Life Lately - A Birthday, A Piercing, Some Outfits, A Couple Of Shopping Trips And Silly Buys, And A Whole Load Of Meh*

It's been a while guys but I'm back with another post x It's safe to say things have been pretty crappy over the last few months and alas at the moment it doesn't look as though things are going to get better any time soon. Not great I know but sometimes you have to put on your big girl shoes and make the best of it. So trying to focus on the positives, today I thought I'd share a little, all be it an un-edited photo heavy update post, focusing on some of the good things that have happened over the last few months x

May was the month when things started to go down hill but on the 15th I completed another trip around the sun and celebrated a birthday, it was a super quite one and I got some money and some lovely presents including this little beauty!

I got the Medium Longchamp Le Pliage in Navy for Christmas and it really was a game changer for me. As much as I love a nice leather handbag, they do have a tendency to be heavy before you've even put anything in them, and since my arm, and shoulder pain has been on the increase, I wanted a lighter alternative, and the Le Pliage is just that. The Le Pliage looks good, and even with the leather handles, and stuffed to the brim it still doesn't feel anywhere near as heavy as some of my leather bags.

You should know by now with me though, if I like something I want it in every colour, and so I asked for the black version for my birthday. I went for the large this time and whilst it isn't a lot bigger, it is a bit roomier and I could easily fit my Macbook or even a pair of shoes into it! The Large Le Pliage especially would make a great college or uni bag, or if you're like me and you carry a lot of stuff around, it makes a great everyday bag. I use a bag insert in both of mine to keep it more organised and to help them keep their shape. Love, love these bags  and I really can't believe that I didn't get one sooner. They come in loads of different colours and sizes, and the British Green is next on my list.

Since I mainly got money for my birthday and I still had Christmas money left over, my aim was to go shopping in some real shops either in my birthday week or in the week after but yeah life got in the way and I didn't actually make it the Metro Centre till nearly the end of June! Never mind I got there in the end and celebrated with an outfit pic!

What I Wore

Short Sleeve Silky Paisley Top - TEMU

Navy Blue Tie Waist Trousers - Saloos Via eBay

Adidas Court 2.0 Trainers - Navy / White

Medium Longchamp Le Pliage - Navy

Whilst the ultimate aim was to scour the shops and buy whatever I fancied, there was an itch that needed to be scratched and there was only one shop that could could fulfil that need and that was Doc Black Ink

Yes, I decided to get myself another piercing and i decided to match my conches up and I decided to get my left conch pierced.

Before

After

I honestly can't say enough good things about this place, everyone is always super friendly, and my piercer Bear made me feel so relaxed and comfortable. It’s been nearly 2 months now since I had it done an bar the first week when it was swollen and a bit tender, it's been great, I'm still getting crusties but the swelling has gone right down, and I haven't experienced any pain or bleeding since day 1 so fingers crossed it stays that way.

After that I headed into Primark and to be honest it was a bit mehhhh again, the size range was pretty much non existent in a lot of items, and just not that much appealed so I bought myself some burgundy boyfriend pjs, a candle and a couple of pairs of sandals, and that was about it. and what's with having to pay for the paper bags now?

Next up Sephora, I'd already claimed my birthday gift online (I bought the Color Wow Dream Cocktail Kale Infusion after a recommendation from my hairdresser and the REM Beauty Sweet Dreams Eyeshadow) , but nothing can beat looking at make up and skincare in the flesh. 

I only bought of a couple of all be it quite spendy things - first something I'd had on my wishlist for a while the Glow Recipe Dewy Babies Kit, which contains 5 travel sized mini products including the Plum Plump Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Serum, the Watermelon Pink Juice Oil-Free Moisturiser. the Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Hue Drops Sun Glow Serum, the Watermelon Glow Dewy Flush and the Watermelon Glow Ultra-Fine Mist. A little spendy for minis but it's definitely a good way to try out a some products from the range without having to shell out for the full sizes.

The other item that I got was much more of an impulse buy but I'm so pleased I picked it up - it's the Sol De Janiero 87 Rio Radiance Perfume Mist. OMG this scent just screams summer, you get a bit of warmth, and sweetness, and almost coconut notes, alongside some tropical heady white flower notes - I think the sun creams have a similar scent but alas nothing else in the Sol De Janeiro range seems to share this scent :(

That was pretty much for my in store shopping- a few bits, and a new piecring and I went home exhausted with some money still burning a hole in my pocket, and we all know what that means - yes online shopping!

After trying a sample I did intend to treat myself to a Charlotte Tilbury foundation when I was in Sephora but then I realised that Metro Centre Sephora doesn't have a Charlotte Tilbury counter duhhh I could have gone to Harrods Beauty but I wanted my Sephora points so as soon as I got home I placed a little order online.

