I think having a fireplace in a living room is like having a bed in a bedroom (did I just say that?!) - It's the main focal point of the room, and one that at Christmas time, you can really have some fun 'dressing' up.
I've included 2 photos below, the first being of my living room 3 years ago - the first Christmas we had in our new house. As you can see, although I didn't go OTT with decorating it, the glow of the roaring fire and flickering candles add a huge amount of cosiness to the room. I like how the Christmas tree sits beside the fire as well. I learnt my lesson from hanging the cards on my marble fireplace... with the heat from the fire they had a tendency to keep falling off... no matter how much blue-tac I used!
Fast forward 3 years and this was my fireplace this Christmas. I wish I put the fire on for this photo (just to add to the cosiness!) but just imagine its on! Obviously with a decor change came a switch around the with Christmas decorations. I went for more shabby chic themed accessories because I'm all for matching!
Unfortunately, due to a new piece of furniture being added to our living room, we had to downsize on our Christmas tree, so had to go for a twig tree (which you can see in this photo!). It's not everyone's cup of tea but its practical, so much simpler (and quicker!) to decorate, as well as put away. It takes up half the space and is something that I could use all year round if I wanted (minus the baubles!). I don't have children yet so I can get away with this type of tree. When children come into the equation I think I'd be forced to drag the 'proper' tree back out and find a space for it in the conservatory instead!
Due to the whole tree situation, I felt like I had to make up with accessories instead as I felt we were lacking that festive feel. Small little additions such as burning some candles, fairy lights and a quick DIY fishbowl vase with some baubles and lights and bingo.. our festive fireplace is complete!
The big party season is fast approaching and I know I for one am in the process of deciding what to wear. I'm attending a works masquerade themed ball so I'm looking more on the glamorous/formal side as opposed to on-trend statement pieces. However! Being still fairly young myself, I didn't want to banish statement fashion altogether and dress old before my time...
I don't often have the opportunity to go into a Debenhams store, simply because we don't have one locally, however I did pop into one last week when I was on a city break and managed to pick up some really good Christmas gifts. I always forget how wonderful that shop is! Since then I've been browsing Debenhams website for Christmas party ideas and this is the style I'm hoping to achieve for my ball... The Black flock glitter embellished dress is beyond perfect for my figure. Having a curvy shape I need to accentuate the positives and downplay the negatives. The skater style cut is perfect, masking my lumps and bumps and (hopefully!) accentuating my bust! I love the unique neckline on this, and how the dress dips into a small U shape.. Because of this I don't think any necklaces are required - Never take the attention away from an already interesting neckline because you can overdo it! Also, not only does the big bow add simple yet effective detail to the dress, it will hopefully hide any sins around that area! The print itself I thought was elegant with a touch of festiveness with the glitter background, without being over-kill.
I still wanted a statement item with my outfit to add a little uniqueness, so I opted for this Coast Pizzaz clutch bag. I love electric blue so this was right up my street. It's bright and bold and spices a formal outfit up without being too extreme.
I wanted to tie the bold blue in a little more, so I opted for a few elegant jewellery pieces, the first one being this pretty Mood Luxe Blue Stone Bangle - I think this is the perfect combination of statement and elegant rolled into one.
The Jon Richard earrings are so gorgeous don't you think?! This kind of stone always reminds me of Kate Middleton's engagement ring that went viral in replica's. Due to wearing no necklace, I always think its fine to go a bit wild with earrings, as long as you avoid looking like Pat Butcher! I thought these were the perfect drop length, they ooze elegance, and both the blue and silver tie in perfectly.
When I go to a more formal event, I tend to wear my hair in a low bun to one side of the face, this way the earrings are on show and there's no fear of hair frizz! To add a little glamour to the hair, I have opted for this Jon Richard Vintage Flower Hair Comb. So pretty and I can imagine this to catch any light reflections in the evening and make you sparkle!
Shoes are something I occasionally struggle to team with an outfit, and I find myself not being very adventurous with styles. Again, I've gone for an elegant shoe, and decided on these Black Beau Court Shoes. I'd wear nude tights with the dress as opposed to black, simply to enhance the style of the shoe and the pretty bow. They're not too high so hopefully won't make you crippled before the dancing commences!
Are you going to any themed Christmas parties this year?
A lot of us have a nostalgic film that we were obsessed with as kids, and no matter how 'childish' it may seem to us as we grow older, it always has a special place in our heart, and it never fails to entertain us throughout our years.
