazing friends and family and I'm eternally grateful to have them. Since so much time has passed though instead of doing a proper post I thought I'd do a couple of videos to show you my pressies x
I'm going to be doing a full review of the Benefit Do The Hoola kit in the next few weeks, and I'm going to be doing a video review of the Laura Geller Life In Rose kit, so make sure following both my blog and my You Tube channel x
As well as the things that you can see in the videos I also got a few other bits and pieces, including some Lush items, some money, some jewellery, lots of sweeties and some beauty books - Sali Hughes - Pretty Honest, and The Glam Guide by Fleur De Force.
I would thoroughly recommend the Sali Hughes book to anyone who has any interest in beauty, whilst I don't agree with everything in it, I love her no nonsense attitude and after reading it I really felt as though I'd learnt something. It covers everything from skin care, to make up, to salon etiquette and beauty and illness.
Fleur's book on the other hand is everything that I thought it would be. I've watched and enjoyed Fleur's videos for a long time, and this is an easy to read book, that seems to embody Fleur and the variety of her videos. The Glam Guide covers everything from beauty, and fashion to lifestyle content including food, relationships, self confidence, and blogging and You Tube advice. Unlike some of the other You Tuber books I think that Fleur's book is pitched perfectly for readers of all ages, I'm in my 30's and I enjoyed reading it x I loved the illustrations and I'm definitely going to be giving some of her recipes a try x
Apologies again that this post has taken so long but if you have any questions on any of the goodies that I received please leave me a comment xx
If you want more choice and flexibility than you can find on
the UK high street, catalogue credit account, which will provide you with access to a wide range of
products, and allow you to spread the cost of your payments over time.
Here are the top 3 online catalogues:
1. Next
One of the largest and best-known retailers in the UK, Next specialises in men's,
women's and children's clothing, as well as homeware and gifts. If you're
looking for clothing for work, school, or an evening out, you will be able to
find it in the Next Directory. Some of the benefits in applying for a credit
account with Next include the opportunity to pay for your order in instalments
over time, and having your items delivered directly to your door.
The company also provide a number of discounts, sales, and
promotions throughout the year - saving you a lot of money. You will be able to
apply for a credit account with Next by visiting your nearest branch of the
shop, by calling a member of staff over the phone, or visiting the Next
website.
2. Jacamo
Jacamo is one of the most popular catalogues for men's clothing, with sizes in
up to 5 x large. You will find several well-known brands, with clothes such as
shoes, jumpers, trousers, and jackets available for purchase. There are designs
and styles in a wide range of sizes, and you will be able to pay for your order
in instalments. Apply for a new account by visiting the Jacamo website.
3. BrightHouse
BrightHouse sell a wide range of products such as homeware, consumer
electronics and even furniture. You will be able to apply for an account or by
visiting a branch of the store in your nearest town centre. The company
provides you with the opportunity to make repayments on a weekly basis
For my last post of 2014 I thought I'd reflect, not on the year gone by but on the magical day that seems to flash by in the blink of an eye - I'm talking of course about Christmas Day!.
I don't know about you but Christmas for me really starts on Christmas Eve. Muppets Christmas Carol, mince pie making, mulled wine and new PJ's really get me in the mood for the day to come. This years festive pj's from Mummy Lou weren't that festive but they were something that I'd been after a long while.
Minions of course, I think I've gone Despicable Me daft this year, it just makes me smile no matter what, it's just so silly. As much as I would have loved to lounge around in my PJ's all day Christmas Day, we have a sort of dressing for dinner thing going on in my family so I got my legs out and donned a frock.
What I Wore
Burgundy / Wine Tunic Dress With Puffed Sleeves - Primark
Gold Tone Chunky Crystal Necklace - Next
Gold Tone Chunky Crystal Stud Earrings - H&M
Black 100 Denier Tights - George At Asda
I'm sorry for the in the mirror selfies but Mummy Lou had more important things to attend to like the stuffing and the gravy. Since I was making lunch with her I had to be super quick getting ready so no pics I'm afraid but I used a bit of tinted moisturiser, and bit of blush, mascara, and a tiny touch of Beauty Marked and Cranberry eyeshadows by MAC which toned in with my dress. Thankfully I'd done my nails the night before so I wasn't in too much of a rush. I went for an oldie but a goodie, and again something that toned in with my dress.
From around 2003, OPI - Fee Fi Fo Plum, is still in perfect condition. It's a gorgeous slightly shimmery and metallic, wine / plum shade. This is two coats but you could even go to 3 to get a much deeper, richer finish.
Wear time wasn't amazing but that was more down to my lack of top coat and battling with sellotape rather than the age or the quality of the polish.