I picked up a tube of the Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Foundation, I liked it because it didn't feel too heavy , again it was pricey but I'm not wearing a lot of make up at the moment so hopefully it should last me a while. I also impulsively bought the Morphe Chroma Plus 6-Pan Eyeshadow Palette in Rich Glitch, and for an impulse buy I'm so so happy with it, the shadows are soft and buttery and the metallic shades especially are incredible!

Now I don't go to the Metro Centre or Newcastle that often now but exactly one week after my Metro Centre trip I was getting ready and getting on a bus to head into Newcaslte, again outfit recorded for posterity..

What I Wore

Blue Denim Jacket - NEXT

Black T-Shirt - SHEIN Curve

Animal Print Side Split Skirt - SHEIN Curve

Adidas Breaknet Sleek Suede Trainers - Black / White

Large Longchamp Le Pliage - Black

I was headed into town to meet up with my bestie Helen, she was staying up north for a few days, and I was super happy to see her and spend time with one of oldest and bestest friends. We pottered around the shops for a bit before heading to St James' Stack Powered By Sela for some drinks and some lunch.

I know some people have some issues with it but I love it. with loads of food and drink options and live entertainment on most days , it's the perfect place to meet friends, just be careful sitting on the benches if you're wearing a skirt IYKYK ;)

This time round we went to Acropolis a real north east institution, with restaurants in both the Grainger Market, and in the Metro Centre, as well as regular pop ups at markets, attractions, and even in random car parks across the region and beyond, if you like Greek street food then a trip to Acropolis is a must.

I went for the Halloumi and Roasted Vegetable wrap which was so good, slices of halloumi, roasted vegetables, salad, chips, and Acropolis' signature sauce, all stuffed into a giant wrap - incredibly difficult to eat, but it was so worth it and we had such a laugh as bits of wrap contents flew everywhere. Maybe not a first date food but arm yourself with a bestie and plenty of napkins, and you'll experience the true taste of Greece in the heart of Newcastle.

I washed my wrap down with a lemon Fanta and a pint of coke whilst we enjoyed the sun and the live music as we put the world to rights. As I say I love the whole atmosphere of the stack yes it's pricey but go during the day and obviously not on a match day and it has a really chilled, family and dog friendly vibe.

After an hour or so we headed back to the city centre and I resumed my mission of the day which was to find the Jellycat Amuseables Mozzarealla. It was love at first sight with this one - a cute ball of fresh cheese, with a tomato beret, and a basil leaf in his hand, he was just too cute, I only have a few Jellycats (I love them but they are way too expensive!!) but I knew i needed to add this one to my collection, the only trouble was I couldn't find him.

There are now no Jellycat stockists in the Metro Centre, and both Fenwick's and one of the independent stockists in Newcastle were sold out. John Lewis was my last hope and to be honest it didn't look promising I couldn't even find their Jellycat stand and then all of a sudden Helen spotted a tiny little display in the gift department with less than a dozen Jellycat's and guess who was front and centre - he was the last one, and now he's mine. Totally overpriced for what he is but I love him, he's so cute and so well made. A nice keepsake for a lovely day with a lovely friend x 

I'm almost embarrassed as to where this post is now headed but believe me over the last few months I've needed something to make me smile and spending money on stupid stuff seems to be the way forward.

Like most people these days I often find myself mindlessly scrolling Tik Tok late at night, some of the content pees me off beyond belief but about a month or so ago I found myself being drawn into Labubu tok. Initially I was not impressed they were quite frankly a bit scary and evil looking, and my bigest question was why? Gradually though the worm turned and after watching some hilarious lafufu (fake labubus) unboxings I wanted to join in so I bought a few from SHEIN and TEMU two of which you can see on the left and right below,  not great but at least they weren't bald lol eventually though good luck looked down on me and I managed to get a real Labubu x Pronounce Wings Of Fortune from Pop Mart online which you can see in the middle. She's lovely and much better quality than my fake ones but they are a lot more fun, so much so in fact that I've ordered another two from SHEIN...

I'm addicted but I think what I'm more addicted to is the blind / mystery box aspect and the surprise element. I've bought a few other Sanrio collectable blind boxes, and a few Sanrio stationary mystery boxes from SHEIN (you can see some unboxings of those on my Tik Tok here and here ) and I also recently picked up of these blind box plushes from the Sanrio Latte Series, so cute and great if you like the idea of a plush bag charm but you aren't that keen on labubus. Yes I know I'm an adult but it's all about what makes you happy and whether that's a blind big, a white cat in a bear suit or a scary looking rabbit demon hybrid, you do you!

I have one more buy to share with you and again it was a spendy birthday money buy - As a Newcastle fan last season was the best one in my memory eventually breaking the trophy drought and seemingly with everything to look forward to but then this summer happened and whilst we've made some quality signings a Swedish inspired cloud now hangs over us grrrr why cant we ever have nice things? Anyways I debated whether or not to buy a new season shirt but I saw these instead and I thought I'd probably get more wear out of them than I would a shirt. These are the official Adidas Newcastle United Sambas and I love them the branding is actually pretty discreet with the crest on the tongue and the word Newcastle gold on the side of the left shoe, so it's not that in your face which should make them easier to wear. I didn't own any Samba's so it really was a no brainer. 

