Beautiful...

 

How stunningly breath-taking are these images? They are called cinemagraphs,  'an image that contains within itself a living moment that allows a glimpse of time to be experienced and preserved endlessly'. They've been created by artist Kevin Burg, he uses images taken from fashion, food and city life.  Check his work out here, the images are all simply beautiful!  I would love to learn how to create a moving photo of my own, I think it would look amazing to use one in a digital photo frame, certainly a change from the norm.

xx

Winter warmers

I always believe that you can't possibly get through these cold, cold (although not that cold yet) winter months without a decent cardigan!  A necessity for layering an outfit or just simply keeping warm, I personally like the big, thick cable knit kind (the kind you may very well see your granny in) as I love to feel snugly and warm...and another reason why winter is my favourite month for fashion!

Below I found the perfect cable knit cardigan for £22! It's so cute and warm, I love it!  Unfortunately within just a few hours of being on the Matalan site it appears to of sold out of my size (and many other sizes too) so I'm going to try my luck by visiting the store tonight!



 Falmer Fairisle Hoodie - MATALAN - £22



I also couldn't help but notice that it's very similar to the one Emma Watson wears (repeatedly) in the Deathly Hallows part 1...which in my opinion is even more reason to buy it!

Speaking of which, Harry Potter Deathly Hallows Part 2 on DVD is on sale from today!!!  I'm so excited and I will of course purchase it on its release date as I have done for every other movie (that's right, I'm a Harry Potter geek!)  Can't help but feel a little sad that that is it, nothing more Harry Potter related to look forward to...I need a new obsession I think (and it won't be Twilight, thank you very much!)

              

xx

Well hello (I'm still here!)

Well, it has been quite some time since I last posted on this blog I created!  I'm going to be honest, it's a lot harder to maintain then I first imagined and I really do admire those girls who are so committed to their blogs and update daily! I just think that I ran out of inspiration and so the motivation to update, but every time I see the link to this blog in my favourites I feel a little sad and disappointed that I didn't try harder!

Sooo, with that in mind, I'm going to try again! I adore reading others blogs and I love beauty and fashion.  I began this blog initially by talking about my trip to the Benicassim festival in Spain. I had a really great time although my one essential item  (my portable straighteners) broke on the second day...and I cried (tragically) but I still coped ok with huge curly hair.  However, as this trip was such a long time ago, I'm going to leave it there and start a fresh!

Christmas is coming up and this is a perfect time to ask for the things I've been wanting all year but felt too guilty to purchase for myself! So below I'm going to post just a few of the items I'm asking *Santa to bring me and also leave you with a promise that I will post more often in the future (if anyone is reading this, let me know what you want this Christmas!)  Also, very soon I will post about my little competition win on ASOS recently from which I generously received £100 worth of autumn/winter prizes as reward!  Although I've only got a few followers, it means a lot to me that you guys took the time to follow me and obviously like what I was posting...but I will also aim to reach out to more followers in the future too!

xx

P.s...Bear in mind that it is also my birthday soon and so I shall be receiving some of these gifts then...I'm not greedy, honest :P!

(Shoes from Miss Sefridge - £45, dress from Ark - £29.99, bag from Asos - £27.99 )

*Santa - Actually my long suffering mother and also my boyfriend of course...since I have recently discovered the truth about the existence of Santa :(!

Liz Earle...jumping on the bandwagon AND camping equipment!!!

Well, after all the hype surrounding the Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish™ Hot Cloth Cleanser throughout the blogging community, I finally cracked and decided to experience this stuff for myself.  For those of you who don't know about this brand, here's a little of what they are about...

"Liz Earle Naturally Active Skincare is a Great British beauty brand, founded in 1995. We are passionate about all that we do and create products that really work on every skin type by harnessing the potent powers of the finest quality naturally active ingredients"

Over the years Liz Earle have won countless awards for their products, most recently being The Handbag Beauty Bible who awarded them for their (seemingly most popular product) the Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser.  I'm sure that most of you don't need another review telling you how great this is so I'll try and keep it short (and sweet). I've never really gone for cleansers before, keeping my skin care regime simple with just a Garnier face wash and Nivea soft moisturiser; however my skin can be quite dry and patchy with the occasional breakout so I was looking for a product to step it up.