That film for me is Disney's Mary Poppins, starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke. Mary Poppins is the biggest fantasy film of them all with horses hopping off carousels, people jumping into paintings, and a magical nanny that flies with an umbrella. It's quite apt because I dislike most modern day fantasy films now, I'm more of a realist girl, however because I grew up with this film, the magic behind it all I'm used to and have grown to love it.
I can't recall this moment, but my mum tells me at 4 years old I used to steal her sweeping brush and dance along with the chimney sweepers in the living room when they came on the TV screen.. I wish she took a photo!
I know pretty much every word to the film (and yes, I'm one of those annoying people that cannot refrain from saying the odd (several hundred) lines out loud as I'm watching it, so don't sit next to me!)
Taken in Magic Kingdom, Florida, last year (and no, none of those are me stood with Pops, unfortunately!)
I love the soundtrack to the film as well, almost every song is such a feel good pick-me-up song that lingers for hours afterwards (much to the annoyance of my boyfriend!). What makes it worse - I have them on CD as part of a Disney soundtrack that I play in the car. The poor soul can't escape them! I've several times over the years acted the songs out whilst I'm in the kitchen cooking tea, actions n' all!
I couldn't even choose a favourite soundtrack if you paid me (well... ok.. maybe!). I really do love them all. My most common favourite outbursts are usually 'It's a Jolly Holiday', 'The Perfect Nanny' or 'Lets go Fly a Kite' - ahh - so many! The majority of the songs are all really upbeat tracks full of positivity, independency and encouragement that emphasis how important it is to reach for your dreams and never give up. Although 'The Perfect Nanny' isn't necessarily upbeat, I just love the rhyming words that are included, with a little bit of humour in there for good measure; 'if you wont scold and, dominate us, we will never give you cause to hate us' 'We won't hide your spectacles so you can't see, put toads in your bed, or pepper in your tea'. It highlights how mischievous children of that age can be!
I like Uncle Albert's 'I Love to Laugh' scene whereby he is 'sitting' on the ceiling and bursts into this song, which highlights how important it is to laugh in life; "The more I laugh, the more I'm a merrier me" - so true. They then continue to have a tea party.. yes.. on the ceiling. I think laughing in general is a feel-good factor that lifts everyone's spirits.
What I love about this musical is that all of the main characters in the film each have their own personality and contribute with a song to match this, unlike some other musicals where it always appears to be the same character's singing, which can get a little tiresome. I like variation!
The whole soundtrack is something I can sing along too, reminisce about my own childhood, and the songs are easy enough to teach to my own children one day.
I'm currently teaching my 4 year old niece the words to the famous 'Supercalifragalisticexpialidocious,' a word to say when you don't know what to say! I'm determined to keep my love for it in the family, and until I have children of my own, my niece is my next best option! I must film her trying to sing it sometime.. it's so sweet!
I was so sad when I realized Mary Poppins was touring in the West End and I'd missed all the dates... when I discovered this she was making her way through Broadway in New York. Unfortunately I didn't quite persuade my boyfriend to take me to New York, no matter how many times I fluttered my eyelashes at him... maybe next time! ;-)
And just for the sake of this blog post, I may, just may, stick the DVD on right now, just talking about it has got me all giddy!
I'm always intrigued to know (but never will find out!) - If I was to watch Mary Poppins now for the first time, at the age of 29, would I like it? Hmmm... who knows!
Mary Poppins, Practically Perfect in Everyway.
This is my competition entry to #currysmovienight with Currys PC world. Find details here about the competition, but hurry, the deadline is midnight on 12th October!
As promised, I am pleased to be hosting another giveaway for you!
It's really simple to enter, just follow the rafflecopter instructions below!
Whats included?
Benefit 'They're Real!' mascara in black (Full size)
Avon pro+ nail polish in 'Impulsive Sky' (12ml)
Avon Color Trend nail polish in 'Vixen' (8ml)
Wild About Beauty eyeshadow in 'Matilda' (worth £13)
Avon Nail art gem wheel
Supergloop CC Cream (Light to Medium) (3ml)
Avon nail art glitter
Nail polish and gem pen
(All items are brand new and have been purchased with my own hard earned money. Total is approx £50+).
This competition will run for 3 weeks and close midnight (GMT) on Saturday 4.10.14. The winner will be chosen by using randomizer. I will announce the winner within 3 days of the closing deadline.
Entrants from the UK only please.
When I spied a competition being held by tots100 in conjunction with Victoria Plumb to win £500 worth of vouchers I jumped at the chance! The competition is being held to celebrate the Great British Home. The rules are to showcase your favourite shelf in your home, simples! As you know I love to show you snippets of my home interior, my favourite shelf being no exception!