So that's where I'm at, existing, stumbling on at times, and just trying to bring a little bit of joy into my life. I'm going to try and get back into blogging and social media again, and I've got a few drafts in progress so I'm going to be posting a little bit more regularly, next up will be the start of an epic empties catch up, I'm also working on some nail posts, and even more empties posts x I'm also hopefully meeting up with Helen's mam who is up north this week, so I may have another teeny tiny Metro Centre haul to share with you soon as well x Till then though thanks for sticking with me and if you have any questions on anything that I've mentioned in this post then please leave me a comment xx 

*This Post Contains Automatic, Added Affiliate And Non Affiliate Links

70 Years Of Hurt Gone In An Instant, And A Lifetime Of Memories Brought To The Surface

      

Picture Courtesy Of Newcastle United 

It's safe to say that if you're of the black and white persuasion, the last 48 hours have been pretty crazy. Although I don't post about football anywhere near as much as I did in the early days of this blog, my love for Newcastle United has never really waned. I was initially going to post this as a tweet or a thread but it soon became apparent that there were too many words and feels for short form media.

On Sunday night, Newcastle United broke their 70 year domestic trophy drought, when they beat Liverpool 2-1 to win the Carabao EFL Cup. Like so many of my fellow fans I watched the majority of the game on tv through my hands, unlike my mam whose faith never waivered, I wasn't confident in the slightest and even when Big Dan Burn headed us in front I still didn't dare to dream, when Isak scored a second finally there was hope but then came VAR and the Liverpool goal, and goodness knows how many minutes of added time which was almost torturous, I was really starting to think that it's the hope that kills you, but we held on and when the final whistle blew I'll admit that like so many other fan that I cried, tears of joy, relief, and to be honest what could have been.

I know what some of you are thinking, it's just a game it's not that deep but for so many Newcastle fans or anyone that truly supports a football club it really is. Eddie Howe mentioned his late mum in his press conference, Alan Shearer talked about his late dad in a podcast and I've seen so many tweets and posts about people talking about family members that never got to experience what we have over the last few days.

Growing up where I did you supported Newcastle or Sunderland, whilst my dad had memories of watching games at both clubs, by the time I came along you had to choose, and my dad went with the boys in black and white, and my fate was sealed. Being a girl in the 80's first real football memory was Italia 90, I vaguely remember the penalty misses and Gazza's tears, even if I didn't quite understand what was going on - 2 years later though everything changed, and that was thanks to Kevin Keegan.

I remember the hope and the excitement when the hero returned, he miraculously kept us up that season, and the 92/93 season was when my obsession really started, I listened to games avidly on the radio, and watched them on tv when I could, and the season culminated in promotion to the Premier League, and a 7-1 home win against Leicester City. Me and some of my friends attended the promotion parade, which ended in the pouring rain outside Newcastle Civic Centre, there were people climbing trees, and up lamp posts to see the players and KK himself on the balcony, and the bus ride home was a cacophony of noise including 'if you're proud to be a Geordie be a tree.'

God This Photo Is Old Little Louise In Her Umbro Blue Star Top And Check Out The Black And White Scrunchies! 

Then like now tickets were hard to come by, the ground looked nothing like it does now, so I didn't actually attend my first proper Premier League game until the 3rd May 1995 when I was lucky enough to witness a 3-3 draw against Spurs, which included a goal by the legendary Jurgen Klinsmann. I attended the odd game here and there, and experienced everything from Keegan leaving, to the Andy Cole signing and then leaving and then the arrival of Alan Shearer, can you imagine what twitter would have been like in those days? given some of the meltdowns Newcastle fans have seen lately it doesn't bare thinking about.

We went through a few more managers and a couple of more comings and goings and then Sir Bobby returned and that coincided with me meeting a fellow fan, who would become one of my bestest and dearest friends, and I started going to games more regularly especially cup games thanks to her brothers season ticket, and after a long hiatus my dad and even my mam ended up going to a few games, sitting in the Platinum club as was!

'Big Les" AKA My Dad💔

At home me and my dad used to watch football on the television driving my mam mad at time, but the funny thing is we never actually went to a game together but for those of you who aren't aware of my story that should have changed on the 4th November 2002. My friend wasn't well so my dad took her ticket for the Middlesbrough game, but unfortunately he collapsed on the way to the ground, we never made it to the match that night, and my dad never made it home, passing away in the early hours of November 5th in the Freeman Hospital.