Originally I invested in Simple Soothing Toner 200ML costing £2.41, designed to 'reduce the size of pores and leave skin feeling refreshed and clarified'. I've tried cleansers and toners before but always felt that they can leave my skin feeling quite dry and tight and that they can be too watery to apply.  However this product is quite different as it has a more oily/gel consistency, therefore I thought that it would be more moisturising. After washing my face with a face wash, I applied this with cotton wool, allowed to dry then applied moisturiser. This product left my skin feeling fresh and very smooth and although my pores aren't really visible, it definitely helped even out my skin, so after using for a week I was very pleased with the results. However, I still felt I could achieve even better results and after hearing so much about it, I invested in Liz Earle (with just a slightly higher price tag)!

  Liz Earle's Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser its a 2 step process. Firstly (using a single pump of product) you apply the cream all over your face, massaging into all of your skin including your neck and even the delicate eye area.  It can be used to remove all your makeup as people claim it just 'melts it away' as you rub in the cream, however I continue with my usual regime of using my Garnier pure active deep pore face scrub to gently remove my makeup before applying Liz Earle's cleanser.  Once the cream has been massaged into the skin, you then rinse the muslim cloth (provided in your started pack) under hand hot water and wring out leaving it just slightly damp but relatively hot. The cloth is the used to remove any product remaining on the face, again using circular messaging motions. You then finish off with a splash of cold water to the face, and I apply a small amount of Nivea Soft face cream.  The product itself is initially quite thick in consistency, but once applied its very smooth and is absorbed into the skin quite well.  I wouldn't say that the smell is very memorable or striking, in fact it doesn't really smell of much, just a  very clean and subtle scent that can't really be smelt once the product has been removed.

I've been using this every night for over a week now and I'm extremely pleased with the results! My face is the smoothest its ever been and looks fresh and almost glowing. Usually I apply quite a sizable amount of foundation to my face to cover my slightly red and dry skin, however I've only felt the need to apply small amounts as it is just not required.  My skin tone appears more even and free of blemishes and dry patches and my skin is left feeling fresh all day!  Although its more then I'd usually pay for a face product, I just won't be able to resist re-purchasing it in the future! Prices for this product start at £5.10 for a 30ml bottle; however I would strongly recommend investing in the starter pack at £13.25 for a 100ml as you will also receive 2 muslim clothes with your pack.

Now a quick update on my camping equipment (which we finally bought) for Benicassim with only 6 DAYS TO GO!!! Lets just say to we decided on a tent that could provide us with a lot of room to move around...as we opted for an 8 man tent (for the 2 of us!) It wasn't my idea, honestly...but I can't say that I'm complaining as there are many advantages to having such a big tent.  1/ There's enough room to fit in a double air bed with an extra room for bag/clothes and another for 'entertaining' and lounging :P  2/ It hopefully won't get too hot if there's more room for air to circulate and 3/ If we bug each other up, have a falling out or basically do each others heads in, we have an extra room to escape to! Bonus! Not sure what the others will think though (with their two man tents), as we haven't told them...oops!

I also bought a few things during my day in Liverpool on Friday which I will be sharing with you soon.

xx

Festival purchases #1....and some Primark purchases too

I felt that it was about flipping time I did an update, and felt now is a perfect opportunity for me to do a post regarding some the items I plan to take to Benicassim  as I go in less than 2 weeks time.  This is just a taster of some of the items I've bought over the last few months, but I've included a few of my favourite things !  I'm really looking forward to my holiday and camping experience...but I'm also REALLY looking forward to wearing all the new clothes, shoes and accessories! You have no idea how much will power it took to have them all in my room for so long and now wear them...its not been easy!  