This shelf you will find in my dressing room. Its actually more a shelf for show than serving a purpose. My dressing room has a shabby chic style and is full with lots of pastels.
When we first moved into our home, I remember really wanting to get my dressing room set up. It was our first home together and I'd never had a dressing room before, so couldn't contain my excitement! The 'Dream' sign I rushed putting up, I didn't know what I was doing, but just grabbed a hammer and a few nails and went for it. Predictably I did a bit of a 'bodge' job, it's definitely not as straight as I'd have liked! Luckily not many people come in this room to see my DIY skills though!
The 2 lanterns either side were really inexpensive and I thought it added some sort of symmetry to the shelf, as well as doubling up as book stands too!
As you can see I'm a fan of chick lits, Sophie Kinsella being one of my favourite authors. But only pastel coloured books are allowed!
The small card in front of my books is a thank you card given me to whilst I was in Vegas by my brother and sister-in-law, thanking me for being their bridesmaid. It has a cute fairy style design on the front so I thought the whimsical-ness of it matched the theme of my room. Whimsical-ness - is that even a word? Oh well...
The box underneath the mugs is actually an old beauty box that I am subscribed to. I loved the design and colours of it and thought it was too pretty to hide away so added a little definition to my shelf. It's actually faded a lot from the sun now so I may have to do a little moving around soon!
The mugs on top are bargains that I picked up from a supermarket. Again, the pastel colours attracted me. They don't get used, they're just for show. I'm in the process of replacing these with some vintage tea cups instead as I think they might be a little more appropriate!
The bubble baths in the front row I thought were perfect for this shelf - pastel coloured with a cute vintage cupcake style design on the packaging. I picked these up in the Christmas sale really cheap! They smell divine too! Behind them are 3 body moisturisers that I picked up all the way from Las Vegas from their famous Bath & Body Works shop. I have 2 the same because they smell SO good and I was frightened of running out of one and never being able to replace it, so I bought 2 identical ones! I'm still really strict on when I use them, special occasions only! Not only do they smell good but they remind me of my time in Vegas. I love getting flashbacks of holidays through scents - is that strange?!
Next to that is some body mist. This too is from Bath & Body Works and is the same scent as the moisturisers but in a different form! The consistency of this is strange, its like a lava lamp inside! Its full of shimmer and looks pretty to look at so it made the cut!
Victoria Plumb currently have an interior design interactive quiz on their website which determines who you take after for your home interior style in the celebrity world! I took the quiz (which was actually good fun!) and I turned out to be Mrs Boho Chic who resembles the likes of Monica and Chandler from Friends! Go and take the quiz and let me know who you resemble! You can be entered to win a competition too on completion! Its handy for those that aren't too sure on their home style as well!
Go and take a snap of your 'shelfie' to be in with a chance of winning, but hurry, the competition closes tonight at midnight!
M&Co recently contacted me to inform me that they were holding a competition to win your ultimate holiday wardrobe. As you all know I LOVE holidays and travel of any kind, so put that alongside the word 'competition' and you'll be guaranteed I'm on it.
To enter, M&Co have set bloggers a challenge to create their own holiday wardrobe capsule, stating why you've chosen your specific items and why it has to be in your suitcase! The challenge being you are only allowed to 'spend' £100 or less!
I thought hard about this - The last 3 holidays I've been on have been action packed to the point where I've needed another holiday to get over the first! They've consisted of early mornings, late nights and being on my feet all day in the heat. For those that don't know, the arches in my feet are about to 'drop' so being on my feet for long periods is really hard for me now. I've either been in that much pain or that tired that we have often missed eating out in the evening, which is unfortunate because for me, a part of going on holiday is to sample new foods and restaurants.
With that being said, I hope my next holiday in an ideal world is going to be a relaxing slow-paced one, full of days around the pool/beach with a good book and a cocktail. I'd be refreshed and pain-free, therefore actually wanting to dress up in the evening for a meal.
I browsed M&Co's holiday shop and spotted quite a few things I wouldn't mind sticking in my suitcase! I will admit I fell in love with a few of their dresses and kimono's! However knowing I was on a spending limit, I had to pack wisely!
#1 I spotted this gorgeous mint green tankini top which would be perfect for lounging round the pool or on the beach. I've put weight on and I'm extremely conscious so not only does this have extra coverage, but the layered frills will hide any lumps and bumps on my stomach that maybe a 'normal' tankini wouldn't. I'm a lover of all things pastel as well so this mint green colour is perfect, as is the polka dot print. Because of how self conscious I am, swimwear shopping is a little daunting for me as I struggle to find something to suit my figure, however this would definitely be on my wishlist this year should I be able to persuade my boyfriend to go on yet another holiday with me!