I guess things could have gone either way after that night, I could have continued to have been haunted by the memories of that fateful night, and rejected the noise, and the black and white shirts or I could carry on and continue doing something that I know he would love and I that I had grown to love - it comes as no surprise that  I chose the latter - I think it took a month or so before I went back to a game , and I'm not going to lie my stomach was churning, someone in front was wearing my dads aftershave Hugo Boss Dark Blue which I guess could have been a sign and the memories came flooding back soon though I was concentrating on the game, shouting at the referee, and moaning like I know my dad would have done.

Soon after that I got my first season ticket and several more followed it, I went on to witness the end of Sir Bobbys reign, Souness, Bowyer v Dyer, the Intertoto Cup win, a memorable for many reasons away win at West Ham, and of course Shearer breaking Jackie Milburn's record. My mam to her credit really tried to be enthusiastic and she still tries even if I do have to re explain the rules every now and then, and tell her again who Schar is, but I miss sharing things with my dad and doing an after match de brief before and after his Sunday lunch time pub trips.

The fun couldn't last though, Mike Ashley the billionaire that would hopefully take us to the next level arrived, and his arrival seemed to coincide with my own body giving up on me - after several low lows, relegation was the final straw, I was attending less and less games, my health was failing and I couldn't justify keeping my season ticket.

Supporting Newcastle through that was hard, although there were glimpses here and there of what could be, supporting a team that was happy with just existing especially when being so unwell was hard, I'd used football as a crutch at times, not only was it a link to my dad but it was a link to normality, how things used to be and it was fading away, especially when covid came on the scene.

Then like that everything changed again, there was talk of a takeover, I started engaging again with NUFC social media accounts, even arguing with the odd journalist here and there, but then hopes were dashed again but the fanbase mobilised we wanted change, we wanted to believe again, and finally on 7th October 2021 we had new owners and the hope and the pride was back. That was another emotional day I can imagine how excited my dad would have been and how he would have loved all the pub talk about signings and managers, and the whole morals and ethics of been owned by the Saudis and some more southern billionaires, and that was a feeling that was amplified when we qualified for the Champions League in 2023 for the first time in the 20 or so years since my dad had passed - that game was so emotional I went on twitter and whilst it can be a cesspit pretty much most of the time now, some of the comments and messages I got that night after sharing my story really soothed my soul.

So here I am we've won a trophy, and whilst my dad was lucky enough to see us win a couple, it was a experience that we never shared, we were together for 2 FA Cup finals, and we were both stunned as we threw away that 12 point lead, but this time when it mattered, it was just me and my Mam watching through our hands. I'm sure wherever he is though he was raising a glass along with so many other members of the toon army that we've lost along the way, and next time I go to visit his grave I'll tell him again about Bruno's tears, Burn's header, pump it up, Yasir, and Jamie with their winners shirts over their suits, the brilliance of Edward John Frank Howe, and why we as Newcastle fans have so many reasons to be excited for the future.

It's not just a game or a football team it's about the shared memories and experiences that it brings. Our lives change, we lose people, we meet new people, and we may even lose and find ourselves again along the way but if you support a team, that club is one of the few constants that we have and that's why it means to so much to so many, and why its so important that even in this world of billionaires, match day tourists, PSR, media rights, and You Tubers, that the true fans aren't left behind x 

Life Lately - Illness, And Fatigue With A Couple Of Sparks Of Normality - St. James Stack, Sephora, Shopping And A Few Outfits*

When I published my last post on the 26th August  I was really hopeful that I'd turned the corner both illness and life wise and that I ready to get my blog on and return to regular posting but since this post is going live on 27th October, it's pretty obvious that things went belly up again, so to restart my blogging journey again, I thought I'd do a little life lately post to update you all on where I've been and what I've been up to.

I've got to say that the week following my last post was a good one, I'd been feeling drained and fatigued but I'd be a good girl and tried to conserve my spoons the best I could because I had something exciting to do that I just couldn't miss - a trip to Newcastle!

Now for the majority of people an hours bus journey to the nearest big city is probably a pretty regular occurrence and whilst it's something that I used to do at least every other week, my ailing body now says no, and my trips into town are a lot less frequent than I would like, so as I was doing something a bit more interesting than usual I decided to document my trip with some outfit pics.

What I Wore

Indigo Denim Jeggings - Pep & Co

Blue Blazer / Suit Jacket - SHEIN Curve 

Short Sleeve Navy Blue Striped T-Shirt - SHEIN Curve 

Chunky Labradorite Stone Necklace - SHEIN

Adidas Court 2.0 Trainers - Navy / White 

Michael Kors Mercer Pebbled Leather Accordion Tote Bag - Admiral

Yes, it's the usual jeans and a top look that I'm so well known for but with the addition of some fabulous navy and white stripes, and a lightweight blazer - it definitely gave out some continental vibes, teamed up with some all be it new retro style trainers (note to self break your trainers in a bit before you wear them for a long period of time!) and a coordinating tote bag for all my junk - I created an easy, practical and comfortable outfit that was ideal for a warm early September day.