Primark - £3.00

In addition to my holiday items, I've also included some Primark purchases I made just today.  On Friday I plan to go to Liverpool with my boyfriend. We planned this a while ago, to have one big shopping trip at Liverpool One in order to buy everything we need for the festival holiday.  However this hasn't really worked out for me as I've pretty much bought everything I'm going to need (minus the actual camping equipment, oops) but we are staying over in a hotel and plan to go out for the night so I'm really looking forward to it!  This is why I went to Primark today to be honest, to buy a new outfit for my shopping trip (don't judge me), I couldn't help it as I really wanted something new to wear! Anyway, the first thing I saw was this gorgeous tan satchel bag (satchels seem to be very popular at the moment). Can you believe it was only £3.00, reduced from £7.00!

 

Primark - £8.00

I also bought these adorable brogues for £8.00 in tan.  I've been meaning to buy some for ages, as I tend to only wear boots and definitely felt I was in need of a change. I think these would look good with some black tights and a cute summer dress.                                                      

                   

Primark - £6.00

I bought this gorgeous shirt top from Primark, its black with bright colourful flowers dotted all over, and I was lucky to get one in my size as there was only 3 left! It came at a cost of £6.00 (a bargain) and I think it will really work with leggings, a long necklace  and with brogues!                             

Festival Buys

ARK - £21.00

I bought this gorgeous floral playsuit from ARK Clothing at a cost of £21.00.  I love the summery  pattern and colours, and the scalloped edge is really different and cute. The material is a light chiffon material which will be ideal in a hot climate, and I like the fact that its a strapless bandeau as it would be much easier to remove (for bathroom breaks, hehe).  I plan to add a tan belt, gladiator sandals and lots of bangles to this outfit!

I bought this beach bag from Primark for £7.00 (I think...I took off the tag).  Its really bright and summery and is covered in many tiny pink sequins.  It is also quite large which is important if its to hold all mine and my boyfriends beach stuff.

                                                                                                     

 I got this feathered necklace from H&M, its got a tribal vibe to it and is very festivally I feel (I think its supposed to look like a dream catcher). Normally I think the jewellery can look a bit cheap and be of poor quality in H&M, but this looks really well made and a bargain at £5.99!

I've been wanting to try Topshop makeup for ages! I have heard some great things about it (on the blogging community mainly) and I'm really attracted to the fresh and very cute packaging.  I was looking for a face glow/highlighter, mainly because my skin can sometimes look dry and bland when I've applied foundation.  I'm was also looking for something that can give my skin a 'healthy glow' in the sun when applied to the top of my cheeks and brow line.  I bought this in a light colour, and  I have tested it just once (on Sunday to be precise when the weather was nice). But I really like this skin glow lotion, it gives a lovely subtle shimmer and I was complimented a few times on how healthy and 'glowing' I looked.  It cost £10.00, but you do get a lot of product for the price.

I got this Posie Tint by Benefit (for lips and cheeks) in the July copy of Glamour magazine.  Its a tiny sample bottle but is perfect for taking on holiday for 10 days.  I've tried their dark red tint before but felt it was a little too red on my skin (clown comes to mind) so I was eager to try this lighter pink shade instead.  I've only tried a tiny bit on my hand (as the bottle is only small) but it left a gorgeous, more subtle pink stain to my skin, which I think would look lovely with a sun kissed glow.  It was really long lasting as it stayed on my hand for a good few hours, even after I washed my hand there was still a hint of colour left.  I have a feeling that I'll be purchasing the bigger bottle when I return home.

                     

 

Finally, no festival is complete without a flower garland for your hair!  Your hair can look a dreadful mess but I think that by adding a flower garland to your head it can distract from the birds nest and add interest giving you a feminine and overall cute look.   I did a post on flower garlands a few weeks back, since then they have become really popular, cropping up in most hight-street stores.  I was tempting by this one from Primark (not only because of the £2.00 price tag) but because I like the way it just rests on the top of your head, unlike elasticated ones that really dig into my head and eventually end up giving me a head ache.  There were many colours to choose from including pink, blue and purple! But in the end I went for simple white daisies as I felt they would go with any outfit!