#2 I've been attracted to these high-waisted bikini bottoms ever since they came out in the shops. They're very 50's but are very flattering on the more curvaceous figure! I can imagine them being much more comfier than thong style bottoms too! (Oh dear, I'm showing my age now aren't I?!). As I previously stated, I intend my next holiday to be relaxing, so I need something comfy if I'm going to be in swimwear a lot!
#3 This floppy sun hat is a must for me as I'm a natural red-head, so I'm prone to burning, especially on my scalp! I think floppy sun hat's not only help protect your head against the suns rays, but teamed with a pair of large sunglasses, this will help create a stylish retro look.
#4 I remember the days when I used to pack about 6 pairs of shoes when I used to go away. Unfortunately now, me and heels aren't friends for very long anymore, so when I pack for a holiday, I'm looking for versatile sandals that I can team up with a variety of outfits, both day and night. This helps me to save a few kg on the luggage allowance too! I spotted these white cut-out sandals which can be worn both in the day and at night. They have an ankle strap which means no annoying 'flip-flopping' sound when you walk, or gripping them on your feet! (Who else hates that?!) They're flat as well, which means I may just be able to walk a little further ;-) The cute cut-out detail makes them just that little bit more pretty which makes them versatile for the evening too.
#5 When I saw this grecian mesh dress I just knew it'd be the perfect style for me. The gathering at the waist tucks in at the right place, the high neckline adds structure and almost creates an illusion that you're just that little bit slimmer! The material of this I can imagine to be light and floaty, which would be perfect for evenings when its cooling down. The elegance of this dress is timeless. I'd even pair it with the cut-out sandals, pop a silver clutch bag with it and some long drop silver earrings and I'd be good to go!
Total spent - £100 exactly. I don't mess around when someone gives me a budget!
I now want to go on a beach holiday with these clothes in my suitcase!
Which is your favourite items?
If you would like to enter this blogger challenge feel free! I'd love to see what you'd pack!
NB - I am running a giveaway on my blog to win a 250ml bottle of bioderma (the eye make-up remover every has raved about!). I have 2 up for grabs so enter now to be in with a chance of winning!
I'm back from Paris! And out the kindness of my own heart (and pocket!) I picked up probably THE most raved about eye make-up remover in the last 10 years to give away to you guys!
About a year ago you could only get your hands on this if you visited France (that's if it wasn't sold out!) or ordered over the internet and waited an age for it to arrive. Now I believe it is a little more accessible than that, but I still don't think it has hit the shops yet.
If you have never tried this, now is your chance, because I have 2 x 250ml bottles to giveaway to 2 lucky winners!
Enter via the Rafflecopter widget below.
Worldwide entries welcome.
Closing Date is 19th June 2014 at 7pm (GMT)
Winners will be chosen at random by rafflecopter. I will contact the winner within 24hrs. If the winner does not respond within 7 days, an alternative winner will be chosen.
Its the end of another month! Which means its time for me to round up my monthly wins, which are extremely small, but one of those is a fairly big prize, so all is not lost!
At the beginning of the month I was lucky enough to win a nights stay for 2 people at a hotel on the outskirts of Manchester...
This it the hotel which looks pretty impressive. I always stay in chain hotels, or hotels that have hundreds of rooms, so this is something a little different but I can't wait. The prize includes champagne on arrival, afternoon tea, champagne in our room, a 3 course meal later that night (again, with wine on ice) and breakfast the next morning.. I think I'm gonna walk away from there feeling pretty stuffed! But stuffed in a good way, cos it's all free ;-) (Approx value - £200).
The other prize I won was a Pixi Lipbalm (worth £12). I've heard of this brand before, and I know its only been around for a couple of years but I've always wanted to try some of their products, so this was much appreciated.
I've had to use a stock photo because my phone is playing up...sorry!
So these are my February wins... I'm hoping for some good ones in March now!
Some may (or may not) know that I enter competitions as a hobby in my spare time (and sometimes not in my 'spare' time but in my most busiest times when I'm meant to be doing other things, but Sshh!)
I have been comping on and off for a couple of years now but last year was the year I began to comp seriously (and it paid off with a few really good wins inc a 7 night all inclusive holiday to Turkey and a dance class in Pineapple Studios with Arlene Phillips judging us! This also included a hotel stay, a theatre ticket, tea at The Hilton and travel expenses!).
I've been in two minds whether to do this post (for several reasons), but I really enjoy reading others competition wins and seeing photos. It helps to inspire me at times where my comping 'mojo' is at a low, so I thought I'd begin to share my monthly wins with everyone too.