I have to say I did spend a lot of time ripping off sellotape on Christmas Day x I was a very, very lucky girl. I know I complain a lot about my life and my illness, but I do have an amazing family, and a small but precious group of friends and for that I am eternally grateful. They are there for me even on my darkest days and they make me who I am, my happiness is their happiness and as a result I was well and truly spoilt on Christmas Day. I know some of you aren't fans of gift hauls and view them in a negative, show off way so if that's how you feel please take your negativity elsewhere, don't read and don't comment,
Quite a few friends, and some family read my blog now and this is my way of expressing my gratitude. I'm not going to go into much detail the pictures should speak for themselves xx
As well as the presents from my friends and family I also got a little present from The Body Shop in my goodie bag from the recent bloggers event. I was a good girl and saved mine for the big day. Inside my pressie I was lucky enough to get a 50ml Strawberry Body Butter, a bright green bath lily, and a Glazed Apple 60ml Shower Gel
There are a few bits here including some permanent Make Up Revolution items, some New CID items and a Bare Minerals palette that I will review for you, and of course I will also be reviewing my Mad Millie Cheese Making Kit which I can't wait to try x I received so many lovely things and I'm fully aware of how grateful I am so I'd just like to say a huge thank you to all of my friends and family x
I also received two other very special, large presents from my amazing mummy which you may have already seen on my instagram, both of these things are related to tomorrows post, I'll show you them tomorrow x Till then thanks for reading and I hope that you all have an enjoyable and safe New Years Eve x
I know a lot of people aren't keen on pressie hauls but the common consensus from here and on twitter was that you would like to see what I got for my birthday - well I can't really get toys anymore now I'm 33 (apart from Wii games I guess - Zumba for the Wii anyone ;) so my pressies are of the make up, clothes, and jewellery variety. I did get a few other bits such as some cute cat mugs, some books, a cute photo album, some flowers, and more chocolates than you can shake a stick at but I guess it's the clothes and beauty stuff you'll be interested in :) First up clothes and accessories :) I got two dresses, first of all this Primark dress come tunic from Mummy Lou x
It's a gorgeous blue colour and has lovely silvery detailing - I would only wear this as a dress maybe on holiday but I think it will also look good over leggings :)
Next up from my godparents I got this dress - look familar?
Yes it another floral maxi dress - this is very similar to the turquoise and the black one I already have :) This one is obviously in purple and is by a brand called Mela Loves London from New Look.
My Godparents also kindly got me these Weymouth Bow Sandals from Peacocks which have been on my wishlist for some time x
I also got few jewellery bits including these bracelets - the blue ones are from Mummy Lou and are from a brand called Silk Route Fashion Jewellery (possibly from QVC?) they have loads of little enamelled, stone and glass beads and they match my dress :) The daisy clamp bangle is from Primark and came from my Godparents
My Godparents also got me a couple of other jewellery pieces also with a daisy theme - this silver daisy necklace and these Peacocks earrings as modelled by Mummy Lou x I love daisies me :)
I also got a Primark gift card from one of my besties Helen :) I think I'll hang onto this for a little bit though as I've been to Primark twice in the last 2 weeks so I think I'll wait for some new things to come in. I've also had a little clothing splurge with some my birthday money and discount so pics when it all comes xx
Next up beauty things - I have to say I dropped a few helpful hints and pointed people in the direction of my wishlist which certainly seemed to do the trick - Mummy Lou was a star and got my lots of great bits :)
First up the Illamasqua Cream pigments that I wanted - on the left Hollow and on the right Delirium
She also got my a few MAC things including a back up of Idol Eyes eyeshadow
Haute and Naughty Lash Mascara
and Posey Blushcreme
Swatched heavily on the left, blended out on the right x
She also managed to get me this
The Fearne Cotton Hat Box from Boots :) The was from the Christmas collection where it retailed as £40 - she wouldn't pay that and neither would I but we spotted it on a sale shelf for £15 so she kept it back for my birthday :) I have to be honest and say I only really wanted it for the box which is absolutely gorgeous and comes tied with a pink velvet ribbon, but it did come filled with make up. First up a heart shaped cosmetic bag and an summery bronze eyeshadow compact - I was really quite surprised these shadows are super pigmented
It also contained 4 lipglosses, a gorgeous nude lipstick, 2 eye colour pencils, a black kohl pencil and a mini mascara, and an animal print powder puff, and two loose shadows
I am much more pleased with the contents than I originally expected I am not convinced it was all worth £40 but it definitely wasn't bad for £15 I personally would have paid that for the box x
My bestie Dawn also got me a few beauty things as part of my present including the Barry M White Foundation Creme which I intend to use to lighten other foundations, an MUA nail polish, and a two phase Max Factor lipgloss which I am really excited to try
Finally after a bit of persuasion Mummy Lou ordered this Alpha H kit from QVC for me - Twitter was awash with talk of the brilliance of Liquid Gold last week and I have to say I was sucked in - I am testing a few skin things at the moment but when I've finished them I am going to give this a proper go :)
I also got a few Body Shop staples from my mummy, who also picked up the Vitamin C Skin Reviver for me - which is basically a primer and retexturiser I can't wait to try this either it smells yummy, and I also placed a few beauty orders with my birthday money including some Nars and Nails Inc pics when they come of course x
So that was my birthday pressie haul I am sure you'll agree I was well and truly spoilt rotten - If you have any questions on anything or of you would like any reviews please ask xx