Well there you have it, a quick sample of some of my festival/holiday buys (believe me, its just a small fraction of what I've actually purchased), I'll hopefully be doing a new update soon before I head off on my travels! 

Have a lovely day 

xx                                                                                                                                                                

                                                                                              

Sail away with me...

A nautical themed look I put together on Polyvore

I know its been an un-be-leeevably long time since I last blogged, but I'm still here! I've just had to so much going on with work that I've let it slip. However, during this time I have bought a huge amount of stuff to take to the Benicassim festival, including outfits, accessories and toiletries (for which I will do a blog soon showing you what I have so far.)  I can't believe its only three weeks away!  In the mean time, I thought I would do a post on one of my favourite styles, and that is nautical themed fashion. I adore nautical and think it is a perfect trend for the summer months and is apparently set to be a big trend throughout 2011.  Personally, when I'm picking new clothes I tend to be drawn to stripes, particularly in colours of navy, white and grey.  But nautical doesn't just have to consist of stripes and sailor hats, it can be about the bold colours you choose (reds, navy blues and crisp whites) or simply just gorgeous naval print dresses, skirts adorned with gold buttons or cork finish shoes.  As Summer approaches , many of the big name high street stores are jumping on the band wagon this year by releasing their own nautical themed lines or items like stores such as Boohoo, who have a line called 'New Season Nautical'.  So below I have picked some of my favourite nautical pieces, all available now and of course from the high street and Online!



Boohoo- Drop Sleeve Stripe top - £6.00





 

Boohoo - Nautical Dress - £15.00

   

Matalan - Striped Dress - £16.00



Topshop - 1950's Nautical stripe dress - £36.00





Matalan - Espadrille Platform - £20.00




Topshop - Navy spot wedges - £50.00








ASOS - Pauls Boutique Bag - £56.00




xx

 

Coral Colour Craze...

I am loving this season's coral colour trend!  I think its such a feminine and flattering colour that suits all skin tones and hair colours. I also think that its a colour that can be quite striking and eye-catching without being an overpowering colour (i.e hot pink, sometimes too much in my opinion!)  I'm currently looking for a pair of new 'dancing' heels, some that are a little different from the usual black I always seem to buy (because they go with anything) and I think coral is the way to go.  Below are 6 options of shoe that I want your opinion on, bearing in mind that I've limited the amount I'm to spend. 

 

Dorothy Perkins - £38.00

Option 1

I love the colour of these as it is really fresh and fun (although I feel the colour is almost a more burnt orange then coral) and I also really like the cross over peep toe detail.  However, these shoes have a suede texture which could cause problems in wet weather. Overall though, I really like these! Additionally, I also have a 25% off voucher for Dorothy Perkins (valid until Sunday) just by typing in DPVIPD at the checkout, or download the voucher to use in store, so the price is quite reasonable.





Pavers Shoes - £85.95

Option 2

The colour of these ones is more on the pinky side which is cute and I love the little ruffle detail on the front. Again these have a suede texture which could be difficult to keep clean. They are a little higher than the previous ones (which I like) with a concealed platform.  One major downside is the price at £85.95...I promise myself I will never spend more than £50-£60 on shoes as I tend to ruin them too quickly on nights out so in the long run its a waste of money for me really.



Topshop - £62.00

Option 3

Topshop claim that these are 'coral court shoes' but I think that they are quite obviously more of an orange colour! Regardless of this, I like them, they are different and cute.  They have quite a high heel, and a standard platform court shape. Yet again these too have a suede texture!! It seems to a popular choice of textile for shoes nowadays.  But on the plus side they are 100% leather which means they will last! What colour of dress would best go with these though?           