I usually tend to avoid competitions based on luck, but rather go for more skilled ones which require effort. These I tend to be more successful with and feel like I've earnt the prize if I happen to win. However the past few months I've really got into twitter, and have been entering competitions through simple retweets, and have been fairly successful. No huge wins in January, but wins nonetheless that keep me going:
Tanning lotion - £10
Memory foam pillow - £32. (I used to hate memory foam mattress' & pillows but this has bizarrely done my lower back wonders!
Cute i-phone case - £16.99
Caramelised Cashews. I don't think I was meant to receive this many bags initially, but the company were late sending my winnings out because my email had been misplaced to they kindly sent me some 'extra'. Either way, these bags are worth almost £2 in the shops, so that's £8 worth of nuts!
Like I said, nothing massive but it keeps me going, and such a buzz knowing you have received something for nothing.
Comping isn't easy - depending on the amount of comps you enter, its extremely time consuming. I'm lucky in the fact that I don't have children yet and only really have myself to worry about. Because of this, I can put extra time into effort-based comps so I stand a better chance of winning. Comping isn't for everyone and many believe that competitions are fake. I agree, some are, but the majority are real, and posts like these prove it. I wish I had blogged about them from the start to show you all! I still have photographic prove from a lot of them so maybe sometime soon if you're interested! Entering competitions gives you that chance of winning things that you may not have been able to afford otherwise, or even have access to (I've just read on someone's blog that they won a sleepover in Hamleys Toy Shop in London!) so there's many bizarre but wonderful prizes that you'd never be able to access otherwise (another example is my dancing getting judged by Arlene Phillips... I don't even think money could buy that!).
Do you enter competitions? What's your best win so far? I'd love to hear from you!
Sorry for only just getting round to announcing the winner of my American Beauty giveaway.
A big thank you to everyone that entered but as always, there can only be one winner. Without further ado, the winner is Kat from My Little Dream World. Congratulations! An email will be making its way to you now!
Thanks again to everyone that entered.
I have something in the pipeline which will give you the opportunity to win more prizes very soon. Keep your eyes peeled!
Today is a little bit of a different post (and a quite intrusive/embarrassing post if I'm honest!). Annie over at The Quarter-Life Tales of Annie Bean is hosting a little competition. Actually, its not at all little, its the chance to win £1000 to spend on the gorgeous Laura Ashley range to refresh a room in your house that needs a little TLC!
You all know I love a bit of home interior. Ever since I moved into my own home 2 years ago (wow, that's gone so quick!), I'm always on the look out for something pretty and unique for my home. I always swoon over Laura Ashley items but just never have the money to spend on such things.
For this competition I have chosen our main bedroom. You've probably all glanced at the photos thinking 'well that doesn't look like it needs a lot of refreshing!' - Don't let the ruffled cushions and bed runner fool you! Hear me out!
Re-wind 2 years. We'd been in our house a matter of weeks, and I was working so hard to try and get it the way I wanted it. My boyfriend had just started a new job the week we moved in (bad timing!) so I was left to do most of the painting and wallpapering myself. Each room in my house has a different colour scheme (I like colour in my life!). So for our main bedroom I decided to go for golds and browns, simply because I'd never dabbled in those colours before! Within a matter of weeks of moving in, we organized a house warming party. I'm not going beat around the bush here - I wanted my house to look the bee's knee's ready for everyone coming round. A few days before the party, we still didn't have any bedroom furniture, and I was panicking.. so, in true Kate style, I did an impulse buy (as much as my boyfriend told me not to) and settled on some pretty basic furniture from Argos.
Oh. Dear. (Yeah, that's what I thought too!)
Now carefully look at the pictures...
Due to rushing, I didn't measure up properly when purchasing the furniture, and needless to say, it's miniscule! (I'm sure its children's furniture!) The chest of drawers stand at knee height (and I'm only 5ft 1"!). The bedside cabinet was that low that my boyfriend has to do without one because I thought it looked ridiculous, plus I seemed to use mine more than he did his, so I have 2 bedside cabinets stacked on top of each other! (see bottom right). Although this obviously creates an unsymmetrical dimension to the bed, as I know beds are the main focal point of a room, so this drives me nuts! The wardrobes.. well.. where do I start? They look fairly big in the photo but it is actually a single wardrobe with a few shelves to the side - I have the majority of the wardrobe and my boyfriend has the shelves. But as you can imagine, being female, I have clothes everywhere because they just don't all fit in. I have a basket full in my bedroom (see photo). I have another chest of drawers in another room, full of clothes, then I have boxes full in the spare bedroom. To top all that off, after approximately 1 month of having this furniture, like true Argos style (sorry Argos!) they began falling apart. One of the drawers is now out of bounds. If you look close enough one of the drawers doesn't actually close. The MDF at the back of the wardrobe began to collapse so we tried to fix that. It's safe to say, I just long for some solid, big bedroom furniture so all my clothes are in one place, and my poor boyfriend isn't left with some measly shelves to store his clothes. Fast forward 2 years and unfortunately, we still haven't been able to afford to replace this furniture yet.