So I went to Newcastle for a mooch around the shops and for something to eat, but the real purpose of my visit was to meet up with one of my oldest friends Helen - she's lived in Stoke on Trent for a long time now and I don't see her anywhere nearly enough, but she came up north for a few days, and come hell or high water I was going to spend some time with her.

After a little look around the shops we headed up towards the cathedral on the hill, St. James' Park of course, home of Newcastle United as Helen wanted to get a few bits from the club shop and the we went for some lunch.

There are so many great places to eat in Newcastle but one if the newest venues opening in mid August is St. James' Stack Presented By Sela, that stands right opposite St. James' Park, next to the Metro station.

If your unfamiliar with the concept of the Stack it's basically a whole load of shipping containers combined to create a haven for bars and street food stall - there are a couple throughout the north east with another couple to come including one in the new Pilgrims Place development in Newcastle city centre.

What makes St' James' Stack special though is that it's Newcastle United themed from the toilets, to the signage to the planters, everything is black white and the lasses haven't been forgotten either. Whilst it's exclusively for Newcastle United fans on a home match day, everyone and their dog is welcome at any other times. There are big screens for the football, quiz nights, karaoke, and live music (there was a fabulous guitarist and singer performing when we were there), so whether you're a football fan or not it's a great asset to the city.

Whilst the entertainment is a nice touch the big selling point for The Stack is obviously the food and drink, there are loads of street food stalls selling everything from burgers and pizzas, to Greek food and Korean corn dogs, to Mexican food, BBQ, bao buns, Indian food, and even duck fries, and theres even a coffee shop if you want a pastry fix. There really is something for everyone, and what I really like is that everyone you're with can have something different so you don't need to worry about finding one restaurant to please everyone.

There is loads of shared seating both upstairs and downstairs but we went upstairs where it was a little bit quieter (it was pretty busy for a Tuesday afternoon) and after having a little look around we decided to try some Indian street food at Ok Please! which is owned by the same people who own Dabbawal in Jesmond and in city centre. We both went for the lunch menu which was a main, a side and drink, so I went for the Indian Vegan Burger, with the Masala Fries, and the Mango Lassi which was £14. There was some proper spice to the burger which came with spicy chutney, but the real star was the Masala Fries, crispy french fries topped with crispy onions, and the most amazing spicy garlic sauce, my tongue was definitely tingling and the mango lassi hit the spot perfectly - fruity and super creamy.

After we'd eaten we were in no hurry to leave, it was a lovely afternoon, we were enjoying the music, the vibes, and dog spotting so we decided to get a drink from one of the numerous bars that the stack has to offer. There are 6 different bars in the Stack complex offering everything from draught beers, and spririts to specially created cocktails, we went to Crowd Cantina a Brazilian themed bar and got this fabulous cocktail which I believe was a limited edition which contained lots of citrus and fruit flavours and Absolut Hunni vodka, think amped up Lockets throat sweets - it was pricy but it was pretty strong and it was a decent serving.

I don't think it's the cheapest place to eat or drink in Newcastle but the vibes are good, and if you want food, drink and entertainment all under one roof, then I think it's a great place to go with friends or family, and if you're a Newcastle fan especially on a match day it's a must with guests and former players all adding to the pre match build up. All in all a good day, good food, a good look around the shops, and most importantly time spent with a good friend that I really don't see enough of.

By the time I got home though that's when everything predictably started to go wrong, my feet wore sore thanks to my new trainers, and I just felt as though my body was seizing up. The saying no pain, no gain certainly applies in my case and it's so frustrating that doing something that I enjoy leads to so much pain and discomfort, it was 100% worth it but  I literally suffered from exacerbated joint and muscle pain for about the next week, thankfully I rallied a bit for my mams birthday, before falling victim to a horrid, horrid flu like cold that literally lasted for about a fortnight. I even did a few covid tests to be sure but it was just a late summer cold / flu thing that again lead me to miss on things that I wanted to do.

September saw the opening of two brand spanking new Sephora stores in the north east, one in Newcastle and one in the Metro Centre - whilst I would have loved to have gone on opening weekend, there was no way that I could queue up overnight, or deal with huge crows, so I tried to go the week after and since the cold still wasn't budging I didn't end up going until the 7th October.

Again in celebration of me properly leaving the house I decided to take a couple of outfit pictures, again similar vibes to the previous look, but with some different jeans (I do love skinnys but I'm trying something new), a splash of animal print, a smaller more lightweight bag, and the same now broken in trainers

What I Wore

Navy Blue Blazer / Suit Jacket - SHEIN Curve 

Navy Blue Animal Print Raglan Sleeve Top - SHEIN Curve 

 YOURS Curve Ruby Indigo Blue Straight Leg Jeans - YOURS Clothing

Labradorite Heart Necklace - SHEIN

Adidas Court 2.0 Trainers - Navy / White

Kate Spade New York Cameron Street Lucie Crossbody Bag - Blazer Blue 

So after my earlier trip I decided to go to the Metro Centre store, partially for convenience (I could get a lift and my mam could wait in the car) but mainly because the new Metro Centre Sephora is apparently a bit bigger and stocks more brands than the Newcastle one.