                  



Dorothy Perkins - £40.00

Option 4

Wow, these are certainly...different!  I like the cut out detailing with the pink colour underneath, and I think the chunky heel is chic.   However I'm not sure I like the use of different colours used for the heel and the platform compared to the rest of the shoe, could be just a little too much! Cute though, but overall not really me.




ASOS - £150.00

 

Option 5

These gorgeous Kurt Geiger heels have a real summery almost Hawaiian vibe to them with  this fabulous detachable flower embellishment on the toe (I like the fact its detachable!) I particularly like the subtle coral colour and the sky scraper heel.  However the MAJOR turn-off is the price at a whopping £150!

                          

Dorothy Perkins - £39.00

Option 6

Love these Coral t-bar platform sandals by Dorothy Perkins.  I particularly like the wooden cork sole detailing and the floral print lining as its so summery and cute. The intricate cross over detail is also a bonus as it adds interest to the shoe, rather then just being a standard court or peep toe.  Not a bad price either (especially with 25% off!)  However, a drawback is that these could only really be worn in the summer months when its hot (which isn't often) and there's only a limited amount of outfits these would go with. Definitely one of my favourites though!

Please vote for the coral shoes you like the best...

H & M bagains!

Hi!  Just a quick post to tell you guys to get yourselves over to H&M and use the vouchers codes I have below.

£5.00 off voucher -   1304
£10.00 off voucher - 9217
(shhh....use both together to get a whopping £15.00 off!)

The only condition is that you pay at least £6 once the discounts have been taken off (excluding postage and packaging!)


My purchases ...

 

£7.99



1. This cute pale pink cardi.  I already have it in navy, I particularly like the floaty/waterfall cut and thin cotton material.

 

 

£12.99



2. Love the colour and pattern of this, described online as powder/patterned.  I have this in a floral design, the tulip cut is really flattering!

  

£2.99

3.  Basic, but will go with anything...perfect for hot/festival weather and only £2.99!






 





£12.99

I was also looking to buy this gorgeous play suit, but in the end I stuck with the 3 items, which came to a grand total of £8.97! Postage was an additional £3.90...I hate paying postage, I really think all these places should have the option to pick up in store!

Anyway, hope you make use of the vouchers :).  I'll hopefully do and update soon about the new soap and glory and Avon purchases I made...the soap and glory scrub is gorgeous by the way!



Fly away with me...



A Miu Miu inspired look I put together. Click here for a larger image.



Miuccia Prada launched Miu Miu in 1992 as the visionary sister label to fashion powerhouse Prada. Since then, it has staged some of the hottest runway shows with its sophisticated yet eclectic collections, and earned a host of A-list devotees in the process. Blending classic cuts with avant-garde detailing, expect brightly colored prints on everything from sleek mini dresses to liquid-silk shorts.

I absolutely love the Miu Miu label with their use of gorgeous prints and pastel shades, I think each collection is more cute and sophisticated than the last.  However, I particularly like their use of birds and swallow prints, I think they are so cute and striking and it is this print that can be most associated  with the line.  Although I love this label, I can't quite stretch to the price tags that come with it.  That is why I have searched the high street and online shops to find some equally gorgeous, yet purse friendly swallow print garments below.  I particularly love the gorgeous dresses from Republic, so sweet!



Republic - £19.99



  



Swallow print blouse, can be worn buttoned up or open with a t-shirt or vest underneath!



Kookai - Bird Print V-Neck Jumper - £24








Lovarni.com - £28.00

















  








 

Republic - £26.99



Stunning chiffon layers. Flattering sweet heart neckline!





  

Republic- £26.00

 Striking black swallow design against the gorgeous coral. Very 'in season' shade!



 






ASOS - Long Pendant - £6.00



Amazon - £14.99









 



 














 

 

  









DP - £4.00

Republic - £4.99



P.S - This is the second time I've made this post as my first attempt mysteriously disappeared! Gutting really as it took a while (and my first one was better :S) aww well!