Oh, and did I mention I've decided I really don't like the colour scheme?! I've decided it looks dark and dreary. I just feel like this room lets our whole house down. I'd absolutely love some white furniture with mirrored accessories against a light grey/silver colour scheme to create a fresh Parisian theme and to also give the illusion that the room is bigger. I've added a few ruffles on the bed for a feminine yet sophisticated touch. The items I've chosen from Laura Ashley would help make my bedroom the sophisticated and tidy room I'm longing for!
As you can see I've gone for solid white wood with lots of storage! All this would help to keep all mine and my boyfriends clothes in one place instead of making other rooms in the house look untidy with clothes that should belong in the bedroom!
I would stand the venetian mirror on top of the chest of drawers to create a dressing table. The heart shaped trinket boxes I would place on the dressing table and store jewellery in. The large mirrored rose (4) is a wall decoration that I would place on the wall along with a few mirrored picture frames. I would do 1 feature wall with the damask style wallpaper (5). The lamps I absolutely adore! I would place 1 on either side of the bed on top of the bedside cabinets (so my boyfriend can have his back!). I would have a ruffled duvet set to complete the look of sophistication. If there's still a few oddments that don't quite fit in the furniture (although I hope not!) I would place these gorgeous grey storage boxes in the corner of the room as an extra 'storage back-up'. The curtains I think match perfectly with the colour scheme to finish everything off. I might even add jeweled tie backs!
Honestly, if my bedroom was to look like this, I don't think I'd ever want to come out!
If you'd like to enter this competition, show us your room that you think needs a refresh, and what Laura Ashley items you'd use to brighten up your room. Then head over to Annie's blog and leave a comment/link telling her you've entered. Also tweet the link to your blog using the hastag #LARoomRefresh. Hurry though, you've only got till June7th 00:00 GMT.
So a few weeks ago I was lucky enough to win a competition; £100 to spend on My Sphere of Life. The competition tied in with Mothers Day so I let my mum have first dibs on the £100, and anything that was leftover was a bonus for me.
Whether she didn't want to take all my winnings or not, I don't know, but she settled for a very cute daisy necklace which was only just short of £36. (Unfortunately she is now in possession of this and I'm too lazy to drive to her house to take photos to show you guys!). This obviously left me with a fair amount still to play with...
I was spoilt for choice as they have a wide range of things to offer... their jewellery is rather unique, a lot of the necklace pendants being some form of ball bearings (hence the 'sphere of life'). Now I'm getting older, I've been slowly coming away from the costume jewellery, the nasty rings that leave your fingers green, or the necklaces that turn from silver to bronze within a few months. I've told myself to stop wasting my money and start looking for more timeless pieces that will never date and I know will be in my collection for years.
I'm a silver girl through and through when it comes to jewellery.. I'm not sure why, theres just something about silver that I think looks more pretty and sparkly, so I was pleased that the majority of the jewellery on my sphere was silver and not gold!
After carefully looking through everything, I finally settled on this little beauty 'milestones'.. and can I just say, before you look at the photos, I was a little apprehensive about this choice because the website shot made the heart pendant look rather large and chunky, and I prefer more delicate looking pieces.. however I'm glad I went through with it because once it arrived, I couldn't have been happier.
The first thing that struck me was the packaging. Oh my god. It instantly cries out luxury. The first 'layer' was the cute little red gift bag. Inside that was a solid white box, and inside that was a metallic red sphere/ball that screwed open and was padded so beautifully inside.
The necklace was placed in a cute drawstring organza bag, with half the necklace hanging out, so not to get knotted (which I also thought was... thoughtful! *lacking a thesaurus today!*). And the necklace? The necklace is ba-you-tee-full... with a capital B! The pendant is the perfect size, with 6 little crystals on for added sparkle! The chain is one of my favourite types too. Its also got a bit of weight behind it, which is something I bizarrely prefer on certain pendants, because sometimes (depending on where the piece of jewellery is from) the lighter the jewellery, the more cheap it makes it feel, in my opinion! This necklace retails at £53.90.