There were a couple of things that I wanted but to be honest the shop had already been well ravaged some of tester eyeshadows etc. were wrecked and there were quite a few bits out of stock. So I ended up just getting a few lip bits. I've wanted to try the Laneige Lip Sleeping mask for a while now so I grabbed one of those and the matching lip balm, and I also got another one of the Glossier Balm Dotcom salves this time in Mango, which tastes incredible. I also had a little look at the well ravaged Sephora Collection eyeshadows and picked up Silverstorm which a gorgeous sparkly silver / grey perfect for the party season

What I Bought 

Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask - Sweet Candy - 20g - £19

Laneige Lip Glowy Balm - Sweet Candy - 10g - £16

Glossier Mango Balm Dotcom Universal Salve- 15ml - £14

Sephora Collection Colorful Eyeshadow - Shimmer - 601 Silverstorm - 1g - £7.99

I really wanted one of the Rare Beauty Melting Blushers but shade I wanted was out of stock - so I may have ordered it online from the My Sephora Sale alongside my free reward product - every cloud as they say. There was a lot of stuff in store that I fancied trying but I'm finding it really hard to justify spending money on make up and skincare especially at the moment when I have so much. I'm going to have a bit of a clear out and get rid of a few bits that I don't use anymore then maybe a can justify another purchase or two. We really are spoilt for choice in the north east now when it comes to beauty what with two Sephoras, Flannels Beauty, H Beauty, and the new look Fenwick Beauty Haul, it's a great time to be a beauty junkie.

After my Sephora visit  I popped into Primark for but again I didn't really get too much, a top for Mummy Lou and some winter boots, I just can't find my size in anything I like lately, it's so frustrating - I managed to get a Hello Kitty & Friends sweatshirt when I was in Newcastle, but the same jumper in the Metro Centre, wasn't available in anything above a medium, it so frustrating going in there at the moment as a curvier girl. Even though I was only in the Metro Centre for about an hour and a half my body rebelled again and I spent another few days in pain and hobbling around but again I'll still say it was worth it for allowing me to feel like a 'normal' person for even a small amount of time.

Although I didn't buy much in Primark I have been doing a little bit of online shopping lately, including some Christmas shopping - where on earth has this year gone? I have bought a few bits from SHEIN, in some peoples eyes not ideal I know but they have my size and its really affordable - yes some items can be hitty missy but I've certainly had more better quality items (including some bits in my OOTD's) than rubbish ones, the Yours jeans that you can see above, and I've bought a few beauty bits including this recent package from Lush.

I don't honestly buy that much from Lush now I just can't really justify the prices most of the time now but I couldn't resist ordering these two blast from the past items. I would say IYKYK but if not I'll explain anyway. First up the white tub, Lush Cocoa Butter Hand & Body, a nod to time the Lush founders, spent with The Body Shop founder, the late Anita Roddick, and a almost exact interpretation of The Body Shop's original Cocoa Butter Hand & Body Lotion - one sniff of this and I was taken back to the 80's, Kiwi Lip Balm, Japanese Washing Grains, Dewberry, Fuzzy Peach, Green Apple and Cocoa Butter. The smell is nothing like anything else cocoa butter scented that you've ever tried and that's why it's so nostalgic.

Talking of nostalgia if you remember the very early days of Lush and even as far back as the Cosmetics To Go days then you'll be familiar with Skinny Dip Shower Gel. Originally released in 1995 was originally marketed as a white chocolate shower gel but it's actually so much more than that. The scent is perfect for the colder months, with a slight white chocolate undertone, it contains spicy cloves, cedarwood and exotic ylang ylang, it creamy warming, and again it takes my back to a different place - At £16 for the shower gel and £20 for the body lotion, this wasn't a cheap haul but it was well worth it for the memories.

So I've done a bit of online shopping, I've picked up the odd thing, mainly beauty dupes in Home Bargains, B&M and Aldi, and I've spent a lot of time indoors again. My flu jab knocked me for 6 and it's fair to say that I'm not looking forward to my covid booster next month but when you're clinically vulnerable it has to be done. My mam has had flu too and thankfully it didn't bother her at all which is just as well as to be honest she's had enough going on. She had a slight fall, nothing major at the start of September, the odd bruise here and there but nothing to worry about, then earlier this month she started having some pain in back and hip, so she went to see her GP who sent her for an X-Ray, she ended up having to go the main hospital in Durham which was obviously a bit of a faff, but she's been told that she has a tiny fracture in her hip / femur, it's just where a ligament has pulled off a little bit of bone. So now we wait - she's going to have to see someone in orthopaedics at the fracture clinic when they decided what to do. Since she has a hip replacement if it's minor enough they may decide to just leave it as is, and maybe give her a brace, and painkillers, or worse case scenario they may need to go in and operate. So we are really playing the waiting game, it's awful seeing her in pain, but I know she doesn't want surgery so what will be, will be.