I couldn't have asked for more... I've told myself to keep it for special occasions, but I want to wear it every day!
I never really had a 'special' necklace in my collection - Its something I've been telling myself to get/ask for, for a long time now, and I think I've finally found that missing piece!
I haven't been asked to do this review - I just thought their website deserved a mention because I was truly happy with not only my purchases (if you can call it that! ;-) but the service too. It caters for all types of occasions and I believe there would be something on there for everyone - The packaging just adds that perfect final touch that really makes you feel you are recieving a luxury gift. I mean c'mon, who wouldn't want to receive a gift with packaging like that?! (or am I just easily pleased?!)
As previously stated, in the back end of September I went to Vegas. You never knew I went there? Really? ;-)
I've been lucky enough to travel to quite a few countries in my life so far. I remember when I was younger, my dad pulled me out of school three times, yes, THREE times in one year to go on holiday. Of course I was the envy of all my friends. Although now you'd probably get a telling off and a fine for doing such a thing. How times change...
After a much long-anticipated wait, September 2012 finally arrived and before I knew it, we were up in the air, flying to Vegas, all 22 of us. All 22 I hear you say? Yep.. my brother was about to tie the knot and he managed to persuade 22 people to pay to come to Vegas to watch him in all his glory. I was kindly chosen to be bridesmaid so it was a privilege to be a part of it all. (Although I think he would have known about it if I wasn't in the bridesmaid line up!)
When people hear the words Vegas and Wedding in the same sentence, they immediately think one thing. Tacky. wedding. chapel. No no no, it wasn't that. At all. Far from it actually, but I'll get onto that shortly..
The day began with me and the other bridesmaid heading to the brides hotel room for a full on hair and beauty session, complete with champagne.. it's gotta be done! After a few hours of total relaxation (ok, maybe not for the nervous bride...) it was time to head down to Caesars Palace. The bride and groom had a honeymoon suite booked there for one night, and was lucky enough to get upgraded because they had double-booked (although personally I think it was my niece's cheeky smile that swayed the receptionist to an upgrade!). Overnight bags were dropped off and we then made our way down to the wedding garden, with father of the bride in tow. The bride nervously climbed into her dress, and then the music began...
The wedding was set in a very serene and elegant hotel garden. Imagine stone white benches for the guests, and palm tree's hanging over with the sun flickering through, romantic music softly playing in the background...am I setting the scene well? No? Ok, well heres a few photos...
Brides family
Mother of the bride and bride & grooms daughter.
As you can see, no tacky wedding chapel in sight! Even though it was so close to the Vegas strip, it really did feel like you were a million miles away from all the chaos of the city.
The most loveliest of vows were exchanged and a bunch of creative photos were taken. The bride and groom then had an hour alone with the photographer to take more photos around the grounds, whilst the guests treat themselves to a well deserved chilled beverage... after all, 104 degree heat and suits don't mix very well!
After the photos, the blushing bride blushed more than she was expecting, after fainting... Cor, was married life already taking its toll?!
We then jumped in a hummer limousine, the music was turned up a notch, champagne was flowing freely and everyone was genuinely having a good time, bopping in their seats to the music, even my 2 year old niece!
My niece, attempting to live Vegas' rock'n'roll lifestyle in the hummer!
We arrived at the famous Vegas sign and more photos were taken, tacky but a kind of 'bucket list' photo destination. Jumping back in the limousine for the ride to Maggiano's, a gorgeous Italian Restaurant on the strip. A private room had been hired and the most delicious food was served. After several helpings of food and one too many cocktails, the speeches were done, which created roars of laughter all round, which I think is important at weddings!
Resorting back to my hotel room, I reflected on the day, and realised it went above and beyond my expectations of a Vegas wedding. Although I personally would never get married in Vegas, it was a fantastic day and something I wouldn't hesitate doing all over again.
We were only in Vegas for one week, and within this week we had to cram in a wedding and a day to California.This consisted of visiting Santa Monica beach, Beverly Hills and shopping time in Rodeo Drive (not that I had Rodeo Drive money!). We also got up close and personal to the famous Hollywood sign (another 'bucket list' photo destination!).
Overall this definitely has to be one of the better holidays I've had! Action packed and full of excitement, the only thing we missed out on is a helicopter ride over the canyon... next time Vegas, next time....
Thank you to everyone that took the time to enter, tweet and create a blog about my competition. I'd love to give a little christmas gift to all of you but unfortunately, as always, there can only be 1 winner. I have however got another competition already lined up so keep your eyes peeled!
Without further ado, the winner of my A/W competiton is...