It always seem to be the way in this house if it's not one thing it's another, my mam is convinced we or the house is curserd! So that's where I am and that's where I've been I've probably left loads out but this post is already way too wordy as it is. I'm back and I'm online for now at least I've got a couple of posts planned over the next week including a little nails of the day and the next instalment of my empties catch up, so if you're still here thanks for sticking around and don't forget to follow me elsewhere on social media via the links in my sidebar x 

*This Post Contains Affiliate And Non Affiliate Links

Intu Eldon Square Fashion Spooktacular*

I don't know about you but the fact that another month starts next week terrifies me, at the moment I'm really feeling as though life is starting to pass me by! As scary as it seems though, it does mean that we're one step closer to my favourite time of year, Christmas. I love Christmas but strange as it sounds I've heard a few people say that it isn't their favourite time of year. There are loads of reasons I guess why that could be, but a lot of people seem to to prefer another holiday or special day and for that reason a certain day next week is their favourite day of the year, What am I talking about? Well Halloween of course!

I must admit that as an adult I can take Halloween or I can leave it, I carve a pumpkin, and get sweets ready for the trick or treaters but I can honestly say that I don't get that excited about it any more. I think I was more a fan of it as a child, with my bin bag costume, my hollowed out turnip and my witches hat but Halloween has come on a long way since then, and maybe that's why some many adults get so excited about it and dress up and decorate their homes as if it was Christmas.

When things become popular understandably retailers jump on the band waggon and play a role in creating the hype. Look in any store or online and the words Glamourween, Do Horror In Style, Hauntingly Beautiful or Scream Queens will jump out at you as retailers promote their Halloween themed fashion, accessories and home ware.

Is that a bad thing? No not my eyes I'm all for people having fun, and whether you're a fan of all things spooky or not, and you live in the North East, take my advice and head to Intu Eldon Square over the next few days to get both some spooky home and fashion advice, and some fashion hints and tips for the Autumn and Winter seasons ahead

On Monday night, myself and a small, select group of North East bloggers were invited down to Intu Eldon Square to experience everything that the Fashion Spooktacular has to offer and to experience a little bit of what's going to be going on over the next few days.

Conveniently sited near to New Look, Debenhams, and Dorothy Perkins, Intu have created their very own spooky themed walk in capsule wardrobe. Step inside and you'll find rails of clothing featuring some of the seasons key fashion and accessory trends from stores throughout Eldon Square including Adidas, Top Shop, and Oasis, intermingled with Halloween themed accessories, such as masks and hats from the likes of Claires, Accessorize and Ann Summers, and even some Halloween home items including pumpkins, wreaths and even black cats.

With Halloween themed music including Thriller by Michael Jackson, Black Magic By Little Mix, and of course the Time Warp from Rocky Horror playing in the background, we started off the evening as bloggers do with some food and drink and some lovely paella, tapas and sangria, courtesy of Tapas Revolution which is now open in the centre new Grey's Quarter.

Then clutching our sangria and day of the dead, skull themed plates we then had the opportunity to get some seasonal themed style advice.

Over the next three days, the team from Intu Eldon Square will be giving you the opportunity to attend their fashion spooktacular and get not only some Halloween style advice but also some more general autumn and winter fashion tips. There are three workshops a day and they are free to attend.

27th and 29th October 2017

11.30am - Creepy Crawly Homeware 

How to achieve the chicest Halloween home

1.30pm - How To Pick A Wicked Winter Coat

Explore some of the seasons key outerwear trends and find out the style advice your need to pick your own perfect winter coat

3.30pm Autumn Winter Capsule Wardrobe Wizardry 

Personal style advice on to pick on trend pieces that can be paired together to maximise your look in the seasons ahead

28th October 2017

11.30am - How To Pick A Wicked Winter Coat

1.30pm Our Top Ten Must Have Autumn / Winter Items

Showcasing some of the key pieces for Autumn / Winter 2017 including boots, statement t-shirts and knits

3.30pm - Scarily Good Halloween Costume Ideas

Tips on how to find and create the chicest Halloween costumes, and well as fun costume ideas for the little ones.

All of the styling sessions and workshops will held by a member of the style team and if you're lucky enough you might get to meet the Fashion Fortune Teller herself, or as she's known in real life Emma, you can find all about Emma and what she does on her own website Stylissimo and let me tell you this lady knows her stuff. She is an image consultant and personal shopper, a fashion blogger and writer and she is also a personal and commercial stylist and she is going to be on hand to answer all of you fashion and style questions over the next few days. 

On the night Emma told us a little bit about the workshops and what exactly each one covers before giving us a taster of the Scarily Good Halloween Costume Ideas session. Yes I know you can go out and buy a costume off the peg but surely there are more glamorous ways to create a Halloween fashion statement? 

Well, there are and Emma gave us some great hints and tips on how to create a chic Halloween look by taking some clothing pieces from some of the stores in the centre and teaming them with cute Halloween themed accessories, and make up sets to create some both fun and stylish looks.

I'm all for versatility when it comes my wardrobe, and although it doesn't look like as times, I do try to shop carefully and consider things like cost per wear when I choosing more expensive pieces, so her advice was perfect for my way of thinking. Whilst a lot of the pieces could be worn as part of a stylish Halloween ensemble, a lot of them could also be dressed down or worn casually or they could even be recycled and used as Christmas party outfits, by changing how you wear them and by changing your accessories. She showed us some beautifully pieces but I fell head over heels in love with this black velvet kimono style jacket from River Island. You can't see it too clearly here but it's covered in pearls and beading and whilst it would look great over a plain black dress you could also dress it down and wear it over jeans and a statement t-shirt, it also comes in the River Island Curve range too which is a bonus.

As I seem to have said quite a lot recently I do love a blog and press events, but the ones that really stand out to me are when you actually get to do something, be it try a new product, learn a new skill, or get really involved in some way and as result the next part of the night was right up my street.

The team from Intu Eldon Square had teamed up with several of the centres stores to set myself and my fellow bloggers some challenges, either individually or in pairs, so after being handed a envelope with our names on, we all went our separate ways, some of us were making bath bombs in Lush, one blogger had an Urban Decay makeover, some went to eat, and some us went to stores such as John Lewis and Top Shop, to create seasonal themed home ware settings and seasonal outfits.

I was paired up with the lovely Laura, and we headed to Dorothy Perkins, where we were asked to create a Christmas party outfit with shoes and accessories with a budget of £100. I'm not going to lie I let Laura take the lead, I love her style, and some of things that she wears, so it was interesting to see how she puts an outfit together. We decided to go for something just that little bit different, sequins, glitter and sparkle are brilliant and they have their place but we went for something that you could actually wear again either together or as separate pieces on a day to day basis. We teamed a khaki (that's what it says online but it's really a vintage, bottle green) Pu mini skirt up with an oriental design, statement print bardot style top, and then picking out some of the colours in the top, we chose a pair of burgundy Mary Jane style, suede effect heels, and a black patent clutch to mix up the textures a bit, and then we finished the look with a pair of long black tassel earrings to compliment the oriental feel, and the off the shoulder top.

It was good fun not only experiencing how somebody else looks at clothing but also because we had a chance to have a good look around the store and believe me they have a lot of things in at the moment that I want!

After snapping a few pics and saying thank you to the team at Dorothy Perkins we headed back to the Fashion Spooktacular zone to compare our experiences with Emma and our fellow bloggers. The next part of the evening and the next thing that the team at Intu had treated us to was a potion cocktail experience at The Alchemist, which is a popular cocktail bar and restaurant which is  also located in Greys Quarter. Unfortunately due to my reliance on public transport on the night I had to pass, and headed home with my arms laden with goodies, including this beautiful flower arrangement / bouquet from Katherines Florists.

Apologies that this photo is taken in the amazing surroundings of Eldon Square Bus Station but I was paranoid that it wouldn't last the journey, thankfully though it did, and now both myself and my mum are getting the chance to enjoy the beautiful autumnal toned flowers and foliage. I'm particularly loving the orange Physalis that remind of little pumpkins.

We also received a lovely day of the dead, sugar skull themed loot bag full of goodies including Halloween themed sweets, a brooch from Tiger, a notepad from Accessorize, a NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream, a Lush Butterball Ballistic make up samples from Urban Decay and Inglot, and discount vouchers from Burtons, Dorothy Perkins, and Monsoon, a makeover voucher for Inglot and we were also very kindly gifted an Intu gift card which I will be putting to good use soon, what will I buy though decisions, decisions!

I'd like to say a huge thank you to Intu Eldon Square for hosting the event, on what was a very trying evening with fire alarms and what not, I also want to thank Emma, and the team from Tapas Revolution, and of course Dorothy Perkins and all of the other retailers involved. If you're in Newcastle over the next few days I would definitely recommend that you pop into Intu Eldon Square, and take advantage of the Fashion Spooktacular and get your self some style tips, for the season ahead. You can find out more about the Fashion Spooktacular and what Intu Eldon Square has to offer on their official website. Any questions please leave me a comment and I will see you tomorrow with a very rare outfit post x 

*Blog Press / Event 

  Some Photographs Kindly Provided By Intu Eldon Square