I know many of you have already started your christmas shopping, finished your christmas shopping, and wrapped up your christmas shopping, however I still feel like the 'big' day is far far away in the distance. I'm not sure if its because of the weather, and the fact that some days I can still get away with just wearing a big chunky cardigan instead of a coat as well. As opposed to this time last year where we were knee deep crunching our way through snow. Or maybe its the fact I'm no longer a student ok, so I haven't been a student for over 3 years now and christmas holidays don't exist anymore except for a couple of measley days off, so the build up isn't as effective cos you've still gotta work right up to Christmas eve, boooo. Or maybe, just maybe its the fact that I'm yet another year older and Christmas just doesn't feel how it used to be *cue nostalgic sigh*
This is mine & my boyfriend's first christmas in our new home, which brings with it a lot of new things; first christmas of waking up somewhere different instead of at my mums. First christmas of being in charge of what decorations go on the tree! First christmas of being in charge of what christmas food we buy! (although that could be a bad thing!).
I've got a lot of festive blogs lined up to get me into the spirit. However, I thought about doing a guest blog swap for a day with anyone that is interested (although the theme has to be Christmas!). I thought it would be a great way for us to get introduced to new blogs and also get our blog out there (I know how much hard work it can be, I used to film for YT!). So if anyone is interested in joining in, then pop me an email, it'd be great to hear from you!
Please don't forget to check out my beauty competition, less than 1 week left!
I've had a nice 3 days off work this week, although I haven't completed my to-do list which I'm kinda annoyed with. My boyfriends' been in bed with a bad back for the past 2 weeks, so my days off didn't really go to plan! Instead of enjoying days out together, I've been running round like a headless chicken, doing all house chores, painting the conservatory and spending way too much time online (although I'm not really complaining about the latter!)
Speaking of the conservatory, since my dressing room tour, would any of you guys like to see 'before & after' photo's of our house? I personally love looking at interior design photos and how people style their home. I have all these ideas in my head for the conservatory which I'm hoping will be done for Christmas, so if any of you are interested then give me a shout! In fact either way, I'll probably put them up at some point anywsy!
Before I forget, I've joined the world of twitter! I've tried once before and didn't get it at all. All these @ and # and RT confused the hell out of me! Since then I've had another go and kinda understand it a little more, although I'll still be referring to my dummies guide (What would we do without dummy guides? The other day I had to pull one out for 'how to make an Omelette', I kid you not, I actually forgot). Either way, come follow me @KateLou11. (Hopefully I've referred to myself correctly with the right codes!)
Hope everyone's had a fab weekend! (Yay for Amelia Lily!) Ok, so only X Factor fans will understand that. (Small text overload in this blog, do apologise for those partially sighted, I'll be needing to dig my own glasses out in a minute!).
PS - Don't forget to check out my beauty competition here, only 2 weeks left to enter! Prizes inc Sleek and BarryM + more!
Today is an exciting day for me... my blog is just about to have it's 1st ever giveaway!
This is to mainly celebrate the quantity of subscribers I have on Youtube. I was going to do this at 1000 subscribers, but the excitement got the better of me!
This isn't the biggest giveaway ever, just a little something to say thank you. I chose these prizes with my own hard earned money (aren't I good to you guys?!). With the seasons in mind, I focused on Autumnal colours which I think would look great in these upcoming colder months.
Prizes include BarryM nail polishes in 'Vivid Purple' & 'Red Black'. The ever talked about sleek storm palette. A new brand to the beauty world, the VIVO palette in Graphite Glamour. Collection2000 Lock n Hold Lipgloss in 'Urban Punk'
All items are brand new (obviously!) and where possible, sealed.
Prizes up close and personal!
Barry M 'Red Black' Again, this is not my hand ;-)
BarryM 'Vivid Purple'
There are far better photos of this on here than mine, including swatches. I couldn't swatch this for obvious reasons!
After seeing this on so many beauty guru's I just had to pick one up for the giveaway. I swatched this palette in the shop and was amazed how pigmented this little beauty was!
Collection 2000 Lock n Hold lipgloss in Urban Punk. I own a few of these lipglosses and love them! They are non sticky, have a gorgeous but subtle shimmer, and taste yummy (always a bonus!)
The rules
1. You must be a public follower of my blog via GFC. All blogs must be valid and active.
2. Leave a comment below with your GFC name & email, stating one thing you love about Autumn.
3. To maximise your chances of winning you can do a blog post regarding my competition, including prize photo and a link to my blog.
To give everyone a fair chance of entering, this competition will run for 3 weeks, closing on Monday 31st October.
This competition is international.
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